Heineken Cup - Leinster V ASM Clermont Auvergne

[Rémy63]

No one here is talking about Bardy replacing Lapandry.
Seems his reputation has not reached your shores yet.
He's more and more making Cudmore look like a Zen monk on the field.

Is he the one that headbutted Leo Cullen near the end of the semi-final last year?

Asmca12 is wrong. Bardy is the one who tried to kill your Leo at the final action.

[asmca12]

No one here is talking about Bardy replacing Lapandry.
Seems his reputation has not reached your shores yet.
He's more and more making Cudmore look like a Zen monk on the field.

Is he the one that headbutted Leo Cullen near the end of the semi-final last year?

Asmca12 is wrong. Bardy is the one who tried to kill your Leo at the final action.

Ok, sorry I talked about an other part of the game !

[Mickado]

That's him alright. He's had a haircut since, not as immediately recognisable.

Is Brock James injured/pending a late fitness test? Either way, that’s got to be good for us, if he’s minding himself he might not see the SOB sized missile flying at him.

[berniemac67]

Really hope we stuff Parra tomorrow. He's a really dirty player and doesn't seem to have the reputation for it that he deserves.

Every player in the world has tried to get him, only McCaw succeed in.

Try it, he will just be better and better

funny. plenty have got to him in the past, including leinster.

[Donny B.]

Is he the one that headbutted Leo Cullen near the end of the semi-final last year?

Asmca12 is wrong. Bardy is the one who tried to kill your Leo at the final action.

Ok, sorry I talked about an other part of the game !

No, Faure head-butted Leo's fist and went down with such a pitiful dive that he actually did his team out of a yellow card...

Bardy did assault Leo on the line near the end, and typically Leo barely flinched.

It's practically the only time I've noticed him really. Is he always a bit of a nutter?

[Sauvignon Blank]

Good feeling about tommorrow, think we'll let loose in the 2nd half judging by that selection. I have a sneaky feeling we're going to see a fair few tries from the lads tommorrow.

I see Bardy starts wonder what the odds are on him getting lamped by one of our forwards after his assault on leo in the semi

Leinster by +10 and please Santa can we have a bonus point.

[Jaunard]

No, Faure head-butted Leo's fist and went down with such a pitiful dive that he actually did his team out of a yellow card...

Bardy did assault Leo on the line near the end, and typically Leo barely flinched.

It's practically the only time I've noticed him really. Is he always a bit of a nutter?

just a bit... quick-tempered
but great tackler

[Donny B.]

No, Faure head-butted Leo's fist and went down with such a pitiful dive that he actually did his team out of a yellow card...

Bardy did assault Leo on the line near the end, and typically Leo barely flinched.

It's practically the only time I've noticed him really. Is he always a bit of a nutter?

just a bit... quick-tempered
but great tackler

Must be the Portuguese blood in him!

[ceemec]

Bardy is a good player. His arrival in the side will be to lock down the breakdown more than last week. Bonnaire will have a lot more attention now in the line out now that Lapandry is gone though. Bardy is good but can be got at. He has a couple of yellow cards already this season in the T14 in very tight games against Racing and Biarritz. It will be a cauldron tomorrow and Jennings will get under his skin eventually.

[bringbackrocky]

Could be mind games from ASM. They would always bring extra cover on an away trip. We have isa, madser, goodman to cover 10 in our ranks.
The key will be to sort out Bonnaire..he was amazing last week and if Brock is injured, which would be a huge plus, theyre attack is seriously impacted. Earlier posts talk about his restarts and deep kicking..he is a class act. ASM's 23 is close to their best, as it was last week, but ours has got stronger now VDM and Dave K are back and the huge crowd should help. Ro-ro was brilliant in attack for them last week but they looked knackered walking off. talk as we may that we deserved a draw...had they taken the 3 pts at the death they still would have won. Simply get SOB, ISA and Jenno moving onto Reddan quick ball and we can get over the gain line. Nalanga and Sivivatu wont want 80mins of balls in behind them either.

BP can be got.
but first we must win
then win by 7 or more
then see if we can go for broke.

The crowd will be essential in messing with these guys heads...if they cough up their lead in the group they will be broken men...even if they top the group in the end...leinster can go anywhere in a QF and sneak a result...even ASM and Toulon.

As a fan Iike teams to play their strongest XV..but if Brock is Crock....game on..c'est fini pour les jaunards je pense


ISA KINDA MAGIC

[Cianostays]

After the way the scrum developed last week, coupled with the selection of VDM and the retention of Browne, it suggests to me that we're going after their scrum. Looking forward to the first hit

Have stocked up on Soothers for the game, hope you're all resting your voices tonight

[AdamK]

I like Bardy, he's a fine groundhog and has a real niggle about him, he'll try to get under our skin... However, clearly Vern has picked him because he doesn't want us to dominate in the rucks, and I wouldn't be surprised if Bardy gives away an odd penalty or two.

[christy]

After the way the scrum developed last week, coupled with the selection of VDM and the retention of Browne, it suggests to me that we're going after their scrum. Looking forward to the first hit

Have stocked up on Soothers for the game, hope you're all resting your voices tonight

Hopefully they have sorted out the bloody pitch other wise it could be reset after reset in the scrum

[Fireworks]

The kids are in bed and the other half is gone to a work party so I have the evening to myself. I have a good bottle of vodka lots of ice and plenty of time to watch youtube vids and old recordings of Leinster games to get me in the mood for a tomorrow. That these to teams have not met in a final is a loss for the game.

A stop off on the way for some soothers is a good call.

It might not make much sense to anyone but the feeling I have about what we are about to experience is like the quote from the racing correspondent Richard Baerlein in 1981, after watching the sheargar win by 10 lengths. He famously advised race-goers that "at 8-1, Shergar for the Derby, now is the time to bet like men." I think now is the time to counted as either a interested party or a true fan who will back his team like a man.

[D2 Blue]

Evening folks,
A bit late posting this but better late...

The biggest 80+ minutes of the season so far tomorrow, to state the obvious. Its a huge game for all concerned.

At half time it will also be a huge occasion for another group. Instead of half time mini rugby, there will be a mini parade around the pitch with 4 rugby teams taking part. There will be players from Greystones, Seapoint Dragons, DLSP and Westmanstown tag rugby teams - the players on these teams are children with special needs. The players will walk around the pitch, led in some cases by the club president. This is a huge deal for the players, clubs, coaches and volunteers and it was a great honour for the clubs to be invited to take part. My son will among those taking part and there is great excitement in the club. Families and friends will be there to cheer them on and we hope it will really add to the occasion.

So when half time comes and everyone is queuing up to leave the stand for a beer, chips, horseburger or just standing up in your seat (never quite understand why), when the teams come past, please give them as big a cheer as the Leinster lads will get.

I can't overstate how big a deal this is to the kids and parents. These children face so many challenges in their lives and will always do so, but an occasion like this means so much to the children and their families and just for a while it makes everything a little bit better. [don't mean to put a downer on it!]

So c'mon folks, give them a huge cheer tomorrow when they pass you on the pitch and help to make their day.

Thanks a million in advance for your support.

On a related matter, C'MON LEINSTER - get stuck in and let them know that this is our (rented) field!

[nelly the elephant]

Evening folks,
A bit late posting this but better late...

The biggest 80+ minutes of the season so far tomorrow, to state the obvious. Its a huge game for all concerned.

At half time it will also be a huge occasion for another group. Instead of half time mini rugby, there will be a mini parade around the pitch with 4 rugby teams taking part. There will be players from Greystones, Seapoint Dragons, DLSP and Westmanstown tag rugby teams - the players on these teams are children with special needs. The players will walk around the pitch, led in some cases by the club president. This is a huge deal for the players, clubs, coaches and volunteers and it was a great honour for the clubs to be invited to take part. My son will among those taking part and there is great excitement in the club. Families and friends will be there to cheer them on and we hope it will really add to the occasion.

So when half time comes and everyone is queuing up to leave the stand for a beer, chips, horseburger or just standing up in your seat (never quite understand why), when the teams come past, please give them as big a cheer as the Leinster lads will get.

I can't overstate how big a deal this is to the kids and parents. These children face so many challenges in their lives and will always do so, but an occasion like this means so much to the children and their families and just for a while it makes everything a little bit better. [don't mean to put a downer on it!]

So c'mon folks, give them a huge cheer tomorrow when they pass you on the pitch and help to make their day.

Thanks a million in advance for your support.

On a related matter, C'MON LEINSTER - get stuck in and let them know that this is our (rented) field!

Consider it done.......best of luck to you all and I hope you have a memorable day tomorrow.

[meinster]

or just standing up in your seat (never quite understand why)

To stretch the legs & chat to anyone around you .. just to break up the wait a bit.

I can't overstate how big a deal this is to the kids and parents.

... and I can't begin to imagine. Will give them a roar, and make sure those around me do too.

[ceemec]

Consider it done, D2. There will be plenty of support for the young players as they carry out their lap of the stadium. I hope they enjoy every second of it.

[D2 Blue]

Cheers guys, appreciate the sentiment - really mean it.

Was just thinking back to the last Clermont game in the Aviva. I always try to get to matches early and watch the warm up but i was late and was listening to the buildup on the radio while legging it down the canal. It was really cold, brass monkeys cold and Mattie Williams and Woodie were in the commentary seats. Woodie said he was so cold that he couldnt feel his legs. When the teams did the warmup Clermont were all wrapped up and then our lads peeled off to their tshirts and shorts. It really made a statement of intent. The crowd loved it, so did the commentators. I just thought 'this is gonna be a good game'.

It would be great if they made a statement early on - doesnt matter what it is, just something to get the crowd going and put the opposition on the back foot. Preferably scoring a few early tries!

[thepunter]

I've seen Bardy a decent bit lately in the TOP14 and he's been all action, good player and could do damage- needs to be hit hard and early to take the win out of his sails.

One man i'd really worry most about tomorrow is Barnes. He has been anything but a homer for the past few month when i've seen him in the AP except when reffing Leicester in Welford road. Seems to be making a point of giving the away team as much ( if not more) as the fancied home side. And let's not forget his rubbish last April in getting Clermont marched into position for that last minute drive - one very dubious pen if I remember correctly, SOB given forward when he was never, and referring Sexton's penalty to the TMO.

It's a worry is all i'm saying, especially after the absolute riding Munster got last week. With the BT cup looming and French and English audiences more important factors than ever for the Heineken Cup's continued viability, it would be great for the ERC if a record number of English and French clubs made it through to the playoffs, keeping the tournament more interesting in their eyes, and ultimately helping them keep control long-term of the multi-million euro industry that is European rugby - how many of the English/French clubs will vote to leave if they have 7 teams in the playoffs?.

I'm not saying they've told Barnes how to ref the game.......alls i'm saying is that's what I would do.