A selection of the “keyboard warrior” reactions after the full-time whistle of our featured matches of the weekend.
If you’d like to contribute stay tuned to our Facebook page for our “Feel free to leave your thoughts…” posts which show up around full time after Leinster & Ireland matches.
The most important thing about this game is that we have relearned that ability to find ways to win games. We had lost that a few years back. Had we played this game last year or the year before we’d have lost. Last week we showed we could win a dogfight. This week we showed we could win in difficult circumstances. That’s an important evolution for the team.
John Molloy
What a battle. Exeter deserve much better reward than 1pt over 2 games.Absolutely delighted with that win. #LEIvEXE— Tom Coleman (@LeinsterRoyalty) December 16, 2017
Wow, just wow 😁
Paul Smith
Fantastic fightback from @leinsterrugby and huge impact from @DanLeafy94 the turning point.#fuelthe4th— ger (@stranglemint) December 16, 2017
Massive improvement from Exeter from last week still not enough! Poor French refereeing again!! If we didn't have Isa we would be in big trouble. Great resolve to grind out the win against a top side!
Baz C. Ryan
Well that was easy wasn’t it? 😳 @IrishRugbyBant @leinsterrugby @HarpinOnRugby Incredible comeback in 2nd 40 credit @ExeterChiefs a damned fine team That was tough. Surprised @Lukecowandickie wasn’t MOTM TBH Safe trip home Chiefs #LEIvEXE— Richard Mifsud (@Richmif) December 16, 2017
'when you come at the king, best not miss'
Not the best first 50 but class shone through. Massive marker put down!
Neil Keegan
What a result— Covfefe O'Donoghue (@ColmODonoghue) December 16, 2017
Fabulous game of rugby! Love winning ugly but what a try!!
Darragh Kavanagh
— Brian Connell (@BrianConnell67) December 16, 2017
We were sensational
Sile Corish
— Ciarán Duffy (@TheVoiceDepth) December 16, 2017
Leinster were a bit at sea in the first half even with Sexton out. Exeter put it up to Leinster who proved themselves in the second half in overcoming adversity that they are worthy contenders for the European Champions Cup.
Gerald Williamson
What a win by #Leinster today!! Epic.Was almost as exciting as the fact that we have our Inaugural Goal Mile in Herbert Park this St Stephen's Day!!RT, follow and spread the word!@LeinsterBranch @OLSCRugby @leinsterrugby @AkaPaulHoward @JOEdotie @RugbyKino @HarpinOnRugby pic.twitter.com/2CzPnuWQWQ— Goal Mile - Herbert Park (@GoalmileHerbert) December 16, 2017
Good come back after a tough first half. Losing your outhalf after two minutes and then his replacement for a spell alongside the yellow cards and being only 8 pts down at half time showed this teams doggedness. Strength in depth told in the end. Still a way to go but hoping for a home quarter.
Noel Hewson
An amazing feature of BT commentary is that the English commentators are biased in favour of thr English teams and the Irish commentators are so busy trying to be impartial that's they are biased in favour of the English teams. #LEIvEXE— Sarah Lennon (@sarahlennon08) December 16, 2017
What a 2nd half performance. Exeter fair play they beat us at our own game early on throwing the ball around. We were laboured but 2nd half lads awesome. #COYBIB
Colin Campbell
Brian O'Driscoll and Lawrence Dallaglio's on co commentary for @btsportrugby are top class. #LEIvEXE #ChampionsCup— Bernard Jackman (@bernardjackman) December 16, 2017
A very tough match, and indeed pair of matches, but a strong squad working hard for each other will always reap rewards. Very glad that not knowing enough about the laws of the game puts me in a par with the officials today. Some baffling decisions, and indeed lack of decisions from the ref and tmo. However onwards and upwards, a win against Glasgow next time out should be a home quarter, and with that quality of commitment from the lads I'll be happy to pay for that ticket!
Conor Cronin
Delighted to be home from the Aviva with another hard fought @leinsterrugby win. Said it before I’ll say it again, winners find a way to win. @ChampionsCup 💙 #LEIvEXE— Jackie Mc (@Jackiem23) December 16, 2017
What a win and performance!! Massive result to come back from 17-3 👍👍
Paul Byrne
Exeter can rightly feel robbed here .... red card not given ... CLEAR forward pass for that try #LEIvEXE— Steve (@charliewasp) December 16, 2017
Houdini!
Derek McDonald
Lovely moment at the end of #LEIvEXE today when @jameslowenz took the time to meet a young fan who'd come all the way from NZ with her family to see him play for Leinster!— Helena (@hunni_h) December 16, 2017
Fergus McFadden.......12 tackles, none missed and he absolutely smashed Kvesic! Like having an extra flanker on the pitch 👊
Michael Waldron-Healy
Leinster playing like mount anville for long periods did to the Indians in the end ! And so it was #LEIvEXE— Gavin Highlife (@FMRadioGavin) December 16, 2017
Wowzers it was some game of rugby. The team showed great spirit. Isa rules, Byrne is not Sexton but at least he tries. Poor French referring almost killed the game. But who cares, win is a win 😃
Sebastian Brennan
After a difficult first half when not a lot went right, Leinster dug in and showed their class. It was a pleasure to be there. They will be hard to beat in this competition #LEIvEXE #coybib https://t.co/i2T0p3yW01— Denis Bell (@denismbell) December 16, 2017
That first half was the biggest nightmare of a half of rugby I can remember - lost Sexton to HIA which destroyed gameplan, lost his replacement (Byrne) for 10 mins to HIA also, and also two sin-binnings. To go in only 8 points down was huge, and to win the game was even better.
That is the Leinster of old, and the sort of team that wins European Championships
Conor Murphy
Leinster win 2 dog fights V Exeter back to back. Worthy opponents and tests Leinster a lot for later stages in the Comp #LEIvEXE— Chris Egan (@cegan85) December 16, 2017
Play like that and we won't beat La Rochelle. Still, a good result and a welcome reality check.
Riocard Ó Tiarnaigh
Leinster denied Exeter a single point in second half. What a turnaround. What a win. Leinster scalped the Chiefs #LEIvEXE— Clancy (@OverflowRanch) December 16, 2017
In the first half Exeter were the team that they were billed to be. I think our bench edged it in the second half. Great ugly win.
Alan Murphy
Worst refereeing performance I've ever seen gave exceter everything in the first half and Leinster everything in the 2nd.... Healy should have got red and exceter were offside every other ruck... some of the decisions both ways were baffling #LEIvEXE— paul barrett (@paul_barrett560) December 16, 2017
We really ground that one out. Good to see us taking our points from the kicking tee, keeping the scoreboard ticking over. Exeter didn't do that and scored all their points by the 32nd minute. At this level you have to take your points and that was the difference between the two sides today.
Andrew Byrne
Tough game today @leinsterrugby but what a focus in the second half. I’m hoarse but happy #LEIvEXE— Kelly (@Kelfogarty) December 16, 2017
Felt ref had a bad day. Ignoring the offsides (cos he was awful for both teams) we got the majority of bad calls in our favour. That being said failing to put us to the sword when down to 14 men for 20 mins showed a lack of composure needed in European rugby.
Dave Kavanagh
— Harpin' On Rugby 🏉 (@HarpinOnRugby) December 16, 2017
Many thanks to all who offered opinions.
Look out Monday for our match writeup JLP
