Northampton V Leinster

First topic message reminder :

Big game for both sides. Northampton in decent form. Leinster without the injury list they had at this stage last year. (When they were a lineout away from beating Clermont in Clermont)

Mat O'Connor should have his homework done on NH. NH should have a chip on their shoulder after the 2011 final.

Leinster have never lost at Franklins Gardens. (Beat NH back to back when they were reigning champs)

Last time Leinster lost an away HC Pool game to anyone but Clermont was Wasps in Twickenham 5 years ago. (So no pressure then)

Hopefully a good spectacle with neither winner nor loser having any complaints.

Actual team.

15: Rob Kearney
14: Dave Kearney
13: Brian O'Driscoll
12: Gordon D'Arcy
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Ian Madigan
9: Eoin Reddan

1: Cian Healy
2: Sean Cronin
3: Mike Ross
4: Devin Toner
5: Mike McCarthy
6: Rhys Ruddock
7: Sean O'Brien
8: Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Aaron Dundon
17: Jack McGrath
18: Martin Moore
19: Leo Cullen
20: Shane Jennings
21: Isaac Boss
22: Jimmy Gopperth
23: Zane Kirchner

Saints

15. James Wilson
14. Ken Pisi
13. Dom Waldouck
12. Luther Burrell
11. George North
10. Steve Myler
9. Lee Dickson
1. Alex Waller
2. Dylan Hartley (capt)
3. Salesi Ma'afu
4. Samu Manoa
5. Courtney Lawes
6. Tom Wood
7. Phil Dowson
8. Sam Dickinson

REPLACEMENTS:

16. Mikey Haywood
17. Ethan Waller
18. Tom Mercey
19. Christian Day
20. Calum Clark
21. Ryan Glynn
22. Glenn Dickson
23. Jamie Elliott

Golden wrote:Do players keep all their man of the match awards? I mean players like BOD must have no room in his house.

A slab of Heineken or a bottle of Magners usually gets drunk.

Lol, no tj it means nothing. There are far too many variables to make that conclusion.

also why is the prl being mentioned in this thread?

No wonder the English club owners don't want to play anymore.  
(the above comment is a joke and not intended to start a 1000 post debate)

But seriously, that was the best Leinster performance since 2011. Nice for the new coach. I don't sense the fans have really warmed to him up to now.

nathan wrote:Lol, no tj it means nothing. There are far too many variables to make that conclusion.

 

Cardiff Dave wrote:

Golden wrote:Do players keep all their man of the match awards? I mean players like BOD must have no room in his house.

A slab of Heineken or a bottle of Magners usually gets drunk.

what about the crystal?

Sensational performance by Leinster and one I didn't think they had in them anymore - I've been writing them off lately as European force and I'll happily eat my words, they are walking a very tough pool and on that form they are one of the teams to beat, if not the favourites at this stage.

The NZ performance seems to have been a turning point for Irish rugby. The energy, aggression and verve is back in a lot of players who've been lacking it for a couple of seasons.

BOD was a worthy MOTM, his best display in years - Fitzgerald was electric and Kearney is getting back to his best. Very impressed with Heaslip, Toner, McCarthy and Ruddock too.

Golden wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:

Golden wrote:Do players keep all their man of the match awards? I mean players like BOD must have no room in his house.

A slab of Heineken or a bottle of Magners usually gets drunk.

what about the crystal?

Meths?

Fully deserved Leinster win. Dire performance from Saints.  Leinster played well and by far the better side, but it wasn't vintage Leinster or a performance that Saints shouldn't have been able to compete better with.

It's true that they were missing a fair number of their first choice backs, but that's no excuse.  When you're missing key players you need the rest of your side to step up their commitment, aggression and focus, not turn into half-arsed scatterbrains.

rodders wrote:Sensational performance by Leinster and one I didn't think they had in them anymore - I've been writing them off lately as European force and I'll happily eat my words, they are walking a very tough pool and on that form they are one of the teams to beat, if not the favourites at this stage.

The NZ performance seems to have been a turning point for Irish rugby. The energy, aggression and verve is back in a lot of players who've been lacking it for a couple of seasons.

BOD was a worthy MOTM, his best display in years - Fitzgerald was electric and Kearney is getting back to his best. Very impressed with Heaslip, Toner, McCarthy and Ruddock too.

Luke Fitz is a class player and will be interesting to see if he gets some time at 13 or even 12.Darcy also had a good game wouldn't you say Rodders (or is that not allowed  )

On the ruck, I'm no expert, but the Sky commentator was specifically praising the excellence this part of Leinsters play. Not a mention of anything illegal. So I think quins is just seeing what he wants to see and having a bit of a whine.

Rodders I think you read to much into Leinster going out in the pool stage last year. They had a poor game against Clermont at home and it was curtains. Since then their performaces in last years Amlin and this years HC suggest they're still one of the best sides in Europe.

Try and make a list of teams you think could knock Leinster out and it would not be very long.

Golden wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:

Golden wrote:Do players keep all their man of the match awards? I mean players like BOD must have no room in his house.

A slab of Heineken or a bottle of Magners usually gets drunk.

what about the crystal?

Maze?

ME-109 wrote:Luke Fitz is a class player and will be interesting to see if he gets some time at 13 or even 12.Darcy also had a good game wouldn't you say Rodders (or is that not allowed  )

D'arcy is a man reborn with that beard, I am happy to say - The Ulster trio of Jackson, Marshall and the oft-persecuted Darren Cave are in fine form too so its over to your guys ME? ... its all good...

Feckless I wouldn't say I've made knee jerk reaction about Leinster - they were a few levels down last year, despite the amlin/Rabo wins and have made a poor start to the season, despite their league position - but that's as good as I've seen Leinster play to be honest and they've played some stormers over the past decade. I'm happy to be proved wrong, about the team and some individuals too.

Feckless, I'm not saying Leinster were doing anything at the breakdown illegal but please don't use Barnes as a gauge of if they did or not.

Mama mia!
I am in pain.
We done got drubbed.
Hurts to type.

Almost a year on exactly from Ulster scoring four tries at Franklins Gardens... fortunately next year the English sides can pretend to be as good as they want and won't have unwelcome evidence such as this getting in the way.

Notch wrote:Almost a year on exactly from Ulster scoring four tries at Franklins Gardens... fortunately next year the English sides can pretend to be as good as they want and won't have unwelcome evidence such as this getting in the way.

Was that the week before they beat you at Ravenhill? Can't quite remember.

Notch wrote:.. fortunately next year the English sides can pretend to be as good as they want and won't have unwelcome evidence such as this getting in the way.

Notch,
Wtf is that comment about?  
Did I make any comments about your club, nation or the colour of the undies you wear (if any)?
I never made any comments about the Rabo League v. Premiership.  
I also have not posted any opinions about the rights and wrongs of the ERC, except when I blame everyone.

So please remove your comment or just stuff it..................

Sorry Doc, but I'm pretty much at the end of my tether with the English clubs. I'm absolutely delighted to see them get hammered, anytime. And I won't apologise for that unless they change their position. I wish them nothing but failure in everything they do. I now despise them with a true passion- beaten fairly on the field and you can be friends, attacked off it and that becomes harder.

You're a good egg Doc, but that doesn't mean I'm going to pretend I have any respect left for English rugby. Last year, I was able to have some good craic with Saints fans after the game at Ravenhill. Now I have nothing left but contempt for the English clubs. Makes it hard to relate to the fans sadly but I'm not going to out a false face on just to be diplomatic given the depth of my feelings.

Who is the Saints defence coach? He needs the sack after that one. It's one thing to be outclassed by an excellent Leinster team but another to gift them extra try scoring opportunities with a dog legged, slow off the mark defensive line. That's not the Saints we've seen so far this season, they just didn't step up the intensity when Leinster asked the questions.

If Leinster keep playing like that then BOD might retirement with some extra silverware.

Notch, not necessary mate.

Notch,
You can't really believe ANYONE is blameless in this mess?  We are a so-called professional sport caught in the stasis on the mid 1990s when we kinda went pro.  Nothing has changed in the macro view.  Absolutely nothing.  The sport must evolve.  

I don't know the English clubs are right, or not.  They certainly proved Rugby can get more money from tv, which is a valid point.  When they felt no one would talk to them when they felt they had a grievance, they went to bed with French whores, and look where they are now:  Welsh ones looking to replace the French ones.  And this whole thing tears European Rugby down to the core.  Looky, mate, everyone loses with no Euro Rugby.  You think I am effing overjoyed with the current situation?  I hope to hell not.  

But I found your comment totally ruddy misplaced.  My team just got totally spanked and bitchslapped.  Really don't need anyone shoving Euro Rugby up my bum at the moment.  OK?

Your team just got spanked, your team is also part of an organisation that is trying to destroy something I love. In a more sensible world, you and I would probably be friends. I'd rather we all had stuck to competing on the field, not engaged in outright war off it.

Look, I like you Doc, but given the depth of feeling that exists on this issue you might want to try and steer clear of the forums for a while if negative comments about the PRL teams upset you. Nobody is going to be crying any tears for them if they slip up. They are not well liked.

Maybe you are right. Need to leave.
Sorry for going off.
I suppose I expected the Euro trash talk would stay on the Euro trash talk threads.

You don't have anything to apologise for Doc, wouldn't worry about it. Have a good night

Awesome display from Leinster. I really enjoyed that.

Doc, I have great time for the Northampton fans, but there are a couple of players in that team that I can't stand, so sorry, I'm delighted they were smashed tonight.

I was hoping for a Saints win today. But well played Leinster, and especialy well played Bryan O'Driscol, a well deserved Man of the Match IHO...O'driscol may be in his last year rugby, but watching him play today makes you wish he was just starting his carrear rather than coming to the end of it.

Just how close was Luke Fitzgerald from Man of the Match though?

Wow, I used to think you were a decent if sometimes over emotional poster Notch, but quite frankly at the moment you are coming across as simply a bitter and quite nasty individual. Your comments are completely unnecessary on this particular thread.

Leinster looked well up for it tonight. Played their best game in ages. Northampton looked jittery and a bit bamboozled but they battled on.


Ruddock and McCarthy were very good in the pack. Ruddock in particular will be hard to drop when McLoughlans fitness comes back.


Madigan ran the show well. He was very good but the question remains about his game management when the team are on the back foot.

Ozzy3213 wrote:Wow, I used to think you were a decent if sometimes over emotional poster Notch, but quite frankly at the moment you are coming across as simply a bitter and quite nasty individual.  Your comments are completely unnecessary on this particular thread.

oh jeez  

Ozzy3213 wrote:Wow, I used to think you were a decent if sometimes over emotional poster Notch, but quite frankly at the moment you are coming across as simply a bitter and quite nasty individual.  Your comments are completely unnecessary on this particular thread.

And I used to think people gave a shyte about more than their own club and their own country when it comes to rugby. I didn't set out to hijack a thread or anything like that- just made an observation is all.

If you wish to personally attack me in your posts that is your prerogative. I'll not respond in kind.

Well said Notch, otherwise some people will only be looking for an excuse to ban you.

Of course it's the fans of the English clubs who have caused this mess notch. Jeez. Theyre probably just as gutted as you over this whole issue yet you hold them in the same contempt as the club owners?

Breadvan, Nobody holds fans of English clubs in same contempt as the tools who own and run your clubs. Anybody who has been to HC game in England - and I've been to NH, Exeter, Tigers - know ye are the same as us - mad about our sport, talk sh1te about it etc etc, but then Wray and the moron owner from Bath come own and wel... Supporters in Eng don' t deserve the winkers who are in control!!

Breadvan wrote:Of course it's the fans of the English clubs who have caused this mess notch. Jeez. Theyre probably just as gutted as you over this whole issue yet you hold them in the same contempt as the club owners?

I'm sorry if that hasn't come across, but thats the exact opposite of my position. Perhaps I haven't been clear on that. What I've said is I refuse to hide my anger at those organisations who are unjustly trying to grab power in European rugby and are destroying a great thing over egos and money, even if that offends opposition fans- I've had many great days with Saints fans. Sometimes on the winning side, sometimes on the losing side, never mattered. But I won't hide how I feel about their side and the other English sides now either.

I'm not going to start anything personal with anyone on this site- it wouldn't be right, it wouldn't be productive, it would be a waste of everyones time. I've only made replies to other posters since my initial post.

Notch, if you are going to spew bile every time an English team pops up in a discussion, then this forum will grind to a halt.

Can I suggest you keep your aggression for those threads which deal specifically with the root of your grievances?

Rugby Fan wrote:Can I suggest you keep your aggression for those threads which deal specifically with the root of your grievances?

Duly noted. Like I say, I'm just replying to other posters. This post included.

brennomac wrote:Breadvan, Nobody holds fans of English clubs in same contempt as the tools who own and run your clubs.  Anybody who has been to HC game in England - and I've been to NH, Exeter, Tigers - know ye are the same as us - mad about our sport, talk sh1te about it etc etc, but then Wray and the moron owner from Bath come own and wel... Supporters in Eng don' t deserve the winkers who are in control!!

...and that's the real kick in the plums for everyone in this whole furore which seems to have been forgotten about amidst the constant arguing, PRL, LNR etc etc who! The fans are the biggest losers. Big shame...

Saints were RABO ed !

BTW thought Hartley, Lawes and Wood were world class  

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Saints were RABO ed !

BTW thought Hartley, Lawes and Wood were world class  

I don't like the whole Northampton Saint's public enemy number one bandwagon.  From playing them last season I know they have some terrific fans and I quite like Mallinder as well, even if he has limitations as a coach.  In saying all that, I do like seeing Hartley look like hes just been hit by a train, really can't stand the guy and I think Mallinder has made a big mistake sticking with him as captain.

Speaking of leagues, I noticed sky are gearing up for next season by letting us know on multiple occasions that it was the 2nd placed AP team against the 2nd placed Rabo team!

Jesus wept.

Imagine, on an internet forum of all places, a guy vents his frustrations and passion about rugby? Whatever is the world coming to? Won't somebody please think of the children.

Some of us come on here because we love rugby. If this was a Doctor Who or Star Wars we'd be called nerds. So forgive Notch for giving a damn while club rugby gets ripped apart by pure and utter greed. The Franglo clubs initially had some absolutely essential reforms. The Rabo teams should absolutely qualify on merit. The money should be split more evenly. But Nigel Wray and his cabal have been utterly exposed in the past couple of weeks. So you'll have to forgive some posters for their utter delight at results like this today to see the Mark McCafferty junto and edifice crumble around him.

Considering some of the shenanigans that went on in the international threads, or indeed the Euro thread a mod felt the need to attack a poster for a rather mild, if ill targeted, post really is laughable. Catch a grip of yourself.

Maybe now that PRL have sounded their 'owners' ( I contain the word in inverted commas as I feel you have to offer up quite a lot of your 'ownership' rights to PRL when you join the AP )  - but to continue, now that they've sounded out their owners and have come back with a no-show for HEC next year; perhaps now they could do a tally of the AP players and coaches?  

Hmm, get a players and coaches opinion on being denied European rugby.  That would be an interesting tally.  I say this because I'm remembering back to a comment quins (poster here not the club) made.  He was responding to someone saying that Quins' Conor O'Shea wanted to play European rugby as a coach.  Quins (the poster) said that's nice for O'Shea to think that but first he needs to buy a club before his opinion matters.

How strange that even the people who do the business of rugby on the field (coaches/players) are considered irrelevent to some fans of those very same teams, and they'd still much prefer listen to the opinions of the 'owners' to the professionals who know the game of rugby itself.

Going back to the game was mightily impressed by Cronin. I was wondering if leinster were going to struggle without wee strauss but we now have a man who will be knocking very hard on Best's door in the 6N.

Loved the spencer pass by Drico. I suspect there are one or two more 'specials' he will try this season so he can further immortalise himself on youtube...

Cronin has always looked a building star to me.  That genuine 'Back' pace and manouverability has much value both to Leinster and Ireland into the future.  For sure other aspects of his game needs further honing but Cronin is my kind of player.

Now back to forward pass school Cronin!!!!

O'Driscoll - he has nothing to lose. Each and every game could be his very last one. I assume he'll be playing them with that very thought in mind as the year ticks by - game by game by game

Feckless Rogue wrote:On the ruck, I'm no expert, but the Sky commentator was specifically praising the excellence this part of Leinsters play. Not a mention of anything illegal. So I think quins is just seeing what he wants to see and having a bit of a whine.

Rodders I think you read to much into Leinster going out in the pool stage last year. They had a poor game against Clermont at home and it was curtains. Since then their performaces in last years Amlin and this years HC suggest they're still one of the best sides in Europe.

Try and make a list of teams you think could knock Leinster out and it would not be very long.

pens in last 20 mins and yellow card. or did i imagine all that? really poor-spirited to play so cynically when you have a 30 point lead with 15 minutes to go

leinster's attack, as i said, was extraordinary. their niggle and infingements in the last 20 mins just really irritated me.

quinsforever wrote:

Feckless Rogue wrote:On the ruck, I'm no expert, but the Sky commentator was specifically praising the excellence this part of Leinsters play. Not a mention of anything illegal. So I think quins is just seeing what he wants to see and having a bit of a whine.

Rodders I think you read to much into Leinster going out in the pool stage last year. They had a poor game against Clermont at home and it was curtains. Since then their performaces in last years Amlin and this years HC suggest they're still one of the best sides in Europe.

Try and make a list of teams you think could knock Leinster out and it would not be very long.

pens in last 20 mins and yellow card. or did i imagine all that? really poor-spirited to play so cynically when you have a 30 point lead with 15 minutes to go

Yup - you imagined that. Yellow was real but not for repeated offences. Few pens for breakdown offences. No one but you thinks their tactics were illegal

quinsforever wrote:leinster's attack, as i said, was extraordinary. their niggle and infingements in the last 20 mins just really irritated me.

Try reading some of your more recent posts again...now that's irritating.

Fantastic performance from Leinster. BOD played like a man possessed - I thought that his magic had gone (I missed the ABs game, so can't comment on that display).

So that's both me and Warren left feeling like we're sucking lemons.

Saints need a back-up back three, though.

Saints not a popular team with other supporters due to a few cynical nasty players in their midst, but their support is phenomenal and still remain my favourite away support - closely followed by Ulster. Yesterday the vast majority (Saints fans) stuck it out on the wrong end of a total hammering.

littlejohn wrote:Going back to the game was mightily impressed by Cronin. I was wondering if leinster were going to struggle without wee strauss but we now have a man who will be knocking very hard on Best's door in the 6N.

Loved the spencer pass by Drico. I suspect there are one or two more 'specials' he will try this season so he can further immortalise himself on youtube...

Love Cronin - the man is clearly a centre stuck in a front-row dumptruck body.

The man can step and likes a cheeky offload. What's not to like?