The O'Classico- Leinster v Munster!

LEINSTER

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

1. Michael Bent
2. Richardt Strauss
3. Mike Ross
4. Devin Toner
5. Mike McCarthy
6. Kevin McLaughlin
7. Shane Jennings
8. Jamie Heaslip (c)

16. Sean Cronin
17. Jack O'Connell
18. Ed Byrne
19. Leo Cullen
20. Jordi Murphy
21. Isaac Boss
22. Jimmy Gopperth
23. Zane Kirchner

MUNSTER

15. Felix Jones
14. Keith Earls
13. Casey Laulala
12. Denis Hurley
11. Simon Zebo
10. Ian Keatley
9. Conor Murray

1. Dave Kilcoyne
2. Damien Varley
3. BJ Botha
4. Dave Foley
5. Paul O' Connell
6. Peter O'Mahony (c)
7. Tommy O'Donnell
8. James Coughlan

16. Duncan Casey
17. James Cronin
18. Alan Cotter
19. Donncha O'Callaghan
20. CJ Stander
21. Duncan Williams
22. JJ Hanrahan
23. Gerhard van den Heever

At Aviva Stadium, 7pm. Live on TG4

Referee: Alain Rolland
Assistant Referees: David Wilkinson, Michael Black (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Peter Ferguson (IRFU)
TMO: Simon McDowell (IRFU)

Would have been more confident of this match before the 6Ns but the last 7 weeks have taken a bit of the shine of our season. Beaten by Ulster, Scarlets and a sh*te performance against Treviso is not the ideal preparation.

The team will be fairly rusty as they have not played a lot of rugby either.

At least the Leinster fringe players were all playing test match rugby.

In terms of the match ups for what its worth,

Front row - Leinster
Second row - Munster
Back row - Munster dominated earlier in the season but whoever wins this will win the match
Half backs - matched
Centres - Leinster
Wings - Munster
FB - Leinster

Likely Leinster team:

Healy - Strauss - Ross
Toner - McCarthy
Murphy- Heaslip - Ruddock
Reddan - Madigan
Fitzgerald - Darcy - O'Driscoll - Kearney
Kearney

Cronin - McGrath/O'Connell - Moore - Cullen - Jennings - Boss - Gopperth - McFadden

A good bench to call upon. Could be the difference.

There's no disgrace in losing away to Ulster especially as Rolland was very bad that night and the TMO decisions against Scarlets have been done to death.

Treviso was terrible but bear in mind the weather was woeful, the referee was very poor in general, it was the first match in 3 weeks and a lot of players were coming back into the team from injuries.

Mickado wrote:Likely Leinster team:

Healy - Strauss - Ross
Toner - McCarthy
Jennings - Heaslip - Ruddock
Reddan - Madigan
Fitzgerald - Darcy - O'Driscoll - Kearney
Kearney

Cronin - McGrath/O'Connell - Moore - Cullen - Jennings - Boss - Gopperth - McFadden

A good bench to call upon. Could be the difference.

Likely Munster team

Archer - Varley - Killer
POC - Dave Foley
POM - TOD - Coughlan
Murray - Keatley
Earls - Downey - Lualua - ZEEEBOOOOOOOO
Jones

My team:

Killer - Varley - Botha
POC - Ryan (injury permitting)
POM - TOD (injury permitting) - Coughlan
Murray - Keatley
Earls - Downey - Laulala - Zebo
Jones

Casey (injury permitting) / MacDonald - Cronin - Archer - DOC - Stander - Williams - JJ - Murphy

Anybody else think that the tickets for this match were hugely over priced for a Rabo match. I paid €60 +€5booking over a month ago for upper tier which is a total rip off. The cheaper 30, 35 and 45 were all gone and god knows where they were for. They were charging 70 and 80 for lower tier   

Its is now sold out but still think these were very pricey. I can get into a National League hurling match for €10 if you buy the day before in comparison.

BlueMuff wrote:Anybody else think that the tickets for this match were hugely over priced for a Rabo match. I paid €60 +€5booking over a month ago for upper tier which is a total rip off. The cheaper 30, 35 and 45 were all gone and god knows where they were for. They were charging 70 and 80 for lower tier   

Its is now sold out but still think these were very pricey. I can get into a National League hurling match for €10 if you buy the day before in comparison.

That sounds pretty expensive alright. I didn't buy a ticket, it's covered on my season ticket so I couldn't tell you what they charge for that section but I'm in the south stand lower tier, just to the side of the posts.

BlueMuff wrote:Anybody else think that the tickets for this match were hugely over priced for a Rabo match. I paid €60 +€5booking over a month ago for upper tier which is a total rip off. The cheaper 30, 35 and 45 were all gone and god knows where they were for. They were charging 70 and 80 for lower tier   

Its is now sold out but still think these were very pricey. I can get into a National League hurling match for €10 if you buy the day before in comparison.

The Comparison might be that more people get paid salaries for a Munster v Leinster game than would be getting paid for a National League Hurling match.  Amateurism v Professionalism.  Career v Hobby/pastime

Donnacha Ryan ruled out for Leinster match.

No word how long he'll be out.

BlueMuff wrote:Anybody else think that the tickets for this match were hugely over priced for a Rabo match. I paid €60 +€5booking over a month ago for upper tier which is a total rip off. The cheaper 30, 35 and 45 were all gone and god knows where they were for. They were charging 70 and 80 for lower tier   

Its is now sold out but still think these were very pricey. I can get into a National League hurling match for €10 if you buy the day before in comparison.

What sort of attendances do national league hurling matches get? Supply and demand dictates price Im afraid.

Munster are screwed Pascal Gaüzère, will ref the game on Saturday. In this years top 14 Gaüzère has binned 23 players in his 13 top 14 league appearances.

Who do you reckon will be the first player to get sent off for Munster?

O'Connell, Varley, POM, Laulala?

GunsGerms wrote:

BlueMuff wrote:Anybody else think that the tickets for this match were hugely over priced for a Rabo match. I paid €60 +€5booking over a month ago for upper tier which is a total rip off. The cheaper 30, 35 and 45 were all gone and god knows where they were for. They were charging 70 and 80 for lower tier   

Its is now sold out but still think these were very pricey. I can get into a National League hurling match for €10 if you buy the day before in comparison.

What sort of attendances do national league hurling matches get? Supply and demand dictates price Im afraid.

There was nearly 10k in Nolan Park on Sunday for KK V Waterdord. Similar crowd in Ennis for Clare Galway. Didnt hear of see the Dublin Tipp match.

Yeah so supply and demand. Personally I'd rather spend my money on 6 nations games.

GunsGerms wrote:Munster are screwed Pascal Gaüzère, will ref the game on Saturday. In this years top 14 Gaüzère has binned 23 players in his 13 top 14 league appearances.

Who do you reckon will be the first player to get sent off for Munster?

O'Connell, Varley, POM, Laulala?

I think a lot will depend on how the scrum goes. If Healy is playing I would be worried alright as we could be going backwards forcing us to infringe elsewhere to gain some parity.

His interpetation of the breakdown will also be interesting.

I was referring to the amount of Munster players cited after these derbies in recent years.

GunsGerms wrote:Munster are screwed Pascal Gaüzère, will ref the game on Saturday. In this years top 14 Gaüzère has binned 23 players in his 13 top 14 league appearances.

Who do you reckon will be the first player to get sent off for Munster?

O'Connell, Varley, POM, Laulala?

On form it has to be Heaslip - 8 YCs, with maybe Healy second (5 to date).

POM is an angel in comparison with 3.

By the way, Laulala has never been carded, so I doubt he will start collecting them next weekend.

GunsGerms wrote:I was referring to the amount of Munster players cited after these derbies in recent years.

Well Joe failed to get POC cited after the last game, so maybe our luck has turned   

Was he an all-inclusive binner, as in binning players in many positions. Or did he concentrate...for example, on the scrum?

Almost two players a game is certainly trigger happy.

Sin é wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:I was referring to the amount of Munster players cited after these derbies in recent years.

Well Joe failed to get POC cited after the last game, so maybe our luck has turned   

Meaning this time Munster won't be so lucky?

Sin é wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Munster are screwed Pascal Gaüzère, will ref the game on Saturday. In this years top 14 Gaüzère has binned 23 players in his 13 top 14 league appearances.

Who do you reckon will be the first player to get sent off for Munster?

O'Connell, Varley, POM, Laulala?

On form it has to be Heaslip - 8 YCs, with maybe Healy second (5 to date).

POM is an angel in comparison with 3.

By the way, Laulala has never been carded, so I doubt he will start collecting them next weekend.

POM is only a baby compared to the others re caps.

Was he an all-inclusive binner, as in binning players in many positions. Or did he concentrate...for example, on the scrum?

I don't know but I do know that he's very hard on the away team.

Of the 23 yellows he's handed out recently 17 have been to the away team.

Have to say finding it hard to get that excited about this game this time around - a bit of short-term bragging rights for whoever wins when the really important games are the following weekend in the HC. Frankly, I'll happily swap a beating by Munster if we turn over Toulon the following weekend and I'd imagine most Munster fans would take a loss to Leinster if they beat Toulouse and get a HC semi final. Nice if we do the double over Munster and Toulon and all that but not the end of the world if we lose against Munster.

Also finding it hard to get excited because of the ripoff price of tickets - looked this week for tickets for me and the son - sorry I'm not shelling out €70 a pop plus the extra charge for Ticketgougers for a bleedin Rabo game. Two €70 tickets, food and drink, and there's not going to be change out of €200. Jeez, Leinster can teach the world lessons on how to gouge not just their own fans but everybody else's fans too

The tickets definitely sound overpriced- when your paying that much, I'd say you might as well save your money because you can get tickets for an Ireland test match or a Heineken Cup knockout match for the same price. Still, it's sold out so I suppose they feel justified.

I got tickets for two of Irelands Six Nations matches for cheaper than that. I'm expecting a big hike for next years Six Nations games though, given the opponents and the fact we did a LOT better than in 2013.

I had a look at the tickets as well and decided not to go - the tickets were total rip-off. I think they know people will go because it will be BOD's last game in the Aviva (and the reason why the ticket sales were so good for the AIs & 6Ns).

Notch you're dead right - the price of tickets for the Lein-Mun game is up there with the price of tickets for internationals and HC knockout games. No doubt Leinster will say the fact it sold out shows the ticket are not over priced and that demand dictates the price, but for this Leinster game they are overpriced.

And don't get me started on the price of pints at the RDS for Leinster games!!!!!

Notch you're dead right - the price of tickets for the Lein-Mun game is up there with the price of tickets for internationals and HC knockout games. No doubt Leinster will say the fact it sold out shows the ticket are not over priced and that demand dictates the price, but for this Leinster game they are overpriced.

And don't get me started on the price of pints at the RDS for Leinster games!!!!!

Why would you spend it on tickets for this game, when the two teams could be playing in a Final in a few weeks...

Sin é wrote:I had a look at the tickets as well and decided not to go - the tickets were total rip-off. I think they know people will go because it will be BOD's last game in the Aviva (and the reason why the ticket sales were so good for the AIs & 6Ns).

Surely that will be the HC semi v Toulouse?   

Prices were so high to facilitate all the stockbrokers from D4 and keep out all the poor down to earth boggers in red jerseys.

The powers that be know that it won't now be one game but probably all games from now to the end of the season, that BOD is projected to play in, that will be games easy to sell.

The sell out status suggests they know the lure and are cashing in accordingly.

Due to a previous commitment I am going to miss the second half so I predict that after a boring slugfest in the first half (ending 3-3), Earlsy moves to oc and both he and the zeebmeister score a hat trick apiece ...final score 45-3 to Munster...

SecretFly wrote:The powers that be know that it won't now be one game but probably all games from now to the end of the season, that BOD is projected to play in, that will be games easy to sell.

The sell out status suggests they know the lure and are cashing in accordingly.

Very true, BOD also seems to be starting in the away provincial derby games more this season and last. The IRFU and every province seem to be trying to get every last cent out of this farewell tour.

Mickado wrote:Reading that Donnacha Ryan is a doubt for the match with injury.

Will add in the teams when they're announced.

Until then, let the mudslinging begin!

What? Sure he's 100% fit and should have been playing the 6Ns instead of .........

brennomac wrote:Notch you're dead right - the price of tickets for the Lein-Mun game is up there with the price of tickets for internationals and HC knockout games.  No doubt Leinster will say the fact it sold out shows the ticket are not over priced and that demand dictates the price, but for this Leinster game they are overpriced.  

And don't get me started on the price of pints at the RDS for Leinster games!!!!!

Two words for you Brenno, hip flask. Or if that is too yuppy for anyone, a noggin.

GunsGerms wrote:

Sin é wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Munster are screwed Pascal Gaüzère, will ref the game on Saturday. In this years top 14 Gaüzère has binned 23 players in his 13 top 14 league appearances.

Who do you reckon will be the first player to get sent off for Munster?

O'Connell, Varley, POM, Laulala?

On form it has to be Heaslip - 8 YCs, with maybe Healy second (5 to date).

POM is an angel in comparison with 3.

By the way, Laulala has never been carded, so I doubt he will start collecting them next weekend.

POM is only a baby compared to the others re caps.

If Cullen is on the field, chances are he will get carded (probably deserved). Then he'll card a couple of the away side.

ME-109 wrote:Due to a previous commitment I am going to miss the second half so I predict that after a boring slugfest in the first half (ending 3-3), Earlsy moves to oc and both he and the zeebmeister score a hat trick apiece ...final score 45-3 to Munster...

Do you think Zebo is going to show everyone why he should have been picked in the 6 nations squad?

to be honest I Earls was fit Id probably have him in the Ireland squad even though there is serious competition now.

Guns, I told you there were loads of Lunsters from Wicklow    

Is that your car Sin?

GunsGerms wrote:Is that your car Sin?

Yea, Guns. I'd be bothered to go down to Donnybrook and park my car in Leo Cullen's spot   

For some reason you seem pretty bothered to prove to me that there is a big population of Munster fans in Wicklow.   

Nice pic though Sin.

Hmmm...that could quite easily be the Leo sign that's the joke at Thomond??? A Catch 22 site gag?

That space is in the RDS, anyone can park there really on weeks without a game. The chaps train pretty much entirely in ucd these days

kunu wrote:That space is in the RDS, anyone can park there really on weeks without a game. The chaps train pretty much entirely in ucd these days

It looks like Donnybrook to me. (Thats the new stand there).

Its the Rds, no stranger to those parking antics, parked in jennos space once like a mad eejit. Also says rds at the bottom of the sign.

GunsGerms wrote:

ME-109 wrote:Due to a previous commitment I am going to miss the second half so I predict that after a boring slugfest in the first half (ending 3-3), Earlsy moves to oc and both he and the zeebmeister score a hat trick apiece ...final score 45-3 to Munster...

Do you think Zebo is going to show everyone why he should have been picked in the 6 nations squad?

to be honest I Earls was fit Id probably have him in the Ireland squad even though there is serious competition now.

I'd have both...

Earls would be very tasty in a Schmidt Irish side....
Zebo, when he gets his breakdown work looked at (seems to be finally the declared 'homework' he was given after all the carpark chat!!!) would also be a fine weapon.

Hopefully, we get a chance to see both have a crack at it in the coming months.

I have to say I'm a bit concerned about Earls.

I think all the injuries in the last few years have had an effect whereby I think he has lost a little bit of pace and his basic rugby education has been curtailed.

He's still more likely than not to choose the wrong option in situations and he's not up to standard with the quality of his offloads, passes and his peripheral vision.

And just when he was beginning to show some form earlier in the season along comes another injury.

I really hope he gets a good long injury free spell so that he can show us all his full potential.

Me too. Earls has proven himself to be a great finisher at international level. Zebo hasnt yet so my preference would be for Earls right now. I would also love to see how he progresses under Schmidt.

Zebo should possibly be brought on the summer tour to Argentina to see how he fares.

Earls doesn't need to offload. Schmidt doesn't approve (according to Murray Kinsella). Its too risky. Leinster/Ireland had the fewest offloads in the 6Ns. France had something like double that.

Other news. Rolland is reffing this match now.
Congratulations Leinster, the game is yours.

How Rolland managed to give 19 penalties against Ulster in the last interpro against Munster and not even warn them for constant infringements, I'll never know.

Sin é wrote:Earls doesn't need to offload. Schmidt doesn't approve (according to Murray Kinsella). Its too risky. Leinster/Ireland had the fewest offloads in the 6Ns. France had something like double that.

Other news. Rolland is reffing this match now.
Congratulations Leinster, the game is yours.

How Rolland managed to give 19 penalties against Ulster in the last interpro against Munster and not even warn them for constant infringements, I'll never know.

Get the excuses in nice and early...