Champions Cup 2020

[leinsterblueyellow]

I came across this video which is a surprise french summer hit for Toulouse rappers Bigflo et Oli. It celebrates the Toulouse victory for the Bouclier de Brennus trophy (Top 14). Features access to the dressing room after the final and names all 15 players in the song. I think it is brilliant!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSiPwM31Y08

[neill_m]

On a related Toulouse matter, I see young Ntamack used the Bouclier de Brennus (trophy for winning T14) as a surf board!

[leinsterfan100]

Can anyone remember what date the exact fixture days and kick-off times were announced for the pool games last year? Was it August sometime?

[cormac]

Can anyone remember what date the exact fixture days and kick-off times were announced for the pool games last year? Was it August sometime?

Friday 17th August

[Laighin Break]

On a related Toulouse matter, I see young Ntamack used the Bouclier de Brennus (trophy for winning T14) as a surf board!

It was more of a skim board I would have thought.

[footrush]

Do any of the regular travellers here have any idea whether Benetton have played big games in their home stadium or whether they move games.

I'm wondering whether Treviso will be an away trip - or whether they'll move it (Milan?)

Milan! The other side of the country! I think they will most likely play this at the Stadio Monigo. (6700 Capacity).

That’s where we played them in 2004 in the H Cup fantastic ground, welcome and supporters !.

[wixfjord]

If they were to move it anywhere, it would presumably be Padua (rugby has been played there before), but I don't see it happening. They've hosted plenty of big Euro games in their own stadium.

[leinsterfan100]

Can anyone remember what date the exact fixture days and kick-off times were announced for the pool games last year? Was it August sometime?

Friday 17th August

Cheers!

[LeRouxIsPHat]

The more I think of it the more I reckon we should start this campaign with the bulk of the guys who'll start the league season with us. I could be wrong but I think the players in the World Cup training squad will purely be with Ireland until they're cut/come back from Japan. Our players didn't really get that much time off (I know they have regular breaks during the summer) so will have gone straight from playing tough knockout games to three months of intense prep for Japan, and then who knows how that goes. I assume we'll get to the QF which will be on the 19/20th of October, and a semi final would mean that we're there until the start of November.

No matter how the World Cup goes I'd prefer if they had a decent break at that stage, back those who are here to do the needful and then integrate the others back and have them rescue things in the four remaining games if necessary.

[cormac]

The more I think of it the more I reckon we should start this campaign with the bulk of the guys who'll start the league season with us. I could be wrong but I think the players in the World Cup training squad will purely be with Ireland until they're cut/come back from Japan. Our players didn't really get that much time off (I know they have regular breaks during the summer) so will have gone straight from playing tough knockout games to three months of intense prep for Japan, and then who knows how that goes. I assume we'll get to the QF which will be on the 19/20th of October, and a semi final would mean that we're there until the start of November.

No matter how the World Cup goes I'd prefer if they had a decent break at that stage, back those who are here to do the needful and then integrate the others back and have them rescue things in the four remaining games if necessary.

Those who don't make the 31-man RWC squad will be back with Leinster before the start of the Pro14 season.

[riocard911]

The more I think of it the more I reckon we should start this campaign with the bulk of the guys who'll start the league season with us. I could be wrong but I think the players in the World Cup training squad will purely be with Ireland until they're cut/come back from Japan. Our players didn't really get that much time off (I know they have regular breaks during the summer) so will have gone straight from playing tough knockout games to three months of intense prep for Japan, and then who knows how that goes. I assume we'll get to the QF which will be on the 19/20th of October, and a semi final would mean that we're there until the start of November.

No matter how the World Cup goes I'd prefer if they had a decent break at that stage, back those who are here to do the needful and then integrate the others back and have them rescue things in the four remaining games if necessary.

Gotta say I'm terrible excited about the forthcoming pre-season and first rounds of Pro 14 and ERCC. Leo for sure hasn't forgotten the annus horribilis which kicked off with the post-RWC crash land vs Wasps in the RDS and ended with defeat at the hand of Pat Lam's Westies in Edinburgh. I certainly had the impression, that as soon as we'd secured the home semi in the league, that the coaching staff were already preparing the young guns for 2019/2020. Depending how well things go in the Pro 14, as LRIF rightly speculates, the management could well be tempted to start one or other of our up and coming stars in Europe. Fingers crossed!!!!

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Sorry, not sure what your point is Cormac? I said that players will return when they're cut and was factoring those guys in as being players who'll start the league season.

There are some 50-50 calls that will obviously make a big difference (Rhys and Ross Byrne being the main ones) but honestly I'd be happy to pencil in Fardy and Molony as second rows and COB and ROL in the centre for those first two CC games if it meant that Dev, Ryan, Henshaw, and Ringrose got proper breaks.

[cormac]

Sorry, not sure what your point is Cormac? I said that players will return when they're cut and was factoring those guys in as being players who'll start the league season.

There are some 50-50 calls that will obviously make a big difference (Rhys and Ross Byrne being the main ones) but honestly I'd be happy to pencil in Fardy and Molony as second rows and COB and ROL in the centre for those first two CC games if it meant that Dev, Ryan, Henshaw, and Ringrose got proper breaks.

Sorry, I read as if you thought the cut players would need time off too.

[leinsterforever]

The more I think of it the more I reckon we should start this campaign with the bulk of the guys who'll start the league season with us. I could be wrong but I think the players in the World Cup training squad will purely be with Ireland until they're cut/come back from Japan. Our players didn't really get that much time off (I know they have regular breaks during the summer) so will have gone straight from playing tough knockout games to three months of intense prep for Japan, and then who knows how that goes. I assume we'll get to the QF which will be on the 19/20th of October, and a semi final would mean that we're there until the start of November.

No matter how the World Cup goes I'd prefer if they had a decent break at that stage, back those who are here to do the needful and then integrate the others back and have them rescue things in the four remaining games if necessary.

It'd be inetresting to see how that team would get on anyway.

1. Dooley, 2. Cronin, 3. Bent, 4. Molony, 5. Fardy, 6. Ruddock, 7. Connors, 8. Deegan, 9. Gibson-Park, 10. Byrne, 11. Lowe, 12. C. O'Brien, 13. O'Loughlin, 14. Daly, 15. Frawley; 16. Tracy, 17. Byrne, 18. Abdaladze, 19. Dunne, 20. Doris, 21. Patterson/O'Sullivan, 22. J. O'Brien, 23. D. Kearney/Adam Byrne

Cronin, Ruddock and Ross Byrne could all make the cut and not be around, obviously. There'll be injuries as well, so it's quite likely Ruddock will end up in Japan even if he doesn't make it initially. If the backrowers taken are POM, JvdF, Murphy, Stander and Conan, I'd say Ruddock would be the first to get the call if anyone went down.

If those guys are really performing well and the guys coming back from Japan are a bit fatigued and possibly jaded, I wouldn't mind seeing a bit of mix-and-match anyway - to reward form.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Dooley is someone I'd back to have a big season. He regressed a bit but he'll get more game time next season and I reckon he'll thrive on it. Big fan of Ed Byrne but there's obviously more time available with Jack going and I think Dooley will make the most of it and become second choice.

[riocard911]

Dooley is someone I'd back to have a big season. He regressed a bit but he'll get more game time next season and I reckon he'll thrive on it. Big fan of Ed Byrne but there's obviously more time available with Jack going and I think Dooley will make the most of it and become second choice.

+1

[leinsterforever]

Dooley is someone I'd back to have a big season. He regressed a bit but he'll get more game time next season and I reckon he'll thrive on it. Big fan of Ed Byrne but there's obviously more time available with Jack going and I think Dooley will make the most of it and become second choice.

My feeling would be that Dooley being a bit more of a heavyweight could make him a better option as a starter than Byrne.

The best thing might be to go for horses-for-courses selections initially - Dooley in the XXIII for away games against physical opposition (like Lyon, maybe), and Byrne in for home games when we really want to up the tempo in the last quarter (Northampton in the Aviva) - and then see who performs better and go from there.

[Ruckedtobits]

BTW, I think there's an (outside) chance that Dunne or, more likely Baird, may by-pass Molony. Dunne had a stellar first season and is owed one by the Club (and Stan Wright). Although only given a passing chance last Season, he reallt grew into the position, whilst never quite looking as co-ordinated as you'd like for a modern second-row - more Bob Casey than Brad Thorn.

Baird startduring JWC 2019 to develop the potential which has been evident in the Academy for 12-18 months, in terms of his physical potential. Subject to his coachibility, he is in the James Ryan league in terms of his physical capacity - nobody is yet certain whether he is even in the same sport mentally, as "The Big Cheese", but don't rule it out. Leo knows the position. He knows Noel Mc and he knows how much Baird developed during the JWC. I don't think Baird will be left "to naturally mature" within this Squad.

[johng]

Between Charlie Ryan, Dunne and Baird we should not miss Kearney and Nagle so much. Probably why they were not discouraged from leaving

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I disagree on Baird in respect to Molony because I think Baird will be a six, but that post and the team above has me very curious about how Leo will see some of our players next season. Ignoring the uncertainty of the availability of the Irish players for the moment, if they're not around at any stage next season I'd love to know if Leo sees Deegan as Josh's backup at seven, if that makes Doris the backup eight or if he'll be considered at six at all, and if Baird is even in the conversation for the back row.

I never liked the idea of Deegan at seven but now I really want to see a back row of Baird, Deegan, and Doris

I haven't forgotten about Penny, but I'm more curious about how the other three will be managed. Age might play a part with him (as it will with Baird obviously) but there's no question around his position.