Ulster vs Leinster at the Aviva 29/8/20

[Silverstu]

good news and bad...

8 in the academy.. yeesh.

Could have been worse- at least the protocols they have in place stopped it spreading through the staff and squad- 8 people could be 1 or 2 households of academy players. You'd like to think that now they get the message that they can't be too careful with this virus. With them being young and fit lads hopefully they'll get over it ok with no complications.

[big mervyn]

My gut feeling is that next season is going to be stuffed before it get's properly started.

The country's youth are going to drink, party, shag and catch Covid. It's inevitable.The rest of us are just going to have to manage our own risk best as we can.

[Lurgan Lad]

Part of me thinks the sooner young people get it and get over it the better, as long as it is then somehow not spread to older people. It is looking like it is going to be with us all for some time yet!

[therealspratt]

Part of me thinks the sooner young people get it and get over it the better, as long as it is then somehow not spread to older people. It is looking like it is going to be with us all for some time yet!

Well other than the potential that it can cause long term lung damage even in those young people.

I'm actually quite concerned how this could effect the careers of our academy players, it could even end some of theirs if they're no longer able to stay fit anymore due to being unable to breathe.

[Neill_M]

Team:

EOS, Herring, TOT, Carter (c), Treadwell, Rea, Murphy, Coetzee, Cooney, Madigan, Lyttle, McCloskey, Hume, Faddes, Stockdale

Andrew, McCall, Moore, AOC, Timoney, Shanahan, Johnston, Ludik

[damianmcr]

Stade Francais tweet:

Communiqué officiel

« À la lumière des examens médicaux obligatoires pour tous les joueurs ayant été diagnostiqués positif au test RT-PCR du Covid-19, il apparait que certains d’entre eux sont porteurs de lésions pulmonaires dues au virus [...] »

#SFParis

They are concerned about it.

Dont forget you aren't immune for long.

[Neill_M]

Leinster Team:

Byrne (c), Cronin, Bent, Toner, Molony, Murphy, Connors, Deegan, JGP, R Byrne, Kelleher, Frawley, O'Laughlin, Keenan, R Kearney

Tracy, Milne, Clarkson, Ruddock, Penny, Osborne, H Byrne, J O'Brien

[Silverstu]

Well that team is about getting a bit of form and exposure - surprised Hume and AoC are back, Hume needs to get match sharp I suppose. Lyttle and Faddes in the back three should be interesting. No expectations, hoping for a better performance but with the disruption this week who knows?

Re:Covid - yeah immunity may not last and the longer lasting side effects can be grim. I had it at the start of lockdown- wiped me out for a week and took me a couple of weeks to recover from the after effects, very breathless and even though I'm in my 40s I'm reasonably fit so it can be nasty and that would definitely affect someone performing at elite level. [I was out of breath walking to the car..]. Definitely not something anyone would want to get ..

[big mervyn]

Well that team is about getting a bit of form and exposure - surprised Hume and AoC are back, Hume needs to get match sharp I suppose. Lyttle and Faddes in the back three should be interesting. No expectations, hoping for a better performance but with the disruption this week who knows?

Re:Covid - yeah immunity may not last and the longer lasting side effects can be grim. I had it at the start of lockdown- wiped me out for a week and took me a couple of weeks to recover from the after effects, very breathless and even though I'm in my 40s I'm reasonably fit so it can be nasty and that would definitely affect someone performing at elite level. [I was out of breath walking to the car..]. Definitely not something anyone would want to get ..

We've had it. Mrs BM similar to yourself, with post viral complications that lasted for several months. Me, totally non symptomatic.

[jean valjean]

Time to p*ss or get off the potty for ulster. If we can't win this game we have no call to be in quarter finals or semi finals.

[justinr73]

I don’t agree with that. We did the hard yards earlier in the season.

I’d like to see the lads put their hands up tomorrow though.

Unusually, it’s senior guys like Carter, Faddes and IM that are in that boat, as much as the younger lads.

[thecrouch]

The difference in experience between the two sides tomorrow is significant, if we can't beat this Leinster team then we have problems.

[justinr73]

We would certainly tend to win the home game against a weakened Leinster. Things are a little different this time around in what is effectively a per season game. Whether we’re five points in front or five points behind is of little significance.

Edinburgh got three points tonight. Does that mean they’ve got problems?

[Lurgan Lad]

Part of me thinks the sooner young people get it and get over it the better, as long as it is then somehow not spread to older people. It is looking like it is going to be with us all for some time yet!

Well other than the potential that it can cause long term lung damage even in those young people.

I'm actually quite concerned how this could effect the careers of our academy players, it could even end some of theirs if they're no longer able to stay fit anymore due to being unable to breathe.

I appreciate your viewpoint, and certainly I'm not trying to devalue the potential long term consequences of covid even for those that survive. I'm in my forties and in good health, I also have a cold shower each day to strengthen my immune system although to be fair drinking alcohol I'm sure weakens it. My thoughts are that realistically quite a large proportion of the population will get covid before a vaccine has been fully tested and approved, and young people are going to continue partying and so on so I do expect a lot of young people to get it. The academy players are going to be young and very healthy so of minimal risk of dying from it, but yes it could affect their careers.

[Lurgan Lad]

Think any Leinster team is going to be a challenge to beat, they have developed great strength in depth but hopefully we can let our experience count in the end. Madigan at OH will be interesting, apart from his cameo of getting run over by Bundee haven't see him play in a long time.