Racing in Le Harve

[Ruckedtobits]

What Baird needs to add to his game is defensive line-out work a la PO'M and he can. He has an explosive jump and he's very agile. He's a good build but not too heavy on the lift. A good few video sessions with O'Connell in Irish Camp on video analysis and pitch and he could begin to compete successfully in front of the middle jumper before moving to attack the front jumper's ball.

With his other natural attributes, there's little reason why he can't become as important to Leinster & Ireland as Tom Croft was to Leicester and England in 2003 (Go on, look him up)

[Xanthippe]

The choice for Sat is likely between Deegan/Conan/Baird.

Personally I'd start Baird and have Deegan on the bench.

Unless we put Baird on the bench wearing 19 or we go for a 6-2 split.

Then we can have them all in the 23.

Have we ever gone for a 6-2 split in Europe?

Since Leo took over it’s happened three times - all three times were in away games against Montpellier!

• In October 2016 Dan Leavy came on at 7 for Josh van der Flier after 73 minutes

• In December 2020 Dan Leavy came in at 8 for Caelan Doris after 60 minutes

• In December 2021 Scott Penny was named at 23 and should have made his European debut but this was the game that was cancelled!

[Serb]

Agree about the investment in Baird, he’s a phenomenal athlete, although I have worried about his temperament and concentration in the past. He has drifted out of matches, given away bad penalties and coughed up cheap turnovers (do I recall 4 t/os in 10 mins in one match?!!).

There was a period, I think right after the covid break, where his handling was absolutely appalling. He was dropping the ball more often than he caught it.

I’ve seen zero evidence of that in his more recent performances however, so he seems to have stamped that out.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Agree about the investment in Baird, he’s a phenomenal athlete, although I have worried about his temperament and concentration in the past. He has drifted out of matches, given away bad penalties and coughed up cheap turnovers (do I recall 4 t/os in 10 mins in one match?!!).

There was a period, I think right after the covid break, where his handling was absolutely appalling. He was dropping the ball more often than he caught it.

I’ve seen zero evidence of that in his more recent performances however, so he seems to have improved through proper application of training and skillsa

FTFY

[jimbobjoe]

What Baird needs to add to his game is defensive line-out work a la PO'M and he can. He has an explosive jump and he's very agile. He's a good build but not too heavy on the lift. A good few video sessions with O'Connell in Irish Camp on video analysis and pitch and he could begin to compete successfully in front of the middle jumper before moving to attack the front jumper's ball.

With his other natural attributes, there's little reason why he can't become as important to Leinster & Ireland as Tom Croft was to Leicester and England in 2003 (Go on, look him up)

Tom Croft definitely wasn't playing back in '03

[OTT]

What Baird needs to add to his game is defensive line-out work a la PO'M and he can. He has an explosive jump and he's very agile. He's a good build but not too heavy on the lift. A good few video sessions with O'Connell in Irish Camp on video analysis and pitch and he could begin to compete successfully in front of the middle jumper before moving to attack the front jumper's ball.

With his other natural attributes, there's little reason why he can't become as important to Leinster & Ireland as Tom Croft was to Leicester and England in 2003 (Go on, look him up)

Tom Croft definitely wasn't playing back in '03

Yup. I’d say Croft was still in his teens back then.

LOL, Back and Hill were the backrow and Johnson and Kay were the locks, that back 5 were animals, Croft in his prime wouldn’t have got near it.

[cormac]

What Baird needs to add to his game is defensive line-out work a la PO'M and he can. He has an explosive jump and he's very agile. He's a good build but not too heavy on the lift. A good few video sessions with O'Connell in Irish Camp on video analysis and pitch and he could begin to compete successfully in front of the middle jumper before moving to attack the front jumper's ball.

With his other natural attributes, there's little reason why he can't become as important to Leinster & Ireland as Tom Croft was to Leicester and England in 2003 (Go on, look him up)

Is this the same Tom Croft who made his England debut in 2008?

[Flash Gordon]

Poor Rhys Ruddock, the magpies have moved on to newer, gilted, baubles

Sure they've been doing that for years. Rhys is the Isa in the pack.

[blockhead]

Rhys should get himself a bottle of that Dimoxinil, grow his hair back and get the respect he deserves godammit!

[mildlyinterested]

Poor Rhys Ruddock, the magpies have moved on to newer, gilted, baubles

Sure they've been doing that for years. Rhys is the Isa in the pack.

Isa was always starting big games, rhys not so much.

Leinster still yet to win a european cup without isa.

[OTT]

Poor Rhys Ruddock, the magpies have moved on to newer, gilted, baubles

Sure they've been doing that for years. Rhys is the Isa in the pack.

Isa was always starting big games, rhys not so much.

Leinster still yet to win a european cup without isa.

It was the extra size ISA brought to the pack.

[Flash Gordon]

Poor Rhys Ruddock, the magpies have moved on to newer, gilted, baubles

Sure they've been doing that for years. Rhys is the Isa in the pack.

Isa was always starting big games, rhys not so much.

Leinster still yet to win a european cup without isa.

No backrow ever starts all games, it's such an attritional position you have to rotate. My point is that Isa lead and did was required for the team and was our most valuable back given his availability during the international windows, Rhys does that too. He's also a bloody good player of course and brings much needed leadership and experience. The club would not have won everything we have without him in my view.

He's also seen a fair few shiny new things as Dave said and here he is 13 years later.

[RoboProp]

So, the 48 hours for Lowe is been and gone. I presume Church gets an automatic citation for the red?

[Twist]

I really hope some Leinster players start to look at it and ask themselves "Is it worth it?".

Anything - barr donning the national jersey - that lessens the chances of Leinster winning silverwear at the end of any given season is a no-no for me - and that includes Lions tours.

I strongly agree with this. I watch* the Lions and want them to win, but I wince whenever our lads are involved. The fewer the better. Let the English, Welsh and Scots have the grandchildren to tell time, ya?

(*Actually I couldnt put up with the dross in SA, but I gave it a chance)

[curates_egg]

Poor Rhys Ruddock, the magpies have moved on to newer, gilted, baubles

Including the coaching team?

Rhys is a cracking and much loved player. For whatever reason he doesn't seem in favour or in the conversation for our first 23 at the moment.

I think they are making an investment in Ryan Baird which is completely worthwhile. If they want him to be a No6 [which I think is a great position for him] then they are going to have to play him at No6. We have no 'A' matches, and it would be the next thing to pointless playing him in those anyway, he's way above that standard no matter the number on his back.

The coaches have done a really good job of spreading the minutes around. Rhys should have 55-60 more minutes; he came off injured after 4 minutes against the Sharks.

1. Josh van der Flier 319 mins [4+0]
2. Ryan Baird 305mins [4+1]
3. Max Deegan 293 mins [4+0]
4. Scott Penny 284 mins [4+0]
5. Rhys Ruddock 209 mins [4+0]
6. Jack Conan 196 mins [3+1]
7. Caelan Doris 188 mins [3+1]
8. Will Connors 172mins [1+3]
9. Martin Moloney 130 mins [0+3]

Backrow is an injury factory, so there are always going to be chances to play once you are not one of the injured parties.

The top five players on that list have all performed very well and consistently this season (as has Doris).
Rhys's shift against Munster was one of his typically understated/unseen massive shifts. Marred by a couple of knock-ons. But I, and others, praised him on the thread - and also included him in my list of those who could be picked up above.

For those with short memories: he came on for Doris in the final just six months ago and, in his fourteen minutes, ended up making twice the amount of tackles Doris did in the whole game. Yes, we were defending relentlessly in that period, but by god he delivered.
Just as Baird brings something different to the side at 6, we absolutely lose something when we don't pick Ruddock.

Baird replaced him against La Rochelle in 2021 (after Ruddock got injured in the first half), even though we also had Fardy on the bench. We all know how that worked out.

But we are now two years on. And I also like what I have seen from Baird this season. We won't know if he really has the top-level dog needed until he gets tested at this level.
Does that need to be in our Euro opener, away in France? I'm not sure.
We will find out soon enough what the coaches think anyway.

[D4surfer]

The bookies have this as a 2 point game with Leinster slight favourites at 8/11 with Racing at 11/8.

[joooooe]

Rhys should get himself a bottle of that Dimoxinil, grow his hair back and get the respect he deserves godammit!

[Flash Gordon]

So, the 48 hours for Lowe is been and gone. I presume Church gets an automatic citation for the red?

Case against Lowe was non-existent. As the ref said, his arm was close to his body, Cooney's tackle position was poor and he injured himself when his head hit the ground.

Not sure on the Church ban but we could really really do without it.

[blockhead]

So, the 48 hours for Lowe is been and gone. I presume Church gets an automatic citation for the red?

Case against Lowe was non-existent. As the ref said, his arm was close to his body, Cooney's tackle position was poor and he injured himself when his head hit the ground.

Not sure on the Church ban but we could really really do without it.

RE Healy
Upon review of the incident, the Panel overseeing the disciplinary process (Robert Milligan KC (Chair, Scotland), Nigel Williams (Wales), Simon Thomas (Wales), deemed that there was sufficient mitigating factors to reduce the Red Card to a Yellow Card. Therefore the Red Card was not upheld and the Player can return to play effective immediately.

[blockhead]

So, the 48 hours for Lowe is been and gone. I presume Church gets an automatic citation for the red?

Case against Lowe was non-existent. As the ref said, his arm was close to his body, Cooney's tackle position was poor and he injured himself when his head hit the ground.

Not sure on the Church ban but we could really really do without it.

RE Healy
Upon review of the incident, the Panel overseeing the disciplinary process (Robert Milligan KC (Chair, Scotland), Nigel Williams (Wales), Simon Thomas (Wales), deemed that there was sufficient mitigating factors to reduce the Red Card to a Yellow Card. Therefore the Red Card was not upheld and the Player can return to play effective immediately.

The power of a good buscuit.