Leinster v Cardiff Blues

[An Tarbh]

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Leinster v Cardiff Blues

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Well it's a top of the table clash and unfortunately it's taking place smack bang in the middle of the Six Nations so both sides likely to be deprived of key players.

For Leinster Shane Horgan will be involved after his less than convincing recent display in the Saxons match as he looks to regain his Ireland starting spot after his comeback from injury, elsewhere fringe players return to the squad as Leinster will look to stretch their lead at the top of the table.

Cardiff will be favourites coming into this one especially with their New Zealand contingent set to be involved and will be looking to overturn Leinster's result when the sides last met early doors in the season.

So who will take the spoils. ???

Yet again no live coverage on Setanta Ireland only Setanta 1.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

LEINSTER:

15: Luke Fitzgerald
14: Shane Horgan
13: Christian Warner
12: Michael Berne
11: Gary Brown
10: Felipe Contepomi
9: Chris Whitaker

1: Cian Healy
2: Ollie le Roux
3: Stan Wright
4: Trevor Hogan
5: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
6: Cameron Jowitt
7: Keith Gleeson
8: Stephen Keogh

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Brian Blaney
17: Stephen Knoop
18: Devin Toner
19: Kevin McLaughlin
20: Chris Keane
21: Eoin O’Malley
22: Felix Jones


Some interesting calls from Cheika. Naming Le Roux at hooker could be a good call and will help give Leinster the dominant scrum. I expect a lot of balls to be thrown to the front of the lineout to ensure the ball is secured - while Le Roux has played a bit at hooker, he has yet to do so for Leinster.



From 1-10 the team looks rock solid. I half expected Cheika to go for Horgan and Fitzgerald at 12 and 13 since they played there for Ireland A. Warner and Berne will be solid yet unspectacular. Fitzgerald at the back may be the lone attacking threat.



Eoin O'Malley seems to have been parachuted in from nowhere. A colleague of his from the Belvedere Leinster Senior Cup winning team of 2005, Ian Keatley was named in the initial squad instead of O'Malley. His time will surely come - in my opinion Keatley is a better prospect than Jonathan Sexton. O'Malley was one of the lone bright spots in a dismal Ireland U19 squad last year. He's played a lot of his rugby in the 13 shirt but has some experience at 10 in school. He'll be a quality player.


I'm glad to see Felix Jones in the squad ahead of Ross McCarron. Jones has come into his own since being admitted to the Leinster sub-academy straight out of school a couple of years back. His path to the provincial 15 shirt is blocked by Dempsey, Kearney and Fitzgerald so a switch to the wing would seem like a good option for him to further his career.


I've read elsewhere (on other forums) that the cupboard at centre is pretty bare beyond O'Driscoll and D'arcy. Some have said that not enough Irish talent is being brought through beyond the Irish starting centres. In my opinion, that's far from the case. Fergus McFadden looked very talented before injury struck him down. Eoin O'Malley is getting a chance this week and is just 19 years of age. Gary Foley looks a very exciting talent at CBC Monkstown. Add to that the possibility of Luke Fitzgerald moving to the centre once he adds a bit of bulk to his frame and the future looks rosy.

 

[An Tarbh]

What's the story with Sexton's thumb, I thought he might have been in line to be available for this game???

Interesting to see how the 3 props works, it's still a solid enough looking side despite international call ups.

Given that Fitzgerald did alright in the Saxons match he might well have a future at centre but to be honest I think he can play anywhere in the backs and still be a real handful.

 

[dullonien]

Expecting a Blues win in this one. I know Leinster are strong at home, but the Blues have an impressive linup considering it's the middle of the six nations!

Cardiff Blues:
01 John Yapp
02 Gareth Williams
03 Tauf'au Filise
04 Scott Morgan
05 Paul ***o
06 Maama Molitika
07 Robin Sowden Taylor
08 Xavier Rush

09 Jason Spice
10 Nick Macleod
11 Tom James
12 Gareth Thomas
13 Jamie Robinson
14 Jamie Roberts
15 Ben Blair

16 Gary Powell
17 T Rhys Thomas
18 Ben White
19 Mark Lewis
20 Richie Rees
21 Rhys Jones
22 Tal Selley

The only slight weekness in that first IV is Nick Macleod, I'm not a fan of his, they will only get better when either Nicky Robinson or Dai Flannagan returns.

In my honest opinion, I think a bonus point may be on the cards, especially if the Blues are anywhere near their Heineken Cup form.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Was going to post a link about watching this online via S4C's website but thought i would just make a thread instead.

http://www.therugbyforum.com/index.php?showtopic=35347

 

[Captain Morgan]

24 - 17, I weep.

 

[MunsterMan]

Great Individual try by Fitzgerald.

 

[An Tarbh]

Yeah the boy done good alright, pity about the missed conversion as it would have denied them the bonus point but not to be. Will take any victory during the 6N.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Thanks for name change Tarbh, who do i contact to request a name change on the profile?

 

[Sir Speedy]

I hate Leinster during the Six Nations season. They did near enough the exact same thing last season, beating Llanelli toward the games end after we had led for the majority of the game. 41 - 31 I think was the final score, we got the four try bp in what was considered a thriller; seventy-two points a good game makes.
Unlucky for Cardiff, Jamie Robinson should be punched in the teeth after the amount of balls he dropped tonight. Both young wings looked brilliant aswell, showing Horgan up. Fitzgerald's try was a good'un though, in all fairness.

 

[dullonien]

As I thought, Blues' main weekness seemed to be the difference tonight. Macleod didn't offer the direction they needed after such a good start. He had an appalling second half, along with Jamie Robinson, who although looked dangerous every time he got the ball, he just spilled to much.

Leinster fought back well, and deserved the win. Contepomi was ellusive as ever, and I thought Horgan had a very good game, broke tackles and sucked in defenders all over the park. Fitzgerald scored a good try, but made a few mistakes.

Very good game all in all, I think Cardiff Blues deserved the bonus point.

 

[shtove]

Didn't see the game, and a bit confused by reports.

Leinster showed guts? Was Horgan good or bad? Anyone got a link to Fitzgerald's try?

 

[Sir Speedy]

Not a video link. But a description is given at the bottom:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_unio...ter/7241568.stm
Not really a spectacular try to be seen urgently anyway, I think <strike>Regal</strike> Regan Kings try against Glasgow was better.

 

[An Tarbh]

check out s4c I think they usually keep the matches online for a while after.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

It was a good comeback by Leinster. The opening 15 minutes were marked by poor lineout play, terrible tackling (though credit must be given to the Blues for their innovative running lines) and below par ball handling. After that they dug deep and though it wasn't a pretty game, Leinster were full value for their win.

I felt Cian Healy put in some great hits. Kevin McLoughlin looked impressive when he replaced Cullen. Once Le Roux got over his early lineout woes, he put in a tremendous shift. Jowitt improved immesurably in the 2nd half. Fitzgerald looked relatively solid at the back. Overall it was a great win considering the number of injuries and players away on international duty. It puts Leinster firmly in the driving seat to take home their second Celtic/Magners League ***le.

 

[MunsterMan]

Anyone got a link to Fitzgerald's try?
[/b]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJI1ZMC4pc4

 

[Cymro]

I wonder when Cardiff will relsease McLeod? Hes utter shite! Thank God Sweeney is on his way to the Blues at the end of the season! (Rumor is true!)

I also question what Young said to them at half time! 14-0 and we lose it, Im sorry we should have been pushing for a bonus point win!

However Leinster dogged it out!