Toulon v Leinster - HC QF

by Mickado Tue 01 Apr 2014, 10:44 am

First topic message reminder :

The winners of the last 3 HC's face off on Sunday in the QF on French soil.

Toulon have a few injuries but have squad jammed with internationals so they won't be weakened much.

Just off the back of a cracking win over Toulouse where little Freddie ran the show scoring a try, 2 conversions and 6 penalties to bag a handsome 27 points.

Leinster's win over Munster was, a more sedate affair, scoring only 1 try, and resting their top carrying threat Cian Healy.

Leinster haven't exactly been firing on all cylinders lately (despite winning their last 10 games in a row) but the Northampton game this year will give them the confidence that they can pull out a result.

Should be a cracker.

15: Rob Kearney
14: Fergus McFadden
13: Brian O'Driscoll
12: Gordon D'Arcy
11: Dave Kearney
10: Jimmy Gopperth
9: Eoin Reddan
1: Cian Healy
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Mike Ross
4: Devin Toner
5: Mike McCarthy
6: Rhys Ruddock
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN
REPLACEMENTS:
16: Sean Cronin
17: Jack McGrath
18: Martin Moore
19: Leo Cullen
20: Jordi Murphy
21: Isaac Boss
22: Ian Madigan
23: Zane Kirchner

1/ Chiocci
2/ Burden
3/ Hayman
4/ Rossouw
5/ Suta
6/ J. Smith
7/ Fernandez Lobbe
8/ S. Armitage
9/ Tillous-Borde
10/ Wilkinson (.cap)
11/ D. Smith
12/ Giteau
13/ Bastareaud
14/ Mitchell
15/ D. Armitage

The substitutes:
16/ Orioli
17/ Menini
18/ Castrogiovanni
19/ Mikautadze
20/ Bruni
21/ Michalak
22/ Mermoz
23/ Habana

by Mickado Thu 03 Apr 2014, 11:28 am

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Injury report off leinster site;
After being rested on Monday, Brian O'Driscoll, Eoin Reddan and Gordon D'Arcy all took full part in today's training session in UCD.
There was also a return to training for Dave Kearney, who has recovered from a knock, and Rhys Ruddock who was carrying a calf injury.

Other players not considered for selection against Munster, like Cian Healy, Jack McGrath and Martin Moore, all took a full part in training.

The Leinster team to face Toulon in the Heineken Cup Quarter-final will be announced at 12pm on Friday, April 4th, on the Leinster Rugby website.

Leinster v Toulon will kickoff at 4.30pm (5.30pm French time) and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports 3.

These things don't give away as much information as they used to under Cheika and Schmidt. MOC is a different fish.

Under Schmidt we were very guarded in these injury updates, many players struck down with "a week to soon-itis". Good to see both Healy and McGrath took full part in training.

by Golden Thu 03 Apr 2014, 11:39 am

And Moore. Imagine Ross picks up and injury in the first half and Ed Byrne has to come on for his first appearance.

EDIT: Suppose Bent would probably bench ahead of him anyway.

by thebandwagonsociety Thu 03 Apr 2014, 12:01 pm

Schmidt was guarded but the press officer had a certain couple of phrases and always used the same description which you could cross reference back into a recovery time of 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month etc. That doesn't happen anymore.

by GunsGerms Thu 03 Apr 2014, 12:06 pm

Bakkies and Ali Williams wont be playing anyway but Wilko looks set to return.

http://thescore.thejournal.ie/toulon-squad-leinster-heineken-cup-1396109-Apr2014/

by whocares Thu 03 Apr 2014, 12:16 pm

Both Bakkies and Ali Williams are confirmed to be out for saturday game. Castro is back though.

here's Toulon 27 men squad

forwards : S. Armitage, Bruni, Burden, Castrogiovanni, Chilachava, Chiocci, Fernandez Lobbe, Fresia, Gunther, Hayman, Menini, Mikautadze, Orioli, Rossouw, J. Smith, Suta.

backs: D. Armitage, Bastareaud, Claassens, Giteau, Habana, Mermoz, Michalak, Mitchell, D. Smith, Tillous-Borde, Wilkinson.

possible team out of this lot :

Chiocci/Menini Burden Hayman
Rossouw/Mikautze Suta
Smith/bruni Armitage Fernandez Lobbe
Tillous-Borde Wilkinson
Smith/habana Giteau Bastareaud Mitchell
Armitage

by Chunky Norwich Thu 03 Apr 2014, 12:16 pm

Rooting for a Toulon win this weekend. Hopefully David Smith is on fire.

by GunsGerms Thu 03 Apr 2014, 12:18 pm

Chunky Norwich wrote:Rooting for a Toulon win this weekend. Hopefully David Smith is on fire.

No surprises there.

by ME-109 Thu 03 Apr 2014, 12:21 pm

http://thedailyedge.thejournal.ie/wolf-of-wall-street-parody-dublin-rugby-1395846-Apr2014/

Come on the goys....so I dont have to go to Marseille

by geoff998rugby Thu 03 Apr 2014, 12:49 pm

GunsGerms wrote:
Chunky Norwich wrote:Rooting for a Toulon win this weekend. Hopefully David Smith is on fire.

No surprises there.

I know our tiresome Welshman is trolling again

by Nachos Jones Thu 03 Apr 2014, 7:01 pm

Toulon are a very very good team and I would have them as favourites at home. If it was in Leinster I think that Leinster could take them.

That said, Leinster are a quality side and will give them one hell of a tough game.

Head says Toulon but heart says Leinster.

Best of luck to you Leinster fans, I really hope you have a great weekend Very Happy

by PredictorofTeams Thu 03 Apr 2014, 8:00 pm

Quick update, 'twas out training yesterday and Lukey Fitz Ritz pulled up, think its the hammy again.We don't know if he'll make it for Sunday.
Unfortunately Jimmy has been given the elusive 10 shirt for the weekend, Mads is raging.
Near the end of the season and Matty still doesn't know who's his first choice 10, I'm appalled!

by ME-109 Thu 03 Apr 2014, 8:07 pm

PredictorofTeams wrote:Quick update, 'twas out training yesterday and Lukey Fitz Ritz pulled up, think its the hammy again.We don't know if he'll make it for Sunday.
Unfortunately Jimmy has been given the elusive 10 shirt for the weekend, Mads is raging.
Near the end of the season and Matty still doesn't know who's his first choice 10, I'm appaled!

I would go to a and e if I were you

by LeinsterFan4life Thu 03 Apr 2014, 8:50 pm

If Jimmy is playing on Sunday why didn't he start against Munster? He hasn't started a game in weeks. He really is making a mess of who his 10 is.

The jury is still very much out on MOC.

by Gibson Fri 04 Apr 2014, 1:57 am

Toulon, although improved as a unit, and bursting with some of the best players the World has ever seen, are not the quite the sum of their parts.

We, on the other hand, are Leinster.
This squad has the skill, nous and experience, as a unit, at this level, to take it home. They haven't met anyone like us yet in this comp. HC Sunday School for them this weekend.
Leinster by 10.

Here's the team to do it.

Healy
Strauss
Ross
Toner
Cullen
Ruddock
Jennings
Heaslip
Reddan
Madigan
BOD
Darcy
Fitz, Kearney, McFadden
+ a tasty bench to finish the phhokers off.

Look at that team and what they have achieved together as a unit, at club and at international level, and tell me Toulon are a better unit. Me arse.

Believe.

by Gibson Fri 04 Apr 2014, 2:09 am

ME-109 wrote:
PredictorofTeams wrote:Quick update, 'twas out training yesterday and Lukey Fitz Ritz pulled up, think its the hammy again.We don't know if he'll make it for Sunday.
Unfortunately Jimmy has been given the elusive 10 shirt for the weekend, Mads is raging.
Near the end of the season and Matty still doesn't know who's his first choice 10, I'm appaled!

I would go to a and e if I were you

This lad has been known to get it right. De baul experienced Gopperth to start is probably a good call to settle us down. I don't see a problem with playing 2 x 10's (with Maddser at 12 when needed), to suit the game-plan. Just like we effectively play our 2 x 9's to suit the occasion. What's the problem here? The game has changed. It has expanded. Get a large grip. Fitz is a focking piece of tissue paper though. I really hope he's ok. He was priming himself for this one.

If Fitz is really injured again, Kearney, Kearney, McFadden so. More of dem Irish internationals with Winners-middils.

by Jenifer McLadyboy Fri 04 Apr 2014, 11:07 am

Gibson wrote:
ME-109 wrote:
PredictorofTeams wrote:Quick update, 'twas out training yesterday and Lukey Fitz Ritz pulled up, think its the hammy again.We don't know if he'll make it for Sunday.
Unfortunately Jimmy has been given the elusive 10 shirt for the weekend, Mads is raging.
Near the end of the season and Matty still doesn't know who's his first choice 10, I'm appaled!

I would go to a and e if I were you

This lad has been known to get it right.

He has in his bollix. He just reads Gerry Thornley, and makes up stuff as if he knows Ian Madigan.

by geoff998rugby Fri 04 Apr 2014, 11:11 am

Do RTE2 or TNaG show extended high later in the day.
Cant get Sky3 and if possible would like to watch without knowing the result.

by LeinsterFan4life Fri 04 Apr 2014, 11:29 am

I think TG4 show highlights.

by ME-109 Fri 04 Apr 2014, 11:39 am

TG4 have it at 9.15pm on Sat evening.

by Jenifer McLadyboy Fri 04 Apr 2014, 12:04 pm

Looks like Thornley was right.

by ME-109 Fri 04 Apr 2014, 12:05 pm

Not surprising that MOC picks Gopperth for the big games. He has done all year (and in fairness Gopperth hasnt let him down)...

by Jenifer McLadyboy Fri 04 Apr 2014, 12:07 pm

Gopperth has 8 mis v Zebre in the tank over the last 6 weeks. Why start him now? Or why not give him some game time if there was any intention of starting him.

by ME-109 Fri 04 Apr 2014, 12:11 pm

That is something you would need to ask MOC (or Gerry),

by kunu Fri 04 Apr 2014, 12:21 pm

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:
Gibson wrote:
ME-109 wrote:
PredictorofTeams wrote:Quick update, 'twas out training yesterday and Lukey Fitz Ritz pulled up, think its the hammy again.We don't know if he'll make it for Sunday.
Unfortunately Jimmy has been given the elusive 10 shirt for the weekend, Mads is raging.
Near the end of the season and Matty still doesn't know who's his first choice 10, I'm appaled!

I would go to a and e if I were you

This lad has been known to get it right.
He has in his bollix. He just reads Gerry Thornley, and makes up stuff as if he knows Ian Madigan.

Actually to be fair to him, the one time I've seen him predict something correctly was also a time Thornley was wrong. He also posted his current predictions before Thornley's were printed. The way I see it, we're presented with two scenarios ;

1) He is Mr Thornley - highly unlikely given his rep for spelling mistakes. Could be a clever ruse.

2) He's a younger sibling of Ian Madigan - does he have any?

by perthshirepuma Fri 04 Apr 2014, 12:26 pm

Fitzgerald out of the squad - injury (again) or not fitting the game plan?

by GunsGerms Fri 04 Apr 2014, 12:27 pm

He isnt good enough anyway.

by kunu Fri 04 Apr 2014, 12:29 pm

Rob Kearney, Fergus McFadden, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Dave Kearney, Jimmy Gopperth, Eoin Reddan, Cian Healy, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross, Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy, Rhys Ruddock, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip.

Predictor spot on.

by GunsGerms Fri 04 Apr 2014, 12:31 pm

Why Gopperth? WTF.

by asoreleftshoulder Fri 04 Apr 2014, 12:33 pm

kunu wrote:Rob Kearney, Fergus McFadden, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Dave Kearney, Jimmy Gopperth, Eoin Reddan, Cian Healy, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross, Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy, Rhys Ruddock, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip.

Predictor spot on.

I don't fancy our chances with that selection,Gopperth is too weak in defense imo.Madigan has his flaws but he isn't an open door for a big ball carrier to go through every time.I guess the fact that Giteau isn't exactly a bosher at 12 means it might not be as bad as the Castres game but I fear the worst.

by Mickado Fri 04 Apr 2014, 12:34 pm

Fitzgerald out is the real pisser here...

...it was always a massive task to win this one, but I think it just got massiver.

by Golden Fri 04 Apr 2014, 12:39 pm

Leinster- 2 NIQs
Toulon- 14-NFQ

by kunu Fri 04 Apr 2014, 12:40 pm

I think MOC's game isn't inventive enough to really utilise our smallish players from 11-15. Gopperth doesn't bring drico, d'arcy et all into the game, but he does make a habit of scoring without the need for them. That's my best guess. Don't think the reason is place kicking like Thornley suggests. The ratios must be even enough for both players.

Not great for a team not to have a solid 1st choice out half this far into the season - maybe Madigan's recent starts were purely Schmidt's influence.

by Jenifer McLadyboy Fri 04 Apr 2014, 1:05 pm

kunu wrote:
Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:
Gibson wrote:
ME-109 wrote:
PredictorofTeams wrote:Quick update, 'twas out training yesterday and Lukey Fitz Ritz pulled up, think its the hammy again.We don't know if he'll make it for Sunday.
Unfortunately Jimmy has been given the elusive 10 shirt for the weekend, Mads is raging.
Near the end of the season and Matty still doesn't know who's his first choice 10, I'm appaled!

I would go to a and e if I were you

This lad has been known to get it right.
He has in his bollix. He just reads Gerry Thornley, and makes up stuff as if he knows Ian Madigan.

Actually to be fair to him, the one time I've seen him predict something correctly was also a time Thornley was wrong. He also posted his current predictions before Thornley's were printed. The way I see it, we're presented with two scenarios ;

1) He is Mr Thornley - highly unlikely given his rep for spelling mistakes. Could be a clever ruse.

2) He's a younger sibling of Ian Madigan - does he have any?

Fair enough. I haven't been on here much lately. Perhaps his prediction has improved. I'd say he is a fairly young lad OK.

by LeinsterFan4life Fri 04 Apr 2014, 1:24 pm

MOC's managment of the 10s has been simply awful. Why did Jimmy not start last week if he is playing this week?? He hasn't started a game since last month!

If we don't win this game MOC is in for a bit of a bashing here.

by Golden Fri 04 Apr 2014, 1:27 pm

Leinster A vs Munster A in the B&I Quater finals this weekend as well.

Leinster – D Hudson; S Coghlan-Murray, C O'Shea, N Reid, A Boyle; C Marsh, L McGrath; J O'Connell, J Tracy, M Kelly; T Denton, Q Roux; B Marshall, D Ryan(c), J Conan. Reps: B Byrne, E Byrne, R Molony, L Auva'a, J Coone, S Crosbie, T Daly.

Munster – R O'Mahony; A Conway, C Bohane, I Dineen, L O'Dea; R Scannell, G Hurley; N Horan, N Scannell, B Scott; D O'Shea, B Holland; S Buckley, B O'Mahony (c), P Butler. Reps: G Slattery, R Burke, S McCarthy, J O'Donoghue, B Haugh, D Johnston, N Kenneally.

Strong Leinster pack (although not heard of Kelly before) and a strong Munster backline. Good to see O'Dea back.

Wonder what Conway thinks of his move now?

by LeinsterFan4life Fri 04 Apr 2014, 1:30 pm

From the Trinity Rugby website

Martin Kelly Position: Prop
Height: 6’2
Weight: 125kg
Age: 24
Studying: Medical Intern
Previous School/College:
Honours: Leinster A

Good to see us giving young TH's a go. This is a big game for the lad.

by Golden Fri 04 Apr 2014, 1:38 pm

Ye its becoming a real position of strength (or at least of depth). It seems like the academy had put a lot of focus on it
(to the detriment of the standard of backs I think).

by LeinsterFan4life Fri 04 Apr 2014, 1:43 pm

Ye you can see we totally concentrated on the pack in recent years and our backs have suffered. But if you look at the academy now we have loads of backs ,so they are clearly trying to fix that.

This Martin Kelly guy must be good to keep Royce Burke Flynn out as he has plenty of pro rugby under his belt.

by GunsGerms Fri 04 Apr 2014, 1:49 pm

His name is Royce Burke Flynn? FFS the rednecks and Paul Howard must be loving that.

by **seanmichaels** Fri 04 Apr 2014, 1:51 pm

Parce que Toulon est rouge
Parce que Touolon est noir.
Parce que Toulon est rouge et noir.

by PredictorofTeams Fri 04 Apr 2014, 2:16 pm

Good man ladyboy, I must be really good at making up stuff as if I'm Ian Madigan

by GunsGerms Fri 04 Apr 2014, 2:17 pm

PredictorofTeams wrote:Good man ladyboy, I must be really good at making up stuff as if I'm Ian Madigan

Do you know Ian Madigan personally?

by ME-109 Fri 04 Apr 2014, 2:22 pm

GunsGerms wrote:His name is Royce Burke Flynn? FFS the rednecks and Paul Howard must be loving that.

You're a mucksavage Guns what do you think?

by GunsGerms Fri 04 Apr 2014, 2:26 pm

ME-109 wrote:
GunsGerms wrote:His name is Royce Burke Flynn? FFS the rednecks and Paul Howard must be loving that.
You're a mucksavage Guns what do you think?

It sounds like the name of a champion. What do you think?

by ME-109 Fri 04 Apr 2014, 2:27 pm

GunsGerms wrote:
ME-109 wrote:
GunsGerms wrote:His name is Royce Burke Flynn? FFS the rednecks and Paul Howard must be loving that.
You're a mucksavage Guns what do you think?

It sounds like the name of a champion. What do you think?

On Munsterfans the general consensus is that its a made up name.....

by GunsGerms Fri 04 Apr 2014, 2:28 pm

Well you should get used to it because as a fringe player he will probably be down in Munster in the next few years.

by ME-109 Fri 04 Apr 2014, 2:28 pm

He'll have to change his name first.

by Mickado Fri 04 Apr 2014, 2:52 pm

ME-109 wrote:He'll have to change his name first.

To Dennis/Donnacha - it's the Munster default.

by ME-109 Fri 04 Apr 2014, 5:07 pm

Maybe there is three of him?

by B91212 Fri 04 Apr 2014, 8:52 pm

Sorry Leinster fans but for some reason I fancy your guys for the one away win of the round, so based on my usually accuracy with predictions means your probably doomed.

I apologise in advance.

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