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

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Heat and fitness will be an issue. 30 degrees forecast, I've played in 25+ (a long time ago) and it is really debilitating. 6-2 would seem the way to go.

Will we ever see the hybrid back/forward player on the benches? In a pinch you could bring someone like Penny up to speed on back play, so effectively they'd be covering 6-8 and the outside backs

La Rochelle already have one! Although I’m not sure if Botia really plays in the back row much anymore.

I’m very much against a 6-2 split because it’d be Luke and Ross covering the backs, would be very much in favour of it if Frawley was the option instead of Ross though.

[Theleinsterlad]

Heat and fitness will be an issue. 30 degrees forecast, I've played in 25+ (a long time ago) and it is really debilitating. 6-2 would seem the way to go.

Will we ever see the hybrid back/forward player on the benches? In a pinch you could bring someone like Penny up to speed on back play, so effectively they'd be covering 6-8 and the outside backs

La Rochelle already have one! Although I’m not sure if Botia really plays in the back row much anymore.

I’m very much against a 6-2 split because it’d be Luke and Ross covering the backs, would be very much in favour of it if Frawley was the option instead of Ross though.

Said the same earlier I think frawley only option if we go 6-2

[wixfjord]

Tadhg on the training pitch today, hopefully a good sign.

No sign of J Lowe though...

[Flash Gordon]

Will we ever see the hybrid back/forward player on the benches? In a pinch you could bring someone like Penny up to speed on back play, so effectively they'd be covering 6-8 and the outside backs

La Rochelle already have one! Although I’m not sure if Botia really plays in the back row much anymore.

I’m very much against a 6-2 split because it’d be Luke and Ross covering the backs, would be very much in favour of it if Frawley was the option instead of Ross though.

Said the same earlier I think frawley only option if we go 6-2

They went 5-3 last year with Frawley as back up outhalf as Sexton didn't play.

[the spoofer]

Tadhg on the training pitch today, hopefully a good sign.

No sign of J Lowe though...

Lowe there alright but doesn't look like he was training. Frawley trained by the looks of it.

[FLIP]

Lowe has his training load managed because of his rheumatoid arthritis so him not being involved may not be the end of the world at this stage.

[Ruckedtobits]

Leinster fans have become virtual cognoscenti of the La Rochelle Squad over the past couple of seasons. However, there's a couple of names which may come under the microscope as the week progresses, but hopefully to be totally forgotten by next Sunday.

The LAR MOTM last Saturday was young flanker Mathew Haddad-Victor. Not a new name to French rugby followers:
(https://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/top-14/2 ... tory.shtml)

Haddad-Victor is JVdF in French miniature. As the piece above describes, he burst on the scene as a 17 year-old selected for the French U.20 Squad in 2017-8. At 21, he is in his first full season of Top 14 rugby and last Saturday's performance, which earned him selection in the Midi Olympique team of the week, showed that he is a fast learner who can harass any half-back.

Another name which may be unfamiliar to Leinster followers is Thomas Berjon. The scrum-half played 65 mins last weekend against Stade and the travelling supporters gave him a rousing reception when he was substituted by former French winger Arthur Retiere (incidentally, the son of a former French scrum Coach). Berjon has nothing approaching the experience or strength of Kerr-Barlow. But he is a dangerous customer, who has the confidence, and pace, to make destructive breaks off scrum, maul, line-out or breakdown. Not a player to be ignored.

The third LAR player worthy of attention is Brice Dulin's replacement at full-back, Pierre Popolin. Another low profile player in the relative glare of the Overseas "stars", Poplin is a popular player with LAR fans, many of whom claim he is very under-rated with his attacking style. Not as competent as Dulin under the high ball, he must not however be underestimated.

Having a coffee beside the Bayonne clubhouse is a rugby education. The locals not only know their French rugby but are also familiar with the names of the Leinster players who graced Aviva on Saturday evening in beating Munster 35-25. (They just can't understand how such talented players are satisfied to play understudy in Dublin when they believe they could be Top 14 stars).

Many who watch French rugby believe that if Leinster don't freeze next Saturday, with the weight of expectation, they will beat LAR. Not by many points, but well. They're not as confident about LAR as they were about Stade Toulousain, but now they've seen Leinster in action, they're becoming fans of our style.

[Serb]

I’ll be watching right square bracket with intense interest this weekend

[Ruckedtobits]

I’ll be watching right square bracket with intense interest this weekend

Touchè

[the spoofer]

What are the odds on Furlong and Lowe playing? Furlong 50/50, Lowe unlikely to play? I reckon Skelton will be on the bench for them and still think there’s a 50/50 chance that Kerr Barlow starts.

[carlow man]

Apparently kerr barlow is wearing a gaa style glove so expect him and Skelton start. Don't be fooled by rogs mind games.

[wixfjord]

I'd be delighted to see TKB, Skelton & Vito start.

A scrumhalf with a broken hand, a 130kg+ second row low on fitness and with a calf injury, and a 35 year old back row who is retiring in a few weeks carrying an injury.

None of them can be remotely fit.

It would smell a little bit of desperation to get all of them on.

[mildlyinterested]

i've decided to switch off an media from ROG this week, it's all a game and a distraction.

[RoboProp]

i've decided to switch off an media from ROG this week, it's all a game and a distraction.

That and his voice would be put you to sleep

[JohnB]

Since ROG's late addition of Skelton to the the LAR team last weekend I have hoped that when his time comes he spends all eternity rotting at the bottom of Duncan McRae's kitbag!

[curates_egg]

Leinster fans have become virtual cognoscenti of the La Rochelle Squad over the past couple of seasons. However, there's a couple of names which may come under the microscope as the week progresses, but hopefully to be totally forgotten by next Sunday.

The LAR MOTM last Saturday was young flanker Mathew Haddad-Victor. Not a new name to French rugby followers:
(https://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/top-14/2 ... tory.shtml)

Haddad-Victor is JVdF in French miniature. As the piece above describes, he burst on the scene as a 17 year-old selected for the French U.20 Squad in 2017-8. At 21, he is in his first full season of Top 14 rugby and last Saturday's performance, which earned him selection in the Midi Olympique team of the week, showed that he is a fast learner who can harass any half-back.

Another name which may be unfamiliar to Leinster followers is Thomas Berjon. The scrum-half played 65 mins last weekend against Stade and the travelling supporters gave him a rousing reception when he was substituted by former French winger Arthur Retiere (incidentally, the son of a former French scrum Coach). Berjon has nothing approaching the experience or strength of Kerr-Barlow. But he is a dangerous customer, who has the confidence, and pace, to make destructive breaks off scrum, maul, line-out or breakdown. Not a player to be ignored.

The third LAR player worthy of attention is Brice Dulin's replacement at full-back, Pierre Popolin. Another low profile player in the relative glare of the Overseas "stars", Poplin is a popular player with LAR fans, many of whom claim he is very under-rated with his attacking style. Not as competent as Dulin under the high ball, he must not however be underestimated.

Having a coffee beside the Bayonne clubhouse is a rugby education. The locals not only know their French rugby but are also familiar with the names of the Leinster players who graced Aviva on Saturday evening in beating Munster 35-25. (They just can't understand how such talented players are satisfied to play understudy in Dublin when they believe they could be Top 14 stars).

Many who watch French rugby believe that if Leinster don't freeze next Saturday, with the weight of expectation, they will beat LAR. Not by many points, but well. They're not as confident about LAR as they were about Stade Toulousain, but now they've seen Leinster in action, they're becoming fans of our style.

Haddad will start only if Vito is injured. Vito is absolutely central to La Rochelle’s go forward and his offloading is sublime. So, as promising as Haddad may be, if he starts because Vito is injured, that’s a major plus.

Berjon may be very promising but he didn’t even make the bench in the semifinal. Despite going with a 5-3 split, Retiere was the player that had to replace Kerr Barlow, and La Rochelle definitely suffered as a result. If K-B is injured, they’ll be going with a rookie 9, with no replacement.

Look, you could do a similar post on Leinster rookies. Dropping them into a final is a Hail Mary play. It may work, but it shouldn’t be a source of fear.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Leo should just give ROG a buzz and say “we know you have injured players and you know we have injured players, let’s just rule them all out instead of all this bullshit and risking flat performances and further injuries”.

There are too many examples of it backfiring when teams play players who aren’t fit, hate when performances are ruined by it.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Leo should just give ROG a buzz and say “we know you have injured players and you know we have injured players, let’s just rule them all out instead of all this bullshit and risking flat performances and further injuries”.

There are too many examples of it backfiring when teams play players who aren’t fit, hate when performances are ruined by it.

Nah, Leo loves this sh!t. Easy carries

[backrower8]

Skelton has only been out for 1 month prior to last Saturday's cameos. He has a great base of fitness built up over the season and could still start.

In fact I think ROG has to roll the dice and will start him. His presence from the outset will inspire and cast doubt in equal measure across both teams.

The 4 week mini-break will have refreshed him as he has played 1,225 mins in 21matches (averaging 58 per game and just 13 last weekend...and 80 in ech of the 3 previous games in April.

Other averages: 3 clean breaks all season; 7.4 carries for 35 metres a game; 1 defender beaten per game; 3.6 passes per game; 5.5 tackles per game & 9 missed tackles in 21 matches; 3 tries; 1 red card....AND zero lineouts won

Meanwhile, our Mr Consistency in the second row, Roos has played 20 matches. He equals Skelton on 3 clean breaks, he carries about 1 less at 6.6 nper game for 9 metres less (26 per game); 4 passes a game; he tackles at twice the rate of Skelton with over 11 per match and about 1 missed tackle a game; just the 1 try, no cards but he also trumps Skelton with 14 lineouts won (seems low) to Skelton's zero.

All in all Skelton making more hard yards, versus more tackling and primary lineout possession from Ross.

[RoboProp]

Skelton has only been out for 1 month prior to last Saturday's cameos. He has a great base of fitness built up over the season and could still start.

In fact I think ROG has to roll the dice and will start him. His presence from the outset will inspire and cast doubt in equal measure across both teams.

The 4 week mini-break will have refreshed him as he has played 1,225 mins in 21matches (averaging 58 per game and just 13 last weekend...and 80 in ech of the 3 previous games in April.

Other averages: 3 clean breaks all season; 7.4 carries for 35 metres a game; 1 defender beaten per game; 3.6 passes per game; 5.5 tackles per game & 9 missed tackles in 21 matches; 3 tries; 1 red card....AND zero lineouts won

Meanwhile, our Mr Consistency in the second row, Roos has played 20 matches. He equals Skelton on 3 clean breaks, he carries about 1 less at 6.6 nper game for 9 metres less (26 per game); 4 passes a game; he tackles at twice the rate of Skelton with over 11 per match and about 1 missed tackle a game; just the 1 try, no cards but he also trumps Skelton with 14 lineouts won (seems low) to Skelton's zero.

All in all Skelton making more hard yards, versus more tackling and primary lineout possession from Ross.

Yeah, there's my worry that Skelton goes running with ball towards Johnny who with his tackle technique will be bounced by a guy who has 50kg on him. Basically, Johnny is giving up a 12 year old in size