Leinster v La Rochelle match thread - Page 10 (2024)

Jenkins was in his hole poor, what are you talking about? It was probably his best performance for Leinster.

Right. I didn't know.

Yes we're bigger than ever but we'd be a bit behind the Skeltons, Antonios, Vermulens etc.

When we catch up on size it seems bigger players appear again. Skelton would be a fair bit bigger than the monsters of my day, Bakies Botha, Chabal etc.

He gave away 4 penalties and did little else.

Leinster are not a small team physically, LAR are just a bit ridiculous.

He was instrumental in the JGP try, making a break and offloading to Lowe.

Thought he was dynamic and prominent myself.

Well that's what I meant. Bad choice of wording when I said 'smaller' teams. As Will Carling might say LAR are freaks (the sooner they go away the better!)

That was McCarthy

Jaisus. Harsh. I can't remember him giving any ground. I thought he did exactly what he was brought in for. Can't expect a bruiser not to concede a penalty or two

So Croke Park semi first since Leinster v Munster 2009. Cian Healy the only player still on board.

Ah, so it was. Just checked in the highlights.

Good play by Big Joe.

not sure you have linked to the video you meant to…

or 4. and some of them were quite stupid.

That being said, he was otherwise aggressive and good. I bloody miss James Ryan though.

No that was Magners 2009 I think. I have 2009 on VCR and will upload it some day.

Looking back at the game a second time, it seemed LaR struggled to get the ball wide to their speedsters (understandable, as this is one of the main strengths of JN's system) and instead went to ball carriers coming at oblique angles, trying to run at the crease of the blitz defense, or in other words, hit the defensive line almost side-on instead of head on. It made ground at times, but Leinster counter-rucking made multiple phases a very high-risk endeavour. The turnovers eventually came and La Rochelle didn't really have any alternative style to turn to.

I think Zebre (of all teams!) showed the most effective way to counter the JN system, by using mid-distance kicking. Chipping in behind the blitz and running onto that space. Especially with Frawley covering, I'm sure that would have been a (relatively) weak area for this Leinster team today. Problem for La Rochelle, is that their players are so large, with awful cardio, and poor mobility (backs aside), they would not be able to put the same pressure on Leinster following up those kicks.

So I still think this Leinster team can be beaten by a team with a very sharp, fast 10, with a range of kicking, supported by a fast midfield, loose-forward players. Almost sets up the style clash perfectly for the final against Toulouse (if they get past Saints).

But worry about that some other night, lads. Terrific performance today 👏.

Credit to the lads today.

Ringrose, Ryan, Healy, J O Brien and Keenan all missing. The 23 today didn't miss a beat.

Was he? gave away a few penalties but so did other players….I thought he played well

of course he did, as did all the forwards.

Have to agree here on re-watch. He had lots of key contributions today before tries:

Lowe's opening try: two back to back carries inside the 22m in the build up (including one where he bowls over Antonio), and he cleans Skelton away from the ruck at 16:40, pinning him down to the floor and preventing him from getting to his feet to slow down ruck ball (or even stand as an extra body in the defence line). Two phases later Lowe is in the corner.

He has big carries in the lead up to Connors' butchered overlap and JGP's held up over the line (including a monster double hit he took from Latu and Aldritt where he held onto the ball and rolled over to prevent a turnover).

At the start of the second half, he reads the fake maul peel from Aldritt and makes the tackle - Porter gets the turnover.

Again at 42:30, he removes Skelton completely from the equation to prevent him slowing down ball or joining the defensive line. On the next phase, Baird gets in to score.

A really solid 50 minutes.

Penalties are sometimes forgivable (see Joe McCarthy's Leinster career to date)

And now the heart rate has returned to normal, time for a bit of craic.

Leicester did a lot of the mid distance kicking too and it was very successful for them, they nearly beat us but they were not clinical in our 22

I thought one of the penalties (the second one) against him was harsh. He stole the ball on his feet and presented it back although he got knocked to the ground as he did it. Ref said he hadn’t realised after the tackle when he wasn’t actually involved in the tackle. The other penalty was an error as he crept offside, but TKB did well to make sure the ref came back for the penalty. Jenkins had no option but to take him down overwise he was away.

Yeah, that second one was a legit turnover and a really bizarre decision from Dickson, who, as he's prone to do, confidently asserted something which clearly didn't happen. Jenkins was first man in, not an assist tackler - McCarthy was the tackler and had rolled away. Was maddening at the time - it was a great steal, and he got wrongly penalized for it.

I wonder how Gerry Fahy is doing😊

I love the hyena laugh out of the fella in this.

Seen a bit of online criticism of Jenkins performance. I couldn't disagree more with that appraisal.

He gave away some penalties, but in the first half especially, he was involved in all of Leinster's positive forwards play. Always available to make a tight carry and usually made metres. This was his best performance for us in his time here.

Fair, I didn't see that game, but I maintain that whenever Italians do things it's usually more fabulous.

Taste of their own medicine

Glass houses and all that.

https://www.balls.ie/rugby/ian-keatley-reveals-profound-effect-booed-munster-fans-personal-life-362409

What has this got to do with the Leinster La Rochelle match??