I can see your point on everything apart from Muldowney, from what I've seen his physicality doesn't live up to his stat sheet, I've seen him stopped dead, dumped backwards and stripped of the ball far too many times.

1 Buckley (Wilko needs to be rested, and Tony is mobile and can entail turnovers)
2 JHW
3 White
4 Muldowney (117 Kg, we need this physicality, Kearney is 106 and missed 3 tacles out of 10 on sunday)
5 Clarke
6 Browne (No offense to Muldoon, on the contrary he has given so much in Toulouse, that he deserves to be rested + Browne is back in form (B&I try) and overally a good defender
7 Heenan
8 Mc Keon (10 tackles out of 12, Naoupu was 6 out of 11...)
9 Marmion
10 Parks (not perfect at all, but still important to rule the backs in HCup)
11 Healy
12 Mc Shazz
13 Griff
14 Carr
15 Henshaw

16 Henry (if he has fully recovered)
17 Wilko
18 Ah You
19 Kearney
20 Muldoon (luxurious impact player)
21 Murphy
22 Ronaldson
23 D.Leader (we absolutely need him for long range kicks in the end, Parks short attempt could well have cost us the win in Wallon)

ConnachtCows wrote: Swifty is out for 4 weeks with a fractured cheekbone.
Muldowney and O'Halloran are both back fit.

Really can't see any changes to the starting 15, except for possibly McKeon and Harris-Wright (Very harsh on Sean Henry) starting.

I'd probably start with the same 15 again, and switch George and McKeon around half time

I'd hope that any player who is shifted out of the starting 15 would understand its for the greater good and given the way Lam managed the bench at the weekend the subs will all play a vital part. 23 man game etc etc.

With that in mind I wouldn't have a problem with changing two even three of the front row depending on fitness during the week. That is not a slight on any of the starting players but they put in a big shift at the weekend and whoever starts needs to be ready to go at full pace. Browne instead of Muldowney might be a good bench call a more genuine 6 option if Muldoon tires (or just shift Kearney to 6 if Muldoon comes off).
Buckley and Rodney might add some mobility in the loose to help truck the ball up and assuming Conn can maintain quick ball from the ruck should win kickable penalties.

I wouldn't change any of the backs as long as they are all performing well in whatever fitness tests the coaches use. If Ronaldson comes on and Parks stays at 10 I would hope that Parks hands the tee to Ronaldson for those longer kicks surely he knows by now that he just doesn't have the distance especially in the final 10-20 when playing a fast running game that has to take a lot out of his legs.

On a side note I still constantly amazed by Healy this season you would never think he just made the step up from AIL he must have been making a mockery of teams last year.

clanman wrote: any of ye newbie Clanners won't remember that one from the Main Stand Choir Singers.

Woah now, where you getting this "newbie Clanners"thing? I've been around for a while.
Admittedly I've only just started using this forum recently, but thats a fairly big assumption you're makin there buddy!!

bobbyh.ie wrote:

ConnachtCows wrote: ummm and _nobody_

Clarke got a lot of credit on tv, but there was one choke tackle that we won a turn over from, and it all was Muldoons work in my eyes.

Yeah Muldoon has come on a lot lately in terms of his technical ability. Haven't noticed him giving away near as many pens as he had been previously (not singling him out as the sole cause of our poor performance in that area) but that was immense. He made that tackle and Clarke was able to wrap up the ball because of the work Mul did there.

You know one thing that really bugs me though is that we don't have any of our own songs/anthems/chants for the lads.

I emailed the branch once upon a time to get a competition going for people to come up with some stuff but never heard back, nor saw anything come of it. Maybe this is the place to get traction on something like that???

we could always re-use the flavin/o'connor song with "he's got no hair but we don't care, living in a henry wonderland"

any of ye newbie Clanners won't remember that one from the Main Stand Choir Singers.

Tough break for Swifty, he won't have many big games left to play-in. I guess Muldowney will be his replacement.

ConnachtCows wrote: ummm and _nobody_

Clarke got a lot of credit on tv, but there was one choke tackle that we won a turn over from, and it all was Muldoons work in my eyes.

Yeah Muldoon has come on a lot lately in terms of his technical ability. Haven't noticed him giving away near as many pens as he had been previously (not singling him out as the sole cause of our poor performance in that area) but that was immense. He made that tackle and Clarke was able to wrap up the ball because of the work Mul did there.

You know one thing that really bugs me though is that we don't have any of our own songs/anthems/chants for the lads.

I emailed the branch once upon a time to get a competition going for people to come up with some stuff but never heard back, nor saw anything come of it. Maybe this is the place to get traction on something like that???

ConnachtCows wrote: Aaaagh, they all have lovely bottoms

Especially Fionn, according to the ummmette, who took great delight in watching Fionn get 'exposed' in a ruck at one point.

ummm and _nobody_

I'm in full agreement with you both. Fionn stopped a certain try in the first couple of minutes, and more than once, managed to stop an attack all on his own, or at least threw his body on the line.

As for George, I think he had a solid game. Good in the set pieces, made a few solid line breaks, and some important tackles. An interesting fact I saw, was that McKeon made something like 15 tackles in the 35 minutes that he was on. I think we need both fit, as they both work their socks off, and probably arent able to complete a full 80 minutes at the speed they played on Sunday.

Great to see Muldoon have a stormer on Sunday as well. Clarke got a lot of credit on tv, but there was one choke tackle that we won a turn over from, and it all was Muldoons work in my eyes.
It's been a while since I've seen Muldoon have a game like that

Also, Duffy, was very impressive when he came on.

Aaaagh, they all have lovely bottoms

Just watched the game again. I think Fionn Carr had a great game. For a man who has come in for slack for his defence, he was making some great tackles!

Although there is not one player I would criticise in that game.

George has come in for some serious stick this year but he made hard yards off the back of the scrum. But he missed something like 5 tackles in the game, more than anyone else, so he might be in danger.

Swifty is out for 4 weeks with a fractured cheekbone.
Muldowney and O'Halloran are both back fit.

Really can't see any changes to the starting 15, except for possibly McKeon and Harris-Wright (Very harsh on Sean Henry) starting.

I'd probably start with the same 15 again, and switch George and McKeon around half time

this has made me alot more excited, if thats possible

Increased capacity at the Sportsground
10th December 2013

Following Connacht’s historic win over Stade Toulousain on Sunday, the ticket office has been inundated with requests from supporters around the country for the return fixture this Saturday. And due to the phenomenal demand for tickets, a decision has been made to increase the capacity of the Sportsground stadium.

Over the last two days tickets sold has surpassed the 7,000 mark and closing in on 7,500 today. In order to accommodate the extra demand, terraces behind each goal post will be erected for the marquee fixture.

It is expected that tickets will sell out mid-week for the arrival of Guy Noves side and supporters are encouraged to snap up the few remaining spaces.

As of today, the Main Stand has been sold out in addition to the famous Clan Stand and Enclose Area. Tickets remain for the Bohermore and College Road Terrace.

Excitement has been building all week at the club and throughout the country as Pat Lam’s men prepare to welcome back the four-time European Champions for what promises to be the biggest games of the season.

Head of Marketing & Commercial Alex Saul expects the fixture on Saturday evening to be a season highlight: “Sunday’s win was a huge injection in the arm in terms of ticket sales. We had already sold out the Clan Stand but the phone has been ringing non-stop since Sunday and it seems no one wants to miss this massive event. We want everyone here to get behind the team and are looking forward to an electrifying atmosphere, bigger than what we had two years’ ago when Toulouse were last in town.”

Remaining tickets can be purchased online from tickets.ie, from the Connacht Rugby office and from Centra & SuperValu stores province-wide.

ConnachtCows wrote: Listening to Gavin Duffy's interview, and I found it interesting to hear him say, that he will be upset if Connacht dont improve on their performance from Sunday.

I like that attitude alot

Agree- especially as this is his immediate reaction after a brilliant win. Irish Times just posted:

www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/stunned-t...-challenge-1.1622560

Listening to Gavin Duffy's interview, and I found it interesting to hear him say, that he will be upset if Connacht dont improve on their performance from Sunday.

I like that attitude alot

I know I'm starting this topic early but I think it reflects the excitement everyone feels ahead of next Saturday. That plus it was the easiest fact file to do this season yet!!

Heineken Cup Pool 3 Round 4
Connacht v Toulouse Saturday 14th December K/O 18.00
On TV: Sky Sports, Sport +

Sunday 8th December 2013 will go down as a memorable date for Connacht Rugby. After a series of underwhelming league performances, Connacht travelled to South West France with little expectation. However, they achieved a victory which brought joy to Connacht people throughout the globe.

Next Saturday presents Connacht with a chance to take things a step further. 4 time European Cup Champions Toulouse will be desperate to get their campaign back on track and will travel to Galway in determined mood. As with all top teams you might beat them once but beating them twice is a different matter. However, after what was achieved on Sunday the team have us believing that this could be the start of something big.

Toulouse Stats
Founded: 1907
Ground: Stade Ernest Wallon
Capacity: 19,500
Captain: Thierry Dusatoir
Coach: Guy Noves

French Top 14 League Position 2013/14: 2nd P:13 Pts:36
2012/13: Position: 3rd P: 26 Pts: 79 (Lost to Toulon 24-9 in the semi-final)
Heineken Cup 2012/13: Pool 2 Position: 2nd P: 6 Pts: 19 (Failed to Progress)
Amlin Challenge Cup 2012/13: Quarters Finalists (Lost 30-19 to Perpignan)

Achievements:
Heineken Cup Winners: 1996, 2003, 2005, 2010 (4 Times)
French Champions: 19 Times
Coupe De l'Espérance: 1916
Challenge Yves Du Manoir: 5 times
French Cup: 1946, 1947, 1984
World Club Championship: 1986

Recent Results
Brive 25-13 Toulouse (Top 14)
Toulouse 14-3 Oyonnax (Top 14)
Grenoble 25-18 Toulouse (Top 14)
Toulouse 14-16 Connacht (Heineken Cup)

Next Fixture:
Friday 21st December 2013 19.35 Toulouse v Begles-Bordeaux @ Stade Ernest-Wallon

Heineken Cup (Pool 3) (Current Standings)
Saracens 10
Toulouse 9
Connacht 9
Zebre 0

Previous Meetings
Sunday 8th December 2013 Heineken Cup Pool 3: Toulouse 14-16 Connacht

Saturday 14th January 2012 Heineken Cup Pool 6: Toulouse 24-3 Connacht