RaboP12 (Round 2): Leinster 45 vs Dragons 25 k/o - 18:15 Sat, 8 September 2012 (RDS)

First topic message reminder :

Leinster's first home game of the Rabo season. Time to dust the cobwebs off the seats at the RDS. Can't wait for some live rugby! But a strange kick off time.

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

1: Jack McGrath 2: Sean Cronin 3: Jamie Hagan
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN 5: Quinn Roux
6: Ben Marshall 7: Shane Jennings 8: Leo Auva'a

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Tom Sexton 17: Heinke van der Merwe 18: Martin Moore 19: Devin Toner 20: Jordi Murphy 21: Luke McGrath 22: Colm O'Shea 23: Darren Hudson

Dragons teamDan Evans, Will Harries, Pat Leach, Andy Tuilagi, Tom Prydie, Steffan Jones; Jonathan Evans; Nathan Williams, Sam Parry, Nathan Buck, Ian Nimmo, Adam Jones, Hywel Stoddart, Jevon Groves (c), Toby Faletau

Replacements
Hugh Gustafson, Aaron Coundley, Tim Ryan, Lewis Evans, Tom Brown, Liam Davies (Bedwas), Ashley Smith, Hallam Amos.

Tuilagi seems like he will cause a few people problems now he is fit. He's played well in the three games I've watched him (2 x league and the friendly against LI).

Risca Rev wrote:Tuilagi seems like he will cause a few people problems now he is fit. He's played well in the three games I've watched him (2 x league and the friendly against LI).

Has his handling improved from last season?

I haven't managed to watch any Dragons yet this season, apart from a little big of highlights last game.

Yeah, it sounds basic, but he doesn't lose the ball in contact now.

Risca Rev wrote:Yeah, it sounds basic, but he doesn't lose the ball in contact now.

It is very basic, but a big positive if he's not giving silly turnovers!

Maybe the futures birght, the futures Tuilagi!

@c_kirwan: How I saw the Dragons in Leinster: http://t.co/edbX83mv. Good: Dan Evs, Prydie, Tuilagi. Bad: Lack of belief, poor decisions in last 1/4.

Argus writer. I'll see if there's a full article. Pretty fair summary.

Highlights for those interested.
http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/mdtv/?play=media&id=12748

Leach is looking good at 13 aswell though. Hughes will struggle to get back into the team. I think if Prydie carries on he will be the one to get called up for the Autumn, due to him being a good place kicker aswell. If Halfpenny is injured Prydie will likely take his place.

Prydie looked great. He will only get better. Big plus for Dragons. As was the movement, passing & ball-handling when they had a go.

My adopted 2nd team this season - before it started.

Credwch.

Taking the foot off the gas on any Welsh side is the height of arrogance - and that is the highest compliment I can pay the Welsh, because they are (in all manifestations - club or country) the most difficult opponents to kill off either in mood or deed. They never sink into themselves, they never offer you predictable plod, they'll always bite back with something sublime to knock the smile of smugness off your lips.

It annoyed me that Leinster got caught twice on the one side with sloppy defence that needs serious appraisal but having said that, what did the Leinster player's expect? These are Welsh players - they'll always offer you pain if you invite them in.

I would still take Hughes over Leach, as I believe Hughes to be more creative, possess a bit more gas and offer something different (thus a better partner) to Tuilagi. 7 tries thus far and 5 have come from turnovers and counters rather than us creating something. I will credit them for creating a few opportunities in the last quarter, but a good side would've got out of that with an LBP minimum after Leinster's lapse. I'm also a bit miffed as to why Steffan Jones was taken off as I don't think giving Dan Evans a shot at ten when we are chasing a game is a sound coaching idea.

That said technically we are one point better off than last season (I believe we didn't gain a BP against Zebre's equivalent last season Aironi) and if we beat the Blues, then fair enough. With our rediscovered ability to counter and the fact we are running tries in from pretty far out, if we take them in the scrum (and it's more than possible), Prydie and Evans might get some more joy.

Gibson wrote:Prydie looked great. He will only get better. Big plus for Dragons. As was the movement, passing & ball-handling when they had a go.

My adopted 2nd team this season - before it started.

Credwch.

Risca Rev wrote:If we beat the Blues, then fair enough. With our rediscovered ability to counter and the fact we are running tries in from pretty far out, if we take them in the scrum (and it's more than possible), Prydie and Evans might get some more joy.

I really don't want to tempt fate, but the Blues' scrum didn't look great at all on Friday. If we can get the upper hand there then fantastic, but as you say, most of our tries have come on the counterattack so we can cause them problems even if we're not on top there.

I have a horrible feeling that Tom James is going to score on Saturday*. He's a headless chicken but he makes breaks and our defence in the first half at the RDS didn't look exactly rock solid.

* - if he isn't dropped.

Is halfpenny fit ? And Roberts ? Wish Chav was back

Luckily our back 3 are on fire and we are not missing chav. This could be a big season for him, we were poor last year and he never saw the ball but we already look far more dangerous.

Hughes is still nailed on 13 for me, adds pace and balence to the midfield. Harsh on leach or Tuilagi to be dropped but it's a long season and they will all have plenty of game time. Hopefully halfpenny is still injured!

youngguns6 wrote:Luckily our back 3 are on fire and we are not missing chav. This could be a big season for him, we were poor last year and he never saw the ball but we already look far more dangerous.

Hughes is still nailed on 13 for me, adds pace and balence to the midfield. Harsh on leach or Tuilagi to be dropped but it's a long season and they will all have plenty of game time. Hopefully halfpenny is still injured!

Your back 3 and outside centre were very dangerous during the game. When Conway was off for blood, they spotted they was doubt in the defensive line at that side of the field and really made good ground on numerous occasions. Leinster struggled to cope until conway came back on. Strange that I never really rated conway's defensive capabilities but they were missed when he had to leave the field in the second half.