Connacht vs Glasgow PRO12 Semi Final 6.30 May 21st

We have enough trained props in the Academy I'm assuming we'd have to play them
Buckley sound's like he could be back- and JP Cooney passed his HIA and returned to play so you'd hope he's available

wp_rathead wrote: We have enough trained props in the Academy I'm assuming we'd have to play them
Buckley sound's like he could be back- and JP Cooney passed his HIA and returned to play so you'd hope he's available

I'd be pretty confident that Rodney will be ok, based on the fact he was shaping up to stay on the field until the ref suggested that he go off for an assessment. Then we just hope that Dennis and Finlay recover, in which case we'd be in good shape. You'd also have to consider the possibility of Tom providing cover on the loosehead side, with maybe Dave H and Shane covering hooker?

If Finlay and Buckley are good to go, we're 100% ok.
If one of them is available, we may compose with other "regular" props able to front up
If none is fit, I think the best solution is McCartney as LH. He did all-right, has a 10-day training ahead of him, and we have real quality cover for hooker Heff JHW and Delahunt. I would still give McCartney the lineout darts of course, even with the n°1 Shirt.

Any chance they might change jerseys for this one? The entire back of Connacht's home strip is identical to the Glasgow's one.

[edit] Why can't I reply to the Champions Cup thread?

Just watched the action again, Finlay didn't go K;O straight after the contact (with the tackler and McCartney btw). He didn't look bad when he went off. It it was concussion, we can be optimitic, hoping there wasn't another kind of injury.

When are we likely to get a squad update for this? I've got my fingers crossed the front row injuries are not too bad.

PS: It might be worth updating the thread title to reflect the 6:30 kick off, and the fact that it's a pro 12 semi (rather than leg 2)

RonanL wrote: When are we likely to get a squad update for this? )

Tuesdays usually

Centre Alex Dunbar will miss Glasgow’s Guinness PRO12 play-off campaign for the second successive season and Scotland’s two-test summer tour to Japan. The 26-year-old, who has won 15 caps for Scotland, suffered a knee injury during Glasgow’s defeat to Connacht in their final match of the PRO12 regular season last week.

It leaves Glasgow short of numbers in midfield for the play-offs with Dunbar’s Scotland colleague Richie Vernon already ruled out for the rest of the season. Glenn Bryce, who played for Scotland 7s in Paris at the weekend, could be poised for a return to challenge Peter Horne and Mark Bennett for the centre berths.

www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/rugby/1736...-dunbar-rest-season/

menacethedenis wrote: Centre Alex Dunbar will miss Glasgow’s Guinness PRO12 play-off campaign for the second successive season and Scotland’s two-test summer tour to Japan. The 26-year-old, who has won 15 caps for Scotland, suffered a knee injury during Glasgow’s defeat to Connacht in their final match of the PRO12 regular season last week.

It leaves Glasgow short of numbers in midfield for the play-offs with Dunbar’s Scotland colleague Richie Vernon already ruled out for the rest of the season. Glenn Bryce, who played for Scotland 7s in Paris at the weekend, could be poised for a return to challenge Peter Horne and Mark Bennett for the centre berths.

www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/rugby/1736...-dunbar-rest-season/

Hopefully we'll have Bundee and Robbie in the centre for us, to make life difficult for whoever they end up starting.

RonanL wrote:

menacethedenis wrote: Centre Alex Dunbar will miss Glasgow’s Guinness PRO12 play-off campaign for the second successive season and Scotland’s two-test summer tour to Japan. The 26-year-old, who has won 15 caps for Scotland, suffered a knee injury during Glasgow’s defeat to Connacht in their final match of the PRO12 regular season last week.

It leaves Glasgow short of numbers in midfield for the play-offs with Dunbar’s Scotland colleague Richie Vernon already ruled out for the rest of the season. Glenn Bryce, who played for Scotland 7s in Paris at the weekend, could be poised for a return to challenge Peter Horne and Mark Bennett for the centre berths.

www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/rugby/1736...-dunbar-rest-season/

Hopefully we'll have Bundee and Robbie in the centre for us, to make life difficult for whoever they end up starting.

Yeah you'd have to think that's an area that will be targeted now. I'd expect Bundee and Robbie to start unless one of their laptops get stolen and they have to undertake another A-Team style vigilante mission

Leone Nakarawa was playing for Fiji 7's over the weekend. (And he was remarkable by the way).
Does that mean he is out of the game on Saturday?

eezipc wrote: Leone Nakarawa was playing for Fiji 7's over the weekend. (And he was remarkable by the way).
Does that mean he is out of the game on Saturday?

Fairly sure I read somewhere he was only released for last weekend so will be available

Such a enjoyable player to watch - mind you I thought players did a decent job nullifying him as the game went on

Time to get hyped.

Is this our biggest ever home game?
I mean in terms of what is to play for? Toulouse was obviously massive, but that was one game in a six game mini league.
Toulon in the Challenge Cup was massive, but that was a knock out competition.
This is our chance to reach our first ever final for our league.
When you think about it, the Pro12 is our bread and butter. Europe is nice, and offers a wonderful opportunity, but the league is what we play for, week in, week out.

Now we have the opportunity, at home, to knock out the defending champions
Win this weekend, and we have an 83% chance of being a top seed in next seasons Champions Cup
Win this weekend, and we set up an All Ireland final
Win this weekend, and we're in the Final. Where we have an unbelievable opportunity to become Champions of the Pro 12. Be the team, that everyone is looking up to. Be the team, that when everyone plays against next season, refers to us as the Champions

We're Connacht, patronizingly, everyone's second favorite team
We're Connacht, a team based in the smallest, least populated, least funded province
We're Connacht, a team, who the papers forgot existed until only a few years ago
We're Connacht, a team who players saw as a Shop Window
We're Connacht, a team who plays on a pitch that is surrounding by a dog track, with temporary sheds used as toilets.
We're Connacht, a team that other teams used to consider an easy 4 points, and who would routinely send there 2nd string team to play

Now we're Connacht, one win from the Pro 12 Grand Final
We're Connacht, the team who in the last 12 months, have beaten Leinster, Munster, Glasgow, Ospreys, Scarlets, Cardiff, Dragons, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Brive, Zebre, and Treviso in the Sportsground.

I first went to a Connacht game in September 2006. I have no stats in front of me, but I'd estimate that there was less than 1000 fans there, many of whom were only there for the Dogs.
This Saturday, we will have The Sportsground. Sold out for the 4th game in a row.

Lets get there early on Saturday. Make some noise. Intimidate the hell out of Glasgow. Raise our boys spirits. And cheer them on to a memorable victory, before all booking our trip to Edinburgh

Can't wait for it now.
Come on Connacht

wp_rathead wrote:

eezipc wrote: Leone Nakarawa was playing for Fiji 7's over the weekend. (And he was remarkable by the way).
Does that mean he is out of the game on Saturday?

Fairly sure I read somewhere he was only released for last weekend so will be available

Such a enjoyable player to watch - mind you I thought players did a decent job nullifying him as the game went on

He seemed to get tired quickly but he is such a big man it's understandable. His athleticism is incredible though. He scored a nice try against Australia on Saturday. I couldn't imagine any Irish lock playing 7's rugby.

I'd say Dillane and maybe Henderson would be well able for it