The O'Classico- Leinster v Munster!

First topic message reminder :

LEINSTER

15. Rob Kearney
14. Fergus McFadden
13. Brian O'Driscoll
12. Gordon D'Arcy
11. Luke Fitzgerald
10. Ian Madigan
9. Eoin Reddan

1. Michael Bent
2. Richardt Strauss
3. Mike Ross
4. Devin Toner
5. Mike McCarthy
6. Kevin McLaughlin
7. Shane Jennings
8. Jamie Heaslip (c)

16. Sean Cronin
17. Jack O'Connell
18. Ed Byrne
19. Leo Cullen
20. Jordi Murphy
21. Isaac Boss
22. Jimmy Gopperth
23. Zane Kirchner

MUNSTER

15. Felix Jones
14. Keith Earls
13. Casey Laulala
12. Denis Hurley
11. Simon Zebo
10. Ian Keatley
9. Conor Murray

1. Dave Kilcoyne
2. Damien Varley
3. BJ Botha
4. Dave Foley
5. Paul O' Connell
6. Peter O'Mahony (c)
7. Tommy O'Donnell
8. James Coughlan

16. Duncan Casey
17. James Cronin
18. Alan Cotter
19. Donncha O'Callaghan
20. CJ Stander
21. Duncan Williams
22. JJ Hanrahan
23. Gerhard van den Heever

At Aviva Stadium, 7pm. Live on TG4

Referee: Alain Rolland
Assistant Referees: David Wilkinson, Michael Black (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Peter Ferguson (IRFU)
TMO: Simon McDowell (IRFU)

Some TV info as well if anyone is interested;
UK & Ireland - Live on TG4 from 7pm Saturday
USA - Live on Fox Soccer Plus from 3pm ET Saturday
Canada - Live on Sportsnet World from 3pm Saturday
Australia - Live on Setanta Plus from 6am EDT Sunday (Replayed on TV at 7pm EDT)
Asia - Live on Setanta Asia from 3am HKT Sunday
Middle East - Live on OSN Sport 3 from 11pm KSA Saturday
New Zealand - Live on The Rugby Channel from 8am Sunday
Radio - Live on RTE Radio 1. On radio, on line and via smartphone app
Twitter- www.twitter.com/leinsterrugby

London (Philomena's of Covent Garden), New Work City (Madhatter Saloon), Boston (Lir on Boylston)and Dubai (McGettigans) will all be showing the game LIVE.

Dave Average dropped completely...   

Well they don't look like a 'resting' team selections anyway...as in taking things easy until the week after.

Looks like we might have a right royal battle afterall.

ME-109 wrote:Dave Average dropped completely...   

Maybe he doesnt want to get kicked in the head?

ME-109 wrote:Dave Average dropped completely...   

The medal is weighing him down and impeding his sprint work.
Plus - and more seriously......   he's getting the whole BOD treatment now as Leinster's most important player. He's being saved for the important games.

ME-109 wrote:Dave Average dropped completely...   

Got injured in training yesterday, but don't let that get in the way of a WUM.

Healy and McGrath obviously didnt get over their injuries. Fitz will need to have a good game.

Good team otherwise.

thebandwagonsociety wrote:

ME-109 wrote:Dave Average dropped completely...   

Got injured in training yesterday, but don't let that get in the way of a WUM.

What was it? Tap Tackled by Leo after a 20 metre head start...

No, injured whilst shoving both Healy and Leo off the ball. He took the two of them out and himself to injury. Schmidt left a message of congratulations when he heard about it.

Leinster backline looks stronger for it..

Our only hope is up front really.

Backline won't do much unless they have an Upfront to get them ball................. and then of course we're back to Schmidt and his rucks philosophy.

"If'n you're a back and you can't do much because you don't have a ball, then go help out the folks in getting one."

ME-109 wrote:Leinster backline looks stronger for it..

Our only hope is up front really.

All joking aside I actually think it is a stronger team.

Any idea why Hurley is starting at 12? Dont think it weakens the team anyway really as we dont use the 12 in attack.

I think the Munster pack is stronger so more hopeful now than I was before the teams were announced.

Hurley gives us a little more going forward especially if he can get his hands free and starts offloading. He has been used a few times (2 or 3) there this season and I reckon Penney wants to look at it a little more against quality opposition.

Bent is a bit useless as a tighthead but he has put in quality displays at loosehead when called on to do so in the past. Problem won't be with the starting pack, it is the replacement props and second row replacement which might be our downfall.

Just realised all Irish qualified starting XV for what could be deemed the most important regular season game in the Leinster calendar (important from a media interest and attendance POV).

Gopperth and Kirchner on the bench are the NIQ players showing a gap in the production of top quality outhalf options and injuries in the Back 3.

.

Its the same as the one above   

Oops - I'll remove that me-109

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Oops - I'll remove that me-109

Only joking leave it in...as the official version...   

ME-109 wrote:

thebandwagonsociety wrote:

ME-109 wrote:Dave Average dropped completely...   

Got injured in training yesterday, but don't let that get in the way of a WUM.

What was it? Tap Tackled by Leo after a 20 metre head start...

I heard he tripped up on his six nations medal.

GunsGerms wrote:

ME-109 wrote:

thebandwagonsociety wrote:

ME-109 wrote:Dave Average dropped completely...   

Got injured in training yesterday, but don't let that get in the way of a WUM.

What was it? Tap Tackled by Leo after a 20 metre head start...

I heard he tripped up on his six nations medal.

No...
wasn't his six nations medal it was the medal for most rucks resourced during the championship  

Maybe it was his Hcup, Amlin or Rabo medal not sure. Quite a collection for a young lad.

GunsGerms wrote:Maybe it was his Hcup, Amlin or Rabo medal not sure. Quite a collection for a young lad.

Quite a collection for a journeyman...

ME-109 wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Maybe it was his Hcup, Amlin or Rabo medal not sure. Quite a collection for a young lad.

Quite a collection for a journeyman...

Maybe he isn't a journeyman? Maybe Dod, leftfield suggestion I know, just maybe though he is actually a damn good player.

GunsGerms wrote:

ME-109 wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Maybe it was his Hcup, Amlin or Rabo medal not sure. Quite a collection for a young lad.

Quite a collection for a journeyman...

Maybe he isn't a journeyman? Maybe Dod, leftfield suggestion I know, just maybe though he is actually a damn good player.

Nah he is just...........................





























Average...  

and you're just
































...bitter?

Ed Byrne on the bench? Has he appeared for Leinster before?

Are Moore and Furlong both injured?

Golden wrote:Ed Byrne on the bench? Has he appeared for Leinster before?

Are Moore and Furlong both injured?

A 3rd stringer??? Who let him in. This is surely a game for our 4th stringers who need game time.

Very surprised to see Jordi Murphy on the bench - whats the logic behind this? is he been kept for next week?

SecretFly wrote:

Golden wrote:Ed Byrne on the bench? Has he appeared for Leinster before?

Are Moore and Furlong both injured?

A 3rd stringer???  Who let him in.  This is surely a game for our 4th stringers who need game time.

He is the 4th stringer Fly. Maybe 5th if Bent was free to play tighthead.

Just checked there this will be his first appearance for the senior side. Baptism of fire or what.

Ed Byrne...should be funny...

We could be onto a "I saw him in his first game" player.  He's obviously a hidden genius if O'Connor rates him......................................

What?

Well, maybe Schmidt said "Try him, Matt.  And that's not a request, btw ..it's an order"

MOC out! There are not enough Munster players in that Leinster team.

There are a couple of plastic paddies though

That's to keep the marketing people happy.  These other nations always need a reason to tune into Pro12.
The Israelis love when Heaslip is named Captain.

I was looking forward to Kearney skinning Zebo on the outside, shame!

Notch wrote:I was looking forward to Kearney skinning Zebo on the outside, shame!

That would be some sight alright...you probably have a better chance of seeing Zebre un a HC final

Prudent decision to rest him for the tour to Argentina

We don't want him getting rundown by a prop do we?

Really looking forward to this one. Interesting that Madigan gets the nod over Gopperth and Keatley over Hanrahan. Will we see the best of Zebo or is he saving himself for next week?   

Engine#4 wrote:Really looking forward to this one. Interesting that Madigan gets the nod over Gopperth and Keatley over Hanrahan.  Will we see the best of Zebo or is he saving himself for next week?   

ROG in the examiner today:

So it wasn’t anyone’s style, per se. The coach can bring a style, but what’s important is making the right decisions at the right times. That’s instinct, and I hope it stays that way because you don’t ever want your players to be robotic. Particularly in the pivotal positions, like No 10.

Simon Zebo is unlikely to be labelled a robot any time soon. He handled himself very well this week with the media. I’m sure the journalists were hoping he’d take the bait and have a go off Joe Schmidt but he kept his counsel. I hope his performance tomorrow illustrates why he will be the best winger in Europe in two or three years’ time.

I think both sides might be hoping they can conserve something for the following week...but things will happen during the game, then fever will decend on all and it'll be all out war by the end, all guns blazing.

I think respective coaches of both sides (whoever they have been) have always dreaded these encounters because despite best laid plans and orders about keeping something in the tank for Europe - things just can kick off between these two and all team orders go out the window and bones risk getting broken.

Both Penney and O'Connor will have fingers crossed but that's all they'll be able to do if the red mist decends on this one.

in two or three year's time?

ROG!  I'm expecting him to push for that title sooner than that.  If he has it in him to be best, we'll need him to be it quicker than two or three years.  If not, we'll have found someone else.  We don't got time, ROG!

For Ireland's sake I hope he ROG is right.

SecretFly wrote: things just can kick off between these two and all team orders go out the window and bones risk getting broken.

Both Penney and O'Connor will have fingers crossed but that's all they'll be able to do if the red mist decends on this one.

I think Leinster may lose a bit due to Schmidt's involvement with Ireland.  Munster players will benefit from the some of his hallmarks, especially at ruck time which has been key to Leinster's success.  I expect it to be pretty ferocious - POC himself has admitted "that the Kiwi coach has asked him whether he thinks his opponents really felt his rucking efforts, whether he hurt them".  Irish players have been putting in some nasty hits at the ruck (see Healy vs France) in the 6 Nations and it cold all boil over once they start hitting each other.

Who knew that resourcing rucks was what its all about...

I don't disagree with ROG. I can't imagine that Simon Zebo will not be first choice for Ireland in three years if he has the right attitude and works hard to improve. He's too talented and Bowe will be 33, Trimble 32 etc. Those two are very clearly first choice right now but hard to believe Zebo won't eventually overtake them.

It's up to him really.

What about Dave Average?

We have to make sure there is enough Munster men in the Ireland squad, so unfortunately the likes of Dave Average may not make the team ME-109.

Titles don't matter we just need Munster men in the team!

This Dave Average thing is getting a little old. He has a six nations medal, a Heineken Cup medal or 2, an Amlin medal and Rabo medal.

Zebo has an appearance (or two?) for the Lions dirt tracking team.

Zebo undoubtedly is the guy I'd want in an Irish jersey one on one with the opposition fullback. Zebo is not the guy I'd want if we were a point or two up and on the backfoot with a few minutes to go.

They are both good players, very good players. Both are possibly overrated and both are possibly underrated. That tap tackle could have been got by a prop if the angle was right. So cut it out you're seeing what you want to see so that you can take a pop at a player who not only started ahead of one of your favourites but knocked him out of game week squads.

This happens. I'd have loved if Marmion was in the squads but I didn't start taking digs at Reddan or Boss. What is the f-ing point other that to wind people up and drag a thread down.




Back on topic.......

Bit worried about our front row and impact off the bench. Glad we went for Toner, mcLaughlin and McCarthy to add extra grunt. We could really do with building up a bit of a lead before subs get introduced. I am guessing that is why Madigan is starting so that we can go full throttle attack and then when our pack is weakened with replacements we can bring on Boss and Gopperth to go and try and slow the game down and close it out.

Feel like we can attack that Munster midfield a fair bit, they aren't looking too strong in my books. That being said there's a lot of grunt there I guess.

ME-109 wrote:What about Dave Average?

I thought Trimble had a better tournament than Kearney and you'd want Bowe in- I'm not married to the idea of Dave Kearney, it's just funny to see you snap.

Kearney has earned the right to be part of the squad though, thats for sure. The thing is there's no downside to the Zebo situation. Did it cost us anything in terms of the tournament? No, we were top try scorers. Will working on what Schmidt wants him to work on improve him as a player? There's no doubt about it- yes. Will having to earn the jersey the hard way make Zebo value that jersey? Yeah. Does having a ticked off Zebo with a point to prove benefit Munster? Do I need to ask?

So in the long run I can't see anything but positives for Munster, Zebo and especially Ireland out of this.