RaboP12 (Round 1): Scarlets vs Leinster k/o - 18:30 Sat, 1 September 2012 (Parc y Scarlets)

We are into the final countdown to the start of the season. A home win, a heavy away loss, and a tight away draw against Gloucester, Saints and Sale is a mixed bag of warm up games. Once teams are out, I'll throw them in here.

Leinster Team
15: Isa Nacewa
14: Andrew Conway
13: Brendan Macken
12: Noel Reid
11: Fionn Carr
10: Ian Madigan
9: Isaac Boss

1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Jamie Hagan
4: Damian Browne
5: Devin Toner
6: Dominic Ryan
7: Shane Jennings CAPTAIN
8: Leo Auva'a

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Aaron Dundon
17: Jack McGrath
18: Martin Moore
19: Tom Denton
20: Jordi Murphy
21: John personey
22: Collie O'Shea
23: Darren Hudson

Scarlets team v Leinster Saturday 1st September 2012, Parc y Scarlets kick off 18.30.

15 Liam Williams, 14 George North, 13 Gareth Maule, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Andy Fenby
10 Aled Thomas, 9 Tavis Knoyle, 1 Rhodri Jones, 2 Ken Owens, 3 Deacon Manu, 4 George Earle, 5 Richard Kelly, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 Josh Turnbull, 8 Rob McCusker (capt)

Replacements: 16 Matthew Rees, 17 Phil John, 18 Samson Lee, 19 Sione Timani, 20 Kieran Murphy, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Jonathan Davies

Players unavailable through injury are Dale Ford, Gareth Owen, Morgan Stoddart, Emyr Phillips, Jake Ball, Joel Galley and Rob Evans.

Nice one. Looks like Scarlets might have just edged the pre-season form (two narrow losses and one win) but I'm never really sure how much we can learn from them.

Looking forward to this one now, Scarlets v Leinster matches are usually pretty good, so fingers crossed for another good one

rugbydreamer wrote:Nice one. Looks like Scarlets might have just edged the pre-season form (two narrow losses and one win) but I'm never really sure how much we can learn from them.

Looking forward to this one now, Scarlets v Leinster matches are usually pretty good, so fingers crossed for another good one

First 3 games of the season is the ideal time for anyone to face Leinster. We are notoriously slow starters and usually haven't come out of our shell playing confident expansive rugby. Look for Leinster to keep things tight and try to turn it into a forwards arm wrestle, but then the backs to be overly rushed in performing their set moves and trying to force a pass instead of choosing to go to ground and provide clean recycled ball.

Ha mate, you've just described the Scarlets as well (although we won't perhaps be quite so forward orientated). We're slow starters too!

Was nice we had Scott Williams and George North on the bench on Sat though, so they might figure this weekend.

Will Leinster have any of their internationals available at all?

Don't think the Irish Internationals start to come back untill the week after, and then it's the ones that didn't play much (sub apperance etc), But as I mentioned on another thread, because Scarlets won't have their full team of internationals either, it makes it a much levelier playing Field than England of France where only the top 3 or four suffer from international rest, Rabo teams all suffer to some extent.

Leinster can still put out an awesome team without them. Leinster would be Favourites, but I think Scarlets will win, but will wait for team sheets before I decide.

Kingshu wrote:Don't think the Irish Internationals start to come back untill the week after, and then it's the ones that didn't play much (sub apperance etc), But as I mentioned on another thread, because Scarlets won't have their full team of internationals either, it makes it a much levelier playing Field than England of France where only the top 3 or four suffer from international rest, Rabo teams all suffer to some extent.

Leinster can still put out an awesome team without them. Leinster would be Favourites, but I think Scarlets will win, but will wait for team sheets before I decide.

International subs, eg Redan, Mclaughlin, etc. could return from week 3 or 4. Starters, eg Healy Ross, O'Driscoll not ontil week 6 in October.

As Leinster have the bulk of the Irish starters we are the most affected.

All the Internationals are a month behind in Pre season.

As to the game, we could be lucky to get a lbp in the Parc. If we win i will be surprised and delighted. I think we have won our first game once in 10 years. (and they are normally in Wales)

Im just praying Auva'a and ryan are fit for this game, we really need them. If they arent fit i dont think we have any chance of winning.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote: I think we have won our first game once in 10 years. (and they are normally in Wales)

Just checked. This is the only opening game we have won since Welsh rugby went Regional. AND it was at home.

Sat 22 Sep 2007 17:30 Leinster Rugby 23 - 8 Edinburgh Rugby

You say that though the last two games you have played at the Parc have either been a draw or you guys have juts won. With both sides being such slow starters, anything can happen.

Obvs I would like the Scarlets to win but I think this one's too close to call really.

OK I'll give you another stat.

The only game Scarlets have won in our last 11 meetings was this one

Sat 5 Sep 2009 18:30 ML Scarlets 18 - 16 Leinster Rugby

AND that was on the 1st day of the season

exactly, one out of 11 and look how close the score was!

Too tough to choose a winner from this for me, or even to pick a favourite.

OK. How about......

You will have access to your Welsh players. We are down between 18 and 20 of our squad of 40 players, with a minimum of 6 academy players in the 23 and it could be a few more.

We have access to two, possibly three of our Welsh players. Half of our new signings aren't with the club yet and we are fielding a swathe of academy or even 3rd choice players ourselves, with our replacement front row having the average age of 20.

rugbydreamer wrote:We have access to two, possibly three of our Welsh players. Half of our new signings aren't with the club yet and we are fielding a swathe of academy or even 3rd choice players ourselves, with our replacement front row having the average age of 20.

OK. We'll call it a tie then, on the underdog status.

ooh actually I think we might have Pete E on the bench for the front row so that'll move the average age up, but still, hardly first choice!

These early season matches are always so hard to call with so many players missing.

I'll agree with you on the tie on the underdog status though

Who have you signed that is late?

Last I heard you were looking for some tight 5 players. 2nd row and props.

We have a pair of Kiwis who are playing NPC until late October, and yerman Quinn Roux who arrived a couple of weeks ago but has not been seen.

We have signed 2nd row Tomas Vallejos but he's with the Argentina squad at the moment, Jake Ball and George Earle are our other 2nd rows we've managed to get so far (Ball is Australian but with a Welsh dad, Earle is from SA) and we've just signed TH Jacobie Adriaanse from the Lions but he won't join us until the end of October.

Reckon we're still due to sign another tight 5 player too, so all finally coming together (if a bit later then we'd like!)

Shame we couldn't get more WQ signings but these guys should really add to our squad depth and bring our academy players through


Whispers that Foxy (John Davies) might be able to start from the bench so perhaps underdog status is leaning more towards you guys now....

North
Scott Williams
Fenby
Maule
Liam Williams

Very decent outside backs compared to our academy ones.

The good news is that all our players are OK after Friday.

Back row crisis averted (for now)

"With 11 fit international players unavailable for the opening rounds of the campaign and a further seven players (Luke Fitzgerald, Mark Flanagan, Conor Gilsenan, David Kearney, Sean O’Brien, Eoin O’Malley and Rhys Ruddock) ruled out through injury, the recent three-match series against English opposition (Gloucester, Northampton Saints and Sale Sharks) provided a number of younger players with an opportunity to stake a claim ahead of the start of the PRO12.

To affirm this, the province finished the Sale game with 13 Academy players in the line-up. Amongst that number was Andrew Conway who scored Leinster’s only try of the game."

That's from the Leinster website, who bafflingly don't seem to know that Conway is in his 3rd season out of the academy.

Still 20 players missing. 2 late arrivals, 7 injured and 11 rested

I think our backs are in a much better place then yours but our forwards are still up in the air. Of our 4 forward big signings, only one has played for us so far or trained with the squad, so in the front 5 especially we are still a bit weak. Back row and beyond that we are looking good.

I reckon we'll start with something like this:

1. Phil John, 2. Ken Owens, 3. Deacon Manu
4. Earle 5. Timani
6. Turnbull, 7. Edwards, 8. McCusker
9. Knoyle
10. Aled Thomas
11. Fenby, 12. Warren, 13. Maule, 14. Phillips
15. Liam Williams

Bench: Rhodri Jones, Matthew Rees, Peter Edwards, Aaron Shingler*, Gareth Davies, Scott Williams*, George North*

* these players could start instead of Turnbull, Warren and Phillips but I think they are going to be used as impact subs instead.

Possible squad from Leinsterfans website

* = Academy player

Van Der Merwe
Strauss
Hagan
Cullen
Toner
Ryan
Jennings
Avua'a

Boss
Madigan
Carr
O'Shea*/Coughlan*
Macken
Conway
Nacewa

Dundon
McGrath
Moore*
Denton/Roux/Browne
Murphy*
Cooney
Reid*
Hudson*

As you can see we are a mirror of you. Settled pack, few backs

Aye, and I actually went for a front row replacements that are a bit more experienced. We could go for Myhill and Lee on the bench but I doubt we will for this one.

Neither are bad teams all things considered. Bring on Saturday

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:North
Scott Williams
Fenby
Maule
Liam Williams

Very decent outside backs compared to our academy ones.

The good news is that all our players are OK after Friday.

Back row crisis averted (for now)

"With 11 fit international players unavailable for the opening rounds of the campaign and a further seven players (Luke Fitzgerald, Mark Flanagan, Conor Gilsenan, David Kearney, Sean O’Brien, Eoin O’Malley and Rhys Ruddock) ruled out through injury, the recent three-match series against English opposition (Gloucester, Northampton Saints and Sale Sharks) provided a number of younger players with an opportunity to stake a claim ahead of the start of the PRO12.

To affirm this, the province finished the Sale game with 13 Academy players in the line-up. Amongst that number was Andrew Conway who scored Leinster’s only try of the game."

That's from the Leinster website, who bafflingly don't seem to know that Conway is in his 3rd season out of the academy.

Still 20 players missing. 2 late arrivals, 7 injured and 11 rested

They like to talk about players 'brought up through the academy system' as academy players on the leinster site, even though most sane people would understand it to be current academy players every time they write it in their articles.

CAn't see us winning this one I have to say, although if we did I'd be D.E.L.I.G.H.T.E.D!

Think we are missing a good centre partnership and that could be our undoing for the first few games until someone comes in be it Darcy or McFadden (I expect Darcy considering he only played 1 game in NZ)

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:CAn't see us winning this one I have to say, although if we did I'd be D.E.L.I.G.H.T.E.D!

Think we are missing a good centre partnership and that could be our undoing for the first few games until someone comes in be it Darcy or McFadden (I expect Darcy considering he only played 1 game in NZ)

Id like to see a coughlan macken centre partnership. I think that kind of partnership would have both skill and power.

I haven't seen Coughlan so can't really comment tbh, did you see him LF4L?

Good to see Priestland getting a good break, hopefully he will be properly rejuvenated by the time the HEC and AI's start.

Is Coughlan the flanker that Schmidt played at 12 in one of the pre season games?

Yeah he is Feckless, did anyone see that game?

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:I haven't seen Coughlan so can't really comment tbh, did you see him LF4L?

No i havent seen him there but i think he definatley has the game to play at 12. I really like the idea and i think thats where his future is.

Fair enough LF4L, I haven't seen him all that much would you mind describing him as a player per chance? He definitely will have less competition at 12 than he would in the backrow.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Fair enough LF4L, I haven't seen him all that much would you mind describing him as a player per chance? He definitely will have less competition at 12 than he would in the backrow.

Did you not watch the u20 world cup pete?

Not really I was in work for more a less the whole thing, I saw a few bits of games but nada more needless to say my manager got a very to the point letter of dissatisfaction! I can remember being really impressed with...

our second rows who were sick
we had a good 3 in one or two of the games
JJ was very good
our backrow looked the bizz too

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Not really I was in work for more a less the whole thing, I saw a few bits of games but nada more needless to say my manager got a very to the point letter of dissatisfaction! I can remember being really impressed with...

our second rows who were sick
we had a good 3 in one or two of the games
JJ was very good
our backrow looked the bizz too

yep agree with all that. i thought that in the second row henderson got all the credit but i was very impressed with berine yet he seemed to be getting no credit. the two of them formed a great 2nd row partnership. coughlan is fast, strong and skillful which is why i think 12 will suit him.

Cool thanks for that bud, is he a 6 or 7?

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Cool thanks for that bud, is he a 6 or 7?

he plays 6. i would also expect conan and gilsenen to feature for leinster this season in the B&I cup.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4WQQFKZ83Y&feature=plcp
interview with joe schmidt previewing the scarlets game.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

International subs, eg Redan, Mclaughlin, etc. could return from week 3 or 4. Starters, eg Healy Ross, O'Driscoll not ontil week 6 in October.

As Leinster have the bulk of the Irish starters we are the most affected.

All the Internationals are a month behind in Pre season.

As to the game, we could be lucky to get a lbp in the Parc. If we win i will be surprised and delighted. I think we have won our first game once in 10 years. (and they are normally in Wales)

Joe seems to put it a bit sooner in that interview. He says we could see the subs back next week and the starters from week 4. But says that he would not bring back all 12 (thought it was 11) in one go.

Also says Quinn Roux will come on from the bench this week or next.

So possibly something like.

Week 2
McLaughlin
Cronin
Reddan

Week 3/4
McFadden
Kearney
Sexton

Week 4/5
O'Driscoll
D'Arcy
Heaslip

Week 5/6
Ross
Healy

thebandwagonsociety wrote:

They like to talk about players 'brought up through the academy system' as academy players on the leinster site, even though most sane people would understand it to be current academy players every time they write it in their articles.

Of course. They usually say something like "products of the Leinster Academy"

rugbydreamer wrote:
1. Phil John, 2. Ken Owens, 3. Deacon Manu
4. Earle 5. Timani
6. Turnbull, 7. Edwards, 8. McCusker
9. Knoyle
10. Aled Thomas
11. Fenby, 12. Warren, 13. Maule, 14. Phillips
15. Liam Williams

Bench: Rhodri Jones, Matthew Rees, Peter Edwards, Aaron Shingler*, Gareth Davies, Scott Williams*, George North*

* these players could start instead of Turnbull, Warren and Phillips but I think they are going to be used as impact subs instead.

I must be honest from what I saw on Saturday I would rather have Kelly in the second row and Earle on the bench because Kelly was really giving it his all, whereas Earle made some simple mistakes. I just don't think he is as much of a saviour for our pack as people are hoping.

Getting excited!!!!!!!!!!

Im excited to see what team we put out. I wonder if coughlan will get time in the centre. I hope macken gets a start.

Starting to look forward to this now. Is the game on TV in Ireland? Is there any way to catch the feed in the UK?

check out Penfro's tv guide on the main rugby page, that should have all the tv options

Penfro's TV Guide!!!! Oh yeah, then the rugby season is most definitely back

15 Liam Williams,
14 George North,
13 Gareth Maule,
12 Scott Williams,
11 Andy Fenby
10 Aled Thomas,
9 Tavis Knoyle,

1 Rhodri Jones,
2 Ken Owens,
3 Deacon Manu,
4 George Earle,
5 Richard Kelly,
6 Aaron Shingler,
7 Josh Turnbull,
8 Rob McCusker (capt)

Replacements:
16 Matthew Rees,
17 Phil John,
18 Samson Lee,
19 Sione Timani,
20 Kieran Murphy,
21 Gareth Davies,
22 Rhys Priestland,
23 Jonathan Davies

Really looking forward to this now!!

Lush Scarlets team, think we are deffo favourites for this now. THat never sits well with me, having the favourites tag, but it's about time we stepped up and performed as we all know we're capable of.

OOoo crumbs, can't wait for tomorrow to be back on the terracing at Y Parc!

Leinster Team

15: Isa Nacewa
14: Andrew Conway
13: Brendan Macken
12: Noel Reid
11: Fionn Carr
10: Ian Madigan
9: Isaac Boss

1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Jamie Hagan
4: Damian Browne
5: Devin Toner
6: Dominic Ryan
7: Shane Jennings CAPTAIN
8: Leo Auva'a

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Aaron Dundon
17: Jack McGrath
18: Martin Moore
19: Tom Denton
20: Jordi Murphy
21: John personey
22: Collie O'Shea
23: Darren Hudson

To be fair, considering the amount of players they have out, that's not a bad side, and they beat us with a similar side to that last season. Neeeervous now mun.

Pretty strong pack there. Love the start of the season!

Is cullen injured?