Champions Cup 2020

[D4surfer]

Lyon beat Pau 27 - 8 at the weekend and are now 7 wins from 7. They have Clermont away and La Rochelle at home before the Heineken Cup opening rounds.

[Dexter]

No news yet about the Leinster allocation of tickets for the game in Lyon?

[curates_egg]

No news yet about the Leinster allocation of tickets for the game in Lyon?

They've been on sale on the Lyon online billeterrie for a while. Still some left but not that many.
https://billetterie.lourugby.fr

[footrush]

No news yet about the Leinster allocation of tickets for the game in Lyon?

They've been on sale on the Lyon online billeterrie for a while. Still some left but not that many.
https://billetterie.lourugby.fr

Bought mine and printed it off on the 25th September they we good value and excellent choice in Tribune Seraphim stairs A was in this stadium before for the Clermont semi final worth getting near the front as far as I remember !.

[curates_egg]

No news yet about the Leinster allocation of tickets for the game in Lyon?

They've been on sale on the Lyon online billeterrie for a while. Still some left but not that many.
https://billetterie.lourugby.fr

Bought mine and printed it off on the 25th September they we good value and excellent choice in Tribune Seraphim stairs A was in this stadium before for the Clermont semi final worth getting near the front as far as I remember !.

I'll be getting the train down again.
It's not a huge stadium, so you don't need to worry too much. We're in Tribune Serfim (?) F.
I hope someone has burst their bubble in the Top14 long before we arrive. I wouldn't want them to ruin the inevitably tasty dinner after the match.

[johng]

Saints just beat Sarries in Sarrieville. WC absentees notwithstanding. That's an achievement.

Lyon still unbeaten?

[Twist]

Saints just beat Sarries in Sarrieville. WC absentees notwithstanding. That's an achievement.

Lyon still unbeaten?

I like not this news, bring me some other news


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[IanD]

With the Italy v Nz match cancelled it means the Treviso players got an extra week rest before Europe starts. Shame we have them up first.

[nc6000]

Saints just beat Sarries in Sarrieville. WC absentees notwithstanding. That's an achievement.

Lyon still unbeaten?

Lyon are 7 wins from 7 so far but are away to Clermont tomorrow so that may change.

[wixfjord]

So four weeks out from the start of Europe.

I suppose one silver lining of yesterday is that we'll get guys back quicker, albeit in a very, very bad mood.

Connacht 8 days before will be our warm-up, but unlikely we'll see everyone then.

So team for Treviso presuming Cronin and Conan out?

Healy, Byrne, Furlong, Toner, Ryan, Fardy, VDF, Rhys, Luke, Sexton, Lowe, Henshaw, Ringer, Byrne, RK

Dooley, Tracy, Porter, Molony, Deegan, JGP, Byrne, Larmour

Questions around who starts at 2, backrow and 15 I would say.

Depending on how Kelleher and Doris/Deegan go over next few games we might see one of them parachuted into the line-up.

I think Kelleher might need a little bit more time under his belt but if Byrne isn't back he'll have to step up.

After all the RWC hype I'm really looking forward to getting back to provincial stuff. Can't imagine the players are but we shall see.

[Serb]

I have a feeling Cronin will be available for that game.

[leinster23]

So four weeks out from the start of Europe.

I suppose one silver lining of yesterday is that we'll get guys back quicker, albeit in a very, very bad mood.

Connacht 8 days before will be our warm-up, but unlikely we'll see everyone then.

So team for Treviso presuming Cronin and Conan out?

Healy, Byrne, Furlong, Toner, Ryan, Fardy, VDF, Rhys, Luke, Sexton, Lowe, Henshaw, Ringer, Byrne, RK

Dooley, Tracy, Porter, Molony, Deegan, JGP, Byrne, Larmour

Questions around who starts at 2, backrow and 15 I would say.

Depending on how Kelleher and Doris/Deegan go over next few games we might see one of them parachuted into the line-up.

I think Kelleher might need a little bit more time under his belt but if Byrne isn't back he'll have to step up.

After all the RWC hype I'm really looking forward to getting back to provincial stuff. Can't imagine the players are but we shall see.

Would agree with most of that but would want Kelleher involved even if we have Cronin. We've backed him and he's shown enough, for me, to suggest he's worth time at this level. With all due respect to Byrne and Tracy, it's not like we're parachuting him in ahead of experienced internationals. He's the future and worth the risk.

In the absence of Conan would much prefer us to back Deegan or Doris (would rather Deegan) than trying to shoehorn Ruddock in. They're good enough and are both serious prospects, they're going to play at this level sooner or later, in Deegan's case especially hopefully as soon as possible.

Would be very surprised if Larmour didn't start, would have said it was between Adam Byrne and Rob Kearney to join him (or potentially any of another of others based on form over the next few weeks).

[wixfjord]

So four weeks out from the start of Europe.

I suppose one silver lining of yesterday is that we'll get guys back quicker, albeit in a very, very bad mood.

Connacht 8 days before will be our warm-up, but unlikely we'll see everyone then.

So team for Treviso presuming Cronin and Conan out?

Healy, Byrne, Furlong, Toner, Ryan, Fardy, VDF, Rhys, Luke, Sexton, Lowe, Henshaw, Ringer, Byrne, RK

Dooley, Tracy, Porter, Molony, Deegan, JGP, Byrne, Larmour

Questions around who starts at 2, backrow and 15 I would say.

Depending on how Kelleher and Doris/Deegan go over next few games we might see one of them parachuted into the line-up.

I think Kelleher might need a little bit more time under his belt but if Byrne isn't back he'll have to step up.

After all the RWC hype I'm really looking forward to getting back to provincial stuff. Can't imagine the players are but we shall see.

Would agree with most of that but would want Kelleher involved even if we have Cronin. We've backed him and he's shown enough, for me, to suggest he's worth time at this level. With all due respect to Byrne and Tracy, it's not like we're parachuting him in ahead of experienced internationals. He's the future and worth the risk.

In the absence of Conan would much prefer us to back Deegan or Doris (would rather Deegan) than trying to shoehorn Ruddock in. They're good enough and are both serious prospects, they're going to play at this level sooner or later, in Deegan's case especially hopefully as soon as possible.

Would be very surprised if Larmour didn't start, would have said it was between Adam Byrne and Rob Kearney to join him (or potentially any of another of others based on form over the next few weeks).

On Kelleher, he's definitely the future. But in a HEC first round game away and considering he could be playing beside two guys he's never scrummaged beside before I'd be playing it safe.

Having said that, he has a few more games to get games and experience under the belt. But he still looked a wee bit out of his depth (and fair enough) in the Embra game for me.

[riocard911]

Clermont beat Lyon today 24-15.

[neiliog93]

I fancy Rónan Kelleher to potentially break into the H Cup starting team this season.

[leinster23]

So four weeks out from the start of Europe.

I suppose one silver lining of yesterday is that we'll get guys back quicker, albeit in a very, very bad mood.

Connacht 8 days before will be our warm-up, but unlikely we'll see everyone then.

So team for Treviso presuming Cronin and Conan out?

Healy, Byrne, Furlong, Toner, Ryan, Fardy, VDF, Rhys, Luke, Sexton, Lowe, Henshaw, Ringer, Byrne, RK

Dooley, Tracy, Porter, Molony, Deegan, JGP, Byrne, Larmour

Questions around who starts at 2, backrow and 15 I would say.

Depending on how Kelleher and Doris/Deegan go over next few games we might see one of them parachuted into the line-up.

I think Kelleher might need a little bit more time under his belt but if Byrne isn't back he'll have to step up.

After all the RWC hype I'm really looking forward to getting back to provincial stuff. Can't imagine the players are but we shall see.

Would agree with most of that but would want Kelleher involved even if we have Cronin. We've backed him and he's shown enough, for me, to suggest he's worth time at this level. With all due respect to Byrne and Tracy, it's not like we're parachuting him in ahead of experienced internationals. He's the future and worth the risk.

In the absence of Conan would much prefer us to back Deegan or Doris (would rather Deegan) than trying to shoehorn Ruddock in. They're good enough and are both serious prospects, they're going to play at this level sooner or later, in Deegan's case especially hopefully as soon as possible.

Would be very surprised if Larmour didn't start, would have said it was between Adam Byrne and Rob Kearney to join him (or potentially any of another of others based on form over the next few weeks).

On Kelleher, he's definitely the future. But in a HEC first round game away and considering he could be playing beside two guys he's never scrummaged beside before I'd be playing it safe.

Having said that, he has a few more games to get games and experience under the belt. But he still looked a wee bit out of his depth (and fair enough) in the Embra game for me.

He's inexperienced sure, but I'm not convinced Byrne or Tracy are offerring all that much that he doesn't bring, it's not like either of them are reliable operators in the set piece. He had a few misthrows against Edinburgh and one or two dodgy moments in the scrum (although the props deserve equal blame really) but that's par for the course from our hookers especially in conditions as difficult as that game was in, I think the potential upside outweighs any risks. And if we're being honest, at home to Treviso is about as easy as a Heineken Cup game is going to get (not writing them off but our first choice team should have more than enough regardless of who's playing at hooker). We've backed him this year and we should stand by that even when he has a few dodgy games, unless you're James Ryan and are starting for Ireland six months after your Leinster debut you're going to mix the good with the bad during your emergence and Kelleher is good enough to be trusted regardless.

The point about not having scrummaged with the props before is a good one though, might be easier to give him a bench role along with Dooley in that case.

[backrower8]

I fancy Rónan Kelleher to potentially break into the H Cup starting team this season.

We may have a log jam of senior hooking talent to deal with very soon. Dan Sheehan (bigger and at least as fast, with 7 tries for the A-team making him joint-top try scorer with Gavin Mullin. Heis going to breathe down Kelleher’s neck from next season and his brother Bobby is no slouch either.

Lee Barron, still of Michael’s, will also come to the market from next Summer. He is 6ft 3, more wiry not blocky like the Sheehans, but he will continue to fill out. He is a baller and a fabulous thrower. With 2 Sheehans already in the Academy/Sub-Academy it will be pretty congested.

With Cronin, Tracy, Byrne, Kelleher & 2 Sheehans all on the ladder already, some guys will need to move on, hopefully as a result of Leinster’s choice rather than poaching.

[neiliog93]

Kelleher and the two Sheahans' ceiling is considerably higher than Bryan Byrne or James Tracy's. Assuming the former trio have a good attitude and don't get a career-ending injury, I would guess that the latter two will have to move on. Cronin will be 34 by the end of the season and wouldn't be surprised if he left to get a big pay packet in the last couple of years of his career.

[ronk]

Brian Byrne had a pretty high ceiling as a schools player as I recall.

We can worry about how to fit them all once they are competing for places. Except if we made a big signing.

While they are academy players we can afford to be heavy in a few spots in the squad.

[neiliog93]

Bryan Byrne's size is against him at the highest level. Not saying he can't make it (Richardt Strauss, Flannery and Szarzewski show it can be done for shorter/lighter hookers) but it's definitely a disadvantage.