NG Dragons Vs Leinster Rodney Pde Sat 1st Dec 17.15

[Peg Leg]

Well Dan Leavy was training today so that's a good sign I suppose

Some good news!
Not much 'general tightness' in evidence there.

That's him standing up straight

Lmfao

[LeinsterLeader]

Hmmm.....doesn't sound that 'rosy' about Dan after all. Not involved this weekend anyway

https://www.the42.ie/dan-leavy-neck-str ... 4-Nov2018/

[mildlyinterested]

been one thing after another this season with him, hopefully he can get right and stay healthy for prolonged period soon.

[neill_m]

Dragons v Leinster – KO 17.15
Rodney Parade, Newport
Referee: Lloyd Linton (SRU)
AR1: Sam Grove-White (SRU) AR2: Dewi Phillips (WRU)
TMO: Tim Hayes (WRU)

[bails]

Injuries piling up, just at the wrong time of the season.

Hard to predict this weeks team, without knowing who is likely to be fit or minded for the following weekend in Bath.

McGrath, Cronin, Porter
Dev, Fardy
Ruddock, Doris, VDF
JGP Ross Byrne
Barry Daly, Reid, COB, Adam Byrne
Rob K

Replacements Dooley, Tracy, Bent, Mick K, Josh Murphy, HOS, Frawley, Jimmy O'Brien

My presumptions are based on Healy, Tadgh, James Ryan, JS, Ringer, JLo all being saved for the following week

[wixfjord]

Jaysus I wouldn't be risking guys like Cronin, Dev, Ruddock, VDF or Rob for a trip to Dragons personally.

[bails]

Then you end up in a situation where Tadgh, Nugget, Dev, James Ryan, JS, and Rob havent played in c3 weeks - which is a gamble going to Bath.

With the injuries it makes this weekends selection difficult

[desperado]

Jaysus I wouldn't be risking guys like Cronin, Dev, Ruddock, VDF or Rob for a trip to Dragons personally.

That would be my take; I think we'll see a team similar to the first round Cardiff away. Wouldn't be surprised if we didn't use any of our first front five, and maybe even backrow. Wouldn't risk Rob, with Larmour's 'minor' op.
Byrne, Byrne, Porter,
Molony, Fardy?
Murphy, Deegan, Penny.
backline same as Bails but HK at FB. Replacements the same; with Ruddock instead of Josh M.
Regardless of how bad Ospreys were; the 23 last week performed well. I don't think there's any harm in resting the frontliners for another week. Go after the Bath pack, eat them alive without salt.

[curates_egg]

Barry Daly is still doing running drills on the side of the training pitch. Hard to see him involved before Christmas.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

If we're going to be very short of players could we pretend that someone died and have it postponed?

[Jonny tight lips]

If we're going to be very short of players could we pretend that someone died and have it postponed?

Can we not just get a medical joker then extend his contract until the end of the season, sign a load of South Africans and finally steal a load of another provinces players.

[Oldschool]

If we're going to be very short of players could we pretend that someone died and have it postponed?

Can we not just get a medical joker then extend his contract until the end of the season, sign a load of South Africans and finally steal a load of another provinces players.

Two problems with that.
All the available South Africans have been signed up by one of the other provinces.
You can't transfer players between provinces mid contract.

[Jonny tight lips]

You can't transfer players between provinces mid contract.[/quote]

Not even if you already have 4 outlalves already?

[Oldschool]

You can't transfer players between provinces mid contract.

Not even if you already have 4 outlalves already?[/quote]
Oops forgot to add the default rider "unless...".

[curates_egg]

You can't transfer players between provinces mid contract.

Not even if you already have 4 outlalves already?

Oops forgot to add the default rider "unless...".[/quote]

Or five scrum halves!

[Leinsterlunatic]

If we're going to be very short of players could we pretend that someone died and have it postponed?

Can we not just get a medical joker then extend his contract until the end of the season, sign a load of South Africans and finally steal a load of another provinces players.

Two problems with that.
All the available South Africans have been signed up by one of the other provinces.
You can't transfer players between provinces mid contract.

Nagle?

[curates_egg]

Nagle?

I think you forgot to turn on your irony detector this morning.

[molloyjh]

Then you end up in a situation where Tadgh, Nugget, Dev, James Ryan, JS, and Rob havent played in c3 weeks - which is a gamble going to Bath.

With the injuries it makes this weekends selection difficult

Yeah, it's bad enough it'll have been 6-7 weeks since some of them they last played for Leinster. Having them go 3 weeks between games going into a massive fixture is a big risk. We need to try and use the Dragons game to build what little bit of continuity we can. Cronin for example has played all of 74 mins of rugby since the Toulouse game. Broadly speaking, anyone who started vs USA should get a rest. And then maybe Sexton as well. I'd be going for something like:

McGrath Cronin Bent
Molony Ryan
Murphy Doris Penny

JGP Byrne
Reid COS
Lowe Rob Byrne

Tracy, Dooley, Furlong, Kearney, Deegan, HOS, Frawley, Keenan

[mildlyinterested]

so which combo: JGP/Fardy, Fardy/Lowe or JGP/Lowe?

[curates_egg]

so which combo: JGP/Fardy, Fardy/Lowe or JGP/Lowe?

JGP has to play, as he will be in the squad next week.
I guess then it is whichever player loses out next week, so probably Fardy?