Connacht vs Llanelli Scarlets - 15/09/12 15:00

swift4prez wrote: what have you heard? we must be empty on scrum halfs as they wouldnt of brought on frank murphy last time and that they would of put KM back on rather than using nikora there

A subbed player can't come back on unless he was off for a blood injury or a prop. Once Marmion was off he couldn't return.

ummm, wrote: A subbed player can't come back on unless he was off for a blood injury or a prop. Once Marmion was off he couldn't return.

Just curious, but what's the rule if:

(1) the only remaining sub is in an unsuitable position e.g. Frank goes down, only bloke left on the bench is Flav? Just a case of suck it up?

(2) all your subs are used and someone goes down with a bad injury? In that case can you reintroduce whomever you like?

Injury List
Does anybody have an update on our injured players and when they are set to return

When is our marquee signing (Parks) going to make an appearance

3.12 SUBSTITUTED PLAYERS REJOINING THE MATCH
(a) If a player is substituted, that player must not return and play in that match, even to replacean injured player.
Exception 1: a substituted player may replace a player with an open or bleeding wound.
Exception 2: a substituted player may replace a front row player when injured, temporarily
suspended or sent off unless the referee has ordered uncontested scrums prior to the event
which led to the front row player leaving the field of play and the team has used all the
permitted replacements and substitutions.
(b) If uncontested scrums have been ordered and there is an injury to a front row player which
requires that player to be replaced and there is a front row player available to replace that
player then the front row player replacement must be used rather than players other than
front row replacements.

salmson wrote: (1) the only remaining sub is in an unsuitable position e.g. Frank goes down, only bloke left on the bench is Flav? Just a case of suck it up?

Flav comes on.

salmson wrote: (2) all your subs are used and someone goes down with a bad injury? In that case can you reintroduce whomever you like?

You play with 14.

Any word on team news guys? Getting very hard to guess who could be picked seeing as there have been guys who were clearly still a bit injured selected on the bench the last couple of weeks!

Connachtman wrote: Any word on team news guys? Getting very hard to guess who could be picked seeing as there have been guys who were clearly still a bit injured selected on the bench the last couple of weeks!

Not much by way of news this week. All we know from the Advertiser today is that Murphy, Muldoon and George picked up injuries last week. George has a haematoma which he picked up after 10 mins and played on. Otherwise complete radio silence.

Best case scenario, there could be an element of strategy to it. Only name a team when an in-form Scarlets squad have boarded the plane...

Best case scenario, there could be an element of strategy to it. Only name a team when an in-form Scarlets squad have boarded the plane...

There's that Connacht fan optimism right there!

Preview: Connacht v Scarlets


Saturday 15th September 2012, KO 3pm

Simon Easterby brings his Scarlets team to the Sportsground this Saturday at 3pm for the third round of the RaboDirect Pro12. The Scarlets have hit the ground running this season and are perched proudly on the top of the league table having secured two great wins so far and scoring ten tries in the process. Even more impressively both wins have come away from home. First they disposed of last year’s Heineken cup champions Leinster. Admittedly the Leinster outfit were missing a lot of their first team regulars but such is the competition for places at Leinster that the 45 – 20 score line and the manner of the performance was very impressive. Last weekend Scarlets went to Glasgow and spoiled the opening day party at the Warriors newly refurbished Scotstoun stadium by winning 18 -13. Easterby said following that game that he was “very proud of the way the players secured that win, they worked very hard for that victory, and it was hard-fought and showed the character and commitment in this Scarlets team.”

In a statement of intent for this weekend’s game he went on to say that the Scarlets can still improve on their opening performances.

The Scarlets are based in Llanelli and have a rich rugby heritage with their first recorded game being played in 1876, however, they celebrated their centenary year in 1972 as it was thought that the club was formed a few years prior to that first recorded game. During the reorganization of Welsh rugby in 2003, the Lanelli Scarlets region was formed. It was the only Welsh club side to avoid a merger. The club moved from Stradley Park in 2008 to its new home in the 15,000 capacity Par y Scarlets. The Scarlets now proudly represent the whole of west and north Wales. The Scarlets made seven new signings this season with the South African born second row Johan Synam adding strength and power to the pack. With Rhys Priestland pulling the strings at out half they have developed into a formidable team. Simon Easterby and the new forwards coach Danny Wilson oversaw a tough regime in pre season which has been reflected in their strong start to the campaign.

As Michael Swift notes in the short audio interview below Connacht are playing at home and have to be confident that they can perform to the highest level. The win last week away in Italy has certainly bolstered the squad. Connacht are looking to play an open expansive game and the performance in Parma especially in the first half should give them the confidence to reproduce that game plan in front of an expectant home crowd.






Kick off in the Sportsground is on Saturday at 3pm and the turnstiles will be open well beforehand so get here early to soak up the atmosphere. We will have traditional Irish music at the newly refurbishhed Clan Bar from 1.30pm. Don't forget to check out our interactive Kids’ Zone where children will be able to participate in kicking and passing competitions as well as scrummage practice. In addition to this we have set aside a Kids Only Viewing area in the Clan stand to ensure that all children under the age of 12 will be underneath cover and won’t miss any of the action with a clear view of the game.

Looks like injuries are set to force this along, but IMO this is a good game to try some new combinations. Think Connacht should have more than able replacements in the pack. Scrumhalf seems like a worry if Moore is injured (assuming that is why Murphy was risked last time out). If they are still thin at centre I would be tempted to throw Duffy in there with Griffin and give one of the young lads a run at FB. Something has to change in the backs and with the Scarlets coming to town it needs to happen fast. Barring torrential rain, Connacht are going to need to score 28-34 points to win this one.

RogueXV wrote: If they are still thin at centre I would be tempted to throw Duffy in there with Griffin and give one of the young lads a run at FB.

Please God no. Here in Mayo we call that type of selection a "John Maughan" (got a burst tyre, sure why not change all 4?). Duffy's missed tackle for Pace's try last week would not have me rushing him to 12.

15 Gavin Duffy (C)
14 Tiernan O’Halloran
13 Eoin Griffin
12 Dave McSharry
11 Fetu’u Vainikolo
10 Miah Nikora
09 Kieran Marmion

01 Brett Wilkinson
02 Ethienne Reynecke
03 Nathan White
04 Michael Swift
05 Mike McCarthy
06 Andrew Browne
07 Willie Faloon
08 Eoin McKeon


Replacements from:
16 Adrian Flavin
17 Dennis Buckley
18 Rodney Ah You
19 Dave Gannon
20 Johnny O'Connor
21 Dave Moore
22 Matthew Jarvis
23 Robbie Henshaw

I like the look of the backs now. Really glad to see McShaz back.

I guess Rollox is either injured or rested under player management. Excited to see what White brings from the start.

Rodney is in danger of being mucked about, though. LH replacement last week, TH this week.

Scarlets team v Connacht Saturday 15th September 2012, Sportsground kick-off 3pm:
15 Jordan Williams, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies (capt), 12 Scott Williams, 11 Nick Reynolds 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Gareth Davies,

1 Phil John, 2 Matthew Rees, 3 Samson Lee, 4 Sione Timani, 5 Richard Kelly, 6 Josh Turnbull, 7 Johnathan Edwards, 8 Kieran Murphy.

Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Peter Edwards, 18 Deacon Manu, 19 Jake Ball, 20 Rob McCusker, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Aled Thomas, 23 Gareth Maule.

Could have been a lot worse.

Willie Faloon, you have been assimilated

Good to see Dave McSharry back.