Leinster Vs Benetton Rugby Sat 19.35 TG4

[bails]

A horrific performance tonight.

- 4 line outs in key areas lost
- scrum neutral but gradually went backwards, eventually conceding a penalty
- Second rows including substitute clearly not up to this level.
- back row eaten alive at breakdown, lost collisions, SOB anonymous and obviously not near fit
- 9 and 10 absolutely no control of game, kicking from hand truly awful
- Centres diabolical, came a distant second in physical stakes. Can RO’L pass the ball, and why does he kick the ball away so often
- Barry Daly’s hands poor all night, Ferguson ineffectual all night
- larmour ran across the field all night, and would somebody buy him a longer pair of studs - never seen a guy slip so often
- substitutes completely ineffectual

While the performance was as bad as some of the MOC era, I think the coaches and their player management systems have a lot to answer tonight.
We all knew Treviso would bring a big ball carrying pack and play a physical game across the park. Yet we selected a lightweight pack, particularly in the second row, and our midfield selected was never going be able to handle a physical game. When in possession we moved the ball aimlessly, yet when we got inside their 22, we reverted to one out runners or Noel Reid on the crashball, yes Noel Reid on the crashball.
Joey Carberry was starting his first game at 10 this season, yet last week when we played the one of the weakest teams in either Conference, he was sunning himself in Dubai after less than 80 mins international rugby over the previous 9 weeks.
Makes you wonder what the hell is going on ?
I would tend to say the preparation, selection and performance was unprofessional this evening. We knew what they would bring but we did not prepare for it in our playing style or in our team selection. That’s unprofessional

Lest we forget a win tonite would have sorted a home semi final. If we were to win next week, our starting team could have had a full fortnight preparation for a final. Now we have to go to our favorite place Connacht, seeking something from the game.

What probably hurts most is that we seemed passionless tonite. Every 50/50 ball was one by Trevino and they appeared to care more than we did. That is the disturbing fact from tonight.

Let’s hope we don’t see any of the players start next week.

[alanair]

Well there’s 80 minutes if my life I’ll never get back...
It’s the first time in a long time that I wanted to get a refund of the entrance charge

I would suggest that none of those on the pitch tonight draw their salary this week either...

A gutless, clueless performance ... Trevino didn’t win... we gave it to them on a plate ....I’ve said it before and repeat it now... strength in depth me a**e

[elephantman]

Reid was never good enough to be considered a serious option at 12 in the future. He's never been consistent enough and looks weak in contact and has little defence when the 12 sets the tone for all the backs. Look at henshaw ane nacewa when they tackle. They relish it, Reid looks he would rather be anywhere else.

Reid is not going to improve defensively at his age. We are just going to have to live with him.

Agree with previous poster about our second rows. All three were awful.

A night to forget but some players may have decided their Leinster futures tonight.

[exwinger]

Someone needs to tell our backs that this is a team game, how many times did players try to do it on their own. I don't think Larmour knows how to pass, he gets the ball and tries to sidestep his way through the whole team. He made a nice break in the first half and if he had passed to McFadden there was a possible try.

[A16]

Pretty dire performance, although Treviso were excellent, it has to be said. There were some pretty awful performances across the board, so I’m not going to assess every player. Deegan and Murphy are the only 2 players who I thought had good games, Larmour didn’t do much wrong as well. There are real concerns regarding McGrath and Porters’ performances, with McGrath making a howler to set up a Treviso try. If they’re producing the same off the bench next week we won’t be in a good place.

Reid was really disappointing. And Barry Daly’s brain farts at crucial moments are infuriatingly frequent. He’s a very impressive athelte and a strong finisher, so he seriously needs to cut it out of his game. Kearney also makes more errors than he should be at this stage of his career. Bad day for us, but I’m pleased for Treviso as it clearly meant a lot to them. At least we’ve effectively sealed 1st place in our conference.

[blockhead]

Lest we forget a win tonite would have sorted a home semi final. If we were to win next week, our starting team could have had a full fortnight preparation for a final. Now we have to go to our favorite place Connacht, seeking something from the game.

Scarlets are 126 points behind us.
So if we lose by 60+ points and Scarlets win by a similar margin then yes they can pip us to the top spot but that is not going to happen.
We can send the 3rds out against Connacht and enjoy a weekend off for the QFs.
We are in the best possible position for a bite at a double.

[bails]

Well if we put that team out in the Sportsground, we could well be beaten by 60 points

Losses hurt everyone and with a bit more pragmatic thinking, we could have avoided this one. Look back at the earlier posts in this thread, posters worried about Trevino pack and their physicality in the midfield, yet we picked Molony, Nagle, Kearney, Reid and O’Loughlin

[Fireworks]

That was a bit cr@p. The Italians played well. They are now a solid mid table team that top teams need to respect. We were weak and lacked leadership.

The result is also bad news for Ulster. It puts their sopt in the playoffs in danger. They need 5 points from their nest two games and that will not be easy against Glasgow and Munster.

[Gearzbox2]

Absoluts diabolical stuff from 1 to 23
Only jordi and Deegan can hold there heads up to a certain degree...
Our second rows are powder puffs, im sorry but Ross Maloney isnt up to it, brings nothing...cant carry, cant tackle, weak in scrum...
I saw jack mcs pass fly by my house it was so wild, shocking piece of play by an international

Joey C was lost at sea all game
Noel Reid was abysmal, again cant carry, cant tackle...
Barry Daly had his usual good try backed up by 10 brain farts
Jordan Larmour needs to pass the ball

Bench were poor, no impact...B Bryne needs to be in ahead of tracy, been way off lately
Ross Byrne should've been on earlier

Just a disaster, rant over move on

[bails]

Lest we forget a win tonite would have sorted a home semi final. If we were to win next week, our starting team could have had a full fortnight preparation for a final. Now we have to go to our favorite place Connacht, seeking something from the game.

Scarlets are 126 points behind us.
So if we lose by 60+ points and Scarlets win by a similar margin then yes they can pip us to the top spot but that is not going to happen.
We can send the 3rds out against Connacht and enjoy a weekend off for the QFs.
We are in the best possible position for a bite at a double.

Not according to Irish Times after the game, they saying we still need a point in Galway. I think wins is ranked ahead of points difference

[blockhead]

Lest we forget a win tonite would have sorted a home semi final. If we were to win next week, our starting team could have had a full fortnight preparation for a final. Now we have to go to our favorite place Connacht, seeking something from the game.

Scarlets are 126 points behind us.
So if we lose by 60+ points and Scarlets win by a similar margin then yes they can pip us to the top spot but that is not going to happen.
We can send the 3rds out against Connacht and enjoy a weekend off for the QFs.
We are in the best possible position for a bite at a double.

Not according to Irish Times after the game, they saying we still need a point in Galway. I think wins is ranked ahead of points difference

Yes they are and we have 14 to Scarlets 13 so they can only match us on that criteria.
We still need a point in theory but in reality we don't.

[neiliog93]

Despite the fact it's their job, Irish journalists often get the minute details of tournament structure etc wrong. We have 14 wins and the Scarlets have 13, so if we lose against Connacht and they beat Dragons with a try bp in the last round of Pro 14 fixtures, we'll have the same number of wins, and the same number of match points (70). After number of wins, the next criteria used to separate teams on equal match points is points difference, and seeing as ours is over 100 points superior to theirs, we're basically guaranteed top spot already.

I would also echo other posters' calls for B.Byrne to be ahead of Tracy at this stage. Tracy has had a really poor second half to the season, nowhere near getting back into one of Joe's Ireland camps. B.Byrne is playing well though. Unfortunately like almost all Leinster hookers, their throwing can let them down.

[Oldschool]

This game was quite simply lost by poor captaincy when he opted not to take nine points that were on offer from very kickable positions.
That and a very poor kick and chase from JGP.

[blockhead]

This game was quite simply lost by poor captaincy when he opted not to take nine points that were on offer from very kickable positions.
That and a very poor kick and chase from JGP.

Respect to the fans for applauding Treviso at the FT whistle.

[CiaranIrl]

Despite the fact it's their job, Irish journalists often get the minute details of tournament structure etc wrong. We have 14 wins and the Scarlets have 13, so if we lose against Connacht and they beat Dragons with a try bp in the last round of Pro 14 fixtures, we'll have the same number of wins, and the same number of match points (70). After number of wins, the next criteria used to separate teams on equal match points is points difference, and seeing as ours is over 100 points superior to theirs, we're basically guaranteed top spot already.

I would also echo other posters' calls for B.Byrne to be ahead of Tracy at this stage. Tracy has had a really poor second half to the season, nowhere getting back into one of Joe's Ireland camps. B.Byrne is playing well though. Unfortunately like almost all Leinster hookers, their throwing can let them down.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... 3?mode=amp

The same article can't spell Benetton. Says it all really.

[carlow man]

Sounds like no one apart from deegan and jordi came out with their reputations still intact. Unfortunately it seems sob's shoulder still isn't ready for first team rugby. I still think it hasn't been right since kaino lined him up last summer in nz. Needed sorting then but it's obviously stopping him from feeling confident in the contact area. He's always led with his left shoulder when taking the ball into contact and if it isn't sorted asap then he will have to make a decision whether his long term health is more important than forcing another season out of his wrecked body.

[bails]

An oft forgotten statistic.

SOB played more for the Lions than he did for Leinster in 2017
2018 has been a write off for him, we can’t possibly gamble with him even on the bench next week

[Logorrhea]

An oft forgotten statistic.

SOB played more for the Lions than he did for Leinster in 2017
2018 has been a write off for him, we can’t possibly gamble with him even on the bench next week

Hes shown nothing to suggest hes worth a spot on the bench.

[Icarus]

Relax. It's all just a ploy to lure the ECC opposition into a false sense of security; it worked a treat with Saracens.

[artaneboy]

An oft forgotten statistic.

SOB played more for the Lions than he did for Leinster in 2017
2018 has been a write off for him, we can’t possibly gamble with him even on the bench next week

Hes shown nothing to suggest hes worth a spot on the bench.

He looked still much as if he was minding himself- that’s if he wasn’t actually straightforward still injured.

Made very little impact and his look in the stand afterwards didn’t suggest a player who was pleased to have made a comeback.


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