Castres v Leinster

First topic message reminder :

The Leinster team to face Castres in Sunday afternoon's Heineken Cup Round 5 game in Stade Pierre-Antoine (KO: 1.45pm) has been named...
In total 12 players are retained from the team that lost to Northampton in December with Coach Matt O'Connor making changes at 10 and two changes in the back row.

After a strong performance off the bench last weekend against Connacht in the PRO12, Jimmy Gopperth starts at outhalf. In the back row, Rhys Ruddock has failed to recover from the calf injury suffered in the second half of the game in the Sportsground and as a result Kevin McLaughlin comes back in after a recent lay off with a thumb injury to take his place at 6. The other change sees Jordi Murphy retained at 7, with Shane Jennings on the bench.

Otherwise there is a familiar feel to the Leinster line up with Rob Kearney, Dave Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald as the back three, Fitzgerald having recovered from the illness that ruled him out of last weekend's game at short notice.

Gordon D'Arcy and Brian O'Driscoll are once again selected in the centre while Jimmy Gopperth will be joined at halfback by Eoin Reddan.

In the pack, it is the same front five as selected in December, with Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin and Mike Ross in the front row, with Devin Toner and Mike McCarthy packing down behind.

In the back row Jamie Heaslip will captain the side from 8, with the aforementioned Murphy and McLaughlin beside him.

Sunday's game also marks Rob Kearney's 50th Heineken Cup appearance and as a result he will be awarded an ERC Elite Award. The Louth native will be presented with a specially commissioned ERC cap after the game and joins other Leinster players like Gordon D'Arcy, Leo Cullen, Shane Horgan, Brian O'Driscoll and Malcolm O'Kelly on the list.

Gordon D'Arcy is only five appearances short of 100 Heineken Cup caps and would become the first Leinster player to achieve such a feat.

There was further good news from the Leinster camp with the news that Fergus McFadden has come through training this week unscathed and will be in contention for a place in the squad for the visit of the Ospreys in Round 6 of the Heineken Cup next Friday.

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

1: Jack McGrath
2: Sean Cronin
3: Mike Ross
4: Devin Toner
5: Mike McCarthy
6: Kevin McLaughlin
7: Jordi Murphy
8: Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN

REPLACEMENTS:
16: Aardon Dundon
17: Jack O'Connell
18: Martin Moore
19: Leo Cullen
20: Shane Jennings
21: Isaac Boss
22: Ian Madigan
23: Zane Kirchner

REFEREE: Nigel Owens (WRU), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Sean Brickell and Jon Mason (both WRU) CITING COMMISSIONER: Shaun Gallagher (ERU) TMO: Derek Bevan (WRU)

Gibson wrote:Scum? We eat Chateaubriand for brekkie roysh.

So we didnt have our weetabix this morning? No wonder were getting pushed around

That's a nasty shot from Garcia. Could be yellow.

Need the scrum shored up and some invention to break em. Healy, Cullen... and Maddser on at 12.

Cant see how that's not a yellow or even a red!!!

Is this a turning-point?

2 points in it and half way to a bonus point   

Should have been a yellow!

Golden wrote:2 points in it and half way to a bonus point   

Lovin the cut of yer jib Golden.   

Believe.

We need to score next. Cmon Leinster.

wow lovely drop goal great decision

Great DG

Kearney!

We have far too much nous for a team that are playing more rugby than us.

This folks, is what makes Champions...

Great opportunity to go four points up.

Brilliant take off the restart by diarra

How Leinster are winning this with their defence today, I have no idea...

Healy on. We got this

Nachos Jones wrote:How Leinster are winning this with their defence today, I have no idea...

Please see above.   

How was Goppereth playing in the championship for the last few seasons. He's a hell of a player

Amazing amount of turnovers for Leinster.

Weird how a lot of Leinster fans seemed a bit upset he was starting over Madigan, I think his form this season has been incredible

Golden wrote:How was Goppereth playing in the championship for the last few seasons. He's a hell of a player

Always was. Just played for Falcons is all. Top scorer for years.

It was a very sharp piece of business that.

Gibson wrote:Is this a turning-point?

Think you were right Gibbo, momentums been with us since that penalty

We have em on the rack now. Go for the kill Leinster.

Leeeooooooo!   

Gibson wrote:

Golden wrote:How was Goppereth playing in the championship for the last few seasons. He's a hell of a player

Always was. Just played for Falcons is all. Top scorer for years.

It was a very sharp piece of business that.  

But Newcastle fans werent even disappointed to lose him. Maybe hes too adventurous to play in the AP?   

Golden wrote:

Gibson wrote:

Golden wrote:How was Goppereth playing in the championship for the last few seasons. He's a hell of a player

Always was. Just played for Falcons is all. Top scorer for years.

It was a very sharp piece of business that.  

But Newcastle fans werent even disappointed to lose him.  Maybe hes too adventurous to play in the AP?   

  

He is so wily. Very smart player.

Gibson wrote:Kearney!

We have far too much nous for a team that are playing more rugby than us.

This folks, is what makes Champions...

Champions? I don't think we've been playing well enough. Could you see us beating Toulon or Clermont playing like we have been? What worries me most is the number of handling errors we're making this year. Especially when we have a team against the ropes and then we let them off the hook. It's happened a few times.

Great comeback though. Did anyone expect Gopperth to be this good?

Oh schhhittt!

Stupid yellow card that, that may cost Leinster dearly.

Really need to show our experience now. We had them and we've handed them a great chance now.

Munster styleee now lads!

Stupid penalty there

Excellent defence there from Leinster.

My link is gone. Anyone wanna fill me in whats going on?

How was that not a knock on?

Score anyone?

24-17

Golden wrote:My link is gone. Anyone wanna fill me in whats going on?

heck your messages.

4mins left leinster peno in their own 22. tense

Jenno is a focking hoor down in de durt. Love it!

Excellent turnover and what a run by Healy. Great try and that's all she wrote.

Saints just got the try bp and looks like the win at O's as well

TRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYY!

TBP?

Believe.

Thanks for the links guys but i think its my internet. what happened?

Just saw the replay of that try. Healy is a beast.

Alive Alive Ooohoo. Alive Alive Ooohoo!
Cryin cockles and mussels... alive alive oooh.

  

29-17 time up though TMO checking for castres try

Was the Leinster try good?

To me, Leinster have won this through the turnovers made. They have been broken time and time again but have been saved and had great attacking chances created by the turnovers.

Golden wrote:Was the Leinster try good?

It was, good turnover centre field followed by a cracking run from Healy.

Played shoite. Demolished at the scrum. Destroyed at the breakdown (until Jenno saw us out). Dreadful defence.

Yet we still beat the French Champs away from home. And apparently, they very rarely lose there.

What is that telling us? Soo much nous, experience and rugby intelligence in that side. Its been earned over years.

If Leinster actually start playing rugby again,  the rest are phhoked.

Believe.

Nachos Jones wrote:

Golden wrote:Was the Leinster try good?

It was, good turnover centre field followed by a cracking run from Healy.

Looked like a forward pass here. Why no video ref when it matters?
Ah yeah I forgot... the Leinster/Dublin way

whocares wrote:

Nachos Jones wrote:

Golden wrote:Was the Leinster try good?

It was, good turnover centre field followed by a cracking run from Healy.

Looked like a forward pass here. Why no video ref when it matters?
Ah yeah I forgot...  the Leinster/Dublin way

who cares?