Amlin Final- Leinster v Stade Francais

First topic message reminder :

Right all,

So Leinster get another shot at the double (albeit the downgraded double).

Stade come to Dublin to kick off a predominant French weekend (interesting now how France came last in the 6N eh?). Stade come to Dublin off the back of a very bad loss to Biarritz (52-17) and currently lie in 10th place of the French Top 14 league, that being said they do boast quite a few top drawer players in Pape, Parisse, Dupuy, Warwick and Sackey. On top of that they have ex-Leinster players Contempomi and Stan Wright as part of their overall squad.

On the other side of the halfway line we have Leinster. Leinster have won 15 of their last 16 games in all competitions, they along with Clermont and Toulon are the only team playing for a European and domestic double, this is Leinster 3rd European final in 3 years. They boast the familiar names of Healy, Sexton, Kearney, Heaslip, O'Brien and Nacewa not to mention some chap called O'Driscoll. Working against Leinster is the 6 day turn around. There last number of games have been tough; Darcy has been ruled out with a torn calf, BOD and Strauss both went off early against Glasgow. Coach Joe Schmidt has said that realistically the lads are only going to get to train on Wednesday and Thursday (possibly Tuesday) such was the physicallity of the Glasgow test and indeed the Ospreys and Biarritz ones before it.

I don't know the number of Stade fans who will make it to the game but there are 2 other French teams in town and I imagine they will be supporting the "visitors", the Dublin and Leinster faithful will descent on their D4tress and lend their weight to the team which have got to be running on empty.

Use this thread to discuss possible teams, injury updates, team announcements, verdicts, tactical analysis and whatever else.

I'm heading to the game if anyone fancies a few pints before/during/after???

Believe

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

rodders wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:
If you give me DK and Ruddock I'll give you Phil Davies, Howley, any coach involved with regional rugby, and you can lend Katherine Jenkins for 20 minutes

Deal

You want Dave Kearney and Rhys Ruddock for a load of Welsh coaches and a quick knee trembler?

No focking way.

Beggers can't be choosers! ....

Very clinical performance. Our attacking structures are the best in Europe, Clermont have the guys who can beat their man 1 on 1, we use systems that work and execute clinically. 3 of our 4 tries were off planned moves.

Defence was both excellent and awful.
When outside our 22 our line-speed is appalling. We drift across the pitch at times when we don't need to. If we have the numbers to defend the opposition we should be aggressive in defence and get up to meet them.

We do need to be better than we were to beat Ulster. We can't stand off guys like Bowe, Williams or Olding.

As Isa said after the semi "Linespeed in defence is a mental thing" Or something like that.

Prepare for them to be fairly "Mental" on Saturday.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

rodders wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:
If you give me DK and Ruddock I'll give you Phil Davies, Howley, any coach involved with regional rugby, and you can lend Katherine Jenkins for 20 minutes

Deal

You want Dave Kearney and Rhys Ruddock for a load of Welsh coaches and a knee trembler that you'll remember forever?: