RaboDirect Pro 12 - Leinster vs Scarlets - 17/02/2012

[Feicarsinn]

RDS(17/02/2012 - 19:35)

[TABLE="class: grid, align: center"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD]Leinster[/TD]
[TD] [/TD]
[TD]Scarlets[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Isa Nacewa[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]Daniel Newton[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dave Kearney[/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]Liam Williams[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Eoin O'Malley[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]Gareth Maule[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Fergus McFadden[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Scott Williams[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Fionn Carr[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]Andy Fenby[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ian Madigan[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Stephen Jones[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Eoin Reddan[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]Gareth Davies[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Rhys Ruddock[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Kieran Murphy[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Shane Jennings[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Jonathan Edwards[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Kevin McLaughlin[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Josh Turnbull[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Devin Toner [/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Dominic Day[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Damien Browne[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Sione Timani[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jamie Hagan[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Decon Manu[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sean Cronin[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Emyr Phillips[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jack McGrath[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Rhodri Jones[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Richardt Strauss[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]Craig Hawkins[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Heinke Van Der Merwe[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]Phil John[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Nathan White[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]Peter Edwards[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Leo Auva'a[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]Damien Welch[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Dominic Ryan[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]Ben Morgan [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Isaac Boss[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Liam Davies [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Noel Reid[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]Adam Warren[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Brendan Macken[/TD]
[TD]23[/TD]
[TD]Viliame Iongi[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]


​

 

[Feicarsinn]

Love our back line. Nice set of centres, a running fly half and a very dangerous back three. It screams attack attack attack. Also, an all Irish front row, very nice. I'm quite interested to see how Jack McGrath does.

Oh, who in god's name is Kieran Murphy? :huh:

 

[dullonien]

Oh, who in god's name is Kieran Murphy? :huh:

Saw him play a couple of weeks back. Thought it was Ben Morgan for a while (looked similar in stature, wearing a scrum cap, and played in a similar style). Looks like a good prospect who can hopefully improve quickly with Morgan likely to leave in the near future.

He is welsh, depite his name. Born in Swansea.

Edit. Pretty good Scarlets team aswell. Should be a good game this.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Aye, should be a decent contest. Our pack lacks a bit of mobility without Heaslip, Healy and co. No doubt that's why Sean Cronin got the nod. I'll be keeping an eye on Liam Williams and Scott Williams, any relation?

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Saw him play a couple of weeks back. Thought it was Ben Morgan for a while (looked similar in stature, wearing a scrum cap, and played in a similar style). Looks like a good prospect who can hopefully improve quickly with Morgan likely to leave in the near future.

He is welsh, depite his name. Born in Swansea.

Edit. Pretty good Scarlets team aswell. Should be a good game this.

Incorrect sorry Dull ... born in Aberdeen. Moved to Swansea when he was 2.

 

[dullonien]

Incorrect sorry Dull ... born in Aberdeen. Moved to Swansea when he was 2.

Got the info wrong on the Scarlets website then.

 

[profitius]

This should be an entertaining game. Lets hope it doesn't rain in Dublin later.

 

[big ginger 8]

Delighted to see Jack play not against the strongest of scrummagers in Manu but will be a decent test. As Feic said love the backline and it's good to have Dominic Ryan back. Am looking forward to it.

 

[profitius]

Got the info wrong on the Scarlets website then.

I'd say its not by accident they have the wrong info down about him! If the Scots hear about this....

 

[Me 1]

I'd say its not by accident they have the wrong info down about him! If the Scots hear about this....

I hope Robinson's not lurking here

Would love to see Iongi starting, he's been great every time I've seen him play

 

[big ginger 8]

16-13 last kick of the game by McFadden to win. Annoyed that despite having the ball for a long period near the end we weren't making to much ground. Good defense by the Scarlets and they were slowing the ball down well in fairness but it took a while for the clearouts to gain some aggression.

On a positive note I thought Jack went well but of course I would so am wondering what others thought of him. Great to see Ryan back and he had a few nice touches as did Ruddock, McLaughlin, Auv'ua and Toner. In fairness it wasn't the weather for trowing it about.


Also just wondering one of the half time teams were from Gorey LN7 do you know any of the kids?

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

It was a poor Leinster performance. As always, Nacewa played well and was the pick of the backs. Kearney and Madigan went okay behind the scrum too. Toner won man of the match in the stadium and I thought he did okay but for me McLaughlin was the best Leinster forward. McGrath and Hagan scrummaged well but I didn't notice them too much around the park.

 

[big ginger 8]

It was a poor Leinster performance. As always, Nacewa played well and was the pick of the backs. Kearney and Madigan went okay behind the scrum too. Toner won man of the match in the stadium and I thought he did okay but for me McLaughlin was the best Leinster forward. McGrath and Hagan scrummaged well but I didn't notice them too much around the park.

Neither Hagan or McGrath are particularly strong carriers although when he comes off the bench McGrath seems to do better knowing obviously he will only play 10-15 minutes.

 

[coonor]

Didn't see the game, so guys who were the standout players? and was the atmosphere/crowd like?

By all accounts Jennings had another poor game which seems to be all to common this season, and evidence shows that with McLaughlin at 6 and SOB at 7 our backrow is less balanced and changes our style of play. Taking this into account and the point that Ryan is coming back from injury and hoping he continues to develop well, would it be a good idea to make try and bring him into the first 15 as early as this season? We have alot of games between now and the H-cup quarter final and I really think this could be a chance to give him lots of game time and bring him back up to speed in the hope that he will become our first choice 7 and in the near future be a reasonable choice as a more traditional 7 for Ireland.

 

[big ginger 8]

If we sign Thorn which looks pretty certain I'd say McLaughlin will start because of his lineout play. Ryan isn't to bad in the air but not at McLaughlin's level in this area.

 

[coonor]

If we sign Thorn which looks pretty certain I'd say McLaughlin will start because of his lineout play. Ryan isn't to bad in the air but not at McLaughlin's level in this area.

From what I hear McLaughlin had a fair game, but i'm not a big fan of his. I think his lineout skills while useful are over rated and not really needed, I think his carrying is quite good but nothing more and his defence is poor for a flanker. I'm not saying he's a bad player I just don't think he's what Leinster need.

Also I love the way that alot of people mainly on other forums are now obsessed with the need for big backs since the Welsh game. Suddenly we now apparently haven't got large enough backs..... This is rubbish if you ask me and people need to realise the Welsh backs are not good because they are big, they are good because they use their strength and skills well and understand their game plan.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

@big ginger 8
From what I recall, McGrath was a beast of a scrummager at schools level but once he hit under 20s, he was found out in that area. His general play was still very good though. That continued at A level where he was quite poor in the srum two years ago. Greg Feek deserves a lot of credit for turning that part of his game around. He's presently the third best loosehead at Leinster but is quickly catching up to Heinke van der Merwe. With van der Merwe's contract finishing in June, I wonder will the Leinster brains trust opt to let him go and accelerate McGrath's development.

Personally, I'd give van der Merwe a new two year deal but I'd significantly increase McGrath's gametime. I think he could start 7 or 8 games next season and come off the bench in a dozen more. Between now and the end of this season, I'd have him on the bench in every Pro 12 game with a start of two thrown in.

 

[big ginger 8]

@big ginger 8
From what I recall, McGrath was a beast of a scrummager at schools level but once he hit under 20s, he was found out in that area. His general play was still very good though. That continued at A level where he was quite poor in the srum two years ago. Greg Feek deserves a lot of credit for turning that part of his game around. He's presently the third best loosehead at Leinster but is quickly catching up to Heinke van der Merwe. With van der Merwe's contract finishing in June, I wonder will the Leinster brains trust opt to let him go and accelerate McGrath's development.

Personally, I'd give van der Merwe a new two year deal but I'd significantly increase McGrath's gametime. I think he could start 7 or 8 games next season and come off the bench in a dozen more. Between now and the end of this season, I'd have him on the bench in every Pro 12 game with a start of two thrown in.

I'd agree with a lot of that. He'll only get better with experience and it's only recently enough he's started getting involved in the 22 often enough. That was his first home start. They obviously rate him highly as he was mentioned in interviews a lot last year by Schmidt and the fact that they've let him captain the "A" team shows they trust him.