Friendly v Bath in Donnybrook

[simonokeeffe]

Worst aspects of the evening were the jerseys worn by both sides. I thought a couple of match-day stewards came on for us in the second-half.

insert joke about Rob Kearney's defence

[domhnallj]

Most memorable event for me was the look on Adam Byrnes face when he got subbed off. I thought Marsh was going to get decked. Other than that the revolving subs were a pain in the hole, I had to earwig off some young ones who knew their onions to keep up with who was where.

[hugonaut]

Lots of good young players out there on the Leinster side, many of them performing very well. That was a very strong Bath team with an entirely first choice pack [and as RTB has said previously, an absolutely enormous set of second rows and flankers] ... the outcome [i.e. win/loss] was set in stone before the game had kicked off, and in any case was [and is] unimportant.

Particular highlights for me were the first half performances of Cian Healy and Dan Leavy. The latter has an absolutely incredible engine and appetite for work, exceptional tackle technique and quality ball skills, instincts and game knowledge. He is a player who I firmly believe has the ability to play [and prosper] at the highest level of the game and should be given a big push this season in selection ... because he will reward it. Great to see Cian back running and handling again – I'm delighted for him. He has looked depleted and injury-burdened ever since the Lions tour and has been half the player he was in 2011-13, when he was one of the two or three best looseheads in the world [in my opinion]. He now looks to be fresh, raring to go and approaching match fitness. Really happy to see the recovery.

Michael Bent put in a good shift for us at tighthead and I think he will be an important player this season after a relatively quiet 2014-15 [just 6 starts and under 500 minutes of gametime in total]. I think we will see him solely as a tighthead this season; Dooley has earned his spurs, Andrew Porter is a physical phenom and Ed Byrne looks to be on the road back, so even short Jack and Cian on Irish duty, tighthead is going to be bigger position of need for us than loosehead. An interesting point of comparison is that Bent is now the same age as Nathan White was when he arrived with us in time for the 2011-12 season.

This was the first pre-season game I had been to, so I was happy to see Rory O'Loughlin continue the impressive form I had read about in the previous two match reports. He looks very much like a guy who could step in and play Pro12 rugby in the No13 jersey at a moment's notice.

Gibson-Park and Carbery were impressive both as a combination and individually. While I agree with a previous comment about the change in tempo between JGP and Nick McCarthy at No9, I thought McCarthy acquitted himself well enough. It's worth bearing in mind that JGP has been playing a high level of rugby for the last four or five months and McCarthy is just out of pre-season and not yet in the groove.

[molloyjh]

Don't have much to add from the above other than to point out that with 5 or 6 mins to go we were 6 points behind and on the attack. Two errors from inexperienced players put a huge gloss on the scoreline for Bath in a game we came close to stealing. Tom Daly got isolated and turned over which created one try and then Ross Byrne attempted a cross field that, while on out wide, was a poor call given Baths line speed. Que charge down and length of the field try. Given that we changed our entire XV within the first 50 and then made more changes again around the 60-65 min mark, on top of the fact that we had a fairly light squad up against a full strength one, we actually did quite well overall. Even if the scoreline and some of the incredibly lazy reporting in the media say differently. Our scrum was in all sorts of trouble all game as well but Bath were eating up the space ahead of the engage every time so we were on the back foot constantly there.

I've been very happy with what I saw from the 3 games. Definite improvements in how we attack. Direct instead of lateral, offloading to oncoming support players instead of passing behind relatively static runners (or those horrific long, loopy passes we saw a lot of over the last few years). Some of the young lads have really impressed. Be it the footwork from guys like Carbery and O'Loughlin or the handling from forwards like Molony and Tracey. If we can keep that going, and if the seniors can follow suit, we could be in for an entertaining season.

There are still a couple of concerns. Our defence out wide is still an issue. Our set piece could be better. Marsh was better on Friday than the previous week, but does seem to have fallen behind the other 2 options at 10. Reid is still a turnstile and I'm not convinced we have any great options at 12, unless one of our 13s can move inside.our wing options are no more than serviceable, again unless we can convert someone. But overall it's been a very positive 3 weeks. I'm looking forward to Friday now!

[simonokeeffe]

one would hope when the team/selection (of full and international window sides) beds down then defence will improve

we wont have them every week but a Sexton Henshaw Ringrose midfield would be very strong defensively and youd hope that would makes it easier to defend wider

[molloyjh]

one would hope when the team/selection (of full and international window sides) beds down then defence will improve

we wont have them every week but a Sexton Henshaw Ringrose midfield would be very strong defensively and youd hope that would makes it easier to defend wider

Yeah you'd imagine the leadership in midfield alone would make a big difference.

[simonokeeffe]

one would hope when the team/selection (of full and international window sides) beds down then defence will improve

we wont have them every week but a Sexton Henshaw Ringrose midfield would be very strong defensively and youd hope that would makes it easier to defend wider

Yeah you'd imagine the leadership in midfield alone would make a big difference.

not to mention confidence of the guys inside you, plus we're falling over excellent backrow defenders

[arsebiscuits1]

Thoughts for the game.

Carbery is just a naturally gifted player. Has brilliant footwork and turn of pace.

Rory O'Loughlin has gone from almost total obscurity to being a potentially very important player this season what with our center options.

JGP looks to be a very sharp fella. Wouldn't have minded seeing some more sniping runs. There were times where it was on. He needs to trust his forwards a bit more. There was a lot of 5m pop passes to the big fellas. I'm sure they're capable of catching a pass with spin on it But he was very quick to every ruck and I feel added to the fast pace of the first half

Tracy carried well, but throwing needs work. Some calling let him down though, why throw to the back on your own 5m line?

B Byrne carried effectively, but throwing was poor.

R Byrne was totally outrun by Ford for the final try. While I expect an outhalf to be outrun by someone like Kirchner (which he was) I was quite surprised at his lack of pace.

Porter is the real deal, he was breaking tackles of experienced tacklers at the highest levels. And more than held his own in the scrum.

[Dirk Stickler]

My prediction that the jersey would look decent on the players was wide of the mark, to say the least. A battle of two of the worst kits I’ve ever seen on a rugby pitch.

I thought JGP looked pretty sharp. I think he could link up well with Sexton, whenever we get to see him. I imagine it'll be JGP and Marsh against Treviso.

Dan Leavy has surely jumped ahead of Dom Ryan in the pecking order now? I'd expect Leavy, vdf & Conan to start on Friday, which would be as energetic a backrow as I can remember.

Mike McCarthy looked like a man who needed a bit more pre-season but good to see him out there.

All in all, thought there were signs of promise but it got a bit messy in the second half. The subs wearing 1-15 confused the hell out of me for a while, not a fan at all.

[Flash Gordon]

Lots of positives - Carberry, Byrne on the wing, Church, Leavy all looked good and really like the pass on the new Scrummie! The lineout was an absolute mess though and will need to be fixed sharpish (though in fairness, Bath are probably as good a test as you'll get in that area).

Fantastic to be back at Donnybrook, you just need to remember how close you are to the pitch. Was down at the Prod end and made a comment on Rob's missed tackle when Bath scored and he glared straight at me......

[Armchair]

Lots of positives - Carberry, Byrne on the wing, Church, Leavy all looked good and really like the pass on the new Scrummie! The lineout was an absolute mess though and will need to be fixed sharpish (though in fairness, Bath are probably as good a test as you'll get in that area).

Fantastic to be back at Donnybrook, you just need to remember how close you are to the pitch. Was down at the Prod end and made a comment on Rob's missed tackle when Bath scored and he glared straight at me......

Adam Byrne's defence was pretty poor as well not the bravest individual I have ever saw on a rugby pitch not fully committed in challenging on high balls either. Has the build and skills to kick on and should be doing it at this stage similar Daly they have played more 7s than full games for Ireland than games for Leinster so hopefully that changes and they get the opportunity to improve. Disappointed in Ross Byrne tried to hard and tried to force things that didn't work out big pressure on him now with Carberry on the scene so needs a few performances which but he will find it hard to get game time

[wise7]

Don't agree with you Armchair on Ross Byrne forcing things. You must mean the attempted cross fielder which was a 50/50 and to be expected from an attacking 10. What about his two excellent and very precise tactical punts on the run into the right hand corner stopping short of the try line and creating havoc for the Bath defence with the winger doing very well to escape with the first one and should have been turned over on the second one. Byrne also brought pace to proceedings when he came on, in my view.

[Armchair]

Don't agree with you Armchair on Ross Byrne forcing things. You must mean the attempted cross fielder which was a 50/50 and to be expected from an attacking 10. What about his two excellent and very precise tactical punts on the run into the right hand corner stopping short of the try line and creating havoc for the Bath defence with the winger doing very well to escape with the first one and should have been turned over on the second one. Byrne also brought pace to proceedings when he came on, in my view.

Will have to agree to disagree on that one both Byrne & Marsh were well behind Carberry on the night and Marsh better than Byrne their were other better than 50/50 cross field kicks on and he failed to recognise them in time. Hopefully with more game time he improves but you have to take your oppurtunities when they come as they don't come to often. Much prefer when we keep ball in hand when inside the opposition third Byrne tended to attack with the boot to often

[wise7]

Well you're certainly right there that we have to disagree. My understamding of what a 10's primary function is to manage the game. That includes playing for territory when the space is there and being a selective distributor of quick ball to others when there are yards to be made with ball in hand. It is also a huge plus if your 10 has an excellent capability off the tee and not just out of hand.

[wixfjord]

Well you're certainly right there that we have to disagree. My understamding of what a 10's primary function is to manage the game. That includes playing for territory when the space is there and being a selective distributor of quick ball to others when there are yards to be made with ball in hand. It is also a huge plus if your 10 has an excellent capability off the tee and not just out of hand.

Are you related to Ross Byrne?

[cormac]

Well you're certainly right there that we have to disagree. My understamding of what a 10's primary function is to manage the game. That includes playing for territory when the space is there and being a selective distributor of quick ball to others when there are yards to be made with ball in hand. It is also a huge plus if your 10 has an excellent capability off the tee and not just out of hand.

Are you related to Ross Byrne?

He's definitely his no.1 fan

[DartVader]

Well you're certainly right there that we have to disagree. My understamding of what a 10's primary function is to manage the game. That includes playing for territory when the space is there and being a selective distributor of quick ball to others when there are yards to be made with ball in hand. It is also a huge plus if your 10 has an excellent capability off the tee and not just out of hand.

Are you related to Ross Byrne?

He's definitely his no.1 fan

This season's Ray Dollard perhaps?????

[arsebiscuits1]

Might get a decent showing at this. €15 for the stand is it?

Glad to see Molony at captain. I know he tends to call the lineout (to his sad demise in Murrayfield but I am sure he will grow) so he can command a presence.

Side note, can anybody guess what he might be weighing in at? He started last season at 103kgs but he looked heavier than that at the tail end of the season. If I were management I'd have been telling him to come back to preseason at 113-114. Leinster site still has him at 103

Funny how these things go. Interview in the Indo today where he is billing himself at 112kg but thinks there's another 1-2 he can put on

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/g ... 09181.html

[Dirk Stickler]

I appreciate it's not crucial but is Molony still 6'5 or has he grown a bit more?

I thought Charteris would tower over him a lot more than he did on Friday night.

[goreyguy]

I appreciate it's not crucial but is Molony still 6'5 or has he grown a bit more?

I thought Charteris would tower over him a lot more than he did on Friday night.

Closer to 6'6 than 6'5.