The Quickening 2018

[simonokeeffe]

I would take great pleasure framing all the bizarre excuses the English media would throw out if Munster and Leinster managed to make up 2 finals ha

Lions tour
Resting players
Brexit
French budgets
Spanish Inquisition

[arsebiscuits1]

I would take great pleasure framing all the bizarre excuses the English media would throw out if Munster and Leinster managed to make up 2 finals ha

Lions tour
Resting players
Brexit
French budgets
Spanish Inquisition

I seem to remember an article a years back when all the Irish provinces had done very well in Europe (2014 post Northampton possibly?)

The headline was "Irish success merely points towards tournament decline" or something equally awful.

I have no doubt in my mind that some journo somewhere will be able to point a potential Leinster Munster Pro14 final to Billy Vunipola being missing

[simonokeeffe]

I would take great pleasure framing all the bizarre excuses the English media would throw out if Munster and Leinster managed to make up 2 finals ha

Lions tour
Resting players
Brexit
French budgets
Spanish Inquisition

I seem to remember an article a years back when all the Irish provinces had done very well in Europe (2014 post Northampton possibly?)

The headline was "Irish success merely points towards tournament decline" or something equally awful.

I have no doubt in my mind that some journo somewhere will be able to point a potential Leinster Munster Pro14 final to Billy Vunipola being missing

Stephen Jones is writing it as we speak

I still blame Edinburgh/Bradley for inspiring the tournament redesign by reaching the semi

10 starters and 2 subs for Scarlets in Wales team, nice level of disruption for our enemies

[molloyjh]

With 13 games gone we're now 2 points behind Scarlets with a better tries scored tally and better PD. 3 of our remaining games should be 5 pointers vs 2 of theirs.

Scarlets run in sees them away to Benetton 6 days before they travel here to the RDS. They are then home to Ulster and ourselves before having to go away to Munster the week between the 6Ns and the Champions Cup QF, which they play on the Friday. The following week they are home to Glasgow before trips to Edinburgh and Dragons. That's 6 tough weeks on the bounce for them, especially given their numbers with Wales.

Our run in sees us away to Edinburgh with an 8 day turnaround to our home game against Scarlets. Then we have Kings at home with another 8 day turnaround to our trip to PYS. We're away to Ospreys between the 6Ns and the Champions Cup QF, which we play 2 days later than Scarlets. The following week we are home to Zebre and then Benetton, before finishing with a trip to Conancht. The Edinburgh trip could be a banana skin and the 2 Scarlets games and the Connacht game will be tough. But it's nicely broken up for us.

There are 4 or 5 games in that run in that Scarlets stand a realistic chance of losing (2 vs us, Ulster, Munster and Glasgow). I'd say from a Leinster perspective there are 3 or 4 that we could realistically lose (Edinburgh, 2 vs Scarlets and Connacht). Combined with our 3 likely TBPs vs their 2, it's not at all unreasonable to expect we could be looking at coming out of this block 3 or 4 points better off than Scarlets. We should really be heading to Connacht in that last week knowing what we need to top the conference and give us that week off.

[wixfjord]

Scarlets currently 10-0 down nearing HT in Treviso.

[LeinsterLeader]

Scarlets currently 10-0 down nearing HT in Treviso.

17-0 after 52 mins

[Cianostays]

Scarlets can rack up points pretty damn quickly. I'd feel happier with another Treviso try [WHITE SMILING FACE]

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[LeinsterLeader]

Scarlets can rack up points pretty damn quickly. I'd feel happier with another Treviso try [WHITE SMILING FACE]

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22-7 62 mins. G'wan the Italians!!!!

[LeinsterLeader]

Scarlets can rack up points pretty damn quickly. I'd feel happier with another Treviso try [WHITE SMILING FACE]

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22-7 62 mins. G'wan the Italians!!!!

76' Benetton 22 Scarlets 12

[wixfjord]

BOOM! No LBP for Scarlets, meaning we top the conference!

[LeinsterLeader]

BOOM! No LBP for Scarlets, meaning we top the conference!

Yessssss! GTF in

Taken in isolation the 2 points on Friday was a nice return now

[Dave Cahill]

Thank you Treviso!

[jimbobjoe]

Treviso, I could kiss you!

[johng]

Top 6 Fixtures

*Fri 16 Feb Glasgow v Cheetahs (7.35pm) Live on BBC Alba
*Sat 17 Feb Leinster v Scarlets (3.15pm) Live on Sky Sports
*Fri 23 Feb Munster v Glasgow (7pm) Live on Sky Sports
Fri 2 Mar Ulster v Glasgow (7.35pm) Live on BBC NI
*Sat 3 Mar Scarlets v Leinster (3.15pm) Live on Sky Sports
23/24/25 Mar Munster v Scarlets
W/E 30 March Euro Quarters
6/7/8 Apr Scarlets v Glasgow
*13/14/15 Apr Cheetahs v Munster
W/e 22 April Euro Semis
27/28/29 Apr Munster v Ulster

* = Teams in the same conference

Home and away for each team

Home
Glasgow Cheetahs.Zebre.Connacht.Edinburgh
Munster Glasgow.Scarlets.Ulster
Cheetahs Connacht.Cardiff.Munster

Scarlets Ulster.Leinster.Glasgow
Leinster Scarlets.Kings.Zebre.Treviso
Ulster Edinburgh.Glasgow.Ospreys

Away
Glasgow Munster.Ulster.Scarlets
Munster Cardiff.Edinburgh.Kings.Cheetahs
Cheetahs Glasgow.Ospreys.Dragons.Kings

Scarlets Leinster.Munster.Edinburgh.Dragons.
Leinster Scarlets.Ospreys.Connacht
Ulster Scarlets.Cardiff.Edinburgh.Munster

Bold = Teams in the same conference

Well done Treviso!

Leinster on top by a whisker.

Win next Saturday and we are looking great. A real 8 pointer. Lose and it becomes a lot less comfortable.

[Angelsea Angst]

In relation to the competition between Scarlets and Leinster to top our Conference, the advantage would seem to be with Leinster because we have one more home game and one less away game than Scarlets. Also our home games are easier than Scarlets making four try bonus points more likely.

[johng]

Advantage yes. But all for naught if they come over here and do what they did in May.

They are due a bounce back after losing in Italy.

Hopefully we are ready for them with revenge for May on our minds.

[Dave Cahill]

Advantage yes. But all for naught if they come over here and do what they did in May.

They are due a bounce back after losing in Italy.

Hopefully we are ready for them with revenge for May on our minds.

Two teams with a need for redemption - sets up an already tasty fixture!

[molloyjh]

Advantage yes. But all for naught if they come over here and do what they did in May.

They are due a bounce back after losing in Italy.

Hopefully we are ready for them with revenge for May on our minds.

Benetton were missing around 15 players I believe. If the Scarlets depth is so weak that they can't manage to even get a LBP away to Benetton then that augers well. During the 6Ns last year we wiped the floor with Scarlets, and they are missing more players this year. We'll get a couple of guys back and I'm sure Isa will start. We really should be able to manage this one. The big question mark is the return fixture tbh.

But when you look at the remaining fixtures it really is advantage Leinster:

Leinster | Scarlets
Scarlets (H)|Leinster (A)
Kings (H) | Ulster (H)
Scarlets (A)|Leinster (H)
----- END OF 6Ns -----
Ospreys (A)|Munster (A)
Zebre (H) | Glasgow (H)
Benetton (H)|Edinburgh (A)
Connacht (A)|Dragons (A)

I'd be reasonably confident that we can see this out now. Our PD and tries scored are well ahead of Scarlets (around 30 points better off and 7 tries more scored). At worst we'll know what we need from the Connacht game to top the conference. With any luck we'll have top spot secure before the last weekend.

[Oldschool]

Advantage yes. But all for naught if they come over here and do what they did in May.

They are due a bounce back after losing in Italy.

Hopefully we are ready for them with revenge for May on our minds.

Benetton were missing around 15 players I believe. If the Scarlets depth is so weak that they can't manage to even get a LBP away to Benetton then that augers well. During the 6Ns last year we wiped the floor with Scarlets, and they are missing more players this year. We'll get a couple of guys back and I'm sure Isa will start. We really should be able to manage this one. The big question mark is the return fixture tbh.

But when you look at the remaining fixtures it really is advantage Leinster:

Leinster | Scarlets
Scarlets (H)|Leinster (A)
Kings (H) | Ulster (H)
Scarlets (A)|Leinster (H)
----- END OF 6Ns -----
Ospreys (A)|Munster (A)
Zebre (H) | Glasgow (H)
Benetton (H)|Edinburgh (A)
Connacht (A)|Dragons (A)

I'd be reasonably confident that we can see this out now. Our PD and tries scored are well ahead of Scarlets (around 30 points better off and 7 tries more scored). At worst we'll know what we need from the Connacht game to top the conference. With any luck we'll have top spot secure before the last weekend.

Given the state of play with Henrose, it's very important that Leinster don't rush Isa back into action.
A fit Isa, playing at 12 in the latter stages of the Pro14 and ERC could be the difference between winning and losing.

[wixfjord]

Any ideas who Scarlets might get back from Welsh squad bar what they had yesterday?
I'd imagine they'll get the bench guys Wyn Jones and Aled Davies, but not much else? James Davies played yesterday.

Hopefully we'll get Jordi, Joey, Larmour, Cronin, Luke M, Ferg and maybe Porter or Healy. Perhaps not Conan given his knock.
Anyone else I'm missing?