Leinster Rugby Official Thread

[Celt_Man]

it's not a bad show that Against the Head, i have it on Series link on Sky +
Still prefer the rugby Club on sky. they may be english but they have a serious love for the irish teams in the Heinken Cup

Edit

Just watched the show. Did you see J.Flannery getting interviewed. He was asked were there any positives and he said "I'm back - the set pieces were good" the camera cut away so it was hard to know if it was tongue in cheek or is he a cocky hoor !

( i know this is the Leinster thread so the comments could be biased )

Aye it seems though they have only been showing the Magner's league of late on it.  Bit disappointed Connacht's game wasn't shown at all, a great win over an Edinburgh team with hopes of the playoff and their 7th home win in a row. 

But anyway... Saw that with Flannery looked a bit tongue in cheek alright but ya couldn't tell 100%.  meant to be a funny enough chap

[Celt_Man]

Oh and just came across highlights of the game on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRvt81GDDH0&feature=player_embedded

[muppet]

Oh and just came across highlights of the game on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRvt81GDDH0&feature=player_embedded

Cheers hadn't seen that.

[Celt_Man]

Oh and just came across highlights of the game on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRvt81GDDH0&feature=player_embedded

Cheers hadn't seen that.

From rugbydump.com  good site - I've started to half follow Super 14 and Top 14 on account of it (No sky sports  )

[Celt_Man]

O'Driscoll, McLaughlin and Horgan to start, Hines back in the second row with Healy and Dempsey on the bench.  McFadden must count himself very unlucky not to make the squad

Brian O'Driscoll to start for Leinster

Thursday, 8 April 2010 12:57

Brian O'Driscoll partners international colleague Gordon D'Arcy at centre for Leinster's Heineken Cup quarter-final clash with Clermont Auvergne, in a backline which includes the returning Shane Horgan from injury.

Horgan lines up on the right wing in a back three which also features Rob Kearney (full-back) and Isa Nacewa (left wing).

In the pack, Leo Cullen skippers the side and is partnered at second row by Scotland's Nathan Hines.

Stan Wright continues in the front row alongside John Fogarty and CJ van der Linde, while Kevin McLaughlin takes his place in the back-row alongside fellow Ireland colleagues Shane Jennings and Jamie Heaslip.

As this match is a sellout and there are expected to be traffic delays around Ballsbridge, supporters are encouraged to use public transport. There will be no tickets on sale on the night.

Leinster team to play Clermont Auvergne in the Heineken Cup quarter-final at the RDS on Friday 9 April:
Rob Kearney, Shane Horgan, Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Isa Nacewa, Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan, Stan Wright, John Fogarty, CJ van der Linde, Leo Cullen, Nathan Hines, Kevin McLaughlin, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip

Replacements:
Bernard Jackman, Mike Ross, Cian Healy, Malcolm O'Kelly, Stephen Keogh, Paul O'Donohoe, Shaun Berne, Girvan Dempsey

[Archie Mitchell]

Disgraceful antics from the Leinster players trying to influence the referee's decision to issue a yellow card to a Clermont player. Wonder will the Clermont coach come out with a "typical Irish" excuse after the game

Great game so far.

[Hoof Hearted]

superb entertainment there !

If someone had of told you this morning that that the winning team's kicker would slot nearly them all and the losers team's kicker would miss a bagful, how many would have put Sexton as the former and Brock James as the latter ?

Not many. Fair play Sexton. We are running out of time for a Munster/Leinster decider. That's a step closer.

[Lecale2]

Great, great match. Say no more.

[Capt Pat]

Leinster were blessed, James won the game for them with his bad kicking and decision making. That might be good for Leinster but it looks like Kearney is finished for the season. Does anyone have an update on that injury?

[Donnellys Hollow]

Poor old Brock James couldn't kick snow off a rope tonight. He looked like he wanted to run off into the backline and hide before his second final drop goal attempt. Leinster will have to be much better in the semi in France to have any chance and it didn't look good for Kearney - is Girve the swerve still up to this level?

Hopefully Munster join them in the semis tomorrow. As long as their scrum holds up against Euan Murray and co I'd expect them to do it at home in Thomond. Hopefully Connacht can do it in the Challenge Cup as well.

[Celt_Man]

Only after watching the highlights there now.  Had to hide around the house the whole evening so I wouldn't hear the score!
First of all - what a game!!!  Absolute edge of my seat stuff, the tries were excellent especially Heaslip first.  The more I thought about it during the week, the more I thought Clemont were capable of doing a number on Leinster tonight.
Couldn't believe how bad Brock's kicking was - I seem to remember him missing some kickable shots at goal last year against Munster in Thomond.
Leinster absolutely rode their luck to win and the second last attempt by Brock for the drop goal was strange - didn't look like he was ready/wanted it.
But I can't believe that Reddan wasn't awarded that try earlier on - looked a dead cert to me...

Hope Kearney is gonna be alright... Dempsey is a good player to come back in but not at the same level as Kearney.  Horgan could do with a kick in the arse or another couple of games under his belt either

[Dinny Breen]

Clermont were't clinincal but Leinster deserved their win, scored two excellent tries, denied another try by a cynical knock-down and Reddan was denied what looked like a legitimate try. Two the tries they conceded had a little bit of luck in them but were well finished.

Leinster showed why they are the current Chamions of Europe, when they have to get the scores they do, they have a fantastic beief. Sexton showed why he is Irelands best out-half, nailed the kicks making O'Gara look even more stupid after his comments during the week, defended well and created lots.

But plenty of credit to Clermont, great performance from them and their fans were excellent, best group of away fans probably ever to visit the RDS.

Kearney was standing and walking after the game not sure how serious the injury, think it might be ligament damage.

[Dinny Breen]

[Aghdavoyle]

What were ROG's comments during the week?

[Dinny Breen]

It was in an interview with the Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/apr/06/ronan-gara-munster-northampton

The fly-half, the record points-scorer in Heineken Cup and Six Nations history, is kicking sweetly. He kicked five penalties from five attempts against Leinster. Sitting on the Ireland bench behind Sexton has, if anything, concentrated his mind further. "It's an interesting position I'm in. I understand Ireland need to develop two out-halves but Test rugby is played in the present tense. The most frustrating part of the Six Nations from my point of view was that we didn't win a Triple Crown. Ireland have only won 10 in their history and I felt I could have made a better go of that [Scotland] game from the start."

What annoys me about that quote was the tiiming, it's a week when Leinster play their biggest game of the season and he undermines Sexton, he's just a self-centred clown. Not to mention he gives no credit to Scotland, someone should remind him he was on the pitch when Ireland lost that game to Scotland.