Champions Cup [Round 6]: Castre vs Leinster (Friday 19:45 Sky Sports 2)

Leinster team for the game looking like;

Nacewa
A Byrne
Ringrose
Henshaw
R O'Loughlin
Sexton
L McGrath

Healy
Strauss
Furlong
Molony
Toner
Conan
VDF
Heaslip

Tracy
J McGrath
Bent
McCarthy
Leavy
Jamison Gibson-Park
R Byrne
R Kearney


CASTRES OLYMPIQUE: Pierre Berard; Julien Caminati, Afusipa Taumoepeau, Florian Vialelle, David Smith; Julien Dumora, Antoine Dupont; Antoine Tichit, Brice Mach, Daniel Kotze, Victor Moreaux, Rodrigo Capo Ortega (capt), Yannick Caballero, Alexandre Bias, Steve Mafi.

Replacements: Jody Jenneker, Mihaita Lazar, Damien Tussac, Loic Jacquet, Anthony Jelonch, Julien Seron, Benjamin Urdapilleta, Thomas Combezou.



Ref - Greg Garner
Touches - Tom Foley and Paul Dix
TMO - David Rose
Citing - Steve Savage (all English crew)

How do the Leinster fans fancy their chances of lifting the title?

Is this potentially Leinsters best ever attacking backine?

There seems to be an incredible amount of pace, and with a geniune 7 there in VDF there are echos of the mid noughties side, with a solid set piece to go with it.

Look a fairly decent side, this is a very late kick off even for a Friday night.
Can't remember Leinster starting a game this late before, hope it doesn't mess with buildup and performance.

Unless that's local time but it doesn't appear that way anywhere I look.

Also, congratulations Leinster Rugby, you've managed to mess up a half decent website. There is a something about being too smart for your own good that they should take heed off. (old man moment over).

rodders wrote:How do the Leinster fans fancy their chances of lifting the title?

Is this potentially Leinsters best ever attacking backine?

There seems to be an incredible amount of pace, and with a geniune 7 there in VDF there are echos of the mid noughties side, with a solid set piece to go with it.

I don't think the title is realistic this season but a strong run, decent display in a QF will really give a lot of young guys the experience to possibly turn into club stalwarts for the next few years.


Best ever attacking backline? Did we not have Contepomi pulling the strings for young Darcy and BOD in the centres, Shaggy on one side for size and power with Hickie (one of my favourite backs of all time) giving shed loads of pace on the other side. Then slot in a young Rob Kearney or a deceptively good Girve the Swerve and the current crop need to do a lot. (I'm thinking that HCup knockout game away at Toulouse era!).

The backrow has so many options its crazy. I think how Oz went with Pocock and Hooper together and it looks so good down the years that a Leavy and VDF together would pose some serious problems to most teams.

Hopefully they put in a good performance tomorrow night. We've seen this season that they can play well. Now can we see some more consistency.

thebandwagonsociety wrote:
Best ever attacking backline?  Did we not have Contepomi pulling the strings for young Darcy and BOD in the centres, Shaggy on one side for size and power with Hickie (one of my favourite backs of all time) giving shed loads of pace on the other side.  Then slot in a young Rob Kearney or a deceptively good Girve the Swerve and the current crop need to do a lot.  (I'm thinking that HCup knockout game away at Toulouse era!).

Exactly my point, this looks the best back line since then and given the age profile, this crop could be even better. It looks incredibly balanced.

Triggs charged with gouging. Clip on skysports. Not much in it, roughing up a guy and two montpelier lads push him off he hand slides across the face...... but maybe that's just home town bias in me. Whistle was probably gone, he was playing silly buggers and put himself into the position for it to happen. If he gets a ban probably best in the grand scheme as rugby needs to stop anything towards neck and head which includes tackles, hits, tips, spears, swinging arms, or general acting the eejit.

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Look a fairly decent side, this is a very late kick off even for a Friday night.
Can't remember Leinster starting a game this late before, hope it doesn't mess with buildup and performance.

Unless that's local time but it doesn't appear that way anywhere I look.

Also, congratulations Leinster Rugby, you've managed to mess up a half decent website.  There is a something about being too smart for your own good that they should take heed off. (old man moment over).

Bandwagon that 20.45 is local time, ko is 7.45pm Irish time, Sky start coverage from 7.30

31/10/1998 20:00 Pool Bordeaux-Begles 31 10 Leinster
10/12/2004 20:30 Pool Bourgoin 23 26 Leinster
18/11/2007 21:00 Pool Toulouse 33 6 Leinster
07/12/2007 20:00 Pool Leinster 28 14 Edinburgh
12/12/2008 21:00 Pool Castres Olympique 18 15 Leinster
09/10/2009 20:00 Pool Leinster 9 12 London Irish
09/04/2010 20:00 QF Leinster 29 28 ASM Clermont Auvergne
21/01/2011 21:00 Pool Racing Métro 92 11 36 Leinster
05/04/2013 20:00 QF London Wasps 28 48 Leinster
17/05/2013 20:00 F Leinster 34 13 Stade Francais Paris
17/01/2014 20:00 Pool Leinster 36 3 Ospreys
20/01/2017 20:45 Pool Castres Olympique Leinster

There's a few of Leinster's "After Eights" over the years. Including 3 x 9 pm games. One on a SUNDAY!

There was a photo of the Triggs incident that looked very bad but the video suggests there wasn't much in it.

He took an elbow to the head and shoved his hand in the SH's face. It's contact with the eye area though so can't complain about the ban.

Only question is why didn't the SH get cited for throwing a deliberate elbow?

rodders wrote:How do the Leinster fans fancy their chances of lifting the title?

Is this potentially Leinsters best ever attacking backine?

There seems to be an incredible amount of pace, and with a geniune 7 there in VDF there are echos of the mid noughties side, with a solid set piece to go with it.

Why not, we have a great chance of being in Dublin for the QF and SF. I would back this team at home against anyone in Europe. And in a final, in a one off game...

Leinster's best backline was 10 years ago, maybe in a few years we could talk about this one in the same vain.

It feels good to be excited about the prospects of your team again after the MOC years.

Castre side now added to the OP. 9 changes from the game last week against Saints.

Leinster got what they deserved. They got sloppy and left Castre in the game for two long.

Why was Sexton playing? We need to protect him and an away game in France this close to the 6 nations when he has a poor hamstring is playing silly buggers.

The backline, especially Ringrose was a bit too blazé about knocking on balls and killing attacking opportunities.

Healy was gassed after 30 minutes. The lad is turning into a proper show pony. Maybe he is one of those props that should have been left get their schillings abroad and be done with him.

Not sure Strauss proved to be any better than Tracy. Molony was found wanting. Luke McGrath got a dose of the Isaac Boss.

Henshaw played class I thought but was let down by players around him.

Our wings showed they still have plenty to learn but might still be promising prospects.

Overall, the team got a reality check. They need to be more consistent. I hope they take the match and performance as a proper warning or they will pay heavily at the business end of the season.

On Cullen, I'm not quite sure..... to my mind he swapped out healthy performing players and risked too many players that were carrying injuries. Then when he has to run changes early in the game, he doesn't really do much over half time or changes during a game (off the cuff like) that help his team. It only tends to work when plan A is left run from whistle to the end of the game.

I'd put the current Wasps side as favourites for the quarter final match up. I'd actually have them as 9 point favourites at a neutral venue but reckon RDS is worth 4 points and Lansdowne Rd would be worth only 2 points. Either way, they will have to seriously up the performance level is there isn't to be a quick end to their season in Europe.

the-goon wrote:

rodders wrote:How do the Leinster fans fancy their chances of lifting the title?

Is this potentially Leinsters best ever attacking backine?

There seems to be an incredible amount of pace, and with a geniune 7 there in VDF there are echos of the mid noughties side, with a solid set piece to go with it.

Why not, we have a great chance of being in Dublin for the QF and SF. I would back this team at home against anyone in Europe. And in a final, in a one off game...

Leinster's best backline was 10 years ago, maybe in a few years we could talk about this one in the same vain.

It feels good to be excited about the prospects of your team again after the MOC years.

3rd and 4th seeds are GUARANTEED to be away in the semi. Leinster are 4th seeds thanks to that draw in Castres

St John The Enforcer wrote:

the-goon wrote:

rodders wrote:How do the Leinster fans fancy their chances of lifting the title?

Is this potentially Leinsters best ever attacking backine?

There seems to be an incredible amount of pace, and with a geniune 7 there in VDF there are echos of the mid noughties side, with a solid set piece to go with it.

Why not, we have a great chance of being in Dublin for the QF and SF. I would back this team at home against anyone in Europe. And in a final, in a one off game...

Leinster's best backline was 10 years ago, maybe in a few years we could talk about this one in the same vain.

It feels good to be excited about the prospects of your team again after the MOC years.

3rd and 4th seeds are GUARANTEED to be away in the semi. Leinster are 4th seeds thanks to that draw in Castres

It is interesting that way alright. I've taken this from the website;

SEMI-FINAL 1

If ASM Clermont Auvergne (ranked No 1) and Leinster Rugby (ranked No 4) win their quarter-finals, Clermont will have home country advantage.

If ASM Clermont Auvergne (ranked No 1) and Wasps (ranked No 5) win their quarter-finals, Wasps will have home country advantage.

If RC Toulon (ranked No 8) and Leinster Rugby (ranked No 4) win their quarter-finals, Toulon will have home country advantage.

If RC Toulon (ranked No 8) and Wasps (ranked No 5) win their quarter-finals, Wasps will have home country advantage.



SEMI-FINAL 2

If Saracens (ranked No 3) and Munster Rugby (ranked No 2) win their quarter-finals, Munster will have home country advantage.

If Saracens (ranked No 3) and Toulouse (ranked No 7) win their quarter-finals, Toulouse will have home country advantage.

If Glasgow Warriors (ranked No 6) and Munster Rugby (ranked No 2) win their quarter-finals, Glasgow will have home country advantage.

If Glasgow Warriors (ranked No 6) and Toulouse (ranked No 7) win their quarter-finals, Glasgow will have home country advantage.


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So Saracens and Leinster cannot get a home semi-final. And to that end, if either of those two teams get beaten then their victor is guaranteed a home semi-final. The more I think about it the better it'd be to be ranked 5 or 6.

I see the Wasps v Leinster game will be in Lansdowne Road. That gate plus the gate down in Thomond to be used to stock the coffers I reckon.

Great to See Glasgows name plastered all over the possibilities above. Would be great to have them progressing a little bit further.

My only gripe with the old Heineken Cup format was the randomness of the semi final locations. Despite being winners twice Munster were dreadfully unlucky with the number of away semi finals they had to play.

I'm not really sure if this system is an upgrade or not. As you say, Wasps and Glasgow may not be too disappointed finishing as 5th and 6th seeds.