Leinster v Cardiff Sat 3PM TG4/Sky Sports

[wixfjord]

So with that silly little 6 Nations thing out of the way, it's back to the real stuff.

Really interested to see what we do for this.
On the one hand giving guys a week off would be good, but with Wasps in two weeks it would be good to knit things back together again. I think we might see most of the fringe internationals starting and some of the starters benching.

Important to get a good win here and ideally a TBP as this is on paper the easiest game we have left.

Possible team?

Healy, Tracy, Ross, Molony, Triggs, Conan, Leavy, Heaslip, McGrath, Carbery, MCF, Reid, ROL, Byrne, Isa
Dooley, Strauss, Bent, Toner, VDF (?), JGP, Sexton, RK (?)

VDF & RK the big injury imponderables. I'm sure Toner & Heaslip will be chomping to get back in.

[ronk]

I think Sexton should have a week to recover.

[simonokeeffe]

Dont think we'll get Healy back yet but especially not Sexton

Think we will get Toner as he was just not selected as opposed to injured like Heaslip

will a disappointment if we dont pick up 5 points from this

[fourthirtythree]

We have two outhalves chomping at the bit to play European rugby, I'm sure they both want a run next week after their holidays. Sexton can drop straight into the team. It's his team.

Is ROL not injured? In which case Isa might be wing and Carberry FB. And if he weren't now I think of it he might get a start at 13 ahead of Kirchner.

[neiliog93]

Heaslip probably won't be allowed to be risked even if he's 50-50. Dooley will likely start, Healy might bench though.

[ronk]

Furlong won't play
https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2017/031 ... selection/

Not much of a surprise

[riocard911]

Furlong won't play
https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2017/031 ... selection/

Not much of a surprise

"If it comes it comes, if it doesn't, it doesn't. You only get to throw so many punches whatever way." - Priceless Tadgh!!

[LeRouxIsPHat]

That first photo in the article

[BlueWheels]

In which case Isa might be wing and Carberry FB.

Is Isa available?

I think he was out injured for the last two games. Don't know what the injury was ....

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Think the report just said that he had a minor knee op but didn't go into details. If it was just tidying cartilage (which I'd suspect it was but that's purely speculation) then I'd say he'll be back.

[El Diablo]

Furlong won't play
https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2017/031 ... selection/

Not much of a surprise

"If it comes it comes, if it doesn't, it doesn't. You only get to throw so many punches whatever way." - Priceless Tadgh!!

What a performance by Furlong on Saturday. In his last 5 minutes he had 2 very tough rolling mauls, he lifted O'Mahony for the lineout steal and as far as I recall a long hard scrum. How he lasted 72 minutes I dont know. All the Leinster players were heroes but Sexton & Furlong were superhuman. They definitely deserve a week off.

[riocard911]

Luke McGrath's kick into the corner towards the end vs England was an absolutely outrageous demonstration of leadership from a rookie at Test level and bodes well for our campaigns in the Pro 12 and the ERCC.

[simonokeeffe]

Luke McGrath's kick into the corner towards the end vs England was an absolutely outrageous demonstration of leadership from a rookie at Test level and bodes well for our campaigns in the Pro 12 and the ERCC.

Hell yeah

[curates_egg]

Heaslip and RK also not going to make this one according to MSM.
Think I also read we'd have Isa available and potentially JVDF too.

[riocard911]

According to John Fogarty, Isa, Nugget, JdvF, RO'L and Tom Daly - God between us and all harm - should all be fit and available for selection vs. Cardiff. http://www.the42.ie/leinster-jamie-heas ... 3-Mar2017/

[CiaranIrl]

I heard somewhere that Kearney might have to have a bicep injury sorted and would be out for 4-6 weeks. Not sure of that though.

No way we'll have any of the Ireland starters back for this.

[johng]

Remarkably clean bill of health. Considering we are likely to miss at least these 12 (mostly due to rest with a few injuries)

Furlong
Heaslip
Henshaw
Kearney
McGrath
O'Brien
Ringrose
Sexton
Toner
Healy
McGrath
Murphy

We can still field a team like this

Dooley/Porter
Cronin
Bent
Moloney/McCarthy
Triggs/M Kearney
Ruddock
Leavy
Conan

Gibson-Park
R Byrne
D Kearney
Reid
O'Loughlin
A Byrne
Nacewa

Strauss/Tracey/B Byrne
E Byrne
Ross
Nagle
Van Der Flier
McGrath
Carbery/Daly
McFadden/Dardis

[riocard911]

God almighty, but we're in rude health in the front row. I thought Strauss was brilliant as captain vs the Scarlets. If, as is would appear, he's getting back to best form, I'd like to see him start, with Cronin eased back in the second half. With Dooley and Ed Byrne covering loose head, might it be an opportunity to start Bent or Ross at three and have Porter finish out the last 20 minutes to a half an hour at tight head? Or should we maybe just stick with the Ross/Bent combo?

[johng]

I'm guessing Porter will be left in AIL for the rest of the season to become a TH if that is the plan. I just threw him in there as a possible option.

[desperado]

great to see Cronin, VDF, Isa etc on the way back. Jamie's injury seems to be creeping up his body what was rumoured to be a rolled ankle (was rumour only); became a hamstring (written about) and is now a lower back issue.