Toulouse v Connacht

Squad Update ahead of Toulouse game
03rd December 2013

The Connacht squad were back at the Sportsground yesterday ahead of Saturday’s departure for France for the Round 3 Heineken Cup clash with Stade Toulousain (KO: Sunday, December 8th, 16:00 / 15:00 Irish time).

After missing last week’s game due to injury, prop Brett Wilkinson returns to training today and is available for selection this week.

Ronan Loughney fractured an eye socket during last Friday’s defeat away to Edinburgh and the medical staff have confirmed that the Galway-born prop will be out of action for at least four weeks.

Also doubtful for this week is forward Aly Muldowney who suffered a shoulder injury on Friday night. Try-scorer Robbie Henshaw, left the field in the second half at Murrayfield with an ankle injury. But management are hopeful the 20-year-old will be available for his ninth European Cup appearance on Sunday.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that versatile back Danie Poolman will require knee surgery and is unfortunately facing up to three months on the sidelines.

Both Tiernan O’Halloran and Andrew Browne who featured for club side Buccanners RFC in their win at the weekend sustained knocks and are unlikely to be available for this week’s Heineken Cup game.

Toulouse v Connacht
Sunday 8th December
At Stade Ernest Wallon
Kick off 4pm local time / 3pm Irish time
On Sky Sports Red Button ; France 2
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Ita)
Assistant Ref: Stefano Penne (Ita)
Assistant Ref: Elia Rizzo (Ita)
TMO: Alan Falzone (Ita)
Citing Commissioner: Tony Lanaway (Eng)

In the British & Irish Cup the Connacht Eagles welcome Bedford Blues to the Sportsground on Saturday afternoon. The round 3 fixture kicks off at 2:30pm and the team will also be announced on Friday. Nigel Carolan’s charges have won their last B&I Cup game at home to Rotherham Titans (27 – 25). There will be free entry to the game for all Connacht Season Ticket Holders.

Meanwhile, ticket sales for the Round 4 clash against Toulouse at the Sportsground a week later on Saturday, 14th December (KO: 6pm) continue to progress steadily. The famous Clan Stand and Enclosed Area are SOLD OUT but remaining tickets are on sale now online from tickets.ie, from the Connacht Rugby office or from Centra and SuperValu stores province-wide.

Hope they use lube before raping us!!!!

What's the bets we pull off a big ireland like 1-off performance and then go back to being shite in the league....

I realise how defeatist this sounds but at this point with league form and injuries cutting selection options way down I'd just settle for scoring more points than they did against Biarritz in france last year....
The main goal is damage limitation, maintain some dignity and hope that TOH/Browne/Henshaw return to fitness quickly to offer some freshness for the return fixture.

Relatively minor point in the grand scheme of things but does anyone else feel having to travel to France first then having a six day turn around doubly damages Connacht? Toulouse obviously get to rest players before their home game if they want we can't do anything about that, but Connacht will have done double the travel the Toulouse players will have done when the game here rolls around, potentially leaving them that much more tired and run down. I know that even if the schedule was reversed it wouldn't improve our chances hugely but to beat a team like Toulouse you really can't afford even a 1-2% decrease in ability/performance levels.

Anyways Muldoon isn't listed as injured so he'll almost certainly go in at 6 with Kearney on the bench and Clark and Swift(c) in the row. Wilkinson and White likely to start with Buckley and Rodney off the bench feels a more secure option than it would have in the past, and the subs will offer some good carrying ability.

Could see McKeon on the bench to cover 6/8 (think he's come on at 7 before too?) to accompany Kearney.

Duffy and Carr will most likely be retained as 15/14 and mcsharry/griff partnership continues to excite. Healy on the other wing will not get the same chances he has in the recent past but could still work some magic. Will need to watch out for maurading back rowers as the Edinburgh 6 has nothing on the likes of Picamoles or that gigantic man-child-beast of theirs.


Got my stewdent ticket for the home game so looking forward to my first heineken fixture.

pinky wrote: Was there any advance sale of tickets for STHs for this game?
Didn't they do one for Sarries? Maybe I was just asleep and missed it.

If there was pinky i missed it too, don't remember one for the Sarries game but i could be wrong.

From what i understand, both games didnt go on sale for STH first!
TBH first year vs Toulouse they did and alot was sold, STH buying for friends etc.

for the big games, it seems Connacht hold back tickets from the clan, either for genuine reasons, ie sponsors or to boost ticket sales. people panic and buy the main stand as they dont want to be risking being behind the goals. if the sponsors or the away team dont want the held back clan tickets, then connacht sell them to the "ah sure i wont go unless im in the clan crowd" = win win for the branch.

so so so disappointing seeing so little tickets sold for this. clan/hospitality/enclossed all sold but unlikely to have anyone behind the posts. id guess there is plenty left in the main stand too, otherwise we'd be getting tweets from connacht saying, last 500, less the 500 etc

Worrying to see the interest falling like this, not good news at all but hardly unexpected, crap on the field hardly likely to bring people in, fair weather fans getting over the novelty of H Cup after a couple of years and staying away ...

We need a boost and we need it quick, and I don't mean Loti!!!!

So what are people fancying for a line up? I'd go for this:

15. Henshaw
14. Carr
13. Griffin
12. McSharry
11. Healy
10. Parks
9. Marmion

1. Wilkinson
2. JHW
3. White
4. Swift
5. Clarke
6. Muldoon
7. Heenan
8. George

16. Henry
17. Buckley
18. Ah You
19. Muldowney
20. McKeon/Kearney
21. POD
22. Ronaldson
23. Duffy

I'd be happy with that. That looks well but its all about how they turn up on Sunday. On paper fine but it needs to show on Sunday.
Some fine players but were still lacking quality and direction from 10 when we play a good side.
Can Ronaldson make the step I dont know.

its_phil wrote: So what are people fancying for a line up? I'd go for this:

15. Henshaw
14. Carr
13. Griffin
12. McSharry
11. Healy
10. Parks Ronaldson? maybe Parks is more relevant for these high level matches
9. Marmion

1. Wilkinson
2. JHW
3. White
4. Swift Kearney
5. Clarke
6. Muldoon
7. Heenan
8. GeorgeMcKeon<

16. Henry
17. Buckley
18. Ah You
19. Muldowney
20. McKeon/Kearney George
21. POD
22. Ronaldson
23. Duffy Leader or Layden or Mc Auley

[quote="Sol_ie" post=22574I think he was spot on for the Leinster game
[/quote]

I think he missed a straightforward penalty at the start of the second half that would have put us 7 points clear. I'd still pick him though.

I'd pick Parks for the away game anyways.

Connachta are you saying you'd drop Swift altogether? That seems harsh I can't see why unless you really want your second row to play 80?

I want my 2nd row to hold firm just before HT and between the 50th and the 60th min, period when we lost so many matches (Leinster Scarlets Ulster Glasgow...). And I think Kearney has this freshness