Ospreys v Leinster Friday 7.45 Sky/BBCW

[wixfjord]

Another big one. A win in Wales would be a brilliant way to cap off this part of the league, and put even more pressure on Scarlets/Connacht who play on Sunday.

No idea whether we'll see rotation for this, I'd hope not. Issues might arise at LH though with Healy out and McGrath having a lot of mins on the clock.

Would like to see all of our 'leaders' for this too.

Possibly something like
Bent/Dooley, Cronin, Moore, Moloney, McCarthy, Ruddock, SOB, Heaslip, McGrath, Sexton, Isa, Fitz, Ringrose, DK, RK.

SOB v Tipuric could be an enormous battle. Both in great form.

[goreyguy]

1. McGrath
2. Strauss
3. Moore
4. Toner
5. McCarthy
6. Ruddock
7. SOB
8. Heaslip
9. McGrath
10. Sexton
11. Nacewa
12. Luke Fitzgerald
13. Ringrose
14. McFadden
15. Kearney
16. Tracy
17. Dooley
18. Furlong
19. Molony
20. JVDF
21. Reddan
22. Madigan
23. Teo

[neill_m]

The Irish training camp is this week - that may have an impact on selection. Should not do given the remaining euro games are dead rubbers.

[simonokeeffe]

The Irish training camp is this week - that may have an impact on selection. Should not do given the remaining euro games are dead rubbers.

42 saying its only a 24 hour camp, 50 players from all provinces

[molloyjh]

Possibly something like this?

Bent Cronin Furlong
Molony McCarthy
Ruddock Heaslip SOB

Reddan Sexton
Fitzgerald Te'o
D Kearney R Kearney Nacewa

Tracy, McGrath, Moore, Toner, VDF, McCarthy, Madigan, Ringrose

[paddyor]

Which of the next 3 games will he prepare his strongest team for? I think ideally the next 2 and then send out a scratch side in Coventry. Beat Bath at home and we avoid a whitewash which I think he (and the players) will be eager to do.

[molloyjh]

Which of the next 3 games will he prepare his strongest team for? I think ideally the next 2 and then send out a scratch side in Coventry. Beat Bath at home and we avoid a whitewash which I think he (and the players) will be eager to do.

This I reckon. They'll want to put in a good showing against Bath. But resting guys for the Wasps game should give us license to use them this week.

[the spoofer]

Looking at the pictures on Sportsfile, all of the Carton House lads were given today off with the exception of Tadhg Furlong.

[Peg Leg]

Another big one. A win in Wales would be a brilliant way to cap off this part of the league, and put even more pressure on Scarlets/Connacht who play on Sunday.

No idea whether we'll see rotation for this, I'd hope not. Issues might arise at LH though with Healy out and McGrath having a lot of mins on the clock.

Would like to see all of our 'leaders' for this too.

Possibly something like
Bent/Dooley, Cronin, Moore, Moloney, McCarthy, Ruddock, SOB, Heaslip, McGrath, Sexton, Isa, Fitz, Ringrose, DK, RK.

SOB v Tipuric could be an enormous battle. Both in great form.

Excellent thread title Wixfjord!!

[11NA]

I think the team Ospreys name for this match will be critical. They are still in a strong position in their champions cup pool. Their pool mates Clermont and Bordeaux are playing their cancelled game at the same time as Ospreys Leinster on Friday night. I think they are more likely than Leinster to rest more of their frontliners this Friday. Leinster have no equivalent European distraction and only if Schmidt has agreement to rest Ireland players (unlikely?) should we see a particularly weakened Leinster.

If you see some of AW Jones, Baldwin, Biggar, tipuric, lydiate, Webb absent from the team sheet on Thursday lunchtime, then I think Leinster have a great chance.

[simonokeeffe]

I think the team Ospreys name for this match will be critical. They are still in a strong position in their champions cup pool. Their pool mates Clermont and Bordeaux are playing their cancelled game at the same time as Ospreys Leinster on Friday night. I think they are more likely than Leinster to rest more of their frontliners this Friday. Leinster have no equivalent European distraction and only if Schmidt has agreement to rest Ireland players (unlikely?) should we see a particularly weakened Leinster.

If you see some of AW Jones, Baldwin, Biggar, tipuric, lydiate, Webb absent from the team sheet on Thursday lunchtime, then I think Leinster have a great chance.

they rotated quite heavily for the home match against the Dragons so I think we'll get the full deck as a Euro warmup, Matavesi went off injured which would be a big blow, especially without him their 3/4 line is nowhere near as scary as it once was particularly in midfield

[molloyjh]

I think the team Ospreys name for this match will be critical. They are still in a strong position in their champions cup pool. Their pool mates Clermont and Bordeaux are playing their cancelled game at the same time as Ospreys Leinster on Friday night. I think they are more likely than Leinster to rest more of their frontliners this Friday. Leinster have no equivalent European distraction and only if Schmidt has agreement to rest Ireland players (unlikely?) should we see a particularly weakened Leinster.

If you see some of AW Jones, Baldwin, Biggar, tipuric, lydiate, Webb absent from the team sheet on Thursday lunchtime, then I think Leinster have a great chance.

With Ospreys being 7th with only a point between them and Glasgow (and Glasgow having a game in hand) I'd be surprised if they were resting players this week. They've got to win their home games to be sure of qualification for the ERCC next season. The rest of their season is a little on the tricky side:

Leinster Home
Glasgow Home
Munster Away
Edinburgh Home
Connacht Away
Leinster Away
Scarlets Home
Dragons Away
Treviso Home
Cardiff Away
Ulster Home

That's 7 of 11 games against teams ranked ahead of them at the moment, plus 1 against Glasgow. Most of the others in the top half of the table have at least 2 games against Italian opposition as well so Ospreys need to maximise their return as much as possible.

[LeinsterLeader]

I think the team Ospreys name for this match will be critical. They are still in a strong position in their champions cup pool. Their pool mates Clermont and Bordeaux are playing their cancelled game at the same time as Ospreys Leinster on Friday night. I think they are more likely than Leinster to rest more of their frontliners this Friday. Leinster have no equivalent European distraction and only if Schmidt has agreement to rest Ireland players (unlikely?) should we see a particularly weakened Leinster.

If you see some of AW Jones, Baldwin, Biggar, tipuric, lydiate, Webb absent from the team sheet on Thursday lunchtime, then I think Leinster have a great chance.

With Ospreys being 7th with only a point between them and Glasgow (and Glasgow having a game in hand) I'd be surprised if they were resting players this week. They've got to win their home games to be sure of qualification for the ERCC next season. The rest of their season is a little on the tricky side:

Leinster Home
Glasgow Home
Munster Away
Edinburgh Home
Connacht Away
Leinster Away
Scarlets Home
Dragons Away
Treviso Home
Cardiff Away
Ulster Home

That's 7 of 11 games against teams ranked ahead of them at the moment, plus 1 against Glasgow. Most of the others in the top half of the table have at least 2 games against Italian opposition as well so Ospreys need to maximise their return as much as possible.

To Add further to the problem, the guys from the Ireland camp have only 2 training days with Leinster before the game apparently. They are off today, Train tomorrow and then Captain's run on Thursday. Not ideal for consistency I would have thought, but what are ya gonna do? Losing BP might be good here.

[simonokeeffe]

Girvan said they wont miss anyone because of the camp, not ideal but not like they were away a world cup

[molloyjh]

To Add further to the problem, the guys from the Ireland camp have only 2 training days with Leinster before the game apparently. They are off today, Train tomorrow and then Captain's run on Thursday. Not ideal for consistency I would have thought, but what are ya gonna do? Losing BP might be good here.

I'd take that myself. The 6 Nations period is crucial yet again for us. We have home games against Zebre and Ospreys in that window as well as away games to Dragons, Cardiff, Zebre and Glasgow. Glasgow is our game in hand, which as things stand right now could be the difference between topping the table and not. If we can come out of that period with 5 wins and a couple of BPs then a LBP in Swansea would do fine.

[jimbobjoe]

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/news/14453.php

Strong team..

LEINSTER:

15. Rob Kearney
14. Isa Nacewa CAPTAIN
13. Ben Te'o
12. Luke Fitzgerald
11. Dave Kearney
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Luke McGrath
1. Jack McGrath
2. Richardt Strauss
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Devin Toner
5. Mike McCarthy
6. Rhys Ruddock
7. Sean O'Brien
8. Jamie Heaslip

16. Sean Cronin
17. Peter Dooley
18. Marty Moore
19. Tom Denton
20. Dominic Ryan
21. Eoin Reddan
22. Ian Madigan
23. Noel Reid

Referee: David Wilkinson (IRFU, 37th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Ben Whitehouse, Simon Rees (both WRU)
Citing Commissioner: Aurwel Morgan (WRU)
TMO: Jon Mason (WRU)

[simonokeeffe]

15 Dan Evans
14 Jeff Hassler
13 Jonathan Spratt
12 Owen Watkin
11 Hanno Dirksen
10 Dan Biggar
9 Brendon Leonard

1 Paul James (Capt)
2 Scott Baldwin
3 Aaron Jarvis
4 Lloyd Ashley
5 Rory Thornton
6 James King
7 Sam Underhill
8 Dan Baker

REPLACEMENTS

16 Scott Otten
17 Nicky Smith
18 Ma’afu Fia
19 Alun Wyn Jones
20 Justin Tipuric
21 Tom Habberfield
22 Sam Davies
23 Eli Walker

No Matavesi or Lydiate, AWJ and Tipuric on bench, I'll take that

No Molony or Ringrose on bench only quibble with our team, Reid being bench option ahead of Ringrose or Kirchner is odd, must be a story there

[LeinsterLeader]

15 Dan Evans

No Molony or Ringrose on bench only quibble with our team, Reid being bench option ahead of Ringrose or Kirchner is odd, must be a story there

Maybe I'm being naive but I get the sense that there is more of a rotation feel (for the most part) about Leo's changes, then with Matt for example. With that being said both Ringrose and Kirchner were well involved over the Christmas so he probably feels rotating them out is good for all concerned. Just a guess though

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Excellent side. A win tomorrow would be huge, would be a big blow not to win having put out such a strong side though so hope they deliver.

Don't get why Reid is on the bench but my guess is they want Madigan to come on for Sexton and Luke to move into the back three or at least have the option to do it.

[LeinsterLeader]

Anyone think Jordi Murphy is in danger of being the forgotten man? Hasn't featured hugely recently and didn't really stand out against Conn. The fact that Dom Ryan is benching for this one (deserves another run after the Munster game IMO) could mean he's jumped ahead of him in the queue.

Or he could be just carrying an injury and all the above is B*ll*x