Preseason: Leinster 33 vs Gloucester 22 (Tallaght Stadium)

Taken from Leinster site
A young Leinster side kicked off their campaign with a fine 33-22 victory over Gloucester in Saturday's Bank of Ireland friendly in Tallaght Stadium...
After an early spell of territorial pressure, Gloucester full-back Rob Cook kicked the visitors into an early 3-0 lead when he slotted home a penalty after three minutes.

Leinster defended well and regained the initiative and when a penalty opportunity arose for the hosts after nine minutes inside the visitors’ half, Ian Madigan opted to find touch which he did deep inside the Gloucester 22.

From the ensuing lineout the forwards drove deep inside the Gloucester 22 and John Cooney eventually found number eight Leo Auva’a who crashed over to score the game’s opening try.

Madigan slotted home the straightforward conversion to push his side into a 7-3 lead after 10 minutes.

In the 18th minute Gloucester regained the lead when left winger Ian Clark broke through the defence to touch down near the corner, with Cook adding the extras and give the English side a 10-7 advantage.

Leinster pressed and on the half hour mark Madigan capitalised on an overthrown Leinster lineout to scoop, gather and sprint clear of the Cherry and White’s rearguard to touch down under the posts. The out-half added the points to push the hosts into a 14-10 lead.

Gloucester threatened the Leinster line as the exciting first half drew to a close but the Leinster defence withstood the late pressure to take a four point lead into the half time interval.

The hosts began the second half brightly with Fionn Carr starting a good move which saw sub Dominic Ryan almost steal a try in the corner. But from the ensuing phase of play Madigan delivered an inch perfect cross-field kick to the hands of the onrushing Andrew Boyle who ran under the posts and touched down at the Square end of the ground, with Madigan again converting.

The topsy-turvy nature of the contest continued with flanker Peter Buxton touching down in the 48th minute after a wave of Gloucester pressure, though out-half Tim Taylor’s conversion attempt was unsuccessful.

As several substitutes prepared to enter the fray on the hour mark winger Carr almost got his name on the score-sheet when he kicked ahead and sprinted, but the Gloucester covering defence prevented the try.

Tom Denton, making his first competitive start since his summer move from Leeds Carnegie, soared to steal a lineout and from the resulting move – involving the likes of Carr and Madigan among others - Ryan eventually crossed the line for Leinster’s fourth try of the evening.

Moments later Darren Hudson scored the province’s fifth try when he darted clear to score to make it 33-15 and though sub prop Dan Murphy added a try with five minutes remaining – converted by Taylor – Leinster held on to seal a fine victory in an entertaining ground-breaking contest in Tallaght.
LEINSTER SCORERS: I. Madigan (1 try, 4 conversions), L. Auva'a, A. Boyle, D. Ryan, D. Hudson (1 try each)

GLOUCESTER SCORERS: I Clark, P. Buxton, D. Murphy (1 try each), R. Cook (1 penalty, 1 conversion), T. Taylor (1 conversion)

LEINSTER:

15: Darren Hudson (Luke McGrath, 76 mins)
14: Andrew Boyle (Sam Coghlan-Murray, 58 mins)
13: Collie O’Shea (Brendan Macken, 70 mins)
12: Noel Reid
11: Fionn Carr
10: Ian Madigan
9: John Cooney

1: Jack McGrath (Jack O'Connell, 58 mins)
2: Aaron Dundon (Tom Sexton, ht) (Jack McGrath, 79 mins)
3: Jamie Hagan (Martin Moore, 58 mins)
4: Damian Browne (Ben Marshall, 55 mins)
5: Tom Denton
6: Ben Marshall (Dominic Ryan, ht)
7: Shane Jennings CAPTAIN (Jordi Murphy, 64 mins)
8: Leo Auva’a

REPLACEMENTS NOT USED: Cathal Marsh, James Tracy

GLOUCESTER:

Rob Cook; Shane Monahan, Tim Molenaar, Billy Twelvetrees, Ian Clark; Tim Taylor, Dave Lewis; Yann Thomas, Darren Dawidiuk, Shaun Knight; Tom Savage, Alex Brown CAPTAIN; Peter Buxton, Andy Hazell, Sione Kalamafoni

REPLACEMENTS: Koree Britton, Dan Murphy, Dario Chistolini, Will James, Rob Langley, Gareth Evans, Dan Robson, Martyn Thomas, James Simpson-Daniel

REFEREE: Alain Rolland (IRFU), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Paul Haycock, Nigel Correll (both IRFU)

Rory_Gallagher wrote:That is a good point actually. Most of the time the inexperienced players are all thrown in together in games against weaker opposition, rather than played among the big players in the big games. So they may never get the chance to show their true potential in a weaker side.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:A load of pants? So do you really think BOD proved he is the best option in NZ? He had 2 pretty poor games. I'm not even suggesting that he isn't, but he didn't exactly inspire confidence in NZ, which says more about our options if he can play like that and still be the best 13 available. It is clear that other options need to be looked at sooner rather than later, and should have already been looked at before now. Waiting until retirement to start experimenting with new players is just stupid, and will put us way behind any decent teams. I think this is already happening.

And do you really think that these "young pretenders" haven't been fighting for a place? Some of the 13s available should already have more caps for Ireland, being brought through as BOD's replacement. We all know though that no matter how good they are, they will never be selected over BOD, whether they are playing better or not. BOD will be selected until retirement regardless of form.

It isn't rocket science, in today's game you need to have a (good) back up available. For the older players on the wrong side of 30, looking at new options to replace them is obviously a good idea. Yet seemingly ignored here.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:That is a good point actually. Most of the time the inexperienced players are all thrown in together in games against weaker opposition, rather than played among the big players in the big games. So they may never get the chance to show their true potential in a weaker side.

You have pinpointed the difference between Cheika and Schmidt there.

Cheika used to put out the academy with 3 or 4 senior players in games a few times a year (away to the Dragons being a favourite)

Schmidt is a master at blending teams to get the most out of all the players and expose the younger ones at the highest level.

He is obviously constrained by the IRFU rules. But when he has a choice (e.g when he is given 10 games and told to play the top guys in 8 each) He will blend the teams to bring on as many players as possible and reward performance etc.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Fair enough bandwagon, but like I said I don't think that is the case. I think BOD will always be selected over his competition no matter what. He will always be seen as the better player, and in NZ was he really the best 13 available? We don't really know, Earls had a good 6N at 13, and Cave had a fantastic season, but a poor game against the Barbarians and a short cameo in the first NZ test.

Mickado wrote:Team to face Saints tomorrow:

15: Andrew Conway
14: Andrew Boyle
13: Brendan Macken
12: Jordan Coghlan
11: Sam Coghlan-Murray
10: Noel Reid
9: Isaac Boss

1: Jack McGrath
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Martin Moore
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Devin Toner
6: Dominic Ryan
7: Jordi Murphy
8: Leo Auva’a

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Tom Sexton
17: Heinke van der Merwe
18: Jamie Hagan
19: Tom Denton
20: Ben Marshall
21: John Cooney
22: Ian Madigan
23: Collie O’Shea
24: Fionn Carr
25: Jack O’Connell

Coughlan at 12 is a very interesting call...

Gibson wrote:BTW, I was not staying BOD should just move aside now. He must be pushed aside - on merit. Has to be that way.I totally agree with Band on that.
But, as was said , the best players coming through, must be given more game time in the bigger games. HC and PRO12. He wont give way easily. So it is up to the challengers to make it difficult for him. There should no fixed rights on holding any Leinster jersey. I am just saying that the BOD & Darce partnership must be seriously challenged this season. Not next season. They are on the wane. No one can deny that.

The real challengers need to play in stronger sides. That's the only way they will improve and that's the only way we will find out if they are really good enough (see Sexton). O' Malley has proven it. As have Madigan and Toner. We need Macken and Conway to step up now. And McFadden to nail the 12 spot this season. Id love to see a mixture of Macken, McFadden, O Malley and, Madigan, used in the backs.

Dial M for Murder.

Another priority is replacing Leo and finding solid backup for Ross. LH and hooker are so well covered.

I trust Joe Schmidt implicitly in the squad's development. He had blooded more players over the last 2 years, than Cheika would have attempted in a lifetime. The amount of young players that helped us win the PRO12 League proper, by a distance, will stand to us this season. More.