Pre-season friendlies

[cormac]

Also worth pointing out that Perpignan's season starts next week so they're presumably much further along with pre-season and presumably this wasn't their first prep match

[simonokeeffe]

I reckon we tear up our season tickets now, our B & I cup team lost away in France to a team with a €9.45 million wage budget

[Gearzbox2]

Bad result for pre-season.This is ProD2 opposition and not particularly fancied for promotion in that Division. Despite our 'callow youth', handing any opposition two intercept tries does not augur well. Hopefully we didn't just go down there to show off the "style" of Leinster Rugby.

This season has got to be about substance, not style and we should play every match with the view that winning is the first essential and conceding points an absolute no-no. 42 points against is not the season start I wanted.

Oh my god, chill out... it was a bunch of kids most only in year 2 of academy against a French team starting there season next week and thus must have
A.had there full team out and
B. Been much further along in terms of match prep and fitness

Pinch of salt please

[TerenureJim]

Bad result for pre-season.This is ProD2 opposition and not particularly fancied for promotion in that Division. Despite our 'callow youth', handing any opposition two intercept tries does not augur well. Hopefully we didn't just go down there to show off the "style" of Leinster Rugby.

This season has got to be about substance, not style and we should play every match with the view that winning is the first essential and conceding points an absolute no-no. 42 points against is not the season start I wanted.

Touch of the GH "this coach has lost the dressing room" circa early 2010/2011 season.....

[Cathalsmart]

Anyone who was at the game or saw the game would be able to give analysis on how they got on individually? Interested to hear how Larmour got on.

[wixfjord]

Bad result for pre-season.This is ProD2 opposition and not particularly fancied for promotion in that Division. Despite our 'callow youth', handing any opposition two intercept tries does not augur well. Hopefully we didn't just go down there to show off the "style" of Leinster Rugby.

This season has got to be about substance, not style and we should play every match with the view that winning is the first essential and conceding points an absolute no-no. 42 points against is not the season start I wanted.

This can't actually be a serious post right? Right?

I reckon we tear up our season tickets now, our B & I cup team lost away in France to a team with a €9.45 million wage budget

[wixfjord]

Judging by our results in pre-seasons gone by, positive results have an inverse correlation to success in a season iirc.

[leinsterforever]

Judging by our results in pre-seasons gone by, positive results have an inverse correlation to success in a season iirc.

Yeah, 43-0 loss to Northampton in 2011/2012 or something, wasn't it?

[Blue not red blood]

Leo out
Bring back MATT

[Cathalsmart]

Was Kelly injured? quite surprised he didn't travel.

[WhiskeyPapa]

Judging by our results in pre-seasons gone by, positive results have an inverse correlation to success in a season iirc.

Yeah, 43-0 loss to Northampton in 2011/2012 or something, wasn't it?

That was at the start of the 2012/2013 season. 2013 was not a bad year for trophies, of course.

[Ruckedtobits]

Bad result for pre-season.This is ProD2 opposition and not particularly fancied for promotion in that Division. Despite our 'callow youth', handing any opposition two intercept tries does not augur well. Hopefully we didn't just go down there to show off the "style" of Leinster Rugby.

This season has got to be about substance, not style and we should play every match with the view that winning is the first essential and conceding points an absolute no-no. 42 points against is not the season start I wanted.

A little bit of tongue in cheek certainly but I believe the core message strongly. Perpignan is in third tier of French rugby if you accept the view of many French commentators that the privately owned, monied, six Clubs are Tier One, followed by the remaining Top 14 Clubs and then the top six in the ProD2.

Leinster's reputation in France has developed over the past decade to now be judged as one of four Pro12 teams considered comparable to the top tier in France. The selection of a group who had been training since June 19 (a month earlier than Perpignan), should have been capable of beating this opposition.

Concession of sloppy tries and not closing out games you lead, used be Leinster traits, which over 5/7 years we gradually eradicated. We cannot slip back to that and part of ensuring that we don't is stakeholders, like STHs, criticising when it does, so that players recognise the standards expected, inside and outside the group.

Certainly Leo, Girv and Bomber will have passed that message to the players. But it must also come from outside, if it is accepted that "putting on the jersey" carries any responsibility. The players may have been younger, but they weren't kids and even the centres and back-row have all played on bigger stages than this.

Our next game in France will be against Montpellier and Friday night last was not a good preparation for that.

[wixfjord]

Our next game in France will be against Montpellier and Friday night last was not a good preparation for that.

Of course, there's also the fact that it also has literally no relevance to that game in any way.

[artaneboy]

Judging by our results in pre-seasons gone by, positive results have an inverse correlation to success in a season iirc.

This is true. Pre-season friendlies are notorious indicators of the season ahead.

It was an over the top- I'm guessing semi-serious post. However I'm irked at an acceptance of a slow start being inevitable or fie the "greater good". So I would like to see us try and get our best players out there in the pitch as early as possible ave build momentum.

That's not a trickle-in six to eight weeks in. Previous early seasons by either planning or accident have been frustrating on that account.




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[wixfjord]

However I'm irked at an acceptance of a slow start being inevitable or fie the "greater good".

Who is saying that?

[artaneboy]

However I'm irked at an acceptance of a slow start being inevitable or fie the "greater good".

Who is saying that?

No one is saying it, explicitly. And obviously no one desires a slow start. But the inevitable consequence of bringing the likes of Furlong and McGrath back in later than the rest of the squad will make that slow start more likely. Lions or new arrival honeymoons should not be encouraged- other than the necessary R&R on the injured.


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[wixfjord]

No one is saying it, explicitly. And obviously no one desires a slow start. But the inevitable consequence of bringing the likes of Furlong and McGrath back in later than the rest of the squad will make that slow start more likely. Lions or new arrival honeymoons should not be encouraged- other than the necessary R&R on the injured.


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I'm not sure what your point is here? Nobody is saying a slow start is inevitable or accepting it. McGrath and Furlong aren't great examples, as they shouldn't be back for a while, they need rest.

Our side for the start of the season will have more than enough quality. Pre-season game results are meaningless.

[artaneboy]

No one is saying it, explicitly. And obviously no one desires a slow start. But the inevitable consequence of bringing the likes of Furlong and McGrath back in later than the rest of the squad will make that slow start more likely. Lions or new arrival honeymoons should not be encouraged- other than the necessary R&R on the injured.


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I'm not sure what your point is here? Nobody is saying a slow start is inevitable or accepting it. McGrath and Furlong aren't great examples, as they shouldn't be back for a while, they need rest.

Our side for the start of the season will have more than enough quality. Pre-season game results are meaningless.

I think it is clear what my point is. McGrath and Furlong are perfect examples. I won't labour it.


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[wixfjord]

No one is saying it, explicitly. And obviously no one desires a slow start. But the inevitable consequence of bringing the likes of Furlong and McGrath back in later than the rest of the squad will make that slow start more likely. Lions or new arrival honeymoons should not be encouraged- other than the necessary R&R on the injured.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm not sure what your point is here? Nobody is saying a slow start is inevitable or accepting it. McGrath and Furlong aren't great examples, as they shouldn't be back for a while, they need rest.

Our side for the start of the season will have more than enough quality. Pre-season game results are meaningless.

I think it is clear what my point is. McGrath and Furlong are perfect examples. I won't labour it.


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Examples of what? There's no question of them being back at the start of the season, nor should there be. It's a moot point.

You've creating a strawman about 'accepting a slow start' and then made some obscure argument about two Lions props coming back weeks after they've finished a very long season.

So what exactly is your point?

[Cathalsmart]

Actually last season it was a poor end to the season that cost Leinster rather than a poor start, Leinster need to build form so that they are peaking for the business end of the season while also doing enough to beat teams heading into that stage, its a hard balancing act.