The Official Pro 14 Final Thread

Mullet 2 · Post by **Mullet 2** » Wed May 22, 2019 12:17 pm

Where?

Celtic Park, Glasgow

When?
Kick Off 18.30
Live on Eir Sport & Premier Sport

Who?

Teams

LEINSTER RUGBY (caps in brackets):

15. Rob Kearney (209)
14. Jordan Larmour (38)
13. Garry Ringrose (64)
12. Robbie Henshaw (36)
11. James Lowe (29)
10. Johnny Sexton (159) CAPTAIN
9. Luke McGrath (112)
1. Cian Healy (207)
2. Seán Cronin (172)
3. Tadhg Furlong (101)
4. Scott Fardy (43)
5. James Ryan (30)
6. Rhys Ruddock (160)
7. Josh van der Flier (72)
8. Jack Conan (88)

16. Bryan Byrne (41)
17. Ed Byrne (44)
18. Andrew Porter (52)
19. Ross Molony (81)
20. Max Deegan (45)
21. Nick McCarthy (35)
22. Ross Byrne (70)
23. Rory O’Loughlin (61)

5 May
1. Jamie Bhatti (46)
2. Fraser Brown (89)
3. Zander Fagerson (80)
4. Scott Cummings (57)
5. Jonny Gray (102)
6. Rob Harley (211)
7. Callum Gibbins (C) (33)
8. Matt Fagerson (46)

9. Ali Price (76)
10. Adam Hastings (30)
11. DTH van der Merwe (114)
12. Sam Johnson (51)
13. Kyle Steyn (9)
14. Tommy Seymour (131)
15. Stuart Hogg (120)

Replacements

16. Grant Stewart (23)
17. Oli Kebble (31)
18. Siua Halnukonuka (30)
19. Ryan Wilson (153)
20. Tom Gordon (5)
21. George Horne (41)
22. Pete Horne (158)
23. Huw Jones (19)

Ref

Mr Nigel Owens Esquire

Nolanator · Post by **Nolanator** » Wed May 22, 2019 12:18 pm

Did I read that Hogg is out?

Mullet 2 · Post by **Mullet 2** » Wed May 22, 2019 12:18 pm

The pretenders have all gone and the cream has risen to the top as the best two league sides in their respective conferences lock horns this Saturday.

Jeff the Bear · Post by **Jeff the Bear** » Wed May 22, 2019 12:19 pm

You also need a counter for how many more sectarian comments Leo is going to make before the game.

clydecloggie · Post by **clydecloggie** » Wed May 22, 2019 12:21 pm

Nolanator wrote:Did I read that Hogg is out?

Some jokey tweet suggested that.

He's fit.

The Sun God · Post by **The Sun God** » Wed May 22, 2019 12:23 pm

Jeff the Bear wrote:You also need a counter for how many more sectarian comments Leo is going to make before the game.

yeah ok.

comets · Post by **comets** » Wed May 22, 2019 12:25 pm

will a final in scotland celtickets?

paddyor · Post by **paddyor** » Wed May 22, 2019 12:28 pm

Why isn't this being held at Ibrox?

Diego · Post by **Diego** » Wed May 22, 2019 12:29 pm

Hopefully Leinster can turn this into a 3-0 slugfest

dargotronV.1 · Post by **dargotronV.1** » Wed May 22, 2019 12:30 pm

comets wrote:will a final in scotland celtickets?

very good.

Last I heard was around 35k sold. Hopefully get it in to the 40-50k range for a good atmosphere

Nolanator · Post by **Nolanator** » Wed May 22, 2019 12:32 pm

Jeff the Bear wrote:You also need a counter for how many more sectarian comments Leo is going to make before the game.

It'll end up with a smaller number than the counter logging how many unfunny references are made about his original comments.

Rossco · Post by **Rossco** » Wed May 22, 2019 12:55 pm

dargotronV.1 wrote:
comets wrote:will a final in scotland celtickets?
very good.

Last I heard was around 35k sold. Hopefully get it in to the 40-50k range for a good atmosphere

2/3rds sold, so already broken the 40k barrier, making it the best attended club rugby fixture in Scotland.

Ulsters Red Hand · Post by **Ulsters Red Hand** » Wed May 22, 2019 12:58 pm

As a Rangers* fan I hope Glasgow smash Leinster

That’s what Leo said, right?

*not really

JPNZ · Post by **JPNZ** » Wed May 22, 2019 1:02 pm

Sorry, if you already know the finalists how about posting at least the team names ...?

The Sun God · Post by **The Sun God** » Wed May 22, 2019 1:07 pm

Ulsters Red Hand wrote:As a Rangers* fan I hope Glasgow smash Leinster

That’s what Leo said, right?

*not really

This is a Finals thread....go away.

The Sun God · Post by **The Sun God** » Wed May 22, 2019 1:09 pm

Mullet....how about a couple of rule 1s at least ......

Ulsters Red Hand · Post by **Ulsters Red Hand** » Wed May 22, 2019 1:11 pm

The Sun God wrote:
Ulsters Red Hand wrote:As a Rangers* fan I hope Glasgow smash Leinster

That’s what Leo said, right?

*not really
This is a Finals thread....go away.

I post as I please

Diego · Post by **Diego** » Wed May 22, 2019 1:14 pm

Even with my usual misplaced arrogance I can't see Leinster winning this tbh. They've been shite in the Pro14 for months and were lucky that it was only Munster they had to beat to get this far.

Nolanator · Post by **Nolanator** » Wed May 22, 2019 1:33 pm

Diego wrote:Even with my usual misplaced arrogance I can't see Leinster winning this tbh. They've been shite in the Pro14 for months and were lucky that it was only Munster they had to beat to get this far.

I'm not quite as despondent. They were clearly all-in on the HEC and didn't give a shit about the league from March onwards. We were definitely fortunate to have Munster in the semi, but they've blown a few cobwebs off and are one game from silverware.

I'm not saying we'll definitely win, but we have the personnel and gameplan that can beat Glasgow.

bessantj · Post by **bessantj** » Wed May 22, 2019 1:57 pm

I'm glad it's these two teams, two best in the league this season. Looking forward to it.

Mullet 2 · Post by **Mullet 2** » Wed May 22, 2019 1:57 pm

JPNZ wrote:Sorry, if you already know the finalists how about posting at least the team names ...?

Because I don't care for the opinions of anybody who doesn't already know who the finalists are.

earl the beaver · Post by **earl the beaver** » Wed May 22, 2019 2:14 pm

Rossco wrote:
dargotronV.1 wrote:
comets wrote:will a final in scotland celtickets?
very good.

Last I heard was around 35k sold. Hopefully get it in to the 40-50k range for a good atmosphere
2/3rds sold, so already broken the 40k barrier, making it the best attended club rugby fixture in Scotland.

The 2008-09 HEC Final at Murrayfield had a recorded attendance of over 66k

slick · Post by **slick** » Wed May 22, 2019 2:33 pm

Really looking forward to this but gutted I've had to come south for family reasons so can't go!

Would like to think the Glasgow forwards can front up better than a few months ago and the backs are exceptional. In saying that, was very impressed with the battering that Leinster withstood last week and then came back.

My guess would be a narrow Glasgow lead with 15 to go then Leinster grind out the win.

iarmhiman · Post by **iarmhiman** » Wed May 22, 2019 2:43 pm

I hope we can keep it below 50 points. That would be very embarrassing.

clydecloggie · Post by **clydecloggie** » Wed May 22, 2019 7:04 pm

Rugby Vision, a fairly decent prediction algorithm, had this down as going to penalty kicks, until its human handlers interfered:

clydecloggie · Post by **clydecloggie** » Wed May 22, 2019 7:07 pm

Rugby4Cast agrees (they also ran it as a Glasgow home game which increased the margin by 4):

clydecloggie · Post by **clydecloggie** » Wed May 22, 2019 7:08 pm

But those predictions are probably quite heavily influenced by Leinster's poor late-season run, to be fair.

danthefan · Post by **danthefan** » Wed May 22, 2019 7:11 pm

Bookies have Leinster 4 point favourites. Leinster packed it in after topping the pool and Glasgow thumped Leinster in the RDS a few weeks ago which probably factors in. That match will have zero bearing on Saturday.

Ulsters Red Hand · Post by **Ulsters Red Hand** » Wed May 22, 2019 7:15 pm

If the weather stays good Glasgow will win, otherwise i'd fancy Leinster. I hope Leinster smash them though

Trostan · Post by **Trostan** » Wed May 22, 2019 8:03 pm

Jeff the Bear wrote:You also need a counter for how many more sectarian comments Leo is going to make before the game.

You really are a sad little person.

topofthemoon · Post by **topofthemoon** » Wed May 22, 2019 8:04 pm

A few key stats head to head for Glasgow and Leinster if you're that way inclined:

https://wp.me/p68WtH-8dK

The two best attacking teams in the league in terms of a whole rake of stats - but they go about their business in fairly different ways.

Willie Falloon · Post by **Willie Falloon** » Wed May 22, 2019 8:19 pm

Great final.

2 top teams go head to head.

JPNZ · Post by **JPNZ** » Wed May 22, 2019 8:20 pm

Mullet 2 wrote:
JPNZ wrote:Sorry, if you already know the finalists how about posting at least the team names ...?

Because I don't care for the opinions of anybody who doesn't already know who the finalists are.

Thanks, happy to report SKY NZ has this on SS1 at 5.25am on Sunday 26th for any NZ viewers

Jeff the Bear · Post by **Jeff the Bear** » Wed May 22, 2019 9:55 pm

Trostan wrote:
Jeff the Bear wrote:You also need a counter for how many more sectarian comments Leo is going to make before the game.
You really are a sad little person.

Hey, it's not me making sectarian comments...it's your coach!

Rossco · Post by **Rossco** » Wed May 22, 2019 10:56 pm

earl the beaver wrote:
Rossco wrote:
dargotronV.1 wrote:
comets wrote:will a final in scotland celtickets?
very good.

Last I heard was around 35k sold. Hopefully get it in to the 40-50k range for a good atmosphere
2/3rds sold, so already broken the 40k barrier, making it the best attended club rugby fixture in Scotland.
The 2008-09 HEC Final at Murrayfield had a recorded attendance of over 66k

Fair emuff, should’ve said involving a Scottish team.

Think the ‘05 Henky Piss Final had a decent crowd too.

danthefan · Post by **danthefan** » Thu May 23, 2019 6:51 am

topofthemoon wrote:A few key stats head to head for Glasgow and Leinster if you're that way inclined:

https://wp.me/p68WtH-8dK

The two best attacking teams in the league in terms of a whole rake of stats - but they go about their business in fairly different ways.

Cheers, enjoy that sort of stuff. Guess it makes sense with how you'd perceive the two teams, Glasgow throw the ball around more, Leinster strangle teams a bit more.

comets · Post by **comets** » Thu May 23, 2019 8:26 am

I'm House Glasgow, fark House Lannister...incest between Princess Anne and Prince Charles created Leo Cullen ..

irishrugbyua · Post by **irishrugbyua** » Thu May 23, 2019 8:33 am

ehhh not sure how this will go.

clydecloggie · Post by **clydecloggie** » Thu May 23, 2019 8:49 am

interview with Hoggy on the Beeb:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/48366551

lorcanoworms · Post by **lorcanoworms** » Thu May 23, 2019 9:18 am

Trostan wrote:
Jeff the Bear wrote:You also need a counter for how many more sectarian comments Leo is going to make before the game.
You really are a sad little person.

Leave the poor dear alone, he's feeling left out.