EUROPEAN CUP R1: Montpellier Away, 12/12, 6.30pm

[mildlyinterested]

Difficult start to European season, what sort of side will Leinster be able to put out with injuries and ireland availability?

[leinster23]

At a guess it could be something like this

Healy
Tracy
Porter
Baird
Ryan
Ruddock
Connors
Doris
McGrath
Sexton/R. Byrne
Lowe
Frawley
O'Loughlin
Kearney
Keenan
Kelleher
Dooley
Bent
Fardy
Leavy
JGP
R.Byrne/H Byrne
JOB

Would expect some of the closer calls to go in favour of the guys who've been with the squad through the window, going to be hard to integrate too many players with only one week between this and the last Ireland game. Centre will come down to who'd fit, but it would be interesting to see Frawley at 12 against a higher standard of opposition. JOB has to be in the 23 and could well be starting.

[cormac]

I'm guessing Montpellier have had Covid-19 issues as they've only played six league games (other teams have played nine). Two home wins out of three. Both wins have come against the bottom two sides in the current table. Racing 92 (4th) are the highest placed team they've played.

Won: Agen (h) 42-13; Brive (h) 30-6;

Lost: Pau (h) 23-26; Racing (a) 41-17; Toulon (a) 25-21; Bayonne (a) 29-20

They play Bordeaux (h) and Clermont (a) before they play us.

[Ruckedtobits]

The front-row National unit will be selected. A pair of international half-backs will be selected and possibly an international back-row. Second-row Ryan and A. N. Other. Centres Henshaw & S.O. Else and back three Keenan, Lowe and Dave K.

Would like to see Leavy & Baird on the bench with Furlong & McGrath. Frawley on bench, if not selected, could allow a 6-2 split.

[curates_egg]

I'm guessing Montpellier have had Covid-19 issues as they've only played six league games (other teams have played nine).

They had the first positive SARS-CoV-2 tests in the second last week of October, and didn't get the infections under control: three games have been postponed (the Castres game twice).
They lost to Bayonne on 14 November - their only game since mid-October.

You would have to wonder what that type of disruption will mean for their focus on Europe.

[mildlyinterested]

Possible side?

1. Healy
2. Kelleher
3. Porter
4. Toner
5. Ryan
6. Ruddock
7. Connors
8. Doris
9. McGrath
10. Byrne
11. Lowe
12. Frawley
13. Ringrose
14. Kearney
15. Keenan
16. Tracy
17. Dooley
18. Bent
19. Baird
20. Leavy
21. JGP
22. Byrne
23. ROL

[Ruckedtobits]

Possible side?

1. Healy
2. Kelleher
3. Porter
4. Toner
5. Ryan
6. Ruddock
7. Connors
8. Doris
9. McGrath
10. Byrne
11. Lowe
12. Frawley
13. Ringrose
14. Kearney
15. Keenan
16. Tracy
17. Dooley
18. Bent
19. Baird
20. Leavy
21. JGP
22. Byrne
23. ROL

Very tough call on JVdF

[leinster23]

Would be harsh on Jimmy O'Brien to miss out if fit.

[mildlyinterested]

Would be harsh on Jimmy O'Brien to miss out if fit.

assuming he will be missing due to injury, if available i'd have him in the 23.

[Jonny tight lips]

I’d start Baird with Ryan and this might be a bit left field but maybe Moloney on the bench. For the first tine in a long time I feel good about the idea of him in a Heineken cup 23, thought he’s really showed up this season. One if the main differences between 2017 and 2018 was the revamped second row (Ryan and Fardy) with moloney loosing out so I’m delighted to see him having a good year.

[curates_egg]

I think not picking Fardy was one of the biggest mistakes made for our quarter final. He is not quite as impactful this season, granted, but I think he still delivers on the smarts, experience and general nuisance front.
I don't think he should necessarily be involved in all of our Euro games. But, away to a big and annoying pack like Montpellier, I would definitely want him involved.

It's easy to get carried away by the euphoria of all these amazing loose forwards coming through our academy, but all of our success came by having a balance of experience and nous in there, and I don't expect that to change.

[mildlyinterested]

I think not picking Fardy was one of the biggest mistakes made for our quarter final. He is not quite as impactful this season, granted, but I think he still delivers on the smarts, experience and general nuisance front.
I don't think he should necessarily be involved in all of our Euro games. But, away to a big and annoying pack like Montpellier, I would definitely want him involved.

It's easy to get carried away by the euphoria of all these amazing loose forwards coming through our academy, but all of our success came by having a balance of experience and nous in there, and I don't expect that to change.

his form in the lead up to quarter final was pretty poor, think it was the right call.

no Ruddock a larger issue for me.

[curates_egg]

I think not picking Fardy was one of the biggest mistakes made for our quarter final. He is not quite as impactful this season, granted, but I think he still delivers on the smarts, experience and general nuisance front.
I don't think he should necessarily be involved in all of our Euro games. But, away to a big and annoying pack like Montpellier, I would definitely want him involved.

It's easy to get carried away by the euphoria of all these amazing loose forwards coming through our academy, but all of our success came by having a balance of experience and nous in there, and I don't expect that to change.

his form in the lead up to quarter final was pretty poor, think it was the right call.

no Ruddock a larger issue for me.

Certainly, to go without neither was folly - but Ruddock was struggling with some injury and had limited game time (a quarter against Ulster in the dead rubber).

I think Leocaster must have got carried away reading the forum

[mildlyinterested]

starting either probably wouldn't have mattered given how poorly they performed in the 1st half. Just a complete no-show job.

[leinster23]

I think not picking Fardy was one of the biggest mistakes made for our quarter final. He is not quite as impactful this season, granted, but I think he still delivers on the smarts, experience and general nuisance front.
I don't think he should necessarily be involved in all of our Euro games. But, away to a big and annoying pack like Montpellier, I would definitely want him involved.

It's easy to get carried away by the euphoria of all these amazing loose forwards coming through our academy, but all of our success came by having a balance of experience and nous in there, and I don't expect that to change.

Given that Baird was a key factor in our second half comeback and Toner had outplayed Fardy up until then, I think it was the right call. Having him on the bench instead of Baird would have been a repeat of the mistake we made in 2019 where we went for experience over dynamism on the bench and couldn't get back into the game. Having Baird there at least gave us a chance. Don't think Fardy was playing well enough to start either. Picking on form has been a driver behind our success.

Like others I'd agree that no Ruddock and no Fardy was a bigger mistake. We should have invested more time into Ruddock coming into that game to get him ready for Saracens.

[mildlyinterested]

England’s Karl Dickson will be in the man in the middle for Leinster Rugby’s Heineken Champions Cup Pool A meeting with Montpellier at the GGL Stadium on Saturday, 12 December

[cormac]

MOP beaten 23-22 at home by Bordeaux today. Northampton hammered by Harlequins

[Flash Gordon]

Possible side?

1. Healy
2. Kelleher
3. Porter
4. Toner
5. Ryan
6. Ruddock
7. Connors
8. Doris
9. McGrath
10. Byrne
11. Lowe
12. Frawley
13. Ringrose
14. Kearney
15. Keenan
16. Tracy
17. Dooley
18. Bent
19. Baird
20. Leavy
21. JGP
22. Byrne
23. ROL

Very tough call on JVdF

It sure would - and on Fardy who is finding form again. Is Cronin injured?

[LeinsterLeader]

I've been reading quite a bit from other provincial supporters that James Ryans form is something of an 'elephant in the room' with the Ireland team atm. I think that's harsh myself and that he's probably suffering as part of the teams form rather than his own personal performance. Any worries on this front with the Euro games on the horizon?

[mildlyinterested]

hasn't been great for ireland for sure.

not majorly concerned about that when it comes to leinster tho.