Pro12 Semi Number 2 Leinster v Glasgow

First topic message reminder :

I would go with the 23 that will take the field in the HC final the following week. (below)

Perhaps swap a few guys around. But we want to A/Win and B/Get the systems in place for the following week.

If we do get a lead going then think about getting people off for the following week. But it is a knockout game against a side that have beaten us in the RDS this year. So I am not expecting anything but a tough game from Glasgow. They have no other distractions and will be well focused on the job.

Resting players? Madness at this point in the season (unless they are injured) If we rest players for this, everyone will get a rest in the Pro12 final when we watch Glasgow travel to the Liberty.

Rule 1 in a knockout game. Win.

Rule 2. There is no rule 2.

Healy
Strauss
Ross
Cullen
Thorn
McLaughlin
O'Brien
Heaslip

Redan
Sexton
McFadden
D'Arcy
O'Driscoll
Nacewa
R Kearney

Cronin
Van Der Merwe
White
Toner
Jennings
Boss
Madigan
D Kearney

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:I hope my Weagie bretheren can do a number on this Leinster outfit, I'm pretty sick of them winning everything.

No one likes a team that wins everything. We'll just have to learn to live with that I suppose/hope.

That Glasgow team looks like it will cause us some problems. But we want revenge for the team that broke our 3 year regular season unbeaten run in the RDS.

You did that twice in the HC.

Please don't do it again. Ulster ruined my potential rugby outing at Twickenham so I'm hoping for a last shot at a final attendance.

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Apart from the nationality issue, Clancy is a total idiot !

I agree.

Hmmm, good Glasgow team...

Over to you, Joe.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:
No one likes a team that wins everything. We'll just have to learn to live with that I suppose/hope.

By the end of next weekend you won't have any bother Jen. Everyone will be loving Leinster again

Rava wrote:

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:
No one likes a team that wins everything. We'll just have to learn to live with that I suppose/hope.

By the end of next weekend you won't have any bother Jen. Everyone will be loving Leinster again

Don't let your keyboard write a cheque that your team can't cash Rava.

Its ok Jen the IRFU will pick up the tab via Pienaar and Afoa ...... ...

Long time since i've been on here

BOD and kearney are out of the semi.

LEINSTER:

15: Isa Nacewa
14: Fergus McFadden
13: Eoin O'Malley
12: Gordon D'Arcy
11: David Kearney
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Eoin Reddan

1: Cian Healy
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Mike Ross
4: Brad Thorn
5: Devin Toner
6: Sean O'Brien
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Sean Cronin
17: Heinke van der Merwe
18: Nathan White
19: Leo Cullen
20: Kevin McLaughlin
21: Isaac Boss
22: Ian Madigan
23: Andrew Conway

Heaslip being given the captain's armband with Leo Cullen on the bench and Nacewa gets his 100th cap.

BOD and kearney are out of the semi

Injured or rested?

A seriously strong lineup. What a bench as well. Look out Warriors.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

BOD and kearney are out of the semi

Injured or rested?

Both took knocks in training

precaution i presume/hope

formerly known as Sam wrote:

BOD and kearney are out of the semi

Injured or rested?

Rested I'd say. They picked up "niggles" in training.

As I thought, looks like the wing spots are a shoot out for the HEC final. Ferg v Kearndogg Jr

Reasonable looking Leinster side there...break a leg lads.... ....

I'd expect BOD and Rob would play if this was the final. Probably nothing to worry about, we'll be grand.

Just hope Rob is fit for next week, he's never started a winning HC final

Surprising to see Kellock picked ahead of Ryder. That's not a form pick at all. I presume it's for Kellock's line-out expertise against the rather large Devon Toner.

Beattie on the bench is good. At least Glasgow will have a number 8 at some stage in the proceedings.

Should be a good game. Can't see Glasgow winning if I'm being honest, don't think they have enough class in the backs to open up Leinster, but it'll be a physical contest alright, and Glasgow go into this one on some good form.

No BOD and particulary no Kearney are huge boosts for Glasgow.
Nacewa is class but it was Kearney whose brilliance turned the game against Clermont.
With three genuine try scorers in the form of Dunbar, Hogg and DTH i fancy Glasgow are going to make it a really tight game. Murchie on the bench gives Lineen a lot of scope to rearrange his midfield if he needs to: Arambarru to 12, Hogg to wing and Murchie to 15 (or vice versa). Or Dunbar to 12, Hogg to 13 and Murchie to 15.
Biggest loss for Glasgow is no Wilson at 8. All the calls for Beattie to start are a bit naive as he hasnt shown any sharpness all season. Barclay isnt an 8 but he has better discipline and makes less mistakes than the 2012 vintage Beattie.
A tough call to leave Ryder on the bench but he makes a much better impact than Kellock so maybe it is the right call.
the bench front row is amazing and if we can deny Leinster the front foot and close down their attacking space then anything is possible.
Come on the Warriors!!!!!!!!!
(Unfortunately George Clancy has no idea how to ref a scrum correctly so that is one major area of glasgow strength that may be nullified. i dont think he is biased, he just doesnt have a clue.)

Sensisball, let's get the full team up so that people know what you're talking about:

15 Stuart Hogg

14 Federico Aramburu
13 Alex Dunbar
12 Graeme Morrison
11 DTH van der Merwe

10 Duncan Weir
9 Chris Cusiter

1 Ryan Grant
2 Pat MacArthur
3 Mike Cusack
4 Richie Gray
5 Al Kellock (CAPTAIN)
6 Rob Harley
7 Chris Fusaro
8 John Barclay

SUBSTITUTES

16 Dougie Hall
17 Jon Welsh
18 Moray Low
19 Tom Ryder
20 Henry Pyrgos
21 Johnnie Beattie
22 Ruaridh Jackson
23 Peter Murchie

Some big calls by Lineen and I can see why he's made a lot of them.

Much will be asked of Dunbar but the boy is quality and the time for him to step up is now. Hogg is best at 15, so thank god he's been kept there. I would dearly love for Beattie to come on and make an impact - class is permanent and he well may.

Leinster fans will assume that they have the strongest bench and whilst that is arguably true in general terms, bringing on Low and Welsh in the second half (that should be two thirds of Scotland's front row in any event) will provide immense solidity in the set piece and Ryder's strength will shock a lot of people who don't know about him. Delighted to see Cusack there - he's a rock and Healy shouldn't get any change out of him.

for a great game, hopefully, and may the Warriors leave nothing in the tank.

Johnny Beattie off the bench to score the winning try - he has done it before in Dublin ye ken !

Just checked the odds for wining the pro12 and Glasgow are 20/1! Unbelievable!

This game is much closer than the 20/1 odds.

Dan Bighead has already opened his big trap. Phil Steele has been suggesting that Glasgow in the final would be a walkover, Ryan and Alun ignored it but Biggar when and responded with "we're praying for Glasgow to win." Ospreys have lost to them twice this season. Don't talk about the finalists before you know who you're playing Dan boy.

Morgannwg wrote:Dan Bighead has already opened his big trap. Phil Steele has been suggesting that Glasgow in the final would be a walkover, Ryan and Alun ignored it but Biggar when and responded with "we're praying for Glasgow to win." Ospreys have lost to them twice this season. Don't talk about the finalists before you know who you're playing Dan boy.

I think that's more to do with wanting a home final mate, at least I hope so, otherwise very disrespectful comment.

Agree. I don't think anyone is suggesting that Glasgow would be the easier opponents, they just want a final in Swansea. My head says the final will be in Dublin though.

It's pretty rational to be praying for a Glasgow win, when it means Ospreys get to play at home in the Final. I'm sure they've bad memories of losing to Glasgow earlier in the season

As a side note, you'd have to say if the Ospreys can't get the crowds packed in for a Cup Final in their home stadium it will surely prompt a rethink of the regional approach? It was genuinely shocking to see so many empty seats at a home semi-final

Really? 10K is one of the biggest home crowds the O's have had this season.

Agree that it should have been more but considering some of their attendances this season, that's a massive improvement. It was also the best atmosphere that I've ever heard down there. Small steps to growing

Come on you Weegees!! Give us a home final!!

lets go leinster (from Marrakech)

Can't get this game in English - TG4 (Irish) S4C (Welsh) BBC Alba (Scottish) are the options.

Brilliant scrum by both sides. Good start.

Did anyone else see that,I'm rubbing my eyes in disbelief the 1st scrum of a professional rugby game completed with no resets.

Artful_Dodger wrote:Can't get this game in English - TG4 (Irish) S4C (Welsh) BBC Alba (Scottish) are the options.

I don't know why, but that really makes me Love that it's available in the home languages.

Arty - there's English commentary on S4C if you've got Sky red button

Ferg's lost a boot!

leinster possession so far chance for points

Anyone have a link? Do TG4 not have a live player?

I'm on my Blackberry so I can't post a link.

It's even stevens at three all.

http://www.s4c.co.uk/clic/e_live.shtml

Not sure you can get s4c in Ireland

http://www.s4c.co.uk/clic/e_live.shtml

You can.

Kind of enjoying the gaelic commentary - at least I know the word for shoes now. Scrappy so far

cant watch in republic

Rocky sent you a pm.

Darcy off with possible concussion. Don't think he'll be back today. Madigan on. Sexytoes taking another penalty.

I've got the English commentary on and Rick O'Shea is talking the usual bollix.

6 - 3

good game so far i think both side are really fighting hard for this

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/tv/bbc_alba/watchlive

For anyone who would rather not understand Scottish commentators as opposed to not understanding Welsh commentators.

ALBA is partially in English.

Cari wrote:Darcy off with possible concussion. Don't think he'll be back today. Madigan on. Sexytoes taking another penalty.

I've got the English commentary on and Rick O'Shea is talking the usual bollix.

6 - 3

O'Shea can be vaguely funny at times, but just doesn't talk about the match with the excuse that its "alternative commentary".

Had to be yellow

Yep - if only more refs yellowed for that type of cynicism.

ROS is quite funny tho. To be fair to him he's in a broom cupboard in Llandaf not the RDS! Glasgow 12 binned.

Leinster could turn the screw with this scrum and go 10 clear.