Leinster v Ulster: HC Last 16; April 1st

[blockhead]

If anyone doesn't have a ticket yet now might be a good time - there''s only about 350 tickets left on TM

Brilliant stuff. Should be a cracking atmosphere.

Yep. 5.30 KO.
Bumper day for the pubs. Sharks v Munster and City v Liverpool both kick-off at 12.30, sensible ones will watch these at home with a heafty luch and a cup of tea. The rest of us will be hitting our straps by 5.30.
Arsenal v the mighty Leeds at 3.00pm too.
Sunday is a day of rest for a reason.

[Theleinsterlad]

If anyone doesn't have a ticket yet now might be a good time - there''s only about 350 tickets left on TM

Brilliant stuff. Should be a cracking atmosphere.

Yep. 5.30 KO.
Bumper day for the pubs. Sharks v Munster and City v Liverpool both kick-off at 12.30, sensible ones will watch these at home with a heafty luch and a cup of tea. The rest of us will be hitting our straps by 5.30.
Arsenal v the mighty Leeds at 3.00pm too.
Sunday is a day of rest for a reason.

Having the lads over for my first barbe of the year before heading in for game later. This day is going to be a cracker!! - pity Connacht game is not on at 3pm

[TMC]

Id be very happy if Ruddock started at 6, he is an absolute Rolls Royce of a 6 and is tailor made for this game. Baird would be a better option off the bench either at 6 or lock.

Absolutely, there is a comfort blanket element to his presence, especially in Sexton's absence. Yes he is now an elder lemon but he never gives less than 100%. Others might be faster/flashier/more skilled, no one for me in the back row, bar maybe JVDF, comes close to RR for leadership, heart, nous, cussedness and general all round gnarl. Arm wrestle games need a Rhys.

Veritable old dog for the hard road. His chase back last Friday night showed he wants it as badly as ever. Would have him on the bench at the very least as an in case of emergency break glass option in a high stakes interpro game. There will be a big leadership onus on the likes of JVDF and James Ryan's shoulders if he is not selected.

[wixfjord]

Having Rhys, Molony, Healy and McGrath to come in might not be the most dynamic bench, but the leadership quotient in those 4 is enormous.

[FtD]

I thought Baird played great from 6 in both games against Ulster this year, and would be keen to see him start at 6 again this weekend.

[joooooe]

Id be very happy if Ruddock started at 6, he is an absolute Rolls Royce of a 6 and is tailor made for this game. Baird would be a better option off the bench either at 6 or lock.

Absolutely, there is a comfort blanket element to his presence, especially in Sexton's absence. Yes he is now an elder lemon but he never gives less than 100%. Others might be faster/flashier/more skilled, no one for me in the back row, bar maybe JVDF, comes close to RR for leadership, heart, nous, cussedness and general all round gnarl. Arm wrestle games need a Rhys.

Veritable old dog for the hard road. His chase back last Friday night showed he wants it as badly as ever. Would have him on the bench at the very least as an in case of emergency break glass option in a high stakes interpro game. There will be a big leadership onus on the likes of JVDF and James Ryan's shoulders if he is not selected.

It was suggested by someone on another forum recently that Leinster might have too many backrows (original, I know) and might be willing to let some of them leave. If they were being taken one by one from my protective motherly grasp, the player I would let go last would be Rhys Ruddock. Another province (channels Charlton Heston) can take him from my cold, dead hands.

I look forward to seeing him this weekend, and the weekend after that, and every weekend until he decides there have been enough epic performances to satisfy us greedy fans, which is hopefully a long time from now.

[wixfjord]

I thought Baird played great from 6 in both games against Ulster this year, and would be keen to see him start at 6 again this weekend.

Yep. For all Rhys' leadership, Baird is another dimension as an athlete, carrier, defensive lineout option.

I'm pretty confident that Baird is our starting #6 now.

[Laighin Break]

Id be very happy if Ruddock started at 6, he is an absolute Rolls Royce of a 6 and is tailor made for this game. Baird would be a better option off the bench either at 6 or lock.

A Rolls Rhys, you could say

[Blue not red blood]

quote=blockhead post_id=825140 time=1680187410 user_id=6367]

If anyone doesn't have a ticket yet now might be a good time - there''s only about 350 tickets left on TM

Brilliant stuff. Should be a cracking atmosphere.

Yep. 5.30 KO.
Bumper day for the pubs. Sharks v Munster and City v Liverpool both kick-off at 12.30, sensible ones will watch these at home with a heafty luch and a cup of tea. The rest of us will be hitting our straps by 5.30.
Arsenal v the mighty Leeds at 3.00pm too.
Sunday is a day of rest for a reason.
[/quote]

MOT

[Hoofhearted]

Id be very happy if Ruddock started at 6, he is an absolute Rolls Royce of a 6 and is tailor made for this game. Baird would be a better option off the bench either at 6 or lock.

A Rolls Rhys, you could say

Ha!

[DMR2004]

Id be very happy if Ruddock started at 6, he is an absolute Rolls Royce of a 6 and is tailor made for this game. Baird would be a better option off the bench either at 6 or lock.

A Rolls Rhys, you could say

Indeed!

[mildlyinterested]

Going to be a wet one tomorrow.

[erskinechilders]

Just saw it's a sell-out, what kind of profit do Leinster make for each of these?

[neill_m]

Just saw it's a sell-out, what kind of profit do Leinster make for each of these?

Gate split 65 / 35 between Leinster and Ulster. If you work at an average ticket price of €50, that is ball park €2.5 Million with €1.7 Million to Leinster and €800,000 to Ulster.

[mildlyinterested]

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):
15. Hugo Keenan (51)
14. Jordan Larmour (86)
13. Jimmy O’Brien (66)
12. Robbie Henshaw (73)
11. James Lowe (69)
10. Ross Byrne (143)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (122)
1. Andrew Porter (103)
2. Dan Sheehan (41)
3. Tadhg Furlong (129)
4. Ross Molony (158)
5. James Ryan (69) CAPTAIN
6. Ryan Baird (48)
7. Josh van der Flier (124)
8. Jack Conan (127)

16. John McKee (15)
17. Cian Healy (259)
18. Michael Ala’alatoa (42)
19. Jason Jenkins (12)
20. Scott Penny (53)
21. Luke McGrath (190)
22. Harry Byrne (46)
23. Ciarán Frawley (62)

Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU)

[mildlyinterested]

Ulster team to play Leinster, Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16, Saturday 1 April at Aviva Stadium (KO 5 30pm), live on BT Sport:

(15-9) Michael Lowry, Rob Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, Nathan Doak;

(1-8) Rory Sutherland, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor (Captain), Kieran Treadwell, Dave McCann, Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: Tom Stewart, Eric O’Sullivan, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Harry Sheridan, Marcus Rea, John Cooney, Stewart Moore, Ben Moxham

[Blue not red blood]

6-2 Ulster bench. No real impact there apart from Stewart.
No replacement 10 either

[Serb]

Molony over Jenkins is a surprise for sure. Can't really have any complaints otherwise based on who's available. Our bench looks a lot stronger on paper, especially with Jenkins to come on and wreak havoc.

[Blue not red blood]

Sorry didn’t see Moore there so it’s 5-3

[neill_m]

6-2 Ulster bench. No real impact there apart from Stewart.
No replacement 10 either

5-3 bench for Ulster, Ben Moxham is a back.