Leinster v La Rochelle Heineken Cup Final Sat 28th May 4.45 Marseille

[riocard911]

Resurrect the Healy to TH experiment. Ed Byrne as loosehead sub?

That would make more sense alright.

Would be some kick in the nads for Vakh though.

Needs must and all that...

[mildlyinterested]

Id be shocked if they moved Healy over at this stage.

[Flash Gordon]

Jasus that ticket link for season ticket holders was hard work!

[domhnallj]

Jasus that ticket link for season ticket holders was hard work!

How so? I'm in the queue at the moment.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

As I recall, we got off to a pretty good start in the semi last year, didn't get the points on the board in the first quarter we might have expected and seemed then to lose our way. I don't think it's a coincidence, that J10 after the Toulouse match commended our sticking with the game plan and not getting disheartened, after having made all the initial play, only to find ourselves 3-7 down after a quarter of hour. In that context, I also think how strongly we finished Saturday's match is noteworthy. We played the full eighty minutes and put Toulouse to the sword. The TV comms were saying that was the heaviest defeat we've given them (whether this is true or not, I don't know). Ar aon nós, it's gonna take another 80 minute game to defeat LAR in the heat of Marseille.

I thought this too on Saturday and the last few weeks, even with the young lads in South Africa. It's been the same with Ireland this season, very much a bend but don't break mentality when we're under the pump and we're very calm when things do go wrong. I think we've been able to raise the tempo when needed as well, very impressive stuff from the whole squad.

OTT you're making nervous with that post but hopefully Furlong will be fit and we're worrying over nothing. I hadn't realised that Vakh has never even started for us though, yikes. I think Clarkson is better and that this time next year we'll be in a similar situation to loosehead many years ago when Jack McGrath was just as good as Van Der Merwe and they rotated the bench spot but it'd be a worry if we needed him to scrum much next week for sure. His scrummaging can be hit and miss, as you'd expect from a fella his age, but I wouldn't have any worries about him in open play.

[ronk]

Resurrect the Healy to TH experiment. Ed Byrne as loosehead sub?

That would make more sense alright.

Would be some kick in the nads for Vakh though.

It's a Heineken cup final. He can't have thought he was 1 injury away from one.

Moving Porter would be the other option. Healy and Byrne then as looseheads.

[mildlyinterested]

unless Furlongs ankle is falling off he will start.

[fourthirtythree]

I thought this too on Saturday and the last few weeks, even with the young lads in South Africa. It's been the same with Ireland this season, very much a bend but don't break mentality when we're under the pump and we're very calm when things do go wrong. I think we've been able to raise the tempo when needed as well, very impressive stuff from the whole squad.

OTT you're making nervous with that post but hopefully Furlong will be fit and we're worrying over nothing. I hadn't realised that Vakh has never even started for us though, yikes. I think Clarkson is better and that this time next year we'll be in a similar situation to loosehead many years ago when Jack McGrath was just as good as Van Der Merwe and they rotated the bench spot but it'd be a worry if we needed him to scrum much next week for sure. His scrummaging can be hit and miss, as you'd expect from a fella his age, but I wouldn't have any worries about him in open play.

I think this was a huge failing in the squad in the previous two campaigns. They got nervy when things went against them. I was critical of where the squad's head was at for the Saracens exit and blamed the coaches in part and thought they got an easy ride.

Obviously I congratulate the coaches for this season then! So far.

[Flash Gordon]

Jasus that ticket link for season ticket holders was hard work!

How so? I'm in the queue at the moment.

Kept sending me back to purchase options when I was trying to check out. Took me 20 minutes to pay.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I thought this too on Saturday and the last few weeks, even with the young lads in South Africa. It's been the same with Ireland this season, very much a bend but don't break mentality when we're under the pump and we're very calm when things do go wrong. I think we've been able to raise the tempo when needed as well, very impressive stuff from the whole squad.

OTT you're making nervous with that post but hopefully Furlong will be fit and we're worrying over nothing. I hadn't realised that Vakh has never even started for us though, yikes. I think Clarkson is better and that this time next year we'll be in a similar situation to loosehead many years ago when Jack McGrath was just as good as Van Der Merwe and they rotated the bench spot but it'd be a worry if we needed him to scrum much next week for sure. His scrummaging can be hit and miss, as you'd expect from a fella his age, but I wouldn't have any worries about him in open play.

I think this was a huge failing in the squad in the previous two campaigns. They got nervy when things went against them. I was critical of where the squad's head was at for the Saracens exit and blamed the coaches in part and thought they got an easy ride.

Obviously I congratulate the coaches for this season then! So far.

The "so far" bit is important, I'd almost been afraid to mention it until the final was over but riocard got there first so it's his fault if it things go wrong!

[fourthirtythree]

I thought this too on Saturday and the last few weeks, even with the young lads in South Africa. It's been the same with Ireland this season, very much a bend but don't break mentality when we're under the pump and we're very calm when things do go wrong. I think we've been able to raise the tempo when needed as well, very impressive stuff from the whole squad.

OTT you're making nervous with that post but hopefully Furlong will be fit and we're worrying over nothing. I hadn't realised that Vakh has never even started for us though, yikes. I think Clarkson is better and that this time next year we'll be in a similar situation to loosehead many years ago when Jack McGrath was just as good as Van Der Merwe and they rotated the bench spot but it'd be a worry if we needed him to scrum much next week for sure. His scrummaging can be hit and miss, as you'd expect from a fella his age, but I wouldn't have any worries about him in open play.

I think this was a huge failing in the squad in the previous two campaigns. They got nervy when things went against them. I was critical of where the squad's head was at for the Saracens exit and blamed the coaches in part and thought they got an easy ride.

Obviously I congratulate the coaches for this season then! So far.

The "so far" bit is important, I'd almost been afraid to mention it until the final was over but riocard got there first so it's his fault if it things go wrong!

Dead right. Your fault if they go all fragile in the final Riocard!

[riocard911]

Cool your jets, lads. They're not gonna go soft in the final. J10 won't allow it and also that steeliness, which LRIF among others noticed in the kids' performances in SA should get us through. Personally I was very impressed how ready and able the Leinster players in both the Sharks and Stormers matches were to play heads up rugby, whenever the chance presented itself. I thought they showed not just amazing resolve but also confidence in their skills and those of their teammates.

[curates_egg]

Resurrect the Healy to TH experiment. Ed Byrne as loosehead sub?

That would make more sense alright.

Would be some kick in the nads for Vakh though.

It's a Heineken cup final. He can't have thought he was 1 injury away from one.

Moving Porter would be the other option. Healy and Byrne then as looseheads.

Are either of those really options?
I would have thought that, if they thought the Healy experiment had a chance of working, it wouldn't have been dropped after 2(?) attempts.
As for Porter switching back, I can't see it happening. He appears to be struggling a bit against good scrums at loosehead. Even without that, do we really just want to parachute him back to start on the opposite side after one year hiatus?

[paddyor]

I thought this too on Saturday and the last few weeks, even with the young lads in South Africa. It's been the same with Ireland this season, very much a bend but don't break mentality when we're under the pump and we're very calm when things do go wrong. I think we've been able to raise the tempo when needed as well, very impressive stuff from the whole squad.

OTT you're making nervous with that post but hopefully Furlong will be fit and we're worrying over nothing. I hadn't realised that Vakh has never even started for us though, yikes. I think Clarkson is better and that this time next year we'll be in a similar situation to loosehead many years ago when Jack McGrath was just as good as Van Der Merwe and they rotated the bench spot but it'd be a worry if we needed him to scrum much next week for sure. His scrummaging can be hit and miss, as you'd expect from a fella his age, but I wouldn't have any worries about him in open play.

I think this was a huge failing in the squad in the previous two campaigns. They got nervy when things went against them. I was critical of where the squad's head was at for the Saracens exit and blamed the coaches in part and thought they got an easy ride.

Obviously I congratulate the coaches for this season then! So far.

Think that's a bit harsh? In the first half maybe we let the game get away from us, but we fought back well to make a game of it despite the scrum getting pulverised.

[jezzer]

Looking at the list of availables, it seems likely the ref will be either Pearce or Barnes.

Pearce likes a free-for-all at the breakdown, which is absolutely NOT in our interest. In the Munster-Toulouse game he allowed plenty of time for jackaling and awarded accordingly. Cardey allowed nothing the other day, which was a massive help to us.

Barnes tends to channel his inner Nige and goes with the flow of the game. He's been fairly good for us over recent years.

Can't see them giving it to the Georgian lad yet and Pearce did it last year so it would seem set up for Barnsey....

[mildlyinterested]

Barnsey would be great

[wixfjord]

Suspicion of a fracture for Kerr Barlow.

Along with Skelton he'd be a huge loss.

https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/rugby/coupe- ... 60389.html

[LeRouxIsPHat]

This is the squad from the game last year, not only should the team look quite different next week but I'd also suggest that quite a few of the players have improved a lot. Things will change if Furlong and/or Lowe are ruled out but for now I feel a lot better about this game than I did last year.

Leinster: Hugo Keenan; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath (capt); Cian Healy, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong; Devin Toner, James Ryan; Rhys Ruddock, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.

Replacements: James Tracy, Ed Byrne, Andrew Porter, Scott Fardy, Ryan Baird, Rowan Osborne, Ciarán Frawley, Rory O'Loughlin.

[ceemec]

Confirmed by French media that TKB has broken his hand and is done for the season, more than likely.

[wixfjord]

I don't think we'll get a better shot to grab a title than this.

If Furlong is fit we've basically got a full and rested first choice 23 going up against a more tired team without two key players.

The stars are aligning.