Play-offs

[Numbers]

Any thoughts, I'm thinking the Scarlets are in with a more realistic chance of winning, however I suspect home advantage may win through.

Is AWJ back for The O's?

[Son of Mathonwy]

Based on post-6N form, the Scarlets are the best Welsh team, so they are definitely the ones to cause an upset. But it would still be an upset.... Leinster are certainly favourites.

Of course if AWJ brings back the Ospreys's mojo (or he IS their mojo), then Munster​ could have a tough time. Unlikely though.

[ALunpg]

It seems going to be an all Ireland final...but Scarlets could scare them if they are on top form and get a few tries early..but so can the Ospreys. The O's have done it befote when least expected ..overturning Irish teams away..but ..I don't think that will happen..not this year.

[Sandydragon]

Odds on for all Irish final. Both Welsh teams capable of causing an upset, but the Ospreys seem to be having some real issues at the moment and Leinster are too strong at home.

[PoolerSaint]

Odds are definitely in favour of an all Irish final but I'd say both Welsh sides are capable of an upset.
Scarlets are the form side & shouldn't fear Leinster. The Irish side are a class outfit but I'd imagine it will be a reasonably open game. Scarlets will get opportunities, it's up to them to be ruthless & take them. If they can match the home sides intensity it could be interesting.
O's against Munster is a little more difficult given both sides form.
AWJ being fit would be a huge lift to the side but to me they're struggling at tighthead. Arhip is a huge loss & Fia was improving too before both got injured. Rhodri Jones isn't good enough scrummaging wise & Mujati doesn't look match fit.
Without a solid platform up front the O's will struggle to contain Munster. Anythings possible on the day but a long shot for me.

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[Numbers]

Jake Ball out for the Scarlets, he will be missed.

[PoolerSaint]

Jake Ball out for the Scarlets, he will be missed.

Shame for him, he's really kicked on this season. In the form of his life

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[Numbers]

Jake Ball out for the Scarlets, he will be missed.

Shame for him, he's really kicked on this season. In the form of his life

Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk

Aye, still only 25 as well I believe.

[Numbers]

Ken Owens also out for the Scarlets, it says something for Ryan Elias that he has ousted Emyr Phillips as the 2nd choice hooker at the Scarlets when Emyr was in the Welsh squad not long ago.

Anyway here are the teams for the Scarlets v Leinster game:

Leinster: Joey Carbery; Adam Byrne, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Isa Nacewa (capt); Johnny Sexton, Luke McGrath; Jack McGrath, James Tracy, Tadhg Furlong, Ross Molony, Hayden Triggs, Rhys Ruddock, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.

Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Cian Healy, Michael Bent, Devin Toner, Dan Leavy, Seán O'Brien, Jamison Gibson-Park, Zane Kirchner.

Scarlets: Johnny Mcnicholl; Liam Williams, Jonathan Davies, Scott Williams, Steff Evans; Rhys Patchell, Gareth Daviess; Rob Evans, Ryan Elias, Samson Lee, Lewis Rawlins, Tadhg Beirne, Aaron Shingler, James Davies, John Barclay (capt).

Replacements: Emyr Phillips, Wyn Jones, Werner Kruger, David Bulbring, Will Boyde, Jonathan Evans, Hadleigh Parkes, DTH van der Merwe


I'm not feeling very confident about this one.

[bruce]

What's Mcnicholl been like at full back? I probably would have put Liam at fullback and the Canadian on the wing.

Leinsters bench isn't too bad is it!

[Sandydragon]

Their starting XV isn't too shabby either.

[Numbers]

What's Mcnicholl been like at full back? I probably would have put Liam at fullback and the Canadian on the wing.

Leinsters bench isn't too bad is it!

They've been playing him there for succession purposes, he's coming along, he seems to have one good game and one bad game quite a lot of the time.

Yeah 5 Internationals riding the pine.

[Ross. S]

Munster : S. Zebo; A. Conway, F. Saili, R. Scannell, K. Earls; T. Bleyendaal, C. Murray; D. Kilcoyne, N. Scannell, J. Ryan, D. Ryan, B. Holland, P. O’Mahony (capt), CJ Stander, T. O’Donnell.

Replacements: R. Marshall, J. Cronin, S. Archer, J. Deysel, J. O’Donoghue, D. Williams, I. Keatley, J. Taute.

Ospreys: D. Evans; K. Giles, K. Fonotia, A. Beck, T. Habberfield; D. Biggar, R. Webb; N. Smith, S. Baldwin, R. Jones, B. Davies, A. W. Jones (capt), S. Underhill, J. King, J. Tipuric.

Replacements: S. Otten, P. James, D. Suter, L. Ashley, O. Cracknell, B. Leonard, S. Davies, J. Matavesi.

Munster and O's teams, coppied from Walesonline

[Son of Mathonwy]

Munster : S. Zebo; A. Conway, F. Saili, R. Scannell, K. Earls; T. Bleyendaal, C. Murray; D. Kilcoyne, N. Scannell, J. Ryan, D. Ryan, B. Holland, P. O’Mahony (capt), CJ Stander, T. O’Donnell.

Replacements: R. Marshall, J. Cronin, S. Archer, J. Deysel, J. O’Donoghue, D. Williams, I. Keatley, J. Taute.

Ospreys: D. Evans; K. Giles, K. Fonotia, A. Beck, T. Habberfield; D. Biggar, R. Webb; N. Smith, S. Baldwin, R. Jones, B. Davies, A. W. Jones (capt), S. Underhill, J. King, J. Tipuric.

Replacements: S. Otten, P. James, D. Suter, L. Ashley, O. Cracknell, B. Leonard, S. Davies, J. Matavesi.

Munster and O's teams, coppied from Walesonline

Both teams are strong. If the Ospreys can remember how to play this could be a real contest.

[kk67]

Straight into the training manual, Liam. This is starting to be fun.

[Sandydragon]

Great game so far. The home crowd really not happy.

[Buggaluggs]

I think rugby's the real winner

[Sandydragon]

It sure the ref made the right call in the Sexton vs Davies handbagging incident. Sadly, by the letter of the law the red card was justified.

[kk67]

In the interests of the game, I might have been tempted to give a yellow to the frontrow. Blame him for it and everyone's happy. No one would miss him for 10 mins.

[WaspInWales]

What was the red for?

[WaspInWales]

He was tackled there...surely?!

[SerjeantWildgoose]

Ignoring that Leinster were dreadful, that was a pretty impressive 80 minutes from Scarlets. I'm at the game tomorrow, but whoever comes through it will have their work cut out to get past these lads.

And I hope that we don't come across as such a bunch of whingeing bastards as the RDS crowd did tonight.

[Sandydragon]

Great game by Scarlets. Fantastic resolve in defence and they forced plenty of Leinster errors. Scored some lovely tries and worked hard as a team.

My one big criticism is the often wayward tactical kicking. The red card was unfortunate, but wasn't an intentional bad tackle and these things happen. Luckily it didn't cost them the game.

As for the home crowd. How much booing? Pathetic.

[Sandydragon]

What was the red for?

Tip tackle.

[Sourdust]

I'm not sure the Scarlets can complain about an overly-partisan crowd! Quite unlike Leinster though, I usually regard them as classier than that. Frustration can do bad things, I suppose.

Anyway - bloody, bloody, bloody BRILLIANT performance from the Turks. It had everything; positive, controlled aggression and thrilling flair in the first 40, indomitable guts and fortitude in the second. 40 minutes with 14 men at a packed and baying RDS - and they won it 6-5. There's no danger of hyperbole, because no overstatement is possible. I'm going with "Historic". That'll do.