Leinster v Llanelli European semi

[olaf the fat]

Tried to ignore the build up all week - Too much now!

This is a game we would have had little worries about before - up until last years pro 12 semi final.
Scarlets are playing a really good brand of rugby - making for a classic game of rugby.
Not feeling as confident without Luke. At least that puts paid to the worries about J-LO getting caught out in defense ( on the other hand it starts the worries of blunting our attack without J-LO)

[arsebiscuits1]

Sexton captains but Isa starts 11. BIzarre

https://twitter.com/leinsterrugby/statu ... 9780578304

French referee and Sexton speaks French is probably part of the reason.

Poite speaks fluent English though and has referees all the internationals with English speaking teams.

I can't imagine communication with the ref was a factor.

And even if it was, I wouldn't have Sexton for that

[LeRouxIsPHat]

That really is an incredible recovery by Henshaw. No guarantee he plays well put to put himself in this position already is astonishing.

I'm aware of the options we have at 8 but think I'd have put Deegan on the bench instead of Molony, he's unlucky to miss out IMO.

I'm concerned about Isa on the wing (and given that he's not captain, are the coaches concerned too?) but like I said yesterday, if everyone else does their job then he'll be fine.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Sexton captains but Isa starts 11. BIzarre

https://twitter.com/leinsterrugby/statu ... 9780578304

French referee and Sexton speaks French is probably part of the reason.

Poite speaks fluent English though and has referees all the internationals with English speaking teams.

I can't imagine communication with the ref was a factor.

And even if it was, I wouldn't have Sexton for that

Hopefully Poite speaks Welsh, they struggled with English recently

[OTT]

If it was ever in doubt which I don't think it was, I think Sexton as captain shows we are gonna play a high tempo game where there won't be time for ISA to come in and make decisions. It also allows Sexton to be legitimately vocal about things he deems illegal and Poite can't just fob him off (though he probably will).

[CFarrelly9]

Scarlets have gone with Jones at 10, Patchell 15 and Halfpenny on the wing.

Can only see this as a positive. Shifting a few out of their most complete positions. Patchell running FB lines from FH something that worried me.
Also expect RK to win some battles and put pressure on Patchell, Halfpenny would have been v solid.

[TrapperChamonix]

Isa's best position at this stage is definitely 12, he's been outstanding. But we have one of the best test-level centre partnerships around and Isa can still do a job on the wing, even though he's nearly 36 (while I agree he has lost a bit of zip, he still seemed quite quick in that break vs Saracens). And we can't pick James Lowe. All of this to me makes Isa going to the wing seem the right call.

Making a break past a 48 year old Wigglesworth is not an endorsement of speed

[curates_egg]

Scarlets team to face Leinster in the European Rugby Champions Cup semi final at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, kick-off 15:30;

15 Rhys Patchell, 14 Leigh Halfpenny, 13 Scott Williams, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Dan Jones, 9 Gareth Davies, 1 Rob Evans, 2 Ken Owens ©, 3 Samson Lee, 4 Tadhg Beirne, 5 David Bulbring, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 James Davies, 8 John Barclay

Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Dylan Evans, 18 Werner Kruger, 19 Lewis Rawlins, 20 Steve Cummins, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Steff Hughes, 23 Will Boyde

Confirmed: Jones at 10, Patchell at 15, Halfpenny on the wing.

[neill_m]

6-2 split on the bench again for the Scarlets, bold call. James Davies had to move to wing in the 1st half v La Rochelle.

[desperado]

Molony does not deserve to be there on current form.
However, they started Molony last year against Scarlets, I wonder do they see something in him for their particular challenge?

I would be using Deegan too, but I presume this means they want Fardy at 6 for the full 80.

Still, good energy and carrying to come from that bench.

Like all so far; I can't see how Molony makes the 23. He was fairly clueless, sad to say v Benetton. Only reason can be as second row cover instead of having both Deegan and Conan (who are really specialist 8's); but you'd (more than) imagine if either Dev or Ryan get injured early its Fardy to the second row, and Conan on; switch Jordi. So unless both Dev and Ryan have to go off early can't see any reason to use him. He's not impact.

[arsebiscuits1]

6-2 split on the bench again for the Scarlets, bold call. James Davies had to move to wing in the 1st half v La Rochelle.

And to be fair he did a stellar job.

A good Scarlets side mixed with names I just don't know.

I'd say they're hit with injury worse than we are

[curates_egg]

6-2 split on the bench again for the Scarlets, bold call. James Davies had to move to wing in the 1st half v La Rochelle.

And to be fair he did a stellar job.

A good Scarlets side mixed with names I just don't know.

I'd say they're hit with injury worse than we are

Who in their XV don't you know? It's a good side full stop.

[desperado]

We can unsettle Dan Jones I think; IMO Patchell in his best position. Similar to my opinion on Carberry (along with Drico ) , he can do most damage with plenty of open country in front of him. How much wing has 1/2P played ?

[wixfjord]

I hope we really put these guys through the hurt locker tomorrow. An aggressive, controlled performance like against Exeter away would be welcome.

For all Beirne’s athleticism, I think we might have an edge in the second row in terms of nuts and bolts of the game, scrum, maul and lineout. Bublring is just a big Saffer lump.

Likewise our bench is far stronger.

[arsebiscuits1]

Who in their XV don't you know? It's a good side full stop.

At no point did I say it wasn't?

[curates_egg]

Who in their XV don't you know? It's a good side full stop.

At no point did I say it wasn't?

I know but I am still curious who you don't know. Apart from Bulbring and Jones they are all relatively well known. Beirne the only one outside those two not capped, if I am not mistaken.

[JB1973]

Please please please beat them!

In all honesty they are a v good side, well coached playing with confidence and they will bring a large and loud travelling support.

I think you will have enough up front and with the home advantage to get the nod but you really need a big game from sexton who was pretty awful in the pro 14 semi last year.

Having henshaw back is huge and he needs to run into and hopefully all over dan jones at 10. Plus I'd like to see you target patchell with some high balls (he dropped one at twickers this year in the lead up to England's first try)

You also need to hope poite has more bottle than the ref in the la Rochelle game who could have sin binned beirne 3 times in 5 minutes for offences on the scarlets line (guess fans getting on officials backs is 's one of the home advantages) and who failed to prevent the likes of Barclay , james davies etc coming in from the side at every breakdown they were involved in

Anyhow good luck I'll be cheering you guys on tomorrow and hopefully you can get the job done

[riocard911]

For us to win, Jamison Gibson-Park has to bring his A game. His opposite number, Gareth Davies, is Dangerman personified and needs to be kept in a box, as opposed to being allowed to spring unpleasant surprises on us, like he did last May in the RDS, and a week later on Munster in Lansdowne Road!!!!

[curates_egg]

Just finished a re-watch of last year's match.
Our team was weaker. Starting second row was Molony-Triggs (Toner on the bench). Byrne had a nightmare on the wing. Joey at sea at defence at 15. Sexton's worst ever game for Leinster.
One of their tries was definitely not a try. And the Luke McGrath break should have been finished.
..but still...
Nervous.

[Cianostays]

Their threat is obviously at the breakdown so our rucking game has to be spot on. I think Dev will shine here in particular. Smash anything in Red and, if we can avoid getting isolated, we can hurt them up front. Last year they murdered us off turnover ball but, as compitent as it is, their back 3 has a duller edge than last year. Tough game but I'm confident we'll win by 10ish pts.

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