LEINSTER WILL NEED to be much-improved on last weekend for their Guinness Pro12 round two clash with Glasgow in Scotstoun this afternoon [KO 3pm, Sky Sports].
Leo Cullen’s men missed out on a bonus point in their 20-8 victory over Treviso in Dublin last time out, while Gregor Townsend’s Warriors were hugely impressive in tearing champions Connacht apart in Galway.
Carbery continues
Perhaps the biggest positive for Leinster last weekend was the performance of out-half Joey Carbery on his first start.
The 20-year-old scored two excellent tries – the second from deep in his own half – while also showing that there remain rough edges in his game. The challenge for Leinster is to polish the Clontarf man’s game management without dulling his instincts.
Carbery is a joy to watch, creative and confident with the ball in his hands. His passing game is sharp too, as he regularly invites team-mates onto the ball and into half gaps with his teasing delivery.
His vision allows him to pick out the right kicks but there is still some work to be done on his execution. Defensively, he will look to cut out the type of missed tackle that featured in the build-up to Treviso’s try last weekend.
This clash in Scotstoun clearly represents the biggest challenge of the New Zealand native’s career, but even against world-class opposition he has the confidence to prosper.
International back three out to impress
Dave Kearney returns from his AC joint injury to take a place on Leinster’s left wing and he will naturally be keen to start his season strongly.
The Ireland international missed the June tour to South Africa and with competition in the wide spots set to be fierce again internationally, he needs to find his feet fast. Even within Leinster, a player as promising as Adam Byrne can’t make the matchday squad.
On the other edge, Fergus McFadden is another man with much experience and he too will look to stamp his authority on what has traditionally been a top-of-the-table Pro12 clash.
At fullback, Rob Kearney was in good form last weekend against Treviso, building on a promising display in the pre-season defeat to Bath. More than anyone, Kearney needed to show these signs of a revival after a difficult 2015/16 campaign.
Against Glasgow’s clever kicking game, as well as the Scots’ ability to play to the wide channels accurately, Leinster’s international back three must deliver.
Lancaster’s defence
Stuart Lancaster has had less than a week to work with Leinster’s defence before they take on a Glasgow Warriors outfit that has had one of the best attacks in the league for a number of years.
Townsend’s men demonstrated their clever running lines, energetic counter-attack, varied passing game and elusive ball carrying last weekend against Connacht and will look to continue in that vein.
In truth, Lancaster cannot have changed a huge amount in the space of two training sessions with Leinster, and will be reliant on the system Kurt McQuilkin left behind.
Nonetheless, the Englishman will be keen for a strong start in his specific area of coaching for the season. It’s likely that Lancaster will be influential in other sectors, but he will be judged on Leinster’s defensive performances first and foremost.
This afternoon presents a demanding start.
Leinster:
15. Rob Kearney
14. Fergus McFadden
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Noel Reid
11. Dave Kearney
10. Joey Carbery
9. Luke McGrath (captain)
1. Cian Healy
2. James Tracy
3. Michael Bent
4. Mike McCarthy
5. Ross Molony
6. Dan Leavy
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jordi Murphy
Replacements:
16. Bryan Byrne
17. Peter Dooley
18. Tadhg Furlong
19. Mick Kearney
20. Dominic Ryan
21. Jamison Gibson Park
22. Cathal Marsh
23. Zane Kirchner
Glasgow:
15. Stuart Hogg
14. Leonardo Sarto
13. Alex Dunbar
12. Sam Johnson
11. Tommy Seymour
10. Peter Horne
9. Henry Pyrgos (co-captain)
1. Gordon Reid
2. Fraser Brown
3. Sila Puafisi
4. Tim Swinson
5. Jonny Gray (co-captain)
6. Rob Harley
7. Simone Favaro
8. Ryan Wilson
Replacements:
16. Corey Flynn
17. Alex Allan
18. Zander Fagerson
19. Tjiuee Uanivi
20. Lewis Wynne
21. Ali Price
22. Rory Clegg
23. Lee Jones
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
Wow what a coincidence that Austin overrated Gleason announced earlier on today how he got his hunger back and was rejoining the panel next year.
@Ron Burgundy: Austin Gleeson over rated? Just wondering do you remember Austin in 2016? Young hurler of the year, hurler of the year, all Ireland under 21 winner, a stalwart at centre back in all the years up to 2016.
Unfortunately then a lad named Derek McGrath was manager of Waterford senior team, and utterly destroyed Austin Gleason and so many other fantastic hurlers in Waterford at that time. Austin Gleason hasn’t played centre back since then. It’s my belief his career was destroyed by over complicated tactics, being played out of position and his freedom to express his hurling on the field stymied.
And about the aforementioned manager, when Waterford won the u-21 in 2016, the senior manager never once congratulated the u-21 manager.
Another thing, the manager of that U-21 all Ireland also managed the same team 3 years earlier to win a minor all Ireland and yet that manager has never been contacted by Waterford GAA Co board to see if in the years from 2019-2023 would he be interested in managing the senior (there are still a good number of both all Ireland winning players on the senior panel. Politics eh. If Sean Power had become Waterford manager, I would definitely say, Waterford would have at least one senior sll Ireland title under his guidance.
@WqM9AAv3: if he’s as good as you say he is he should be able to play anywhere they put him and complicated tactics.. whatever they are… should be no issue to a hurler of his talent.
@anthony davoren: Austin Gleason is a natural hurler, with natural talent and natural flair. All this was coached out of him. Austin was a fearless hurler all the way up to 2016 when he won the above.
Unfortunately after that year, his fearlessness was coached out of him. Certain managers are dictators and if you don’t do as they dictate, it’s bye bye for you
@WqM9AAv3: So in a nutshell, he had a good 2016, that’s 8 years ago btw. He sulked (because of davy fitz) and came up with an excuse that he fell out of love with the game this lsst year. 10 intercounty seasons now and nothing to show for it. But its everyones fault bar Austin’s according to you.
@WqM9AAv3: IF my aunt had balls she would be my uncle.
@WqM9AAv3: I never heard so much nonsense in my life…no such thing as natural talent…the reason he was so good was from the coaching he got over the years and the time he put into practising his craft. The reason he fell away is because mentally and physically he couldn’t sustain the level required. That’s on him, not the manager’s he has had.
@WqM9AAv3: stop talking lad, you’re doing the opposite to what you think you’re doing
Perhaps Brian Logan has decided to call it a day with Clare and there will be a second coming for Davy in Clare.
As a Deise man, I won’t be shedding any tears with him gone. Give the position to a waterford man like Darragh O Sullivan or Sean Power, forget about looking outside the county for a manager. How many outside managers have won all Ireland hurling titles?
@WqM9AAv3: I fear that no matter who is in charge in Waterford there’ll always be excuses.
Just out of curiosity which All Ireland since 2017 would Waterford have “definetly” won?