Osprey v Connacht Thread - Sat 27th Oct 12, 14:30

Is this on TV does anyone know? TG4 website seems to be down

menacethedenis wrote: Is this on TV does anyone know? TG4 website seems to be down

It's not on telly. The pro 12 site lists which games are being shown and on what channels.

No Connacht Pro12 games on telly until Christmas!

ya 4 games from now till munster 22nd. 2 at home, 2in wales. not good for supporters outside of connacht but then 2 home matches could bring more of a crowd.

personaly im lucky this year, havent missed a game yet, been to the sportsground and found away matches on tv/internet

Ah here! I just went to select my predictions on SuperBru and got the following message when I went to select Connacht..

"Friendly warning
You have selected Connacht Rugby to win this game. This result will be considered quite an upset, so be sure about picking it."

Talk about rubbing it in!

Going to wait till friday and see the team selections, but I have a sneaking feeling about a win here.

Word is Darragh Leader is starting at 15 with Henshaw at 13

Not expecting too much results wise but we need another strong performance to try and build a bit of momentum. We have some winnable games coming up after this so a strong performance would hopefully keep a bit of momentum going and you'd hope we'd then capitalise on the games after this one.

A good few injuries again it looks like, could be a game to freshen up the starting team a bit.

Disgusted this isn't on the telly, coverage has been a bit better this year but looking at the Rabo fixture schedule, you don't even have to look for Connacht, just go to the spots where its blank in terms of TV and thats us. Surely this game is worthy of some TV Coverage.

Would be excited to see Henshaw at 13, is poolman starting too? I don't fancy our chances of a win in Wales against the Ospreys, but maybe the return fixture could be better. I'm not totally surprised its not scheduled for tv, its on at 2.30 isn't it?

The Welsh view us as box office poison, so I'd imagine they'd be nonw too happy about TV coverage reducing the attendance further.

A month ago the Osprey's looked ripe for the picking even at home, but it seems they've started to get their act together. I, as well, would be happy with a strong performance and maybe a losing bonus point especially since I'm sensing there will be a number of changes to the squad due to injury and rotation. Wouldn't be surprised to see a new front row in order to give Loughney and Wilkinson some work.

Seven changes for return to RaboDirect PRO12 rugby



Connacht Head Coach Eric Elwood has named a side that shows seven changes from the one that started last Saturday.

Two of those changes are positional with George Naoupu moving from his regular number 8 position to lock in place of an injured Mike McCarthy and Robbie Henshaw replacing the injured Eoin Griffin in the centre.

Mata Fifita replaces Dave McSharry and joins Henshaw in the new centre partnership.

19-year-old Darragh Leader earns his first competitive start for the province at full back. Leader, who has only recently been signed to the Connacht Academy, impressed as he came off the bench last week with the Connacht Eagles. The young Leader has represented Ireland at U19 level and is currently with the Ireland U20 squad.

Up front, loosehead prop Brett Wilkinson replaces Denis Buckley. Wilkinson is joined in the front row by tighthead Nathan White, who captains the side, and Jason Harris-Wright who earns his first competitive start of the season. The 24-year-old hooker has made a notable impression from the bench in both RaboDirect PRO12 clashes with Ulster and his former club Leinster. With Naoupu moving forward, Eoin McKeon now wears the number 8 jersey.

On the bench, former Stormers player Danie Poolman is set to make his first appearance for the province. Rodney Ah You and Dave Gannon also return to the bench as replacement forwards.

Connacht will take on the defending RaboDirect PRO12 champions Ospreys at Liberty Stadium tomorrow, Saturday 27th October; kick-off is at 2.30pm. The Welshmen have won their last three matches in the competition and Head Coach Eric Elwood is aware of the challenge Steve Tandy’s side pose:

“Over the years, we’ve had huge physical encounters with the Welsh side and we’ll be expecting the same this weekend. It’s another big challenge but we take great encouragement from our performances of the last few weeks.

Last Saturday, we went toe-to-toe with the English champions and competed with them for the 80 minutes. We played some great rugby and we’ll be looking to do the same this weekend against the Ospreys.

We know it’s going to be a hugely physical battle but we’re very much looking forward to the test. The goal for us is to keep improving and continue on our upward curve”

Connacht XV

15. Darragh Leader

14. Tiernan O'Halloran

13. Robbie Henshaw

12. Mata Fifita

11. Fetu'u Vainikolo

10. Dan Parks

9. Kieran Marmion

1. Brett Wilkinson

2. Jason Harris-Wright

3. Nathan White (captain)

4. Michael Swift

5. George Naoupu

6. John Muldoon

7. Willie Faloon

8. Eoin McKeon

Replacements (from):

16. Adrian Flavin

17. Ronan Loughney

18. Rodney Ah You

19. Dave Gannon

20. Johnny O'Connor

21. Dave Moore

22. Miah Nikora

23. Danie Poolman

swift4prez wrote: Seven changes for return to RaboDirect PRO12 rugby



Connacht Head Coach Eric Elwood has named a side that shows seven changes from the one that started last Saturday.

Two of those changes are positional with George Naoupu moving from his regular number 8 position to lock in place of an injured Mike McCarthy and Robbie Henshaw replacing the injured Eoin Griffin in the centre.

Mata Fifita replaces Dave McSharry and joins Henshaw in the new centre partnership.

19-year-old Darragh Leader earns his first competitive start for the province at full back. Leader, who has only recently been signed to the Connacht Academy, impressed as he came off the bench last week with the Connacht Eagles. The young Leader has represented Ireland at U19 level and is currently with the Ireland U20 squad.

Up front, loosehead prop Brett Wilkinson replaces Denis Buckley. Wilkinson is joined in the front row by tighthead Nathan White, who captains the side, and Jason Harris-Wright who earns his first competitive start of the season. The 24-year-old hooker has made a notable impression from the bench in both RaboDirect PRO12 clashes with Ulster and his former club Leinster. With Naoupu moving forward, Eoin McKeon now wears the number 8 jersey.

On the bench, former Stormers player Danie Poolman is set to make his first appearance for the province. Rodney Ah You and Dave Gannon also return to the bench as replacement forwards.

Connacht will take on the defending RaboDirect PRO12 champions Ospreys at Liberty Stadium tomorrow, Saturday 27th October; kick-off is at 2.30pm. The Welshmen have won their last three matches in the competition and Head Coach Eric Elwood is aware of the challenge Steve Tandy’s side pose:

“Over the years, we’ve had huge physical encounters with the Welsh side and we’ll be expecting the same this weekend. It’s another big challenge but we take great encouragement from our performances of the last few weeks.

Last Saturday, we went toe-to-toe with the English champions and competed with them for the 80 minutes. We played some great rugby and we’ll be looking to do the same this weekend against the Ospreys.

We know it’s going to be a hugely physical battle but we’re very much looking forward to the test. The goal for us is to keep improving and continue on our upward curve”

Connacht XV

15. Darragh Leader

14. Tiernan O'Halloran

13. Robbie Henshaw

12. Mata Fifita

11. Fetu'u Vainikolo

10. Dan Parks

9. Kieran Marmion

1. Brett Wilkinson

2. Jason Harris-Wright

3. Nathan White (captain)

4. Michael Swift

5. George Naoupu

6. John Muldoon

7. Willie Faloon

8. Eoin McKeon

Replacements (from):

16. Adrian Flavin

17. Ronan Loughney

18. Rodney Ah You

19. Dave Gannon

20. Johnny O'Connor

21. Dave Moore

22. Miah Nikora

23. Danie Poolman

Yehaa! stoked my imaginary centre partnership gets a trial run cant wait hope they do great, its a smarting ospreys tho so hopefully we get some decent forward momentum during the match. major props to the management for the imagination to try it

You gotta figure Leader is going to be targeted by the Ospreys as its his first game. It says in the article that Leader was newly signed up to the academy. Isn't the 3 month trial for player's like Alex O'Meara over? Does anyone know if anymore new guys got signed up to the academy?

Ospreys took a beating last week so will be on vengeful mood. They picked a strong team against us so will be a tough game. Good to see Poolman fit.

I was asking Alex a month or two ago on twitter he has moved back to england for college and is staying with Callum o'Connell. this is what he said:
"Alex O'meara ‏@alexomeara7
Chilling in my new pad waiting for @CallumOConnell to get here!! #roomie

10 Sep Derek C ‏@XVanbasten
@alexomeara7 have you left connacht alex???

10 Sep Alex O'meara ‏@alexomeara7
@XVanbasten no I haven't just studying in England this year"

So it seams he'll be back again once college finishes

15 Richard Fussell

14 Hanno Dirksen

13 Andrew Bishop

12 Ashley Beck

11 Eli Walker

10 Dan Biggar

9 Kahn Fotuali'i

1 Ryan Bevington

2 Richard Hibbard

3 Aaron Jarvis

4 Alun Wyn Jones (Capt)

5 Ian Evans

6 Joe Bearman

7 Justin Tipuric

8 Jonathan Thomas

REPLACEMENTS

16 Matthew Dwyer

17 Duncan Jones

18 Joe Rees

19 James King

20 George Stowers

21 Rhys Webb

22 Matthew Morgan

23 Tom Isaacs

The following players were not considered because of injury:

Ryan Jones - Dead leg

Adam Jones - Knee

Scott Baldwin - Shoulder

Tom Smith - Groin

Tom Habberfield - Ankle

Forwards Coach, Jonathan Humphreys, said:

"Connacht are a very dangerous team, Eric Elwood has taken what was already a tough, physical group and looked to expand their game. We know that we are going to have be well prepared, diligent and focused if we are going to get what we want out of this fixture, and it'll need to be a real team effort on and off the field.

"It's a traditional Saturday afternoon kick-off, allowing families to come out and support the cause, and we're looking forward to it. This is the first game in a very important period of the season. We've got four PRO12 games over the next six weeks, three of them at home, plus a couple of LV games as well, and it's where we'll really see what depth we've got in the squad.

"I genuinely believe that it's this time of the year where we've won some of our previous league titles, where boys have stepped in and stood up, many of them youngsters who've taken their chance and never looked back. You can list people like Hanno, Tips, Bevington, Beck, even go as far as people like Bishop, Alun Wyn and Ian Evans, they've all got their chance in the international break and never looked back. It's an opportunity for players in the group and for supporters to see who is next on the block for us.

"With it being a half past two kick-off on Saturday we'll hope for a healthy crowd and a good atmosphere that we can all enjoy."