September 2017 Doubleheader in South Africa

[LeRouxIsPHat]

The more I see ROL the more I think he's a winger. His defence can be very ropey at 13 (although can also make great reads and be very physical) and his hands aren't great. Our need is probably greater at 13 though. Thought he looked great at 13 when he first started playing there last season but his flaws are more obvious now. His speed off the mark and quick feet in traffic are great though, he gets out of trouble when he has no right to, pretty valuable asset for a centre.

Not too enthusiastic about that selection, would have been okay with it against the Kings but not tomorrow. I suppose that's only because of two or three calls but they might have a big impact.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Strange adding Doris.

I wouldn't have thought so. We couldn't really fly SOB out just to cover and I'm not sure if Jamie is fit yet. Doris played in pre season and whoever was called out was only going to be used in an emergency anyway.

I didn't think we were allowed fly in any replacements though. I presumed we got special dispensation for McCarthy because of the visa fiasco but not sure about this.

[blockhead]

Toyota Cheetahs vs Leinster
22 September 2017. Kick-off: 20:00
Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein

15 Sergeal Petersen
14 Rosco Specman
13 Francois Venter (Captain)
12 William Small-Smith
11 Makazole Mapimpi
10 Ernst Stapelberg
9 Tian Meyer

1 Charles Marais
2 Torsten van Jaarsveld
3 Tom Botha
4 Justin Basson
5 Reniel Hugo
6 Paul Schoeman
7 Henco Venter
8 Oupa Mohoje

16 Jacques du Toit
17 Ox Nche
18 Johan Coetzee
19 Rynier Bernardo
20 Junior Pokomela
21 Shaun Venter
22 Nico Lee
23 Luther Obi

Is that 7pm our time?

[R-Dog]

Yea 7pm Irish Time.

Tickets only a €5 for all game and you can bring your own cans too! Mick Dawson take note

http://www.fscheetahs.co.za/tickets.aspx?TID=1

[johng]

Yea 7pm Irish Time.

Tickets only a €5 for all game and you can bring your own cans too! Mick Dawson take note

http://www.fscheetahs.co.za/tickets.aspx?TID=1

"No liquor may be brought into the venue premises and all persons entering the stadium will be subject to a search."

Sounds harder to get cans into than the rds

[molloyjh]

Yea 7pm Irish Time.

Tickets only a €5 for all game and you can bring your own cans too! Mick Dawson take note

http://www.fscheetahs.co.za/tickets.aspx?TID=1

"No liquor may be brought into the venue premises and all persons entering the stadium will be subject to a search."

Sounds harder to get cans into than the rds

Sure you could probably walk into the RDS with a coat made out of cans. Never been an issue on the terrace anyway.

[wixfjord]

That pack should have more than enough to get us on top. Interesting to see Rhys benching for 2nd row.

I'd be slightly worried about JGP starting, would prefer a more structured 9 for this type of game. The only way we can lose this imo it by playing into their hands with loose play and bad kicking.

Reid at 13 will be interesting, don't remember him ever playing there before. He certainly can cut a line.

Good to see B Daly getting a start, he's a good player.

[wixfjord]

Anyone slightly worried about J Ryan's injuries?

[curates_egg]

Anyone slightly worried about J Ryan's injuries?

Yes. As I posted in the Beirne thread: we have three second rows with worrying injury profiles.

That, and the continued chopping and changing in the backline, are the worrying things for me from our opening games.
Hard to understand why Reid is playing 13 and both Larmour and Byrne are axed from the squad. I've been pretty critical of Byrne's defence, and he hasn't looked as sharp going forward this season, but he and Larmour are the two wings we have that can really do damage against dodgy defences.

All that said, and contradicting myself in the same post, there is something exciting about an Isa-Reid combo. I think they could work very well together.

[wixfjord]

Anyone slightly worried about J Ryan's injuries?

Yes. As I posted in the Beirne thread: we have three second rows with worrying injury profiles.

That, and the continued chopping and changing in the backline, are the worrying things for me from our opening games.
Hard to understand why Reid is playing 13 and both Larmour and Byrne are axed from the squad. I've been pretty critical of Byrne's defence, and he hasn't looked as sharp going forward this season, but he and Larmour are the two wings we have that can really do damage against dodgy defences.

All that said, and contradicting myself in the same post, there is something exciting about an Isa-Reid combo. I think they could work very well together.

Reid at 13 is presumably an amalgamation of them wanting to get him more gametime, and more importantly not flogging ROL, as he has played every minute so far.

[Ruckedtobits]

The more I see ROL the more I think he's a winger. His defence can be very ropey at 13 (although can also make great reads and be very physical) and his hands aren't great. Our need is probably greater at 13 though. Thought he looked great at 13 when he first started playing there last season but his flaws are more obvious now. His speed off the mark and quick feet in traffic are great though, he gets out of trouble when he has no right to, pretty valuable asset for a centre.

Not too enthusiastic about that selection, would have been okay with it against the Kings but not tomorrow. I suppose that's only because of two or three calls but they might have a big impact.

RO'L's defence from 13 says much more about who is playing 12. Last season he was excellent in defence at 13, because the inside line was more secure at both 10 and 12. Ross Byrne and Noel Reid do not inspire confidence in that channel and neither agressively move up like Henshaw and Sexton. I'd have no problems with a Sexton, Henshaw RO'L midfield if needed against MontP or Glasgow.

Would not like to see Byrne, Isa and Henshaw in the equivalent positions as no one of those three controls the midfield defensive line

[simonokeeffe]

Think we need a bigger sample size of playing at this level to upgrade Ryan and injuries from a concern to a worry

If Cheetahs have any sense they will really target our lineout especially if Ruddock comes on at lock

[curates_egg]

Think we need a bigger sample size of playing at this level to upgrade Ryan and injuries from a concern to a worry

If Cheetahs have any sense they will really target our lineout especially if Ruddock comes on at lock

Jordi and VDF are both decent options that might make it tough to know where to target. You'd have to image Conan will come off after 55 minutes, given how much he has played this season, so we will still have at least one of the other two on.

Concern, worry, souci...Ryan has only begun his first season for us and is already injured again. It is certainly bad luck; hopefully, that's all it is.

[wixfjord]

The more I see ROL the more I think he's a winger. His defence can be very ropey at 13 (although can also make great reads and be very physical) and his hands aren't great. Our need is probably greater at 13 though. Thought he looked great at 13 when he first started playing there last season but his flaws are more obvious now. His speed off the mark and quick feet in traffic are great though, he gets out of trouble when he has no right to, pretty valuable asset for a centre.

Not too enthusiastic about that selection, would have been okay with it against the Kings but not tomorrow. I suppose that's only because of two or three calls but they might have a big impact.

RO'L's defence from 13 says much more about who is playing 12. Last season he was excellent in defence at 13, because the inside line was more secure at both 10 and 12. Ross Byrne and Noel Reid do not inspire confidence in that channel and neither agressively move up like Henshaw and Sexton. I'd have no problems with a Sexton, Henshaw RO'L midfield if needed against MontP or Glasgow.

Would not like to see Byrne, Isa and Henshaw in the equivalent positions as no one of those three controls the midfield defensive line

Hmm not so sure about that, how many times did ROL play 13 last year without Reid at 12 and either Carbery/Byrne inside?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

RO'L's defence from 13 says much more about who is playing 12. Last season he was excellent in defence at 13, because the inside line was more secure at both 10 and 12.

I don't think that's true. Like I said, I thought he started off well at 13 but as the season progressed his flaws in defence were shown up more and more, I commented on it a fair bit last season. One big thing is that he falls off a lot of tackles. He gets in the right position but doesn't make the hit. His big hits and good reads (of which there have been plenty in fairness) tend to be when he's square on (whether rushing up or just reading where the runner is coming from), but when there's a decision to make and he has to move his feet he tends to not get power into the tackle side on.

I still think he's a fine 13 btw, just that the flaws he has make me think he'd be better on the wing. He's certainly shown enough that he could iron them out and be fine too but do think he needs to address them.

[OTT]

The more I see ROL the more I think he's a winger. His defence can be very ropey at 13 (although can also make great reads and be very physical) and his hands aren't great. Our need is probably greater at 13 though. Thought he looked great at 13 when he first started playing there last season but his flaws are more obvious now. His speed off the mark and quick feet in traffic are great though, he gets out of trouble when he has no right to, pretty valuable asset for a centre.

Not too enthusiastic about that selection, would have been okay with it against the Kings but not tomorrow. I suppose that's only because of two or three calls but they might have a big impact.

RO'L's defence from 13 says much more about who is playing 12. Last season he was excellent in defence at 13, because the inside line was more secure at both 10 and 12. Ross Byrne and Noel Reid do not inspire confidence in that channel and neither agressively move up like Henshaw and Sexton. I'd have no problems with a Sexton, Henshaw RO'L midfield if needed against MontP or Glasgow.

Would not like to see Byrne, Isa and Henshaw in the equivalent positions as no one of those three controls the midfield defensive line

Hmm not so sure about that, how many times did ROL play 13 last year without Reid at 12 and either Carbery/Byrne inside?

Was thinking exactly the same thing.

From looking up Leinster rugby site (bloody awful to search). He started at outside centre nine times. Of these games Noel Reid was IC seven times with Robbie Henshaw and Tom Daly starting one game each. Ross Byrne was at 10 in six of the games with Joey starting twice and Sexton once (not the same game as Henshaw).

[Dexter]

Isn't it now Noel "The Wall" Reid, after his comprehensive take-down of Nick Williams at full tilt?

[artaneboy]

That pack should have more than enough to get us on top. Interesting to see Rhys benching for 2nd row.

I'd be slightly worried about JGP starting, would prefer a more structured 9 for this type of game. The only way we can lose this imo it by playing into their hands with loose play and bad kicking.

Reid at 13 will be interesting, don't remember him ever playing there before. He certainly can cut a line.

Good to see B Daly getting a start, he's a good player.

I thought Reid played a few games at 13, before Ringrose became our BOD-successor. Not sure if he started, but recall he came on/ moved there in matches. So it's a couple of seasons ago really- and he's come on a good bit since. At that stage he seemed a bit light for the role, but had the skills. Thus could be interesting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Peg Leg]

Isn't it now Noel "The Wall" Reid, after his comprehensive take-down of Nick Williams at full tilt?

Yes, yes it is.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

This conversation has reminded me of how little Ferg has played over the last while.