Leinster v. Connacht, FRI 03 DEC, 1945hrs, Beo ar TG4 agus Premier Sport 2

[CiaranIrl]

You are right on injuries. Breaks momentum and hits confidence. If you're a back row player you know you are going to get another shot because it's such an attritional position but if you are a wing or fullback that might not happen if someone comes in an takes your place as Keenan did at Full Back and suddenly your career plan is off track. Rob Kearney talked in the press during the week about how he never saw Keenan coming and how everyone assumed Larmour was the heir apparent and would get 100 caps for Ireland. Now he's trying to scrape back in on the wing.

Which leads to the second point, Stockdale was quite possibly the best attacking wing in the Northern Hemisphere and he was moved to fullback. It's as if wing is a less important position whereas you see the impact wings have had in Ireland over the years - Lowe, Hickie, Earls, Geoghegan, Bowe, Horgan - these are frequently our most impactful and important players. Similarly with Larmour, he played centre in school where Connacht's Peter Sullivan played 12 and covered him defensively. Then he was moved to FB where all his size and defensive frailties were most obviously tested.

Larmour and Stockdale have been outstanding players, i hope the IRFU's management of them doesn't ruin them both.

I agree with the general point that injuries affected Stockdale's form, but I don't see how him being tried out for the first time at Fullback in 2020 can be any part of the story. Stockdale was possibly the best attacking wing in the Northern Hemisphere in 2018, and then he followed that up with probably the biggest fall off in form I have ever seen in the 2019 season. He was atrocious in the 2019 world cup, all on the left wing. We scored 18 tries in the group stages, and he didn't score a single one of them. Defensive issues became apparent in 2019 and his confidence fell off a cliff.

[Flash Gordon]

You are right on injuries. Breaks momentum and hits confidence. If you're a back row player you know you are going to get another shot because it's such an attritional position but if you are a wing or fullback that might not happen if someone comes in an takes your place as Keenan did at Full Back and suddenly your career plan is off track. Rob Kearney talked in the press during the week about how he never saw Keenan coming and how everyone assumed Larmour was the heir apparent and would get 100 caps for Ireland. Now he's trying to scrape back in on the wing.

Which leads to the second point, Stockdale was quite possibly the best attacking wing in the Northern Hemisphere and he was moved to fullback. It's as if wing is a less important position whereas you see the impact wings have had in Ireland over the years - Lowe, Hickie, Earls, Geoghegan, Bowe, Horgan - these are frequently our most impactful and important players. Similarly with Larmour, he played centre in school where Connacht's Peter Sullivan played 12 and covered him defensively. Then he was moved to FB where all his size and defensive frailties were most obviously tested.

Larmour and Stockdale have been outstanding players, i hope the IRFU's management of them doesn't ruin them both.

I agree with the general point that injuries affected Stockdale's form, but I don't see how him being tried out for the first time at Fullback in 2020 can be any part of the story. Stockdale was possibly the best attacking wing in the Northern Hemisphere in 2018, and then he followed that up with probably the biggest fall off in form I have ever seen in the 2019 season. He was atrocious in the 2019 world cup, all on the left wing. We scored 18 tries in the group stages, and he didn't score a single one of them. Defensive issues became apparent in 2019 and his confidence fell off a cliff.

Think 19 is wrong but regardless, the majority were scored by forwards. Stockdale and Larmour are not at their best in our World Cup game plan. Similarly, James Lowe wasn't suited to the 6 Nations game plan.If players aren't getting the ball and scoring their confidence dips. When you're in the middle of that and the coach then switches your position and you have to relearn everything with inevitable mistakes - particularly when the position exposes your weaknesses - that's a further burden.

Credit to the Irish coaches, they saw the talent in Lowe as an attacker and found ways to mitigate him being in one on one positions on the wing.

[wixfjord]

If we're as good as we think we are (and I think we are), then I'd expect a good win tonight with lots of aggressive rucking and quick ball.
That's the level of performance I'd hope the coaching team have prepared the lads for after a disappointment last weekend.

[Flash Gordon]

If we're as good as we think we are (and I think we are), then I'd expect a good win tonight with lots of aggressive rucking and quick ball.
That's the level of performance I'd hope the coaching team have prepared the lads for after a disappointment last weekend.

Yep, we should win. But then again we should have won last week.

[wixfjord]

Absolutely awful so far.

No discipline, Luke having a mare and loads of errors.

[Twist]

That was so cheap, we conceded the whole length of the pitch with three penalties, then gave up an advantage so Carty could try the low percentage kick, then Larmour is out of position for it. Shocking.

[wixfjord]

Luke McGrath in this form is by a distance our third best 9. All over the place.

He has passed to ground in first min, knocked on at ruck soon after, threw a pass at a guy’s chest causing a knock on and threw a simple pass to ground in their 22 with loads of momentum.

Just then threw an awful pass to Harry with advantage.

He just has too many of these simple errors in too many games in him.

[Dave Cahill]

Lucky it wasn't actually given as a pen try

Back into it in customary boring grinding Leinster style

[wixfjord]

Baird all over the place too. Missing tackles, stupid pens and generally ineffective.

Looks like a few lads didn't heed the bollocking this week.

[Dave Cahill]

Now thats more like it

[Jcahill1]

Jesus VDF was immense all over for that try

[wixfjord]

HOW YOU LIKE THEM APPLES MACK!

Some step!

[Jcahill1]

Harry Byrne also growing into it

[Serb]

Yeah, commentators giving Hansen sh!t there, doesn’t do Sheehan’s step justice, quality!

[Atlas]

Plenty of mistakes from both sides but it's resulting in a cracking game

[RoboProp]

HOW YOU LIKE THEM APPLES MACK!

Some step!

I see what you did there

[wixfjord]

Much better last 15. Passes sticking and way more intensity from forwards.

[JohnB]

Mack Hansen is a devastating player going forward but like James Lowe before him he has some questions to address regarding his defense on the basis of what a hooker, albeit a very agile hooker, did to him this evening.

[RoboProp]

As bad as Luke has been in this match his run up the pitch was the shot in the arm we needed.

[wixfjord]

As bad as Luke has been in this match his run up the pitch was the shot in the arm we needed.

He's way, way better now than first 25 in fairness.

Passing crisper and he's threatening.

Part of it is forwards giving him better ball, part of it is him waking up I'd say.