Did Leinster throw the game on Friday vs Connacht?

First topic message reminder :

Well did they?

I believe they didn't care whether they won or not.

IMO it needs to be looked at by the Rabo league and action taken if they feel they threw the game away.

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:Hmmm, London Irish didn't turn up mentally at Twickenham on Saturday. Is that match fixing too.

For that matter, Bath didn't turn up mentally most of last season
And they signed Stephen Donald.

OI!!! That's a massive no need Pete.

Not all Bath fans are HERSH you know, thank feck.

Gibson wrote:

rugbydreamer wrote: fair do's, this thread hasn't half given me some laughs!

Dreamer, skusaay moi Scarlet, but some of us are taking this kinda ting deadly serious roysh.
Please show some respeck for the nouveau underlings. Thanking you.

The PRO12 Rocks. For all its varied reasons to be.

They just don't get it. Bless em.

Meanwhile, we are seriously upsetting our supposed betters. Two races, who suddenly love each other, in an unseemly joint-cause, to repel the Future of rugby and to re-corner a financial market for their own, inward-looking - gain. A market they used dominate by sheer numbers and minimal skill alone. We must be doing something terribly right for that to happen, surely?

A Tax break could be useful?
Just saying like.

[quote="Gibson"]

yappysnap wrote:Yes Leinster did throw the game. But there's nothing to stop them doing it and from what I can tell they really had no other options.

It's a shame but that's how these things go sometimes.

Unless someone is going to invest in them buying in prime international class players to replace every international and injured player they have out of the match day squad then you'll get a very weak side from time to time.[/quote]

Funnily enough (peculiar, not haha), most of that very same side, won the PRO12 league proper, last year. They need warming up. They are warming up. That thrashing will resolve a lot of tings.

It has done 2 years running. Having told the Truth, I'm still not happy about shoite starts. Its not acceptable for us. That must change.

It could be worser. We could be Bath. All knickers and no drawers - the whole season through. In a shoite league. One which takes itself far too seriously for its actual level.

You're on the feckin list too Gibbo, ya Dub-Dutch tart.

There's a man, going round, taking names...

Portnoy wrote:But it remains true that the majority of the experienced players amongst those selected were subbed off after half time - which I find confusing - to say the least.

Mick, like most intelligent, loyal fans, is well capable of generating excuses. Similarly sceptics may argue that there is a difference between excuses and reasons. I'm sceptical.

No subs were made at half time but Boss did come off shortly after the start of the second half with a hyper-extended elbow, which may keep him on the injury list for some time. Strauss was the next one to come off, also injured.

Nope is the answer to what is a rather odd and strange question. On the whole resting players thing, ROG and Manu Tuilagi played the same amount of games last year both are internationals, both missed out a chunk of the year through injury/suspension AFAIK.

There are two kinds of folks in the world - folks who slog, and folks who win. Winning is the objective, and a season is a season long in most leagues.

Thomond wrote:Nope is the answer to what is a rather odd and strange question. On the whole resting players thing, ROG and Manu Tuilagi played the same amount of games last year both are internationals, both missed out a chunk of the year through injury/suspension AFAIK.

According to http://www.itsrugby.co.uk/player-sum-613.html

Manu was named on (15 club + 13 international) team sheets = 28 games and played 2194 minutes (~ 27.4 games)
ROG was named on (14 club + 16 international) team sheets = 30 games and played 1569 minutes (~ 19.2 games)

It's called managing your resources, and I think it's free too, which is a great deal in this financially oppressive age.

According to their respective websites, ROG played one more game for the clubs. The players get rested more thing is not an issue I don't think. Sexton would have played around the same time as Tuilagi.

SecretFly wrote:It's called managing your resources, and I think it's free too, which is a great deal in this financially oppressive age.

Manu played 1190 mins for Tigers and ROG 1007 for Leinster.

Why are we comparing a 20-year-old rising centre wit a 34-y-o declining fly-half?

Did we get ROG off our hands? Great news, we'll take Sexton and be on our way.

[quote="PJHolybloke"]

Gibson wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Yes Leinster did throw the game. But there's nothing to stop them doing it and from what I can tell they really had no other options.

It's a shame but that's how these things go sometimes.

Unless someone is going to invest in them buying in prime international class players to replace every international and injured player they have out of the match day squad then you'll get a very weak side from time to time.[/quote]

Funnily enough (peculiar, not haha), most of that very same side, won the PRO12 league proper, last year. They need warming up. They are warming up. That thrashing will resolve a lot of tings.

It has done 2 years running. Having told the Truth, I'm still not happy about shoite starts. Its not acceptable for us. That must change.

It could be worser. We could be Bath. All knickers and no drawers - the whole season through. In a shoite league. One which takes itself far too seriously for its actual level.

You're on the feckin list too Gibbo, ya Dub-Dutch tart.

There's a man, going round, taking names...

As long as Stu Barnes keeps moon lighting on here as a certain rabid Bath fan you'll keep getting the stick!!

Portnoy wrote:

SecretFly wrote:It's called managing your resources, and I think it's free too, which is a great deal in this financially oppressive age.

Manu played 1190 mins for Tigers and ROG 1007 for Leinster.

Why are we comparing a 20-year-old rising centre wit a 34-y-o declining fly-half?

??? I don't know what you're on tonight Portnoy but send me some across quickly

Thomond wrote:According to their respective websites, ROG played one more game for the clubs. The players get rested more thing is not an issue I don't think. Sexton would have played around the same time as Tuilagi.

Sexton (16 (1125mins) +16) = 32 2092 mins (~26.15 games)

[quote="yappysnap"]

PJHolybloke wrote:

Gibson wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Yes Leinster did throw the game. But there's nothing to stop them doing it and from what I can tell they really had no other options.

It's a shame but that's how these things go sometimes.

Unless someone is going to invest in them buying in prime international class players to replace every international and injured player they have out of the match day squad then you'll get a very weak side from time to time.[/quote]

Funnily enough (peculiar, not haha), most of that very same side, won the PRO12 league proper, last year. They need warming up. They are warming up. That thrashing will resolve a lot of tings.

It has done 2 years running. Having told the Truth, I'm still not happy about shoite starts. Its not acceptable for us. That must change.

It could be worser. We could be Bath. All knickers and no drawers - the whole season through. In a shoite league. One which takes itself far too seriously for its actual level.

You're on the feckin list too Gibbo, ya Dub-Dutch tart.

There's a man, going round, taking names...

As long as Stu Barnes keeps moon lighting on here as a certain rabid Bath fan you'll keep getting the stick!!

You mean as long as there are hungry dumb fish jumping on the hooks Bath'll keep getting the stick, surely?

Barnes' belly is too big and his arms too short to operate a keyboard, I doubt "a certain rabid Bath fan" is actually a Bath fan at all TBH.

I'm loving the internal dialogue PJ. Please don't stop dahling.

Ah I don't get wound up mo chara, I just like playing. Specially with two bottles of Haut Medoc in me of an avond.

Thomond wrote:Did we get ROG off our hands? Great news, we'll take Sexton and be on our way.

Oi T! I'm tellin SIN E on you mate. You will be summarily excommunicated from the Munster Clan. For sure.
ROG is a Ligind! In his own lunchtime roysh.

Gibson wrote:I'm loving the internal dialogue PJ. Please don't stop dahling.

Ah I don't get wound up mo chara, I just like playing. Specially with two bottles of Haut Medoc in me of an avond.

You love anything internal and you know it ya big ladyboy. Playing or not, you weren't playing nicely and now I'm very, very upset.

Tell you what, text me a picture of you in your Leinster shirt and your high heely-wheely winkle picker-licker shoes and NOWT else... and I'll consider a program of forgiveness.

Can we have a vote on that last request please!!! Thumbs down for me I'm afraid.

Sorry Gibbo, but I know how short your Leinster shirt has become after all the washes.

Portnoy wrote:

Thomond wrote:According to their respective websites, ROG played one more game for the clubs. The players get rested more thing is not an issue I don't think. Sexton would have played around the same time as Tuilagi.

Sexton (16 (1125mins) +16) = 32 2092 mins (~26.15 games)

A game and a quarter difference between the 2 yeah, those Irish lads should really play more often like their English counterparts. There are a lot more reasons why the English clubs are underachieving in the HC but the whole fatigue thing is moot in my opinion. Foreign lads will paly similar amounts for both sides like.

Did-leinster-throw-the-game-on-Saturday ?

Straight Answer - No of course they didn't.

The IRFU did it for them given their injury crisis.

They'll be back!

Leinster did it to themselves and Scarlets were on fire. This is not all about Leinster. This is also about an exciting Scarlets team, who ripped us apart. We need to learn from it and move on. Not make excuses.

That's what great teams do.

Gibson wrote:Leinster did it to themselves and Scarlets were on fire. This is not all about Leinster. This is also about an exciting Scarlets team, who ripped us apart. We need to move on and learn from it. Not make excuses.

That's what great teams do.

+1. I still think that the team Leinster sent out was reasonably strong. Scarlets were on fire and played some tremendous rugby.

Gibson wrote:Leinster did it to themselves and Scarlets were on fire. This is not all about Leinster. This is also about an exciting Scarlets team, who ripped us apart. We need to learn from it and move on. Not make excuses.

That's what great teams do.

Although you start with "Leinster did it to themselves". Hardly sets the standard for bigging up Scarlets

HERSH wrote:Well did they?

I believe they didn't care whether they won or not.

IMO it needs to be looked at by the Rabo league and action taken if they feel they threw the game away.

I don't believe they did. Through injuries and contractual conditions, Schmidt picked the strongest side available to him. It had a good mix of youth and experience. They scored 20 points away from home (not many away teams managed that this weekend) but their defence was poor conceding too many tries. Some experienced players were subbed in the second half, which included Boss with a hyperextension injury and Strauss who picked up an injury. Nothing in this summary would indicate that they threw a game.

Gibbes says Leinster were physically dominated. Worrying for us. Encouraging for Scarlets. If they can physically dominate they have the backs to rack up scores. It's what Leinster have been doing for the last two years. Relentless physicality + skill and intelligence = whoop-ass

Anything is possible of course....and this could be the beginning of the end of the road for Leinster............. but really, I do hope we don't get too animated yet again when we dissect some early season rustiness/awkwardness/stiffness/downright poorness from Leinster and declare the end of the world too soon.

That's all been done before. Let's wait and see is this season's Leinster a new car being broken in easily in it's first few hundred miles.

Feckless Rogue wrote:Gibbes says Leinster were physically dominated. Worrying for us. Encouraging for Scarlets. If they can physically dominate they have the backs to rack up scores. It's what Leinster have been doing for the last two years. Relentless physicality + skill and intelligence = whoop-ass

But you have got two or three sides that are capable of that, we have one and a half.

bandwagonsoc,

Through injuries and contractual conditions, Schmidt picked the strongest side available to him

Injuries schminjuries. People have been talking of seven. That's standard isn't it?

Maybe Leinster are suffering a complex brought on by an overbearing mother

Portnoy wrote:bandwagonsoc,

Through injuries and contractual conditions, Schmidt picked the strongest side available to him

Injuries schminjuries. People have been talking of seven. That's standard isn't it?

Maybe Leinster are suffering a complex brought on by an overbearing mother

Portnoy you old devil of a pot stirrer

Well 'billy, let's put it this way, when I see the Leinster team announced for this week-end, the first names I'll be looking for are Boss and Strauss

Dont ever change Portnoy

Portnoy wrote:Well 'billy, let's put it this way, when I see the Leinster team announced for this week-end, the first names I'll be looking for are Boss and Strauss

http://www.planet-rugby.co.za/story/0,25883,3825_8049209,00.html

This weekend should be interesting as the Dragons will be flying high after last week and Leinster should be hurting.

Spider,
Leinter have no chance of losing as Schmidt may have more resources immaculately conceived for the home game.

I shall however, be interested in the progression of subs

I don't know why leinster are being picked on, Munster, Leinster and Ulster all had what some term weakened teams.

No irish internationals in any of them, an dall with a load of acamady players.
Look at Ulsters Half backs, and backs

Payne, Allen, Farrell, L Marshall, Gilroy, Jackson, Heaney

Mostly acamady or 21/22 year olds, only Panye and Jackson (who went off early) could be called called first team (gilroy may be by end of season) but both of them are 21/22.

Noone here is saying Ulster tried to throw the game, or Munster, but only because leinster lost we hear it.

If Ulster put out the same team next week and lose, and Leinster put out same team and win. Is it because Ulster are trying to throw the game.


The pro 12 is a very tactical league, you can only play certain players in a number of games an dsquad rotation is what its about. Coaches have to send out a team they think will win, while also conserving players for later in the season and other games.

Schmidt sent out the team he thought could win, but also saving players for a league campaign. Maybe he got it wrong (Leinster arn't going to win every game this season).

IF people on here think that he isn't trying to win games and plan for a season, and they know better, how many h-cups have you won?

I'd say Schmidt knows best, and is the best person to decide what teams to send out and when, if he thought that this team had a resonable chance of winning, and planing for an entire league,
then I'd trust Schmidt that they had a good chance of winning, rather than Hershs view that they didn't.

Portnoy wrote:
Spider,
Leinter have no chance of losing as Schmidt may have more resources immaculately conceived for the home game.

I shall however, be interested in the progression of subs

And the Dragons are apparently resting up their players for the Blues the weekend after

Portnoy. Leinster made those subs because of injuries and tactical reasons. Boss injured his arm and both strauss and ryan picked up knocks during the game.

Of course they did LF4L. And I'm equally sure that Schmidt was concerned about the result . I'll watch the team sheets rather than listen to any (possibly spinned) assertions if you don't mind,

So what's the point again, guys? That Schmidt chooses whatever damn team he wants to without feeling the need to ring any top dog from the Aviva Premiership or the Top 14 for approval?

The scoundrel! Send him back to the dark land from whence he came.

Portnoy wrote:Of course they did LF4L. And I'm equally sure that Schmidt was concerned about the result . I'll watch the team sheets rather than listen to any (possibly spinned) assertions if you don't mind,

Paddy Jackson and Nick Willaims were both taken off in Ulsters game with injuries, but we are hopeing they'll be playing this weekend, if they do play does this mean they weren't injured at all?

Does this mean Mark Anscombe and Schmit both had the same game plan, weaken teams, taking injuried players off, so they don't get more injuried, but Leinster lost and Ulster won, it happens in sport. Why are you singling out Leinster?

Kinshu,

Why are you singling out Leinster?

I dunno. Apart from the OP is "Did Leinster throw the game on Saturday?".

A mystery to me really,

Munster have dropped BJ Botha for this weeks game (against Treviso). He is on the bench behind Stephen Archer. Clearly they are forfeiting the game.

Good/bad for Munster Staggy. But my previous applies.

Portnoy wrote:Kinshu,

Why are you singling out Leinster?

I dunno. Apart from the OP is "Did Leinster throw the game on Saturday?".

A mystery to me really,

He cant get enough this guy... I reckon he wears Leinster pj's to bed... a closet wannabie if ever there was one.

Come on Porty.. sing with me... "Leinster, Leinster, Leinster"....

Portnoy wrote:Kinshu,

Why are you singling out Leinster?

I dunno. Apart from the OP is "Did Leinster throw the game on Saturday?".

A mystery to me really,

Fair enough,

The definative answerto the question is,

Did Leinster throw the game on Saturday?

No more so than Munster or Ulster did, and they both won. So no they didn't.

Happy?

Shoulder to shoulder
We'll answer Ireland's call!

Portnoy, admit it, you do have a soft spot for Leinster.

...a guilty pleasure perhaps?

I have great respect for the Ladyboys' achievements.

[ed] And would love to see them at Welford Road any time in a competitive match (i.e not a friendly).

Portnoy wrote:I have great respect for the Ladyboys' achievements.

add in a huge dolop of jealosy and frustration that Leicester appear to becoming weaker by the year?

Leicester cant compete with Leinster anymore so there are very few competitive matches between the two sides.