Connacht Vs Zebre Jan 11 15.40

pinky wrote:

ConnachtBOB wrote: Fecking Gloucester!

I'm going to the Gloucester vs Munster game on Sat (In my Connacht Jersey of course before anyone asks). I just emailed them to see if they'll show the Connacht match beforehand but they're showing the fecking Toulon vs Cardiff one instead.

Think I might be camped out in the Shed with the tablet & skygo

Is that in the ground itself they are showing Toulon v Cardiff?
Teague's or the Kingsholm Inn will surely stick it on for you.

With the exception of the backrow the team should remain exactly the same IMO.

I'd bring Heenan and Nauopu into the backrow.

If Carty plays 10 I'd leave Henshaw at 13 because he will get ball on the gain line instead of 10 yards behind it.

If parks plays 10 then Henshaw should back to 15 because its a waste having him at 13 he will constantly get the ball five yards behind the advantage line.. Its like having a Ferrari and leaving it in the garage.

I thought Griffin did very well at 12 last week. Mc Sharry is more natural there but he's very injury prone unfortunately.

Connacht Head Coach Pat Lam has named his side to face Zebre in round 5 of the Heineken Cup tomorrow at the Sportsground in Galway (Kick off 15:40).

There are just two personnel changes to the starting XV this week, with both of those changes occurring in the pack. 21-year-old Jake Heenan, who missed out on the last two games due to injury, is named to start in the back row. John Muldoon returns to his regular position of blindside flanker, having covered the openside in Heenan’s absence. The Portumna-born forward will also captain the side this week, after Craig Clarke was ruled out with a neck injury sustained at the Sportsground last time out. In the New Zealander’s place, Andrew Browne slots into the second row to partner Mick Kearney.

In the front row, Sligo-born hooker Sean Henry, whose last game was against Toulouse in the home Heineken Cup clash, has returned from injury to start tomorrow.

The same all Irish qualified backline that started against Leinster is selected to face Zebre, with Kieran Marmion at scrumhalf, Jack Carty at outhalf, Eoin Griffin and Robbie Henshaw in midfield, and Matt Healy, Fionn Carr and Darragh Leader in the back three.

Mayo-man Gavin Duffy is named on the replacements bench

Speaking about the team selection and the upcoming game, Head Coach Pat Lam said:

“It’s no secret that we were frustrated with the manner in which we lost the game last week. But as everyone saw, there were some positives from that game, including the encouraging performances from our young back line. We have decided to retain this selection for the game against Zebre – another huge challenge. This is Jack’s first taste of Heineken Cup rugby and also a first start for young Darragh (Leader) in the competition. It’s another big boost to their development as young Irish and Connacht-born players.

“It’s fantastic to welcome back Jake (Heenan) and Sean (Henry) to the match day XV. It’s a long season and the last numbers of games have been extremely physical, taking its toll on some of our players. We’ve had to plan without Craig (Clarke) this week but getting some players back from injury has meant we have the strength and depth to make the necessary changes.

“There’s a huge sense of anticipation around this game. We’re still alive in Europe but we need to make sure we are focused this week and do everything we can to get a good win at home against Zebre. We are not underestimating them. They are a team that have been improving with every game and they deserved their win against Treviso last week. They’ll be coming here full of confidence looking for their first ever win in the Heineken Cup.

“With the support of the special Sportsground crowd, it would be fantastic to do it this week against Zebre and then hopefully go further in the competition.”

Connacht lineup v Zebre

15. Darragh Leader
14. Fionn Carr
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Eoin Griffin
11. Matt Healy
10. Jack Carty
9. Kieran Marmion

1. Brett Wilkinson
2. Sean Henry
3. Nathan White
4. Mick Kearney
5. Andrew Browne
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. Jake Heenan
8. Eoin McKeon

Replacements:

16. Jason Harris-Wright
17. Denis Buckley
18. Rodney Ah You
19. Michael Swift
20. George Naoupu
21. Paul O’Donohoe
22. Dan Parks
23. Gavin Duffy

Unavailable/Injured: Craig Clarke, Aly Muldowney, Dave Nolan, Willie Faloon, Dave McSharry, Craig Ronaldson, Danie Poolman, Miah Nikora, and Kyle Tonetti.

Connacht have won all three of their meetings with Zebre in the European competition, including a 33-6 win away from home in Round 2. A win this week would keep the Irish province alive in Europe, with a game to play against Saracens for qualification from pool 3.

Tickets for Connacht v Zebre this weekend can be purchased online from tickets.ie, from the Connacht Rugby ticket office at the Sportsground or from Centra and SuperValu stores province-wide.

Adult tickets start at €30 while it’s €10 for all Juniors.

Connacht v Zebre
At the Sportsground, 3:40pm
On Sky Sports Red Button
Referee: Neil Paterson (Sco)
Assistant Ref: David Changleng (Sco)
Assistant Ref: Graeme Marshall (Sco)
TMO: Iain Ramage (Sco)
Citing Commissioner: Yann Le Dore (Fra)

Happy with that team good mix of youth, brute force and impact from the bench forwards.

Thought TOH did enough in his Leinstet cameo to deserve keeping place on bench - instead he will be starting FB for the Eagles..
Pretty light weight pack- but arguably more mobile. Clarke deserves rest

Am glad Lam kept faith in Carty and Leader

Ronaldson isn't involved in Eagles so assume he be 24th man?

sea_point wrote: No he's lsited amongs the injured still..

ConnachtCows wrote: <strong>Unavailable/Injured: </strong>Craig Clarke, Aly Muldowney, Dave Nolan, Willie Faloon, Dave McSharry, <strong>Craig Ronaldson</strong>, Danie Poolman, Miah Nikora, and Kyle Tonetti.

Great confidence booster for Carty to get 2 starts in a row. nice article about him today on Rabo website www.rabodirectpro12.com/news/13792.php#.UtAZJfaq_hI


Zebre Team

Zebre: 15 Palazzani, 14 Toniolatti, 13 Ratuvou, 12 Garcia, 11 Berryman, 10 Orquera, 9 Chillon; 1 Aguero, 2 Giazzon, 3 Chistolini, 4 Geldenhuys (c), 5 Biagi, 6 Ferrarini, 7 Van Schalkwyk, 8 Vunisa.

Replacements: 16 Tommaso D'Apice , 17 Andrea de Marchi, 18 David Ryan, 19 Marco Bortolami, 20 Nicola Cattina, 21 Roberto Quartaroli, 22 Ruggero Trevisan, 23 David Odiete.

No Brendan Leonard or Bergamasco.

you got to give lam some credit for giving carty and leader some game time.

if these lads are good enough for Ireland under 20, i always struggled to understand why in ireland we were so slow to get young guys into games.

its a good attitude. will only benefit ireland in years to come.

www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=60539840...78574&type=1&theater

this is a table of the way things stand at the moment. connacht 13th.
even if results go our way tomorrow, we still cant be in the amlin spot as we wont be in 2nd spot in the group, even if we have more points then others. we also need to beat saracens.

9, cardiff 13 points
10, harlequins 11 points
11, gloucester 9 points
12, Northampton 9 points
13, connacht 9 points

id say out of that 5, 2 will win. us vs zebre and northampton vs ospreys.

munster should beat gloucester, toulon beat cardiff and clermont could beat quins

i'd prefer to see Duffy at fullback even though he has'nt been in form this season as I'm not yet convinced about Leader, He could prove me wrong but I don't see him as quality Full-back. the power of our front row should cancel out the lightweight locks and with Leonard missing from the Zebre team I expect Marmion to have another Man of the Match performance.

pinky wrote:

ConnachtBOB wrote: Fecking Gloucester!

I'm going to the Gloucester vs Munster game on Sat (In my Connacht Jersey of course before anyone asks). I just emailed them to see if they'll show the Connacht match beforehand but they're showing the fecking Toulon vs Cardiff one instead.

Think I might be camped out in the Shed with the tablet & skygo

Is that in the ground itself they are showing Toulon v Cardiff?
Teague's or the Kingsholm Inn will surely stick it on for you.