Leinster: To double up?
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Leinster will be going all out for a special trophy double when they compete in the RaboDirect PRO12 final with the Ospreys on Sunday.
Fresh from the Heineken Cup win, Joe Schmidt's side have one more task ahead of them against a team that has had an extra week to prepare.
A 42-14 success in a European final cannot go unnoticed and it is a measure of how highly they are now rated that the scoreline hasn't received huge praise. Ulster were well beaten in the end at Twickenham last weekend, and if Schmidt's outfit can replicate how they absorbed Ulster's best punches before going for the knockout, then the Ospreys could also find themselves floored.
Victory would see Leinster then become just the fifth side - and the first since London Wasps back in 2004 - to become European and domestic champions in the same term. This is also their third straight Celtic League final appearance.
What's been just as impressive from Leinster is that their only negative in any competition since September was 22-23 to the Ospreys in March. Now if that isn't the stuff of champions then I don't know what is for a province that for so long has lived in Munster's imposing shadow.
But let us refrain from falling in love with Leinster too much just yet before a ball has even been kicked as they face an Ospreys team that has momentum. Ever since ex-Osprey Steve Tandy stepped into the breach after Sean Holley and Scott Johnson left, a return of the enjoyment factor on the field of play for the in-form Swansea-based side has been apparent.
So much have the shackles been lifted that there is also now talk of Dan Biggar - once the golden boy of Welsh rugby - discovering his best form in an Ospreys jersey. This is great news for Warren Gatland and Rob Howley, particularly now that Stephen Jones has hung up his Test boots while Perpignan's James Hook has not firmly established himself at the recognised back-up to Rhys Priestland. What better stage could Biggar have asked for?
Biggar will run out alongside youngster Rhys Webb, who gets the nod over Samoan number nine Kahn Fotuali'i on Sunday, with Tandy explaining the pre-game mood in his squad.
"It's a huge game, a massive occasion for Ospreys Rugby, and everybody is really excited about Sunday," he explained to the Ospreys' official website on Friday.
"Leinster are a great team. What they've achieved in Europe over the last four years speaks for itself, and the nature of their win against Ulster last weekend means that they'l be full of confidence. Playing at home in front of their own fans is another bonus for them and will make the task even more difficult for us.
"Previous games won't count for a thing on Sunday, it's all about the day and who handles the pressure the best."
Meanwhile, Leo Cullen leads a Leinster team which includes thirteen Ireland internationals for the province's third meeting of the season against the Welsh region. Cullen partners Devin Toner in the second-row as former All Black international Brad Thorn is benched.
There are several changes to the pack with Heinke van der Merwe joining Ireland duo Sean Cronin and Mike Ross in the front-row. Number eight Jamie Heaslip forms an experienced back-row with Shane Jennings and Kevin McLaughlin, with Sean O'Brien (knee) ruled out.
Ones to watch:
For Leinster: Heineken Cup silverware in the bag, next pot to add to the cabinet is the RaboDirect PRO12 for medal magnet Brad Thorn, right? The first man in the history of the sport to claim a World Cup, Super Rugby title and a European Cup, Thorn is fast becoming one of the greats of the game. This week he is on the bench in Dublin, battling it out for the PRO12 title and few would bet against him coming on and getting his mitts on that one too?
For Ospreys: After promising so much in his early regional career, Dan Biggar fell somewhat off the international radar over the past few seasons. Maybe not for much longer. Biggar has been excellent of late for the Ospreys and was rewarded for that form with a place in Rob Howley's squad that is training ahead of their clash with the Baa-baas. There was never much doubt the skills were there and now it seems Biggar has the consistency.
Head-to-head: Sam Warburton's understudy, Justin Tipuric, was this week given a glowing reference by Kahn Fotuali'i that he has the ability to become as good as All Black Richie McCaw. He faces an old stager this week in Shane Jennings. That battle is one to savour while there is also set to be sparks between Adam Jones and Heinke van der Merwe.
Prediction: On one hand there is a possible Heineken Cup hangover whereas on the other, it seems nothing can stop Leinster from building their own legacy. Despite the Ospreys having demolished Munster in the semis, we just feel that Leinster will take it by 8!
The teams:
Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Isa Nacewa, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Leo Cullen (c), 3 Mike Ross, 2 Sean Cronin, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Cian Healy/Jack McGrath, 18 Nathan White, 19 Brad Thorn, 20 Dominic Ryan, 21 John Cooney, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 David Kearney.
Ospreys: 15 Richard Fussell, 14 Hanno Dirksen, 13 Andrew Bishop, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Joe Bearman, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Ryan Jones, 5 Ian Evans, 4 Alun Wyn Jones (capt), 3 Adam Jones, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Paul James.
Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Aaron Jarvis, 19 James King, 20 Tom Smith, 21 Kahn Fotuali'i, 22 Matthew Morgan, 23 Tom Isaacs.
Date: Sunday, May 27
Kick-off: 16:00 BST
Venue: RDS
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Neil Paterson (Scotland)
Television match official: Giulio de Santis (Italy)
By Adam Kyriacou
Comments
jontheref says...
crunchfit
mine is lager.
But it is a 2 way street, regarding refs,
Safety
Equity
Law
If they cannot get the first two, the 3rd becomes irrelevant.
Posted 23:37 31st May 2012
jontheref says...
crunchfit
I acept you may be misunderstood at times.
On other threads you were magnanimousin defeat, so that much I got wrong about you.
Yes, it is the internet, and there are so many keyboard warriors, it is sometimes difficult to sort out who is who.
I am sane enough to be able to have this type of discussion over a pint face to face.
Some of the posters would not be allowed out.
Have a good summer watching the rugby.
Posted 15:24 31st May 2012
crunchfit says...
@jontheref
I just often point out some things people don't like. It's not really arrogance. I've done it to you many a time and you've always seem a bit bitter. It's the internet my friend, no point holding getting annoyed / grudges...
Posted 10:25 29th May 2012
rico says...
@papachinzo... I know Leinster fans have respect for all teams that's why i was saying to the '12 year old fan boy' don't spoil it... c'mon you seriously think i was dissing the entire leinster fan base! Leinster folk better people to talk to in the real world at a game ;-)
Posted 06:34 28th May 2012
jontheref says...
I thought it was a great game.
Now to the "supporters".
crunchfit.
Yu are one of the ones who is arrogrant..
No grudge, but read what you write, (or wrote!).
leinster goy, same applies to you.
Jammy?
Funky gibbon refereeing?
His total isses, in front of him, were the material for a "how not to ref".
Knock on leibster, PK to Leinster being one.
A pig with lipstick, is still a pig.
Posted 23:36 27th May 2012
ThinkingGame says...
J_HDK Yep. Leinster A play semi pro teams in the B&I Cup. Surely you saw the most important comparison is the IRFU's funding of the regional game? It attracts guys like Strauss, Thorne and Nacewa, while the Ospreys have to create talent for the Welsh squad or go out of business.
Leinster_goy
Really? The whole of your comment is arrogant. The best side in the league week in week out? Apart from the two losses to the eventual winners? Maybe the title should go to the team who finishes top, or you could show some respect to the teams who finance your wage bill and recognise the lack of Union funding as the only gap between the Irish sides, and the Welsh and Scottish sides? Presumably, you also agree with D4Tress:
I'm not going on Sunday. Leinster are SOLID GOLD CHAMPIONS already. It makes no difference what happens in a one-off match: a league is a league is a league; we won week-in week-out all year long. It's just petty money-grubbing at this stage.
Anyway - Leinster by 9; the Ospreys are muck
Yep. We're the trolls...
Lastly, Ospreys beat Munster and Leinster home and away, Leinster away in the final and Wales have beaten Ireland twice this season. Looks like the HC is safe as long as the coefficient seeding system keeps making it easy for past winners, but for now, Wales 7-0 Ireland. Cardiff in the spring and pop lwc.
Posted 18:49 27th May 2012
pembs says...
Its all gone quiet in Dublin
Posted 18:00 27th May 2012
ShamanSheep says...
I think your all getting a bit precious boys ...
leinster_goy - 're jammy: ospreys' win at the rds in march was jamminess personified.'
Being that the win was a win, not a person, it can't be a personification.
Either way, looks like your favourites now
Posted 17:06 27th May 2012
Sincero says...
Bit nervous about this one... the Ospreys are a real bogey team for us- the home league defeat this season, while aided by some shocking refereeing, was an eye-opener. And the final two years ago we got beaten at the breakdown and deservedly lost (side note, had great fun with the travelling supporters that day). The thing is we know how good the Os are at the breakdown and around the fringes- that's where the game will be decided. Should be a cracker... really hope we're focussed.
A question to PR pundits... the last Cup League double was Wasps... but was there a play-off system at the time? For the three before there was not, I think. And it's obviously far easier to win the league with 6 weeks to go and then concentrate on the cup, rather than having to play semis and a final of a knock-out league in and around the business end of the cup. (Case in point, when we lost to the Ospreys it was the first year of the reintroduction of play-offs and we had the league sewn up... the play-off system has not been kind to us!)
Beautiful day here, anyway... here's to a great spectacle and may the best side win.
Posted 13:22 27th May 2012
staph_glorious says...
J_HDK,
As long as those deficits remain in the metagame only, that seems fine. A win in a lost series still has value, be it for IRB rankings or, like the B&I Lions of '09, pride. I do think the same for any club-level analogies.
I'm going to be mulling over your idea for the next few days, I reckon. I still believe in a level start, but I'm not convinced yet that it is sacrosanct. Thanks for that!
The outstanding point, though, is that the playoff trial is too green to be judged.
Posted 12:44 27th May 2012
papachinzo says...
@rico Leinster fans respect all teams, from Aironi to Leeds, Leicester to Clermont, as I'm sure do most other fans. So I think to change your mindset about a team because of what some '12 year old fan boy' said online is a bit drastic...
I agree that 3 in 4 in incredible, but this is actually the 6th final (out of 7) they've reached in the last 4 seasons... astonishing statistic. I think only the Crusaders have done better.
Posted 12:43 27th May 2012
leinster_goy says...
where exactly is the arrogance or overconfidence in my post, or in D4tress's? the very tone of my comment would make it clear to most people that i am nervous about the match today, and that i think the ospreys are more than capable of doing us over yet again. i'm perfectly entitled to be unhappy about the play-off structure which could well mean leinster's season-long dominance, culminating in a deserved 10-point cushion at the top, will be negated in a one-off game where anything can happen
re jammy: ospreys' win at the rds in march was jamminess personified. we lost both tighthead props to injury in the space of 15 mins. van der merwe's disallowed try on 60 mins was quite blindingly obviously grounded (even Schmidt, who is not one to whinge, was convinced it was grounded). hibbard's decisive try quite clearly was not grounded. biggar's "conversion" hit the top of post, which according to the rule book counts as a miss. wouldn't be surprised if we got more jamminess today
correct me if i'm wrong, but the arrogance (not to mention, borderline trolling) seems to be coming from posters like pembs, Shaman sheep and Thinking game
Posted 10:22 27th May 2012
J_HDK says...
@Thinkinggame.
I presume you are referring to the LV cup when you say that Ospreys play four more games than Leinster? But Ospreys played three less H Cup games this season.
You are also forgetting the B&I cup that the Leinster A squad is involved in to make sure they get game time.
Pro 12 + H Cup + (LV Cup or B&I Cup)
Ospreys = 24 + 6 + 4 (34)
Leinster = 24 + 9 + 6 (39)
Personally I think the LV Cup should be scrapped. It seems entirely pointless when there is the H Cup. I am not sure exactly how much value the B&I Cup adds.
An adjusted H Cup to include 32 teams (8x4) then the Amlin Challenge to include the remainder along with "A" squads and teams from across lower tiers in Europe? 48 Teams (8x6) There would be a bit of a problem with when the 6N happens but I'm sure the brains around here can work that out.
Posted 10:18 27th May 2012
rico says...
leinster fans getting a bit arrogant on PR and hopefully ospreys can do them over in their own back yard (again!). Its not as if leinster haven't rode their luck at times but you cannot deny they are an awesome outfit (3 in 4 is outstanding). don't spoil the repect for leinster rugby by being cocky just enjoy a hopefully great game of rugby between two really good in-form rugby teams.....
Posted 07:15 27th May 2012
Crunchfit says...
@ShamanSheep
It's strange how you ignore some more even views on that issue of other Leinster fans, such as myself, and then paint all Leinster fans, with the same brush, as arrogant based on those two posters... What a rational, unbiased and fair opinion you posted there. Well done.
Your post smacks of a grudge of some sort. I can't see the logic / reasoning behind a lot of what you said about the team and fans. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like that to me.
Posted 00:45 27th May 2012
J_HDK says...
@staph glorious -
fair comment. but consider test series. The scoreboard may start 0-0 but one team has a deficit to overhaul if they want to win not just the game, but the series.
@shamansheep.
Not all Leinster supporters are like that. It's that the majority of quiet, humble unassuming ones are just very unlikely to post on a forum. Forums will almost automatically draw out the most highly strung supporters.
I personally find some of the over confidence embarrassing... and frankly makes me nervous. Pride goes before a fall and all that jazz
Posted 00:13 27th May 2012
ThinkingGame says...
Following on from staph_glorious, the Ospreys also play 4 games more than Leinster, and aren't joint funded by their Union. So over the course of a season, there's no reason to expect them to be anywhere near Leinster or Munster. Choice is simple, either a playoff for parity, or Irish walkovers in an uncompetitive league.
Third time lucky for the overconfident Irish against the unfancied Welsh? Becoming a theme this year.
Posted 23:45 26th May 2012
staph_glorious says...
The playoff system is a necessary 'evil' - if even that - for the spectacle of the league. The terms of the competition are known prior to each season, and teams can play accordingly.
Is it only that Munster and now Leinster ran away with first seeds that this conversation has spiked? As crunchfits vaguely mentions, it could by all means turn out differently next year, and then each season subsequent. We can barely begin to question the benefits of this structure yet, as we're probably shy another five years of the experiment. However, this goes against the sports fan's typical mantra.
If Leinster do lose tomorrow, Ospreys will have managed the league better than them. Perhaps they'll look to those nine points surplus to requirement, and wonder how they might be traded for better player management or real-time training exercises.
J_HDK,
I hate those handicaps. Hate them. For home advantage, owning the higher ground is at best psychological, but to kick-off a bog-standard rugby match with a lead on the scoreboard goes against the contest entirely. No team, by my recollection, has ever walked onto the pitch with a restriction; it has always been 0-0, fifteen-a-side, with an impartial group of referees and assistants. To give one team an official advantage coming into a match would be a travesty. Torvil and Beelzebub would be running the halftime show, and I'd be over in Tolka Park, lord help me.
Posted 14:08 26th May 2012
Jcahill1 says...
@ ShamanSheep
I guarantee you leinster will not be "squeezed out of it". And don't hate the team because of the fans.
Posted 11:45 26th May 2012
ShamanSheep says...
So Leinster have now got to the stage where from admiring their rugby I now start disliking them due to the arrogance of their fans, who've got too used to success.
LeinsterGoy, D4Tress
The playoff system is used in every relevant league in the world, thought you would have got used to it by now. As for the Ospreys being 'Jammy' - 40+ points on any Munster side isn't jammy, beating the 2 times euro champions away from home isn't jammy. And, whilst I'm not claiming that the Ospreys have a better squad than Leinster, looking at the lineups on the day, the Ospreys 8 could really squeeze Leinster to death - if Leinster win it'll be because of your bench, plus I bet your praying there are't too many scrums.
Posted 10:29 26th May 2012