European Cup Semi-Final: Away to La Rochelle, Sunday 2nd of May 3pm

[Lock9541]

Guarantee you if fans were allowed at this game half of them would be Munster fans cheering for LAR because of ROG.

[leinster23]

What's the thoughts on backrow selection if Doris is fit? Would be harsh on him but I can't really see any of the current trio losing their spots, Conan is in brilliant form and trying to play one of them at flanker like we've tried in the past is best avoided too. We've got a 6, a 7 and an 8 in there right now and messing with that balance is a risky move.

I also think Porter/Furlong is a question worth asking. Between the last two games Porter has brought more for me and there's a strong argument he deserves the start.

[ronk]

What's the thoughts on backrow selection if Doris is fit? Would be harsh on him but I can't really see any of the current trio losing their spots, Conan is in brilliant form and trying to play one of them at flanker like we've tried in the past is best avoided too. We've got a 6, a 7 and an 8 in there right now and messing with that balance is a risky move.

I also think Porter/Furlong is a question worth asking. Between the last two games Porter has brought more for me and there's a strong argument he deserves the start.

Put Doris on the bench. If he's fit he might not be ideal for 80 minutes.

[blockhead]

What's the thoughts on backrow selection if Doris is fit? Would be harsh on him but I can't really see any of the current trio losing their spots, Conan is in brilliant form and trying to play one of them at flanker like we've tried in the past is best avoided too. We've got a 6, a 7 and an 8 in there right now and messing with that balance is a risky move.

I also think Porter/Furlong is a question worth asking. Between the last two games Porter has brought more for me and there's a strong argument he deserves the start.

Back row stays as is, even if Doris and Conners are fit. Ryan if available comes in and Baird stays on bench for impact. Furlong starts and Porter finishes.
The King at 10, please gawd ringers is ready for this game.

[Degz]

All being well:

Healy
Kelleher
Furlong
Ryan
Toner
Ruddock
VdF
Conan

McGrath
Sexton
Lowe
Henshaw
Ringer
Larmour
Keenan

Byrne
Tracy
Porter
Baird
Doris
JGP
Byrne
ROL

[Oldschool]

I hope Leinster can out Munster La Rochelle

If we played like Munster against Lar we'd lose.

[Oldschoolsocks]

I hope Leinster can out Munster La Rochelle

Is that you Woody?

[cormac]

What's the thoughts on backrow selection if Doris is fit? Would be harsh on him but I can't really see any of the current trio losing their spots, Conan is in brilliant form and trying to play one of them at flanker like we've tried in the past is best avoided too. We've got a 6, a 7 and an 8 in there right now and messing with that balance is a risky move.

I also think Porter/Furlong is a question worth asking. Between the last two games Porter has brought more for me and there's a strong argument he deserves the start.

Might depend on which of the currently injured players can play against Munster the week before. It'd be a big ask to put players who haven't played for some time straight back into the La Rochelle match. If the likes of Ryan, Doris, Ringer and JTP can play and come through the Munster match then, at least, they'll be in the discussion to start v La Rochelle.

[wixfjord]

All being well:

Healy
Kelleher
Furlong
Ryan
Toner
Ruddock
VdF
Conan

McGrath
Sexton
Lowe
Henshaw
Ringer
Larmour
Keenan

Byrne
Tracy
Porter
Baird
Doris
JGP
Byrne
ROL

If we can get that side on the pitch we'll beat them. Bench in particular looks way stronger. Leo seems positive on getting guys back for Munster so hopefully so.

Also it's a bit mad that Dev is pretty much a nailed on starter in this game, and yet there's a good chance he won't be here next season.

GIVE THAT MAN A CONTRACT!

[Flash Gordon]

Jesus lads, munster really are living rent free in your heads.


I think there should be a nomenclature agreement relating to the four primary figures.

If you want to call it ROG's La Rochelle, you must also refer to us as Lancaster's Leinster
If you call it Cullen's Leinster, then you must also refer to Gibbes' La Rochelle.

You can't mix up heads of state and heads of government!

Yes, very much so. Same goes for media, that ridiculous piece from Franno about Exeter being our miracle match another case in point. We've won the European Cup 4 times our benchmarks are Toulouse, Saracens, Exeter, Toulon. Of course we respect Munster but they are not close to that standard at the moment. I think Rog thinks the same, he's not looking at Munster as a benchmark he wants to be in that peer group too.

[Twist]

What's the thoughts on backrow selection if Doris is fit? Would be harsh on him but I can't really see any of the current trio losing their spots, Conan is in brilliant form and trying to play one of them at flanker like we've tried in the past is best avoided too. We've got a 6, a 7 and an 8 in there right now and messing with that balance is a risky move.

I also think Porter/Furlong is a question worth asking. Between the last two games Porter has brought more for me and there's a strong argument he deserves the start.

Away to La Rochelle in late spring, I'm expecting a high tempo game so I'd doubt many returning players have 80 minutes in them. At least not if they're coming back from a long-ish term injury. Similarly, Fardy & Dev might struggle to last. That being the case I'd like to see Doris on the bench. He covers two positions and would give LAR something new to deal with for the last 20-30 minutes. If Connors is fit then it's a more difficult decision. He hasn't been out for as long and his form was off the charts before he got hurt. I'd like to see what he can do in a Rainbow Cup game before making any decisions.

Ringrose is a candidate to come straight back in, imo. But again, ROL and Henshaw have been better than expected and Ringrose can actually cover a couple of positions on the bench.

If James Ryan comes back as a starter then his aerobic capacity better be properly tested beforehand, because his 2nd row partner is unlikely to last the full game.

So - I dunno! But at the very least we should be able to assemble a game changing bench.

[Twist]

The ROGtalk gets underway in the Indo courtesy of ROC. There's some potentially important information there about quarantine rules in between all the gushing.

Leinster’s date with O’Gara in the hands of Government


Leinster have been handed a mouth-watering Heineken Champions Cup semi-final date with Ronan O’Gara and La Rochelle in three weeks’ time, but they will need an exemption from the Government’s mandatory quarantine rules to play.

The IRFU have contacted the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media which has engaged with other departments to establish whether an exemption for elite sportspeople can be introduced.

From Thursday, travellers arriving from France and Italy will have to spend a minimum of 10 days in a hotel under the current Covid-19 guidelines and currently there is no provision for elite sportspeople.

In the immediate term, that puts Saturday’s Women’s Six Nations meeting of Ireland and France at Donnybrook’s Energia Park in jeopardy, while Leinster will also follow the talks closely after their stunning come-from-behind 34-22 win over holders Exeter Chiefs on Saturday set them up with a trip to France on the May Bank Holiday weekend.

A Department spokesperson last night said: “Engagements are ongoing between Government departments to develop options to facilitate sporting activity involving travel to/from countries on the mandatory quarantine list.”

The IRFU and the Six Nations say they will investigate all options to get Saturday’s game played and they may consider moving it to Belfast if no exemption is in place.

Ireland opened their campaign with an impressive 45-0 win over Wales in Cardiff and will be desperate to get a chance to back it up against the French on home soil.

Organisers of the Rainbow Cup will also be hoping the Government changes the rules on elite sportspeople amid fears that the tournament featuring the Guinness PRO14 teams and the four leading South African franchises will not go ahead as planned.


Although Sharks chief executive Eduard Coetzee said: “We have little information at this stage, but it seems to be the case that the Rainbow Cup will be cancelled.” Sources indicate that there is still hope that a solution can be found.

That tournament gets under way with three rounds of in-country derbies and Scottish-Italian clashes next week, with the first games between South African and European opposition scheduled for May 29.

The hope is that the South African teams can base themselves in a European country for the three rounds in late May and June and the final if one of them qualifies.

According to reports in South Africa, Bristol had been identified as the ideal base but British officials were not keen on the idea. Instead, the four teams could come to Ireland if there is an exemption.

It is expected that even if the Rainbow Cup does not take place as planned there will still be six rounds of fixtures for the provinces, with Leinster gearing up for their battle with O’Gara’s side with a derby against Munster on Saturday week.

Kick-off times for Leinster’s trip to the French Atlantic coast, the other semi-final between Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles and the Challenge Cup last four clashes of Leicester Tigers v Ulster and Bath v Montpellier will be revealed in the next day or two.

Not only does the draw throw up an intriguing meeting between the four-time champions and their old Munster nemesis O’Gara, but the game is also a reunion with former Leinster forwards coach Jono Gibbes who is La Rochelle’s director of rugby.

Leo Cullen, who played with and against O’Gara and was coached by Gibbes, is relishing the encounter.

“Their win on Saturday against a very good Sale side was impressive and we have a big three weeks of preparation ahead of us now,” he said.

“Obviously, Ronan and Jono, two men we know very well, have been building a great side there and it will be a huge challenge going there and winning in France.

“But this is where we want to be; competing against the very best sides in Europe and we very much look forward to the challenge of the coming three weeks and building towards that game.”

[Dave Cahill]

The ROGtalk gets underway in the Indo courtesy of ROC. There's some potentially important information there about quarantine rules in between all the gushing.

Leinster’s date with O’Gara in the hands of Government


Leinster have been handed a mouth-watering Heineken Champions Cup semi-final date with Ronan O’Gara and La Rochelle in three weeks’ time, but they will need an exemption from the Government’s mandatory quarantine rules to play.

The IRFU have contacted the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media which has engaged with other departments to establish whether an exemption for elite sportspeople can be introduced.

From Thursday, travellers arriving from France and Italy will have to spend a minimum of 10 days in a hotel under the current Covid-19 guidelines and currently there is no provision for elite sportspeople.

In the immediate term, that puts Saturday’s Women’s Six Nations meeting of Ireland and France at Donnybrook’s Energia Park in jeopardy, while Leinster will also follow the talks closely after their stunning come-from-behind 34-22 win over holders Exeter Chiefs on Saturday set them up with a trip to France on the May Bank Holiday weekend.

A Department spokesperson last night said: “Engagements are ongoing between Government departments to develop options to facilitate sporting activity involving travel to/from countries on the mandatory quarantine list.”

The IRFU and the Six Nations say they will investigate all options to get Saturday’s game played and they may consider moving it to Belfast if no exemption is in place.

Ireland opened their campaign with an impressive 45-0 win over Wales in Cardiff and will be desperate to get a chance to back it up against the French on home soil.

Organisers of the Rainbow Cup will also be hoping the Government changes the rules on elite sportspeople amid fears that the tournament featuring the Guinness PRO14 teams and the four leading South African franchises will not go ahead as planned.


Although Sharks chief executive Eduard Coetzee said: “We have little information at this stage, but it seems to be the case that the Rainbow Cup will be cancelled.” Sources indicate that there is still hope that a solution can be found.

That tournament gets under way with three rounds of in-country derbies and Scottish-Italian clashes next week, with the first games between South African and European opposition scheduled for May 29.

The hope is that the South African teams can base themselves in a European country for the three rounds in late May and June and the final if one of them qualifies.

According to reports in South Africa, Bristol had been identified as the ideal base but British officials were not keen on the idea. Instead, the four teams could come to Ireland if there is an exemption.

It is expected that even if the Rainbow Cup does not take place as planned there will still be six rounds of fixtures for the provinces, with Leinster gearing up for their battle with O’Gara’s side with a derby against Munster on Saturday week.

Kick-off times for Leinster’s trip to the French Atlantic coast, the other semi-final between Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles and the Challenge Cup last four clashes of Leicester Tigers v Ulster and Bath v Montpellier will be revealed in the next day or two.

Not only does the draw throw up an intriguing meeting between the four-time champions and their old Munster nemesis O’Gara, but the game is also a reunion with former Leinster forwards coach Jono Gibbes who is La Rochelle’s director of rugby.

Leo Cullen, who played with and against O’Gara and was coached by Gibbes, is relishing the encounter.

“Their win on Saturday against a very good Sale side was impressive and we have a big three weeks of preparation ahead of us now,” he said.

“Obviously, Ronan and Jono, two men we know very well, have been building a great side there and it will be a huge challenge going there and winning in France.

“But this is where we want to be; competing against the very best sides in Europe and we very much look forward to the challenge of the coming three weeks and building towards that game.”

Sorry, you must have left some of the article out, I'm looking for the gushing?

[Twist]

The ROGtalk gets underway in the Indo courtesy of ROC. There's some potentially important information there about quarantine rules in between all the gushing.

Leinster’s date with O’Gara in the hands of Government


Leinster have been handed a mouth-watering Heineken Champions Cup semi-final date with Ronan O’Gara and La Rochelle in three weeks’ time, but they will need an exemption from the Government’s mandatory quarantine rules to play.

The IRFU have contacted the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media which has engaged with other departments to establish whether an exemption for elite sportspeople can be introduced.

From Thursday, travellers arriving from France and Italy will have to spend a minimum of 10 days in a hotel under the current Covid-19 guidelines and currently there is no provision for elite sportspeople.

In the immediate term, that puts Saturday’s Women’s Six Nations meeting of Ireland and France at Donnybrook’s Energia Park in jeopardy, while Leinster will also follow the talks closely after their stunning come-from-behind 34-22 win over holders Exeter Chiefs on Saturday set them up with a trip to France on the May Bank Holiday weekend.

A Department spokesperson last night said: “Engagements are ongoing between Government departments to develop options to facilitate sporting activity involving travel to/from countries on the mandatory quarantine list.”

The IRFU and the Six Nations say they will investigate all options to get Saturday’s game played and they may consider moving it to Belfast if no exemption is in place.

Ireland opened their campaign with an impressive 45-0 win over Wales in Cardiff and will be desperate to get a chance to back it up against the French on home soil.

Organisers of the Rainbow Cup will also be hoping the Government changes the rules on elite sportspeople amid fears that the tournament featuring the Guinness PRO14 teams and the four leading South African franchises will not go ahead as planned.


Although Sharks chief executive Eduard Coetzee said: “We have little information at this stage, but it seems to be the case that the Rainbow Cup will be cancelled.” Sources indicate that there is still hope that a solution can be found.

That tournament gets under way with three rounds of in-country derbies and Scottish-Italian clashes next week, with the first games between South African and European opposition scheduled for May 29.

The hope is that the South African teams can base themselves in a European country for the three rounds in late May and June and the final if one of them qualifies.

According to reports in South Africa, Bristol had been identified as the ideal base but British officials were not keen on the idea. Instead, the four teams could come to Ireland if there is an exemption.

It is expected that even if the Rainbow Cup does not take place as planned there will still be six rounds of fixtures for the provinces, with Leinster gearing up for their battle with O’Gara’s side with a derby against Munster on Saturday week.

Kick-off times for Leinster’s trip to the French Atlantic coast, the other semi-final between Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles and the Challenge Cup last four clashes of Leicester Tigers v Ulster and Bath v Montpellier will be revealed in the next day or two.

Not only does the draw throw up an intriguing meeting between the four-time champions and their old Munster nemesis O’Gara, but the game is also a reunion with former Leinster forwards coach Jono Gibbes who is La Rochelle’s director of rugby.

Leo Cullen, who played with and against O’Gara and was coached by Gibbes, is relishing the encounter.

“Their win on Saturday against a very good Sale side was impressive and we have a big three weeks of preparation ahead of us now,” he said.

“Obviously, Ronan and Jono, two men we know very well, have been building a great side there and it will be a huge challenge going there and winning in France.

“But this is where we want to be; competing against the very best sides in Europe and we very much look forward to the challenge of the coming three weeks and building towards that game.”

Sorry, you must have left some of the article out, I'm looking for the gushing?

Perhaps 'compulsive references' would be a better phrase. We're playing La Rochelle, not 'Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle'. We have a SF against La Rochelle. not a 'date with O'Gara'. Leinster are playing La Rochelle, not 'their old Munster nemesis O'Gara'. We have been drawn against La Rochelle, not 'Ronan O'Gara and La Rochelle'.

The story here is surely the question of quarantine restrictions and the possible effects on imminent fixtures. We don't need Ronan O'Gara's named to be shoehorned in as often as possible.

[Dave Cahill]

Ronan O'Gara played 128 times for Ireland, is an Irish captain, won three triple crowns and a grand slam, and is our records points scorer. He played over 200 times for Munster - our biggest rivals, won two Heineken Cups, three Celtic League titles, is their record points scorer, the Heineken Cups record points scorer, and holds the tournament record for appearances. He is a hugely popular pundit on television. The team he coaches is playing Leinster in a European Semi-final. He is going to be mentioned. A lot. It is a big news story.

'Leinster play some french team you've probably never heard of' is not going to drive a lot of casual eyeballs to the site.

'Leinster play some french team you've probably never hear of - but wait, don't click away, its coached by one of the half dozen players you know, that funny spiky lad from Cork on the Six Nations (the only time you really watch rugby) programmes, you know the lad, and he was a legend for their biggest rivals' - now that gets the engagementometer going


(And cross-posting the piece drives its engagement rate up guaranteeing increased mentions of ROG!)

Every story about this match, or even vaguely about this match, is going to have at least half a dozen ROG and at least one Gibbes mention from now until the final match report.

[Twist]

Every story about this match, or even vaguely about this match, is going to have at least half a dozen ROG and at least one Gibbes mention from now until the final match report.

Yes, that's my point. Its already tiresome.

[Dave Cahill]

Every story about this match, or even vaguely about this match, is going to have at least half a dozen ROG and at least one Gibbes mention from now until the final match report.

Yes, that's my point. Its already tiresome.

its partially your fault


(only a teensy weensy smidge of a percent, but still )

[ronk]

I hope Leinster can out Munster La Rochelle

If we played like Munster against Lar we'd lose.

Especially if we play like Munster normally do in semi finals.

[Peg Leg]

All being well:

Healy
Kelleher
Furlong
Ryan
Toner
Ruddock
VdF
Conan

McGrath
Sexton
Lowe
Henshaw
Ringer
Larmour
Keenan

Byrne
Tracy
Porter
Baird
Doris
JGP
Byrne
ROL

Yep

[carlow man]

Dave instead of rol for me.