Leinster V Bath Sat 15th Dec 17.30 BT Sport

[LeRouxIsPHat]

How likely is this to be called off then? I've already decided not to go in case I slip on a flag and the shrapnel blinds me.

[OTT]

How likely is this to be called off then? I've already decided not to go in case I slip on a flag and the shrapnel blinds me.

Just tested them and they passed under my blue guide (it’s just a guide but I like to follow its findings) which I updated last month, you’ll be grand.

[ribs]

3 days out you can’t even forecast aircraft arrivals with hourly certainty like that, never mind clouds that are still over the Atlantic. Is sexton out or not?

[Peg Leg]

3 days out you can’t even forecast aircraft arrivals with hourly certainty like that, never mind clouds that are still over the Atlantic. Is sexton out or not?

Out! Badly burned after some sort of freak spontaneous combustion accident. Waiting in further detail...

[Ruckedtobits]

Certainly a lot of rain now forecast for Friday and Saturday in Dublin, possibly totalling almost 3 inches, but stopped before kuck-off.

However, the capacity of the pitch in Aviva to absorb last quantities of rain without getting spongy has previously been demonstrated in Autumn International against S. Africa and Australia - to name but two recent examples. The key factor may well be how we start.

[mfjoc]

3 days out you can’t even forecast aircraft arrivals with hourly certainty like that, never mind clouds that are still over the Atlantic. Is sexton out or not?

Out! Badly burned after some sort of freak spontaneous combustion accident. Waiting in further detail...

He sat on a load highly inflammable Leinster supporters flags on the way home!

[Ruckedtobits]

Wow, that's a serious weather warning for Saturday and the official projections are now estimating anything between 14 - 20 mm of rain in the 24 hrs through to 8 p.m. Saturday evening. Probably accompanied by squally South-easterly gales, conditions for those in the West Stand and particularly the North (Havelock Square end) Stand are going to get very wet.

Let's hope the Squad can get the crowd going early and the crowd can carry the Squad through the 80 mins.

Unfortunately, it looks like Toulouse will play with a dry ball on Saturday as the rain doesn't reach there till Sunday.

No doubt Johnny Fogarty are been working with the scrum, and Conan's return will help there, whilst our maul will definitely be required to do the business in the green zone.

Still confident we can get the performance we want to produce the result we need. Nobody ever said defending a trophy would be easy!

[Blueberry]

Rumour has it wet weather has been organised to preemptively quell any fire risk from any lunatics who might sneak in some of those insanely dangerous spontaneously combusting fire hazards that pose as Leinster flags, it is hoped it might prevent the Aviva from being burnt to the ground on Saturday. We all pray common sense will prevail and any extremists who bring flags in are dealt with swiftly.

[blockhead]

IanD is keepin a low profile atm I've noticed.

[IanD]

Please please stop the frippery about the flags.

I have not slept a wink since Saturday. I have taken to storing my big big flag in the back garden. The small big flag is on the line - thankfully it has rained and so negated the risk.

As for the bag of spare flags they are in the bath which is full of water. A royal feck you to everyone who gave me spares, my safety obviously means nothing to you.

I would like to thank Bath for their expressed concerns.

[blockhead]

Decommissioning the big big flag could be just the kind on concession Theresa May needs to get her brexit deal through parliment.

[carlow man]

Any team news for tomorrow? Sexton prob out and lots of people saying fardy needs to start in back row. Someone will not be happy at not being in the 23? Ruddock or leavy?

[wixfjord]

Might be tempting fate here, but looking at the Met forecast it doesn't look *too* bad during the game. Not much rain from 5-7 and not too much wind either.

[curates_egg]

Any team news for tomorrow? Sexton prob out and lots of people saying fardy needs to start in back row. Someone will not be happy at not being in the 23? Ruddock or leavy?

Unlike others, I am a big believer in the training photo system for predicting selection. That system has Fardy involved, which would mean Molony and JGP or Lowe missing out. Would be harsh, but I presume it's JGP.

[olaf the fat]

weather wise, its set up for a re-run of last week. Bath will love to get "in our face" again, I fear a game like the Northampton return in '13 (5 years ago! ).

There seems to be some talk seeping out about how last week was a poor team performance, hopefully enough to keep the fire going!

[Blue not red blood]

Last werk was as miserable and cold as I can remember. We were in Virner beside the big screen and the wind and rain was in our faces.
Also pitch was so heavy it was impossible to get into full stride.
Genuinely have no worries about tomorrow as we should start fast and class will tell

[wixfjord]

Two changes for Bath wing and LH. No Mercer.

15. Ruaridh McConnochie

14. Semesa Rokoduguni

13. Jackson Willison

12. Jamie Roberts

11. Cooper Vuna

10. James Wilson

9. Will Chudley

1. Jacques van Rooyen

2. Tom Dunn

3. Henry Thomas

4. Dave Attwood

5. Charlie Ewels (c)

6. Tom Ellis

7. Sam Underhill

8. Francois Louw

Replacements

16. Jack Walker

17. Nathan Catt

18. Max Lahiff

19. Elliott Stooke

20. Matt Garvey

21. Kahn Fotuali’i

22. Alex Davies

23. Darren Atkins

[johng]

Johnny's Captain

No Fardy

[mildlyinterested]

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):

15. Jordan Larmour (29)
14. Adam Byrne (43)
13. Garry Ringrose (56)
12. Rory O’Loughlin (49)
11. James Lowe (21)
10. Johnny Sexton (154) CAPTAIN
9. Luke McGrath (103)
1. Cian Healy (198)
2. Seán Cronin (161)
3. Tadhg Furlong (92)
4. Devin Toner (225)
5. James Ryan (22)
6. Dan Leavy (59)
7. Josh van der Flier (67)
8. Jack Conan (81)

16. James Tracy (78)
17. Ed Byrne (31)
18. Andrew Porter (40)
19. Ross Molony (72)
20. Rhys Ruddock (150)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (60)
22. Ross Byrne (58)
23. Noel Reid (107)

[carlow man]

Rol at 12. Leavy at 6 and no rob k in the 23..
Big call to go with Adam Byrne on right wing!!!