Leinster vs Glasgow - Friday 28th April - We go again

[Dave Cahill]

Well, back to business on Friday night - home semi final already secured, so only the nominal honour of topping the league to play for. Is that enough to keep some, none or all of the big names out of cotton wool for the visit of Glasgow?

[Dave Cahill]

I'd go with
Dooley, Cronin, Bent, Moloney, Nagle, Ruddock, vdF, Conan, JGP, Byrne, Nacewa, Reid, ROL, Byrne, Carbury

McGrath, Tracey, Ross, Kearney, Deegan, McCarthy, McFadden, Marsh

Edit: Rather, I suspect Leo will go with...

[LeinsterLeader]

Will they be back out on the paddock today or do they normally give them the day off after Sunday games?

[cormac]

Will they be back out on the paddock today or do they normally give them the day off after Sunday games?

recovery day today, back training tomorrow

How bad is SOB's injury? Any chance he'll be available for this?

[OTT]

I'd go with
Dooley, Cronin, Bent, Moloney, Nagle, Ruddock, vdF, Conan, JGP, Byrne, Nacewa, Reid, ROL, Byrne, Carbury

McGrath, Tracey, Ross, Kearney, Deegan, McCarthy, McFadden, Marsh

Edit: Rather, I suspect Leo will go with...

Ruddock put in a huge shift and only a 5 day turn around. I would think Ryan might get the nod at blindside he was decent against Connacht and Kirchner will fill in somewhere I would guess to rest Nacewa or Carbery. Conan probably gets a rest to considering he was carrying an injury into Clermont game. So Deegan to start?

[BlueWheels]

so only the nominal honour of topping the league to play for.

Does it effect the seeding for next Season's Champions Cup or is that decided on how you do in the play-offs?

[LeinsterLeader]

Will they be back out on the paddock today or do they normally give them the day off after Sunday games?

recovery day today, back training tomorrow

How bad is SOB's injury? Any chance he'll be available for this?

I think they said at the team announcement of Friday that he would be in contention for this game. But then ye know yourself.........

[cormac]

I'd go with
Dooley, Cronin, Bent, Moloney, Nagle, Ruddock, vdF, Conan, JGP, Byrne, Nacewa, Reid, ROL, Byrne, Carbury

McGrath, Tracey, Ross, Kearney, Deegan, McCarthy, McFadden, Marsh

Edit: Rather, I suspect Leo will go with...

Ruddock put in a huge shift and only a 5 day turn around. I would think Ryan might get the nod at blindside he was decent against Connacht and Kirchner will fill in somewhere I would guess to rest Nacewa or Carbery. Conan probably gets a rest to considering he was carrying an injury into Clermont game. So Deegan to start?

Think Deegan is injured

[Golf Man]

so only the nominal honour of topping the league to play for.

Does it effect the seeding for next Season's Champions Cup or is that decided on how you do in the play-offs?

No - ranking of Pro 12 team is overall winners, overall runners up, highest placed losing semi finalist, lowest placed losing semi finalist, 5th, 6th ,7th (obv allowing for 1 from each of the 4 countries) so 7th will actually be 11th

Advantage of top spot is that you are guaranteed to ranked third at worst - that puts you in the top 9 teams, meaning you are guaranteed 1st or second seeds. Its an unlikely event but you could finish 2nd in the league table and end up third seed for the competition (semis would have to be two away wins)

[arsebiscuits1]

Given we've a home semi secured and we could put out any combination of our squad to beat Glasgow the way we are going I would like to see Ross, Ryan and Triggs get a nice RDS send off.

[hugonaut]

I'd go with
Dooley, Cronin, Bent, Moloney, Nagle, Ruddock, vdF, Conan, JGP, Byrne, Nacewa, Reid, ROL, Byrne, Carbury

McGrath, Tracey, Ross, Kearney, Deegan, McCarthy, McFadden, Marsh

Edit: Rather, I suspect Leo will go with...

Ruddock put in a huge shift and only a 5 day turn around. I would think Ryan might get the nod at blindside he was decent against Connacht and Kirchner will fill in somewhere I would guess to rest Nacewa or Carbery. Conan probably gets a rest to considering he was carrying an injury into Clermont game. So Deegan to start?

A five day turnaround is a difficult task - combine it with a really tough game, emotional comedown and travel and you have another three big factors coming into play. We've already secured a home semi-final so this is a free hit-out for us.

There are a couple of positions we need to be pragmatic about. At No8, we're down JH and Jordi, so we need to afford Jack Conan time to rest and recuperate. Likewise, we only have two scrum-halves in our senior squad and don't need to expose either of them in what is more or less a dead rubber.

I thought the team who won in Connacht performed brilliantly, and would try to stick as close to that selection as possible, whilst taking into account the effects of the Clermont game. Thus Triggs would be swapped out for Mick Kearney [who is more comfortable on the right side of the scrum than Nagle] and Ruddock swapped out for Timmins, the next No.8 up.

The unfortunate Dave Kearney is out for the season, so Barry Daly, who replaced him against Connacht, comes in on the wing. Conor O'Brien has made a good return to rugby, scoring three tries for Clontarf in the last two games, so I'd bring him on to the bench. Other options for that outside back sub could be Billy Dardis or Jordan Larmour

Forwards [1-8]: Dooley, Tracy, Ross, Molony, M. Kearney, Ryan, van der Flier, Timmins
Backs [9-15]: N. McCarthy, R. Byrne, B. Daly, Reid, O'Loughlin, A. Byrne, Kirchner
Subs [16:23]: Cronin, E. Byrne, Bent, Nagle, Deegan/Josh Murphy, Gibson-Park, T. Daly, C.O'Brien/Larmour

[the spoofer]

I'd go with
Dooley, Cronin, Bent, Moloney, Nagle, Ruddock, vdF, Conan, JGP, Byrne, Nacewa, Reid, ROL, Byrne, Carbury

McGrath, Tracey, Ross, Kearney, Deegan, McCarthy, McFadden, Marsh

Edit: Rather, I suspect Leo will go with...

Ruddock put in a huge shift and only a 5 day turn around. I would think Ryan might get the nod at blindside he was decent against Connacht and Kirchner will fill in somewhere I would guess to rest Nacewa or Carbery. Conan probably gets a rest to considering he was carrying an injury into Clermont game. So Deegan to start?

A five day turnaround is a difficult task - combine it with a really tough game, emotional comedown and travel and you have another three big factors coming into play. We've already secured a home semi-final so this is a free hit-out for us.

There are a couple of positions we need to be pragmatic about. At No8, we're down JH and Jordi, so we need to afford Jack Conan time to rest and recuperate. Likewise, we only have two scrum-halves in our senior squad and don't need to expose either of them in what is more or less a dead rubber.

I thought the team who won in Connacht performed brilliantly, and would try to stick as close to that selection as possible, whilst taking into account the effects of the Clermont game. Thus Triggs would be swapped out for Mick Kearney [who is more comfortable on the right side of the scrum than Nagle] and Ruddock swapped out for Timmins, the next No.8 up.

The unfortunate Dave Kearney is out for the season, so Barry Daly, who replaced him against Connacht, comes in on the wing. Conor O'Brien has made a good return to rugby, scoring three tries for Clontarf in the last two games, so I'd bring him on to the bench. Other options for that outside back sub could be Billy Dardis or Jordan Larmour

Forwards [1-8]: Dooley, Tracy, Ross, Molony, M. Kearney, Ryan, van der Flier, Timmins
Backs [9-15]: N. McCarthy, R. Byrne, B. Daly, Reid, O'Loughlin, A. Byrne, Kirchner
Subs [16:23]: Cronin, E. Byrne, Bent, Nagle, Deegan/Josh Murphy, Gibson-Park, T. Daly, C.O'Brien/Larmour

It's a dead rubber for Glasgow too as even two 5 pointers can't get them in to 4th.

[LeinsterLeader]

Well Henshaw defo won't be involved anyway. Hurt his ribs yesterday. Not too serious they say. SOB is back running and will be continually assessed as the week goes on. No further developments on RH, Jamie or jordi and Ed Byrne is injured too

[ronk]

Not sure about Ruddock, huge performance but have a feeling he wants to be getting a string of games now that he's in his best form for years. I suppose it depends.

Isa and Carbery took a huge amount of contact. I'd say one needs to be rested, maybe 2.

[hugonaut]

Not sure about Ruddock, huge performance but have a feeling he wants to be getting a string of games now that he's in his best form for years. I suppose it depends.

Isa and Carbery took a huge amount of contact. I'd say one needs to be rested, maybe 2.

It's a good point Ronk – he's playing great stuff and if he's physically up for it and wants to be out there we could certainly do with him at No8.

His performance there against Connacht was really impressive and if he could give us a solid 50 mins it would give us a lot of leadership. He hasn't played any rugby for Ireland this season and is under 1000mins for Leinster so he might well be fresh enough.

[ronk]

I'd go with
Dooley, Cronin, Bent, Moloney, Nagle, Ruddock, vdF, Conan, JGP, Byrne, Nacewa, Reid, ROL, Byrne, Carbury

McGrath, Tracey, Ross, Kearney, Deegan, McCarthy, McFadden, Marsh

Edit: Rather, I suspect Leo will go with...

It's a shame for Ed Byrne that he's injured. I'd expect to see Kirchner play.

[leinsterforever]

If they want to give Jack McGrath a rest, would Porter temporarily return to loosehead to bench behind Dooley? Suppose Bent in the 17 jersey is another option, with Loughman being the bench tighthead. Or even Loughman as the loosehead on the bench. Maybe Loughman backing up Dooley would be best actually, so Porter isn't interrupted at this early stage in his switch and Bent isn't taken away from the fine job he's doing at tighthead.

[mildlyinterested]

James Ryan & Max Deegan back training.

both could come off bench on friday.

[Fireworks]

James Ryan & Max Deegan back training.

both could come off bench on friday.

While it would be great to see James Ryan play I would hope they are being ultra cautious and would happily wait for next season.

[Leoslovechild]

If they want to give Jack McGrath a rest, would Porter temporarily return to loosehead to bench behind Dooley? Suppose Bent in the 17 jersey is another option, with Loughman being the bench tighthead. Or even Loughman as the loosehead on the bench. Maybe Loughman backing up Dooley would be best actually, so Porter isn't interrupted at this early stage in his switch and Bent isn't taken away from the fine job he's doing at tighthead.

Porter started at loose head for UCD v Clontarf two weeks ago with Loughman at Tight Head