ROBBIE KEANE IS making the most of some well-deserved time off following a fantastic season with LA Galaxy in which he was voted the MLS MVP.
The Tallaght native was pictured with wife Claudine at last night’s star-studded Grammys.
Between partying with the good and the great of the music industry, and returning to the White House to meet President Obama for a second time, it’s certainly been a memorable few days for the Ireland international.
Unless Ulster change tactics and start getting back to their wingers things will be difficult for them. They have the stronger forwards starting the game but not the bench to match Leinster’s. Expect Leinster to win.
Ulster need Stockdale and Baloucoune to be the top of their game, which unfortunately is not the case at the moment. Both players have great potential but don’t get enough of the ball either to boost their confidence.
@Con Cussed: do Ulster have the stronger starting pack?
But for a last minute injury 5/8 of Leinster’s pack would have been at the world cup vs 4/8 of Ulster’s.
4 of Leinster’s in the match day 23 v 1 of Ulster’s.
7/8 of Leinster’s also have international caps vs 6/8 of Ulster’s.
I watched Ulster v Connaught last week and it feels like Ulster are close to clicking with their new brand of attacking rugby – they are in a place a bit like Ireland for almost a year under newly appointed Andy Farrell. It’s also noticeable that most of the Irish players are not back up to their best after a heartbreaking RWC 1/4 loss, and, since that means a significant proportion of the Leinster team, Ulster may just have a sniff this evening.
@Harry Black: A fair point about RWC impact but this is in Dublin and the fan base will be on fire. Expect Leinster to win the second half. They just need to manage Ulster in the first half. Cards may well be the decider and both teams will need to be very disciplined.
@Harry Black: Hopefully, of the games it should be by far the more entertaining (weather), Ulster have a poor history away from Leinster but would agree the fortune seems to be changing. Lesinter tho are winning everything even when not playing their best, sign of potentially where they can go this season should they move up a gear.
According to some Ulster fans, Herring is close to Sheehan and Ulster have the better pack… let’s see.
@Andrew Hurley: No, nice try at twisting though, but according to me, (the Ulster fans you mention) the FR of Kitchoff, Herring and ToT is better than Healy, Sheenan, clarkson, not the pack, just FR. I even expect Leinster may have the better scrum with Jenkins weight there and Reffle being one on the lightest BRs in Ireland. Sheenan is better than Herring no arguement on that, but Herring is better in throwing in at the line out, breaking of mauls and in scrum thats not saying Sheenan is bad at those, just Herring is stronger at set pieces, Sheenan better overall. But then, by the same token, according to you Leinsters back up players are better than BandI Lions.
Ulster should be favourites given the team’s put out. All they need is parity in the tight five and they should be able to run McCloskey, Timoney and Stockdale down Prendergast and/or Turner’s channels all evening for easy gains.
Leinster’s bench on paper adds something. However, in practice the 6-2 split is yet to be well used this season
@James K: It was used extremely well v Munster and helped take hold of and close out the game comfortably despite the close scoreline.
@Andrew Hurley: they almost negated it against Munster by leaving on both props till 75 mins.
@Ciaran Kennedy: The 6 – 2 split has nothing to do with props – you have the same number of replacement props, it’s to do with bringing impact from the back 5, and Baird (especially), Sheehan, Connors and Jenkins all turned the screw.