Rainbow Cup Rd 1: Saturday, 24 April: Leinster v Munster – KO 7.35pm, RDS Arena

[mildlyinterested]

Regardless of the result this weekend, leinster will have to rotate in this game, hopefully we will see Dan Sheehan, James Ryan, Scott Penny, Caelan Doris, Harry Byrne, Ciaran Frawley, Tommy O'Brien back starting for this.

[Dave Cahill]

Regardless of the result this weekend, leinster will have to rotate in this game, hopefully we will see Dan Sheehan, James Ryan, Scott Penny, Caelan Doris, Harry Byrne, Ciaran Frawley, Tommy O'Brien back starting for this.

Hope not. When you have your foot on your enemy's throat, you don't release the pressure. Strongest available team and we'll finish them off as a serious team and pick over the carcass

[mildlyinterested]

Regardless of the result this weekend, leinster will have to rotate in this game, hopefully we will see Dan Sheehan, James Ryan, Scott Penny, Caelan Doris, Harry Byrne, Ciaran Frawley, Tommy O'Brien back starting for this.

Hope not. When you have your foot on your enemy's throat, you don't release the pressure. Strongest available team and we'll finish them off as a serious team and pick over the carcass

we didn't start our strongest team available in the final, so not sure we will in this game either..

Also not sure any of the players i've listed to start are a noticeable downgrade or weakening of the team in pro 14 final.

[Jonny tight lips]

Regardless of the result this weekend, leinster will have to rotate in this game, hopefully we will see Dan Sheehan, James Ryan, Scott Penny, Caelan Doris, Harry Byrne, Ciaran Frawley, Tommy O'Brien back starting for this.

Hope not. When you have your foot on your enemy's throat, you don't release the pressure. Strongest available team and we'll finish them off as a serious team and pick over the carcass

Give them nothing ... take from them everything!!

Be great to see some injured lads like Doris and Ryan but I’d also be inclined to go strong enough and get 7 in a row.

[ronk]

Regardless of the result this weekend, leinster will have to rotate in this game, hopefully we will see Dan Sheehan, James Ryan, Scott Penny, Caelan Doris, Harry Byrne, Ciaran Frawley, Tommy O'Brien back starting for this.

Hope not. When you have your foot on your enemy's throat, you don't release the pressure. Strongest available team and we'll finish them off as a serious team and pick over the carcass

Give them nothing ... take from them everything!!

Be great to see some injured lads like Doris and Ryan but I’d also be inclined to go strong enough and get 7 in a row.

[Blueberry]

Not Munster again.....................wonder how the press can spin this one to make them red hot favourites...................

[erskinechilders]

Thomas Ahern looks to have done bad knee damage, tough week for him! He looks like he was serious potential!

[JohnB]

Are we taking the ‘Yes, Minister’ approach to all matches against Munster - “In defeat malice, in victory, revenge!”

[Logorrhea]

Thomas Ahern looks to have done bad knee damage, tough week for him! He looks like he was serious potential!

Shame for the lad but it'll give him time to bulk up. They weren't going to play him anyway. Expect another 3 year long medical joker in from South Africa then.

[outcast eddie]

Larkham helpfully provides motivation for the Leinster team.

"It was fairly evenly matched throughout the game".

This could get ugly.

[hugonaut]

Thomas Ahern looks to have done bad knee damage, tough week for him! He looks like he was serious potential!

Shame for the lad but it'll give him time to bulk up. They weren't going to play him anyway. Expect another 3 year long medical joker in from South Africa then.

He's had plenty of time to bulk up. He didn't play any rugby between 21 Feb [Ireland U20s last Six Nations game] and 1 Nov [his first appearance for Munster this season] - 36 weeks. He put on 5-6kg in that period; he was listed at 109kg as an Irish U20, now he's listed at 115kg [over 18st in old money].

Obviously it would have been better for absolutely everyone involved if he had played more rugby this season – better for him, better for Munster and better for Ireland. He's an international class talent without a shadow of a doubt. Instead he played less than 220mins and now he's injured with really minimal progress.

[riocard911]

Ye good old "Join Munster, get game time" argument to young lads particularly Leinster academy members would seem to be increasingly losing any validity it might have have.....

[Flash Gordon]

Larkham helpfully provides motivation for the Leinster team.

"It was fairly evenly matched throughout the game".

This could get ugly.

The score was, we butchered 3 tried and it would have been a 25-30 point game. Munster were beaten off the park. It'd worry me if I were a Munster fan and I heard a coach say that.

[Dexter]

Larkham helpfully provides motivation for the Leinster team.

"It was fairly evenly matched throughout the game".

This could get ugly.

The score was, we butchered 3 tried and it would have been a 25-30 point game. Munster were beaten off the park. It'd worry me if I were a Munster fan and I heard a coach say that.

I doubt they really believe that.. but I hope that they do.

[fourthirtythree]

I know they plan everything but, being honest, I doubt the coaching team have given it much more of their brain space than I have.

No, I must be wrong because the whole nature of Leinster Rugby is that the coaches have to look at moving parts over time and if we can get players back from injury to get them integrated into the team and to continue the development of others. But still, I doubt they give a sh!t about the rainbow cup itself this week.

[Peg Leg]

I know they plan everything but, being honest, I doubt the coaching team have given it much more of their brain space than I have.

No, I must be wrong because the whole nature of Leinster Rugby is that the coaches have to look at moving parts over time and if we can get players back from injury to get them integrated into the team and to continue the development of others. But still, I doubt they give a sh!t about the rainbow cup itself this week.

There's a pot of gold to be won 433.

[paddyor]

Is there a format for this thing or are they just making it up as they go along. I can see they have fixtures for the first 5/6 rounds then the fixtures are empty.

[leinsterforever]

Is there a format for this thing or are they just making it up as they go along. I can see they have fixtures for the first 5/6 rounds then the fixtures are empty.

It's 6 or 7 pool games and then a final between the two conference/pool winners, seemingly.

[neiliog93]

If Leinster get the same dominance as last time but actually convert opportunities, it (will) get ugly. 30-40 points plus.

[hugonaut]

If Leinster get the same dominance as last time but actually convert opportunities, it (will) get ugly. 30-40 points plus.

It won't. We've only scored 30+ points three times in the last twenty fixtures.