Leinster Vs Scarlets Sat 17th Feb 15.15 Sky Sports

[Oldschool]

It'd be a waste of time.

Sorry?

The question stands. You said Byrne only looks good behind a dominant pack. I'd disagree there, but I'd also say that even if that is the case, Carbery hasn't shown anything different.

So could you back up your point with an example?

I'm afraid as I made no reference to the type of pack Carberry needs to play well that I'll have to refer you to your own research to back up whatever point it is you are trying to make.

[curates_egg]

Which passengers were starting? That was a team of guys who have all got either a lot of experience or have been playing well over the season.

Scarlets were missing similar numbers to us and on paper our side was much stronger.

Passengers is maybe not the right word, but I was trying to riff on your post.
However, Reid and ROL have been definite passengers this season. In defence, AByrne and Lowe have not ever looked like they are part of a cohesive system. As for Molony, I bought into the hype at the beginning but - as someone mentioned above - when you see him up against a player we released, he really has disappointed in how he has developed. Ross Byrne must be carrying a knock or something because he hasn't looked good for a while now.

When you take that into account, as well as the fact we had a makeshift backline for most of the game and a bench that was anything but impact, I think - even on balance of the game - 4-1 is OK. Not great, but OK.
It is annoying to leak the point at the end for sure, but look at the team that finished.
Dooley, Strauss, Heffernan, Molony, Nagle, Fardy, Connors, Deegan, McCarthy, Frawley, Lowe, AByrne, Reid, Daly, Larmour...
It was not that surprising that we couldn't canter home after McGrath got his try and was subbed shortly after.

Sure, it's frustrating, but it is what it is.
As I say, I hope the IRFU have taken note of this round of matches from the Irish provinces, and we are cut a bit more slack in two weeks.
If we had Healy/McGrath, Porter and McFadden, or even just Porter and McFadden, I think we would have closed it out without a problem.

Ross Byrne hasn't looked good for a while?? You mean he has struggled against Edinburgh and the Scarlets... He has been great this season.

That's fair I guess. He has had a number of good games this season. He wasn't at the races at all in the last two games though, which makes me think he must be carrying an injury? He certainly didn't look comfortable during this match.

[riocard911]

On the subject of backline defence deficiencies, I can forgive Lowe a lot - and that not just because of his creativity. The guy is like Ferg, always getting stuck ****in' in and giving the opposition hell. When he tackles someone. they know about it in no uncertain terms. With Reid, Ross Byrne and Adam Byrne I miss the desire on their parts to plant the attacker or even the the action itself being executed!! BO'D in his book speaks of the desire to inflict pain. These three guys don't seem to have it. As a result the opposition are targeting them the whole day long, because they haven't put the fear of God into their opposite numbers. There were times today when the Scarlets attacking down our right wing reminded me of the Pro 12 semi last May. It was a most unpleasant feeling.

[Gearzbox2]

on a whole I thought our backs in general were appalling
utterly rudderless in attack and I blame bryne and reid for this...we had plenty of set piece ball as lineout and scrum functioned well bar last 10....

our defense was shocking in the opening quarter with adam bryne in no mans land numerous times. Reid still cant tackle which is beggars belief at this point

injuries didnt help I suppose....Cronin was quiet tbh, Jordi jad some great turnovers but Fardy and Maloney ( a player ive seen get negative feedback from the game) were best in the pack

lowe took his trys well and larmour was well marshalled

[desperado]

McGrath looked ropey enough going off with the ankle knock. We could be missing him for a while,which weirdly means we'll be missing Lowe too. O'Loughlin was out cold as well. We'll end up very short at centre for next week.

Was it a head knock that ROL went off for?

Without McGrath starting against Sarries, I think we can kiss a SF goodbye tbh. 6 weeks though, so hopefully he'll be grand.

McCarthy had a nice cameo when he came on. Does the nuts and bolts pretty well.

McGrath walked onto the pitch at full time with ice clingfilmed around his knee as far as I could see; not his ankle. If he was allowed walk on and around like that - hopefully it's not bad.

[Oldschoolsocks]

...
Sure, it's frustrating, but it is what it is.
As I say, I hope the IRFU have taken note of this round of matches from the Irish provinces, and we are cut a bit more slack in two weeks.
If we had Healy/McGrath, Porter and McFadden, or even just Porter and McFadden, I think we would have closed it out without a problem.

add to this Joe calling up Beirne as the 24th man or even benching him and giving us one of James Ryan or Big Dev back please

[artaneboy]

Without McGrath starting against Sarries, I think we can kiss a SF goodbye tbh. 6 weeks though, so hopefully he'll be grand.

McCarthy had a nice cameo when he came on. Does the nuts and bolts pretty well.

Maybe. But certainly not because McGrath is playing better than JGP and the latter would weaken the team. Jamison is more than capable of filling the SH role.

But possibly indirectly because that “foreigner” rule would mean we would have to leave Lowe or Fardy out. After today, the huge value of both is ever more evident.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[alanair]

The thing that amuses me , is that there was all this talk about 'strength in depth' .... that lie has been well and truly put to bed in the past 2 weeks..
If anyone thinks that Reid is anything more than a good AIL standard, then I think they're deluded... The Leo line about resting the 'Old man ' and 'Managing his appearances' doesn't stand up either... I believe that if Isa was fit to play , he'd have him out there ... and in reality a less than 100% fit Isa , is still streets ahead of Reid and Co...
Honestly , we need to have Ringrose and Isa back playing @ 12/13 for the Sarries game ( in the probably absence of Henshaw), to have any chance at all in that game

[Keith]

The thing that amuses me , is that there was all this talk about 'strength in depth' .... that lie has been well and truly put to bed in the past 2 weeks..
If anyone thinks that Reid is anything more than a good AIL standard, then I think they're deluded... The Leo line about resting the 'Old man ' and 'Managing his appearances' doesn't stand up either... I believe that if Isa was fit to play , he'd have him out there ... and in reality a less than 100% fit Isa , is still streets ahead of Reid and Co...
Honestly , we need to have Ringrose and Isa back playing @ 12/13 for the Sarries game ( in the probably absence of Henshaw), to have any chance at all in that game

A last minute loss to a high flying Edinburgh away (who just beat Ulster away last night) and beating the Scarlets shows that we don't have strength in depth? Seriously some people have to get a grip here, we won! You can't play flawlessly for the whole season, there are times when you have to dig in and grind out a win. Our strength in depth in the midfield is an issue that we all recognized at the start of the season but what club team in the world has strength in depth in every position? The squad is looking good with yet more academy players being given game time this season.

[fourthirtythree]

The Leo line about resting the 'Old man ' and 'Managing his appearances' doesn't stand up either... I believe that if Isa was fit to play , he'd have him out there ... and in reality a less than 100% fit Isa , is still streets ahead of Reid and Co...

The rest of that quote from Leo was that he "wasn't a million miles off playing" which sounds even worse than the dreaded week too soon.

As for strength in depth, the third and fourth choice looseheads were fine but the fourth(ish) choice tighthead had a bad introduction to the big time. Happens.

The problem lies more with players coles to the team, the Reids and Byrnes etc.

[Peg Leg]

The thing that amuses me , is that there was all this talk about 'strength in depth' .... that lie has been well and truly put to bed in the past 2 weeks..
If anyone thinks that Reid is anything more than a good AIL standard, then I think they're deluded... The Leo line about resting the 'Old man ' and 'Managing his appearances' doesn't stand up either... I believe that if Isa was fit to play , he'd have him out there ... and in reality a less than 100% fit Isa , is still streets ahead of Reid and Co...
Honestly , we need to have Ringrose and Isa back playing @ 12/13 for the Sarries game ( in the probably absence of Henshaw), to have any chance at all in that game

We are top of the table, just beat title rivals and current champions. Last season the squad not involved in the 6N went 5 for 5. Strength in depth is fairly appropriate IMO.

Also, the narrative on here last week was frustration that we continued to play the game in our half and cost ourselves a result. Today we had Heffernan to call on to close out at TH and played a great kicking game in the last 20.

I think the audience is a tad spoilt.

[fourthirtythree]

I think the audience is a tad spoilt.

Hell yeah! I thought that to myself during the game. And that was only me that I was thinking of.

[Oldschool]

I think the audience is a tad spoilt.

Hell yeah! I thought that to myself during the game. And that was only me that I was thinking of.

Burt didn't look too impressed at HT.

[paddyor]

In the first place declaring “an intentionally controversial opinion..., etc.”, requires a subjective judgement.

In the second place- so what!?! If you don’t like a post, skip to the next subjective opinion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So some people aren't entitled to their opinion? Just have to shut up and let it go?

Do you really find it hard to understand this?

For a start who introduced “entitled” but you- in one of the classic straw men arguments. But let’s run with that term anyway.

Anyone is entitled to disagree with another’s opinion. What’s not an entitlement is to make unsupported declarations (by reference to their statements) on their motivations.

And more crucially there is absolutely no entitlement to declare them trolls and thereby seek to have them barred.

You can disagree with that- it’s your entitlement.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[paddyor]

In the first place declaring “an intentionally controversial opinion..., etc.”, requires a subjective judgement.

In the second place- so what!?! If you don’t like a post, skip to the next subjective opinion.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So some people aren't entitled to their opinion? Just have to shut up and let it go?

Do you really find it hard to understand this?

For a start who introducedso youre “entitled” but you- in one of the classic straw men arguments. But let’s run with that term anyway.

Anyone is entitled to disagree with another’s opinion. What’s not an entitlement is to make unsupported declarations (by reference to their statements) on their motivations.

And more crucially there is absolutely no entitlement to declare them trolls and thereby seek to have them barred.

You can disagree with that- it’s your entitlement.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So you're not a fan of free speech then.Gotcha!

Broflakes are gas.

[blockhead]

2 points behind Scarlets, now 3 points ahead in the space of 2 games. I'll take it. Of course 2 five pointers would have been better but hey, even then we'ed be moaning about something.
The guys hustled their way to an important win, I for one appreciate their effort and the result.
We have 3 games left in the league at the RDS, Kings then Zebre and finally Benetton. Lets enjoy them.

Q. The attendance was just under 15k, was there really 3,500 empty seats? Didn't look like it to me.
3.500 was just about the attendance at the BohsVRovers game last night, to put it into context.

[cormac]

I felt sorry for Adam Byrne. He was hung out to dry on defence for quite a bit of the first half.

Ross Byrne was clearly injured in the first half. Surprised he lasted as long as he did.

[cormac]

In positive injury news, James Tracy was involved in the warm-up and Ringrose was used as a waterboy, usually a positive sign in injury recovery.

[artaneboy]

So some people aren't entitled to their opinion? Just have to shut up and let it go?

Do you really find it hard to understand this?

For a start who introducedso youre “entitled” but you- in one of the classic straw men arguments. But let’s run with that term anyway.

Anyone is entitled to disagree with another’s opinion. What’s not an entitlement is to make unsupported declarations (by reference to their statements) on their motivations.

And more crucially there is absolutely no entitlement to declare them trolls and thereby seek to have them barred.

You can disagree with that- it’s your entitlement.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So you're not a fan of free speech then.Gotcha!

Broflakes are gas.

Oh, well done!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Blue Voodoo]

My man of the match definitely Fardy
Great operator at the line out and led the pack by example
Jordi made some super turnovers and seemed to be designated for all the non glam jobs
Lowe played well going forward took his tries well and kicked very effectively
Would like to see him work on his tackling though - he made one big hit but seemed to slide off the tackle and the Scarlets made huge yardage , at other times he did not seem to have the appetite to take his man.dont really understand this as he counter rucked really aggressively at other times
Lowe and Adam B are big guys if they tackled with say the aggressiveness of Isa ( who is considerably smaller ) they would level opposition players
Nice to see Frawley ( ? First cap not certain about name )
nail his place kicks with such composure