Leinster vs Emirates Lions, Friday 25.02.22 19:35 @ The RDS

[ronk]

He's still got a way to go for development, but I liked Max O'Reilly.

I thought he was really good, I kept on thinking that Jo’B was at fullback

You weren't the only one!

Not by a long shot

[hugonaut]

I thought that was the sort of game we've been crying out for to be honest. Really physical game and the Lions brought a lot of what we hoped the SA teams were going to bring. They weren't brilliant technically (especially with the ball) but they tackled everything and were hugely strong. A firm lesson that a second rate scrum performance won't get us buy when the frontline troops are away, anymore. So plenty of good lessons learnt.

On the flip side Harry looked in trouble going off so I'd be surprised if he back for next week anyway. The lads also looked out on their feet by the end so I'd be worried going to Treviso, where we find it difficult at the best of times with such a tired team. Follow that straight up a week later with a game against what will probably be an almost fully locked and loaded Ulster and well, to quote that great scrum-half Nat King Cole............. "there may be trouble ahead!"

We may have a few more players back next week. Potentially Ross Molony could be back in the mix, as both Henderson's illness and Ryan's niggle seem very temporary. I think Vakh is a better option than Tom Clarkson at the moment at No18. Pete Dooley did more than enough to start next week – I thought he had an outstanding 30 minutes.

I would be optimistic about Locko coming back – he had an excellent game against Edinburgh a couple of weeks ago and looked very lively. All three academy players [Big Joe, Max O'Reilly and Jamie Osborne] did well and should keep a hold of their positions.

[cormac]

We also have Larmour and O'Brien to return in the backs for Treviso plus decent chance of Healy being involved too.

[paddyor]

Treviso getting pummelled 0-21 at home to the sharks. They'll be missing as many players as us.

[Blue Man]

I think I am one of a very few that being honest does not rate Dunne at all and while the guy has size and build I think he lacks how to use it. Especially when you have him playing alongside McCarthy last night and seeing what he can do with metres after contact compared to dunne is big. Sorry to see dunne go and as I’ve said before in other posts I hope he proves me wrong in Exeter but last night did nothing to change my opinion of him

No I agree with you to a large extent. When people would suggest that he was the answer to our lack of physicality in the second row I didn’t get it, but he is a very big man and has a very big work rate. He’s just a very solid player and when we had ageing/injured players in the second row and started well at a young age then it’s strange that he didn’t get more chances IMO. I thought our scrum improved when he came on last week although again it’s hard to pin that on any one player.

He may not make the most of his size and make the impact that he could, but I’d back him to make 20+ tackles and provide a solid set piece at home to Zebre, or away to La Rochelle in a big knockout game.

Agree, Dunne lacks aggression and doesn’t hit as hard as his frame should allow him to.

[Blue Man]

There was some really nice play but we forced it on occasions. We also ran out of numbers after a few phases as out front five were a bit off the pace and physicality required. Ed Byrne, Toner, Tracy and, unusually, Josh Murphy were all well short of the required standard. Dooley is streets ahead of Byrne, Molony will come in for Toner and there are good options in the back row. Where we really have a problem is scrum half. After two promising performance, Nick McCarthy was back to his ponderous worst. When Luke came on he was marginally better but still a concern. I’m not to bothered at the lack of a BP as there was a lot of good in the performance. I genuinely believe we’re not far off stringing together a really good streak and are well primed as we approach the business end of the season.

[jezzer]

There was some really nice play but we forced it on occasions. We also ran out of numbers after a few phases as out front five were a bit off the pace and physicality required. Ed Byrne, Toner, Tracy and, unusually, Josh Murphy were all well short of the required standard. Dooley is streets ahead of Byrne, Molony will come in for Toner and there are good options in the back row. Where we really have a problem is scrum half. After two promising performance, Nick McCarthy was back to his ponderous worst. When Luke came on he was marginally better but still a concern. I’m not to bothered at the lack of a BP as there was a lot of good in the performance. I genuinely believe we’re not far off stringing together a really good streak and are well primed as we approach the business end of the season.

I have never understood the Byrne over Dooley decision and still don't. It's not the occasional game either where Dooley comes on and totally shows up the LH who got picked ahead of him. It's a regular thing.

I'm not a huge Tracy fan either, but i can see the benefit of Nugget as a bomb squad type (even if I'd start him much more often than Leinster do).

[Flash Gordon]

Someone phone the agent of their scrum half and see if he is interested in coming North. He was excellent.

Yes and sadly ours were terrible. Just when I thought N McCarthy was showing some form m, he has an absolute stinker

I’ve been bigging him up so it’s probably my fault!

I thought Luke played really well though, much improved.

Unfortunately he had a very very poor game. Hard to see any positives in that performance to be honest.