Leinster v Dragons Sat 15 Sep 5.15pm (EirSports/TG4)

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Zane has joined Bristol on loan.

[cormac]

Also, it's hard to imagine Birch rocking up here with a "don't care about this match" attitude. He has a weak squad, but he won't want to send a team to the RDS to just roll over.

It's exactly what he did last season

Not how I remember it. I remember them starting strongly (and being ahead) before us blowing them away.
I certainly don't think Jackman sent them out with instructions not to bother as they were going to lose anyway.
We picked a pretty strong team that day, and they initially made life difficult for us, despite having a squad in which I struggle to name any player other than Henson.

They sent a bunch of kids plus Gavin Henson over for the match. They did the same for their away game in Munster too.

[curates_egg]

They sent a bunch of kids plus Gavin Henson over for the match. They did the same for their away game in Munster too.

The reverse-Cheika then?

They gave us a fright for about 15 minutes - and Gav looked so dashing and promising.

[cormac]

Here's an article from before we played them last season.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.3309867

I'm pretty much of the opinion that he'd be a better PR man than a head-coach.

[COYBIB]

Here's an article from before we played them last season.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.3309867

I'm pretty much of the opinion that he'd be a better PR man than a head-coach.

Ah I wouldn't be so quick to write old BJ off just yet. By all accounts he seems to be a well rated coach. He's never had the luxury of coaching a big team, but he's done relatively well wherever he's gone, for extended periods at least. To be honest, I wouldn't mind seeing him in the Leinster backroom at some point in the future.

But God love them, having said all of that, I'll be surprised if we didn't put up a half century on them at the weekend.

[hugonaut]

Here's an article from before we played them last season.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.3309867

I'm pretty much of the opinion that he'd be a better PR man than a head-coach.

He has buckets of energy, is friendly almost to a fault, generous with his time and speaks quite well. There's certainly room in the professional game for him, but when you consider the performances and results of his teams over the last five years, it's clear that he isn't [yet] a first rate coach.

[mildlyinterested]

Rumoured that Hugh O'Sullivan is on the bench.

[Dave Cahill]

Rumoured that Hugh O'Sullivan is on the bench.

That would suggest that they are going to start Fardy and Lowe, unless McGrath has an injury?

[mildlyinterested]

Rumoured that Hugh O'Sullivan is on the bench.

That would suggest that they are going to start Fardy and Lowe, unless McGrath has an injury?

Fardy & JGP starting apparently..

[Dave Cahill]

Interesting!

[curates_egg]

The PJ haters aren't' gonna like dat. Is he IQ in time for the world cup? Not that I would want to lose another player.

[paddyor]

Moving to the front row?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Theresa May just out of shot?

[neiliog93]

Moving to the front row?

Bit harsh, he looks lean and muscular to me!

[curates_egg]

Moving to the front row?

Bit harsh, he looks lean and muscular to me!

Depends on what definition of lean you use. He definitely seems to have a lot of body mass, which would go against the S&C trend in Leinster over the past few years.
However, I wouldn't judge anything on a blurry screen-grab, apart from that he is vandalising someone's wheat crop.

Far beyond whatever body mass he is going for this season, hopefully he can get a season without injury, and hopefully all decision-making stakeholders enable him to play more than a handful of games for Leinster.

Why is the photo in this thread? There's not any chance of him playing this weekend, is there?

[TrapperChamonix]

Does anyone know whats in the ST Holder Pack? If its another scarf (I know there are other things) then I won't bother collecting.
I appreciate many people might want one, but I've loads of them in the wardrobe. Even my nephews won't take them off me any more (they have about 3 each that I've given them).

[Dave Cahill]

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):

15. Rob Kearney (197)
14. Jordan Larmour (23)
13. Garry Ringrose (50)
12. Robbie Henshaw (25)
11. Dave Kearney (123)
10. Johnny Sexton (148) CAPTAIN
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (53)
1. Ed Byrne (24)
2. Seán Cronin (154)
3. Andrew Porter (32)
4. Scott Fardy (23)
5. James Ryan (15)
6. Max Deegan (23)
7. Josh van der Flier (60)
8. Jack Conan (75)

16. Bryan Byrne (27)
17. Peter Dooley (49)
18. Tadhg Furlong (85)
19. Ross Molony (65)
20. Caelan Doris (2)
21. Hugh O’Sullivan (0)
22. Noel Reid (101)
23. Joe Tomane (2)

[Dave Cahill]

That is a seriously loaded team!

[mildlyinterested]

no need for dragons at home

[riocard911]

That is a seriously loaded team!

You can say that again. Clever mix of int'ls and young guns too.