Dragons Away, 19th Feb, 7.35pm

[wixfjord]

Ulster win with no TBP. So we gain a point on them overall with the TBP.

[cormac]

If that's the squad we send to Belfast in two weeks we'll be in trouble

[Serb]

Bizarre that Dragons kicked it out to end the game there. A losing bonus is literally useless for them. Might as well try and get an unlikely win.

[Serb]

If that's the squad we send to Belfast in two weeks we'll be in trouble

Yeah, that team would get slaughtered imo, but we have enough of a cushion that they’d need to 5-0 us and beat one of our other two results.

[CiaranIrl]

What an awful mentality from them to settle for a losing bonus point. I'd go spare if we ever did that.

[Lock9541]

Will the Byrne brothers be available next week?

[Blueberry]

Weird ending from the Dragons, awful pitch, endless penalties and the usual Ben Whitehouse show. Good to get out of there and one to forget about.....

Move on.....

[joooooe]

What an awful mentality from them to settle for a losing bonus point. I'd go spare if we ever did that.

Munster did this against us a couple of years ago. They were actually in a better position if memory serves. It's an awful attitude. Not only for the match in question, but that mentality remains in subsequent matches. I would be livid if Leinster ever did that.

[CiaranIrl]

I think that game should put the, 'Harry Byrne is ready to start for Ireland at age 21' brigade back in their box. His inexperience showed in terms of game management. Baird not too different - has a lot to learn about how to play a cold, mucky away game in Newport.

Other random thoughts: Conan & Penny head and shoulders above anyone else on the field, Toner & Fardy looked their age coming off the bench, our discipline was shocking in that first half.

[blockhead]

Not bad, but not great either.
5 tries isn't bad I suppose on a pitch which looked like it just hosted the battle of Agincourt.
Some amount of penalties given away by us in the first half, the ref probably needed a defibrulator in the changing rooms at HT.
Better 2nd half.

[cormac]

What an awful mentality from them to settle for a losing bonus point. I'd go spare if we ever did that.

Munster did this against us a couple of years ago. They were actually in a better position if memory serves. It's an awful attitude. Not only for the match in question, but that mentality remains in subsequent matches. I would be livid if Leinster ever did that.

Was only last August. Does feel like years ago.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I think that game should put the, 'Harry Byrne is ready to start for Ireland at age 21' brigade back in their box. His inexperience showed in terms of game management. Baird not too different - has a lot to learn about how to play a cold, mucky away game in Newport.

Other random thoughts: Conan & Penny head and shoulders above anyone else on the field, Toner & Fardy looked their age coming off the bench, our discipline was shocking in that first half.

Are people saying that? I think it’s more about developing him than expecting him to hit the ground running. It’s not like Ross and Burns have been really solid so there’s concerns with them too.

Conan and Penny were very good but I thought Luke was MOTM.

Clarkson is some prospect, really hard to believe how young he is.

[joooooe]

What an awful mentality from them to settle for a losing bonus point. I'd go spare if we ever did that.

Munster did this against us a couple of years ago. They were actually in a better position if memory serves. It's an awful attitude. Not only for the match in question, but that mentality remains in subsequent matches. I would be livid if Leinster ever did that.

Was only last August. Does feel like years ago.

Shudder.

[CiaranIrl]

I think that game should put the, 'Harry Byrne is ready to start for Ireland at age 21' brigade back in their box. His inexperience showed in terms of game management. Baird not too different - has a lot to learn about how to play a cold, mucky away game in Newport.

Other random thoughts: Conan & Penny head and shoulders above anyone else on the field, Toner & Fardy looked their age coming off the bench, our discipline was shocking in that first half.

Are people saying that? I think it’s more about developing him than expecting him to hit the ground running. It’s not like Ross and Burns have been really solid so there’s concerns with them too.

Conan and Penny were very good but I thought Luke was MOTM.

Clarkson is some prospect, really hard to believe how young he is.

There are plenty of people saying it. Enough that Farrell had to address it at the most recent press conference. Totally agree that we need to develop his obvious talent. I just don't think that he needs Ireland caps for that. (https://www.the42.ie/ireland-andy-farre ... 2-Feb2021/)

Totally agree on Mcgrath. Add him to the list!

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I haven't heard that myself, thought the consensus was that he's still very raw and will likely make mistakes but that it's worth it in the circumstances.

I appreciate what Farrell is saying there but in this case I would define "ready" as whether he'd be able to cope with a bad performance and bounce back, not whether he'll get our attack humming. In Harry's case I think he would be able to cope.

I can see the argument against not picking Baird or Frawley because there's more quality in front of them but less so with with our outhalf situation. If it does go badly then one of the other guys can come back in anyway.

[Blueberry]

I think that game should put the, 'Harry Byrne is ready to start for Ireland at age 21' brigade back in their box. His inexperience showed in terms of game management. Baird not too different - has a lot to learn about how to play a cold, mucky away game in Newport.

Other random thoughts: Conan & Penny head and shoulders above anyone else on the field, Toner & Fardy looked their age coming off the bench, our discipline was shocking in that first half.

Are people saying that? I think it’s more about developing him than expecting him to hit the ground running. It’s not like Ross and Burns have been really solid so there’s concerns with them too.

Conan and Penny were very good but I thought Luke was MOTM.

Clarkson is some prospect, really hard to believe how young he is.

There are plenty of people saying it. Enough that Farrell had to address it at the most recent press conference. Totally agree that we need to develop his obvious talent. I just don't think that he needs Ireland caps for that. (https://www.the42.ie/ireland-andy-farre ... 2-Feb2021/)

Totally agree on Mcgrath. Add him to the list!

Think this has arisen as many people watching myself included can't understand the Billy Burns thing. He is never going to be anything more than a mediocre Pro 14 10 hence the pressure to get a hugely talented youngster like Harry involved.

For what it's worth thought he did pretty well tonight especially considering the state of Rodney Parade. Next time we should bring a tractor and plough on the ferry and give it a quick once over to smooth it down a bit.....

Conan was excellent allright and thought ROL looked sharp too. Bet they are all just glad to have that game behind them.

[Ruckedtobits]

That is precisely the sort of game which gives valuable experience to players like Baird, Clarkson, Harry Byrne, O'Reilly, Hanan and G McGrath. Dragons played a game akin to a mid-90's Limerick AIL team with a very talented, kicking, out-half and a limited but effective game plan for the skill-set of their Squad.

Our try-scoring ability through our forward pick and drives is adequate to beat teams of this nature, but, oh, how I long to see us use that tactic primarily to bunch the defence and score with our backs optimising the work of the forwards. When we come to play Munster, Ulster or physically big English and French teams, the pick and go up front just won't cut it in the games that matter, even with our front-line pack.

Hopefully, Leo, Stuart, Felipe et al have a lot more innovative plays up their sleeves for future games. Leinster forwards are capable of doing the "hard yards" in those field positions, but the skills the Squad have developed could and should be able to score more effective tries out wider.

Why? Because by scoring with other threats, we make Leinster more effective and difficult to defend against and therefore harder to beat.

On the positive side, I really enjoyed some of the off-loading by forwards and backs in our mid-field play and was even more impressed by the same quality from the Ulster players against Glasgow.

[the spoofer]

I think that game should put the, 'Harry Byrne is ready to start for Ireland at age 21' brigade back in their box. His inexperience showed in terms of game management. Baird not too different - has a lot to learn about how to play a cold, mucky away game in Newport.

Other random thoughts: Conan & Penny head and shoulders above anyone else on the field, Toner & Fardy looked their age coming off the bench, our discipline was shocking in that first half.

I disagree. Josh Murphy was my MOM.He was excellent. I also thought Fardy was really good when he came on.

[Blue Man]

That is precisely the sort of game which gives valuable experience to players like Baird, Clarkson, Harry Byrne, O'Reilly, Hanan and G McGrath. Dragons played a game akin to a mid-90's Limerick AIL team with a very talented, kicking, out-half and a limited but effective game plan for the skill-set of their Squad.

Our try-scoring ability through our forward pick and drives is adequate to beat teams of this nature, but, oh, how I long to see us use that tactic primarily to bunch the defence and score with our backs optimising the work of the forwards. When we come to play Munster, Ulster or physically big English and French teams, the pick and go up front just won't cut it in the games that matter, even with our front-line pack.

Hopefully, Leo, Stuart, Felipe et al have a lot more innovative plays up their sleeves for future games. Leinster forwards are capable of doing the "hard yards" in those field positions, but the skills the Squad have developed could and should be able to score more effective tries out wider.

Why? Because by scoring with other threats, we make Leinster more effective and difficult to defend against and therefore harder to beat.

On the positive side, I really enjoyed some of the off-loading by forwards and backs in our mid-field play and was even more impressed by the same quality from the Ulster players against Glasgow.

Agree, it’s all very well bullying the Dragons with a limited pick and drive game but it doesn’t develop players or help Leinster to build a game that will compete with the big French and English sides.

This was a good hit out for some of the younger guys; Clarkson is still 20 so games like this really help his development.

The discipline was terrible and need to be addressed immediately. The range of penalties from the stupid to the very stupid suggests a complete breakdown in discipline; technical infringements, accidental offside, deliberate foul play...

In terms of individuals, Harry wasn’t great but a lot of the time he was under pressure when he received the (slow) ball due to general mayhem in and around the ruck.

Baird is a bit of an enigma, serious athlete but needs to also focus on the basics and the nature greater consistency for a full 80.

Five points banked but many lessons to take from another average performance.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Our try-scoring ability through our forward pick and drives is adequate to beat teams of this nature, but, oh, how I long to see us use that tactic primarily to bunch the defence and score with our backs optimising the work of the forwards. When we come to play Munster, Ulster or physically big English and French teams, the pick and go up front just won't cut it in the games that matter, even with our front-line pack.

I was thinking about this during the game. Why do teams (or is it just Ireland?) go from side to side when they’re playing near halfway but then refuse to move it when they get close to the line and just use the pick and go game?

It’s not just us, Exeter won a European cup doing that and there’s been a big shift this season in terms of teams turning down scrums/lineouts and tapping and going near the line. I don’t understand why most teams are reluctant to play a tight possession game further down the pitch because they risk turnovers under the current laws but it’s not an issue close to the line.