Leinster mind games begin? - Champions Cup (A) - Saturday 06th April 2024 - KO:8:00pm

[jgriffin]

I don't know why many teams bother when you end up playing 90% of the current 2nd in the world squad. Never been a level playing field.

According to Wikipedia, England has five times more adult male players than Ireland. All other things being equal (and that's not necessarily true), if Ireland has one super club, two top flight clubs and a development club, with England's player base you'd expect it to have five super clubs, ten top flight clubs and two development clubs. England doesn't appear to have one stand out club (any more) but does have ten Premier Clubs. The development clubs could be two of the Championship teams (Ealing and ANOther?).

If the IRU can support its one super club, why can't the RFU support five? - it might have more revenue than the IRU but I doubt it's five times more. Perhaps the RFU dreads the prospect of a semi-autonomous super club?

Did the Irish refuse to participate before they got their act together? - no - and it was Munster who led the way. Do the Welsh boycott it as they've never won anything and don't look like doing so anytime soon. Same for Scotland and Italy.

Mate, same old, same old. We're a club, you're a region used as the base for the Irish squad. None of ours are superclubs, except Sarries when they were running their scams. Get off it, you've been running the same excuse for years now. Boring.

[Not a jock]

I don't know why many teams bother when you end up playing 90% of the current 2nd in the world squad. Never been a level playing field.

According to Wikipedia, England has five times more adult male players than Ireland. All other things being equal (and that's not necessarily true), if Ireland has one super club, two top flight clubs and a development club, with England's player base you'd expect it to have five super clubs, ten top flight clubs and two development clubs. England doesn't appear to have one stand out club (any more) but does have ten Premier Clubs. The development clubs could be two of the Championship teams (Ealing and ANOther?).

If the IRU can support its one super club, why can't the RFU support five? - it might have more revenue than the IRU but I doubt it's five times more. Perhaps the RFU dreads the prospect of a semi-autonomous super club?

Did the Irish refuse to participate before they got their act together? - no - and it was Munster who led the way. Do the Welsh boycott it as they've never won anything and don't look like doing so anytime soon. Same for Scotland and Italy.

Mate, same old, same old. We're a club, you're a region used as the base for the Irish squad. None of ours are superclubs, except Sarries when they were running their scams. Get off it, you've been running the same excuse for years now. Boring.

You seem to be labouring under the illision that I'm a Leinster fan - I'm not. I too am bored - bored by the constant "it's not fair" brigade. In this instance, the Leinster is Ireland in a blue shirt brigade. I was trying to point out that the English clubs have other advantages such as a much bigger pool of players. Yes, Sarries was a super club for a period but instead of mega support from the RFU they found another way (but as we know, that wasn't within the rules). Why can't people just accept that Leinster's planets have aligned? ie a crop of talented playets, excellent coaches, support from its union, player development, setting priorities etc - it seems they have a plan.

Other things that bore me on here:
- we're hamstring by international call ups - most of the clubs are (except Falcons, Glaws and Chiefs (until their youngsters break through again)
- we're hamstrung by injuries - all the teams suffer injuries
- the ref is biased / too chummy wit hthe opposition - only last week most people were saying that Dixson is one of the most improved ref

BTW - my Ancestry DNA profile is 93% Leicstershire, Rutland & surrounding area, 3% Germanic, 2% Sweden & Denmark and 2% Norway - not a drop of Scottish, Welsh or Irish DNA in me!

[Rugbygramps]

According to Wikipedia, England has five times more adult male players than Ireland. All other things being equal (and that's not necessarily true), if Ireland has one super club, two top flight clubs and a development club, with England's player base you'd expect it to have five super clubs, ten top flight clubs and two development clubs. England doesn't appear to have one stand out club (any more) but does have ten Premier Clubs. The development clubs could be two of the Championship teams (Ealing and ANOther?).

If the IRU can support its one super club, why can't the RFU support five? - it might have more revenue than the IRU but I doubt it's five times more. Perhaps the RFU dreads the prospect of a semi-autonomous super club?

Did the Irish refuse to participate before they got their act together? - no - and it was Munster who led the way. Do the Welsh boycott it as they've never won anything and don't look like doing so anytime soon. Same for Scotland and Italy.

Mate, same old, same old. We're a club, you're a region used as the base for the Irish squad. None of ours are superclubs, except Sarries when they were running their scams. Get off it, you've been running the same excuse for years now. Boring.

You seem to be labouring under the illision that I'm a Leinster fan - I'm not. I too am bored - bored by the constant "it's not fair" brigade. In this instance, the Leinster is Ireland in a blue shirt brigade. I was trying to point out that the English clubs have other advantages such as a much bigger pool of players. Yes, Sarries was a super club for a period but instead of mega support from the RFU they found another way (but as we know, that wasn't within the rules). Why can't people just accept that Leinster's planets have aligned? ie a crop of talented playets, excellent coaches, support from its union, player development, setting priorities etc - it seems they have a plan.

Other things that bore me on here:
- we're hamstring by international call ups - most of the clubs are (except Falcons, Glaws and Chiefs (until their youngsters break through again)
- we're hamstrung by injuries - all the teams suffer injuries
- the ref is biased / too chummy wit hthe opposition - only last week most people were saying that Dixson is one of the most improved ref

BTW - my Ancestry DNA profile is 93% Leicstershire, Rutland & surrounding area, 3% Germanic, 2% Sweden & Denmark and 2% Norway - not a drop of Scottish, Welsh or Irish DNA in me!

Well I’m glad it’s not just me the amount of woe is me that goes on on this forum is incredible.
Bad performance sack the coach, drop the player, does one of our star players get on with the coach, inability to look at the bigger picture, in what is a unique season to date, you would have thought people would realise that consistency is a good think particularly in terms of coaching teams.
I even read some posts suggesting that the closeness of the premiership race is down to poor quality, rather than it being a good thing that so many clubs are competitive, and that 6 of the last 16 sides in the champions cup are English.

The point is often made about England having a much larger player base. Imo this can be as much of a hindrance as a help as the cream can be spread a lot thinner at the top, players spread around 7 or 8 clubs operating under different playing styles and coaching regimes, can make things harder when bringing teams together on the test stage

[PJM]

Regardless of peoples points of view it is their opinion and they are entitled to voice it on a forum.

Personally I hope Tigers can pull it out of the bag, England did okay when they last played Ireland.

[trendylfj]

I know I am in a minority of one but I really do believe that we do have a chance to win this game. Not a great chance but a chance nevertheless. We have gone into games in the past - written off before the whistle has even started the 80 mins and we have won. On my Superbru forecast I will be saying Tigers by 6 and think Pollard will have the game of his life outside of an international. I now am in my bunker with enough beer to last until the Bristol game.

[jgriffin]

Mate, same old, same old. We're a club, you're a region used as the base for the Irish squad. None of ours are superclubs, except Sarries when they were running their scams. Get off it, you've been running the same excuse for years now. Boring.

You seem to be labouring under the illision that I'm a Leinster fan - I'm not. I too am bored - bored by the constant "it's not fair" brigade. In this instance, the Leinster is Ireland in a blue shirt brigade. I was trying to point out that the English clubs have other advantages such as a much bigger pool of players. Yes, Sarries was a super club for a period but instead of mega support from the RFU they found another way (but as we know, that wasn't within the rules). Why can't people just accept that Leinster's planets have aligned? ie a crop of talented playets, excellent coaches, support from its union, player development, setting priorities etc - it seems they have a plan.

Other things that bore me on here:
- we're hamstring by international call ups - most of the clubs are (except Falcons, Glaws and Chiefs (until their youngsters break through again)
- we're hamstrung by injuries - all the teams suffer injuries
- the ref is biased / too chummy wit hthe opposition - only last week most people were saying that Dixson is one of the most improved ref

BTW - my Ancestry DNA profile is 93% Leicstershire, Rutland & surrounding area, 3% Germanic, 2% Sweden & Denmark and 2% Norway - not a drop of Scottish, Welsh or Irish DNA in me!

Well I’m glad it’s not just me the amount of woe is me that goes on on this forum is incredible.
Bad performance sack the coach, drop the player, does one of our star players get on with the coach, inability to look at the bigger picture, in what is a unique season to date, you would have thought people would realise that consistency is a good think particularly in terms of coaching teams.
I even read some posts suggesting that the closeness of the premiership race is down to poor quality, rather than it being a good thing that so many clubs are competitive, and that 6 of the last 16 sides in the champions cup are English.

The point is often made about England having a much larger player base. Imo this can be as much of a hindrance as a help as the cream can be spread a lot thinner at the top, players spread around 7 or 8 clubs operating under different playing styles and coaching regimes, can make things harder when bringing teams together on the test stage

Ancestral yDNA SW Ireland, S.Wales, some Swedish and Danish
More recently 33% S. Welsh, 30% North West England and North Wales, rest is Scots, Swedish, Danish. I'm coming from a 'celtic' end of the woods, and you can look at my posts from about 2010 with the same message.

[Tiglon]

I know I am in a minority of one but I really do believe that we do have a chance to win this game. Not a great chance but a chance nevertheless. We have gone into games in the past - written off before the whistle has even started the 80 mins and we have won. On my Superbru forecast I will be saying Tigers by 6 and think Pollard will have the game of his life outside of an international. I now am in my bunker with enough beer to last until the Bristol game.

Always a chance! But it's the hope that makes it hurt so much

[TheLeinsterlad]

Hi Leicester tigers!

Really looking forward to another dance with you in Dublin this weekend. Had a great time in Leicester earlier this year and hope we can do the same with all your travelling fans!

Just a note of caution for those traveling to Dublin, there is a protest march organised in the city on the day of the game, it will be located on the north side of the city (O’Connell street) - aviva is located on the south side of the city (rivet Liffey is the north/south divide). Just advise any tigers fans to steer clear of the protest area on the day and don’t worry in true irish fashion we have loads of pubs to keep you hydrated on the south side!!

See you all Saturday!!

[JohnB]

To add to Leinsterlad's post. The crew gathering in Dublin City centre on Saturday is the same people who with their opportunistic feral hangers on rioted in Dublin last November. Avoid the City Centre if you can. You will not want to be any where near these people.

[Yorkshire man]

You simply cannot get away from the strength, and funding, behind the Leinster set up. They hammered the second side in their league last week playing what was virtually their second choice starting 15, preserving the majority of their international players for this weekend. It is very difficult to compete with such strength in depth.

[phil14]

You simply cannot get away from the strength, and funding, behind the Leinster set up. They hammered the second side in their league last week playing what was virtually their second choice starting 15, preserving the majority of their international players for this weekend. It is very difficult to compete with such strength in depth.

The 23 named against the Bulls was hardly a second choice squad. It featured 18/19 of the probable squad to face the Tigers on Saturday! I fact, I can't think of a single international who didn't play bar those on the injured list (Keenan, Ryan, Ringrose, Jimmy O'Brien). oh, hang on - Porter.

[Scott1]

For me Leinster are failing badly. A similar comparison, obviously not 100% correct ,would be if for us Montoya,Weise and Pollard were English and maybe add in a peak Genge,Itoje,Underhill,Lawrence,Slade and say a Freeman. Have them playing together and training all year round week in week out with England A and England B and you would genuinely expect them to clean up. Somethings going badly wrong at Leinster,I mean when do they actually last win anything?!

[sk 88]

For me Leinster are failing badly. A similar comparison, obviously not 100% correct ,would be if for us Montoya,Weise and Pollard were English and maybe add in a peak Genge,Itoje,Underhill,Lawrence,Slade and say a Freeman. Have them playing together and training all year round week in week out with England A and England B and you would genuinely expect them to clean up. Somethings going badly wrong at Leinster,I mean when do they actually last win anything?!

2021 they won the last Pro 14. They've won one European Cup in 11 seasons, but have made the final 4 of the last 6 seasons. They'd won 6 of the 9 Pro 14's before that.

[johnthegriff]

However they are financed, whenever the last won a trophy one thing is clear Leinster are a good team but come Saturday the squad they put out will have the same number of players as ours, if we have our full first team out with first choices in the pack we are a match for anybody. Our halfback are of international quality and if we make the right selections the rest of our backs are of that standard. When we played them at Welford Rd for me the main difference was Lowe who apart from putting his fingers in Simmons eye had a great game, our coaches have to find a way to keep him.out of the game as much as possible, if we do that we are in with a chance despite of course the referee favouring the Irish team.

[TiltonTiger]

Hi Leicester tigers!

Really looking forward to another dance with you in Dublin this weekend. Had a great time in Leicester earlier this year and hope we can do the same with all your travelling fans!

Just a note of caution for those traveling to Dublin, there is a protest march organised in the city on the day of the game, it will be located on the north side of the city (O’Connell street) - aviva is located on the south side of the city (rivet Liffey is the north/south divide). Just advise any tigers fans to steer clear of the protest area on the day and don’t worry in true irish fashion we have loads of pubs to keep you hydrated on the south side!!

See you all Saturday!!

Since nobody else has responded, thank you!