WestLuce - you call it determination I call it spirit, pretty much one and the same. No hidden agendas re Lam it's just that yesterdays great win will not immediately wipe away all the shite that has preceded it, have a look at the Rabo table, it doesn't lie.

You are absolutely right that Lam is leader of the team and therefore he has to be responsible for where we are overall. There are no bullets to bite, no one is more pleased for the lads about yesterday than me, I'm just not wearing the same rose tinted glasses you are

Utter nonsense Murph13.. this win was not down to connacht spirit are you joking, did you watch the game? This was down to pure and utter determination and good rugby by our boys.This is down to Lam bringing about skill, focus and team playing, unlike last year. You must have a hidden agenda re lam?? I suggest biting the bullet and get behind your team, if it is indeed your team, and not forget Lam is our team leader, therefore he is part of the team. Its this negativity after a historic win that can bring the boys down.

great win but i might get jaws dropping for saying this and i hope the connacht players are reading this - but it should be expected.

we have possibly a plethora of future irish internationals here at connacht so it should come as no surprise - marmion,robbie, buckley, harris wright, griffin, mcshaz, heenan (ok after 3 yrs i detest this rule but he's special!)....and carr if he keeps defending like he did yesterday (twice he stopeed the ball carrrier and stop the ball being released quickly....class ) ...so there is some talent here (as well as academy - finn, o brien, carty etc etc

add clarke, muldoon to the mix and you have a quality spine of the team....

lads hope ye didn't go overboard on the sauce, we need ye to back it up again next weekend

I've no doubt I'll get shot down in flames for this, especially after our best win ever, but we have to keep realistic. We have always been capable of pulling out amazing backs to the wall one off performances when everything is against us, Quins, Biarritz in the last two years prove that.

The win unless it is backed up with regular wins in the Rabo means nothing and I still don't think Lam is the man to take us to where we need to be. Connacht have always had the heart and the grit to put in the occasional huge performance, this is the best ever, but are we any closer to doing it week in week out? I don't think so after seeing what the first half of the season has given us.

Back to earth people, this was down to traditional Connacht spirit and guts not Pat Lam.

Lam out

Just finished watching it a second time. As somebody said already hopefully this is a watershed moment for rest of season.
Plenty of positives. Defense not perfect but its almost if we got a defense coach all of a sudden.
Heros all round but Marmion, Heenan Clarke, Griff Robbie stood out for me.

I would like to see this 12,13, 15 combination for rest of season. Didn’t see many highlights from Edinburgh game but Griffin was great offensively and defensively today and against scarlets and deserves to make 13 his own. Hope somebody is doing the business on a contract extension for him. Robbie had one of his best performances but should have passed to Carr at 30 mins.
Changes for next week? Same starting 23 but:
McKeon for George. Less lineout options but George was our worst performer today.
Duffy for ?Healy. I think Duffy’s future is on the bench but he gives us more defensive options. He played well on wing last season after coming back from injury.
Rodney for Nathan . Despite his usual 2-3 knock-ons Rodders scrummed well and was mobile in the loose.
Swifty for Kearney. Again I would usually put swifty on bench but he’s be there before against Quins and Biarritz and always ups his game for the big occasion.
Would leave Parks at 10 but he needs to make touch.

Toulouse are about to get a lambasting from coaches fans and local press and will have a completely different attitude next sat. Having said that they have only won one away match this season – against Saracens.. A nice heavy pitch will affect the mobility of their oversized front 5.
Hopefully now we’ll see a sell out for Saturday. Maybe they should get those big temporary stands back in for behind the goal-line.

ps. great to see Buckley back.


Oh, and by the way, well done Pat Lam. F*%$ the begrudgers.

From Dusautoir:

Toulouse skipper Thierry Dusautoir was the first to admit that his side were second best to Connacht in their 16-14 home Heineken Cup defeat.

And the French back row legend also claimed his team had expected to win the game and failed to adapt to the ferocity of the challenge presented by the Irish province.

"Connacht were more aggressive than we were and they played a very good game. We're really disappointed about our performance and about the result - we expected to win this game," said Dusautoir.

"Rugby has nothing to do about the gaps between our budgets. A game is 15 men against 15, and the 15 Irish men were better than us today. We will need a greater concentration to win next week.

"They got a lot of turnovers and played those well, putting us under a lot of pressure. We were not able to adapt against a team that played a perfect away game

"We played them a couple of years ago and, although we got two wins, they were not so easy to get. So we were aware of the fact that they are a good team, even if they're ranking last in the Celtic League.

"Irish teams are not the same in Celtic League and in Heineken Cup. This competition is special for them."

Been trying to find some words to say......... But hard to find the right ones........ Sport just grinds you down and breaks your heart, makes you angry and sad......... But then.......... Days like this........ Days like this !

So proud of the guys. It kills me I wasn't in France or even in Galway tonight to celebrate it. Wins like this don't happen ofter so lets savour it and look forward to next week.

thought buckley was immense when he came on. scrum had some power with the new front row.

So many positives from today. Hard to pick any. Marmion was immense, absolute masterrclass. Craig and mul were superb. Dan, Brett, Robbie, Fionn, Big George. Buckley and Frank Murphy were great off the bench, you would never have thought hey hadn't had much game time this year.

We also have our first unofficial nomination for Player Of The Year: Rodney.

Something else. Just so unbelievably proud of what the lads were able to do today. Lams plan is coming together.

Bring on next week. We're ready.

some of the knocks the lads took would put most guys down, Sean Henry was out on his feet after the first 5 minutes, he never looked for any attention from the medics going straight back into contact looking like he was ready to collapse.

it still has'nt sunk in, Toulouse one of the giants of European Rugby with a home record better than any team, humbled by a Connacht team who played with a never give-up attitude. I'm going to enjoy giving it to all the GAA rugby haters tomorrow in work. I will be at the ground 2 hours before kickoff next weekend to welcome them on the pitch.

What a wonderful, wonderful day! Tears streaming down my face at the end. Very very proud of the team, Pat Lam, and all the coaching staff. We shouldn't single anyone out, but Jake Heenan was amazing.

I don't know if all of you guys are as drained as I am after that but I'd like to say congrats to all of the supporters. We've been through the ringer a few times this season and some fans would have given up the ghost. Let's enjoy this one... reminds us of why we love this game.

wp_rathead wrote: ohh my gawwwddd

Whole team were top notch but special mention to that man Heenan again - different class

Could say was ref was harsh in regards robbies try but iv seen tries similar to Marimons not given so let bygones be bygones..

Roll on next Sat, it be too cheeky to ask for Back to Back wins? i think not - on the lads!!

I honestly believe he's the second best 7 in Ireland atm. If youse all want to chip in to fund my research I will find his Irish granny before the 2014 six nations