RaboDirect Pro12 Round 6

[Draggs]

Friday 5th October:

Saturday 6th October:

​

 

[Feicarsinn]

In the context of our season this is a huuuuuuggggeee week. Win and we can pretty much forget about the past few weeks. Lose, well, let's not consider that.

I'm pretty worried about the backs and the backrow. In the backs we're having huge injury problems. No one can lose the like of D'arcy, the two Kearney's , O'Malley, Boss and Fitzgerald and still be in decent shape. It doesn't help that Noel Reid and Fionn Carr are useless and Fergus McFadden seems to be going through a pretty poor patch of form. If it were up to me I'd probably pick something like this:

10) Sexton
11) McFadden
12) Macken
13) O'Driscoll
14) Nacewa
15) Madigan

That's bleedin' patch work to say the least. I don't think Macken has ever played 12 before, but he might be okay with Sexton and Drico around him, both of whom are very good defenders. Madigan has only one game at full back I know, but we're out of options. Either play him or Fionn Carr who will almost certainly cost us a try. Nacewa should be able to mind him defensively and under the high ball with any luck.

Back row is a little bit better off maybe. McLaughlin, Jennings, Heaslip is a formidable enough unit, and has the look of being pretty well balanced. Ben Marshall to bench, which is fine considering that he's one of the very few players who has impressed in the last few weeks of the season.

We bloody well need to win this though.

 

[profitius]

Munster team I'd like to see

1 Du Preez
2 Sherry
3 Botha
4 DOC
5 Ryan
6 DOC2
7 Dougal
8 POM
9 Murray
10 Keatley
11 Earls
12 Downey
13 Lualala
14 Howlett
15 Hurley

Thats near enough to Munsters best team although POM and Donnacha Ryan looked well off the pace against the Ospreys when they came on.

It should be interesting to see how the new look Munster and Leinster play. Usually these are tight enough matches but you get the feeling there could be plenty of tries in this match depending on leinsters defense. Leinsters defense has been shockingly bad so far but they'll be concentrating on that during the week.

The battle of the breakdown could decide the match. Munster were well outplayed there last week but I expect a different backrow to play against Leinster. DOC2 has been one of Munsters players of the season and his return is a big boost if he plays. Jennings, McLoughlan and Heaslip vs Dougal, DOC2 and POM would be fascinating from an Ireland context so I hope they are the starting backrows.

 

[dudeabides]

They saved the best two for Saturday, imo. Especially can't wait to see Leinster v Muster.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Ah I knew I forgot someone. Andrew Conway (who's been stunning this season) can come in on the wing. My team would be:

15) Nacewa
14) Conway
13) Drico
12) Macken
11) McFadden
10) Sexton
9) Reddan
8) Heaslip
7) Jennings
6) McLaughlin
5) Toner
4) Leo (c)
3) Ross
2) Strauss
1) Healy

 

[Amiga500]

If it were up to me I'd probably pick something like this:

10) Sexton
11) McFadden
12) Macken
13) O'Driscoll
14) Nacewa
15) Madigan

How about:
10. Sexton
11. McFadden
12. Madigan
13. O'Driscoll
14. Reid
15. Nacewa


Nacewa is among the best attacking full back in the NH - best to play him where he is strongest and can influence the match most.

Reid has limitations, but his speed and stepping aren't two of them. Throw him out on the wing and let him run.

Madigan at 12 is a bit of a risk, he's a very small man to face off against James Downey defensive - but with Sexton inside and O'Driscoll outside, he'd have no shortage of support. He'd also definitely help your distribution when you have the ball.

 

[Feicarsinn]

How about:
10. Sexton
11. McFadden
12. Madigan
13. O'Driscoll
14. Reid
15. Nacewa


Nacewa is among the best attacking full back in the NH - best to play him where he is strongest and can influence the match most.

Reid has limitations, but his speed and stepping aren't two of them. Throw him out on the wing and let him run.

Madigan at 12 is a bit of a risk, he's a very small man to face off against James Downey defensive - but with Sexton inside and O'Driscoll outside, he'd have no shortage of support. He'd also definitely help your distribution when you have the ball.

Well yeah, there are essentially 3 basic options in my mind. Throw Macken in at 12, McFadden at 12 with Isa on the wing and Mads at 15, or Mads at 12. To be honest, the latter of these, the one you suggested, has been growing on me as of late. Madigan's main limitations as a player are his lack of game management and kicking out of hand, but at 12 these aren't as big an issue. He's a great distributor, has a decent turn of pace and a good eye for the gap. Against the rather clunky James Downey he could go well. Conversely Downey can test him defensively, but If he can come through it well it'd be a great option for Leinster to have considering our prospects at 12.

Also, as I mentioned in my second post, Conway will get the other wing berth. He slipped my mind first time around, but he's been very impressive this season - probably our best back three player.

 

[Peat]

Ulster XV & replacements to face Connacht, RaboDirect PRO12, Friday 5th October, Ravenhill (7.05pm):

(15-9): J Payne; T Bowe, D Cave, P Wallace, A Trimble; P Jackson, P Marshall;

(1-8): T Court, R Best, D Fitzpatrick, J Muller (c), D Tuohy, S Ferris, C Henry, N Williams;

Replacements (16-23): R Herring, C Black, J Afoa, L Stevenson, M McComish, M Heaney, L Marshall, C Gilroy

Although Fitzpatrick has broken himself again, so Afoa starts and Macklin benches.

Game on.

 

[big ginger 8]

Can't wait for Leinster Munster. I'm not sure whether I'd go

10. Sexton
11. McFadden
12. Madigan
13. O'Driscoll
14. Conway
15. Nacewa

or

10. Sexton
11. Nacewa
12. McFadden
13. O'Driscoll
14 Conway
15. Madigan

Are Reddan and/or Boss back for this?

 

[big ginger 8]

Leinster and Munster teams. Healy's out with a bicep strain. Interesting to see Earls and Laulala in the centre with Downey on the bench.

LEINSTER:
15: Ian Madigan
14: Andrew Conway
13: Brian O'Driscoll
12: Fergus McFadden
11: Isa Nacewa
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Eoin Reddan
1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Mike Ross
4: Damian Browne
5: Devin Toner
6: Kevin McLaughlin
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN
REPLACEMENTS:
16: Sean Cronin
17: Jack McGrath
18: Jamie Hagan
19: Tom Denton
20: Jordi Murphy
21: John Cooney
22: Noel Reid
23: Fionn Carr
MUNSTER: D Hurley; D Howlett CAPTAIN, K Earls, C Laulala, S Zebo; R O'Gara, C Murray; D Kilcoyne, M Sherry, BJ Botha; Donncha O'Callaghan, D Ryan; Dave O'Callaghan, S Dougall, P O'Mahony

REPLACEMENTS: D Varley, W du Preez, S Archer, B Holland, P Butler, D Williams, I Keatley, J Downey

 

[Tony Manx]

Scarletts just given a try when the ball was not touched down after a penalty that went through the posts!!!! Some sort of mickey mouse Video ref Derek Bevan is!!!

 

[Draggs]

No turk can ever whinge about the TMO again.
Biggar keeping the Ospreys well in front, not that it matters for Howley.

 

[psychic duck]

Ulster are taking the Connacht scrum to pieces. Reminds me how an earth did Loughney make it to international level.

 

[Draggs]

Aled Thomas channeling his inner Rhys Priestland.
If only this match was being played in Australia, I'd fancy a win!

 

[SelimNiai]

Not only did they score a try after a succesfull penalty hits the post and goes over, Nigel also signaled a boundary too. So its 10-3 and 4 for no wicket.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Scarletts just given a try when the ball was not touched down after a penalty that went through the posts!!!! Some sort of mickey mouse Video ref Derek Bevan is!!!

Wrong sunshine ... TMO is not Derek Bevan.

 

[Draggs]

Wrong sunshine ... TMO is not Derek Bevan.

In all fairness, Jiffy called him Bevan more than once, and he was listed as TMO on Planet Rugby, my dear boy.

 

[SelimNiai]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/19805012

That says he is, I didnt see who it looked like myself

 

[psychic duck]

Ulster's scrum dominance results in a penalty try and Loughney is subbed off after 35 minutes.

How could Kidney pick him ahead of Hagan?

I know he plays both sides but he scrums awfully on both sides.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

In all fairness, Jiffy called him Bevan more than once, and he was listed as TMO on Planet Rugby, my dear boy.

Ah but if you took you head from out of the clouds sunshine then you would have heard him change and go ... Gareth Simmonds