connachtexile wrote: Rathead wrote:

I think Jennings will be available for Leinster this weekend aswell

This worries me. Jennings is a very good communicator on the pitch something I think Leinster have being lacking. Heaslip is a very good player but I don't think he has the natural communication skills (or seniority) that Jennings does. Jennings is a hard nosed operator that will demand more of those around him and that will work to Connacht's detriment.

Jennings always manages to roll back the clock against us and use some voodoo magic on the ref. He tends to become a cut price McCaw for the day against us.

Word to the wise, "pints" are murderously expensive in the RDS for what they are and the distance you have to travel to get them. Most savvy locals snake in a few cans at this stage and no one particularly cares.

clanman wrote: just been reading the comments on the Leinster forum, the majority are expecting us to win this match.

Secretly I think a lot of them want us to win, if it hastens the departure of Matt O'Connor....

Leinster v Connacht – RDS Guinness Pro 12 Round 10
Friday 19th December 2014 Kick Off 19:35 On TV: TG4

After making it four wins on the bounce away at Bayonne on Saturday, Connacht will travel to Dublin quietly confident they can prove a match for a a Leinster side who have struggled for form in recent weeks. However, Connacht will have to reverse their recent history away at Leinster. Connacht's last win in the capital came courtesy of a late Mark McHugh drop goal in a 26-23 win in September 2002.

Other Match Stats
This fixture takes places 3 months to the night Connacht beat Leinster 10-9 at the Sportsground
Connacht will be hoping to equal their all time record of consecutive wins in a row which stands at 5

Leinster Stats
Website: www.leinsterrugby.ie
Founded: 1879
Ground: RDS
Capacity: 18,500
Captain: Jamie Heaslip
Coaches: Matt O'Connor

Rabo Direct Pro 12 League Position 2013/14: 1st Points 82. Beat Glasgow 34-12 in the final
Rabo Direct Pro 12 League Position 2014/15: P: 9 Position: 5th Points 28.
Heineken Cup 2013/14: Quarter Finalist. Lost 29-14 to Toulon. 1st in Pool 1 Points: 23

Previous Fixtures
Leinster 14-13 Harlequins (European Champions Cup Round 4)
Harlequins 24-18 Leinster (European Champions Cup Round 3)
Leinster 18-12 Ospreys (Pro 12 Round 9)
Benetton Treviso 24-24 Leinster (Pro 12 Round

Next League Fixture:
Friday 26th December 2014 Munster v Leinster @ Thomond Park Kick Off: 17.00

European Cup (Pool 2)
Harlequins 13
Leinster 13
Wasps 12
Castres 1

Leinster Ins and Outs 2014/15
Players In
Sam Coghlan Murray from Academy
Jack Conan from Academy
Kane Douglas from Waratahs
Tadhg Furlong from Academy
Sean McCarthy from Jersey
Luke McGrath from Academy
Collie O'Shea from Academy
Ben Te'o from South Sydney Rabbitohs
James Tracy from Academy

Players Out
Leo Auva'a to Benetton Treviso
Andrew Boyle
John Cooney to Connacht (loan)
Leo Cullen retired
Conor Gilsenan to London Irish
Andrew Goodman
Darren Hudson to Bristol Rugby
Jack O'Connell to Bristol Rugby
Brian O'Driscoll retired
Quinn Roux to Connacht (loan)

Previous Meetings
Friday 19th September 2014 Guinness Pro 12
Connacht 10-9 Leinster
www.pro12rugby.com/matchcentre/15620.php

Saturday 4th January 2014 Rabo Direct Pro 12
Connacht 8-16 Leinster
www.pro12rugby.com/matchcentre/13767.php

Rathead wrote:

I think Jennings will be available for Leinster this weekend aswell

This worries me. Jennings is a very good communicator on the pitch something I think Leinster have being lacking. Heaslip is a very good player but I don't think he has the natural communication skills (or seniority) that Jennings does. Jennings is a hard nosed operator that will demand more of those around him and that will work to Connacht's detriment.

salmson wrote: Leinster have neither form nor any appreciable system. If they rest players ahead of Munster, just after a bruising double header in Europe, they may not even have an advantage in terms of players.

There's a lot of us on here would bite hands off you if you offered a bonus point now, but I doubt any of the players would settle for less than 4.

No contradiction at 1st sight. We'll get 1 LBP only by targeting 4 points (not the 62 margin win though :lol: )

Leinster have neither form nor any appreciable system. If they rest players ahead of Munster, just after a bruising double header in Europe, they may not even have an advantage in terms of players.

There's a lot of us on here would bite hands off you if you offered a bonus point now, but I doubt any of the players would settle for less than 4.

I trust you and the end is even more worring : they weren't that good, you're saying we lost by ourselves.... About the ref, it could be the same, he won't give us any gift, and probably will try to "save" Leinster at home ...

Exeter were the better team. You called it a heavy loss. Between unlucky and not being ourselves, we lost to a better team. The whole saving players for ospreys the next week and getting 4players called into Ireland camp. Things didn't go our way

How many penalties conceded against Ospreys for not releasing? against Bayonne at home recently, too?

no idea. I'll be honest. To me, I find it a bit weird leaving an out an out flanker on bench and putting in a slightly bigger player into 7. Mckeon is good 8 and 6, but I'd prefer a natural 7 to fight for them balls. I won't argue with lam tho

No reason we've improved a lot all of a sudden, or that the ref will be less scrupulous about it. If we win ok, it's just massive, nothing less than a step closer to equal funding. For me, it's just about putting it into perspective,

the table doesn't lie. One of the best things about sport apart from watching the game for 2hours is the dreaming during the week, if things go our way etc etc. The bright side. As a joke on twitter, I said if we get try bonus and win by 62 points, we're top of the league for 20 hours

it's the most difficult match of the season until now, with Glasgow and Ospreys. We had no BP for both, hope we will get something now

agree. But leinster are playing poor and there for the taking. I believe ospreys and Glasgow are different kettle of fish at home. Ospreys played 4 home games. Let the away team leave with 0 points. Glasgow 4 home games, let away teams go with 2 points

swift4prez wrote:

connachta wrote:

swift4prez wrote:

clanman wrote: just been reading the comments on the Leinster forum, the majority are expecting us to win this match.

I had a look there and the most positive leinster post was that, he would bite of your hand now for 1point win
Usually other provinces only know connacht from there last inter pro, but this season where harder to miss

After the Bayonne game, Rob Murphy tweeted that we've played 13games, 9 wins, 1 draw and 3 loses.
I was thinking to myself, that can't be right. But Jaysus it is
Only losing to 2 top teams in the pro12 away (Glasgow and ospreys) and away to Exeter. Top 4 team in England.

I think everyone gets carried away here, don't forget Cardiff draw, Exeter heavy defeat, difficult win against Dragons, 23-0 in 15 minutes conceded against Ospreys. Once again I like what Lam is doing with Connacht, doesn't mean we're more than outsider playing away to the 2 times champion. would be happy with a LBP, even if they're weakened, a win would be an exploit

Edit to add, Exeter were good but wasn't unstoppable. We couldn't put 3 phases together without knocking the ball one

I trust you and the end is even more worring : they weren't that good, you're saying we lost by ourselves.... About the ref, it could be the same, he won't give us any gift, and probably will try to "save" Leinster at home ... How many penalties conceded against Ospreys for not releasing? against Bayonne at home recently, too? No reason we've improved a lot all of a sudden, or that the ref will be less scrupulous about it. If we win ok, it's just massive, nothing less than a step closer to equal funding. For me, it's just about putting it into perspective, it's the most difficult match of the season until now, with Glasgow and Ospreys. We had no BP for both, hope we will get something now

connachta wrote:

swift4prez wrote:

clanman wrote: just been reading the comments on the Leinster forum, the majority are expecting us to win this match.

I had a look there and the most positive leinster post was that, he would bite of your hand now for 1point win
Usually other provinces only know connacht from there last inter pro, but this season where harder to miss

After the Bayonne game, Rob Murphy tweeted that we've played 13games, 9 wins, 1 draw and 3 loses.
I was thinking to myself, that can't be right. But Jaysus it is
Only losing to 2 top teams in the pro12 away (Glasgow and ospreys) and away to Exeter. Top 4 team in England.

I think everyone gets carried away here, don't forget Cardiff draw, Exeter heavy defeat, difficult win against Dragons, 23-0 in 15 minutes conceded against Ospreys. Once again I like what Lam is doing with Connacht, doesn't mean we're more than outsider playing away to the 2 times champion. would be happy with a LBP, even if they're weakened, a win would be an exploit

Where do I start?
I've no idea how you can't be excited about the game on Friday. We've a great chance and if we win, it will be a serious marker and we'll be in top 4 over Xmas. I don't know you but I'm sure you'll be heading to it if your not working

One piece you've seem to miss is that you forgot we've actually held 4 if not 5 teams scoreless in half a rugby game including leinster

Yes we fell apart vs ospreys, but not a hammering vs Exeter. Game wasn't on tv so I take it you were there? Around 50 connacht fans there, pity I couldn't have a pint with you.
We had one of the worse refs around (sorry shelflife) but he handed them a forward pass try. Ruled out our perfectly taken try and should of been a sin binning for on hands in tackle leading up to that ruled out try.

Edit to add, Exeter were good but wasn't unstoppable. We couldn't put 3 phases together without knocking the ball one

swift4prez wrote:

clanman wrote: just been reading the comments on the Leinster forum, the majority are expecting us to win this match.

I had a look there and the most positive leinster post was that, he would bite of your hand now for 1point win
Usually other provinces only know connacht from there last inter pro, but this season where harder to miss

After the Bayonne game, Rob Murphy tweeted that we've played 13games, 9 wins, 1 draw and 3 loses.
I was thinking to myself, that can't be right. But Jaysus it is
Only losing to 2 top teams in the pro12 away (Glasgow and ospreys) and away to Exeter. Top 4 team in England.

I think everyone gets carried away here, don't forget Cardiff draw, Exeter heavy defeat, difficult win against Dragons, 23-0 in 15 minutes conceded against Ospreys. Once again I like what Lam is doing with Connacht, doesn't mean we're more than outsider playing away to the 2 times champion. would be happy with a LBP, even if they're weakened, a win would be an exploit

swift4prez wrote: we've played 13games, 9 wins, 1 draw and 3 loses.

That's an amazing stat. I reckon it's going to be a bit dented when we get the Christmas inter pros over us.

9 wins, 6 in the Pro12. 2 more Pro12 wins and we've equalled our highest win rate. That's some achievement.

clanman wrote: just been reading the comments on the Leinster forum, the majority are expecting us to win this match.

I had a look there and the most positive leinster post was that, he would bite of your hand now for 1point win
Usually other provinces only know connacht from there last inter pro, but this season where harder to miss

After the Bayonne game, Rob Murphy tweeted that we've played 13games, 9 wins, 1 draw and 3 loses.
I was thinking to myself, that can't be right. But Jaysus it is
Only losing to 2 top teams in the pro12 away (Glasgow and ospreys) and away to Exeter. Top 4 team in England.

There goes the element of surprise!

just been reading the comments on the Leinster forum, the majority are expecting us to win this match.

Yeah, but neither Ruddock nor SOB is already good news, even with the quality back-ups they have

I think Jennings will be available for Leinster this weekend aswell