Heineken Cup 2013/14 Pool 1, Round 3 (Castres v Ospreys, Saints v Leinster)

[ratsapprentice]

Demolition job.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

What can you say? That was a superb, clinical opening 40 minutes. The second half was pretty good too but they left 14 points behind and will be disappointed to have conceded a try. Positives are Ian Madigan starting at 10, Jack McGrath getting a start at 1, Leo Cullen returning, Rhys Ruddock and Mike McCarthy destroying the breakdown, Sean Cronin's carrying and the back line showing the invention that was lacking in rounds 1 and 2. Matt O'Connor deserves credit. If anyone checks out LF.com, they'll have seen a load of premature comments asking whether he's the right man for the job. He took a pragmatic approach in selecting Jimmy Gopperth in rounds 1 and 2 when the backs were down personnel. It wasn't pretty but it was effective. Now with a cleaner bill of health he trusts in Madigan to get the team moving.

I hate patronizing comments when my team has been defeated but Northampton can take a few things from today. They kept trying unlike countless French sides who wave the white flag (a national pastime?!) when the pressure comes on. The way they turned around last seasons humiliation against Ulster within a week should stand to them. The game in Dublin will be no easy task for the home side.

 

[Big Ewis]

holy sht, just checked the results.....40-7 ?! awwww shieeeeet

 

[Jaguares]

holy sht, just checked the results.....40-7 ?! awwww shieeeeet

Yeaahhh, Brian O'Driscoll was the man of the match

C'mon BOD! C'mon Leinster!

 

[ruggabee]

Northampton was put away easily but I always keep my emotions in check until the internationals tests. Leinster have so many players that start and bench for the Irish national team. The other teams we face especially the English and French are much more diluted. A part of me thinks that a team that has so many international players from the same country and training group should beat other diluted teams.

 

[Big Ewis]

Northampton was put away easily but I always keep my emotions in check until the internationals tests. Leinster have so many players that start and bench for the Irish national team. The other teams we face especially the English and French are much more diluted. A part of me thinks that a team that has so many international players from the same country and training group should beat other diluted teams.

and they're well coached apparently. Irish domestic teams have been very strong, while Toulouse has a bunch of French int'ls and had a pretty mediocre season last year for e.g., even though they've picked up this year...of course, they also have a bunch of foreigners in there too...
But yeah, Leinster is basically Ireland !

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

and they're well coached apparently. Irish domestic teams have been very strong, while Toulouse has a bunch of French int'ls and had a pretty mediocre season last year for e.g., even though they've picked up this year...of course, they also have a bunch of foreigners in there too...
But yeah, Leinster is basically Ireland !

Wow. You're a genius.

 

[Big Ewis]

Wow. You're a genius.

well did it occur to you I obviously know very little about Rabo and Irish domestic teams if I make such a comment ? Who's the genius...

 

[ratsapprentice]

Leinster have won the HC 3 times in recent years... you don't need to know anything about the Rabo to know that.

 

[Big Ewis]

Leinster have won the HC 3 times in recent years... you don't need to know anything about the Rabo to know that.

dude we're talking about the fact that "Leinster are Ireland", you're way off. Read the comments before bothering ppl for nothing next time. A team can win the HC 3 times and not be the Irish national team...

ANYWAYS:
watching the match right now. Two tries in 7 minutes, goddamn !!
Ireland err, Leinster looking sharp in this game.

 

[ratsapprentice]

So until yesterday you had no idea that Leinster have a significant number of Irish players?

...You know that Toulon have loads of famous players, right?

 

[Big Ewis]

So until yesterday you had no idea that Leinster have a significant number of Irish players?

...You know that Toulon have loads of famous players, right?

come on man, this is terribly silly what you're doing......
yes I had an idea Leinster had a bunch of Irish int'ls, but looking at the roster again yesterday it was more than I expected, hence the comment "Leinster are basically Ireland".
Leave me alone with this now, no point.
As for your attempt at a joke with Toulon there...ehhhhhhhhh..........

 

[ratsapprentice]

I'm not saying it's a crime to not know the Leinster team off by heart, but you can hardly claim ignorance of the PRO12 as an excuse for not knowing how ridiculous their squad is considering they are a European superpower.

 

[profitius]

Its the bones of the Ireland team alright but you have the likes of O'Connell, O'Mahony, Sexton, Murray, Earls, Bowe, Gilroy, Marshall, Donn Ryan, O'Donnell, Henderson, Jackson, Ferris, Best, Henshaw, Olding and a few others who will be there or thereabouts. Healy and McLoughlan as well.

 

[irelandfan123]

and they're well coached apparently. Irish domestic teams have been very strong, while Toulouse has a bunch of French int'ls and had a pretty mediocre season last year for e.g., even though they've picked up this year...of course, they also have a bunch of foreigners in there too...
But yeah, Leinster is basically Ireland !

So many tears of sadness about this....
Its fine Northern Ireland will claim the three other counties and then make an NI team so I will be no longer upset by this and never have selection woes when it comes to the national team

 

[neiliog93]

So many tears of sadness about this....
Its fine Northern Ireland will claim the three other counties and then make an NI team so I will be no longer upset by this and never have selection woes when it comes to the national team

I think you mean provinces. And if 'Northern Ireland' claimed the other three provinces, wouldn't that leave Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan to compete on their own as a new entity? Lol.

 

[Packman]

Losing to the Top 14 champions is no great disgrace but... I'm still disappointed with the Ospreys and I'm wondering just what is going on behind the scenes... Anyone care to clarify? (or make something up... No talk of aliens though, that would be silly.)

Leinster were awesome. They were worried about Saints and that focused them and they were incredible! Where do you go from there? Well we were saying the same after Ulster beat Northampton last year... but I feel the task is 100 times tougher this year. I don't think Northampton could have done much given their injuries.

 

[Big Ewis]

Losing to the Top 14 champions is no great disgrace but... I'm still disappointed with the Ospreys and I'm wondering just what is going on behind the scenes... Anyone care to clarify? (or make something up... No talk of aliens though, that would be silly.)

well honestly it seems pretty incredible even more so this year that they are the reigning Top 14 champs...

 

[Peat]

I think you mean provinces. And if 'Northern Ireland' claimed the other three provinces, wouldn't that leave Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan to compete on their own as a new entity? Lol.

He probably did mean counties, as in grabbing Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan to form a united Ulster, allowing Ulster to compete as its own national team...

*shrugs* Long term, Ulster representation should be up, providing we can actually keep Irish players fit next time round.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I think he meant Tommy Bowe to be honest!!!