Champions Cup final - Midweek PREVIEW!
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- It’s the Champions Cup final this weekend!
Leinster v Toulouse could prove to be one of the great finals at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.
Who is going to win? And where will the game be won or lost?
Have to say as an Irish fan, Munster, I'll be shouting for Leinster however, the difference maybe is the outhalfs. The weakest point of Leinster and possibly the area where Toulouse has the advantage. Too close to call though, it's going to be fantastic.
Judging from the comments on a few other podcasts about this final, Leinster fans are very concerned about their #10 jersey occupant on Saturday. I don't see a significant advantage for either team in the packs - the Leinster forwards have the edge in mobility, Toulouse have an edge in size. With Matthew Carling in charge, both teams better be squeaky clean at the breakdown.
You are correct about the psychological impact of losing 2 successive finals on Leinster - add to that the loss to the All Blacks in the WC QF in which many of this Leinster team played. Those losses are like an albatross around the teams neck. BUT, you must also consider the fact that Leinster have beaten Toulouse on numerous occasions, convincingly (most recently in 2022 & 2023 in CC SFs) - add to that that Ireland have also beaten France in their last 2 meetings. There is no intimidation factor here favoring Toulouse - the reverse may be the case.
Me? Assuming Ross Byrne is starting at 10, his performance will dictate the result.
Well balanced and accurate. If Byrne plays like he did against La Rochelle - that might be the winning of the game. If not, well...
La Guerre Des Étoiles (Star Wars)
Un amuse-bouche de XV vers
Just three sleeps to go
Till the clash of the beasts,
With nine stars between them
And eight finals each.
Toulouse the form team
Bagged another win away,
With a seven-point win against
Their neighbours, Montpellier.
Leo rotated his troops
As we made our way up North,
But our lads lost at the death
Slipping down nearer to fourth.
Yet with front-liners well-rested
We’ll head to London town,
The blues against the red and blacks,
To see who lifts the crown.
Which nippy scrum half
Has a bite as big as his bark?
The illustrious Antoine Dupont
Or Jamison Gibson Park?
Will Leinster get off to a van der Flier?
Will Stade go on the Ntamack?
Though both defences are to be feared,
We won’t be short of attack.
At line-out time will Roumat jump high?
Will their larger pack just kill us?
Or will Caelan Doris reign supreme
Yelling out "What you talking 'bout Jack Willis?!"
With Baille versus Furlong or
Baird contre Cros,
One pack will shrink
While the other will grow.
They play the champagne rugby
Are we lambs to the slaughter?
Fear not, we can handle the strong stuff,
With pints of Andrew Porter!
And on the French ramparts
Will a Blair Kinghorn sound?
Or will James Lowe’s feet
Have them spinning around?
Will Ramos come on the field,
To ping those long range kicks?
Or can Sexton’s shadow at last be eclipsed,
When Ross Byrne bisects the sticks?
Who are the neutrals backing?
Sure, who'd be a fan?
As nerves increase throughout the week
For us and Stade Toulousain.
For they are French rugby royalty
A sight to behold and to be seen
But in the best revolutionary traditions
We shall prepare the guillotine.
Pas aujourd’hui, Messieurs
Nous sommes vraiment désolés,
But our days of bridesmaids are in the past ,
‘Tis our time to catch the bouquet.
So I’ll leave you with a battle cry
I nGaeilge déarfaimis: “Laighin abú!"
But so our dear Gallic friends can better understand
Yell out, “Allez les Bleus!” 💙
Allez Toulouse
Leinster 10?
The differences in quality between the No 10s may be crucial. The URC failure is irrelevant for Leinster.
The French are already blaming the referee, the media and every South African from Cape Town to Santa's grotto are calling Leinster chokers, no ROG in sight... its going to be a great game!! Good luck to Toulouse, but I think Leinster will have the edge off the bench. Leinster by 10+ 💙💙💙
The edge of the bench? The TOULOUSE bench is up there. The team is fully loaded.
@@fabiennebelin7892 two 40+ point wins in a row for Leinster vs Toulouse... on the day, maybe it will be different, but right now, its true - Leinster's bench is better.
@@MattRose-f2n It really isn't. And I don't think 2022 and 2023 SF are references. Both games had specific context and were played at the Aviva. The last time a game was away from the aviva, Toulouse won. As for the bench, last year Toulouse's bench was bad, and directly caused the loss after Barassi's injury. This year the bench will probably be: Neti - Marchand - Merkler - Arnold - Castro-Ferreira - Graou - Ramos/Mallia/Kinghorn (depending on who's starting) - Chocobares/Brennan (depending if it's 5/3 or 6/2). I don't see this bench being inferior to Leinster's, except for Chocobares if Ringrose is there for Leinster.
@user-yq7tt3ii6h We'll see. Hopefully it will be a great game. Both are amazing teams, yet Toulouse is more entertaining
@@valentinlay Most of this Toulouse squad has never seen a victory over Leinster, only massive defeats - the last three results since 2019 were 30-12, 40-17, 41-22... that's significant!!! The Leinster bench will have nearly 400 international caps - 6/2 - Kelleher, Healy, Ala'alatoa, Ryan, Conan, van der Flier, Frawley, Larmour/Ringrose. Do you really think Arnold Ferreira and Graou are better than their counter parts !?!?
What about the hidings Leinster dished out to Toulouse in the semi-finals these past 2 years, Alfie. Imagine those defeats will have left a couple of scars, Leinster clocked up 40 points plus each time out = 81 to 39 over both matches. Leinster kept AdP quite while JGP ran the show. I am a Munster supporter and have to tip my hat to our neighbours it would be a boost for Irish rugby. And, it would only be great to take the CC champions scalp in Pairc ui Chaoimh as we move into the URC final.
Scars were against la rochelle were not playing la rochelle why not say what about toulouse scar against leinster
I'm a Leinster fan but I'm 50 50 on who wins this. I have every faith in my team that we are so very capable of beating toulouse and could see a similar match to France vs Ireland we had in the 6 nations. All that said toulouse are a monster of a team that can hurt you in so many ways. The silky at and the fact they can cut through you like butter in a split second but and a serious but, have they played a team as good as leinster. I think not. Equally we haven't played a team of this level all season. Gibson Park vs dupont is key. I don't know if this is blue tinded glasses but I think leinster by 5. I think it will be decided at 9 and despite the fact I think dupont is the world's best player I actually think jgp is in better form and will take over dupont in this match. Either way we are looking at thd best ever Champions Cup match ever and the best two teams in champions Cup history will battle it out
There's a lot of chat with particularly in the English rugby media about Leinster's scars from the last 2 finals. Leinster have beaten Toulouse in the semi final in the previous 2 years so I have no fear on that score. If they lose it'll be because Toulouse are better on the day, not because they can't close the game out. Leinster's losses in the last 2 finals are as much about game management & making substitutions possibly too early on both occasions
😂😂😂 I thought u said you cant wait for Leinster to lose.ha ha ha
Lekker
Have same concerns , last 15 mins 😮 and no 10 , can’t afford to miss 2-3 kicks , we hope it was just in Croke Pk with its characteristics and the normally very safe Ross B can kick securely
Did you say “I can’t wait for Saturday. I can’t wait for Leinster to lose”?? 🤔
ah ah ah
Hi Alfred. Thank you for your sharp insights and analysis of the up coming game. Very difficult to call, I can only hope that Leinster are fully fired up - engage hard, physically and psychologically till the very end!
I agree with Alfred’s first sentence - I can’t wait for Leinster.. to lose 😂
If Leinster get reffed properly at the breakdown, they're in deep trouble. Raynal let them off massively in the semifinal under the pressure of the home crowd.
0:02 " I can't wait for Leinster to lose". 😲
Oh.