@Eoin H: I can see where you’re coming from but I’m not going to jump on the endless Ross bashing. He gets enough grief on here! Pragmatically speaking, of course Ross is a better reserve option for 10 than Barrett. If we were playing a less heralded side, I could the see the coaches going with your way of thinking perhaps but we can’t afford that vs this crowd. That said I think I’d have preferred Frawley covering 10 but he’s just coming back after a knock vs Bristol. In any case I think Barrett should be nailed on at 12. Hoping he starts vs Bath and comes through the weekend unscathed.

@Eoin H: put a sock in it. Frawley will be back up 10 when he’s fully fit

@Eoin H: frawley is just so much a better 10 than byrne, the fact he covers at least 2 other position aswell makes this another of cullens baffling calls.

@Carmine Lorenzo: Do you think it’s acceptable to play like Ross did when he came on vs Munster, and not receive criticism. It’s the same for any other player.

@chris mcdonnell: you are way worse than a broken record. Frawley last played at FB, over a month ago..

@chris mcdonnell: I agreed with you in the past but now you are painful. Byrne isnt starting PRENDERGAST is. So just be happy and pipe down, nobody wants to hear it anymore

@adizlack93: i want what’s best for leinster and i believe that cullen is making decisions that make no sense. Andy farrell picked pendergast. Why is gunne not in the squad? Why have we a 5-3 split when our defence cries out for the extra forward? We pump so much effort into defence that the one thing we need in our attacking backline is pace. The two half backs on the bench don’t have that.

@chris mcdonnell: You have persistently gone after Ross Byrne on these boards for too long. Your comments are personalised. But on this posting you have really stepped over a line. I am taking this up directly action with the Journal who own Rugby 42 over this and many of your nasty postings about specific players but most notably Ross Byrne. People like you should be given the oxygen on boards like this which are supposed to for genuine rugby fans.

@Patrick byrne: what did I say that’s nasty or personal, I do believe he is too slow and not good enough. It’s nothing personal about the man it’s his selection for leinster that I don’t like.

@chris mcdonnell: You are nasty. But you are also now careless especially with your posting today. I have 2 words for you to ponder namely libel and defamation.

@Patrick byrne: You sound like a child running to tell the teacher. Chris has his opinion and is entitled to voice it just as much as you.

@Eoin H: what did Byrne do against Munster that was so wrong? I think you have convinced yourself of something and are not capeable of seeing beyond that view.

@Carmine Lorenzo: and still better than…..

@Andrew: you’ve money on an England win?

@Carmine Lorenzo: That and he’s a double World Cup winning lock. A big advantage for Leinster is LAR’s giant Aussie lock is not in their lineup

@Carmine Lorenzo: Cullen has always treated frawley like that.

@Carmine Lorenzo: There isn’t a professional rugby club in the world where all players are “equally contracted” ffs, use your head will you?

@Patrick Kennedy: I agree… I think it doesn’t matter when or where, he will be on the pitch. Ireland interests have to factor into it and we need Ryan and McCarthy challenged in Europe.

@Patrick Kennedy: nothing mercenary, he was released by Munster as they chose Kleyn. Unless you haven’t noticed rugby at the elite level is professional.

@Patrick Kennedy: Pathetic.

@Patrick Kennedy: Already have 50 on it Patrick. Loose change

@Dave Moran: Sure another 50 will do no harm – I’m game if you are?

@Patrick Kennedy: Done

@Paul Ennis: I saw it at the time too hah

@Paul Ennis: conan RG and barrett at the same time is frightening.

@chris mcdonnell: Frightening for everyone bar Leinster!!

@Paul Ennis: still think another forward on the bench is a better option but not really sure who that would be maybe max deagan?

@chris mcdonnell: I would have gone 6:2 but maybe the coaches don’t see LAR as the threat they were last year. The fact that Connors is injured and maybe Frawley wasn’t quite ready to return so they decided not to risk him would explain the 5:3 decision too.

@Oliver Daly: If form is the metric then it has to be advantage Leinster as LAR have struggled recently barely beating a second string Toulouse side at home & losing to Vannes

@Oliver Daly: What on earth are you waffling on about

@Ray Ridge: Yep, it’s easy enough to tackle someone with no skeleton.

@Colin Rainier: Certainly aren’t many Skeletons in that La Rochelle team. Predictive text not near as switched on as you Colin.

@Oliver Daly: Worked the last two times and the only two times for that matter.

@Oliver Daly: with Skelton out, it’s game over. Leinster will be too strong.

@Conor Lynott: he’s injured and his main job was to stop Skelton, who’s injured.

@Conor Lynott: He’s injured and has been a while since November.

@Conor Lynott: the same cullen who just after he signed Douglas and let go Tadgh Beinre?

@chris mcdonnell: Rewrite that again

@adizlack93: His job is done, then

@chris mcdonnell: Tadgh Beirne who had spent the entirety of his 3 years in the academy injured. It’s a pity Cullens crystal ball couldn’t be as good as yours. Also Kane Douglas was signed by Matt O’Connor. So your completely ridiculous bias isn’t even based on reality.

@Andrew: Yeah I think Keenan hasn’t played wing in a while so you’d be sort of shoehorning him in there. Larmour and JOB have been performing well so they deserve their places imo. Some big names left out alright! Might see some rotation next weekend with the 6 day turnaround.

@Andrew: both haven’t played in over a month actually but nice job trying to create that narrative regarding Barrett

@Carmine Lorenzo: Tommy O Brien is starting not Larmour. Thankfully.

@Carmine Lorenzo: Fair, though all the lads on the Irish Independent’s rugby podcasts seem to think that Keenan on the wing is a good idea. It’s where I first heard the idea, so figured might materialise given Lowe is out and the rise of Jamie Osbourne.

@adizlack93: Not trying to push any narrative. Just stating an observation. Tbf a lot of the chat on various pods this week has been on who might miss out in favour of Barret, and looks like the answer is Fraws / Keenan as I imagine one of them would have been on the bench instead…Never said it was a bad thing Barret is in the team from a Leinster perspective. Though from an Ireland perspective it’s probably not ideal…

@Andrew: they miss out because of slow byrne

@Eoin H: Yeah a typo thanks. Big chance for TOB.

@Andrew: Yeah I also heard the left wing pod pushing Ringrose to start right wing so we can accommodate Barrett and Henshaw. I’d be a big believer in playing your players in their best positions. So Henshaw would simply miss out this weekend imo.

@Andrew: Barrett needs to be starting 12 come business end of the season if we want to beat the likes of Toulouse. Any game where he doesn’t play is an opportunity missed given the short term nature of his contract. Henshaw is out of form this season shown by his awful pass out wide that would have been a sure try vs Munster. Would probably start Osborne ahead of him too atm

@chris mcdonnell: Did Ross Byrne give you a good rattle one night, but then never called? You never miss an opportunity to slag him off. It has to be personal. He’s moved on – let it go. You just weren’t that good.

@Fagin Strauss: the day he leaves leinster is the last time I will even comment about him. Cullens selection of him must be personal because it’s got nothing to do with his ability. He is simply not good enough and the past 3 seasons prove that.

@Carmine Lorenzo: No he doesn’t, maybe on form as Keenans been out, but Hugo still has vastly more credit in the bank as one of the best FBs in the world, I know Osbourne is a great player but he has it all to do AND probably not even at FB!