Semi Final: Leinster vs Ulster Fri May 20th K/O 19:45

[Cianostays]

We've managed to finish top of the pile and earn our home Semi Final. Inspite of ourselves sometimes but we've managed it. In hindsight, the loss in Ravenhill may be a good thing. We know that we'll have to commit bodies at the breakdown to secure possession and will need to sick VDF on Pienaar and Jackson. Don't give them any space to operate. Ulster are bang in form so it'll be a tough ask, even in the RDS. We'll have to roar the team on from start to finish.

My 23 (1-23): McGrath, Strauss, Ross, Toner, Kearney, Ruddock, VDF, Heaslip, Reddan, Sexton, Luke, T'eo, Ringrose, Nacewa, Rob K, Dooley, Cronin, Furlong, Moloney, Murphy, McGrath, Madigan, Reid.

If Healy and or SO'B are fit they'd come into the squad for Dooley and Murphy respectively. Reid gets the 23 shirt for me as Dave K is not playing well and Ferg's discipline is not what it should be. Reid could come on and create a match winning moment for us. He's earned the spot.

[cormac]

Ferg won't be available, his ban doesn't finish until May 21. Have to be some doubts about Rob Kearney's fitness too.

[Jackie Brown]

The Kearneys have to play

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[artaneboy]

Healy is being "rested" for the remainder of the season and won't play. In any case Dooley is playing much better and deserves his place in the squad.


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[Cianostays]

Healy did show an improved performance against Edinburgh but it's better for his career if he gets a proper break. Not been the same player since the Lions tour really. If Rob K is out, as happened yesterday, Reid comes in at 12 and T'eo, Ringrose and Isa all push out one space. At this stage I'd have Byrne on the bench ahead of Dave K.

[COYBIB]

Assuming no Healy, Rob Kearney or McFadden...

1. J.McGrath 2. Strauss 3. Ross 4. Toner 5. M.Kearney 6. Ruddock 7. Van Der Flier 8. Heaslip
9. Reddan 10. Sexton 11. Fitzgerald 12. Te'o 13. Ringrose 14. Kirchner 15. Nacewa
16. Cronin 17. Dooley 18. Furlong 19. Molony 20. O'Brien 21. L.McGrath 22. Madigan 23. D.Kearney

Hopefully Sean O'Brien is fit enough to bench & Mick Kearney, Van Der Flier and Luke Fitz are fit enough to start.

Doubt we'll see Rob Kearney again this season for Leinster, I'd say he's wrapped up now until South Africa.

We've been lucky with injuries all season, but starting to take a toll at the worst possible time now. A lot of walking wounded.

[wixfjord]

I don't think we'll be seeing SOB, Healy or RK again this year.

[wixfjord]

Healy did show an improved performance against Edinburgh but it's better for his career if he gets a proper break. Not been the same player since the Lions tour really. If Rob K is out, as happened yesterday, Reid comes in at 12 and T'eo, Ringrose and Isa all push out one space. At this stage I'd have Byrne on the bench ahead of Dave K.

Surely it'd be Kirchner in at FB instead of moving your whole backline around?

[hugonaut]

Reid gets the 23 shirt for me as Dave K is not playing well and Ferg's discipline is not what it should be. Reid could come on and create a match winning moment for us. He's earned the spot.

Absolutely agree with that. Reid's try yesterday was absolutely beautiful, ghosted past three or four defenders this way and that with speed, step and swerve.

In contrast, Dave Kearney missed the rugby equivalent of an open goal in the first half ... that must be the third [or fourth] pass he's dropped with the try-line begging and nobody to beat in the last two seasons. I like DK, but he has been appalling in the last few matches.

[Cianostays]

Healy did show an improved performance against Edinburgh but it's better for his career if he gets a proper break. Not been the same player since the Lions tour really. If Rob K is out, as happened yesterday, Reid comes in at 12 and T'eo, Ringrose and Isa all push out one space. At this stage I'd have Byrne on the bench ahead of Dave K.

Surely it'd be Kirchner in at FB instead of moving your whole backline around?

Kirchner coming in is an option and I'm not dead set against it but I believe the knock on affects for the backline with Reid coming in at 12 are far more positive then negative.

Put it this way, if Kirchner gets the nod I'd be happy enough but if it were me I would move the backline around. Kirchner would come onto the bench in place of Byrne.

[ChrisUppy]

Healy did show an improved performance against Edinburgh but it's better for his career if he gets a proper break. Not been the same player since the Lions tour really. If Rob K is out, as happened yesterday, Reid comes in at 12 and T'eo, Ringrose and Isa all push out one space. At this stage I'd have Byrne on the bench ahead of Dave K.

Surely it'd be Kirchner in at FB instead of moving your whole backline around?

Kirchner coming in is an option and I'm not dead set against it but I believe the knock on affects for the backline with Reid coming in at 12 are far more positive then negative.

Put it this way, if Kirchner gets the nod I'd be happy enough but if it were me I would move the backline around. Kirchner would come onto the bench in place of Byrne.

Reid at 12 against McCloskey and Marshall? No thank you!. And aside from the issue of his defense, I think it's important to get a bit of continuity in the 10, 12, 13 positions.

[simonokeeffe]

there seems to have been a weird reluctance to play Kirchner at 15, plus Isa is best at 15 anyway

would take another 8-3 win

[COYBIB]

Reid gets the 23 shirt for me as Dave K is not playing well and Ferg's discipline is not what it should be. Reid could come on and create a match winning moment for us. He's earned the spot.

Absolutely agree with that. Reid's try yesterday was absolutely beautiful, ghosted past three or four defenders this way and that with speed, step and swerve.

In contrast, Dave Kearney missed the rugby equivalent of an open goal in the first half ... that must be the third [or fourth] pass he's dropped with the try-line begging and nobody to beat in the last two seasons. I like DK, but he has been appalling in the last few matches.

Reid has always looked excellent against lesser teams but has been exposed a few times at the higher level. Maybe it would be a better call to have Reid ahead of DK at 23, it's a sound logic, but it's the less worse option than the best one when choosing.

Unfortunately the limitations of our back three options have become all too apparent with McFadden, Dave Kearney and Kirchner excelling in being perfectly average, Rob Kearney struggling with form and fitness, and Luke only good for a handful of games a season at this point given his chronic injuries.. Nacewa has been the only continually reliable choice, and he's not getting any younger.

Adam Byrne needs to get every opportunity next season and if we had any depth at all in the centre, an argument for playing Henshaw in the back three could even surface, but beyond Henshaw and Ringrose that's another area where we're very weak. As with out-half and scrum-half, essentially our entire backline squad for next season is very, very thin on depth. We badly need to give younger lads game time and hope they snatch the chance and force their way into the first team, similar to how the likes of Jack McGrath, Van Der Flier and Ringrose have done in a short space of time and are now almost certainly first choice.

[riocard911]

Reid gets the 23 shirt for me as Dave K is not playing well and Ferg's discipline is not what it should be. Reid could come on and create a match winning moment for us. He's earned the spot.

Absolutely agree with that. Reid's try yesterday was absolutely beautiful, ghosted past three or four defenders this way and that with speed, step and swerve.

In contrast, Dave Kearney missed the rugby equivalent of an open goal in the first half ... that must be the third [or fourth] pass he's dropped with the try-line begging and nobody to beat in the last two seasons. I like DK, but he has been appalling in the last few matches.

Reid has always looked excellent against lesser teams but has been exposed a few times at the higher level. Maybe it would be a better call to have Reid ahead of DK at 23, it's a sound logic, but it's the less worse option than the best one when choosing.

Unfortunately the limitations of our back three options have become all too apparent with McFadden, Dave Kearney and Kirchner excelling in being perfectly average, Rob Kearney struggling with form and fitness, and Luke only good for a handful of games a season at this point given his chronic injuries.. Nacewa has been the only continually reliable choice, and he's not getting any younger.

Adam Byrne needs to get every opportunity next season and if we had any depth at all in the centre, an argument for playing Henshaw in the back three could even surface, but beyond Henshaw and Ringrose that's another area where we're very weak. As with out-half and scrum-half, essentially our entire backline squad for next season is very, very thin on depth. We badly need to give younger lads game time and hope they snatch the chance and force their way into the first team, similar to how the likes of Jack McGrath, Van Der Flier and Ringrose have done in a short space of time and are now almost certainly first choice.

+1

[hugonaut]

Reid gets the 23 shirt for me as Dave K is not playing well and Ferg's discipline is not what it should be. Reid could come on and create a match winning moment for us. He's earned the spot.

Absolutely agree with that. Reid's try yesterday was absolutely beautiful, ghosted past three or four defenders this way and that with speed, step and swerve.

In contrast, Dave Kearney missed the rugby equivalent of an open goal in the first half ... that must be the third [or fourth] pass he's dropped with the try-line begging and nobody to beat in the last two seasons. I like DK, but he has been appalling in the last few matches.

Reid has always looked excellent against lesser teams but has been exposed a few times at the higher level.

Very fair assessment, COYBIB.

Looking at him play outside centre yesterday though he looked a natural fit. It takes him out of the way of the really heavy traffic in defense where he has been run through/over a number of times at No12. He's not a naturally authoritative player, so expecting him to play like an Aaron Mauger at No12 and provide a lot of shape or decision-making as a second outhalf [the way Owen Farrell does for England] doesn't suit him.

On the positive side, he's got the balance, the footwork, the pace and the passing to both prove a threat on his own and also to release outside backs. We will need a second No13 besides Ringrose next season, as I think that he's the next thing to a certainty for Irish squads. Reider has a decent bit of experience at this stage as well, so it'd allow you to play Tom Daly at No12 inside him and not field a completely inexperienced centre combination. [I have high hopes for Daly, by the way].

With regards to the semi-final selection, Dave Kearney just has no form at all at the moment. In my hypothetical selection, he wouldn't be near the matchday squad.

[neiliog93]

Good post about Reid. He's silky and pacy, quite creative, but lacks bottle and physique. Definitely more of a 13 long term.

[Raydollard]

Would have Reid anytime - he has not been managed well but has a real touch of class that no one else has for us

[simonokeeffe]

Good post about Reid. He's silky and pacy, quite creative, but lacks bottle and physique. Definitely more of a 13 long term.

I like the idea, not to be too much of a negative Nelly though theres still plenty of big 13s liable to be running at him

[Ruckedtobits]

Actually very few 13's in Pro12 who are big animals. Reid is a competent tackler, but not a good broken field defender because he doesnt get feet and hips in correct alignment when he plays 12. I reckon that Kurt can work his defence up to top level at 13, just give him the game time!

[simonokeeffe]

Actually very few 13's in Pro12 who are big animals. Reid is a competent tackler, but not a good broken field defender because he doesnt get feet and hips in correct alignment when he plays 12. I reckon that Kurt can work his defence up to top level at 13, just give him the game time!

Next season theres quite a few Arnold/Saili, J Davies, Aki, Vernon, Matavesi/Watkin, Halahola at Cardiff 105kg, Rosaloa at Edinburgh

And theres always option of opposition 12 & 13s switching position. Granted hes far less likely to have big 8s running at him (off setpiece)