European Champions Cup Quarter Final Leinster vs Bath

[goodNumber10]

Neither side looked good enough to go through.... Poor have for a QF.

 

[McTallshort]

Im no Bath fan but the ref was a homer Leinster had every 50/50 decision

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I only caught the 1st half, I remember a ref going back to see a high tackle, noticing it clear as day and just continuing as if nothing had happened. Also Leinster were offside for the entire final minute or 2 where they were driving Bath back in defense, never once pinged even when it was blatant. Sounds like he got no better 2nd half.

Attwood, moronic. He looked good at the start of the season but seems to have lost all his senses. Ford need to learn to kick higher and stand deeper, he gets charged down FAR too often. Paul James, why the hell are we using him? We know he's not going to be with us after this year and I think Auterac is better anyway. Why is EVERYONE trying to force the magic pass all the time? You don't have the handling skills to do it so don't try. I really don't understand why Ford likes to play the weaker front 3 first and put the stronger 3 on later.

 

[ncurd]

Terrible refereeing at times especially at the end Clear Bath penalty. Everything wrong about scrum time we've been saying for weeks.

Should of won though Ford kick his kicks we win. Then again he was directly responsible for both trys.

We didn't play well but felt we were the better team out the two. Loosing to a team who never looked threatening leads a bad taste in the mouth.


Also Watson incident...ugh again been moaning about decisions like that for weeks.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Bath should have won that, worrying from a Bath perspective that they didn't a real lack of mental strength. Leinster are the worst they've been in 10 years, have nothing at 10 which shows how average our 9's are and there is a complete lack of any systems or structure and relying on having good players to win. Overall a fair result over 80 mins, dodgy reffing went either way with Leinster getting the standard 3-6 point hometown swing.

Possibly the worst result as a Leinster fan, an unconvincing win that was gifted to us that'll probably just be enough to keep MO'C employed despite getting spanked by Toulon and missing the Pro12 playoffs.

 

[munstermuffin]

Leinster will make playoffs due to easier run in. But as I thought Leinster pack played well. Jordi is winning me over slightly, Heaslip is playing superb rugby. Sob is Sob and the scrum was excellent. But they did live very dangerously and well Stringer or the replacement backrow were a bounce away from scoring that charge down on Reddan.
Bath didn't turn up in first half and well Ford showed he is a serious talent but still has to learn some things.

 

[lucky number 7]

I'm sorry but people calling for a bath penalty at the death are wrong , the arguments proposed were that Strauss played the ball on the ground while being cleared out.

he wouldn't have been on the ground if he had not been cleared out illegally from the side. Simple as Leinster penalty.


Neither side showed enough quality to warrant a semi final spot Leinster are no longer Leinster and bath are missing the killer edge.
All French final and Toulon to win.

 

[91jmay]

He was cleared out through the gate for me. Agree both sides not up to much at all though.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Just read through this thread properly, I think the negative rugby comments are way off, Leinster tried to play good stuff and score tries but they are just too **** to do anything going left to right or when Fitzgerald has been tackled. They didn't spread it as much as Bath but Bath's inaccuracy in this aspect of their game list it for them. Not that it matters as it was a game to see who could give Toulon their guard of honour into the final.

As for Kearney, it was a horrible fall he took after Watson took him out and he was quite badly winded as well as having fell on his shoulder and as for the high tackle the camera angles were bad there head on Agulla got around his neck and took him down.

 

[TheSaffycen]

I think it has been said before but it was always a year too early for Bath. Ford will grow and they will player smarter knock out rugby. Doesn't matter if you score 2 tries more than the other team if you give away kickable penalties.

 

[lynam1104]

Just read through this thread properly, I think the negative rugby comments are way off, Leinster tried to play good stuff and score tries but they are just too **** to do anything going left to right or when Fitzgerald has been tackled. They didn't spread it as much as Bath but Bath's inaccuracy in this aspect of their game list it for them. Not that it matters as it was a game to see who could give Toulon their guard of honour into the final.

As for Kearney, it was a horrible fall he took after Watson took him out and he was quite badly winded as well as having fell on his shoulder and as for the high tackle the camera angles were bad there head on Agulla got around his neck and took him down.

Agreed that Leinster tried to play rugby the worrying thing is that when it wasn't working the option was to kill the game with 20 minutes to go. Having said that it literally doesn't matter a bit, we'll fail to get into the pro12 finals and get smashed by Toulon.

 

[munstermuffin]

Just read through this thread properly, I think the negative rugby comments are way off, Leinster tried to play good stuff and score tries but they are just too **** to do anything going left to right or when Fitzgerald has been tackled. They didn't spread it as much as Bath but Bath's inaccuracy in this aspect of their game list it for them. Not that it matters as it was a game to see who could give Toulon their guard of honour into the final.

As for Kearney, it was a horrible fall he took after Watson took him out and he was quite badly winded as well as having fell on his shoulder and as for the high tackle the camera angles were bad there head on Agulla got around his neck and took him down.

Just on bottom bit. The hand which was thought to be high only went just above the shoulder wasn't dangerous. Kearney did milk it and even BOD called him on it. As well as Heaslip and Madigan for trying to encourage cards. BUT in Kearneys defense when he went down he was getting ankle checked too which eventually forced him to leave game so I won't hammer him too much

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Just on bottom bit. The hand which was thought to be high only went just above the shoulder wasn't dangerous. Kearney did milk it and even BOD called him on it. As well as Heaslip and Madigan for trying to encourage cards. BUT in Kearneys defense when he went down he was getting ankle checked too which eventually forced him to leave game so I won't hammer him too much

Sure BOD's an English sycophant these days. He'd quickly talk down Leinster but rarely says a bad word about a premiership side, I find it a complete chore to listen to him and take everything he says with a pinch of salt. As for the tackle, in real time in the stadium it looked high to everyone in the South stand and there was no equivalent camera angle for the TMO. It's one that could go either way but shouting play acting is a bit harsh considering he was quite clearly targeted by Bath, they were at him constantly.

Eastmond was also lucky to stay on the pitch after the hit on McFadden, Shoulder to the face with no arm wrap is a yellow card for me all day long.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Sure BOD's an English sycophant these days. He'd quickly talk down Leinster but rarely says a bad word about a premiership side, I find it a complete chore to listen to him and take everything he says with a pinch of salt.

Yeh Healey is like that with Leicester

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

That's the third time in seven European games this season that all of Leinster's points have come from Ian Madigan's boot. It's utterly boring, risk free, stone age rugby.

Without wishing to personalize this, why is it that these players can play with such precision and intensity for Ireland and come back and play like this for Leinster? Something is seriously wrong with the message from coach to players and I hope a European semi final doesn't gloss over this fact.

 

[ncurd]

Eastmond was also lucky to stay on the pitch after the hit on McFadden, Shoulder to the face with no arm wrap is a yellow card for me all day long.

Not really the reason for the shoulder was because of a late change of direction by McFadden, so Eastmond was wrong footed and wasn't able to tackle properly but was also comitted. If McFadden hadn't change his direction so late he'd have been tackled fairly.

 

[lucky number 7]

He was cleared out through the gate for me. Agree both sides not up to much at all though.

Come off it.
He entered behind his teamates legs when they were essentially perpendicular to the tryline. That can't be honestly and truly construed as through the gate. Also look at the angle upon entry, contact and driving through. It was a penalty clear as day.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Not really the reason for the shoulder was because of a late change of direction by McFadden, so Eastmond was wrong footed and wasn't able to tackle properly but was also comitted. If McFadden hadn't change his direction so late he'd have been tackled fairly.

Nah. Eastmond was set and the step was pretty obvious, he rose up in the tackle with terrible technique, not wrapping the arms, and concussed McFadden. For a sport that's apparently trying to cut out concussion as much as possible we're pretty lazy at at.

 

[munstermuffin]

Nah. Eastmond was set and the step was pretty obvious, he rose up in the tackle with terrible technique, not wrapping the arms, and concussed McFadden. For a sport that's apparently trying to cut out concussion as much as possible we're pretty lazy at at.

In fairness Eastmond tackle was 100% legal and fair from tv view. McFadden dipped at last second and it's hard to blame Eastmond.
As I said regards Kearney he did go off with the ankle after that but overall the 2 tackle Agulla on Kearney and Eastmond on McFadden were both fine.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Watching the difference between Saracens and Bath in knockout games is massive. Both were the underdogs playing the big teams away from home, but whereas Saracens played smart rugby Bath threw the ball around too much. We were no where near as good as Bath but yet we are going to play in the Semi finals and Bath go home empty handed.