Sat 7th October 2pm Leinster v Munster (Aviva Stadium)

[curates_egg]

My team for Saturday:

11. Adam Byrne
12. Robbie Henshaw
13. Rory O'Loughlin
14. Barry Daly
15 Joey Carberry

Pacy but a bit green, no?
Barry Daly - fastest rugby player in Ireland: https://www.sportsjoe.ie/rugby/isa-nace ... ose-138677
Ferg will be raring to put in some borderline tackles I'm sure.

Less green than ROL starting on the wing last year.

We live in the land of 40 shades...

[wixfjord]

15. Joey Carbery (26)
14. Adam Byrne (27)
13. Rory O’Loughlin (26)
12. Robbie Henshaw (13)
11. Barry Daly (13)
10. Johnny Sexton (137) CAPTAIN
9. Luke McGrath (78)
1. Jack McGrath (114)
2. James Tracy (46)
3. Tadhg Furlong (68)
4. Devin Toner (201)
5. Scott Fardy (3)
6. Rhys Ruddock (135)
7. Josh van der Flier (50)
8. Jack Conan (55)

16. Seán Cronin (133)
17. Cian Healy (176)
18. Michael Bent (91)
19. Ross Molony (48)
20. Jordi Murphy (89)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (32)
22. Ross Byrne (28)
23. Fergus McFadden (153)

No SOB the surprise.

[wixfjord]

Munster: JJ Hanrahan; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Tyler Bleyendaal, Keith Earls; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Robin Copeland, Billy Holland; Peter O’Mahony, Tommy O’Donnell, CJ Stander.

Replacements: Rhys Marshall, Liam O’Connor, Stephen Archer, Mark Flanagan, Jack O’Donoghue, Duncan Williams, Rory Scannell, Alex Wootton

Well now...

Sexton/Henshaw might fancy that 10/12 combo.

Would be worried about our back three positionally, particularly given they’ve Bleyendaal, Hanrahan and Keatley in their backline.

Munster obviously expecting a lot of kicking. I wonder will we try to control the ball.

Ruddock in at 6 will help our lineout imo, but he needs to up his performance from last few weeks.

[arsebiscuits1]

Wonder what's wrong with SOB now?

I wouldn't mind seeing us go hell for leather at their scrum. Very small second row pairing to give their front row sufficient support.

Hooker seems to be a case of who is the least yippy. Munster would be mad if they didn't target it hard.

[LeinsterLeader]

Munster: JJ Hanrahan; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Tyler Bleyendaal, Keith Earls; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Robin Copeland, Billy Holland; Peter O’Mahony, Tommy O’Donnell, CJ Stander.

Replacements: Rhys Marshall, Liam O’Connor, Stephen Archer, Mark Flanagan, Jack O’Donoghue, Duncan Williams, Rory Scannell, Alex Wootton

Well now...

Sexton/Henshaw might fancy that 10/12 combo.

Would be worried about our back three positionally, particularly given they’ve Bleyendaal, Hanrahan and Keatley in their backline.

Munster obviously expecting a lot of kicking. I wonder will we try to control the ball.

Ruddock in at 6 will help our lineout imo, but he needs to up his performance from last few weeks.

Sorry Wixfjord, hows that Munster backline breaking down? Is the JJ Han at Full-back?

[outcast eddie]

15. Joey Carbery (26)
14. Adam Byrne (27)
13. Rory O’Loughlin (26)
12. Robbie Henshaw (13)
11. Barry Daly (13)
10. Johnny Sexton (137) CAPTAIN
9. Luke McGrath (78)
1. Jack McGrath (114)
2. James Tracy (46)
3. Tadhg Furlong (68)
4. Devin Toner (201)
5. Scott Fardy (3)
6. Rhys Ruddock (135)
7. Josh van der Flier (50)
8. Jack Conan (55)

16. Seán Cronin (133)
17. Cian Healy (176)
18. Michael Bent (91)
19. Ross Molony (48)
20. Jordi Murphy (89)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (32)
22. Ross Byrne (28)
23. Fergus McFadden (153)

No SOB the surprise.

He's used all his Schminutes in Blue for this season already.

[wixfjord]

There’s a good bit of impact in our bench to come in should the game get broken up later. I think it will too given the makeup of both sides. Could be interesting.
We'll likely see Ferg at 12 at some stage. Can't see Henshaw lasting 80.

[arsebiscuits1]

There’s a good bit of impact in our bench to come in should the game get broken up later. I think it will too given the makeup of both sides. Could be interesting.
We'll likely see Ferg at 12 at some stage. Can't see Henshaw lasting 80.

Went the full 80 last year and he had just come back from a 4 month layoff with his knee.

[riocard911]

Reckon SO'B is being held in reserve so he doesn't pick up any knocks and be certain to play against Montpellier.

[limecat]

Match Preview

Didn't I say it was going to be a sh!t-show!

As predicted, last week's game against Edinburgh was a manky, error-strewn display of rugby dross. The rustiness could be forgiven with the "top, top" international players (the ones that wore the red jerseys on that imperialist relic of a tour last summer) returning but once again it was an awful team display with the missed tackle count in the twenties for the third game running. What was less forgivable was the daft decision-making which saw Leinster refuse to take easy points from kicking a penalty even once in a tight game.

Read more...

[Leinster Lout]

Hanrahan looked very good last week but can;t imagine he'll be too comfortable at 15. Not sure about Bleyendaal at 12 either; happy that Scannell isn't starting.

[wixfjord]

Must say I’m excited to see JVDF tomorrow. Looks in incredible condition. His pace off the mark is immense so hopefully he, Sexton/Henshaw can get into Keatley/TB’s faces a lot and we can squeeze them a bit inside because I’d worry about our 11/13/14 defending wide.

[outcast eddie]

Match Preview

Didn't I say it was going to be a sh!t-show!

As predicted, last week's game against Edinburgh was a manky, error-strewn display of rugby dross. The rustiness could be forgiven with the "top, top" international players (the ones that wore the red jerseys on that imperialist relic of a tour last summer) returning but once again it was an awful team display with the missed tackle count in the twenties for the third game running. What was less forgivable was the daft decision-making which saw Leinster refuse to take easy points from kicking a penalty even once in a tight game.

Read more...

That's the most pessimistic preview I've read for some time, pessimistic but accurate.

[riocard911]

Match Preview

Didn't I say it was going to be a sh!t-show!

As predicted, last week's game against Edinburgh was a manky, error-strewn display of rugby dross. The rustiness could be forgiven with the "top, top" international players (the ones that wore the red jerseys on that imperialist relic of a tour last summer) returning but once again it was an awful team display with the missed tackle count in the twenties for the third game running. What was less forgivable was the daft decision-making which saw Leinster refuse to take easy points from kicking a penalty even once in a tight game.

Read more...

That's the most pessimistic preview I've read for some time, pessimistic but accurate.

+1 Hit the nail(s) on the head there, LC.

[Peg Leg]

Great preview Jim.

[Peg Leg]

SOB calf strain

[olaf the fat]

SOB calf strain

Well, he is a farmer

[simonokeeffe]

Hanrahan looked very good last week but can;t imagine he'll be too comfortable at 15. Not sure about Bleyendaal at 12 either; happy that Scannell isn't starting.

Irony is half the reason he left was because he was only playing 15

Conan running at an axis of Keatley and TB is the stuff dreams are made of. Add on Henshaw, Byrne, and Im going to stop now before I cover myself in drool

Munster are right to target our lineout but they need a plan B too to win the game

[Flash Gordon]

I'd imagine a lot of Season Ticket holders added this game as their "Free" ticket option. That could mean as many as 10,000 of those 45,000 tickets are not additional revenue.

I don't think that could happen. It would require over 80% of STHs to take their free ticket(s) for this game and I doubt if even 75% of STHs will claim their free ticket at all - rebate offer campaigns (which this offer is basically) generally have a redemption rate of just over 20%.

I very much doubt it could happen. I tried to take up my extra ticket option for this game as I sit in the Grandstand and couldn't get the seat beside me. I asked the branch I was happy to move from my assigned seat to another beside me in the East Stand lower. They told me I couldn't do that East Stand Lower tickets had been assigned to season ticket holders. That was a lie as when I asked the question it was possible for me to buy tickets on Ticketmaster as a non-season ticket holder. Taking a game away from your package and then lying to you, great way to treat your fans!

[Leoslovechild]

I'd imagine a lot of Season Ticket holders added this game as their "Free" ticket option. That could mean as many as 10,000 of those 45,000 tickets are not additional revenue.

I don't think that could happen. It would require over 80% of STHs to take their free ticket(s) for this game and I doubt if even 75% of STHs will claim their free ticket at all - rebate offer campaigns (which this offer is basically) generally have a redemption rate of just over 20%.

I very much doubt it could happen. I tried to take up my extra ticket option for this game as I sit in the Grandstand and couldn't get the seat beside me. I asked the branch I was happy to move from my assigned seat to another beside me in the East Stand lower. They told me I couldn't do that East Stand Lower tickets had been assigned to season ticket holders. That was a lie as when I asked the question it was possible for me to buy tickets on Ticketmaster as a non-season ticket holder. Taking a game away from your package and then lying to you, great way to treat your fans!

Had the exact same problem for this game.Seat beside me available on ticketmaster but not available using your extra ticket code