Fair play to all the connacht players and staff this week.
You could see in the first half that a lot of players were struggling with fitness after 15 minutes into the game.
Then you had a Toulouse team that just played forwards rugby and you need a fully fit team to have a chance against Toulouse. But we did make the same mistakes that we have been making all season and our back play was horizontal and easy to defend. Just need to get mcsharry running straight and get their defence going backwards before we go wide.
Quick ball created by our forwards followed up by our backs running straight and hard

As Lam said, let's stick on the positive, McKeon is clearly our n°8, McSharry and Mick Kearney just need more gametime to come back to constant high level ; Griffin, Marmion, JHW, and Henshaw clearly already are at the level, Heenan and Leader just need to strenghten and gain a little weight and they will be...

Don't want to talk about the quality of the game right now as you can't judge where this team is based on this week or last week. But I do want to just echo what Lam said, Marmion is something else. He was literally in hospital this week and played the whole 80, not only played but was in the heart of everything, ordering forwards around, nailing picamoles from the base of the scrum, dump tackling toulouse forwards. He is something else, I really think he should be connacht's captain in the next year or two. Its a real pity that we lost Ronaldson as while it didn't seem likely we'd turn it around Connacht really lost all shape after that. Connacht finished the game, depending on how you look at players, with 4 fullbacks on the field.

It was a disappointing evening but to be expected really. I'm too long supporting Connacht to expect that we'd do it again this week. Toulouse were focused, well-drilled and professional and did the job as all good teams do. We started fairly well but once again got a lesson that basic mistakes will consistently be punished at this level. Restarts were poor, 1st try conceded through poor ball retention, we fell off too many tackles and in defence and at the breakdown we didn't do anywhere near enough. For the 4th try there has to be a lot of questions asked defensively, Picamoles is a big man but there are no excuses for how he got in. I wouldn't really fault us overall bar one or two individuals, we were ok, nowhere near the level we needed to be at but not awful either but it was a major anti-climax.

In the end, we have had one memorable day but that can't stand alone at the end of the season as the only highlight. A win over Zebre will give us a better total than last season and that would be a good return but we need to perform consistently well in the next 5 games and not live off the glory of a one-off victory.

connachta wrote: IS Darragh able to play SH?

Matt Healy can play SH so he prob would have been cover

Wether hi is or not he is goin to be !! If Marmion had flu he will not last 80

IS Darragh able to play SH?

Changes to Connacht bench due to flu outbreak

14th December 2013

Due to the flu epidemic that has hit the squad this week, Connacht coaches have been forced to make some late changes to the side announced yesterday.

With both halfbacks Frank Murphy and Paul O’Donohoe ruled out due to illness, Daragh Leader has been brought on to the bench as a replacement back.

Replacement Tighthead Prop has also been hit with the illness and so JP Cooney takes his place on the bench.

FACECUTTR wrote: It's gonna be a long 4 hours and 50 minutes !!!
Any word on the players and the flu lads ??

Whyte unlikely be ok for bench. I see JP Cooney didn't travel to Bedford. Hopefully he's fit.

Hello

I have 3 main terrace tickets, looking for 2 clan, I'm a season ticket holder myself but it's for my brother and his friend.

FACECUTTR wrote: It's gonna be a long 4 hours and 50 minutes !!!
Any word on the players and the flu lads ??

McShaz still under the weather

Thanks ummm...found out that Fat Boys will be showing it too..crisis averted!

PME Devs will be showing the game

It's gonna be a long 4 hours and 50 minutes !!!
Any word on the players and the flu lads ??

connolly wrote: I feel sick to the stomach just thinking about today's game, not sure is it nerves or sympathy pains for the lads. :sick: :sick:

I feel sick too but I'm prettty sure it's the hangover from last night's work party. Will try crawl down to the Dail at 3:30 for the cure

im that side too Diom but said id see what the buzz around town is. great to see new people there and even though i prefer standing. i do dislike that its not a seat and my seat. standing in the same spot for 14+ games, then cant get there for big games, ah well there is bigger problems arund.
a win will forget all that