Leinster take the season off to build a bigger trophy cabinet!

Leinster bowed out of the PRO12 race at Ravenhill with a loss to Ulster. They did look like a team that played on Sunday, and in fact all the Champions Cup quarter finalists lost this weekend, Saracens, Toulon, and Clermont. Even Toulon and Clermont, who each pulled out another team of internationals they’d made earlier. But no excuses, Ulster played well, while Leinster are still in the confines of a game plan that requires huge amount of effort, but rarely delivers results. We can say we are taking a season off to build a bigger trophy cabinet!

Connacht found the going tough against Glasgow – they started well, but the Scots showed their class as the match went on, and they ran out easy winners in the end.

Munster kept the pressure on the leaders with a BP victory over Treviso

Guinness PRO12
Friday, April 24
Ulster 26 - 10 Leinster    18:35
Edinburgh 37 - 0 Zebre    18:35
Saturday, April 25
Connacht 13 - 31 Glasgow Warriors    12:05
Cardiff Blues 23 - 31 Ospreys    13:30
Munster 30 - 19 Benetton Treviso    14:05
Newport Gwent Dragons 10 - 29 Scarlets    15:45

Tough day at the office ahead for Leinster!

Jimmy Gopperth ( Picture http://bit.ly/1JjKebu)

Leinster have the daunting prospect of Ulster at Ravenhill tonight. The Champions Cup waved bye bye last weekend, the Guinness Pro 12 waved bye bye 2 weeks ago, so it’s just pride that on the line. Mathematically, if Leinster win all their remaining matches, and the Ospreys win just one of their last three, we could get in. But that ain’t going to happen. Ulster meanwhile, want to get a home semi, so plenty in for them, and absolutely nothing for Leinster.

I was even wondering if Matt O’Connor was going to field a second string side, but he’s named all the big guns. Not sure why Jordi Murphy is on the bench, as he’s was my MOTM last week, and Madigan too, we need all the points we can get.  Meanwhile the player who played every match for Leinster this season gets a start too, and that player is… Jimmy Gopperth! It’s going to be an almighty battle, Connacht  v Ulster was international level intensity. For Ulster, good to see Chris Henry back, and the form of players like Craig Gilroy. I think Ulster are going to shade this.

Connacht have the mighty Glasgow on the way, and they’ll still be smarting from that loss to Ulster. They have Edinburgh and the Scarlet’s hot on their heels for the 6^th place too.  You could sniff an upset though, Connacht have shown some steely reserve this season, so I’m going for the Galwegians over the Glaswegians!

Finally, Munster have an opportunity to gain on the leaders with the visit of  Treviso, that’s five point opportunity if ever you saw it! Tommy O’Donnell, one of the hardest working men in rugby, should pick up his hundredth cap.

Guinness PRO12

Friday, April 24

Ulster vs Leinster              18:35

Edinburgh vs Zebre           18:35

Saturday, April 25

Connacht vs Glasgow Warriors    12:05

Cardiff Blues vs Ospreys  13:30

Munster vs Benetton Treviso        14:05

Newport Gwent Dragons vs Scarlets          15:45

Leinster go down fighting

 

 Jordi Murphy (picture http://bit.ly/1zyjLhP)

Leinster went down fighting in Marseille in a contest that was as tight as a ducks bottom. It wasn’t pretty, there wasn’t much running rugby, Leinster relied on their defence, their excellent set pieces and the boot of Ian Madigan to keep them in th ematch. Madigan was also the man who threw the intercept pass, but at that stage of the match, it was time to take risks, and that one didn’t pay off. The scrum were massive, Murphy, O’Brien, and the front row, all exceptional. The backs never came into the game much, and that is where Sexton will come in when he returns. The only fault we had was a bit of loose kicking – Madigan fluffed two restarts, kicked out on the full a few times, as did Gopperth with his missed drop kick and conversion – he’s is a good standard player, but he’s no magician pulling the strings.

Out of Toulon, Steffon Armitage was probably the pick of the bunch, apart from Halfpennies sweet boot of course. They didn’t play much running rugby either, and this could well be their last win in the tournament. It’s a pretty averge season for Leinster now, but at least they gave it their all.

In the other semi, Clement eased past Saracens, in a match that was much tighter than I thought. Saracens probably play the smartest game plan of any team around, they have great players, but Clermont are possibly the best club team in the  world right now, and at home near unbeatable. It’s an all French affair in the final then, bit ironic when you look at the state of the national team, with Clermont ahead in my book with their superior scrum.

Edinburgh made short work of the Dragons – putting Leinsters loss to them into even more horrid light, with Hidalgo-Clyne the stand out player. Gloucester put Exeter away, I though Exeter were a bit harshly called in the scrum, but apart from that Gloucester were good value for their win.

Champions Cup
Saturday, April 18
Clermont Auvergne 13 - 9 Saracens    14:15
Sunday, April 19
Toulon 25 - 20 Leinster    14:15

Pleeease play well this Sunday Leinster!

Cian Healy (picture http://bit.ly/1D9vOTj)

 

Leinsters season all comes down to 80 minutes of rugby at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille against Toulon this Sunday. It won’t be an easy job for them, but it all hinges on which Toulon, and which Leinster turn up.  Toulon, for all their stars, looked pretty ordinary for long patches against Wasps – their pack is aging, and if Wasps gave their scrum a hard time then we can too. Leinsters form this season, however, has not smelt of roses –more like the stuff you put on roses to make them grow. Well, if Leinster have got the one game in them that they owe to themselves, and to their fans, this is the Sunday to deliver it! It’s not likely to be open running rugby, we’ll have to hang in there, stay in touch until the last 20 minutes when hopefully their pensioners will start to tire, then BAM! Hit them with Healy, hit  them with O’Brien, Heaslip, Kearney, Fitzgerald and Te’O, let’s at least do ourselves justice, and we can’t win go down, with an almighty fight!

In the match on Saturday, Saracens hope not to emulate the Saints form when they take on Clermont Auvergne. Clermont are a purists team, massive, skilfull, creative. And they should really win the whole thing this year, Saracens are a good team, and play really smart, but I’d say their only chance is if the French discioline fails. I think it’ll be the Les Jaunards all the way!

Champions Cup
Clermont Auvergne vs Saracens    14:15
Sunday, April 19
Toulon vs Leinster    14:15