Leinster Vs Toulon 2021, Friday the 2nd of April, 5.30pm

[D4surfer]

https://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/felix-la ... rson.shtml

Felix Lambey from Lyon must be Irish qualified with a ginger head on him like that.

[neiliog93]

Is Nonu banned for our game? His red card can be seen here around the 30 sec mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7MhBSSJImE

No way he's not getting at least a couple of weeks for that.

[Blue Man]

That’s a big Toulon pack and I think we can get a lot of change by moving them around, similar to how we played in Lyon. I’m looking forward to seeing how our backrow gets on against Ollivon who’s a cracking player

[Peg Leg]

That’s a big Toulon pack and I think we can get a lot of change by moving them around, similar to how we played in Lyon. I’m looking forward to seeing how our backrow gets on against Ollivon who’s a cracking player

They're huge, you would expect a few dinks over the top and grubbers. Their defence looks dreadful (based on that one pasting by Lyon highlights vid). Could be an ideal game for Frawley to play.
As a matter of interest, how do prepare for scrummaging against that size of a pack?

[Blue Man]

That’s a big Toulon pack and I think we can get a lot of change by moving them around, similar to how we played in Lyon. I’m looking forward to seeing how our backrow gets on against Ollivon who’s a cracking player

They're huge, you would expect a few dinks over the top and grubbers. Their defence looks dreadful (based on that one pasting by Lyon highlights vid). Could be an ideal game for Frawley to play.
As a matter of interest, how do prepare for scrummaging against that size of a pack?

I remember being really worried about Dooley, Tracy and Bent before the Montpellier game and they dominated the scrum. Ireland went well against France in the set piece in the six nations so I have every confidence in our pack. We have two class tight heads, a really powerful hooker and an ailing, but still sound scrummaging loose head.

[johng]

In the 10 previous seasons the HC has been won by Leinster 3 Toulon 3 Saracens 3 and Exeter 1.

Sarries we know about. The other 2 we will meet in the next round and (should we be successful) the QF

The 3 winners before that are Munster Toulouse and Wasps who are also funneling into the same QF.

What's the betting that those 2 QF winners will be drawn in the same semi?

[mildlyinterested]

Leinster Rugby Head Coach Leo Cullen has issued an injury update ahead of Friday’s Heineken Champions Cup last-16 game against Toulon in the RDS Arena (KO: 5.30pm – live on BT Sport and RTÉ Radio).

There is positive news for winger Cian Kelleher who has recovered from his hamstring injury and is due to train this week.

A number of players though require further assessment before a final call will be made on their availability after picking up injuries against Munster Rugby at the weekend.

Johnny Sexton has entered the Graduated Return to Play Protocols and will be assessed as the week progresses and Ross Byrne will also require further assessment after he took a knock to his knee against Munster.

Vakh Abdaladze will again look to increase his involvement in team training this week as he continues to recover from a long-standing back injury

Unfortunately, Scott Penny has been ruled out of the Toulon game having sustained an injury to his hand against Ospreys.

There was no update on a number of players who remain unavailable to Cullen this week:

Garry Ringrose (ankle), Will Connors (knee), James Ryan (concussion), Rowan Osborne (hand), Jimmy O’Brien (hamstring), Tommy O’Brien (ankle), Adam Byrne (quad), Caelan Doris (concussion), Dan Leavy (knee), Conor O’Brien (knee) and Max Deegan (knee).

[Twist]

That's a toubling injury list. James Ryan will be sorely missed against this pack.

Anyone for a Harry - Frawley - Henshaw midfield?

[mildlyinterested]

That's a toubling injury list. James Ryan will be sorely missed against this pack.

Anyone for a Harry - Frawley - Henshaw midfield?

I think they'll continue with ROL for his reliability.

[leinster23]

That's a toubling injury list. James Ryan will be sorely missed against this pack.

Anyone for a Harry - Frawley - Henshaw midfield?

I think they'll continue with ROL for his reliability.

If it does turn out to be Harry at 10 you have to go with ROL I think, Harry and Frawley are great together but that's too much inexperience for a game of this magnitude.

That said, assuming there is one of Sexton or Ross available, I can definitely see the argument for Frawley.]

Not an ideal update truth be told. With Ryan out I think Baird has to start after his cameo last week.

[Twist]

That's a toubling injury list. James Ryan will be sorely missed against this pack.

Anyone for a Harry - Frawley - Henshaw midfield?

I think they'll continue with ROL for his reliability.

If it does turn out to be Harry at 10 you have to go with ROL I think, Harry and Frawley are great together but that's too much inexperience for a game of this magnitude.

That said, assuming there is one of Sexton or Ross available, I can definitely see the argument for Frawley.]

Not an ideal update truth be told. With Ryan out I think Baird has to start after his cameo last week.

In which row though? And in place of who? (I suppose the second question makes the first redundant!)

[CiaranIrl]

I'm nervous about this one. I keep telling myself that Toulon are in a relegation battle, have a aging team etc., but even so...

The 6d turnaround after a very grueling schedule for some of our key players can't be good. That, combined with our long injury list, has me nervous as hell.

[leinster23]

I think they'll continue with ROL for his reliability.

If it does turn out to be Harry at 10 you have to go with ROL I think, Harry and Frawley are great together but that's too much inexperience for a game of this magnitude.

That said, assuming there is one of Sexton or Ross available, I can definitely see the argument for Frawley.]

Not an ideal update truth be told. With Ryan out I think Baird has to start after his cameo last week.

In which row though? And in place of who? (I suppose the second question makes the first redundant!)

Personally I'd have him in the second row along with one of Toner/Fardy. Don't think we should mess with the back row after last week.

[backrower8]

Dooley, Kelleher, Furlong, Baird, Toner, Ruddock, VDF, Conan, Luke, Johnny, Lowe, Robbie, ROL, Kearney, Keenan + Treacy, Healy, Porter, Fardy, Murphy, JGP, Ross, Larmour. One or other injury at 10 may see both Harry & Frawley deployed.

Strong, but not a XV to win a 5th star. Need Ryan plus at least one of Ringrose and Doris (in that order) back for that to happen.

[Ruckedtobits]

Our opponents at the weekend, Toulon, have one of the most experienced Squads in the Top 14 and their Head Coach is a man who has been there, worn the teeshirt and doesn't take prisoners. Expect to see the menacing Patrice Collazo patrolling the touchline in the RDS on Friday (if he's allowed) looking every bit the former French prop forward who came to Toulon as Head Coach from La Rochelle in 2018, having taken the Maritimes from the ProD2 to a Champions League Q/F in four seasons.

The biggest problem for Collazo since he arrived in Toulon has been his team's form on the road:

Top 14 Season 2018-19 - Away games: Played: 13: Won 3 Lost 10 - Finished 12th in Table
Top 14 Season 2019-20 - Away games: Played: 10: Won 3 Lost 7 - Finished 7th in Table
Top 14 Season 2020-21 - Away games: Played: 10: Won 3 Lost 7 - Currently 9th in Table

Toulon have a very stable team selection for their big games this year and, assuming no injuries, it will no surprise to see the following line-up:

15: Paia'aua;
14. Moyano;
13. Toeava;
12. Wulf; - assuming No'nu suspended
11. Villiere;
10. Carbonel;
9. Serin;
1. Gros;
2. Etrilliard;
3. Setiano;
4. Etzebeth:
5. Taofifenua;
6. Rebbadj;
7. Ollivan;
8. Parisse (capt);

Bench

16. Tolofua
17. Devaux;
18. Tchelidze;
19. Alain'uese;
20. Isa
21. Moretti;
22. Meric;
23. Dakuwaqa

That is a massive pack and a they most often select a 6:2 split on the bench with Dakawaqa a regular sub for Parisse at about 65 mins. However, the straw in the wind is their away form. This Season they have beaten Agen and Brive away from home and on the 17th January this year in Paris, they conquered Racing 92 by 23-29, to claim a very rare scalp..

Anybody who has studied their displays this season will recognise that they attempt to use the strength of their pack to grind down teams. Even with Ma Nonu and Toeava in the centre and Moyano and Villiere on the wings, they do not play wide-wide. Rather, driven and directed by Serin rather than Carbonel, their play is conservative and pragmatic and percussion rather than tempo is their preferred style.

Friday night will be hard work for whatever forwards we select. However, if we can get tempo and possession, this Toulon pack will not welcome a fast-paced game played by opponents who understand how to score when they reach the opponent's 22m area. Let's hope however, that we have figured out ways to score from within 5 metres other than pick and go. This Toulon pack has so many big men that it is not advised that we merely hammer on the door.

This Season they haven't often had their entire Squad available because of French international call-ups. As many will recognise, they have a back-five in their pack who would represent any team in the world. Hopefully, Leinster will have devised a game plan that tries to ensure we play fifteen against fifteen.

[mildlyinterested]

Leinster senior coach Stuart Lancaster, however, is confident both will have fully recovered by Friday.

"Johnny is fine," Lancaster said. "He is flying through the HIA protocols. Ross got a bang on his knee, but he trained today. We are pretty optimistic about both of them."

[blockhead]

I love Stuart Lancaster.

[mildlyinterested]

More lancaster

"If you saw the review this morning, you'd probably have thought that we had lost given the way we talked about the performance and could do things better."

"Sub-conscious complacency can seep in, when you start thinking that you have all the answers."

"They [defeats to Saracens in last two European campaigns] stung a lot. We want to judge ourselves at the top end of Europe. We want to be playing the best teams. There is plenty of motivation."

"The players were buoyant coming back in after the England game. That is definitely a bonus for us, they came back with a spring in their step.

"I think you saw parts of that at the weekend, but there is another level we need to get to."

[wixfjord]

Our opponents at the weekend, Toulon, have one of the most experienced Squads in the Top 14 and their Head Coach is a man who has been there, worn the teeshirt and doesn't take prisoners. Expect to see the menacing Patrice Collazo patrolling the touchline in the RDS on Friday (if he's allowed) looking every bit the former French prop forward who came to Toulon as Head Coach from La Rochelle in 2018, having taken the Maritimes from the ProD2 to a Champions League Q/F in four seasons.

The biggest problem for Collazo since he arrived in Toulon has been his team's form on the road:

Top 14 Season 2018-19 - Away games: Played: 13: Won 3 Lost 10 - Finished 12th in Table
Top 14 Season 2019-20 - Away games: Played: 10: Won 3 Lost 7 - Finished 7th in Table
Top 14 Season 2020-21 - Away games: Played: 10: Won 3 Lost 7 - Currently 9th in Table

Toulon have a very stable team selection for their big games this year and, assuming no injuries, it will no surprise to see the following line-up:

15: Paia'aua;
14. Moyano;
13. Toeava;
12. Wulf; - assuming No'nu suspended
11. Villiere;
10. Carbonel;
9. Serin;
1. Gros;
2. Etrilliard;
3. Setiano;
4. Etzebeth:
5. Taofifenua;
6. Rebbadj;
7. Ollivan;
8. Parisse (capt);

Bench

16. Tolofua
17. Devaux;
18. Tchelidze;
19. Alain'uese;
20. Isa
21. Moretti;
22. Meric;
23. Dakuwaqa

That is a massive pack and a they most often select a 6:2 split on the bench with Dakawaqa a regular sub for Parisse at about 65 mins. However, the straw in the wind is their away form. This Season they have beaten Agen and Brive away from home and on the 17th January this year in Paris, they conquered Racing 92 by 23-29, to claim a very rare scalp..

Anybody who has studied their displays this season will recognise that they attempt to use the strength of their pack to grind down teams. Even with Ma Nonu and Toeava in the centre and Moyano and Villiere on the wings, they do not play wide-wide. Rather, driven and directed by Serin rather than Carbonel, their play is conservative and pragmatic and percussion rather than tempo is their preferred style.

Friday night will be hard work for whatever forwards we select. However, if we can get tempo and possession, this Toulon pack will not welcome a fast-paced game played by opponents who understand how to score when they reach the opponent's 22m area. Let's hope however, that we have figured out ways to score from within 5 metres other than pick and go. This Toulon pack has so many big men that it is not advised that we merely hammer on the door.

This Season they haven't often had their entire Squad available because of French international call-ups. As many will recognise, they have a back-five in their pack who would represent any team in the world. Hopefully, Leinster will have devised a game plan that tries to ensure we play fifteen against fifteen.

Good research RTB.

If that is their backline of choice, I would absolutely fancy us to make hay with a similar approach to how we played at the weekend (plenty of wrap/swing plays, tip on passes etc).

ROL/Henshaw up against a 35 year old Toeava and a 37 year old Wulf will make hay, and it'll also allow us to focus JVDF on Carbonel.

I'm not sure Wulf will line up there though, it looks like they play Paiau'a the Aussie at 13 a good bit.

It also seems as though they have a lot of guys to reintegrate this week too, which might further limit their gameplan.

[hugonaut]

Dooley, Kelleher, Furlong, Baird, Toner, Ruddock, VDF, Conan, Luke, Johnny, Lowe, Robbie, ROL, Kearney, Keenan + Treacy, Healy, Porter, Fardy, Murphy, JGP, Ross, Larmour. One or other injury at 10 may see both Harry & Frawley deployed.

Strong, but not a XV to win a 5th star. Need Ryan plus at least one of Ringrose and Doris (in that order) back for that to happen.

Like the team, would go with the same selection myself. Fardy put in a massive shift against Munster [best performance of the season from him] but it would be asking too much of him to do the same again on a short turn around. We'll have to play it very fast against them, but I think that we have the players and the game plan to do just that.

This might sound a bit risky, but I'd seriously think of putting Dan Sheehan on the bench. In fact I'd just go ahead and do it.