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

[Blueberry]

We've lost both ways. In a tight game there were lots of moments that could have changed the course.

The problem with the tactic is that you only win a low scoring game. You have to keep their score down too. As it almost worked it wasn't even necessarily the wrong tactic.

I suppose my question is why did we so obviously change this yesterday, that is what is frustrating and it feels like a clear change from what we have been doing all season.

I think ultimately the result yesterday has to lead to the conclusion it was the wrong tactic despite nearly getting away with it.

I think kendalgerty made a good point that the penalties were pretty much guaranteed 3 points whereas had they been wider we probably have gone for the corner. That's just way the chips fell I suppose.

Look hindsight analysis is always a pain and sure if they had knocked the ball on instead of scoring with a minute to go we would all be cockahoop but losing is about learning and for me anyway the learning is back your game and back what you have been doing all season and just keep doing it in the final. I clearly remember eating a super post match meal in Bilbao and the discussion that night was 'wohoooo but we got away with that and didn't play well'.

Anyway back to the grindstone !!

[ronk]

The winning try had accidental offside and he was off his feet propelling himself forward before then reaching out. We weren't allowed dive on him. Regardless that he was a player on the ground with no tackle, he still wasn't allowed advance.

It didn't even need to be a big decision as Barnes could have just gone back for the penalty.

And before anyone says they didn't get an advantage, they scored the tournament winning try against a set defence.

Is there a clearer advantage?

[LeinsterLeader]

Look hindsight analysis is always a pain and sure if they had knocked the ball on instead of scoring with a minute to go we would all be cockahoop but losing is about learning and for me anyway the learning is back your game and back what you have been doing all season and just keep doing it in the final. I clearly remember eating a super post match meal in Bilbao and the discussion that night was 'wohoooo but we got away with that and didn't play well'.

Anyway back to the grindstone !!

Yeah I can't argue with that. I'm a big fan of the "Dance with what brung ye" attitude. No regrets. You play your game and if that's not good enough that's not good enough.

Maybe that's the big learning for this group.

[bargepole]

Watching the game for me was a bit like watching Wasps for most of this season - a talented backline who kept taking wrong options, and knocking on at critical moments. But I didn't expect that from Leinster, and Sexton in particular was way off his usual standard.

A lot was said on here about Skelton, but I thought the stand-out player for LAR was Greg Aldritt, with strong carries in attack and crunching tackles in defence. He was similarly outstanding for France in the 6N, and was the best back rower on the field yesterday.

[Blueberry]

Watching the game for me was a bit like watching Wasps for most of this season - a talented backline who kept taking wrong options, and knocking on at critical moments. But I didn't expect that from Leinster, and Sexton in particular was way off his usual standard.

A lot was said on here about Skelton, but I thought the stand-out player for LAR was Greg Aldritt, with strong carries in attack and crunching tackles in defence. He was similarly outstanding for France in the 6N, and was the best back rower on the field yesterday.

Yes Aldritt was outstanding, totally agree

[the spoofer]

I’m 100% sure Munster Rugby would tweet congrats to Denis Leamy if Leinster had won.

[curates_egg]

I’m 100% sure Munster Rugby would tweet congrats to Denis Leamy if Leinster had won.

Closest they have gotten to winning the cup in 14 years and probably for another 14. Let them enjoy living vicariously.

[FLIP]

I’m 100% sure Munster Rugby would tweet congrats to Denis Leamy if Leinster had won.

Closest they have gotten to winning the cup in 14 years and probably for another 14. Let them enjoy living vicariously.

When the wheels turn and Leinster aren't at the top table I hope we as fans aren't as desperate as Munster fans to have success, so desperate that we claim others victories as our own.

[LeinsterLeader]

Yep there some very happy guys who support both Munster & Manchester United on the web today. They’re best day in years. Dem lads is gas

[Blueberry]

I’m 100% sure Munster Rugby would tweet congrats to Denis Leamy if Leinster had won.

Ignore them and move on !! Win the Pro 14 and regroup and make sure we have another good go at 5 stars next year in Dublin.

Most of the Munsterfans I have talked to are fine , quite a few at the game yesterday and good rugby folk just like the Leicester Toulouse, Clermont and even Bristol fans I talked to yesterday, yes you will get the odd muppet going on about the Munster victory, whatever. Well done ROG, obviously has something about him as coach. Fair play.

[carlow man]

Any debate with a munster fan is a waste of time. It's not even a debate now. I'm surprised no one has mentioned the fact that sexton should never have been on the pitch when he tried the show and go. He was clearly injured at ht, came out for the second half and then went down requiring more treatment from the physio. He was limping for all to see and letting him carry on for 20 more mins was a huge mistake. Byrne did himself no favours with his non performance and you would imagine that Harry or frawley need to be given more mins at 10. Sexton won't be here for another cup run.

Do we need to get another loosehead in? Porter hasn't looked anywhere near his old self this year. Is his ankle still not right?? Is bringing ngatai in the right move?? Think we looked okay at centre this year.

[riocard911]

One thing you'll hear RO'G talking about more than any other is the mental side of the game. His lads - helped, of course, by playing in their home country with the majority of the 60,000 fans in the Velodrome up for La Rochelle - got that aspect right. They played their game and stuck at it, while we went into our shells and made uncharacteristic mistakes e.g. there was one phase BO'D pointed out during the match on the replay, where nearly every Leinster pass was at the receiving player's shoulder and not chest-height out in front of him to run into. Maybe Ireland and Leinster need a mental skills coach for the high pressure games e.g. RWC quarter-finals, Heino knock-out away matches etc.

[curates_egg]

Do we need to get another loosehead in? Porter hasn't looked anywhere near his old self this year. Is his ankle still not right?? Is bringing ngatai in the right move?? Think we looked okay at centre this year.

How could Porter look like his old self? It’s his first season as a professional loosehead and, by his own admission, he has found it challenging to scrum on the other side. This season will stand to him and us hopefully.

If we want to win in Europe, I think we definitely need another loosehead though. Healy hardly has another top level season in him.

[carlow man]

Do we need to get another loosehead in? Porter hasn't looked anywhere near his old self this year. Is his ankle still not right?? Is bringing ngatai in the right move?? Think we looked okay at centre this year.

How could Porter look like his old self? It’s his first season as a professional loosehead and, by his own admission, he has found it challenging to scrum on the other side. This season will stand to him and us hopefully.

If we want to win in Europe, I think we definitely need another loosehead though. Healy hardly has another top level season in him.

I meant from a carrying point of view. He was always a great ball carrier but hasn't got on the ball at all this year

[Oldschool]

Have you ever wondered what actually happens at match post mortem.
A few of examples -
Is there a dirty tricks item on the agenda.

How did we think the ref did, did the opposition identify his blinds spots or new blind spots. Had we identified his blind spots - blind spots that we might exploit or blind spots that might exploit.

Were our known weaknesses exposed.
Obviously if you identify issues you are going to try to identify either remedial or mitigating action.

[Oldschool]

[hugonaut]

One thing you'll hear RO'G talking about more than any other is the mental side of the game. His lads - helped, of course, by playing in their home country with the majority of the 60,000 fans in the Velodrome up for La Rochelle - got that aspect right. They played their game and stuck at it, while we went into our shells and made uncharacteristic mistakes e.g. there was one phase BO'D pointed out during the match on the replay, where nearly every Leinster pass was at the receiving player's shoulder and not chest-height out in front of him to run into. Maybe Ireland and Leinster need a mental skills coach for the high pressure games e.g. RWC quarter-finals, Heino knock-out away matches etc.

I'm not too tough on that. La Rochelle had a lot of psychological cards in their favour for this game. They beat us last year, they were on home soil with massive support in the stadium and they were underdogs.

Those are all advantages when it comes to a one-off game. I've said it before, playing in France against a good French team makes it a hell of a lot tougher to play your best and to get a win. We've all seen plenty of examples of it.

Home advantage is a huge deal – look at Munster taking then-European champions Toulouse to penalties in the quarter-final. Munster are a decent team but no more than that, and they were able to hold a champion team full of internationals to ransom.

We were beaten on the last play of the game by a serious team. It's a huge sickener of course, but I'd rather get to the final than be watching from the couch. We've got a chance now to bounce back and knock out a whole bunch of teams in a row in our own patch and in front of our own fans. So let's go and ruin some seasons!

[carlow man]

Its a hell of a carrott to nibble at to know that we would have a home final next year !!! A full aviva with 90 per cent home fans would be like having a 7 point head start. Can't shake the feeling that this was supposed to be our year thou.

[ronk]

Its a hell of a carrott to nibble at to know that we would have a home final next year !!! A full aviva with 90 per cent home fans would be like having a 7 point head start. Can't shake the feeling that this was supposed to be our year thou.

We were lucky with injuries but not with the draw or with the bounce of the ball.

Going back is within us if we continue to build.

[carlow man]

Possibly yet we looked like champions elect until 4:45 yesterday and then we looked a shadow of the side we were 2 weeks previous. Also, has the marketing/pr/twitter guru gone on strike??? Nothing has been posted since the tweet about josh getting poty. If it's been deliberately left alone the it's a bit of a poor show not to have a bit of feedback from someone from hq or even to acknowledge the superb support the lads had from all those that travelled. If we had won it would have been full of interviews and photos. Win or lose it shouldnt matter. Sorry if this comes across as sounding petty. It's certainly not meant to.