Leinster vs Edinburgh 22nd Sept Pro14

First topic message reminder :


Previous meetings
Edinburgh 29 - 24 Leinster

These two have faced each other on 30 previous occasions, Leinster having the advantage with 19 wins to Edinburgh's 11.

Leinster have started the season well, whilst still being able to rest a few, Edinburgh on the otherhand have played well in their games so far, but have been undone by not being able to see games out.  I can't imagine that'll be a problem at the weekend, as I doubt Edinburgh will get to a position to let a lead slip.

Officials:
Referee: Dan Jones (WRU)
AR1: Adam Jones (WRU) AR2: Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Simon McDowell (IRFU)

This is going to be a long last 10 minutes

Very harsh red

that's harsh and he was playing a great game too!

Couple inches lower not even a yellow. Rules are rules I guess, so that's that.

Yellow if it weren't for the fact that Leavy had to leave the field for a HIA.

He's been good James Lowe, slipping a lot of Edinburgh tackles

Again - Fowles!!

Luke Hamilton has had his best game for Edinburgh tonight - he's put in a big shift.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Again - Fowles!!

Thought Hickey dropped it?

Well very comfortable win in the end as expected, bit 31-7 isn't a disaster of a scoreline against a star studded Leinster and down to 14 for the last 10, and with the number of changes made. Leinster will certainly know they've been in a game.

If Edinburgh can increase their % of chances taken in the opposition 22 we could be a regular team making the playoffs. We had so much ball but didn't get anywhere and that's got to be the next stage of our development.

bsando wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Again - Fowles!!

Thought Hickey dropped it?

That was when he fumbled the ball at a box kick.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

bsando wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Again - Fowles!!

Thought Hickey dropped it?

That was when he fumbled the ball at a box kick.

Ah right I see. Fowles looked a bit slow for someone who had just come on in the last 20 mins of the match. Saying that, I thought the Leinster defence was quick to get organised each time Edinburgh had a break. Agree with you on the attack, just need to see Edinburgh make a few more decent plays to open more gaps in defence. It was very left to right at times.

Good game, good game.

Leinster really looked very good and I am afraid Edinburgh looked really stodgy.

Edinburgh need to work on our attack, leinster's defence was good, but at times we made it easy.

I think Shoeman was a bit unlucky, but can see why it was a red. I say unlucky because it looked like he was trying to straighten his arm to push the leinster player away but was just too slow and in the process made contact with his forearm.

Overall leinster deserved to win, so congrats to the leinster fans here.

For Edinburgh going forward, work needs to be done ahead of benetton & cheetahs to be less one dimensional.

Just watched this game and the score probably did flatter Leinster a bit.

What you can say though is how clinical Leinster were and how wasteful Edinburgh, who had many chances and really failed to convert.

The endless pick and goes at the Leinster line, when there was acres of space on the outside, it reminded me a bit about how Scotland used to play a few years back. A lot of that is surely down to the SH, I can't imagine that Pyrgos would not have moved the point of attack much better than Kennedy then Fowles did. SH still a major weakness for Edinburgh, those two are just not good enough unfortunately.

The red card was unlucky, but was a red all day in the current climate.

It was a good effort by a less than full strength Edinburgh, they certainly did not lie down and I would be more encouraged as an Edinburgh fan than as a Glasgow one after our miserable showing.

Still Cockers was right when he said they got beaten by a better team and they still have a long way to go.

As an outside back who plays (very) amateur rugby I'm used to forwards getting white line fever despite us having a 5 on 1 overlap. It beggars belief that this happens in pro rugby.

The frustrating thing last night was that, at the point on which the ball should have been shipped wide, it's not as if the forwards were well set up and hogging the ball - Kennedy actually looked to the backs but still didn't give it! That either suggests regimented coaching or a 9 that can't see the bigger picture. Aa you say Biggee 9 is still a problem position for us. I really want to see Shiel off the bench next game - he can't be any worse than Fowles!

Think the game showed/highlighted the weaknesses in the team.

• Attack – our attacking play so far this season has been appalling. We have one tactic of getting it into the forwards and taking contact, we have used it repeatedly, and against the like of Leinster, it just doesn’t work. As our attack coach Hodge needs to take responsibility for this. Sure the players need to take the blame as well, but this has been our approach from day 1 this season, if it’s not what he wants then the players should be coached to try something else if it’s not working.
• Scrum half – neither Kennedy or Fowles inspire, with the insane 30 phase play that led to nothing, Kennedy repeatedly looked over at the men in space on the wing and ignored them, in favour of the forward pack who were making zero ground. I actually think Kennedy is a decent player, certainly an able back up, he might be hamstrung by Hodge’s attacking plan, or might just not be any good and I’m giving him too much credit. Fowles I just don’t rate.
• Socino – I can only assume Newcastle have an amazing PR department, as he looked decent for them, as does Harris when he plays, if you take them out of the Newcastle line up both look poor. I get Socino needs to get used to his teammates, but he’s had preseason and played a few games now. I think he missed 2 tackles in the game which led to tries, he may have missed more, but those 2 stood out for obvious reasons.
• Whoever is playing 13 – This isn’t a dig at the player, but again at our tactics. This position is a nightmare for the team, as the ball never gets as far as them. The only time they see the ball is when they are defending. Our tactic again is either the forwards have it, or whoever is at 12 runs into contact, occasionally it’ll go out to DVDM or kicked to Kinghorn

We need to change this, as we’ll be lucky to win any games with this approach and if we do then chances our we’re not going to get anywhere near a TBP win, which cost us last season.

In terms of the positives (just to balance this out a bit), CHH looked ok when he came on, although not sure he’s as mobile as some of our other locks, but it was a fairly brief cameo. Farndale, his defence was interesting/not great but the one time he got the ball (see tactics chat from earlier) he looked threatening.