RP12 Semi Final 2: Leinster v Ulster, 17 May

First topic message reminder :

Leinster Rugby v Ulster Rugby

Saturday 17 May 2014, KO: 19:00
Royal Dublin Society

Live on RTE/BBC NI/S4C

Referee: Leighton Hodges (WRU., 40th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Ian Davies (WRU), Neil Paterson (SRU)
Citing Commissioner: Paul Minto (SRU)
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (WRU)

A. Teams:

I. Leinster


Kearney R, McFadden, O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Kearney D, Gopperth, Reddan;
Healy, Cronin, Moore, Toner, Roux, Ruddock, Jennings, Heaslip.

Dundon, McGrath, Ross, Cullen, O'Brien, McGrath, Madigan, Kirchner

II. Ulster

C Gilroy, T Bowe, J Payne, D Cave, A Trimble, P Jackson, R Pienaar;

C Black, R Best, R Lutton, J Muller (Captain), I Henderson, R Diack, C Henry, R Wilson.

Replacements: R Herring, A Warwick, A Macklin, D Tuohy, S Doyle, P Marshall, J McKinney, L Marshall.  

B. Previous Championships

I. Leinster

Three (2001-2002; 2007-2008; 2012-2013)

Playoff Record - Played 4, Won 4:
2010 RDS: beat Munster 16-6.
2011 RDS: beat Ulster 18-3.
2012 RDS: beat Warriors 19-15.
2013 RDS: beat Warriors 17-15.

II. Ulster

One (2005-2006)

Playoff Record - Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1:
2011 RDS: lost to Leinster 3-18.
2013 Ravenhill: beat Scarlets 28-17.

C. Form - head to head:

36 Played 36
26 Wins 7
7 Losses 26
3 Draws 3
78 Tries 44
53 Conversions 32
106 Penalties 94
5 Drop Goals 3
829 Points 575
28 Avg. Age 24

D. Form - this season & last:

Fri 21 December 2012, 19:05
Ulster Rugby 27 - 19 Leinster Rugby
Ravenhill

Sat 30 March 2013, 18:15
Leinster Rugby 18 - 22 Ulster Rugby
Royal Dublin Society

Sat 25 May 2013 (Grand Final), 16:45
Ulster Rugby 18 - 24 Leinster Rugby
Royal Dublin Society

Sat 28 December 2013, 18:45
Leinster Rugby 19 - 6 Ulster Rugby
Royal Dublin Society

Fri 2 May 2014, 19:30
Ulster Rugby 20 - 22 Leinster Rugby
Ravenhill

Excellent defence from Leinster.

Ferg warned for taking Trimby in the air. Accidental, so it's just a penalty which is fair enough.

No option. So welsh for me. Still given that most of the pro12 games I watch are in Gaelic it's no biggie!

Many a time I've watched sport in all sorts of languages. Anyway, as long as you can see it and you can hear the ref speaking English you get the idea.

Have PMd you two kids another link to try with Irish commentary.

Leinster are playing like drains. But we're not making the scoreboard reflect it yet...

Ferg has gone in with his leg sticking out again and has hurt himself. Penalty given to Ulster.

These rules are farcical. McFadden nearly kicked Trimble in the face trying to keep his legs off the ground, penalty leinster for tackle in the air

Leinster could be in with a score here...

Good run by Gopperth...but Ulster turn it over again.

Dinger will be fuming. The front row lads need to sort it. Leinster scrum is dominating too easy.

Hodges is having a poor game, screamed at Ruddock earlier to leave the maul as he went in at the side he went no where so he did nothing

Those runs are all Jimmy is good for, and aren't his job. He can't pass, nor defend - ulster are running all sorts of lines down his channel, and making gains

This is a game crippled by errors so far..

D'Arcy off and banged into Tommy. Hope Tommy's OK.

Notch wrote:Feckless, I can't tell if you're joking or not!

Of course I'm joking.

Leinster so sloppy. What happened to the clinical Leinster I used to love.

Trimby and Kearney having some off-the-ball shenanigans? Surely not...!

HT 0-6. Tough second half coming for Ulster I expect. I can't see Leinster staying like this. They're all over the shop.

Ulster's accuracy frustrating, Leinsters worse but their scrum is keeping them in the game and just like the last time we played Leinster we've missed touch from penalties! Ruan is trying to put it on the corner flag from his own half. Too ambitious!

We've had chances to score and if Ulster score the first try I'll feel a whole lot better. Leinster at sixes and sevens in the backs but every time they drop the ball in our half Cian Healy licks his lips because he fancies winning a penalty off our scrum. We need the Big License!

Ref is consistent tonight which is a help. Scrappy game for him to try keep things calm. He's missing the squint scrum feeds but he's missing it for both sides.

Gonna be a typical commentator and go with the cliche "who scores the first try is gonna win this"

Whats up with Leinster making so many basic mistakes?

Another little error by Leinster there. They need to watch themselves. This could be won by penalties at this rate. Reddan not having a good game...

The Man with the Biblical Beard is back on. Ulster really should've scored whilst he was off. Anyway...Trimby's legging it up the pitch now....GWAAAAAN ULSTER!

Lovely take Tommy!

BOD flat out and then up and about. How many times has that man had a knock on the bonce?! I'm suprised he can still see straight!

Melts my brain that Leinster don't look like the home team.

...and that could be the last time we see BOD in a Leinster shirt...he's come off.

D'arcy is playing well for Ulster.

Another penalty from Wee Paddy puts Leinster a converted try and a bit behind. No pressure...

Darcy is a clown giving a penalty there, ref having a good game so far. looks like only one winner the way it is going.

Leinster have suddenly woken up and remembered they're playing in a semi final...they should score here.

Eh...nope turnover!

Typical Leinster performance for this season,thank God for international rugby where we can see what these players can do when they're well coached.MoC has a lot of work to do next year if he wants to extend his contract.

Very unimpressed with Leinster. Totally clueless in attack. Like Ireland under Deccie.

Mental that Cullen was benched for Roux in the first place.

McKinney on for Wee Paddy. SOB on for Ruddock...he could make a massive difference.

Looking good for Glasgow with a home final if it stays this way.

Ulster well worth their lead. Leinster are infuriating, they need to step up.

How frustrating.  Ulster missed touch again.  Ulster will be gutted if they lose this match.  Leinster are only now starting to play tidy.

Oh schitt!!! Why didn't Ulster score there after a chargedown?! Leinster very very lucky there.

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Typical Leinster performance for this season,thank God for international rugby where we can see what these players can do when they're well coached.MoC has a lot of work to do next year if he wants to extend his contract.

How long did he sign up for? Extending his contract is not something I'd be very eager to do.

Come on Ulster--- next score and we can do this!!!

 

Oh Tommy you plonker! Behave!

How come Reddan's still on? He's been poor today.

Uh-oh Leinster given another penalty. At this rate, the game will be won by the kickers.

I'm torn between Ulster or Leinster to win as i think Leinster looks less dangerous but Glasgow would lose the home advantage.

Feckless Rogue wrote:

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Typical Leinster performance for this season,thank God for international rugby where we can see what these players can do when they're well coached.MoC has a lot of work to do next year if he wants to extend his contract.

How long did he sign up for? Extending his contract is not something I'd be very eager to do.

2 years with the option of another year as far as I know,Leinster shouldn't take the option unless things improve hugely.Winning here wouldn't paper over the cracks imo,we've been poor all year and shown up in the big games.

How many phases was that? Leinster turnover. Balls!

Ref got that wrong coming in from the side and not on feet.

Kirchner on for McFadden.