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

First topic message reminder :

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.

Reckon the pitch is going to suit Jenno too, he's speedier than Turnbull, but hopefully Shings will make up for it with us.

I guess this is where we see if Kelly and Earle are an improvement on Dom and Lou. After seeing the Leinster side there is not doubt in my mind that if we can get ourselves on the front foot int he pack we should be ok.

rugbydreamer wrote: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!

Ha! I knew we would beat you to the underdogs tag.

We'll have to play like Munster in 08 to have a hope of this one.

Will have to wait for October for my visit to the ground.

TV. it is on TG4 in Irish only over here and SC4 for those in the UK or who have Sky over here. Gonna tune in to the English language commentary on SC4. Those guys are great. One eyed and parochial as fock.

Yeah I agree Spiderman, the Leinster backs are actually pretty ok it's just the midfield that I am worried about. I really hope we try and strangle you guys cos I feel we could give that a fair bash. Midfield was always going to be our problem area at this stage I guess

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

rugbydreamer wrote: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!

Ha! I knew we would beat you to the underdogs tag.

We'll have to play like Munster in 08 to have a hope of this one.

Will have to wait for October for my visit to the ground.

TV. it is on TG4 in Irish only over here and SC4 for those in the UK or who have Sky over here. Gonna tune in to the English language commentary on SC4. Those guys are great. One eyed and parochial as fock.

aye curse the favourites tag for us, I don't like it.

And ha S4C commentary, just the way commentary should be

I am a bit worried though, we should have beaten you early on last season but didn't, you guys have a clever way of playing and if you smother our game we could struggle. Having said that, I think we've the far better bench to call on in the last 20mins.....be interesting to see how it goes.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Yeah I agree Spiderman, the Leinster backs are actually pretty ok it's just the midfield that I am worried about. I really hope we try and strangle you guys cos I feel we could give that a fair bash. Midfield was always going to be our problem area at this stage I guess

Can we get you cited for intent?

Haha go for it!

Hoping we can match you guys up front and dominate that area for the game

Not sure about our 2nd row - hopefully they will step up and do well, but a big ask for Kelly! Suprised Timani isn't in the team...

I like the balance of our backrow, just hope McCusker has improved as an 8 and can control a (retreating) scrum!

Suprised North is playing, but good set of backs and as dreamer says we've got a good bench to call on (which makes a change).

Interesting to see that Easterby looks to be ready to throw Lee in at the deep end!

Ymlaen Sgarlets!

Timani has a bit of a knock which is why he's on the bench and apparently Earle has a fitness test later (dodgy thumb)

Ahh I see - doesn't say much about our strength in depth if our only experienced locks in the team both have knocks.

Maybe it was Earle's dodgey thumb that made him seem a bit average last weekend (dropping catches etc).

If he is out then what do we do put Timani in, and Jon Eds on the bench?

Shingler would cover lock then right?

Yeah I'd say shings to move up (turnbull can cover there too) and bring jeds in.

Teams in the OP now.

My thoughts on the Leinster side;
- that back line looks.... lightweight, there is now bulk or power jumping out.
- In Dom Ryan and Jennings we have 2 groundhogs, should be good. And Jennings link play is not talked about as much as it possibly could be.
- Leo is a bit of a crowd favourite at this stage, I hope he sticks to his strengths and provides most of the back row carries.
- Toner will provide good lineout ball
- Browne is an honest player, nothing more
- Front row should hold their own, maybe. VDM and Strauss no issues, could argue first choice options. Hagan needs to take these opportunities and step up.

Gut now says LBP to Leinster, Scarlets not to get 4 tries.

Yeah good to see Hagan get a chance to show his stuff,now he has to step up and take it.

Who is the sub John Personey,I've never heard of him is he any good?

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Yeah good to see Hagan get a chance to show his stuff,now he has to step up and take it.

Who is the sub John Personey,I've never heard of him is he any good?

Must be the racism filters of the board. Turning Coon into Person. John Cooney

Lol that's weird

VERY excited!

It's on like Donkey Kong!

That John Personey has a huge future. He has far more about him than yerman Coooney.

Man, cant wait for this one. Scarlets are favourites, but we always have a great game of open rugby between us two. We both like to run with the ball.

Its high time for Macken, Conway & Carr to deliver. Delighted with our backrow. Ryan & Jenno should dominate the breakdown. And watch Auva 'a on his barnstorming runs.
Madigan, if on his toes, supported by Boss, could win this for us. But overall, I feel we are behind in readiness and strength here. Specially on the bench. It will be won in the last 10/15 mins. Scarlets by 5.

Believe!

Its all Leinster in the 1st 10. Jenno is giving a Master class.

Scarlets pushing for the line now. I love games between us 2.

Try Scarlets! Well deserved after all that pressure. Game on! 7-3.

Ref got in the way for that try but it was well deserved

Scarlets are running through the middle. Macken and Reid has better tighten that up. We need to get hauld of de bleedin ball here.

Ah thats brilliant rugby by Scarlets! Excellent try. In all fairness. We'd better not let them run away with it here. Need to tighten our defence. Need to go thro a few phases and relieve this constant pressure.

Not looking good for Leinster. Another first day drubbing coming up.

The ref isn't monitoring the 5 sec ruck rule too well. Scarlets have got away with it twice now.

It's good to see that the rugby crazed/rugby starved people of West Wales have turned out in their droves to support their Region against the European Champions.

Oh wait a minute! whats that I see empty seat after empty seat.

Nobody drubs us. Not in competition anyway.

Mon Leinster! Lets be havin ye!

Gibson wrote:Nobody drubs us. Not in competition anyway.

Mon Leinster! Lets be havin ye!

On current play, Scarlets are looking good for a bonus point.

Leinster are looking for...... anything.

this is dull

Where are all the Star/BIG NAME Players????

Are they having a rest already?

Just restin' then Gibs?

When do the friendlies end?

No wonder nobody pays to watch this standard of rugby.

We need to be releasing speedsters Carr and Conway. Need Magidan to get us going now.

Tackled in the air, dangerous ref!

Took the Leinster player in the air there.

Great tackle by sanjai

Corrr shes alright!

HERSH wrote:this is dull

Where are all the Star/BIG NAME Players????

Are they having a rest already?

Ye

HERSH wrote:No wonder nobody pays to watch this standard of rugby.

Anything else?

HERSH wrote:this is dull

Where are all the Star/BIG NAME Players????

Are they having a rest already?

We have 11 international 1st teamers out and 7 injured players. Not doin too bad.
No other English or French side could even begin to cope with that.

And Hersh, these are our Stars of the Future dude.

Believe!

Well are they?

I wouldn't pay to watch this.

roll on half time.

Portnoy wrote:Just restin' then Gibs?

When do the friendlies end?

When we are in the HC and PRO12 Finals, as per, Port.

But thank you for asking. Bitter

I see why the Rabo is the 3rd/4th best league in Europe

HERSH wrote:Well are they?

I wouldn't pay to watch this.

That's if they let you in, Hershy baby.

Most exciting bit of the half as the players run into the tunnel, that was a poor start to the season for both teams.

Scarlets should be further ahead. Leinster defence improving though. 14-6 at the half.

HERSH wrote:I see why the Rabo is the 3rd/4th best league in Europe

These two teams, at full strength, could annhilate any French or English side. They'd live with them, even as they are. Just sayin... Your standard is not too high - as we all well know by the HC.

HERSH wrote:Well are they?

I wouldn't pay to watch this.

You have paid to watch it.

I've seen enough, I think I might offer to do the ironing for my wife instead of watching this tripe.

Poor advert for NH rugby.

Pot Hale wrote:Scarlets should be further ahead. Leinster defence improving though. 14-6 at the half.

Agree. Leinster are a 2nd-half team. I expect the Wrath Of Joe to take its usual effect. Scarlets the better team by far. For sure. We' ll need a huge 2nd-half performance to beat them here.

Problem is, our bench is far weaker than theirs. We need to do it with this lot.