Accidentally Onside wrote: Not sure that Cardiff win is a good result to be honest Borders; Scarlets look a fairly quality outfit to me, good enough to be comfortably top 6 anyway, so having Cardiff out of contention would maybe have suited us better. Need at least 4 points from the games against Scarlets now :sick:

I'll never know how that Leinster try was given but can't complain about the result, we made too many mistakes with ball in hand.

Edit: on the positive Heenan did well and our defense in that first half was bloody brilliant

Maybe so but even though they have a good few home games to come yet if Cardiff finish ahead of us we'll have been nowhere near Top 6 anyway.
Also like us Scarlets form has tailed off the last few weeks. Looking at the other spots, Ulster, Leinster, Glasgow and probably in the end Munster will definitely make up 4 spots. Ospreys have got their act together so even though they started the season brilliantly of the contenders for Top 6 Scarlets still are probably the most likely to be chased down for Top 6.

I'm really seeing it difficult to see us being in the Top 6 on the performances since the Munster game even allowing for injuries.

"Any reason I can't award a try?" Yes George, the ball was held up. That's a reason. He shafted us again but we were dreadful and didn't deserve anything from the game anyway. The composure we were showing earlier in the season has completely left us and it is very, very worrying. Heenan looked good, that's about it for the positives. We're in a slump now and it's going to take a monumental effort next week to get us out of it.

Not sure that Cardiff win is a good result to be honest Borders; Scarlets look a fairly quality outfit to me, good enough to be comfortably top 6 anyway, so having Cardiff out of contention would maybe have suited us better. Need at least 4 points from the games against Scarlets now :sick:

I'll never know how that Leinster try was given but can't complain about the result, we made too many mistakes with ball in hand.

Edit: on the positive Heenan did well and our defense in that first half was bloody brilliant

The only consolation this evening is Scarlets lost again but there is now up to 9 teams now in contention for 6 spots and Edinburgh have home advantage again tomorrow against Glasgow which could see them moving up right behind us. If we don't at least break even over the 2 games against Scarlets its going to become very difficult.

Borders no.2 wrote: To me this season is heading down the tubes at a rate of knots if we don't do something to address this decline.

Which was why I thought the Ulster loss was so big. We always knew that post RWC the wins would be tougher to come by so they had to make the most of their chances. Well since the Munster win they haven't. Needed the wins against Cardiff & Ulster and at least a losing bonus point here at Leinster. They do have an opportunity coming up to right the ship in the league with a couple crucial games against the Scarlets, then the Dragons followed by Zebre. None will be easy with 3 of the 4 away but if they don't win a least 3 in this stretch a top 6 finish is in jeopardy.

Borders no.2 wrote: 2nd half was easily the worst we've played in a long time. Leinster upped the tempo but we completely fell asunder. How Clancy could call a try for Leinster from sitting on his arse when the ball was buried is beyond me but we were miles off the pace in the 2nd half. To me this season is heading down the tubes at a rate of knots if we don't do something to address this decline.

No qualms about the result - agree on the performance being sub-par and did not deserve a win, but maybe deserved the LBP. The Leinster try harkens back to the bad old days of being shafted by poor reffing - no visible grounding (from what I could see on TV) and from my understanding of the protocol, Clancy's question "any reason not to award the try" limits what the TMO can actually decide on.

Ugh.

It's inevitable. Connacht are considerably weaker through injury and fatigue at a time when the other teams are getting stronger. My own province being the obvious exception.

2nd half was easily the worst we've played in a long time. Leinster upped the tempo but we completely fell asunder. How Clancy could call a try for Leinster from sitting on his arse when the ball was buried is beyond me but we were miles off the pace in the 2nd half. To me this season is heading down the tubes at a rate of knots if we don't do something to address this decline.

Smartest bit of play by Connacht all season right there.

37 mins on the clock, deep in our own 22 we marched the ball about 25m over 3 mins and ran it out on 40 mins and 2 seconds. Textbook game killing.

Lets see how we do with the wind in the second half

0-3 at 35 minutes into a gale. If we get to half time like this the lads can be well pleased with their half

And good lord I forgot how good a player Jake Heenan is- every little thing he does he does it right. Such a tidy openside :woohoo:

Ooooh Niyi so nearly in for the try :sick:

Don't know the score but know who died!

If we can pay the fast attacking rugby like the last game, get the placekicking sorted out we can be a match for anybody in the Pro 12 and other competitions Heres to a Happy and Successful 2016.

It shows the depth of Leinster that they can make 11 changes and still field that team. However from our viewpoint that is a good side. Surprised to see Heenan back for this one, thought he might have been eased back with maybe an A game or a runout against Enisei but hopefully he negotiates this game with no problems. McCartney is a big boost. We've missed him the last couple of months.

Very windy weather promised and George Clancy as ref so likely to be very stop start game.

I like the look of our team, I know its obvious but 9/10 axis for both teams is going to be so crucial. For us Marmion is capable of controlling the game from 9, whereas if we put enough pressure on McGrath he will make mistakes. Sexton and Carty both out of form to varying degrees. There was a lot of space for Carty to try grubbers, chips etc last week which he didn't do, we've seen that when he's confident he is very skillful he just needs to be willing to implement them. Probably should have won last season in the RDS but for some silliness, a full 80 minute performance is the least we should expect.

sea_point wrote:

menacethedenis wrote:

Decadence wrote: did Danie take a knock in the last game?

He hurt his ribs against Newcastle away, must not have cleared up. I still fancy Niyi over Dave Kearney

In a straight line race, Niyi is the fastest player in either 23 man squad, but he first has to be given the ball and a little bit of space though he does look like he's added a bit of bulk and physicality to his game...

His big "issue" is he sprints forward to make a hit and gets stepped fairly easily. All he needs to do is be a bit more patient on trying to land the hit. When they work they're great otherwise he's leaving a huge hole in defence

menacethedenis wrote:

Decadence wrote: did Danie take a knock in the last game?

He hurt his ribs against Newcastle away, must not have cleared up. I still fancy Niyi over Dave Kearney

In a straight line race, Niyi is the fastest player in either 23 man squad, but he first has to be given the ball and a little bit of space though he does look like he's added a bit of bulk and physicality to his game...