Leinster v Embra Friday 7.35 RDS TG4

[alanair]

Luke McGrath has been awful.

No, he wasn't.

Not this shite again.

Yes, his first half was. Poor kicking, passing, messing around at back of the ruck.
Played well in the 2nd when he didn't have to box kick or pass from the ruck.

No luke McGrath wasn't bad the whole match.. he was great when he went on the wing !!
When he was s/h... his passing was dreadful ...game turned when everyone had to play out of position...completely mad game

[Dave Cahill]

The guy on the terrace who constantly roared at the ref calling him a c**t then when Edinburgh were leaving the pitch called for a "charity clap" - good job.

[Dave Cahill]

Luke McGrath has been awful.

No, he wasn't.

Not this shite again.

Yes, his first half was. Poor kicking, passing, messing around at back of the ruck.
Played well in the 2nd when he didn't have to box kick or pass from the ruck.

It's a weird thing but the calls be made when he went on the wing were almost entirely correct!

[SaS]

Wouldn't particularly blame the halfbacks for the first half. Thought we just gave the ball away too cheaply and it was a problem throughout the whole side really. Two standout moments were the knock on from the restart (didnt catch who that was) and then going for the Hollywood play from the lineout and just kicking it away after we had done amazingly well to hold them out for so long.

Outstanding defence though and a brilliant second half. To play with that kind of cohesion after being messed up so badly by injuries was very very impressive. Another huge game from Conan and Leavy was a man on a mission. Thought all of the backs were brilliant in the second half.

The coaches deserve a lot of credit for putting that mess together at half time.

Agree with that, McGrath wasn't helped by poor ball retention at the ruck in the first half. The defence was amazing in the last 15 minutes of the first half but we got away with it big time with that knock-on right on half-time. Kudos to Lancaster and Cullen for fixing things in the second half, particularly with so many injuries and having to play a second row and then a hooker at blind-side for most of the game. Leavy was incredible and hats off to the backline in the second half...

[FourMasters]

Never seen anything like the reaction from the edinburgh wing after he knocked on with a simple run-in.
Sure, he knelt and pounded the ground, seen that before. But after refusing to let his own players pick him up and run off at the half-time whistle, the edinburgh medics had to go and kneel beside him, took ages for them to cajole him to stand up and walk toward the tunnel. The minis had started and he was walking through them, ffs.
I couldn't bring myself to shout a quip down at him, he was so distraught. I don't think he came out for the second half.
But come on, surely the proper order is to pull up the socks and jog nonchalantly for the dressing room as if nothing had happened.

[Xanthippe]

Never seen anything like the reaction from the edinburgh wing after he knocked on with a simple run-in.
Sure, he knelt and pounded the ground, seen that before. But after refusing to let his own players pick him up and run off at the half-time whistle, the edinburgh medics had to go and kneel beside him, took ages for them to cajole him to stand up and walk toward the tunnel. The minis had started and he was walking through them, ffs.
I couldn't bring myself to shout a quip down at him, he was so distraught. I don't think he came out for the second half.
But come on, surely the proper order is to pull up the socks and jog nonchalantly for the dressing room as if nothing had happened.

Don't know if it's true and could be doing his team a dis-service but I've seen a suggestion that he took a bang to the head earlier and apparently was 'out of it'

[cormac]

The Adam Byrne fanclub was out in full force last night

[riocard911]

I thought our defence in the second quarter was immense. The structure was good and all the lads were getting stuck in and helping each other out. Going in at half- time 8-3 and not 8-10 laid the basis for the filleting of Dún Édin in the second half. Apart from one disastrous pass off the base of the ruck Luke McGrath was grand, IMO. He contributed enormously to our first try - through his wrap around tackle on the Edinburgh 8 off their scrum, which led to the Leavy turnover and then by tracking the latter to keep the ball alive. And as I've said before, pound for pound he must be Leinster's top tackler!!!

[artaneboy]

Never seen anything like the reaction from the edinburgh wing after he knocked on with a simple run-in.
Sure, he knelt and pounded the ground, seen that before. But after refusing to let his own players pick him up and run off at the half-time whistle, the edinburgh medics had to go and kneel beside him, took ages for them to cajole him to stand up and walk toward the tunnel. The minis had started and he was walking through them, ffs.
I couldn't bring myself to shout a quip down at him, he was so distraught. I don't think he came out for the second half.
But come on, surely the proper order is to pull up the socks and jog nonchalantly for the dressing room as if nothing had happened.

I think it was a mixture of embarrassment for sure and injury to the face. The ball seemed to hit him on the nose in the act of the knock-on.

But it was a big moment- and he knew it...


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[Cianostays]

That was hugely impressive result given that the team (I think) we ended up with was 1-14: Porter, Tracey, Bent, Kearney, Moloney, Brian Byrne, Conan, JGP, Ross Byrne, Barry Daly, Noel Reid, Adam Byrne, Dan Leavy, Luke McGrath.

So we'd our reserve Hooker finishing at Blindside/Openside Flanker, Our Replacement Winger at 13, Our Replacement Back Row on the wing and our starting Scrum Half at Fullback! How the hell we ended up winning so comfortably, I'll never know. The cohesion and finishing in the 2nd half was pretty damn impressive. Hopefully, we won't be missing too many players for the Dragons game next week.

[simonokeeffe]

somewhat oddly I'd fancy more out and out obliteration when Bent is on, Ross far more solid but rarely punishes people, legally or not Bent is better at twisting the knife

Very accurate prediction

would have gotten more out of it if the ref had penalised their no1 for constantly boring/folding in at a ridiculous angle, even the time Ross got penalised that guy clearly went to ground first

Luke McGrath our best auxillary winger since Shane Jennings

[Logorrhea]

The Adam Byrne fanclub was out in full force last night

In fairness to the lad, I think they scared the shite out of him at the end.

[enby]

Memo to TV Producer: Do NOT show any dubious Leinster tries on the big screen until after the conversion is taken. Ridiculous carry on after first try last night. Ref confers with touch judge and awards try without "going upstairs" but as Carbery is lining up the conversion, TV replay in slow motion shows that it was a marginal call and ref then decides to bring in TMO.

Why he went to TMO for Edinburgh try is a mystery. Everyone in the ground could see that the offload to Weir was sublime and nowhere near forward.

Finally had the TMO nipped out to see a man about a dog for the several Edinburgh late hits, especially the ones on Reid and Carbery???

[hugonaut]

That was hugely impressive result given that the team (I think) we ended up with was 1-14: Porter, Tracey, Bent, Kearney, Moloney, Brian Byrne, Conan, JGP, Ross Byrne, Barry Daly, Noel Reid, Adam Byrne, Dan Leavy, Luke McGrath.

So we'd our reserve Hooker finishing at Blindside/Openside Flanker, Our Replacement Winger at 13, Our Replacement Back Row on the wing and our starting Scrum Half at Fullback! How the hell we ended up winning so comfortably, I'll never know. The cohesion and finishing in the 2nd half was pretty damn impressive. Hopefully, we won't be missing too many players for the Dragons game next week.

Absolutely, really happy with the win. The first 25-26 minutes was played at a staggeringly fast pace with the ball in play for very extended periods, and you could see very fit guys like Noel Reid and Luke McGrath gasping for the breath at times. An unusual sort of opening for a game in February.

I thought that Edinburgh looked well-coached and well organised in the first half, with some very impressive forwards in Ben Toolis and Magnus Bradbury. Our defense to keep them out deserves a ton of praise, because we were tested by practically every method - back and across the pitch, close in, from depth – and we showed good organisation, good scramble and loads of willingness and determination.

Dan Leavy really took the game by the scruff of the neck when he came on. It was a first rate performance from him, one that might see him pushed into contention for the Irish squad for the rest of the Six Nations. He has always been a massive talent and is really making a name for himself this season with an extended run of games; I think he has featured in 18 of 21 competitive matches this season.

Jack Conan was quieter than I expected in the first half; I was a little bit disappointed in his performance, to be frank. He came into the game well in the second half, but we need a big linebreak from him in the first forty and I was a bit surprised that he couldn't deliver. In fairness to him, his defensive efforts were excellent.

I thought none of our second rows really pushed their respective cases forward. Bit of a pass for Ross Molony playing out of position, but none of them bossed the collisions, or were able to get their hands free through contact, or were putting a load of pressure on the opposition lineout, or were breaking up mauls etc. It's not like they shirked work or lacked effort [all of them in double-figures for tackles] but if you're looking for points of difference between the second rows this season, you can see why Triggs has got the nod since December – his handling abilities make him stand out. I can imagine James Ryan coming in and pushing past all of them next season, because he's a Jonny Gray-type talent.

Very impressed with James Tracy, who was a bundle of energy for eighty minutes. Thought that Luke McGrath got through a savage amount of work, both in attack and defense, and Noel Reid was quietly effective ... he's growing into a senior player this season, which is something I didn't think would happen, or at least was in danger of not happening this season.

Happy with Zane's performance, thought that he showed a lot of physical intensity and led by example. Barry Daly still has a lot to learn about ball security [to use an Americanism] – he gives the ball away too often and too cheaply, which blemished a good attacking game from him.

What do you say about Joey? Kicking wasn't great, tried to do too much himself, but he's so exciting to watch and came out of the game with two good tries.

[matt]

Leavy is playing like a man possessed. Huge performance off the bench.

VDF looking like he'll be out for a while. Shoulder or collarbone. Anyone see what happened to O'Loughlin?

Leavy was fantastic yet again he and Conan are our best players this season. Thought VDF had a good chance of playing a big part against France & Leavy is now the obvious replacement. He is the sort of player who if he gets a chance could do very well.

POM & Conan are very good players but more need for a 7 on Ireland bench with Heaslip/Stander & SOB in situ. No doubt NZ0, MI & Golfman will be foaming at the mouth if POM not automatic replacement.

[Oldschool]

Leavy is playing like a man possessed. Huge performance off the bench.

VDF looking like he'll be out for a while. Shoulder or collarbone. Anyone see what happened to O'Loughlin?

Leavy was fantastic yet again he and Conan are our best players this season. Thought VDF had a good chance of playing a big part against France & Leavy is now the obvious replacement. He is the sort of player who if he gets a chance could do very well.

POM & Conan are very good players but more need for a 7 on Ireland bench with Heaslip/Stander & SOB in situ. No doubt NZ0, MI & Golfman will be foaming at the mouth if POM not automatic replacement.

POM will get the nod for France if he's fit.
Leavy if JVDF is na might be more suited to the Wales game.
He's got some engine on him.

[FourMasters]

Am I dreaming in thinking that McCarthy used to switch between flanker and lock in his early career, and would have been the more natural choice to shunt to the backrow?

[fourthirtythree]

I think they doubt McCarthys aerobic fitness levels a bit.

[neiliog93]

Leavy is playing like a man possessed. Huge performance off the bench.

VDF looking like he'll be out for a while. Shoulder or collarbone. Anyone see what happened to O'Loughlin?

Leavy was fantastic yet again he and Conan are our best players this season. Thought VDF had a good chance of playing a big part against France & Leavy is now the obvious replacement. He is the sort of player who if he gets a chance could do very well.

POM & Conan are very good players but more need for a 7 on Ireland bench with Heaslip/Stander & SOB in situ. No doubt NZ0, MI & Golfman will be foaming at the mouth if POM not automatic replacement.

The no.20 jersey for France is between O'Mahony and Conan. It'll be O'Mahony's for certain if he can prove his fitness.

[Laighin Break]

There is a pecking order that Schmidt surely will follow, and POM wil be in team. But Leavy is possibly the only 1 cap player that I would have no worry about standing up to the occasion. He is Leinster's equivalent of Stander, putting in MOTM performances most games