We've already won it three times and while it is nice, it doesn't actually mean that much. We're still a small team in the scheme of things. It is certainly the third most prestigious league trophy and by quite a distance.

Well if you can't kick on from it then I suppose it's not worth much to you. Leinster on the other hand used it as a springboard for 3 HECs in 4 years.

I think signing Rocky Elsom and Nacewa had more to do with it than anything, but there we are.

Were the Ospreys banned from signing players after 2010? Or after their previous CL wins?

Eh? All I said that Leinster's HEC wins are more to do with good recruitment, rather than winning the Rabo.

Only one winner of the Rabo has then gone on to win the HEC. That's one of five. I think it's more plausible to look at the good recruitment.

We have really relied on our wingers alright.

I'm sure Cheika and the rest of the Leinster lads would be surprised to hear that their view that learning how to win the ML was instrumental in learning how to win the HEC was wrong. I'm sure the other 13 players plus bench would be interested to hear that rugby is in fact a 2 man game and not a 15 or 22 (at the time) man game.

Come on. When they say that it's rhetoric.

Leinster won the 07/08 chiefly because they got rattled out of the pool stages by January and everyone else was off doing other stuff. They didn't have to win a big 'un, they just had to stick in there. It taught them nothing about knock out rugby - it fit a nice little narrative though.

They'd have won 08/09 even if they'd never won a tin because they added a couple of nice pieces to a good team who'd been building for years.

There were a number of players in the HEC knockout stages who would not have performed so well had they not been instrumental in winning the ML (Sexton first and foremost). Cheika concentrated on the league first and then the HEC. He was pretty much the first Irish provincial coach to do so. Not until he won the league did he let the HEC take precedence.

Oh really. I've got to say that looks to be a tremendous amount of revisionist donkey-shit but I'll take your word for it.

Anyway, Fergus McFadden was tucking into a rather large steak in The Butchers Grill tonight, when I was leaving.

No protein shakes for the Leinster lads.

Despite the fact it was said before the events you describe took place? Interesting view of revisionism.

Irish sides regularly train for the HEC 2 weeks before the game, ignoring the ML game in between. Cheika stopped this practice and prepared for each game equally.

He also managed to win the ML while also building the squad, like any good coach, and it was the building of the squad which ultimately reaped rewards when Contepomi got injured in the semis and Healy had to play most of the campaign with CJ injured.

Elsom obviously made a difference but the others had to give him a framework to make his impact. A framework they learned when winning the ML the previous season.

It really is bizarre that you're arguing against the view that winning leads to winning. As a Welsh fan I would have thought this was abundantly clear.

Cheika stopping that practice doesn't mean he prioritised the HEC, it just means he achieved the HEC by changing the soft culture. You genuinely cannot retain any credibility while claiming Cheika put league ahead of HEC. It's rot. It's fucking absurd.

Why is it absurd? Isn't that what the Ospreys do every year? Their results certainly seem to suggest that.

Anyway, you're boring me. Enough.

The Ospreys put the league ahead of Europe? Jesus fucking wept.

And we signed them because of our prestige built from the CL springboard.

No point discussing anything with PT. He's only ever subscribed to a completely one eyed bitter, jealous Welsh view. You're judging wasting your time.

How would you know that? Were you spying on them immediately after a training session?

You do realise that shakes are for after sessions and not instead of meals? The lads will still be horsing down steak regardless.

Ah Fuckit O'Nualláin, just trying to make a lighthearted joke about Leinster living up to stereotype.

Sorry. Can't remember who I'm supposed to be argumentative with tonight.

Tonight it's Kiwis
none of the bright ones are in

Best of luck Leinster - here in the People's Republic, you have some grudging admirers......I mean haters...no..no...no....admirers...."More beer please...".....*mutters incoherently*.....Best of luck.....


[What happened my post count? I was up to (at least) 90 - 100...!!!]

should be a cracker

two teams on outstanding form
great players bod and shane, sexton and biggar, two top packs
a good pitch and fine weather

cant wait

Fuck you very much, Leinster!

First page bump.

Bye bye Pissprays.

I hope I won't have to flounce after the match

Final day lads.

Do you predict an Ospreys win this time?

What a lovely day for a game! A few outdoor drinks before this is definitely in order.

I hate waking up early on matchday: such a long wait....

Feeling excited and nervous. Hope the lads can step it up for one more match this season.

Who's showing the match in the UK; S4c, bbc alba, bbc ni?

Yes. I absolutely do. It won't be easy. And it wouldn't be a surprise (at all) if they didn't. But I do believe that Ospreys can do it. And I expect them to.

if it's as hot there with you as it is in swansea, it's bloody hot
phew what a scorcher- not much wind either.
home team to start as favs but, today, sorry, no doubling in dublin
ospreys to shade it.

Tell that sun to stay put Jor: Gower-time tomorrow

It's a great day, not a cloud in the sky, hasn't rained for a week, probably be tipping around 20 or so degrees come kickoff time.

All those pasty Irishmen will wilt in the sun.

The O's really should have left all the fake tan at home.

This game is only on Gaelic or Welsh speaking channels?

What fucking moron at the CL did that deal?

It's in English on RTE 2.

Not available in GB.

Fucking morons.

That is some pain in the hole Jerpy