Leinstertainment.... Pro14 Round 5

[Leonormous Boozer]

Well i mean Lancaster is helping you with the second part so he doesn't need to show you that...

Lanc = Good but trophyless
MO'C = Bad but trophy
Cockers = bad and trophyless
Farrell = Good and trophies!

Edit: just realising MOC isn't English I just really hate him!

 

[unrated]

No Coetzee this week either.

Its starting to look a bit worrying for the big man, despite all PR coming out of Ravenhill to the contrary. You don't sit out a month with a minor issue.

What has happened ? What is the official statement given by the club and what do you think is the reason?

 

[TRF_heineken]

What has happened ? What is the official statement given by the club and what do you think is the reason?

I think he's faking his injury, in order to fly under AC's radar as he doesn't want to be part of the humiliation...

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

No Coetzee this week either.

Its starting to look a bit worrying for the big man, despite all PR coming out of Ravenhill to the contrary. You don't sit out a month with a minor issue.

Aye, Heaslip's "minor injury" in a warm up has him out for a minimum of 10months. Heard a few retirement rumours too but we tend to like the sound of our own voices inDublin South...

 

[Groundhog]

Scarlets

15 Leigh Halfpenny
14 Johnny McNicholl
13 Jonathan Davies
12 Scott Williams
11 Steff Evans
10 Rhys Patchell
9 Aled Davies



1 Rob Evans
2 Ken Owens (Capt.)
3 Werner Kruger
4 Jake Ball
5 David Bulbring
6 Aaron Shingler
7 Will Boyde
8 Josh Macleod

Replacements:

16. Emyr Phillips
17. Dylan Evans
18. Simon Gardiner
19. Tadhg Beirne
20. Lewis Rawlins
21. Jonathan Evans
22. Paul Asquith
23. Tom Prydie

Connacht

15. Darragh Leader
14. Tiernan O'Halloran
13. Bundee Aki
12. Tom Farrell
11. Cian Kelleher
10. Jack Carty
9. Caolin Blade

1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney (Capt)
3. Conor Carey
4. Ultan Dillane
5. Quinn Roux
6. Jake Heenan
7. Jarrad Butler
8. Eoin McKeon

Replacements
16. Shane Delahunt
17. Denis Coulson
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Gavin Thornbury
20. Eoghan Masterson
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Steve Crosbie
23. Eoin Griffin

Connacht painfully average everywhere it matters. Scarlets to take that fat W

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Reasonably strong Ospreys side

15 Dan Evans
14 Keelan Giles
13 Ben John
12 James Hook
11 Jay Baker
10 Dan Biggar
9 Rhys Webb

1 Nicky Smith
2 Scott Baldwin
3 Ma'afu Fia
4 Adam Beard
5 Alun Wyn Jones (Capt)
6 Olly Cracknell
7 Guy Mercer
8 James King

They'd better compete at least. Tipuric at home as his good lady is due to drop any day apparently.


Edinburgh maybe at about 65% strength, and probably better with Tovey at 10. But not a side that will have Sexton and co quaking in their boots.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Nice to have the world's best 10 outside of Bristol back anyway. SO'B at 8 is interesting, I hope he doesn't play there much more because he's a much better 7 and in Conan, Ruddock and Murphy we have a few more than capable 8's. With Heaslip out for the foreseeable future I'd like to see Leavy, SO'B and Conan start. (Ruddock can come in for Leavy until his return from his terribly timed injury that will delay his breakthrough to regular starter for Ireland by 4 months) With our best halfbacks and front five anything short of 5 match points will be huge underachieving.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

TImes and channels (not the best image, but hopefully readable).

Leonardo Sarto named player of the week as his hot early season form continues.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Travel, altitude and the Cheetahs starting to gain some self belief will do for the O's.

I see Rhule is slotting straight back in which I find surprising. I guess I am being overly critical on him and it'd be a huge embarasment to all concerned if he didn't slot straight in I suppose, more so to AC than anyone else IMO. I'd rather have had Cassiem back from the Bokke and in there. He isn't test quality IMO but the Cheetahs can do with him.

On Rhule playing center, I can't remember or believe it LOL. I remember the Cheetahs using numerous centers.. Venter, Lee, Small-Smith, Benjamin.. but can't recall Rhule ever shifting in?

Cassiem should be back soon and so too Zeilinga and Marais. Post CC we should probably expect a new signing or two as well. Think the Cheetahs will probably be well placed to have a go at a ***le run though my expectation is they will probably make the play offs but as probably fall short of an actual final.

Other than the Cheetahs, my other horses in this race are in order; Kings, Ulster, Munster and Zebre. I'm still really sad the Kings got gutted like they did.

 

[collace]

What has happened ? What is the official statement given by the club and what do you think is the reason?

Marcell did his ACL last year and missed most of Ulster's season. He returned around Feb/March and managed to play four games before hurting his knee again and missing the rest of the season.

He started the opening game of the season against the Cheetahs and hasn't been seen since. Ulster originally stated it was a minor knock to the knee, then something about fluid but have been downplaying it. Big concerns among the supporters that it's not as minor as the club have been making out and worries that we'll never get a fully fit Coetzee.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

It was a rare sight to see Coetzee jog out for the Sharks as well in the last two years. Serially injured.

Kings shuffled a little bit. Probably a little bit more solid overall but can't see it make much impact and the team looks like leaning a little more towards limiting damage. From the little I've seen is it fair to say they are still missing a few players to step up in key positions? Also, I am missing the urgency, cohesion and effectiveness on defense they had in SR.

15 Masixole Banda, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Jacques Nel, 12 Berton Klaasen, 11 Alshaun Bock, 10 Pieter-Steyn de Wet, 9 Godlen Masimla, 8 Dries van Schalkwyk, 7 Jurie van Vuuren, 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Bobby de Wee, 4 Stephan Greeff, 3 Martin Dreyer, 2 Michael Willemse (captain), 1 Schalk Ferreira

Substitutes: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Entienne Swanepoel, 19 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 20 Khaya Majola, 21 Rowan Gouws, 22 Oliver Zono, 23 Luzuko Vulindlu

End of Currie Cup cannot come soon enough for the Kings IMO. Hope they manage to get in some more journeymen. I can't see 'stars' lining up to join their ranks though.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Ulster (v Zebre)

15. Charles Piutau
14. Andrew Trimble (capt)
13. Darren Cave
12. Luke Marshall
11. Louis Ludik
10. Christian Lealiifano
9. John Cooney

1. Callum Black
2. John Andrew
3. Rodney Ah You
4. Pete Browne
5. Iain Henderson
6. Matty Rea
7. Sean Reidy
8. Jean Deysel

Replacements:

16. Adam McBurney
17. Andrew Warwick
18. Wiehahn Herbst
19. Kieran Treadwell
20. Nick Timoney
21. Dave Shanahan
22. Pete Nelson
23. Rob Lyttle

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Munster:

15. Andrew Conway
14. Darren Sweetnam
13. Jaco Taute
12. Rory Scannell
11. Alex Wootton
10. Ian Keatley
9. Conor Murray

1. Dave Kilcoyne
2. Niall Scannell
3. John Ryan
4. Robin Copeland
5. Billy Holland
6. Peter O'Mahony – captain
7. Tommy O'Donnell
8. CJ Stander

Replacements:
16. Rhys Marshall
17. Liam O'Connor
18. Stephen Archer
19. Mark Flanagan
20. Sean McCarthy
21. Duncan Williams
22. JJ Hanrahan
23. Chris Farrell.

 

[Groundhog]

Few words for how bad Ospreys have been this season.

 

[profitius]

Sounds like a good match in Bloemfontein. Unusual time for it to kick off though.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Damn, seems the Pro14 are as bad advertising the South African kick off times as they are the Italian ones, I missed the first half. Hopefully the strange kick off time (and tomorrow's international) helps explain the reduced crowd. 2nd half nothing to write home about yet.

Ulster going with a strong side against Zebre. I was hoping they'd be overconfident and send over the reserves.

 

[saulan]

Damn, seems the Pro14 are as bad advertising the South African kick off times as they are the Italian ones, I missed the first half. Hopefully the strange kick off time (and tomorrow's international) helps explain the reduced crowd. 2nd half nothing to write home about yet.

I thought it was at 7pm, what a stupid kick off time. They were never going to get a decent crowd in there. Usually weekend super rugby games on Friday's are at 7pm.

 

[SomeOke]

Most people aren't even off work at 5pm.
Cheetahs relying on their Maul and counter attack, Ospreys just lack any ideas and are too disorganised in the kicking game.

As for crowds they will take time, SR just finished and most Saffers aren't even sure what the pro 14 is.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Ospreys have been woeful in this second half. Hard to believe they scored 17 points in the first half. So bereft of invention in attack.

Fairly strong Dragons selection against the Kings. I don't think they'll get their first win tomorrow.

EDIT: Mapimpi seems to have outclassed his winger teammate. Quelle surprise.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Lets hope that altitude was the explanation for that second half - although altitude didn't seem to effect Zebre or Leinster. Tandy entering shoogley peg zone, but there is no point giving him the bullet unless they have a successor lined up. Pivac and the Scarlets were even worse at the start of last season and ended up winning.

Do we think the 5pm kickoff local time was for South African TV?