Leinster Pro 14 2017/18

[simonokeeffe]

First tranche of league fixtures are out

Weve a tricky back to back of Ulster and Glasgow away between Europe and AIs. Hopefully when we play Kings and Cheetahs away rounds 3 and 4 most of their players are still on Currie Cup duty. 2 week tour possibly means anyone not back on the pitch for round 3 wont be back til round 5

Leinster Rugby – Guinness PRO14 fixtures (home games in bold)

September

Round 1: Dragons v Leinster Rugby (Saturday, 2nd September, KO 3.15pm, Rodney Parade, live Sky Sports)
Round 2: Leinster Rugby v Cardiff Blues (Friday, 8th September, KO 7.35pm, RDS Arena, live TG4)
Round 3: Southern Kings v Leinster Rugby (Saturday, 16th September, KO 2.15pm local time, Nelson Mandela Bay, live TG4)
Round 4: Cheetahs v Leinster Rugby (Friday, 22nd September, KO 8pm local time, Toyota Stadium, live Sky Sports)
Round 5: Leinster Rugby v Edinburgh (Friday, 29th September, KO 7.35pm, RDS Arena, live TG4)

October

Round 6: Leinster Rugby v Munster Rugby (Saturday, 7th October, KO 2pm, Aviva Stadium, live Sky Sports/TG4)
Round 7: Ulster Rugby v Leinster Rugby (Saturday, 28th October, KO 6.15pm, Kingspan Stadium, live BBC NI/Sky Sports)

November

Round 8: Glasgow Warriors v Leinster Rugby (Friday, 3rd November, KO 7.35pm, Scotstoun, live BBC Alba)
Round 9: Leinster Rugby v Dragons (Friday, 24th November, KO 7.35pm, RDS Arena, live TG4)

December

Round 10: Benetton Rugby v Leinster Rugby (Saturday, 2nd December, KO 4.30pm local time, Stadio Monigo, live TG4)
Round 11: Munster Rugby v Leinster Rugby (Tuesday, 26th December, 3.15pm, Thomond Park, live TG4/Sky Sports)

January

Round 12: Leinster Rugby v Connacht Rugby (Monday, 1st January, 3.15pm, RDS Arena, live TG4)
Round 13: Leinster Rugby v Ulster Rugby (Saturday, 6th January, 5.35pm, RDS Arena, live Sky Sports/TG4/BBC NI)

[cormac]

We've done poorly with the home/away split in the fixtures with the five teams we only have to play once. Away to Glasgow, Ospreys and Cheetahs, while home to both Zebre and Cardiff.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

We've done poorly with the home/away split in the fixtures with the five teams we only have to play once. Away to Glasgow, Ospreys and Cheetahs, while home to both Zebre and Cardiff.

Champions of 2019 so!

[simonokeeffe]

We've done poorly with the home/away split in the fixtures with the five teams we only have to play once. Away to Glasgow, Ospreys and Cheetahs, while home to both Zebre and Cardiff.

Apparently the league and the saffers were very keen on Leinster having the SA tour in general and it being early in the season to drum up coverage & interest down there so it wasn't entirely random

Cheetahs first 2 games are away to Ulster and Munster which I don't think is a coincidence either

[cormac]

I'm assuming our usual Cityjet turbo-prop wouldn't get us a third of the way to Port Elizabeth so will the team be chartering a plane for the two-game trip to South Africa? Doesn't seem to be possible to get to Port Elizabeth on scheduled flights without stopping twice and direct flights from Port Elizabeth to Bloemfontein seem thin on the ground if Skyscanner is anything to go by.

[FLIP]

I'm assuming our usual Cityjet turbo-prop wouldn't get us a third of the way to Port Elizabeth so will the team be chartering a plane for the two-game trip to South Africa? Doesn't seem to be possible to get to Port Elizabeth on scheduled flights without stopping twice and direct flights from Port Elizabeth to Bloemfontein seem thin on the ground if Skyscanner is anything to go by.

Looking at Kayak you can go PE -> Cape Town -> Bloemfontein for less than £150.

[johng]

That would be a good option. Go to PE. Then go to Capetown for 6 days. Bloemfontain then wherever else you want to go in SA or..... I dunno.... home.

[ronk]

We've done poorly with the home/away split in the fixtures with the five teams we only have to play once. Away to Glasgow, Ospreys and Cheetahs, while home to both Zebre and Cardiff.

Apparently the league and the saffers were very keen on Leinster having the SA tour in general and it being early in the season to drum up coverage & interest down there so it wasn't entirely random

Cheetahs first 2 games are away to Ulster and Munster which I don't think is a coincidence either

I'm sure they were. There's been idle talk for years about a S15 / Heineken Cup playoff. The first tours for the elite teams will be probably the best chance of the pro era to compare NH and SH clubs in battle.

[curates_egg]

Not a terrible calendar but a lot of unknowns: our injuries and preparation; Dragons under Birch; travelling to South Africa...
We could either head into the Munster game doing quite well or struggling and in need of a bounce.
Hopefully our knack of starting slow has finally been overcome.

[Flash Gordon]

Not a terrible calendar but a lot of unknowns: our injuries and preparation; Dragons under Birch; travelling to South Africa...
We could either head into the Munster game doing quite well or struggling and in need of a bounce.
Hopefully our knack of starting slow has finally been overcome.

We're playing the Dragons, Edinburgh and Cardiff who have been amongst the weaker pro 12 teams - Birch has gone to the Dragons but let's be honest, his coaching record thus far hasn't been top drawer. The South African sides will be tough - playing away with them wanting to prove a point and probably playing in front of a decent crowd as the 3 time European Champions come to town. The slow start is a factor but that's mostly been down to the fact that our front line players didn't start the season or we were bedding in new coaches so hopefully that won't be a factor, the bigger issue for me is the center injuries and the fact that Lowe doesn't come till after these games.

[simonokeeffe]

Eastern Province and Cheetahs last Currie Cup games in their respective divisions are October 7th and 14th with potential semis and finals on subsequent 2 weekends

The chances of us facing scrubbers increases

[Dave Cahill]

Leinster Rugby Head Coach Leo Cullen has named his first match day squad of the new season ahead of tomorrow’s Bank of Ireland Pre-Season friendly away to Perpignan (Kick Off: 8.00pm – no TV or radio coverage).

Carlow prop Ed Byrne will captain a Leinster Rugby senior team for the first time in his career.

The 23-year-old last captained Leinster at U20 level and while his progress has been hampered with serious knee injuries over the last few years he made a successful return towards the end of last season even scoring his first try in Leinster colours in the Guinness PRO12.

He will be joined in the front row by his twin brother Bryan at hooker and by Academy player Jeremy Loughman at tighthead prop.

Mick Kearney and Ian Nagle will lock down behind the young front row with Josh Murphy, Will Connors and Max Deegan completing the pack.



In the backs former St. Andrew’s College player Jordan Larmour starts at full back with Adam Byrne and Ian Fitzpatrick on the right and left wings.

Tom Daly and Jimmy O’Brien will play in the centre together while in the half backs St. Michael’s duo Nick McCarthy and Cathal Marsh will start at nine and ten.

An extended bench has been named by Cullen with 25 players in total travelling to France.

Match updates will be provided on the Leinster Rugby Twitter account and a full match report will be available on leinsterrugby.ie afterwards.

Leinster Rugby:

15. Jordan Larmour
14. Adam Byrne
13. Jimmy O’Brien
12. Tom Daly
11. Ian Fitzpatrick
10. Cathal Marsh
9. Nick McCarthy
1. Ed Byrne CAPTAIN
2. Bryan Byrne
3. Jeremy Loughman
4. Mick Kearney
5. Ian Nagle
6. Josh Murphy
7. Will Connors
8. Max Deegan

Replacements

16. Sean McNulty
17. Vakh Abdaladze
18. Oisín Heffernan
19. Oisín Dowling
20. Peadar Timmins
21. Charlie Rock
22. Noel Reid
23. Hugo Keenan
24. Barry Daly
25. Peter Dooley

[riocard911]

Any chance of an in-depth analysis on Blues Talk TV next week?

[Ruckedtobits]

Eastern Province and Cheetahs last Currie Cup games in their respective divisions are October 7th and 14th with potential semis and finals on subsequent 2 weekends

The chances of us facing scrubbers increases

Don't think that will be the case. TV insisted that Leinster & Munster should be earliest visitors and both franchises have been marketing these fixtures as the start of a great new era. Both clubs will have strongest Squads possible for our games. For them, it works both ways - high profile opposition and best preparation for Curry Cup.

[Ruckedtobits]

Probably the most crazy fixtures in the Schedule this Season are the home and away fixtures, inside a fortnight during 6 Nations, between Leinster and Scarlets. A complete travesty, for what could be two of the great games of the Season!

[simonokeeffe]

Eastern Province and Cheetahs last Currie Cup games in their respective divisions are October 7th and 14th with potential semis and finals on subsequent 2 weekends

The chances of us facing scrubbers increases

Don't think that will be the case. TV insisted that Leinster & Munster should be earliest visitors and both franchises have been marketing these fixtures as the start of a great new era. Both clubs will have strongest Squads possible for our games. For them, it works both ways - high profile opposition and best preparation for Curry Cup.

Munster's SA tour is in April
Currie Cup is underway already and they wont be pulling players in the middle of it for the league.
It overlaps with pro14 so its no preparation.

The CC contracts would probably have primacy over pro14 and wouldve been in place first and at very least most would have been signed without any countenance of pro14. Future seasons may be different

Thats before any player exodi

[rooster]

I'm assuming our usual Cityjet turbo-prop wouldn't get us a third of the way to Port Elizabeth so will the team be chartering a plane for the two-game trip to South Africa? Doesn't seem to be possible to get to Port Elizabeth on scheduled flights without stopping twice and direct flights from Port Elizabeth to Bloemfontein seem thin on the ground if Skyscanner is anything to go by.

Mid air refuelling of turboprops is pretty damned difficult, one wrong move and your hose dies a death of 10000 cuts !

[rooster]

Eastern Province and Cheetahs last Currie Cup games in their respective divisions are October 7th and 14th with potential semis and finals on subsequent 2 weekends

The chances of us facing scrubbers increases

Don't think that will be the case. TV insisted that Leinster & Munster should be earliest visitors and both franchises have been marketing these fixtures as the start of a great new era. Both clubs will have strongest Squads possible for our games. For them, it works both ways - high profile opposition and best preparation for Curry Cup.

Strangely enough there was a switch in the Munster and Ulster matches, ours was originally scheduled for April but was changed last minute to November.

[ronk]

I'm assuming our usual Cityjet turbo-prop wouldn't get us a third of the way to Port Elizabeth so will the team be chartering a plane for the two-game trip to South Africa? Doesn't seem to be possible to get to Port Elizabeth on scheduled flights without stopping twice and direct flights from Port Elizabeth to Bloemfontein seem thin on the ground if Skyscanner is anything to go by.

Mid air refuelling of turboprops is pretty damned difficult, one wrong move and your hose dies a death of 10000 cuts !

It's not so much fun when the get sucked into a jet/turbofan intake either.

[rooster]

I'm assuming our usual Cityjet turbo-prop wouldn't get us a third of the way to Port Elizabeth so will the team be chartering a plane for the two-game trip to South Africa? Doesn't seem to be possible to get to Port Elizabeth on scheduled flights without stopping twice and direct flights from Port Elizabeth to Bloemfontein seem thin on the ground if Skyscanner is anything to go by.

Mid air refuelling of turboprops is pretty damned difficult, one wrong move and your hose dies a death of 10000 cuts !

It's not so much fun when the get sucked into a jet/turbofan intake either.

Nope, in all seriousness I had heard the plan was fly to Heathrow and take the overnight flight down to Cape Town, not necessarily the cheapest for fans but the most suitable for players