I still expect them to be a physically big team but naieve and inexperienced. hopefully we can put the game away early and make wholesale changes for the 2nd half

Even of the 25 that travelled, the two they left out, the loosehead SYNAEGHEL and openside GOURDON are regular first-teamers.
A try bonus would be nice. I don't fell comfortable being this confident.

A difficult decision for Lam because he needed to strike a balance between playing for the home fans (who he has consistently praised don't forget and is keen to keep on side) and resting players. There could have been a few more rested imo, Leader and Faloon in particular. Muldoon is a difficult choice, first home game in the competition requires your captain but I expect he will go off fairly early unless the game becomes a struggle (but even then it would be good to hook him around 60minutes). The real problem is the Exeter and Ospreys games that follow will be difficult away tests and we need our captain firing on all cylinders, but its hard to know if Muldoon can keep up his form for the next 3 weeks at this pace.

once again I don't say it's a bad team, yes 2nd-string players will intend to show their value. BUT I keep saying Muldoon Muldowney Marmion Henshaw White and Leader should have been rested as Browne Qualter Porter Finn Bealham and Layden are correct players who need to step up too. It was the good moment, they won't against Exeter or Ospreys away

Le XV de départ : Cestaro - Luteau, Murimurivalu, Vuli-Vuli, Cler - (o) Gard, (m) LeBail - Goujon, Guyot, Djebaïli - Graham, Grobler - Pelo, Gélédan, Corbel. Les remplaçants : Van Vuuren, Sénéca, Cedaro, Kieft, Berger, Bouldoire, Lagarde, Bourrust.

connachta wrote:

theCulk wrote: There's no point diluting the team right now. We're on a good run. Let's keep it going. Winning becomes a habit

But I keep trying to tell you: we WILL win against la Rochelle with this team, it's not a junior lineup for g**'s sake!
Some of you will cry sooner rather than later : why oh why Faloon, Marmion, Buckley, White, all thoses big guns, haven't been preserved when we HAD to. For Glasgow away, ok there was a debate about "unwinnable", Bradley strategy etc. This is diffierent, this is about using a good armalite instead of sacrifying the rockets of your bazuka, with the same result!!!

No this is about putting out your strongest team, showing the opposition respect and if the opportunity arises, laying down a marker and getting a few tries. I wouldn't underestimate this team. They've nothing to lose

Could someone post la rochelle team please?

RockSalt wrote:

salmson wrote: Squad update says Browne played 80 minutes against Bristol in the B&I (Bristol press reports didn't have him in the team at all). Good to see him and JHW back in time for Europe.

He did manage to get the ref to give him a ten minute breather during the game; so nearer 70 minutes.............

Haha even more cynical than I am :lol:

clanman wrote: only 4 La Rochelle players retained from the starting lineup that faced Clermont last week. exactly and only two of those in their last home game

I feel we missed a trick here not to rest a few more of our players. Glasgow away was arguable but this is huge mistake. Faloon our last openside flanker, thrown against a "A" side :S

If Exeter put out their top team against us next week they beat us. End Of Yeah this was the team to play Exeter if we had wanted to. Now Muldoon will arrive in England with 7 games in a row. Stupid

But to remain slightly positive we can hope that brings a decent home crowd, and that releases correct players much needed by Nigel for Pontypridd :dry:

only 4 La Rochelle players retained from the starting lineup that faced Clermont last week.

I feel we missed a trick here not to rest a few more of our players.

If Exeter put out their top team against us next week they beat us. End Of

Huge respect for pat for saying he want to win this and no surprise he picks his best team.
Winning is a habit, we'll keep that going and go to Exeter to fight for top spot

Head Coach Pat Lam has named his side for Connacht’s opening round in the new European Rugby Challenge Cup. French side La Rochelle visit the Sportsground on Saturday for the 5pm kick off.

Returning from injury, hooker Jason Harris-Wright makes his season debut in a pack that sees five personnel changes from last week’s PRO12 clash with Treviso. The all new front row includes veteran props Ronan Loughney and Nathan White while Aly Muldowney is named in the second row for his third start of the season.

Willie Faloon will line out at openside flanker which allows Eoin McKeon to revert to Number 8 and complete the back row with captain John Muldoon.

With an average age of just under 23, the back line sees just one change asDanie Poolman comes on to the right wing. At fullback and outhalf respectively, Connacht-born backs Darragh Leader and Jack Carty retain their starting berths for the seventh consecutive week since the season started.

The most notable inclusion on the bench is the return of Galway forward Andrew Browne who played his first competitive game of the season for the Connacht Eagles last weekend. Centre Dave McSharry is in line to earn his 50thConnacht cap.

Commenting on the team selection and the upcoming game, Head Coach Pat Lam said:“As people will see, we’ve backed up our desire to perform and compete in this European competition with a strong team selected. This is a great opportunity to test ourselves against different opposition and continue to build as a team.

“With the physical challenge expected from La Rochelle, it was an opportune time to rotate our front rowers and make some changes to the pack. Once again, it’s a very young back line but these guys have been performing week in week out and have contributed greatly to a good start to our season.

“We want to retain our unbeaten record at home and are really looking forward to another special occasion with our supporters at the Sportsground.  La Rochelle have never have been here to play before so it’d be nice to be able to give them a warm, warm welcome. A bouncing Sportsground for our last home game for another five weeks would be a massive lift for us and it would allow us to kick off into this Europe Challenge Cup in the best possible way.”

Connacht team to face La Rochelle 
15. Darragh Leader
14. Danie Poolman
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Craig Ronaldson
11. Matt Healy
10. Jack Carty
9. Kieran Marmion
1. Ronan Loughney
2. Jason Harris-Wright
3. Nathan White
4. Quinn Roux
5. Aly Muldowney
6. John Muldoon ©
7. Willie Faloon
8. Eoin McKeon

Replacements:
16. Dave Heffernan
17. Denis Buckley
18. Rodney Ah You
19. Andrew Browne
20. George Naoupu
21. Ian Porter
22. Dave McSharry
23. Niyi Adeolokun

Unavailable/Injured: Sean Henry, Tom McCartney, Shane Delahunt, Michael Swift, Mata Fifta, Jake Heenan, Tiernan O’Halloran, Bundee Aki, Mils Muliaina

salmson wrote: Squad update says Browne played 80 minutes against Bristol in the B&I (Bristol press reports didn't have him in the team at all). Good to see him and JHW back in time for Europe.

He did manage to get the ref to give him a ten minute breather during the game; so nearer 70 minutes.............

theCulk wrote: There's no point diluting the team right now. We're on a good run. Let's keep it going. Winning becomes a habit

But I keep trying to tell you: we WILL win against la Rochelle with this team, it's not a junior lineup for g**'s sake!
Some of you will cry sooner rather than later : why oh why Faloon, Marmion, Buckley, White, all thoses big guns, haven't been preserved when we HAD to. For Glasgow away, ok there was a debate about "unwinnable", Bradley strategy etc. This is diffierent, this is about using a good armalite instead of sacrifying the rockets of your bazuka, with the same result!!!

There's no point diluting the team right now. We're on a good run. Let's keep it going. Winning becomes a habit

You want a reasonnable team with the squad list

1) Lough
2) JHW
3 ) Cooney
4 ) Qualter
5) Roux
6) Browne
7) McKeon
8 ) Naou (sad there's no Masterson)
9) Porter
10) Ronaldson
11) Niyi
12) McSha
13) Finn
14) Carr
15) Layden
16) Heff
17) Bealham
18) AhYou
19) Kearney
20) Faloon (no other choice, Connolly injured)
21) Blade
22) Nik
23) Healy