Leinster v Connacht - 1 January 2023 - RDS - RTÉ2

[wixfjord]

A perfect opp for Michael Milne.

He's surrounded by experienced players and is up against one of Connacht's weaker TH scrummagers.

Hope he goes well.

[limecat]

Match Preview

Leinster kick off the new year looking to make it six wins from six in interprovincial derbies this season.

On Stephen's Day an understrength Leinster team managed to scrape a win over Munster in Limerick. It was an odd game which felt like an endless stream of breakdown penalties.

Read more...

[Serb]

We’ll need to be conscious of the new laws around time wasting that are coming into effect for this game.

I don’t think we’re guilty of any particular thing on the list but referees always go nuts penalising new things when they first come in so we just need to not give them any excuse to penalise us.

https://www.world.rugby/news/778344/wor ... guidelines

[Oldschoolsocks]

We’ll need to be conscious of the new laws around time wasting that are coming into effect for this game.

I don’t think we’re guilty of any particular thing on the list but referees always go nuts penalising new things when they first come in so we just need to not give them any excuse to penalise us.

https://www.world.rugby/news/778344/wor ... guidelines

Law 18.2 maybe. To paraphrase teams may no longer dick about for two or three minutes before forming the lineout…

[Blue Man]

15. Jimmy O’Brien (61)
14. Jordan Larmour (79)
13. Liam Turner (10)
12. Charlie Ngatai (9)
11. Rob Russell (11)
10. Johnny Sexton (188) CAPTAIN
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (119)

1. Michael Milne (20)
2. Rónan Kelleher (42)
3. Michael Ala’alatoa (34)
4. Brian Deeny (4)
5. James Ryan (65)
6. Ryan Baird (45)
7. Josh van der Flier (120)
8. Caelan Doris (61)

16. John McKee (9)
17. Marcus Hanan (3)
18. Vakhtang Abdaladze (23)
19. Alex Soroka (6)
20. Scott Penny (46)
21. Cormac Foley (9)
22. Harry Byrne (38)
23. Jamie Osborne (25)

Nice balance to that side. Leo does a great job on selection whilst rotating players. Good opportunity for Milne and Deeny. Great to see the half backs return. The midfield may lack creativity but overall we should have too much for Connacht and I expect five points

[Ray Donovan]

Nice little achievement for Birr RFC with Michael Milne and Peter Dooley both starting.

[ronk]

Subs for the tight 5 are inexperienced.

[hugonaut]

Subs for the tight 5 are inexperienced.

I was thinking the same thing myself. It's a very young subs bench from 16-23 with the exception of Vakh [26], who doesn't have a lot of games under his belt.

McKee [22], Hanan [22], Abdaladze [26], Soroka [21], Penny [23], Foley [23], Byrne [23], Osborne [21]

[Ruckedtobits]

Subs for the tight 5 are inexperienced.

I was thinking the same thing myself. It's a very young subs bench from 16-23 with the exception of Vakh [26], who doesn't have a lot of games under his belt.

McKee [22], Hanan [22], Abdaladze [26], Soroka [21], Penny [23], Foley [23], Byrne [23], Osborne [21]

The future is here and it's great that we get to see it in the RDS, rather than in Dragons, Zebre or Scarlets. Good luck to them all.

[ronk]

Subs for the tight 5 are inexperienced.

I was thinking the same thing myself. It's a very young subs bench from 16-23 with the exception of Vakh [26], who doesn't have a lot of games under his belt.

McKee [22], Hanan [22], Abdaladze [26], Soroka [21], Penny [23], Foley [23], Byrne [23], Osborne [21]

Connacht left us off the hook by rotating themselves. It's not a weak team they're sending, but it's not fully loaded either. They could be better setup to exploit inexperience.

Hungry young (rising) players present a different challenge.

[jezzer]

Didn't think the Osborne at 12 move worked well last time so glad to see Ngatai inside this time out. Not our strongest side, but benefits from everyone playing in their best pisition.

Also great to see Foley back in the 23, hope McCarthy is strictly a break-glass-in-emergency option from now on.

We should have too much in the pack and the midfield for the Westies. Hawkshaw defending Big Charles will be interesting viewing.

[wixfjord]

Didn't think the Osborne at 12 move worked well last time so glad to see Ngatai inside this time out.

Osborne was very good against Munster at 12.

[wixfjord]

TOH is a big weak link in that Connacht side. He's miles past his best.

[enby]

We’ll need to be conscious of the new laws around time wasting that are coming into effect for this game.

I don’t think we’re guilty of any particular thing on the list but referees always go nuts penalising new things when they first come in so we just need to not give them any excuse to penalise us.

https://www.world.rugby/news/778344/wor ... guidelines

Law 18.2 maybe. To paraphrase teams may no longer dick about for two or three minutes before forming the lineout…

Sooner or later JS10 will be pulled up for his incredibly long place kick routine. Let's hope it won't be a crucial kick in a tight game and that he adjusts his technique to cater for the rule change. It'll be good to see the end of the pre-lineout seminars and I hope to see refs penalise a few 9s for taking hours to set up yet another box kick.

[wixfjord]

Speeding up the game has to benefit us, particularly against bigger French/SA/English packs, given our fitness and desire to play at speed.

[Lithiumtherapy]

Subs for the tight 5 are inexperienced.

I was thinking the same thing myself. It's a very young subs bench from 16-23 with the exception of Vakh [26], who doesn't have a lot of games under his belt.

McKee [22], Hanan [22], Abdaladze [26], Soroka [21], Penny [23], Foley [23], Byrne [23], Osborne [21]

I'd imagine Soroka would be the option if either Baird or Doris had to go off but if we need to replace a starting lock we may see Baird move in there with Soroka then filling the vacated blindside spot.

I hope McKee gets more than a token few minutes but it will be interesting to see what form Kelleher is in as I don't think he has yet come near to hitting the heights since his return from injury that he has shown previously so we could do with a reminder of his class

[Logorrhea]

I don’t think we’re guilty of any particular thing on the list but referees always go nuts penalising new things when they first come in so we just need to not give them any excuse to penalise us.

Johnny frequently takes close to 2 mins on place kicks. He's well aware of this so I don't see it being a problem, but I can already imagine the media having a field day bout his attitude to referees after one of them blows him up on it.

[Serb]

True, but they used the shot clock when he played in France, without issue, so he should be grand.

[artaneboy]

I don’t think we’re guilty of any particular thing on the list but referees always go nuts penalising new things when they first come in so we just need to not give them any excuse to penalise us.

Johnny frequently takes close to 2 mins on place kicks. He's well aware of this so I don't see it being a problem, but I can already imagine the media having a field day bout his attitude to referees after one of them blows him up on it.

This is unfortunately true. I just hope he adapts to the law emphasis early and without rows.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[IanD]

Match Commentary on RTE Radio 1.