Leinster Rugby v Castres Olympique

Match Officials

Referee Matthew Carley (England)
Touch Judge 1 Tim Wigglesworth (England)
Touch Judge 2 Steve Lee (England)

TMO David Sainsbury (England)

Citing Commissioner Dave Guyan (England)

Leinster Rugby

15 Rob Kearney
14 Zane Kirchner
13 Garry Ringrose
12 Robbie Henshaw
11 Isa Nacewa (capt)
10 Joey Carbery
9 Luke McGrath
1 Jack McGrath
2 Sean Cronin
3 Tadhg Furlong
4 Devin Toner
5 Ian Nagle
6 Rhys Ruddock
7 Josh Van Der Flier
8 Jamie Heaslip

16 James Tracy
17 Cian Healy
18 Mike Ross
19 Ross Molony
20 Daniel Leavy
21 Jamison Gibson-Park
22 Cathal Marsh
23 Noel Reid


Castres Olympique

15 Geoffrey Palis
14 Remi Grosso
13 Thomas Combezou
12 Robert Ebersohn
11 David Smith
10 Benjamin Urdapilleta
9 Antoine Dupont
1 Antoine Tichit
2 Jody Jenneker
3 Daniel Kotze
4 Victor Moreaux
5 Rodrigo Capo Ortega (capt)
6 Mathieu Babillot
7 Steve Mafi8Alex Tulou
16 Brice Mach

17 Mihaita Lazar
18 Damien Tussac
19 Thibault Lassale
20 Anthony Jelonch
21 Rory Kockott
22 Maxime Javaux
23 Florian Vialelle

Interesting Leinster team,Sexton has a hamstring strain so I'd say he's being minded with a view to next week.It's great to see the coaches trust Carbery in such an important match.Luke McGrath looks to be first choice 9 which is pleasing as he's a player who has been hyped from an early age,I hope we start to see the payoff soon.

Has Furlong moved ahead of Ross or is it a case of rotating the starting props for home and away matches,we'll have to wait and see on that one.

Nagle getting a start is a surprise,I don't really think he deserves it but Cullen is probably a better judge of a 2nd row than I am.

The henshaw/Ringrose combo looked good last week so here's hoping that it will click up another gear and we'll see a good Leinster win.

It's a good match for Carbery to start. Castres are more interested in the Top14.


I think Leinster could be there or thereabouts this season. They look fresher and are playing better rugby than the previous 3 seasons.

We'll need some luck with injuries to progress we've pretty good depth 1-9 (1-10 if Carbery continues to step up) but after that we're very light on quality if any of our 1st team go down.I expect to get out of the group but the rest could come down to who's fit at the right time.

I know Leo Cullen got a lot of grief last season but I could see what he was trying to achieve and I do feel that Leinster have again got a very solid squad. Tactically they have looked very good so far as well.

I expect a close match between them with the difference coming in the centres, Ringrose and Henshaw are forming a very formidable partnership and I feel they will keep Leinster on the front foot in attack.

Leinster by 5 but no TBP.

Anyone have a link? My usuals aren't working

For Golden

Billy, can you PM it to me?

Got it now, thanks.

Hope it works ok.

Cheers Billy

Leinster are looking good for a TBP win here, never expected that. Playing quite well

Carbery looking very good at 10, albeit behind a pack meeting a very limited amount of resistance.

It is Leinster playing well, or the usual Castres not caring about Europe?

Leinster look very well drilled Kingshu, especially in the forwards. I would not say that it is down to Castres not being interested in Europe myself. I think Leinster are good for the lead.

Thats good to hear, the worry with Castres when you have them first is they really try, and if they lose the first two games just send out second teams, meaning your hard fought win, becomes easy wins for other teams.
Toulon not having it easy today as well.

As a Munster fan I am one of the first to slate Leinster but I really cant, they are playing some good rugby right now.

TBP for Leinster

Nacewa gets the bonus point try with a lovely break from the base of the ruck,a permanent move to scrumhalf as the legs go could be on the cards?

Our scrum is well on top all game,did anyone hear why Furlong went off at half-time?

Happy days for you asoreleftshoulder

Yeah good to see us playing good rugby again,we have to play some better teams before we can say how good we really are but the signs are promising.

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Our scrum is well on top all game,did anyone hear why Furlong went off at half-time?

He was holding his right hamstring on the half way line after a driving maul and didn't seem to shake it off at all. Hopefully they pulled him early as a preventative measure.

I didn't think we played great, but somehow kept the score board ticking over.

Carberry wasn't overwhelmed by the situation which was good. Taking the kicking duties off him to let him concentrate on the game was a good move. Ringshaw were a bit rusty still but solid.

Pack did not look undersized. Ref could have given Leinster a couple more penalties in the scrum, we really were bossing them about.

There was about 8 minutes in the first half where Leinster got complacent and sloppy. Luke was letargic, the attacking line was taking formations and defensively we were giving up easy yards. We were very close to letting Castre back into the game but to their credit (especially the pack) snuffed out Castre's momentum and took back control of the match.

After the TBP we took the foot off the gas. I still don't like this 'do enough' mentality, we won't be able to just click on and off against better teams later in the pro12 or european cup.

So is Carbery 3rd choice for Ireland now? Or do you reckon if Sexton or Jackson pull out Madigan will be called up?

It would be an incredible few months for him if he ends up on the bench against the All Blacks a few months into his first proper season with Leinster. Hopefully Paddy and Sexton are in top form for those games though.

Personally I think this season is too early for him to be going to Test level. Last year he was AIL. If he goes Pro12 and European Cup this season without a hiccup then he'll be in squads by the summer. But we're not even talking a dozen Pro12 matches yet. Also, he is doing very well from a game control point of view but isn't default kicker yet at this level.

If he was getting into squads or people arguing matchday sides, then there would need to be a recognised decent percentage on the field in another position. In my mind that would be McFadden.... and I don't see McFadden as a Test wing any longer considering our options in those positions. And I wouldn't see the positives having Carberry at Test 10 outweighing the drop in wing play by having McFadden on the pitch. Don't get me wrong, love Carberry and McFadden.... just don't see the first as Test options until June at the earliest or the latter as a Test option any more.

Carberry had an armchair ride behind that pack this weekend also. We need to see him in tougher conditions and behind reversing packs at this level yet, Montpelier will be a good test for him if selected.

Would be delighted to be proved wrong though.

Golden wrote:So is Carbery 3rd choice for Ireland now? Or do you reckon if Sexton or Jackson pull out Madigan will be called up?

It would be an incredible few months for him if he ends up on the bench against the All Blacks a few months into his first proper season with Leinster. Hopefully Paddy and Sexton are in top form for those games though.

I'd expect him to be involved in November in some way. Sexton is injury prone, Madigan might not be called on and Jackson's form is flaky. IMO he is now 3rd choice.

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Personally I think this season is too early for him to be going to Test level.  Last year he was AIL.  If he goes Pro12 and European Cup this season without a hiccup then he'll be in squads by the summer.  But we're not even talking a dozen Pro12 matches yet.  Also, he is doing very well from a game control point of view but isn't default kicker yet at this level.  

If he was getting into squads or people arguing matchday sides, then there would need to be a recognised decent percentage on the field in another position.  In my mind that would be McFadden.... and I don't see McFadden as a Test wing any longer considering our options in those positions. And I wouldn't see the positives having Carberry at Test 10 outweighing the drop in wing play by having McFadden on the pitch.  Don't get me wrong, love Carberry and McFadden.... just don't see the first as Test options until June at the earliest or the latter as a Test option any more.

Carberry had an armchair ride behind that pack this weekend also.  We need to see him in tougher conditions and behind reversing packs at this level yet, Montpelier will be a good test for him if selected.

Would be delighted to be proved wrong though.

The pack provided the platform, certainly, but the quality of ball from McGrath was pretty dreadful. Carbery was picking the ball off his shoe laces and still managed to create something.

Both himself and Ringrose are extremely exciting prospects. They have been very impressive this season and look very assured despite their inexperience.

What do Leinster fans think of the back row situation? You must have the greatest depth in Europe at this point. At least two test class players in each position.

Heaslip, O'Brien, Ruddock, van der Flier, Murphy, Leavy, Conan, Ryan...

Who misses out? Please answer and then send to Ulster.

Well Dom Ryan, Leavy, Conan, Murphy and Heaslip all have their contracts up at the end of this season.

Cant imagine Ryan signs on again. He would be a great signing for Ulster or an AP club.

Heaslip, while having always talked about going abroad (perhaps that was just contract talk) hes probably targeting the RWC even though hell be 36, which means hes probably staying put.

Murphy and Leavy will definitely be kept on Id think. Only thing concerning Conan is his injury profile. Hes certainly no Heaslip in that regard (who is though).

SOB barely plays for Leinster either through International duty or injuries.

Theres also Deegan and Timmins from this years Under 20s coming through

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Personally I think this season is too early for him to be going to Test level.  Last year he was AIL.  If he goes Pro12 and European Cup this season without a hiccup then he'll be in squads by the summer.  But we're not even talking a dozen Pro12 matches yet.  Also, he is doing very well from a game control point of view but isn't default kicker yet at this level.  

If he was getting into squads or people arguing matchday sides, then there would need to be a recognised decent percentage on the field in another position.  In my mind that would be McFadden.... and I don't see McFadden as a Test wing any longer considering our options in those positions. And I wouldn't see the positives having Carberry at Test 10 outweighing the drop in wing play by having McFadden on the pitch.  Don't get me wrong, love Carberry and McFadden.... just don't see the first as Test options until June at the earliest or the latter as a Test option any more.

Carberry had an armchair ride behind that pack this weekend also.  We need to see him in tougher conditions and behind reversing packs at this level yet, Montpelier will be a good test for him if selected.

Would be delighted to be proved wrong though.

Agree its very soon in his career to be playing that opposition but who else is there? I'm open to correction but I don't think Madigan would be released for the Chicago game? Certainly the AP players (Moore) wont be.

At that point its Carbery, Carty or Keatley

Golden wrote:

Agree its very soon in his career to be playing that opposition but who else is there? I'm open to correction but I don't think Madigan would be released for the Chicago game? Certainly the AP players (Moore) wont be.

At that point its Carbery, Carty or Keatley

Think I read Madigan essentially ruling himself out of Ireland duty this season, he said something like Bordeaux are his priority and they have game on all but one AI weekend so wouldn't be free