Leinster Vs Toulon 2021, Friday the 2nd of April, 5.30pm

[mildlyinterested]

Leinster are 0 and 4 against Toulon.

[Ruckedtobits]

In our "segment" of the draw, none of the four teams, Toulon, Lyon, Exeter or ourselves, can have three games in a row at home. Toulon & Lyon are travelling in the round of 16 whilst Exeter go to Gloucester on March 26th and, should we beat Toulon, we will travel to Lyon or Exeter.

In view of our Pro14 final and the France v Scot 6N final game on the 25th March, interwoven with Covid restrictions re travel etc. fixtures over those three weekends will be logistically complex. At this vantage point, having Munster & Toulon at home with two 7-day intervals could be very beneficial to Leinster management selection and integration. Conversely, Exeter could have 3 or more key players in the Scottish side on the 25th March playing a long way from Sandy Park.

[Theleinsterlad]

On the Toulon fans forum there seems to be a general feel that they are too thinly stretched at the moment and due to upcoming games against teams around them in the top14 their priority will be on that and not the match v Leinster m. Also one or two mentioned that they think this was a favourable draw for them ( one said Leinster is an aging team- but still very good) and that getting Bristol or Exeter would have been harder.

[mildlyinterested]

On the Toulon fans forum there seems to be a general feel that they are too thinly stretched at the moment and due to upcoming games against teams around them in the top14 their priority will be on that and not the match v Leinster m. Also one or two mentioned that they think this was a favourable draw for them ( one said Leinster is an aging team- but still very good) and that getting Bristol or Exeter would have been harder.

probably true to a degree.

[blockhead]

Keenan
Lowe
Larmour
Henshaw
Ringrose
JCB
Sexton
Healy
Kellerher
Furlong
Ryan
Baird
Conan
Connors
Doris

Is hardly an aging squad

[wixfjord]

On the Toulon fans forum there seems to be a general feel that they are too thinly stretched at the moment and due to upcoming games against teams around them in the top14 their priority will be on that and not the match v Leinster m. Also one or two mentioned that they think this was a favourable draw for them ( one said Leinster is an aging team- but still very good) and that getting Bristol or Exeter would have been harder.

probably true to a degree.

I don't really think that is true.

I mean it's hard to say what our first 15 is, but it could easily be:

Healy, Kelleher, Furlong, Ryan, Baird, Ruddock, Connors, Doris, Luke, Sexton, Lowe, Henshaw, Ringer, Larmour, Keenan

Toner/Baird is debatable of course, but only Healy, Sexton & Rhys are 30 or over in that list.

[LeinsterLeader]

I think there is a perception outside Ireland that that is the case though, as a lot of our young guys aren't exactly house hold names yet (Keenan and Kelleher for example).

But hey if that is the case, all the better, we might slip under the Rader a bit so!

[mildlyinterested]

I think there is a perception outside Ireland that that is the case though, as a lot of our young guys aren't exactly house hold names yet (Keenan and Kelleher for example).

But hey if that is the case, all the better, we might slip under the Rader a bit so!

Yeah for a french fan i'd say sexton is very representive of leinster and he is certainly aging.

[joooooe]

On the Toulon fans forum there seems to be a general feel that they are too thinly stretched at the moment and due to upcoming games against teams around them in the top14 their priority will be on that and not the match v Leinster m. Also one or two mentioned that they think this was a favourable draw for them ( one said Leinster is an aging team- but still very good) and that getting Bristol or Exeter would have been harder.

probably true to a degree.

I don't really think that is true.

I mean it's hard to say what our first 15 is, but it could easily be:

Healy, Kelleher, Furlong, Ryan, Baird, Ruddock, Connors, Doris, Luke, Sexton, Lowe, Henshaw, Ringer, Larmour, Keenan

Toner/Baird is debatable of course, but only Healy, Sexton & Rhys are 30 or over in that list.

People outside Leinster tend to view the strength of a Leinster side through the prism of whether Johnny Sexton plays or not. We could send Johnny and a team of children to Thomond Park and certain elements of our national media would say that Leinster are "assuredly sending a strong side to storm Munster's Thomond citadel" (I'll leave it to you to work out the writer). Similarly, if Johnny Sexton plays we have an "ageing" side. Throw in Toner and/or Fardy and the narrative becomes comically distorted.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Can anyone name a team that isn’t ageing?

[cormac]

Can anyone name a team that isn’t ageing?

The Benjamin Button Invitational XV?

[blockhead]

All great sides have a healthy blend of young and old.
Most cr@p sides do too I suppose so don't mind me, sure what would I know!

[Flash Gordon]

I think there is a perception outside Ireland that that is the case though, as a lot of our young guys aren't exactly house hold names yet (Keenan and Kelleher for example).

But hey if that is the case, all the better, we might slip under the Rader a bit so!

Yeah for a french fan i'd say sexton is very representive of leinster and he is certainly aging.

He's the player they will first think of when they think Leinster for sure. As others have said, from our starting XV Sexton and Church are probably the only aging players albeit both play in pivotal positions.

[mildlyinterested]

Leinsters match up with Toulon scheduled for 6 days after pro 14 final. On a Friday at 5.30pm.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I despair, what a shambles.

And all for the Rainbow f%~king Cup.

[mildlyinterested]

Utter joke alright.. Hope Leinster show Pro 14 the respect the competition organizers has given it by not playing any internationals in it.

[hugonaut]

I despair, what a shambles.

And all for the Rainbow f%~king Cup.

The Rainbow Cup is a once-off yoke of a thing. The value of one-off tournaments is not so much questionable as neglible.

For example, the same Six Nations teams all played in the Autumn Nations Cup as are playing in the 2021 Six Nations - the same players, the same coaches, the same referees, the same venues, the same official rigmarole with anthems etc. – and I had to look up Wikipedia to see where we finished. It only took place about four months ago. It just didn't register with me. In contrast, I could probably tell you where we finished in each edition of the Six Nations for the last 20 years.

With regards to the scheduling, it is what it is. We have to get stuck into it and win some tough matches now we're in trophy season. We've got a very good squad and excellent coaches and selectors. I'm really looking forward to the games.

[Keith]

I despair, what a shambles.

And all for the Rainbow f%~king Cup.

The Rainbow Cup is a once-off yoke of a thing. The value of one-off tournaments is not so much questionable as neglible.

For example, the same Six Nations teams all played in the Autumn Nations Cup as are playing in the 2021 Six Nations - the same players, the same coaches, the same referees, the same venues, the same official rigmarole with anthems etc. – and I had to look up Wikipedia to see where we finished. It only took place about four months ago. It just didn't register with me. In contrast, I could probably tell you where we finished in each edition of the Six Nations for the last 20 years.

With regards to the scheduling, it is what it is. We have to get stuck into it and win some tough matches now we're in trophy season. We've got a very good squad and excellent coaches and selectors. I'm really looking forward to the games.

It's a pre season tournament and I hope we use it as such. Good opportunity there to give the young lads even more game time, hopefully Vakh is available for it all.

[elephantman]

Can anyone name a team that isn’t ageing?

[LeinsterLeader]

From Leinster on Twitter:

Matthew Carley (RFU) has been appointed to referee our #HeinekenChampionsCup Round of 16 tie with
@RCTofficiel at the RDS on Friday, 2 April.