A bonus pod to set us up nicely for the remaining two rounds of the Six Nations featuring an all-provincial panel.
🏉 The 2023 6N so far
🏉 Ireland’s “work-ons”
🏉 Expectations for Rds 4&5
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10 December 2022; Josh van der Flier of Leinster makes a break on his way to scoring his side’s sixth try during the Heineken Champions Cup Pool A Round 1 match between Racing 92 and Leinster at Stade Océane in Le Havre, France. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
(also a report from France on the match conditions by Tom Coleman)
FULL TIME TAKES
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Andrew Potts Very good performance by Leinster and adapting well to Racing flooding the ruck. As always Leinster very focused as 15 on the park, impressive by JVdF nuisance all day which is a compliment for a 7 and still gas at 79 for a solo!
Gerald Williamson Will not complain. A convincing win in the end. Even missing one or two key players, Leinster did the job for the bonus pt win. Stuart has a idea what awaits him next season.
Gavin Hegarty Job done, BP done. Racing should be embarrassed to lose by 32 at ‘home’. We need to do better but you can only play what’s in front of you.
Chris McDonnell Without Sexton Henshaw and Furlong and still almost flawless. A little too much kicking for my liking but hey
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Utterly savage performance from Leinster in Le Havre. Bullying a Racing side who simply weren't at the races, they bested them in the scrum, lineout, breakdown and outplayed them defensively.
Taking 5-0 away against a SF team from last year is some marker to lay down. #R92vLEI
Leinster really laid down a marker today with an absolutely superb display, a total performance of excellence individually, as units, and as a team.#R92vLEI
RichardMifsud You don’t win anything in December, especially in the #championscup but you can lay down markers and #leinster did just that in Le Havre That was easily their best 80 of the season thus far Caelan Doris worthy POTM but big performances across the park Let’s see where we are in May in #dublin #R92vLEI
Jay Long You can only play what’s there but was really happy to see how hungry we were throughout. The lads chased everything. Sensational start. We’re on the road again!
Ross Carrick I wasn’t expecting this from Racing. Lack of sustained possession and phase building. Leinster aren’t at their best but are deserved three score leaders.
Robin Cafolla I remember when you feared going to France no matter who you were playing. Safe to say those days are over. Very dominant display from Leinster.
Brian Nisbet 10-42, what a wonderful victory in France! Perfect start to this year’s European campaign from a team that are playing very well together!
What a game. Losing players to injury before and during would’ve knocked us hard 5 years ago, but players stepped up and did everything asked of them.
Great awareness by Josh for his try, great calm heads in making sure the second was scored, not one player shirked his duty. That’s a compete team performance against some massive guys who tackle hard but Sore bodies will feel a little nicer for that win
James Griffin
Brain beats brawn. Delighted with the performance and how they adapted throughout.
Andrew Potts
A player must not lift an opponent off the ground and drop or drive that player so that their head and/or upper body make contact with the ground.
The above is from the laws.
A history making double red, maybe a red and yellow if I was been nice.
The officials were disgracefully weak, and the players know the laws. Once again SA rugby displays the worst of their rugby culture. It’s a shame,as they are better players than that.
McBride had their cards marked a good punch in the head is all they understand.
Will World Rugby wait until we see a serious incident on the TV before they back Refs to the hilt to end this stupidity.
We can win against big teams. We can win when we lose multiple players to injury. We can grind it out. Subs all made positive contributions. #IREvRSA
What a game. A true test match. Kolbe’s tackle was a stone cold red card. He changed his grip and drove Hanson into the ground. However, in hindsight I’m glad he stayed on. At least the SA journos can’t use a red card as an excuse for Ireland’s win. The world champions were beaten fair and square; 15 v’s 15!
JGP really makes this team tick. When he's on form he makes Ireland so so good. #IREvRSA
It’s hard not to be happy with the win, but I think we’ve gotten so used to being in control that that one didn’t feel so good.
Murray and McCloskey were excellent until they were forced off.
Unlike A against NZ last night the senior team stayed in the fight and the scrum held up great as well. It was good to see SA front row walking away from penalties disgusted.
I know Porter is number 1 by a long shot but it was good to see Healy roll back the clock and get a good bullocking carry in.
I know it was surprising SA missed touch with that late penalty into the corner but thought Ireland should have dealt with it better.
Considering how much time Ireland were on the back foot in the first half 6-6 was a great half time score.
Can’t say the ref affected the outcome but I can say I didn’t like his performance and felt he was bad for the game rather than for one team.
Well done to Ireland.
That was a hell of test.
A tough one to take for the Boks.
So much wasn’t going right and still managed to come within a score. #IREvRSA
Great to see JGP back and so quick with ball bar one or two box kicks. O’Brien did well when he came on. McCloskey and Murray were doing well until too they had to go off. Bealham did well too and we need a good scrum when the front 3 go off. Kelleher to come back will be a big boast when he does. Still need to blood some more players. Rest Johnny until the 6 nations. Give some 10s a chance.
What I loved most was our belief early in second half going for the corner. Then it was physicality and defence. Shows we know we can win matches like this. Boks really came back at us but we struck first blow and did more than enough to stay ahead, despite changes. #IREvRSA
16 October 2021; Jack Carty of Connacht celebrates scoring his side’s second try, as Joey Carbery of Munster looks on, during the United Rugby Championship match between Munster and Connacht at Thomond Park in Limerick. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sports Filey
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