[2013/14 Pro12] Round 5

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Round 5 Fixtures

Liberty Stadium, Swansea (Friday, 19:05 GMT)

Rodney Parade, Newport (Friday, 19:15 GMT)

Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso (Friday, 19:30 GMT)

Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli (Saturday, 18:30 GMT)

Thomond Park, Dublin (Saturday, 18:45 GMT)

Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff (Sunday, 14:05 GMT)
​

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Really looking forward to this match, this time of year is really when I start to get back into the rugby season after the GAA sports are finished for the year.

I think Munster could break their losing streak this year, neither side have been up to much since the start of the season but Munster have been more promising in parts than Leinster. 10 is a very important position for me, with Leinster obviously having two better out-halves with Madigan and Gopperth but JJ Hanrahan has looked good for Munster and he'd be the player I'd start. (Honestly haven't a clue what the craic is with Keatley at the moment)

Munster's backline has also looked good, as did Leinster's against Cardiff though, but I reckon the match will be won and lost in the front 5, if Leinster can get the better of Munster they should win the game but that is a difficult task in Thomond Park. Leinster should win it on paper but I reckon Munster will sneak it by less than a score unfortunately.

 

[lynam1104]

We're not going strong yet as usual so this match looks like a very very hard game to win, it always is but in particular this year. Normally the home advantage gets us over the line but with it in Thomand I find it difficult to see a Leinster win. Won't be any big score for sure I'd go a Munster win by less then 5, really interesting to see how Munster go with their new game plan in their first big game of the season it never quite worked last year and I feel that was due to ROG being the incumbent 10 with JJ or Keatly we've seen it work but not against top opposition. From s Leinster perspective we need the front 5 to up their game as they've been a bit poor IMO. We some excellent attacking play against the blues so more of that would be nice I think based off that I'd start Madagin at 10 but Gopert looks like a good back up just doesn't have the same speed and accuracy to his pass that really suites the Leinster game plan.

 

[Peat]

We're probably gonna lose this one.

 

[Groundhog]

Well depending on the pack that we pick I think we may have them in tight, but Leinster's backplay has been far more well practised and fluid from what I have seen. Munster haven't yet really come up against any potential league leaders and we still lost a game to Treviso. Munster by a score or less. Let's hope we have a game like last year with a bit of running rugby instead of the kick a thons we had previously.

 

[Amiga500]

Couple of great games this weekend in Swansea and Limerick. Can't wait.

 

[Peat]

Ospreys picked a full strength side for this one. Only player missing is Ryan Jones through injury. Nearly a rare Rabo match with two full strength sides, but I see Ulster are resting Cave and Henderson on the bench for next weekend.

Then throw your arms into the sky and chant the hallelujah - those guys are not being rested. Henderson is probably on the bench due to taking a stinger and not being fully fit, while Cave has been ousted on grounds of form. Whether Hendy would have started this match if fit is slightly debatable to me now that's he being viewed (temporarily) as a lock; his presence seems to coincide with weaker scrums, and visiting Swansea is a bad day for that.

This is what Anscombe views as our best available side. I hope he's right about that. I really don't rate Robbie Diack and feel Payne is best left at 15.

 

[Amiga500]

Its pretty much the full strength team Psychic.

Cave, while not exactly playing like a drain - hasn't exactly been setting the heather alight. Jared Payne made a number of really good runs back against the grain last week, him and Luke Skymarshall show promise as a pairing.

Gilroy has played a bit at 15 and is a former gaelic footballer - I've no fear of his catching or kicking.

 

[Peat]

Gilroy's a decent full-back but Payne is a majestic one. In terms of effectiveness of tactical kicking, or the ability to act as a second playmaker, I think there's no comparison, and I think Payne has a great deal more influence on the team from there. So its what I'd do.

But Payne is an accomplished centre as well - if he'd stayed in NZ he'd probably be Smith's back-up - and Amiga's particularly right about how well he and Skywalker played together. He's more of a 13 than Olding is, that's for sure. Cave hasn't made the case for his place.

As for the Man Child vs Diack - I'm pretty annoyed its going to turn out that way, but it has before and it looks like it will now. If we must sticky Henderson in the second row, can we at least have Wilson at 6?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Its pretty much the full strength team Psychic.

Cave, while not exactly playing like a drain - hasn't exactly been setting the heather alight. Jared Payne made a number of really good runs back against the grain last week, him and Luke Skymarshall show promise as a pairing.

Gilroy has played a bit at 15 and is a former gaelic footballer - I've no fear of his catching or kicking.

Kind of off topic but do you know of any other Ulster players who've played Gaelic Football? I didn't think it was common to play both that and rugby.

 

[Groundhog]

Well Tommy Bowe did as a kid, but Gilroy is fairly surprising alright.
Anyhow.
Munster: Felix Jones; Keith Earls, Casey Laulala, James Downey, Simon Zebo; Ian Keatley, Duncan Williams; Dave Kilycoyne, Mike Sherry, Stephen Archer; Donncha Ryan, Paul O'Connell; Peter O'Mahony Capt., Niall Ronan, James Coughlan. Replacements: Damien Varley, James Cronin, BJ Botha, Donncha O'Callaghan, CJ Stander, Conor Murray, JJ Hanrahan, Denis Hurley.
We're fielding a fairly strong team for this, although I would argue our choice of half back. Williams is a poor player, Sheridan streets ahead and Murray miles. I'd like to throw JJ into this type of environment before H-Cup time but I can understand Keatley too. He has previous with Leinster and shone last year against them. Great to see Félix back, he's a talented lad plagued by injury. I'm a huge Stander fan and would have liked to see him start but there ya go I suppose

 

[Amiga500]

Kind of off topic but do you know of any other Ulster players who've played Gaelic Football? I didn't think it was common to play both that and rugby.

Tommy Bowe is a former Monaghan minor...

Here's a surprising one for ye... Deccie Fitz!

 

[Amiga500]

Gilroy's a decent full-back but Payne is a majestic one. In terms of effectiveness of tactical kicking, or the ability to act as a second playmaker, I think there's no comparison, and I think Payne has a great deal more influence on the team from there. So its what I'd do.

But Payne is an accomplished centre as well - if he'd stayed in NZ he'd probably be Smith's back-up

I don't think there would be too many arguments if I said Payne is the classiest back currently in Ireland.

 

[Groundhog]

Tommy Bowe is a former Monaghan minor...

Here's a surprising one for ye... Deccie Fitz!

The nippy corner forward?
Payne the classiest? Depends what you mean by classy. He's certainly a joy to watch and know how to cut right through the line.

 

[Amiga500]

The nippy corner forward?

Deccie "The Gooch II" Fitzpatrick

Payne the classiest? Depends what you mean by classy. He's certainly a joy to watch and know how to cut right through the line.

Bestest. Most skilfulest. Most visionaryest... etc

 

[Draggs]

Has Jared Payne indicated if he would represent Ireland next year? Considering Rob Kearney hasn't been in the best form, he'd certainly get a good crack at it.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Has Jared Payne indicated if he would represent Ireland next year? Considering Rob Kearney hasn't been in the best form, he'd certainly get a good crack at it.

I certainly hope so, on current form only Madigan can have a claim to be playing better and there's a debate to be had there. I think Kearney will be good this year though, he seems to go one year good form followed by one year bad form. He also looked good against Cardiff apart from being skinned by Cuthbert.

 

[Draggs]

Madigan at fullback? I still see him best as either a standoff or inside centre.
Never hurts to have some competition to try to get the best out of both. Shame Felix Jones had the injury issues a while back, seemed to set him back. Pretty nasty if I remember correctly. Cuthbert did the same to Poitrenaud, but it seemed like nobody wanted anything to do with him there. To be fair, Kearney has never been selected for defence.

 

[Peat]

Has Jared Payne indicated if he would represent Ireland next year? Considering Rob Kearney hasn't been in the best form, he'd certainly get a good crack at it.

Presumably he will - why extend the contract with Ulster otherwise?

Also, Kearney will probably be fine, as everything seems to be pointing to Payne replacing O'Driscoll.

 

[Draggs]

Payne better at outside centre? I don't follow Ulster too much so as just remember seeing him at fullback.
He doesn't necessarily have to have desires for caps to extend a contract. Could be he enjoys the club. Paul ***o was that way for Cardiff Blues.