Won’t make it to Northampton?

Fi Coghlan, Leinster, is tackled by Grace Davitt, Ulster. Women's Interprovincial, Ulster v Leinster, Ravenhill Park, Belfast, Co. Antrim.

Picture credit: Oliver McVeigh / SPORTSFILE ©SPORTSFILE

Whether we go to every Leinster match home and away or just make it to the odd match in the RDS or even cheer from abroad, we’re all fans who want to see Leinster rugby doing well.

And even if you can’t make it over to Franklin’s Gardens this weekend, I’m sure you’ll be planning to catch every second of the action if possible.

I put it to you that you can still see some top-quality live action on Irish shores this Saturday before the match kicks off on Sky.

WOMEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL : LEINSTER V CONNACHT

The Leinster women got their interprovincial campaign off to a storming start last weekend as they crushed their Ulster counterparts by 41 points to 7 up in Ravenhill.

This weekend sees their only home fixture of the championship so it will be a great chance to get out and support the girls as they take on Connacht to hopefully set up a decisive finale with Munster in Thomond Park the following week.

Why not head out to Ashbourne RFC for the 4pm kickoff (just off the N2, not half as far as it sounds to some people!) to sample the unique atmosphere where Ireland defeated both England and France on the way to their historic Grand Slam last season? 

Then you can retire to  take in the Heineken Cup action in the warmth of the club bar.

BRITISH & IRISH CUP : LEINSTER “A” V CROSS KEYS RFC

Cross Keys RFC are in the Dragons region over in Wales and are no strangers to success both domestically and abroad.

The currently lie 4th in the Welsh Premiership with 7 wins out of 9 so far and like Leinster defeated both Ealing Trailfinders and Moseley in their opening Pool 1 encounters in this season’s British & Irish Cup, a competition where they have reached the final before in the past.

They come to Donnybrook this Saturday in the first of a crucial back-to-back tussle which should ultimately determine the winners of the pool.  Kick-off is at 2:30pm and entry is free for Leinster Rugby season ticket holders.

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So as I say if you’re not travelling to England for your live rugby this weekend, maybe you can make it to one of the above matches…the province could really do with your support.  JLP

#HoR5k Competition

FINAL SCORE : CONNACHT - 8 LEINSTER - 16

WINNING SQUARE : C 8 L 6

COMPETITION WINNER : @colm_odoherty

THANKS TO ALL WHO HAD A GO!

Click here for news of next week’s “unriggable raffle”

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First prize in the competition will be….wait for it…a HARPINONRUGBY MUG!!! WOO-HOO!!!  Second prize will be two mugs. 

(Note - that last sentence about the second prize may not be 100% serious or accurate)

So if you’d like a chance to win this rare collectible gem (only 2 exist, the other one holds my coffee as I type), or if even you’d just like to help a humble website’s twitter account get a few more followers, simply compose & post a tweet using a phrase like the one below.

Follow @HarpinOnRugby for online Leinster & Ireland rugby content 24/7 #HoR5k

The #HoR5k hashtag is important, as it is the only way we can make sure the entries go onto the grid.  If you’d like to alter the rest of the tweet to say even more awesome things about HarpinOnRugby, sure we’ll let ya!

Not sure how our “unriggable raffles” work? Click here to find out.

So if you have a go helping us out, best of luck with the competition.  But most of all, thank you for all your support which has kept us going up to now and hopefully will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. JLP

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A few unfortunate but necessary rules :

• you must follow @HarpinOnRugby AND allow us to follow you back to qualify for the competition as the winner will be notified by DM only.
• only tweets which include the #HoR5k hashtag can qualify for the competition
• while everyone is more than welcome to tweet the above message, we will try to make sure individual rather than company twitter accounts qualify for the competition
• We will operate a simple policy towards negative tweets about HarpinOnRugby which use the hashtag…we appreciate your right to free speech but we will also assume you don’t want to win an HoR mug either so you won’t be allowed in the competition!
• Qualifying tweets will be identified by being “favourited” by @HarpinOnRugby
• Only one actual entry per twitter account is allowed, but there is still the possibility of multiple entries on the grid, see the next rule for details.
• Should the required 100 entrants not be reached, by the “closing time” of 7pm on Jan 3, 2014, the remaining spots on the grid will be divided among those who already entered, in the order in which they entered. [put another way, the sooner you enter, the more likely you will be to have more than one square on the grid]
• Entrants’ positions on the grid are set and not open for discussion, nor are any other final decisions made by the competition organisers

Let The Schmidt Hit The Fan - Rd 4 (ULS)

Next up in our Irish team-selecting project is our Ulster blogger Laura Johnston…

Remember...the task is to select a matchday 23 from available players as if there was to be a test match next weekend.

Click here for Laura’s last selection and these links for the latest from Connacht, Munster & Leinster.

The autumn internationals are over for another year, and the Heineken Cup is just around the corner. Ireland performed well against Samoa, struggled against Australia and played a game against New Zealand with a passion, we haven’t seen for a long time.

The boys gave 100% last Sunday in a packed Aviva, but the All Blacks, as they are renowned for doing, kept going until they got the win. Every player in green played their best game for Ireland in my opinion, so the heartbreak was even more painful.

I could just take the easy option and pick the team that started against the All Blacks, but I’m not, I am going to base my team on the players who are currently in form.

1. Cian Healy: - Don’t see anyone taking the starting jersey off him just yet, Richie McCaw knows why.

I wasn’t sure of Jack McGrath’s inclusion in the squad, but his performances over the last few weeks have changed my opinion.

17. Jack McGrath

Unfortunately Rory Best got Injured after an impressive 15 minutes against NZ, including, a try against the best team in the world, breaking his arm, and trying to clear out a ruck with a broken arm. The later showing the grit and determination that Rory has.

2. Sean Cronin: - Because of injury to Best my starting hooker is Sean Cronin, and he thoroughly deserves it. His performance after coming on for Best proved he is definitely the right man to fill Rory’s boots.

I have always seen him as a like for like replacement for Best, although he has a lot more pace in the open.

16. Mike Sherry

3. Mike Ross: - Still the best man for the job, although he isn’t getting any younger. I would like to see the likes of Fitzpatrick, Archer and even Moore and Lutton getting some game time, over the next year or so. That means when Mike retires or gets injured, we aren’t stuck with the question that will play tight head for Ireland?

18. Declan Fitzpatrick

4. Paul O’Connell:- Who else would be the first lock you write on the team sheet?

Was outstanding against NZ, and lead from the front during the Autumn Internationals, but then again he is a born leader. His return to the green shirt against Samoa was welcomed by a standing ovation, showing how much he is loved by Irish rugby fans.

5. Dan Tuohy: - Although Toner and McCarthy played really well, in all the autumn international games, especially against New Zealand. I think Dan Tuohy should have got some game time, even if it was against Samoa. He has been outstanding for Ulster this season, and is probably the second best second row behind O’Connell at the moment in Ireland. He continuously breaks defensive lines, and is good with ball in hand. I was surprised to see him overlooked.

19. Mike McCarthy

My backrow is the same as the one Schmidt picked to face Australia & New Zealand. All three were outstanding and very dangerous in the open. It was a pity Chris Henry got injured against Samoa as I would have loved to have seen him up against Michael Hooper and Richie McCaw.

6. Peter O’Mahony:- Peter really impressed me over the Internationals, if all the Ireland backrow are fit come the 6 Nations, including Ferris, Schmidt will have a nice headache.

7. Sean O’Brien:- The Tullow tank is the Tullow tank, don’t think anyone would leave him out of their team.

8. Jamie Heaslip: - Jamie has received a lot of criticism over the last year regarding his performances in a Green shirt. I think he has proved his critics wrong, on the Lions tour and autumn internationals.

20. Kevin McLaughlin

9. Conor Murray: - He is currently Ireland’s best choice at scrumhalf. He performed very well against New Zealand and I was surprised to see him on the bench against Australia.

21. Eoin Reddan

10. Jonny Sexton: - He played well considering his packed French rugby calendar and having a niggling hamstring injury. He was unfortunate to miss his last penalty against the All Blacks. Still Ireland’s first choice fly half in my opinion. Jackson proved his critics wrong against Samoa and recently with Ulster. He has just that little bit more game time at fly half than Ian Madigan

22. Paddy Jackson

11. Craig Gilroy: - Although he has just come back from injury and Dave Kearney has done nothing wrong, I think Gilroy has a bit more creativity on the wing. He somehow manages to wriggle his way through tackles, through a series of well-timed spins and his speed. He has been very impressive in his last few games for Ulster.

Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy played their best game in a green shirt in a while against New Zealand. Although will they make the next RWC? Probably not, so with this in mind I have picked Luke Marshall and Brian O’Driscoll as my centres.

12. Luke Marshall: - The decision to pick D’Arcy against New Zealand was the right choice because of his experience. Although Luke is the future at no 12. He always makes ground with ball in hand and finds space between defenders.

13. Brian O’Driscoll:- I don’t see him going to the next World Cup. He is still a legend for Ireland at 13. He played really well against NZ but I would like to see Darren Cave or Robbie Henshaw get some game time, so that when O’Driscoll retires we have a suitable replacement.

14. Tommy Bowe: - He is probably Ireland first choice winger, although the young guys are starting to bite at his heels and he wasn’t his usual self in the air over the Autumn Internationals. But there is only one Tommy Bowe.

15. Rob Kearney: - Still haven’t seen anyone yet who can take the no. 15 shirt off him. He was impressive against NZ both in the air and how he took his intercept try.

23. Dave Kearney

My Ireland 23

1. Cian Healy
2. Sean Cronin
3. Mike Ross
4. Paul O’Connell
5. Dan Tuohy
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Sean O’Brien
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Conor Murray
10. Jonny Sexton
11. Craig Gilroy
12. Luke Marshall
13. Brian O’Driscoll
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Rob Kearney

16. Mike Sherry
17. Jack McGrath
18. Declan Fitzpatrick
19. Mike McCarthy
20. Kevin McLaughlin
21. Eoin Reddan
22. Paddy Jackson
23. Dave Kearney

@LauraJ2803 is a Ulster rugby season ticket holder and has been for the past 7 years, she has been there through the highs and the lows and is hoping there are plenty more highs to come