Connacht vs Leinster 26th March K/O @ 17:15

[neiliog93]

Whatever about Isa, I think renewing Kirchner's contract just shows a lack of ambition as much as anything else.

[cormac]

I've heard Nacewas renewal is a done deal, another year.

Did you hear that when it was officially announced last month?

[Dave Cahill]

I've heard Nacewas renewal is a done deal, another year.

Did you hear that when it was officially announced last month?

Could well have alright!

[COYBIB]

Whatever about Isa, I think renewing Kirchner's contract just shows a lack of ambition as much as anything else.

Whilst I agreed at the time, funnily enough he's been quite good this season for the most part.

Not sure how long the renewal was for and I would like to see us being more ambitious, but considering we re-signed a waste of space, it's a pleasant surprise that he's actually contributed a fair bit this season.

As for Nacewa, he's worth his weight in gold. I doubt he's on a huge wedge, he's club captain, not the player he was, but still playing some great stuff, I'd say he's in line to replace Richie Murphy.. you can't go wrong with him.

[Oldschool]

Whatever about Isa, I think renewing Kirchner's contract just shows a lack of ambition as much as anything else.

Whilst I agreed at the time, funnily enough he's been quite good this season for the most part.

Not sure how long the renewal was for and I would like to see us being more ambitious, but considering we re-signed a waste of space, it's a pleasant surprise that he's actually contributed a fair bit this season.

As for Nacewa, he's worth his weight in gold. I doubt he's on a huge wedge, he's club captain, not the player he was, but still playing some great stuff, I'd say he's in line to replace Richie Murphy.. you can't go wrong with him.

Your ignorance of the spot price of gold is mind boggling.

[jimbobjoe]

I certainly wouldn't get rid of Isa on the basis of one game. He is our top try scorer this season and joint 2nd top try scorer in the league. That's without considering his value as club captain and arguably the best defensive outside back we have.. but hey.. what's a bit of perspective and rationale worth?

[Oldschool]

I certainly wouldn't get rid of Isa on the basis of one game. He is our top try scorer this season and joint 2nd top try scorer in the league. That's without considering his value as club captain and arguably the best defensive outside back we have.. but hey.. what's a bit of perspective and rationale worth?

To continue with some more balance..
Isa was the captain who made the 'fatal' last minute decision away to bath re peno.

[goreyguy]

Realistically Nacewa is miles off where he used to be, still he is one of our better outside backs.. which says a lot.

[riocard911]

Realistically Nacewa is miles off where he used to be, still he is one of our better outside backs.. which says a lot.

Doesn't it just. Thanks for making me depressed....

[Fred Funk]

Realistically Nacewa is miles off where he used to be, still he is one of our better outside backs.. which says a lot.

It is not that Isa or Kirchner are bad or any better or worse than what we have, but this backline needs all the help it can get if we want to compete in Europe.

[molloyjh]

Realistically Nacewa is miles off where he used to be, still he is one of our better outside backs.. which says a lot.

It is not that Isa or Kirchner are bad or any better or worse than what we have, but this backline needs all the help it can get if we want to compete in Europe.

I don't know about that. We have Henshaw, Ringrose, Luke Fitz and the Kearney brothers next season. Sure the guys below them (Ferg, Nacewa and Kirchner) are either limited or a fading force but they are still decent at European level. And decent back up is good enough. We can't have a squad of 40 superstars. There are a few issues with our back line and with the internationals away they are brought to the fore in a big way but for Europe we should be fine if those guys remain fit. We just need to start seeing more guys coming through the Academy at this stage.

[Dexter]

I only saw the 1st half hour or so but it was enough to see that Madigan was poor and the continuous box kicking into the wind wasn't a good idea.
From reading the match reports and comments online, it's seems that Connacht were excellent and clever, while Leinster were both terrible and dumb....but...Connacht, the league leaders, won by 1 point at home with a try that had a flukey element to it - so what's the real story??

I'm sure Connacht deserved the win but if Leinster had scored a try at the end, or even a pen/DG, would the narrative on the performance be different?

[the spoofer]

I only saw the 1st half hour or so but it was enough to see that Madigan was poor and the continuous box kicking into the wind wasn't a good idea.
From reading the match reports and comments online, it's seems that Connacht were excellent and clever, while Leinster were both terrible and dumb....but...Connacht, the league leaders, won by 1 point at home with a try that had a flukey element to it - so what's the real story??

I'm sure Connacht deserved the win but if Leinster had scored a try at the end, or even a pen/DG, would the narrative on the performance be different?

Not mine on Madigan. Either he bucks up or fecks off, it's that simple.

[Fireworks]

Realistically Nacewa is miles off where he used to be, still he is one of our better outside backs.. which says a lot.

It is not that Isa or Kirchner are bad or any better or worse than what we have, but this backline needs all the help it can get if we want to compete in Europe.

I don't know about that. We have Henshaw, Ringrose, Luke Fitz and the Kearney brothers next season. Sure the guys below them (Ferg, Nacewa and Kirchner) are either limited or a fading force but they are still decent at European level. And decent back up is good enough. We can't have a squad of 40 superstars. There are a few issues with our back line and with the internationals away they are brought to the fore in a big way but for Europe we should be fine if those guys remain fit. We just need to start seeing more guys coming through the Academy at this stage.

If all of them were fit and in form that would be an exciting backline.

[Fireworks]

I only saw the 1st half hour or so but it was enough to see that Madigan was poor and the continuous box kicking into the wind wasn't a good idea.
From reading the match reports and comments online, it's seems that Connacht were excellent and clever, while Leinster were both terrible and dumb....but...Connacht, the league leaders, won by 1 point at home with a try that had a flukey element to it - so what's the real story??

I'm sure Connacht deserved the win but if Leinster had scored a try at the end, or even a pen/DG, would the narrative on the performance be different?

Not mine on Madigan. Either he bucks up or fecks off, it's that simple.

I think you will find he is already fecking off.

[molloyjh]

I only saw the 1st half hour or so but it was enough to see that Madigan was poor and the continuous box kicking into the wind wasn't a good idea.
From reading the match reports and comments online, it's seems that Connacht were excellent and clever, while Leinster were both terrible and dumb....but...Connacht, the league leaders, won by 1 point at home with a try that had a flukey element to it - so what's the real story??

I'm sure Connacht deserved the win but if Leinster had scored a try at the end, or even a pen/DG, would the narrative on the performance be different?

Good point. Leinster seemed to be playing for the 60 minute mark. Stay in touch and let the conditions, fitness and bench do the business in the last 20. I actually think had Heaslip come on a bit earlier we might have seen a different result. Connacht scored once and relied on a lucky bounce for that only score. They certainly created a lot more than we did and really put it up to us defensively, but between our game plan and our half backs performances we really didn't start putting them under pressure until the final quarter. Had we scored in that period the narrative would have been about us boxing clever and coming away with the win. But again we just weren't clinical enough. All we needed was a DG so we should have been setting up for that rather than going for the line. We've been guilty of that kind of thing a bit this season.

[Dexter]

I only saw the 1st half hour or so but it was enough to see that Madigan was poor and the continuous box kicking into the wind wasn't a good idea.
From reading the match reports and comments online, it's seems that Connacht were excellent and clever, while Leinster were both terrible and dumb....but...Connacht, the league leaders, won by 1 point at home with a try that had a flukey element to it - so what's the real story??

I'm sure Connacht deserved the win but if Leinster had scored a try at the end, or even a pen/DG, would the narrative on the performance be different?

Good point. Leinster seemed to be playing for the 60 minute mark. Stay in touch and let the conditions, fitness and bench do the business in the last 20. I actually think had Heaslip come on a bit earlier we might have seen a different result. Connacht scored once and relied on a lucky bounce for that only score. They certainly created a lot more than we did and really put it up to us defensively, but between our game plan and our half backs performances we really didn't start putting them under pressure until the final quarter. Had we scored in that period the narrative would have been about us boxing clever and coming away with the win. But again we just weren't clinical enough. All we needed was a DG so we should have been setting up for that rather than going for the line. We've been guilty of that kind of thing a bit this season.

Ok cheers! When was the last time we pulled out a win with a late DG? The one from Jonny in Treviso, in his previous Leinster incarnation? We've certainly had a few missed ones or ones we should have gone for and didn't.

[cormac]

That last second drop goal from Sexton in Treviso in September 2012 is the last time we won a match with a drop goal. We've only scored four drop goals since then. Johnny got a long range one away to the Scarlets in a HEC match a month later. Jimmy Gopperth dropped one in a 29-29 draw at home to the Ospreys in September 2013, Rob Kearney slotted one away to Castres in Jan 2014 and it was a full 16 months later that Ian Madigan got one away to Edinburgh in the last game of last season. We haven't scored any this season.

By contrast we scored eight drop goals in the 2011/12 season. Sexton with 3, Madigan and Kearney with 2 each and McFadden with 1.

[Grumpy Old Man]

That last second drop goal from Sexton in Treviso in September 2012 is the last time we won a match with a drop goal. We've only scored four drop goals since then. Johnny got a long range one away to the Scarlets in a HEC match a month later. Jimmy Gopperth dropped one in a 29-29 draw at home to the Ospreys in September 2013, Rob Kearney slotted one away to Castres in Jan 2014 and it was a full 16 months later that Ian Madigan got one away to Edinburgh in the last game of last season. We haven't scored any this season.

By contrast we scored eight drop goals in the 2011/12 season. Sexton with 3, Madigan and Kearney with 2 each and McFadden with 1.

One of Robs won us the HC that year.