HEC: Bath - Leinster (11-12-2011, 12:45)

[TRF_Ezequiel]

The Rec, Bath (11-12-2011, 12:45)

Live on

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[Getofmeland]

Well I will be surprised if we get a win this weekend... the way we have been playing, the injuries in the pack have crippled us, but even before that I don't think we had much of a chance...

The only thing going for us is the fact that its at the Rec

 

[big ginger 8]

No offense to any Bath fans but I can't see past Leinster getting a win. BTW Schmidt's being talking about Donald a lot recently wouldn't see him as that big a threat but still..

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Bath are definitely off the boil at the moment - I think Leinster will get a 5pt win
However Bath are much better than they've been playing, so if they switch on and play to their ability they could make life hard for Leinster

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

BTW Schmidt's being talking about Donald a lot recently wouldn't see him as that big a threat but still..

For all the criticism of Donald, he'll still be among the top half dozen flyhalves in Europe this season. Can you name many better? Trinh Duc, Evans, Sexton, McAlister, Priestland, O'Gara and Skrela (maybe) are but that's about it off the top of my head. Cue a bunch of other suggestions!



Bath: Nick Abendanon;Jack Cuthbert, Dan Hipkiss, Olly Barkley, Matt Banahan; Stephen Donald, Michael Claassens; David Flatman, Chris Biller, David Wilson; Dave Attwood, Ryan Caldwell; Francois Louw (capt), Guy Mercer, Simon Taylor
Replacements: Charlie Beech, Nathan Catt, Anthony Perenise, Will Spencer, Andy Beattie, Chris Cook, Tom Heathcote, Sam Vesty

Leinster: Rob Kearney; Isa Nacewa, Fergus McFadden, Gordon D'Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald; Jonathan Sexton, Isaac Boss; Heinke van der Merwe, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross; Leo Cullen (capt), Damian Browne, Kevin McLaughlin; Sean O'Brien, Jamie Heaslip
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Cian Healy, Nathan White, Devin Toner, Shane Jennings, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Eoin O'Malley

 

[Seaton]

For all the criticism of Donald, he'll still be among the top half dozen flyhalves in Europe this season. Can you name many better? Trinh Duc, Evans, Sexton, McAlister, Priestland, O'Gara and Skrela (maybe) are but that's about it off the top of my head.

Now now, he is not as bad as some make out, but there are more than a dozen 10s I'd have before him.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Aye - Donald is a good club level flyhalf, he won't be the weak point in the Bath squad

 

[SelimNiai]

*Generic encouraging of Baths opponent comment*

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Now now, he is not as bad as some make out, but there are more than a dozen 10s I'd have before him.

Who else? JM Hernandez probably would be even though I think he's a better full back than 10. Jonny Wilkinson and Felipe Contepomi were better but not any more. He's better than Toby Flood, Lionel Beauxis and James Hook in my opinion. Dan Biggar and Matthew Morgan will be better than Donald but aren't there yet. There aren't that many good fly halves in Europe.

 

[Peat]

Now now, he is not as bad as some make out, but there are more than a dozen 10s I'd have before him.

Names (although snoopy's wrong about Flood).

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Flood might be more talented but he's very flaky and goes missing too often when the pressure is on. For that reason I prefer Donald. It's quite close though.

 

[Peat]

Flood might be more talented but he's very flaky and goes missing too often when the pressure is on. For that reason I prefer Donald. It's quite close though.

I've heard the flaky accusation levelled at Donald before. I don't know for sure but I thought I'd mention it.

Also, I think the flaky thing with Flood is overdone. He did have two nightmare games this year in high-pressure games but a) everyone can lose form b) Aldred had changed his kicking style, I remember Cockerill complaining vociferously about it, and I think that accounts for some of it. He wasn't that good in general really.

If he continues to bottle this season, feel free to remind me of this post and I shall apologise.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Donald didn't look too flaky in kicking New Zealand to a World Cup win! Don't know why I'm defending Donald but when you see players like Ian Humphreys, Steven Myler, Julien Peyrelongue and Nicolas Laharrague start at flyhalf in the Heineken Cup quarter finals last year, you realise there's not much in the way of quality 10s in Europe at present.

Richard Cockerill is always complaining about something. It's hard to like Leicester with him in charge of the club.

 

[Peat]

Donald didn't look too flaky in kicking New Zealand to a World Cup win! Don't know why I'm defending Donald but when you see players like Ian Humphreys, Steven Myler, Julien Peyrelongue and Nicolas Laharrague start at flyhalf in the Heineken Cup quarter finals last year, you realise there's not much in the way of quality 10s in Europe at present.

Richard Cockerill is always complaining about something. It's hard to like Leicester with him in charge of the club.

Its just hard to like Leicester. However, from what I can see, Cockerill does have legit gripes about things England has done with his players.

Your point about last season's QF fly-halves is both true and hilarious.

 

[Seaton]

Names (although snoopy's wrong about Flood).

" Trinh Duc, Evans, Sexton, McAlister, Priestland, O'Gara and Skrela (maybe) are but that's about it off the top of my head"

Them + Hernandez, Flood, Ryan Lamb, Matt Giteau, James Hook and even though they are primarily scrum-halves, I'd rather have Pienaar and Laidlaw

And they might be young, but I'd still have Owen Farrell, Duncan Weir and Ian Keatley.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Bath have come out all guns blazing today - will be interesting to see if they can keep the intensity up

Leinster squandered two try scoring chances, but they were created from nothing and Bath have looked the better side so far

 

[SelimNiai]

Been good so far. Bath making most of the running but Leinster are looking lethal on the counter. A bit more awareness shown from Kearney and Leinster should be ahead. Lots of tackles flying around incuding, as I write, Hipkiss getting demolished by Nacewa. Boom!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Think this is the most entertaining HEC match I've seen this season

Very scrappy and a lot of mistakes, but running everything and generally good to watch

 

[TRF_Olyy]

WHHHAAATTT???!!!
Has Sean O'Brien had a labotomy?
4 on 1 overlap, Bath trying to scrabble back to defend and he decides to run into contact (only about 3 Bath defenders anywhere near the Leinster attack) instead of giving the ball for the simplest try in the history of simple tries

 

[SelimNiai]

WHHHAAATTT???!!!
Has Sean O'Brien had a labotomy?
4 on 1 overlap, Bath trying to scrabble back to defend and he decides to run into contact (only about 3 Bath defenders anywhere near the Leinster attack) instead of giving the ball for the simplest try in the history of simple tries

If I was one of the blokes in the overlap that SOB ignored, I'd probably join the ruck and give him a bit of an "accidental" shoeing.