Moved the away jersey discussion into the other thread to prevent this one getting sidetracked

I was right beside Jake in the corner when he came off the last day, and I was instantly worried. I'm no medic, but at that moment I felt as though he could be out for a while. Fingers crossed I'm wrong because he deserves a big season after a lengthy injury and we need him.

So there are only 5 questions

1) Ah U or White?
2) Cooney or Porter for the bench
3) Layden, Finn or O'Leary for 23
4) Bealham ou Loughney for 2nd choice Loosehead
5) Nikora or Ronalson for 22

I LOVE having those different possibilities of equal qualities. For the 1st time, we've got a litlle depth in the squad

Buckley
Heffernan
White
Kearney
Roux
Muldoon
Faloon
Naoupu
Marmion
Carty
Poolman
McSharry
Henshaw
Niyi
Leader

salmson wrote: That looks like the likely 15, unless there are other injuries we don't know about. Wouldn't mind seeing Loughs, Swifty, and McKeon (or someone who can cover 8 if he's not fit, so George can move to the second row at some stage) on the bench so the lads who played 80 against Dragons (Buckley, Kearney, Roux) don't have to a second week in a row.

Perfectly agree. The 1st XV is picking himself, Lough, Swift and Muldowney/McKeon should be on the bernch to avoid a full 80 min-game to those you quoted, but not in the starting team, we just can't afford to let our best players as subs

swift4prez wrote: Following surgery on his shoulder last February, New Zealand born flanker Jake Heenan returned to competitive action on Saturday but left the field on 78 minutes after an impressive display. The 22-year-old aggravated the shoulder in the dying minutes of the game and awaits further tests to determine the scale of the damage.

Don't like the sound of that. I imagine that he will be rested against the Gunners. No point in taking chances when we have Faloon available IMO.

The Connacht squad returned to training at the Sportsground in Galway yesterday following Saturday’s opening day win over Newport Gwent Dragons.

There were some sore bodies after the physical encounter with captain John Muldoon (tight hamstring) and Quinn Roux (dead leg) sitting out training yesterday. Both forwards are expected to run today, Tuesday, and will be available for selection ahead of round 2 away to Edinburgh on Friday.

Following surgery on his shoulder last February, New Zealand born flanker Jake Heenan returned to competitive action on Saturday but left the field on 78 minutes after an impressive display. The 22-year-old aggravated the shoulder in the dying minutes of the game and awaits further tests to determine the scale of the damage.

Meanwhile, backs Shane O’Leary and Matt Healy both returned to full training this week. O’Leary, who missed out on round 1 due to a dead leg, is expected to be available to Pat Lam this week while Healy, recovering from a hand fracture, has another week or two to go until he is fit to play.

Ireland internationals Kieran Marmion and Robbie Henshaw are both available to play on Friday night at BT Murrayfield.

Scrum half John Cooney, on loan from Leinster Rugby, arrived in Galway yesterday. The 24-year-old Dubliner is match fit, having played club rugby at the weekend for Terenure RFC.

The Connacht team to face Edinburgh will be announced at noon on Thursday September 11th.

Edinburgh v Connacht
At BT Murrayfield, 7:35pm
Live on BBCAlba / TG4

That looks like the likely 15, unless there are other injuries we don't know about. Wouldn't mind seeing Loughs, Swifty, and McKeon (or someone who can cover 8 if he's not fit, so George can move to the second row at some stage) on the bench so the lads who played 80 against Dragons (Buckley, Kearney, Roux) don't have to a second week in a row.

We need to be targeting this game, more so than Leinster.

With Henshaw back available, I imagine they'll go with

Buckley
Heffernan
White
Kearney
Roux
Muldoon
Faloon
Naoupu
Marmion
Carty
Poolman
McSharry
Henshaw
Niyi
Leader

That's presuming that Heenan picked up a knock, and is out for the week. With a 6 day turn around, they're better starting Faloon

clanman wrote: i know Munster were understrength against Edinburgh but i got the impression watching the game that they have learnt how to play the Glasgow style. they generate power with the speed at contact, and there's always at least 2 other players on the leading players shoulder. If we can stop them going to ground quickly and recycling then we can compete against them. I'm not very familiar with a lot of the Edinburgh players that played at the weekend so really they are a bit of an unknown quantity

That is precisely the type of game I see us having major problems with. This game last year wasn't on TV but still have flashbacks of the twitter feed showing Edinburgh scoring 3 tries in about 4 minutes near the end to run out 33 point winners in the end.

Having said that I don't think Edinburgh are world beaters just yet. They were down a couple of players in the 2nd row last week according to Alan Solomons in the interview before the game. Their scrum was impressive in parts against Munster but can be targetted I think. Would like to see us target their lineout and try and disrupt them getting into a flow. Hopefully with a couple more coming back we'll start to take more shape as a unit.

I'd be happy with a bonus point to be honest. If we are looking for Top 6 we'll probably have to win a few of these kind of games but at the moment for me its just important we make ourselves difficult to play against.

The main thing I want is a performance. If we get beaten by 20+ here and then come out with a heroic performance against Leinster the following week we are only fooling ourselves. We have to front up for all these type of games, whether we get anything or not is another matter but if we build on the positives from Saturday and tidy up certain elements there is no reason we can't be in the game heading down the home stretch.

i know Munster were understrength against Edinburgh but i got the impression watching the game that they have learnt how to play the Glasgow style. they generate power with the speed at contact, and there's always at least 2 other players on the leading players shoulder. If we can stop them going to ground quickly and recycling then we can compete against them. I'm not very familiar with a lot of the Edinburgh players that played at the weekend so really they are a bit of an unknown quantity

Yeah, and with Leader FB and Hensh centre, without Visser, backs confrontation should be ok for us... even though, I'd be satisfied with a BP, 'tis an away match 'gainst the Thomond park winner. And why not a double bonus just like against Scarlets last season

connachta wrote:

wp_rathead wrote:

menacethedenis wrote:

wp_rathead wrote: Despite having an encouraging debut- the thought of Tim Visser up against Niyi is kinda making me worried..

Is he going to visit him in hospital?

Thought was just a dead leg he got vs Munster?

I Said it (broken leg) in my post just above (2nd of the thread)

Ha so ya did!! Not with it today

Let Niyi at'em so I say

Tis nasty alright.

wp_rathead wrote:

menacethedenis wrote:

wp_rathead wrote: Despite having an encouraging debut- the thought of Tim Visser up against Niyi is kinda making me worried..

Is he going to visit him in hospital?

Thought was just a dead leg he got vs Munster?

I Said it (broken leg) in my post just above (2nd of the thread)

ah feck, poor lad was just back from long term injury

Broken leg I think