Leinster v Toulouse

[FLIP]

Big shout out to Leo the Lion who kicked the cr@p out of a Toulouse fan in front of the North stand midway thru the first half.

You what?

[Barry]

watched Ruddock lead the team down by the south stand and into the dressing room - he looked like a man possessed and then played for 80 minutes like one.
Best 6 in Ireland.

[bluemagic]

Not a fan of complaining about refs, don’t want this to turn into that shower down south posting gifs on twitter for every wrong decision, but one thing happened I thought was odd today.

At around 53 min mark Toulouse are taking a box kick and DuPont rolls the ball out to the back of the ruck. It looks out so Fardy steps forward and Luke Pearce said “NO!”. Toulouse clear and Fardy says something to Pearse on the way back and Pearce replies “Don’t make my job harder than it already is”.

Then at 55:52 on the clock Pearce walks over and says to DuPont “Be careful rolling the ball back, they were right last time it was out. They could have gone for it”

Surely it’s not up to Pearse to decide to give Toulouse a chance with the ball being it? Strange one

[LeinsterLeader]

Apologies if its' been mentioned but Dev said in the Laighn out today that he would defo be available for selection next week. So that's him and Lowe available anyway.

While I'm at it quodos to Dave Cahill for his 20th OLSC Legends T shirt today. He got it spot on. Probably the best yet in my opinion

[RoboProp]

Apologies if its' been mentioned but Dev said in the Laighn out today that he would defo be available for selection next week. So that's him and Lowe available anyway.

While I'm at it quodos to Dave Cahill for his 20th OLSC Legends T shirt today. He got it spot on. Probably the best yet in my opinion

Who was it for? Ferg AKA Mr Leinster long due

[bluemagic]

Apologies if its' been mentioned but Dev said in the Laighn out today that he would defo be available for selection next week. So that's him and Lowe available anyway.

While I'm at it quodos to Dave Cahill for his 20th OLSC Legends T shirt today. He got it spot on. Probably the best yet in my opinion

Great to hear but it would be very harsh to drop either winger after their performances today.

[LeinsterLeader]

Apologies if its' been mentioned but Dev said in the Laighn out today that he would defo be available for selection next week. So that's him and Lowe available anyway.

While I'm at it quodos to Dave Cahill for his 20th OLSC Legends T shirt today. He got it spot on. Probably the best yet in my opinion

Who was it for? Ferg AKA Mr Leinster long due

No big Dev

[Oldschool]

Fabulous performance at a buzzing RDS, Toulouse came to play and shut down. Ruddock immense, VDF tackled his socks off, Healy and Furlong both super, Cronin fab and the lineout bang on. Ringrose and O'Loughlin both exceptional and Dave Kearney was far from average Dave as the Munster brigade call him. Great skill and work rate from him all game. Conan carried his socks off, Ryan his usual excellent self and Fardy too. Only downer was the injury to Luke, fingers crossed it isn't a season ender.

Best performance of the year against a serious Toulouse team.

5 Stars beckon and we will beat anyone on this form.

We really shouldn't need to even address this, otherwise we'd be nicknaming half the Munster squad "average".

+1

Dave Kearney redefined the meaning of 'Daverage' for his Munster 'Fans'

[Angelsea Angst]

A fantastic performance and a great testament to Leinster's academy system for developing new players.

[blockhead]

Very proud of the guys today. So many players missing yet we put a very good team to the sword. Dominated from start to finish.
Dave Kearney's try was brilliant! He had no margin for error and did everything perfectly. Ross Byrne did what Ross Byrne does, its an awesome weapon.
Those lads, Dave Kearney, Adam Byrne, Rory O'Loughlin, needed a day like today. Major roles in a big and vital win.
Special mention for Cronin, the most underated player in world rugby.

[ronk]

Hearing 6-8 weeks for McGrath, medial ligament strain.

Not the worst if that's true.

Would have him back in plenty of time for QF.

JGP is more than capable of doing the job until then, and we've an opportunity to give HOS a few runs too.

Hurts Lowe/Fardy until Nick McCarthy is back. Also means we can’t afford anything to happen to PJP

[Ruckedtobits]

On the basis that any team who produces a performance like that has to train at very high intensity, it's probably close to a miracle that we only lost "two starters" from injuries in training.

That was a performance of Test Match intensity. The tactical plan to keep possession through multiple phases, throughout the first-half, against the wind, was spot on. The game plan was executed perfectly in that regard. In the second-half, aside from continued excellence in retaining possession, the team's dogged determination to repulse the close-in drives and carries, in our left corner, was magnificent and when the penalty was finally awarded to us, it was Dave Kearney, in a perfect poaching position, who got the kudos from his team-mates.

This Leinster Squad has undoubtedly got more depth and greater discipline than any we have had in the professional era. To start a European Cup game without possibly 6 / 7 first choice players against high-quality opponents would be virtually impossible for any other Team in Europe. To emerge from the encounter with a bonus point victory is a superb acheivement for Squad and Coaches.

The Rules of the competition make it possible that despite our performances thus far, we may wind up with a home Q/F against the same opponents. I believe that this outcome should be outlawed in the competition Rules, which is a small and feasible amendment. Were it to happen, this Season, I have no fear of the outcome, but I do believe that it is an unfair (to both teams) consequence for two strong teams in the same Pool.

[Ruckedtobits]

A query discussed during the game today was whether Leinster would have been awarded a Penalty Try, if Dave Kearney, being tackled in the air as he caught the ball, had not scored?

Tackling a player in the air i.e. not competing to catch the ball, is a penalty offence and has a Card sanction - Yellow or Red. Surely logically, a penalty try should have rewarded in any event for N'tmack's illegal tackle.

[wixfjord]

Hearing 6-8 weeks for McGrath, medial ligament strain.

Not the worst if that's true.

Would have him back in plenty of time for QF.

JGP is more than capable of doing the job until then, and we've an opportunity to give HOS a few runs too.

Hurts Lowe/Fardy until Nick McCarthy is back. Also means we can’t afford anything to happen to PJP

Yes but if it is only 6 weeks - 2 months then after next week it's at least coming at a time we can afford that scenario. We're streets ahead in the league and it's likely JGP would be playing these games anyway.

[Theleinsterlad]

How good was Porter when he came on? 11 tackles in 20mins and a threat at every ruck. My friend was fuming that Plimber made all them changes together when he did(JGP aside), we should've waited to get the ball bak. The subs proved him wrong in the end, but it was touch n' go for a bit. You can bring on Porter whenever you like though. Granted their scrum was fairly dimished after we thoroughly kicked the cr@p out of them in the first 60 so it's harder to rate his impact there.

Big shout out to Leo the Lion who kicked the cr@p out of a Toulouse fan in front of the North stand midway thru the first half.

Porter put in one of the best sub performances I’ve seen. For the last 20 mins he was everywhere

[tingman]

Was in the stand right on the try line with a birds eye view of the 5 minute defensive stand
in the second half.

In this period Andrew Porter was a freeking animal.

[fourthirtythree]

A query discussed during the game today was whether Leinster would have been awarded a Penalty Try, if Dave Kearney, being tackled in the air as he caught the ball, had not scored?

Tackling a player in the air i.e. not competing to catch the ball, is a penalty offence and has a Card sanction - Yellow or Red. Surely logically, a penalty try should have rewarded in any event for N'tmack's illegal tackle.

It was a deliberate tackle in the air with no attempt at the ball too. I think the important issue for the ref may have been that he held onto Dave all the way to the ground and may have been adjudjed to have brought him to ground safely. I just watched the highlights and Alan Quinlan said "wasn't strong enough to force Kearney over the line". Honestly if he had it should have been a red card and a penalty try.

[Laighin Break]

Was in the stand right on the try line with a birds eye view of the 5 minute defensive stand
in the second half.

In this period Andrew Porter was a freeking animal.

It's mad that the undisputed best tighthead in the world must be looking over his shoulder now. We're in a good place

[Blueberry]

If that info re Luke is true that is really not too bad, will be back hopefully for the business end of the season. Looked bad out there today when he got injured so hopefully.... Great opportunity for HOS to get plenty of game time in the PRO 14 fixtures. We know what LPG can do so this becomes a great chance to push on a young scrum half.

And yes Porter was a beast when he came on..... Incredible Hulk stuff, it may not be too long before we can say we have the best two tight heads in world rugby at Leinster.......

[Blueberry]

watched Ruddock lead the team down by the south stand and into the dressing room - he looked like a man possessed and then played for 80 minutes like one.
Best 6 in Ireland.

+1 he was superb today, tireless and I would happily have him at 6 in Green. He is quality.