Pro 14 Final vs Munster, March 27th. 5pm. @ The RDS.

[riocard911]

Why does every review of the final have to be a post-mortem of Munster?
How about a celebration of the wonder that is Leinster?

Dog bites man isn't a story

From up in heaven Donal Foley is applauding!!!

[Morf]

Why does every review of the final have to be a post-mortem of Munster?
How about a celebration of the wonder that is Leinster?

Second Captains kinda said it blatantly but I figure it's common in the media but "well-run, successful organisation continues to be well-run and successful" isn't making any headlines or garnering clicks. Even the All-Blacks had to do the whole 'All-Good Blokes' BS for a while to raise profile in between milking the haka for every click it's worth.

[joooooe]

Why does every review of the final have to be a post-mortem of Munster?
How about a celebration of the wonder that is Leinster?

Second Captains kinda said it blatantly but I figure it's common in the media but "well-run, successful organisation continues to be well-run and successful" isn't making any headlines or garnering clicks. Even the All-Blacks had to do the whole 'All-Good Blokes' BS for a while to raise profile in between milking the haka for every click it's worth.

I dislike the haka. Nearly as much as the Lions.

In response to another post above, he's right, we should be celebrating Leinster rather than picking through the carrion of Munster rugby. But maybe we can do so in a few months when the season is over and we have a milestone (not a millstone) at which we can pause and reflect. There seems to be a gap in the last week of July and first week of August where no rugby of importance is being played and I suggest we use that window.

[mildlyinterested]

The Pro 14 Final was always just a stepping stone in this season once the season was re-formatted. Europe was and is always the barometer of a successful season.

Now it's time to use this impressive win to push on and complete a potential unprecedented treble.

[hugonaut]

Now it's time to use this impressive win to push on and complete a potential treble.

That should absolutely be our aim.

This weird set-up of the season should also give us a chance to see how we can do with as full a squad as we can muster training regularly together, free of international call-ups.

There have been so many internationals since the resumption of rugby and we have supplied to many players to the Irish squad that we have very rarely seen our best players on the pitch together, and certainly not with any significant amount of training time.

[hugonaut]

@mildlyinterested

Can you make a gif of the Keith Earls intercept off Hugo Keenan's break? I thought it was really weird at the time but I've since seen a very quick replay of it and have figured out what happens: he races out of the line and gets to the Leinster line [Locko, to be precise] quite a bit ahead of the ball, so he just shoves Locko out of the way and then waits there for the pass!

Should have been a penalty Leinster and probably a card for Earls for a professional foul. Pretty strange that not one of the four match officials saw what happened.

[mildlyinterested]

Now it's time to use this impressive win to push on and complete a potential treble.

That should absolutely be our aim.

This weird set-up of the season should also give us a chance to see how we can do with as full a squad as we can muster training regularly together, free of international call-ups.

There have been so many internationals since the resumption of rugby and we have supplied to many players to the Irish squad that we have very rarely seen our best players on the pitch together, and certainly not with any significant amount of training time.

Jack said as much post game: “We want to build on this performance, we want to win everything we can"

[mildlyinterested]

@mildlyinterested

Can you make a gif of the Keith Earls intercept off Hugo Keenan's break? I thought it was really weird at the time but I've since seen a very quick replay of it and have figured out what happens: he races out of the line and gets to the Leinster line [Locko, to be precise] quite a bit ahead of the ball, so he just shoves Locko out of the way and then waits there for the pass!

Should have been a penalty Leinster and probably a card for Earls for a professional foul. Pretty strange that not one of the four match officials saw what happened.

[joooooe]

@mildlyinterested

Can you make a gif of the Keith Earls intercept off Hugo Keenan's break? I thought it was really weird at the time but I've since seen a very quick replay of it and have figured out what happens: he races out of the line and gets to the Leinster line [Locko, to be precise] quite a bit ahead of the ball, so he just shoves Locko out of the way and then waits there for the pass!

Should have been a penalty Leinster and probably a card for Earls for a professional foul. Pretty strange that not one of the four match officials saw what happened.

I disagree. Much as it pains me to say it, that was genius from Earls. If one of our lads did it we'd be swooning and quoting sections of mf.com about how they laughably think it's a penalty.

[Dave Cahill]

Yep, Earls is onside and as such he is allowed compete for the ball and that includes competing for the space to be in position to receive the ball. Poor play from ROL to allow himself be dominated in that instance.

[RoboProp]

Why does every review of the final have to be a post-mortem of Munster?
How about a celebration of the wonder that is Leinster?

Exactly this, they were beaten off the pitch and it's still about them. The narrative always seems to be about them.

You had Leinster players with massive points to prove and they more than proved them; take a well deserved bow Ruddock, Conan, Dave Kearney and Luke.

What struck me was that you had a guys who have been in the Irish camp for more time since we've returned to rugby than they've been with Leinster slot seamlessly back in. I heard Ferg say during the week that sometimes it takes a week or two to re-familiarise with the plays in the provincial systems, it was like these players were never away.

I never tire of seeing how any given player can on any part of the pitch "ball" (to use the vernacular of the youth) . Go be the days when Mike Ross would get the ball and you knew exactly what was going to happen next he'd go into contact and make flip all yards or he'd shovel a pass to his left. Never mastered the left to right myself. Not a slight on Rossy, I love Rossy and he's exactly the kind of prop I wanted to be when I was lad, but the game has moved on.
We were dynamic, aggressive and most importantly absolutely clinical. It was an absolute pleasure. I know a few things went wrong for us, but it's just a luxury to watch a final against one of your greatest rivals and after 20 minutes think to yourself "we've got this lot on toast"

[cormac]

I'm guessing Larmour was in acres of space on the outside? Not quite possible to make out from the camera angles.

[mildlyinterested]

Ruddock 23 carries, Conan 20 carries... you love to see it.

[RoboProp]

Ruddock 23 carries, Conan 20 carries... you love to see it.

Ruddock stepping Haley was disgraceful, and I absolutely loved it

[LeinsterLeader]

Ruddock 23 carries, Conan 20 carries... you love to see it.

I thought Conan was great on Saturday ....... but Rudock was a different level. I don't think they have a word for his performance

[mildlyinterested]

I'm guessing Larmour was in acres of space on the outside? Not quite possible to make out from the camera angles.

[mildlyinterested]

Ruddock 23 carries, Conan 20 carries... you love to see it.

Ruddock stepping Haley was disgraceful, and I absolutely loved it

[Twist]

Just made it as far as the second line of that article...
"Leo Cullen’s men won their six game in a row against Munster on Saturday in the Guinness PRO14 final in Dublin."

Why are people unable to write, particularly those whose employment is based on that very skill?

... on to line three.

He’s not a professional writer.

His twitter bio:
Stephen Kisbey-Green
@Stephan_KG
Freelance Sports journo. Rhodes Journ Grad. Former sports editor at Grocott’s Mail. MA Journ at DCU. Co-Editor at College Tribune. Occasionally Off The Ball

"This was yet another year for the western province without winning silverware" WTAF?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Yep, Earls is onside and as such he is allowed compete for the ball and that includes competing for the space to be in position to receive the ball. Poor play from ROL to allow himself be dominated in that instance.

Wouldn’t blame ROL at all, I certainly can’t remember seeing anything like that before...I mean a Munster player doing something good in a final, what are the odds?

[wixfjord]

@mildlyinterested

Can you make a gif of the Keith Earls intercept off Hugo Keenan's break? I thought it was really weird at the time but I've since seen a very quick replay of it and have figured out what happens: he races out of the line and gets to the Leinster line [Locko, to be precise] quite a bit ahead of the ball, so he just shoves Locko out of the way and then waits there for the pass!

Should have been a penalty Leinster and probably a card for Earls for a professional foul. Pretty strange that not one of the four match officials saw what happened.

That's just really good play from Earls imo.

Saved a certain try as I assume we had a huge overlap.