Leinster v Glasgow Warriors The Semi Cometh

First topic message reminder :

Well boys, here we are at the mid-way point on the rope bridge: who will tumble into the crocodile infested waters and who will march on to Ulster?
Thereplacements bench vs Connacht pretty much tells us who will deffo start, so
1. Grant (British and Irish front row of the season)
2.WeePee ( although I can't put a cigarette paper between him and Hall on form)
3. Angela ( pit mair weight oan that bar!)
4.Swinson (unbelievably consistent this season)
5. Kellock ( if paternity leave is over, Ryder played very well v Connacht but we wont go to a Dublin semi without our spiritual leader)
6. Bluto
7. Barclay
8. Wilson ( the back row picks itself, Harley is very unfortunate but will be on the bench)
9. Matawaloo (furra linee)
10. Ruaridh ( he is the only 10, with Horne and Hogg as cover)
11. DTH
12.
13.
14. Maitland
15. Hogg

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed no centres. I think this is where Toonie will earn his corn, or not.
Horne-Schlong were good on Friday. Schlong was very good going forward, but can he defend against the angles BOD will conjure up?
Morrison- Dunbar would be solid defensively and if Dunbar got the ball could be effective going forward.
Morrison-Messiah would certainly carry some clout.
Dunbar-Horne would be the most attack minded.
Then again 10-12-13 could be Horne-Dunbar-Messiah defending from out to in and forcing Madigan back into the loving embrace of Barclay.
I know games are won or lost in the pack, but if Toonie picks the right centre combination we will win convincingly as opposed to throwing away a winning position earlier in the season.
How many sleeps till the match?

bsando wrote:

Notch wrote:

bsando wrote:This should have been the final in my opinion, no offence Ulster fans. I just feel Glasgow were unlucky to have Leinster rather than Ulster for their semi final and these two teams have been the best overall this season in the Rabbo, followed closely by Ulster.

No offence taken but I think you desperately need to acquaint yourself with the league table! Your opinion is one thing, the facts of who was the best side across the 22 games are in the public domain.

Fair enough Notch, perhaps a bit harsh on Ulster who have been a very good side last 2 years. But going by Glasgow's record vs Ulster this season I think if it had been Leinster vs Scarlets & Ulster vs Glasgow, Glasgow would have had a better chance of reaching the final. But it didn't happen so it doesn't matter, two great teams in the final.

Havent they played 4 lost 3 against Ulster this season?

bsando wrote:

Notch wrote:

bsando wrote:This should have been the final in my opinion, no offence Ulster fans. I just feel Glasgow were unlucky to have Leinster rather than Ulster for their semi final and these two teams have been the best overall this season in the Rabbo, followed closely by Ulster.

No offence taken but I think you desperately need to acquaint yourself with the league table! Your opinion is one thing, the facts of who was the best side across the 22 games are in the public domain.

Fair enough Notch, perhaps a bit harsh on Ulster who have been a very good side last 2 years. But going by Glasgow's record vs Ulster this season I think if it had been Leinster vs Scarlets & Ulster vs Glasgow, Glasgow would have had a better chance of reaching the final. But it didn't happen so it doesn't matter, two great teams in the final.

Think you should review the tables, bsando. We played Glasgow 4 won 3. Beat them well in January HC at home. They beat us the once away in Rabo when our team was decimated, and misfiring.
Brilliant to see the Weeegies do so well this year, but you're getting slightly ahead of yourself, methinks. Next year could well be the Weegies year though...

Fri 31 Aug 19:05 RDP12 Ulster Rugby 18 - 10 Glasgow Warriors Ravenhill

Fri 19 Oct 20:00 HC-P4 Glasgow Warriors 8 - 19 Ulster Rugby Scotstoun

Fri 11 Jan 20:00 HC-P4 Ulster Rugby 23 - 6 Glasgow Warriors Ravenhill

Fri 22 Feb 19:35 RDP12 Glasgow Warriors 20 - 14 Ulster Rugby Scotstoun

Terrible record against Glasgow this season.

Just back from the game. Glasgow are a bloody good side

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Glasgow turning into one hell of a team,hope we don't draw them in the Heino next year.I'll be looking to back them a lot as I think they'll be undervalued by the bookies.

I had them as dark horses for the PRO12 title, before a ball was kicked-off. But what de phhok do I know?

They need to use that hurt to reach higher-ground. Its how we got where we are.

We lost oodles of key games like that in the not too distant past. Before we attained the mindset to kill games off and do what is required.

It all changed in the Blood-Gate match.


To the Glasgow Warriors.

That should have been 'recent' record.. i was not thinking of the heineken cup. in fact I totally forgot Glasgow had Ulster in their pool being an Edinburgh fan. But you could choose between Glasgow having an away semi vs Leinster or Ulster, I'd prefer Ulster simply because Leinster have proven time and time again they can win big games where as Ulster have just recently had some brilliant success.

Great match

Glasgow played superb attacking rugby, leinsters defence was brilliant.

Should be a fantastic final.

Tough on Glasgow they've been a superb side all year.

bsando wrote:That should have been 'recent' record.. i was not thinking of the heineken cup. in fact I totally forgot Glasgow had Ulster in their pool being an Edinburgh fan. But you could choose between Glasgow having an away semi vs Leinster or Ulster, I'd prefer Ulster simply because Leinster have proven time and time again they can win big games where as Ulster have just recently had some brilliant success.

True that Leinster know how to win the big games. I've huge respect for Leinster, and playing them in the final at the RDS is a massive challenge for us, but one we can go into with a belief that we can beat them. It's all on the day.
To be honest I think Glasgow would be just as big a challenge, especially after such a performance from them tonight. Great to watch a team just let loose like that. Just hope the final can be as entertaining as that semi.

Feckin baws is all I will say . We played all the rugby and were up against it . Baws - great big feckin hairy baws. Where did they get that little feckin creepy ref from ? Another to add to the litany of Clownshoes, Rolland , Muppet Owens,. Why are we so cursed with useless, Muppet referees ?

Great game of rugby and we deserved way better. British Lions huh. Don't make me laugh !

Asbo?

MrsP wrote:Asbo?

Yes?

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Feckin baws is all I will say . We played all the rugby and were up against it . Baws - great big feckin hairy baws. Where did they get that little feckin creepy ref from ? Another to add to the litany of Clownshoes, Rolland , Muppet Owens,. Why are we so cursed with useless, Muppet referees ?

Great game of rugby and we deserved way better. British Lions huh. Don't make me laugh !

+1

Nothing wrong with the ref at all. all refs make mistakes. What cost Glasgow was not getting the ball down - not taking their chances. Leinster defense was just good enough

Munchkin wrote:

bsando wrote:That should have been 'recent' record.. i was not thinking of the heineken cup. in fact I totally forgot Glasgow had Ulster in their pool being an Edinburgh fan. But you could choose between Glasgow having an away semi vs Leinster or Ulster, I'd prefer Ulster simply because Leinster have proven time and time again they can win big games where as Ulster have just recently had some brilliant success.

True that Leinster know how to win the big games. I've huge respect for Leinster, and playing them in the final at the RDS is a massive challenge for us, but one we can go into with a belief that we can beat them. It's all on the day.
To be honest I think Glasgow would be just as big a challenge, especially after such a performance from them tonight. Great to watch a team just let loose like that. Just hope the final can be as entertaining as that semi.

Yeah it will be a cracking game I am looking forward to it. I'll be done with flipping uni by then as well so won't feel guilty for watching it. Sorry for sounding like I was bashing Ulster, Ulster fans. I have nothing but respect for them as a team, I didn't get my facts right.

Oh thats ok then - what about carding Niko and then not carding that fat fecking prop who was warned (twice)? So ok refs make mistakes - another useless baw bag. Skinny grinning tw**

As I said British Lions - you are having a fecking laugh !

Bunch of utter fuds !

Card was harsh but not outrageous.

21st - stop wingeing thats not why glasgow lost. You don't want to sound like a Scarlets fan do you.

Agreed TJ, how many teams cross the Leinster line that often? Reckon that home changing room will feel lucky/blessed tonite. Dems da breaks tho, ref made mistakes, but Leinster played him better

And whats it to do with the Lions?

maestegmafia wrote:Great match

Glasgow played superb attacking rugby, leinsters defence was brilliant.

Should be a fantastic final.

Tough on Glasgow they've been a superb side all year.

+1.

TJ wrote:Nothing wrong with the ref at all. all refs make mistakes. What cost Glasgow was not getting the ball down - not taking their chances. Leinster defense was just good enough

Yeah, there's no dneying that brilliant as it is to watch, that at times Glasgow went for one offload to many etc
But at the same time, I can't help but feel that at the RDS, home advantage, really does mean home advantage...

Cracking game from two teams playing positive rugby and not cynical eitehr. Its an entertainment business and that was entertaining.

TJ you are right I do not but FFS. How many schieze decisions do we have to suffer from the triumverate of Clownshoes, Rolland and Owens and now some nobody gnob French guy. Christ I have had it. We were by far the better team and they fecking well know it.

See you all in October !

Anyone know how serious BOD's injury was? We're gonna need him before he jets off for his holiday down under.

Darcy too.

One thing I've been wondering, saw it mentioned somewhere on here. Is it true that Leinster don't have an actual dedicated defence coach? And if so how can that be true????

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

MrsP wrote:Asbo?

Yes?

You really meant Gibbo? MrsP ja?

Nope!

Golden wrote:Anyone know how serious BOD's injury was? We're gonna need him before he jets off for his holiday down under.

Darcy too.

McFadden can cover 12. Its his rightful position. O Malley or Macken can cover 13. Give BOD a rest for the Lions. We can win these 2 Finals without him. But he wont have any of that.

MrsP wrote:Nope!

Harsh but enchanting.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Agreed TJ, how many teams cross the Leinster line that often? Reckon that home changing room will feel lucky/blessed tonite. Dems da breaks tho, ref made mistakes, but Leinster played him better

Some journo will turn that into reams of newsprint. But yes, that's it in a nutshell.

We need SOB back badly. We miss both his ball carrying and his defence. Although Locky had an absolute stormer in the first half.

Gibson wrote:

Golden wrote:Anyone know how serious BOD's injury was? We're gonna need him before he jets off for his holiday down under.

Darcy too.

McFadden can cover 12. Its his rightful position. O Malley or Macken can cover 13. Give BOD a rest for the Lions. We can win these 2 Finals without him. But he wont have any of that.

Macken and O'Malley are not up to the standard yet. Ulster would rip us apart in midfield. Is O'Malley even fit anyway?

I'd rather have a sexton-madigan-mcfadden midfield.

Agree with you on BOD though hell definitly play just wondering if hell be near fit.

Gibson wrote:

Golden wrote:Anyone know how serious BOD's injury was? We're gonna need him before he jets off for his holiday down under.

Darcy too.

McFadden can cover 12. Its his rightful position. O Malley or Macken can cover 13. Give BOD a rest for the Lions. We can win these 2 Finals without him. But he wont have any of that.

Fook the lions. Absolutely no way the Lions should come ahead of Leinster. If he is fit then he plays in the final.

Gibson wrote:
McFadden can cover 12. Its his rightful position.

McFadden can cover 12 like a toilet seat can cover the liffey.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Gibson wrote:

Golden wrote:Anyone know how serious BOD's injury was? We're gonna need him before he jets off for his holiday down under.

Darcy too.

McFadden can cover 12. Its his rightful position. O Malley or Macken can cover 13. Give BOD a rest for the Lions. We can win these 2 Finals without him. But he wont have any of that.

Fook the lions. Absolutely no way the Lions should come ahead of Leinster. If he is fit then he plays in the final.

Right ON Fan! He is a Final kinda player donchaknow? Just teasin...

Golden wrote:

Gibson wrote:

Golden wrote:Anyone know how serious BOD's injury was? We're gonna need him before he jets off for his holiday down under.

Darcy too.

McFadden can cover 12. Its his rightful position. O Malley or Macken can cover 13. Give BOD a rest for the Lions. We can win these 2 Finals without him. But he wont have any of that.

Macken and O'Malley are not up to the standard yet. Ulster would rip us apart in midfield. Is O'Malley even fit anyway?

I'd rather have a sexton-madigan-mcfadden midfield.

Agree with you on BOD though hell definitly play just wondering if hell be near fit.

O Malley is the best young 13 in Ireland. Did the biz v ASM away a while back. I was there. He was immense in a cauldron. Joe will bring him through. It's Madigan Eile.

rodders wrote:

Gibson wrote:
McFadden can cover 12. Its his rightful position.

McFadden can cover 12 like a toilet seat can cover the liffey.

I'll say just two words to you Rods.

Paddy Bloody Wallace!

Couldn't watch it. studying for bloody exams just had to be done after a week of epic procrastination. Sounds like Leinster were lucky to get out of this one. Have to say, the last time these two teams played in the RDS a few weeks ago I thought it was the game of the season. Super 15 levels of intensity, skill and entertainment. Was this one just as good?

Anyway hard luck to Glasgow, sounds like they may have been the better team on the day. But that's not always enough against the top dogs. Hopefully Glasgow will improve again next year and go a step further.

I thought Leinster were starting to look almost untouchable in the league last year. But then Ospreys pipped us in the final. Then Ulster got their first win against us in Dublin this millenium recently. Now Glasgow are nipping at our heels. I hope it's these teams getting better and not us getting worse.

Feckless Rogue wrote:Couldn't watch it. studying for bloody exams just had to be done after a week of epic procrastination. Sounds like Leinster were lucky to get out of this one. Have to say, the last time these two teams played in the RDS a few weeks ago I thought it was the game of the season. Super 15 levels of intensity, skill and entertainment. Was this one just as good?

Anyway hard luck to Glasgow, sounds like they may have been the better team on the day. But that's not always enough against the top dogs. Hopefully Glasgow will improve again next year and go a step further.

I thought Leinster were starting to look almost untouchable in the league last year. But then Ospreys pipped us in the final. Then Ulster got their first win against us in Dublin this millenium recently. Now Glasgow are nipping at our heels. I hope it's these teams getting better and not us getting worse.

Better. Best league game of the season. In the NH I mean.

The PRO12 grew up tonight.

Glasgow were superb. But we are Leinster.

Believe.

O'Driscoll's injury was a back spasm so if it's something muscular like that they should be able to iron him out for the next couple of games.

to give him his due toonie appears to have done a brilliant job at making the attacking threat glasgow are now. i really think they have become a league apart from all the other teams in the rabo.

they are also still damn good in defence.

I really think that next year they can go a long way in the HK - and win the rabo next year.

They need to find a replacement for barclay, and dare i say it a good 10 could transform them

Agreed, alive, next year Glasgow have to qualify for the quarters of the Heino or Amlin at an absolute minimum, providing they don't have the same horrendous injuries as last autumn.

I note some of the comments from the Ulster fans above but please bear in mind that during the Heineken Glasgow was suffering from what I think the most reasonably impartial commentator would describe as an injury crisis.

I don't think that HC form is any indication as to where those two teams are now. I would be confident that each would win when playing at home.

Also shows how consistent you have to be throughout the season and how the small things matter. The injuries at the start and the late arrival of influential players (Strauss, Maitland, Niko) really cost us and not even a barnstoming second half of the season could make it up.

Three bonus points that I can recall (two against Edinburgh at Christmas) were lost as the direct result of three dropped passes in the final quarter and at least one more win would have been had if another pass hadn't been called forward. Gossamer thin margins at this level.

Difficult to know how Glasgow should spend in the transfer market in the off-season. The two main holes are at 10 and 7. I hope and pray that the SRA and Glasgow executive will bite the bullet and see that Rhubarb is just not good enough, Weir is injured, Horne is (probably) unlikely to be the answer and that they should lash out on the best qualify fly half that they can afford.

The Super 15 is brimming with talented 10s who can run and distribute. Imagine someone like Bernard Foley or Beauden Barrett playing off Niko with Dunbar and Bennett running through the midfield. Amazing. For some reason I have more confidence that Glasgow will recruit well than Edinburgh or Scotland will.

Best of luck for the final Leinster. You should do it. Isn't it going to be at the RDS anyway (Ulster's rather strange choice)?

Well, well, well.................. what a big game that was and even though Leinster were played off the field in most compartments over the 80 by a furiously physical and inventive Glasgow, I was mighty proud of how Leinster - being forced to play badly, being forced to play on the back foot for most of the game, being invited to lose shape time and time again as Glasgow tried to incite panic - they held in there by the skin of their teeth. They sucked up the punches and finally held out.

We've all witnessed Leinster win beautifully in the past number of years - sometimes bonus try scored by the conclusion of a first half - but they had to dig so deep to win ugly last night.... and they grimly held their nerve when I don't think any other side in Pro12 would have resisted Glasgow in that mood.

So Glasgow, most deserving of a final spot if they had managed it on the scoreboard. They played all the eyecatching rugby. But Leinster, in a sense, so deserving of the final too for showing the other side to the game - resilient commitment and defensive miracles at times!

Heart attack game but congratulations to both sides for showing why Pro12 is nobody's underdog when it comes to seismic physicality and oodles of creativity.

http://www.espnscrum.com/rabodirect-pro12-2012-13/rugby/match/167116.html

Glasgow ran almost twice as much as Leinster, they had better set piece stats, they also had better defensive stats and had the possesion.

Last but not least: penalty count: Leinster 7, Glasgow 14.

Glasgow were robbed of a final, no more no less.

Nonsense. I supported Glasgow and they were not robbed. Stop whinging about the ref.

What cost them was being unable to score tries when they created opportunities and knock ons on high risk passes .

Leinsters defense was just about good enough

Disagree, when a team is better than the other in almost every aspect of the game but still lose, the difference is made by the man in the middle. By the way at this level penalty count is usually a lot closer.

PS i hope Glasgow players don't see the stats above.

Bollox. Don't be a sore loser. I saw no real stinkers of decisions. Yes the penalty count cost but was it unfair or were Glasgow guilty?

Refs will always make mistakes and home advantage is proven. However thats not why Glasgow lost. Its wasn't the refs fault that Glasgows got near to or over the line a few times but did not get the ball down. Thats what cost Glasgow - that and missed bonus points earlier in the season meaning an away tie.

VinceWLB wrote:http://www.espnscrum.com/rabodirect-pro12-2012-13/rugby/match/167116.html

Glasgow ran almost twice as much as Leinster, they had better set piece stats, they also had better defensive stats and had the possesion.

Last but not least: penalty count: Leinster 7, Glasgow 14.

Glasgow were robbed of a final, no more no less.

See last season, when Glasgow were grinding out dour wins through penalties and strangling more enterprising teams, everyones attitude was the opposite "Glasgow deserve it for the grit and resiliance they showed". As an edinburgh fan, we were told on countless occasions by people from the west that it didnt matter we were playing an attractive game if it wasnt winning games. I was on the edge of my seat supporting Glasgow last night and wanted nothing but a win for them, but the reaction across a few of the forums towards "deserving it through the style of rugby they played" is is just a little bit rich. Certainly as a scotland supporter, I hear little complaint when we are the team that grinds out the victory.

For me the yellow card wasn't a yellow, Nigel Owens during the Clermont-Munster game didn't penalise the player coming back as the scrumhalf intentionnally threw the pass at him, thats what i call empathy for the game, the same should have been done to Matawalu.
As someone previously said every 50-50 particularly at scrum time went the leinster's way.
Then there was the last "scrum"...

SecretFly wrote:Well, well, well.................. what a big game that was and even though Leinster were played off the field in most compartments over the 80 by a furiously physical and inventive Glasgow, I was mighty proud of how Leinster - being forced to play badly, being forced to play on the back foot for most of the game, being invited to lose shape time and time again as Glasgow tried to incite panic - they held in there by the skin of their teeth. They sucked up the punches and finally held out.

We've all witnessed Leinster win beautifully in the past number of years - sometimes bonus try scored by the conclusion of a first half - but they had to dig so deep to win ugly last night.... and they grimly held their nerve when I don't think any other side in Pro12 would have resisted Glasgow in that mood.

So Glasgow, most deserving of a final spot if they had managed it on the scoreboard. They played all the eyecatching rugby. But Leinster, in a sense, so deserving of the final too for showing the other side to the game - resilient commitment and defensive miracles at times!

Heart attack game but congratulations to both sides for showing why Pro12 is nobody's underdog when it comes to seismic physicality and oodles of creativity.

Great post. The team who scores most points deserves to win but by Jeebus Leinster were run ragged last night. Quality side that Glasgow, they seemed to just carve Leinster up at will but just didn't get enough points in Leinsters red zone.

If BOD and Kearney hadn't have pulled of those two try savers Glasgow could well have won this comfortably. Heaslip's try could well have been ruled a knock on too on another day.