Champions Cup - Pool 2, Round 4 (Castres, Harlequins, Leinster, Wasps)

[Big Ewis]

Sunday 14th December 2014, KO 13:00 (local)
Adams Park Stadium, High Wycombe
Referee: John Lacey

Saturday 13th December 2014, KO 19:45 (local)
Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Referee: Romain Poite
​

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Serious change needed for Leinster, unfortunately it won't be the coaching staff. We were outdone in the backrow and front row last week and we'd be in a much worse position had Nick Evans not gone off injured.

15. Kearney - Needs to up his game from last week
14. Fitzgerald
13. D'Arcy - We really miss McFadden, Fitz at 13 would be ideal
12. Reid
11. Kirchner
10. Madigan - Gopperth is running too low on form and confidence, he simply can't be played
9. Reddan
8. Heaslip
7. Jennings - Is he fit? If not Ryan but we need someone to contest the breakdown because Murphy didn't do it.
6. Ruddock
5. Toner - Could do with him finding his best again
4. Douglas - Scrum could suffer but we should target their shaky lineout and we need more go forward ball.
3. Ross - Lets see if the "Scrum nerd" can bounce back, we need him to.
2. Cronin - Is Strauss about? I'd rather start Strauss but I'm not sure of his fitness.
1. McGrath - Another who needs to bounce back after a poor performance by his standards

16. Depends on Strauss
17. Bent
18. Furlong
19. McCarthy
20. Ryan
21. McGrath
22. Gopperth
23. Kearney - Depending on fitness

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

I love how the moment a fly-half loses form, confidence or both, Wasps try to sign him. Apparently Gopperth is a done-deal for next year.

In terms of this pool, I almost wish we hadn't got such a good result against Castres as it gives us a sort of false hope. We still, realistically, need to win all of our remaining games which include 1 away game at Harlequins, and 1 home game against Leinster when we won't even be at a familiar ground.

I'm enjoying this pool, though; apart from Castres who have not delivered, it's been very competitive despite hardly being a 'Pool of Death'

 

[Wendigo7]

Massive game against Leinster.

Need 1 big effort. If we can win it would be HUGE!!!

Probably would give us the group as well.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I love how the moment a fly-half loses form, confidence or both, Wasps try to sign him. Apparently Gopperth is a done-deal for next year.

In terms of this pool, I almost wish we hadn't got such a good result against Castres as it gives us a sort of false hope. We still, realistically, need to win all of our remaining games which include 1 away game at Harlequins, and 1 home game against Leinster when we won't even be at a familiar ground.

I'm enjoying this pool, though; apart from Castres who have not delivered, it's been very competitive despite hardly being a 'Pool of Death'.

4 teams all playing nowhere near their potential, it's entertaining in the same way as watching formula 1 drivers racing children's push cars would be!

 

[Patchey]

Robshaw and Evans both near certainties to miss this game. I hope someone takes Sweil to a yoga retreat or something during the week and calms his nerves. I suspect no Robshaw will see Clifford start, which would be welcome if it didn't come at the expense of our best back row.

I reckon Leinster will sneak this one, with Quins to get the LBP.

 

[big ginger 8]

Ryan, D. Kearney and Strauss all back in training today but will need to be evaluated closer to the match. D'arcy and Fanj both sat out training but are expected to be fit, to the joy of most Leinster fans on here...

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Ryan, D. Kearney and Strauss all back in training today but will need to be evaluated closer to the match. D'arcy and Fanj both sat out training but are expected to be fit, to the joy of most Leinster fans on here...

Don't tell me you're a supporter of Fanj as anything more than a squad player?!

 

[big ginger 8]

No not really, but at the same time I don't think a lot the reactions last week to him starting were necessitated. Form wise he's been one of our best this year while Kirchner since returning from injury has been a bit meh while also not having played wing for a while. He was also most likely on the bench to cover Kearney due to the concerns about his injury.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I honestly don't think he has been one of our best form wise, he's played every second of the season so far and has had shockingly little impact on the team, he's one of MOC's favourites but he's nothing more than solid. He doesn't really cut it at European level, which we haven't really played this season considering our toughest game was against the Premiership's 9th placed team. It's O'Connor's fault really, he's chosen a 28 year old player who's never going to get any better rather than try and blood some new players, letting Darren Hudson go was a terrible decision, let go a younger player of the same calibre at the time of leaving makes no sense to me. That, his gameplan and not picking his best players in their best positions are the reasons I'm really not happy with MOC and if it continues I really think Leinster have to cut their losses at the end of the season and get rid of him. Nothing against Fanning as he clearly wasn't the reason Leinster lost on Sunday but he should pick the player who offers more and in this case it's definitely the 39 time capped Springbok or DK if fitness is on his side.

 

[big ginger 8]

Our top try scorer has had 'shockingly little impact'? I think he's a player who's been unfortunate with stereotyping. He came into professional rugby at 27 so was already at a disadvantage as people think he must be useless if he didn't come through the traditional way. He's a big lad and has only played under MO'C so like Gopperth is negatively tarred with that despite like Gopperth being signed by Joe Schmidt. Then as you say he started ahead of the likes of Hudson and SCM (I do agree that Hudson should have been starting over him btw) and not being a superstar, in your late 20's and starting above academy players has to be one of the surest ways possible to earn the ire of Leinster fans. The whole won't improve thing I think has been proven to be bull****. Yeah it's mostly true for guys who have been playing top flight rugby for years by his age but he hasn't. He never had the academy to learn all the nuances of pro rugby and instead had to do it in front of everyone, He's clearly a better player now than he was this time last year. He's very consistent and hard working something a lot of our players haven't been this year. Yeah he's no where near the 23 with everyone fit and firing but last week this wasn't the case and his starting shouldn't have been treated with such contempt. He'd already played two European games scoring two tries, contested well, given us quick ball and good defense. Yeah he's not bringing us star quality but he's not going to let us down and so should be treated like he's Tony Buckley playing on the wing but going tighthead for scrums.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Our top try scorer has had 'shockingly little impact'? I think he's a player who's been unfortunate with stereotyping. He came into professional rugby at 27 so was already at a disadvantage as people think he must be useless if he didn't come through the traditional way. He's a big lad and has only played under MO'C so like Gopperth is negatively tarred with that despite like Gopperth being signed by Joe Schmidt. Then as you say he started ahead of the likes of Hudson and SCM (I do agree that Hudson should have been starting over him btw) and not being a superstar, in your late 20's and starting above academy players has to be one of the surest ways possible to earn the ire of Leinster fans. The whole won't improve thing I think has been proven to be bull****. Yeah it's mostly true for guys who have been playing top flight rugby for years by his age but he hasn't. He never had the academy to learn all the nuances of pro rugby and instead had to do it in front of everyone, He's clearly a better player now than he was this time last year. He's very consistent and hard working something a lot of our players haven't been this year. Yeah he's no where near the 23 with everyone fit and firing but last week this wasn't the case and his starting shouldn't have been treated with such contempt. He'd already played two European games scoring two tries, contested well, given us quick ball and good defense. Yeah he's not bringing us star quality but he's not going to let us down and so should be treated like he's Tony Buckley playing on the wing but going tighthead for scrums.

2 braces, one against Treviso, in 960 minutes of rugby isn't setting the world alight. I agree with almost everything else you say but my conclusion is that he shouldn't be playing in Europe and should be rested for the odd Pro 12 game to give the likes of SCM a run. As for his improvement it won't be significant past this point. Anyway, in all likelihood Leinster will continue with the flawed game plan and team we have seen so far this year. In all honesty, if O'Connor attempted to show he was trying to fix what is clearly broken I'd be a lot happier.

 

[lynam1104]

Fanj has been solid for Leinster this year, certainly not a top level winger but hes done well enough this year and deserves a little more slack. I think Gopperth has been pretty woeful this year, but he performed very well (compared to the rest of them) last weekend and to drop him on the back of that would just be ridiculous and screw his mindset/confidence over even more. If Leinster want to win they need to 100x more accurate than they were last week.

 

[IWasAPirateOnce]

Teams are up.

Leinster
15. Rob Kearney
14. Zane Kirchner
13. Luke Fitzgerald
12. Ian Madigan
11. Darragh Fanning
10. Jimmy Gopperth
9. Isaac Boss

1. Jack McGrath
2. Sean Cronin
3. Mike Ross
4. Devin Toner
5. Kane Douglas
6. Rhys Ruddock
7. Dominic Ryan
8. Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN

16. Bryan Byrne
17. Michael Bent
18. Tadhg Furlong
19. Mike McCarthy
20. Jack Conan
21. Eoin Reddan
22.Noel Reid
23. Mick McGrath




Harlequins
15. Mike Brown
14. Marland Yarde
13. Matt Hopper
12. George Lowe
11. Aseli Tikoirotuma
10. Tim Swiel
9. Danny Care

1. Joe Marler©
2. Dave Ward
3. Will Collier
4. Charlie Matthews
5. George Robson
6. Luke Wallace
7. Jack Clifford
8. Nick Easter

16. Joe Gray
17. Mark Lambert
18. Kyle Sinckler
19. Sam Twomey
20. Joe Trayfoot
21. Karl Dickson
22. Tom Casson
23. Ross Chisholm

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

LEINSTER:

15. Rob Kearney
14. Zane Kirchner
13. Luke Fitzgerald
12. Ian Madigan
11. Darragh Fanning
10. Jimmy Gopperth
9. Isaac Boss
1. Jack McGrath
2. Sean Cronin
3. Mike Ross
4. Devin Toner
5. Kane Douglas
6. Rhys Ruddock
7. Dominic Ryan
8. Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN

16. Bryan Byrne
17. Michael Bent
18. Tadhg Furlong
19. Mike McCarthy
20. Jack Conan
21. Eoin Reddan
22. Noel Reid
23. Mick McGrath

Boss costs us 6 points... Straight into the team! As expected otherwise, agree with dropping Murphy and McCarthy though.

 

[munstermuffin]

LEINSTER:

15. Rob Kearney
14. Zane Kirchner
13. Luke Fitzgerald
12. Ian Madigan
11. Darragh Fanning
10. Jimmy Gopperth
9. Isaac Boss
1. Jack McGrath
2. Sean Cronin
3. Mike Ross
4. Devin Toner
5. Kane Douglas
6. Rhys Ruddock
7. Dominic Ryan
8. Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN

16. Bryan Byrne
17. Michael Bent
18. Tadhg Furlong
19. Mike McCarthy
20. Jack Conan
21. Eoin Reddan
22. Noel Reid
23. Mick McGrath

Boss costs us 6 points... Straight into the team! As expected otherwise, agree with dropping Murphy and McCarthy though.

It's an exciting centre partnership BUT Boss isn't the 9 to get them going or Jimmy.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

It's an exciting centre partnership BUT Boss isn't the 9 to get them going or Jimmy.

Yeah, they should be good enough to beat the Premiership's 9th placed side minus two of their best three players!

 

[big ginger 8]

At least we don't have two nines on the bench.

Apart from Boss it's a team well capable of playing an uptempo game.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Yeah, they should be good enough to beat the Premiership's 9th placed side minus two of their best three players!

... in Dublin!

Yeah, Leinster by 20 I reckon.
Having said that, quins still managed to put out a tasty looking side and are, unlike Wasps, well coached.

 

[Big Ewis]

when's Healy back already ?!!