Edinburgh v Leinster, Friday 24 September

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

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Edinburgh: C Paterson; M Robertson, B Cairns, A Grove, T Visser; D Blair, M Blair; A Jacobsen, R Ford, G Cross, E Lozada, S MacLeod, S Newlands, R Grant (capt), R Rennie.
Replacements: A Kelly, K Traynor, J Gilding, C Hamilton, A MacDonald or D Denton, G Laidlaw, T Brown, J Houston.

Leinster: R Kearney; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, L Fitzgerald; I Nacewa, E Reddan; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, M Ross; E O'Donoghue, D Toner; D Ryan, S Jennings (capt), S Keogh.
Replacements: J Harris-Wright, C Healy, S Shawe, M Galarza, J Heaslip, I Boss, I Madigan, E O'Malley.

 

[munstermuffin]

Massive game already in these early stages of season for Leinster

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I think that's overstating things. Last season 9 wins and 9 losses got Munster into the top 4. Leinster will still have 10 home games and 8 away games to turn things around. It's early days yet.

 

[tinchy17]

Leinster, this is my advice for you. Just be weary of Edinburgh, as they narrowly beat London Irish in pre season

 

[munstermuffin]

Snoop I've no doubts about top 4 but Leinster do need confidence ahead of European games. And well losses can't be blamed on goalkicking as Nacewa has done well but I have no doubt if Sexton is back then Leinster will be better too as Madigan probably felt the heat at times

 

[Seaton]

Mon the Gunners!!!

 

[Peat]

Leinster, this is my advice for you. Just be weary of Edinburgh, as they narrowly beat London Irish in pre season

Yes, very tiring...

They also failed to get a losing BP from Ravenhill despite being giftwrapped two tries and Ulster sportingly leaving some 14 odd points on the field (think thats right).

Leinster should really win given the form Embra are in.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Teams named:

Edinburgh: C Paterson; M Robertson, B Cairns, A Grove, T Visser; D Blair, M Blair; A Jacobsen, R Ford, G Cross, E Lozada, S MacLeod, S Newlands, R Grant (capt), R Rennie.
Replacements: A Kelly, K Traynor, J Gilding, C Hamilton, A MacDonald or D Denton, G Laidlaw, T Brown, J Houston.

Leinster: R Kearney; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, E Reddan; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, M Ross; E O'Donoghue, D Toner; D Ryan, S Jennings (capt), S Keogh.
Replacements: J Harris-Wright, C Healy, S Shawe, M Galarza, J Heaslip, I Boss, I Nacewa, E O'Malley.


Edinburgh are without Phil Godman due to a knee injury picked up in training this week.

Leinster have made 8 changes to their starting lineup from last week. It's close to a full strength backline, a very good front row but from 4-8 they might be a tad lightweight. The IRFU player management scheme seems to dictate that frontline international players can only play 60 minutes. That could see the likes of O'Driscoll, Kearney and Sexton come off early. Perhaps that's the reason Leinster have stacked their bench with Healy, Heaslip, Boss and Nacewa all being tremendous impact players.

 

[coonor]

Good to see Sexton coming back into the game hopefull he will add a bit of srtucture and consistency to Leinster. A bit more experienced backs starting but a I don't there Leinster's best backs. Great to see Toner back hope he can have a good season this year. A brilliant bench which could really change the game if Leinster are slacking. Edinburgh have some great individuals for exampe Visser, Paterson and Jacobsen but I feel they haven't completely gelled as a team so far this season. Both teams need a win here as neither have been impressive so far.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Sexton will give the backline some direction which is sorely lacking so far this season.

A player on the bench who I'd like to see is Jason Harris Wright. He was a late convert to the front row having played most of his schoolboy rugby as a backrower. His scrummaging isn't a strong suit and his lineout throwing needs work but he gets around in the loose quite a bit. If he improves his weaknesses, he could become a very similar player to Jerry Flannery. All four of the Leinster props in this squad have scrummaged brilliantly so far while Devin Toner playing in the second row almost guarantees a steady stream of possession. This is a good opportunity to throw Harris Wright in for 20 minutes and see what he can do in a relatively low pressure game away from home. He was very good against Munster A a couple of weeks ago and as Leinster's 3rd choice hooker, he needs to get some game time in case of injury to either of the front line hookers.

 

[munstermuffin]

Nacewa I presume is been rested as well his form has been good so far

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Another thing I gleam from the selecion is that Joe Schmidt has a clearer picture of the pecking order in most positions. It appears as though Simon Shawe has come from amateur rugby and pushed well clear of Ben Prescott who came from pro rugby and signed at the same time. It also appears as though Dominic Ryan is ahead of Rhys Ruddock (why would Ruddock be rested after just 1 appearance?). Eoin O'Malley is now viewed on at least an equal footing to Fergus McFadden - Isa Nacewa kicking ahead of McFadden could be a sign that Schmidt doesn't see as much value in the former Clongowes player as O'Malley in open play. Mariano Galarza isn't viewed as a potential Heineken Cup starter - he won't start against Munster next week in the last "warm up" and has been on the bench for every game; Devin Toner, Nathan Hines and Ed O'Donoghue are fighting to start the European games. Richardt Strauss is a live contender to take over as first choice hooker. Also the coach seems to be planning on rotating Cian Healy and Heinke van der Merwe from game to game to ensure both stay fresh and can provide maximum impact off the bench.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Nacewa I presume is been rested as well his form has been good so far

Probably.The first choice team is likely to play next week against the turnips and also in the Heineken Cup games. If Nacewa was picked this week, he'd end up playing 7 weeks running. This is the opportune time to rest him. I think the same holds true for Sean O'Brien and Nathan Hines. Luke Fitzgerald likely won't see out the 80 minutes or else he'll be rested next week.

 

[munstermuffin]

True but just wondering because here now in Munster I posed the question to a knowledgable coach in squad about man management and didn't get satisfactory answer. Do the IRFU limit players by minutes they play or matches because our props are going consistently and well I know when our kiwi is in that'll help but fact we rotate the front rows early in 2nd half is for minutes.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

True but just wondering because here now in Munster I posed the question to a knowledgable coach in squad about man management and didn't get satisfactory answer. Do the IRFU limit players by minutes they play or matches because our props are going consistently and well I know when our kiwi is in that'll help but fact we rotate the front rows early in 2nd half is for minutes.

I can't say for certain either. My theory where Leinster are concerned is that the new coach was previously coaching in France. His previous club carried 4 excellent props- Domingo, Scelzo, Faure, Zirakashvili- and rotated them liberally so as to keep the heat on opposition packs. Toulouse do similarly by rotating Lecouls, Johnston, Human, Poux and Montes from game to game and making substitutions around the 50 minute mark. My guess is that Joe Schmidt is bringing the same philosophy to Leinster.

 

[Peat]

They must limit them by minutes for some matches, given the Heaslip thing.

 

[munstermuffin]

Well I can say reason John Hayes was intended to be used alot during start of ML was that when Borlaise arrives then him and Buckley will be 2 lads holding fort.
Heaslip was limited to minutes in first game for sure but well it a totally different approach regards player management this year and Munster management are adapting to it like we are used to oct 3rd been the week internationals return.

Snoop on that philosophy and with the loss of Wright have Leinster that calibre of props

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Van Der Merwe looks like an excellent signing. Healy is improving as a scrummager and great in the loose. Stan Wright is viewed primarily as a tighthead but he's a better loosehead by some distance. On the left hand side of the scrum at least, Leinster are well able to rotate without missing a beat. As for tightheads, I'm a big Stan Wright fan but he's not a strong scrummager on that side. Mike Ross is playing brilliantly and Simon Shawe looks like a shrewd bit of business but it's early days. In those 5 players Leinster are well covered for quality props but Shawe needs a couple more starts to prove his worth.

Jonny Sexton is out of this game. Isa Nacewa comes in at 10 with Ian Madigan on the bench,

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Has Sexton got a bad injury that keeps flaring up, or is he just really unlucky during the prematch warmups?

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

He tweaked his groin about 20 minutes before the Cardiff game. He was touch and go to make last weeks game as well as this week's. I'm guessing that Leinster are being ultra-cautious with games against Munster in the Aviva Stadium and two Heineken Cup games coming up in the next three weeks.