Amlin 1/4 Wasps vs Leinster

First topic message reminder :

Morning all I thought I'd get the ball rolling on this one.

It's been a while since these two teams faced off, way back to 2009 where Wasps deservedly beat Leinster 19-12 on Leinster's road to their first ever HCup. This was in contrast to the 41-11 win Leinster achieved in October against the same opposition in Dublin.

Leinster were on a great run of form up until this Saturday when they were beaten by Ulster, they now lie in 3rd place in the Rabo league. They find themselves in an odd situation as they and their supporters would consider themselves Heineken Cup big timers and being in the lower tier of Europe I am sure ruffles a few feathers. They have some high profile absentees notably; O'Driscoll, Sexton and Reddan which constitutes a large amount of quality and experience that will not be present.

Wasps find themselves in 7th pace of the Aviva Premiership in the depths of a 4 game losing streak. Some close defeats to Northampton and Worcester compounded by a drubbing to London Irish and a first league home loss to Saracens. Not ideal. Some danger men have just returned from Six Nations duty names like Masi and Launchberry significantly strengthen the side.

So where will the game be decided?
Who will get ascendancy at the breakdown and set pieces?
Who are the danger men coming into this game?
What are the prospective teams?

ISA ISA ISA ISA ISA ISA ISA ISA ISA ISA ISA ISA ISA ISA

Palmer is missing tackles all over the shop.

Madigan vs Wade for MOTM it seems. Let the shoot out commence.

Wonder what madigans stats from the tee are for the last 5/6 games, I cant remember him missing one in a good while

Íosa Nacewa you freaking beauty, great stuff from him, will be a big loss.

Kicking for goal

Madigan almost gets the rub of the green there

Jesus Toner is playing well tonight

That wasn't high!

Just a massive tackle!

Utter Love sacks

That's a joke. That was nowhere near a high hit.

Not high

Wasp set pieces beginning to creak, don't think that penalty went the right way and the lineout is now definitely under pressure

Wasps pack have given up almost. Need to think about their fitness next season as second half performances all year have been poor.

That's the addition Kearney can be when he's playing a game designed to attack.

that's game

Well that's the game... Well done Leinster.

SOB is my hero. Best irish backrower by miles!!

Kearney is looking fantastic. 8 defenders beaten, when he attacks and doesn't run straight into contact, he is one of the best counter attacking fullbacks around.

O'Brien is also having a stormer. No surprises there though!

Boom, Wasps can't live with the intensity.

Get the feeling that they're a few quality players short in the pack for this level of competition.

Haskell would have been useful as well. Johnson is good but can only do about 50 mins at his best intensity.

Well played Leinster, showing some class tonight. Madigan for MoM or SOB?

SecretFly wrote:That's the addition Kearney can be when he's playing a game designed to attack.

I think Kearney has looked pretty bad this game I gotta say, decision making has been poor.

Great scrum to win against the head

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Kearney is looking fantastic. 8 defenders beaten, when he attacks and doesn't run straight into contact, he is one of the best counter attacking fullbacks around.

O'Brien is also having a stormer. No surprises there though!

Kearney reminds me a lot of Mike Brown.

Good comparison actually.

Hhhmmm no knock on there, Southwell juggled it and then cought it.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Good comparison actually.

Yea wasn't meant as an arrogant comment or anything, both just have that vision to run at oppos shoulders and never get taken down by the first man. Can see why there were so many people going on about him for the Lions now even when he was off form. He's a far more traditional 15 then Halfpenny.

Well played Wasps, good commitment for that try but they need at least another with no points conceded to even stand a chance of a fight back.

And they need Robinson to learn to kick 13 points down the drain so far

Don't lose focus Leinster.... keep it tight

Wasps could be a competitor if they sorted their defence out and added a bit of extra nous in their forwards. The tools are there for them to be an exceptional side.

Isa is in!

Incredible hands by D'Arcy. He has been great tonight.

66 points scored in 67 minutes

What a brilliant game this has been

Great kick

Great attitude by Wasps.

Cumbrian wrote:Wasps could be a competitor if they sorted their defence out and added a bit of extra nous in their forwards. The tools are there for them to be an exceptional side.

You say that but they're actually massively over achieving in my view. In the pack they have pretty average props and then Lindsay, Launchberry, Vunipola and Johnson are all very raw players who drift in and out of games. Palmer is almost over the hill and Wentzel seems only good for lineouts.

Vunipola is another player England must look at for the future. He reminds me of a young Nick Williams. At 20 years of age, that is remarkable.

Another good try for Wasps. Cracking game.

73 points in 72 minutes, an Amlin CC record for the play offs?

I was more referring to their backs, they are deadly when they can create a little space.

Why the drop goal there? would he not have tried something

Why concede the penalty 30m's down field Wasps?? Just drop the maul after a couple of metres if you're going to do it!

yappysnap wrote:And they need Robinson to learn to kick 13 points down the drain so far

That, plus the wrong decision for the non high shot and it could be a one point game. Plus I think Leinster 17 (I think) could've been yellowed for that blatant penalty in the red zone.

Cumbrian wrote:I was more referring to their backs, they are deadly when they can create a little space.

Yea sorry wasn't trying to be negative. Their backs are deadly, just imagine if they had Saints pack. (And Dai Young forced the forwards to give the backs the ball sometimes).

Agree that Darcy has been outstanding

Leinster should be playing in the Amlin all the time. Makes it a much better competition.

Exactly, imagine how much more exciting this game would now be if it was a one point game rather then a bit of a drubbing.

Who says it's a drubbing? Wasps have fought from start to finish.

Two good nights coming up in the RDS - no matter who goes through.

Congratulations Leinster. Good win.

Enjoyed every minute of that though.

Perpignan 30-19 toulouse

So we're all set for Madigan Square Garden next year right, make it happen.