Leinster v Cardiff Fri 8 Sep 19:35 TG4, BBC Wales

[simonokeeffe]

Remember Bent can (and does) play both sides well. Porter, also, at a stretch, could be selected at 1 or 3, although they'd prefer not to. Four props is plenty. They're not playing both games simultaneously.

We have to name 4 props in the 23 for the fixture to go ahead so its take 5 props lest something befall one or crazy stuff like Tracy covering prop happens

Its the 1st year and I'm sure exceptions can be made to all rules. Its not impossible that 2/3 props are down injured after the 1st game. I'm sure they would happlier see an extra prop flown out to ensure the match goes ahead without uncontested scrums etc

We could for sure but players can pull up in the warm up etc

[wixfjord]

I'm slightly surprised that Healy starts again this week given we'll definitely need him in SA.
Presuming Dooley is injured, I'd much prefer to have Healy start against the Cheetahs than Byrne.
This is a completely new experience for a lot of our players, the more international nous we can get into our pack the better.

I'd be going for guys like Ferg, Jordi and DK too if they're available.

[mildlyinterested]

I'm slightly surprised that Healy starts again this week given we'll definitely need him in SA.
Presuming Dooley is injured, I'd much prefer to have Healy start against the Cheetahs than Byrne.
This is a completely new experience for a lot of our players, the more international nous we can get into our pack the better.

I'd be going for guys like Ferg, Jordi and DK too if they're available.

Dooley is injured and out for awhile.

[the spoofer]

I'm slightly surprised that Healy starts again this week given we'll definitely need him in SA.
Presuming Dooley is injured, I'd much prefer to have Healy start against the Cheetahs than Byrne.
This is a completely new experience for a lot of our players, the more international nous we can get into our pack the better.

I'd be going for guys like Ferg, Jordi and DK too if they're available.

Dooley is injured and out for awhile.

Any word on how long?

[mildlyinterested]

I'm slightly surprised that Healy starts again this week given we'll definitely need him in SA.
Presuming Dooley is injured, I'd much prefer to have Healy start against the Cheetahs than Byrne.
This is a completely new experience for a lot of our players, the more international nous we can get into our pack the better.

I'd be going for guys like Ferg, Jordi and DK too if they're available.

Dooley is injured and out for awhile.

Any word on how long?

Not as far as I'm aware.

[limecat]

[curates_egg]

Match Preview

Leinster got their season off to the best possible start last week with a bonus point win away to the Dragons. It was a bit of a slow start from Leinster but while the Dragons dominated possession early on, they lacked the cutting edge to do much with it. In the second half Leinster's pack took over and from there it was a relatively straightforward win.

Read more...

I'd nearly forgotten about the corresponding game last season.. the 3 long range tries from Cardiff and the narrow win. IIRC that was towards the end of the season and we never fully got rid of the "laxness" for the remaining games.

Weren't their 3 tries all turnover tries? IIRC they capitalised on our mistakes but didn't create any try scoring chances of their own per se.

All turnovers, all targeting the right wing IIRC. One of the games that exposed the defensive weakness of Byrne (14) and Carbery (15).
It will be interesting to see if (a) they target Byrne again, and (b) if his defence has improved. He could be a really exciting player for us if he has.

[wixfjord]

Can we just forget that first half hour there please lads.

Ridiculous stuff.

Ross Byrne having an absolute mare, not helped by the men inside or outside him.

Isa needs to stop kicking too.

Conan standing up well.

[wixfjord]

Could we get Ross Byrne the shepards crook please. Jaysus he's chronic.

[RoboProp]

Wow. That was sweet

[FLIP]

Wow. That was sweet

You'd be a fool to face Jack Conan in an open field

[RoboProp]

Wow. That was sweet

You'd be a fool to face Jack Conan in an open field

He's a flipping thoroughbred

[wixfjord]

Sort of happy Byrne stayed on in the end, he turned it around a bit. For 60 minutes he was dogshit though, won't get away with that against better sides.
Adam Byrne was poor too.

Conan is a pure beast. Has to be out starting #8 now.

Fardy's turnover for Cronin's try was textbook. He'll be a huge benefit in that area this year.

McGrath started very slow but came into it well. That triple tackle was heroic.

Someone asked last week whether Barry Daly would 'make the grade'. I think he has answered that.

Larmour looked electric going forward.

Lineout is still a big issue. Forwards need to get better for SA.

[blockhead]

1st half was appalling.
2nd started off not so good.
But the last 15 mins was very entertaing.
Has to be said, we are not quite there yet are we, but we still got 10pts in the bag.
Byrne x 2, lots of work to do.
Best bit was the pack thrilled when JVDF won a peno at the death, = no try's conceded.
We conceded 47 in 22 league games last season, so something to work on.
SA is gonna be tough.

[blockhead]

Leinster Rugby‏ @leinsterrugby
LC: "Rob looks more unlikely than likely for South Africa." #LEIvCBL
LC: "Dan rolled his ankle. He looks ok. Rob hurt his hamstring. We'll wait and see." #LEIvCBL

[COYBIB]

This must be our best start of a season in the professional era, can't remember us ever hitting the ground running in the league before, let alone two bonus point wins.

It's encouraging, the core of the side are recent and current academy players and they're delivering. That's the big difference with Leinster versus other provinces, we have seen many times we can trust the academy to produce the players, but there's still a lot to work on obviously.

But overall I think it's been very encouraging, it's good to be getting the results whilst still working out some rustiness and kinks in our systems. Excited to see how these lads get on this season with that bit more depth and experience, and Lancaster et al in for the whole preseason. Exciting times.

[Ruckedtobits]

On 65 mins, remark was made that it would be hard to find 10 mins highlights for the Pro14 package. Them 'Nugget' hits the afterburners from 45m, Barry Daly catches a kick-pass like Michael- Daragh McC and Conan, Porter, Conan, JVDF and Nick McCarthy pass like professional jugglers, to rescue the bonus point.

The highlights pack will be stuffed with those gems and not the awful kicking, passing and decision making of both half-backs for 60 mins. And yes, the package will contain the triple whammy of McGrath tackles on 66 mins. His commitment and fitness are never in doubt but he MUST improve the speed of his pass and the length of his kicks. McCarthy gave a pefect contrast with his exhibition in last 12 minutes.

Great result. Patchy performance.

[Donny B.]

Going up against Alex Cuthbert will be a huge test for Larmour.

according to jonny watterson in the times, Larmour is playing at 13 tonight - assume it's bad journalism rather than a late change.

With Watterson it's always bad journalism. It's rare he ever gets through any rugby related article without a glaring error. Soon as I read that Larmour was now an outside centre, I knew it was Watterson, the worst, laziest hack on the "paper of record". Just amazed the IT don't get a sub editor to review his work before printing, but their sports editor basically doesn't give a sh!t.

[suisse]

Wasn't Jonny knicking your previews years back?

As an aside, what's up with OTB's lovefest with Gav? He is one of the boys? They never seem to call him out when he makes predictions or guesses that are almost always wrong.

[arsebiscuits1]

I thought McGraths kicking was excellent. He got some serious hang time on a few and they were properly contestable. He had a phenomenal clearance from the 22. And he had a brilliant one off his left foot to pin Cardiff back.

The triple tackle was class. Big hitter for a small fella.

VDF had 2 phenomenal steals there.

Healy carried well tonight. His footwork pre contact has improved a lot in recent years.