Just been reading the comments from baxter and he's talking about exposing last weeks players to a higher level intensity, reading between the lines it sounds to me like he wants the same set of players again for this week. That's good news for us as it's not the same set of players who have played the last few Premiership games. I did'nt realise Exeter had such a big squad of players.

We have to follow the squad we gave....No O'Leary no Masterson

1 Locks 2 JHW 3 Rodney
4 Swift 5 roux
6 browne 7 Connolly (if his hamstring strain was grade I) 8 mckeon
9 porter 10 Ronalson
11 heally 12 mcsharry 13 Finn 14 niyi 15 layden

16 heff 17 bealham 18 Dever
19 qualter 20 kearney
21 cooney/blade 22 Carty/Nikora 23 carr/TOH

pinky wrote:

Sol_ie wrote: Lads, just wondering if anyone has an idea if this'll be televised. Its not up on either BT or Sky. I can't seem to find a schedule for the French telly, but can't imagine they'd be showing it? Might be a GBFM job?

Nope, not on alas.
TV schedule is on the fixture list: www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/fixtures_ch...on=2014-2015&round=2

we should get highlights at least for this game and Rob M will be at the game for GBFM

Sol_ie wrote: Lads, just wondering if anyone has an idea if this'll be televised. Its not up on either BT or Sky. I can't seem to find a schedule for the French telly, but can't imagine they'd be showing it? Might be a GBFM job?

Nope, not on alas.
TV schedule is on the fixture list: www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/fixtures_ch...on=2014-2015&round=2

Lads, just wondering if anyone has an idea if this'll be televised. Its not up on either BT or Sky. I can't seem to find a schedule for the French telly, but can't imagine they'd be showing it? Might be a GBFM job?

www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/pro12/pat...-to-exeter-1.1970473

www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/connacht-...exeter-30680080.html

nothing new, but still post it

So, apparently the Exeter fans I quoted earlier are on the same line than Baxter who talked about "the group of players that haven’t played high-intensity rugby. I hope that proves to be the case and I am hoping that we are a little bit better and a little bit less rusty in the things we do next week.”.

very few changes to expect then

RogueXV wrote: Connacht chasing after the Challenge Cup has always been a bit of a fool's errand IMO and now with no automatic qualification for the Champions Cup attached that is even more so the case. Perhaps a psychological benefit would be gained by winning some silverware, but the Pro 12 really has to be Connacht's focus this season. Lam probably would never rest players for 2 straight games and injuries have limited some of what he would like to do so I think there are enough reasons to make a case to pick a stronger team for the La Rochelle game rather than Exeter. Not sure they'll come away from the Ospreys' game with anything but it's important to show everyone involved that Connacht mean business in the league this season.

My view would change if Marmion and Henshaw (and anyone else who might be involved with Ireland) were held out of the Ospreys game by the IRFU. Don't think that will be the case but if it were Connacht would have an even tougher go of it against them so I'd rest players then and name a stronger team for Exeter.

The league is definitely our priority but we don't want to fall into all the eggs in one basket mentality either. I remember before the start of the season a few years back Bradley came out and said, the league will be our main focus this year, Europe will be 2nd priority, we then fell on our arse in the first few rounds of the league so we had to then revert back to taking the European games seriously. Bottom line is keep your options open and if we hit a rough patch in the league Europe is still there. Nothing would be worse than coming off some bad defeats and being faced with meaningless games in Europe and trying to regather momentum.

I'd agree with you that the Challenge Cup in the past wasn't very winnable. In years gone by there were always half a dozen or more teams better than Connacht most years in the challenge cup. I don't think you can say that this year. There is probably 2 or 3 teams a bit ahead of us but we know that there isn't any team in this competition we can't put it up to if we are at our best and with no drop downs from the European Cup whats in it now is whats in it.

I would be gutted to be honest if we let our European campaign slide away and end up in March/April having slipped off the pace saying I wish we'd gone for it in Europe.

Keep the momentum going and Ospreys will then look after itself!

Connacht chasing after the Challenge Cup has always been a bit of a fool's errand IMO and now with no automatic qualification for the Champions Cup attached that is even more so the case. Perhaps a psychological benefit would be gained by winning some silverware, but the Pro 12 really has to be Connacht's focus this season. Lam probably would never rest players for 2 straight games and injuries have limited some of what he would like to do so I think there are enough reasons to make a case to pick a stronger team for the La Rochelle game rather than Exeter. Not sure they'll come away from the Ospreys' game with anything but it's important to show everyone involved that Connacht mean business in the league this season.

My view would change if Marmion and Henshaw (and anyone else who might be involved with Ireland) were held out of the Ospreys game by the IRFU. Don't think that will be the case but if it were Connacht would have an even tougher go of it against them so I'd rest players then and name a stronger team for Exeter.

Masterson and cooney aren't in the euro squad. Henshaw and marmion may be pulled from the ospreys game. Buckley and mcsharry haven't started the last 2 games. Players most due a rest are mul leader Carty and roux. Possibly - layden, poolman, Henshaw, mcsharry, healy, ronaldson, marmion; Buckley, jhw, Rodney, swift, kearney, Browne, McKeon, George; Heffernan, loughs, white, muldowney, conneelly/mul/faloon, porter, Carty, niyi.

swift4prez wrote:

Borders no.2 wrote: After going with a strong side against a much weakened La Rochelle side it would make no sense to go with a weakened side here. This group is up for grabs and bottom line is that a win on Saturday would go an awful long way to winning the pool and potentially a home quarter final. Even a losing bonus point would be an ok result and keep us in a decent position. We can rotate in a few positions without much of a loss but I think we'd be foolish to look ahead to Ospreys with the chance that is opening up in front of us.

Even with a weakened side Exeter at Sandy Park is a tough task. Exeter have the LV Cup to play in next weekend. Not the most glamorous competition but they did well to win it last year and they will be keen to put up a good defence of the trophy I'd imagine but they are a very proud team at home regardless of the competition.

Looking ahead to Ospreys, I know people will slate me for being negative but in all honesty if we get a losing bonus point it'll have been a very good result. If it was Cardiff or Scarlets at home or away where it could have a major bearing on our season I might take a different attitude but without being too defeatist, Ospreys away is one of those games where anything would be a bonus.

A good result on Saturday, win the 2 league games in November and we'll be well set for both competitions heading in to December.

i agree with you Borders, winning in exeter would be great, but pat lam has said he will make changes and be looking to target ospreys.
ospreys are flying at the moment in the pro12 and i along with everyone here would take a losing bonus point.
we should be looking at killing exeter (2 loses in a row) and they wouldnt have much to play for when they come to galway.
if bayonne win vs la rochelle, and exeter beat us, then its 99% that exeter will get 10points vs la rochelle during december.

im expecting a weakened team to play exeter sadly.
we've on 2 hookers fit, so here is my team that i'll expect (but not hope)

1 Locks 2 JHW 3 Rodney
4 Swift 5 roux
6 browne 7 mckeon 8 masterson

ok for the pack, pretty decent

9 porter 10 o leary

Ronaldson maybe, as Aki arrives he's not needed for 12 anymore...

11 heally 12 mcsharry 13 ??? 14 niyi 15 layden

Yep, agree, put Henshaw at 13 if you want to have a chance for BP or more

16 heff 17 bealham 18 ??
19 qualter 20 kearney
21 cooney/blade 22 ronaldson 23 carr

Borders no.2 wrote: After going with a strong side against a much weakened La Rochelle side it would make no sense to go with a weakened side here. This group is up for grabs and bottom line is that a win on Saturday would go an awful long way to winning the pool and potentially a home quarter final. Even a losing bonus point would be an ok result and keep us in a decent position. We can rotate in a few positions without much of a loss but I think we'd be foolish to look ahead to Ospreys with the chance that is opening up in front of us.

Even with a weakened side Exeter at Sandy Park is a tough task. Exeter have the LV Cup to play in next weekend. Not the most glamorous competition but they did well to win it last year and they will be keen to put up a good defence of the trophy I'd imagine but they are a very proud team at home regardless of the competition.

Looking ahead to Ospreys, I know people will slate me for being negative but in all honesty if we get a losing bonus point it'll have been a very good result. If it was Cardiff or Scarlets at home or away where it could have a major bearing on our season I might take a different attitude but without being too defeatist, Ospreys away is one of those games where anything would be a bonus.

A good result on Saturday, win the 2 league games in November and we'll be well set for both competitions heading in to December.

i agree with you Borders, winning in exeter would be great, but pat lam has said he will make changes and be looking to target ospreys.
ospreys are flying at the moment in the pro12 and i along with everyone here would take a losing bonus point.
we should be looking at killing exeter (2 loses in a row) and they wouldnt have much to play for when they come to galway.
if bayonne win vs la rochelle, and exeter beat us, then its 99% that exeter will get 10points vs la rochelle during december.

im expecting a weakened team to play exeter sadly.
we've on 2 hookers fit, so here is my team that i'll expect (but not hope)

1 Locks 2 JHW 3 Rodney
4 Swift 5 roux
6 browne 7 mckeon 8 masterson
9 porter 10 o leary
11 heally 12 mcsharry 13 ??? 14 niyi 15 layden

16 heff 17 bealham 18 ??
19 qualter 20 kearney
21 cooney/blade 22 ronaldson 23 carr

After going with a strong side against a much weakened La Rochelle side it would make no sense to go with a weakened side here. This group is up for grabs and bottom line is that a win on Saturday would go an awful long way to winning the pool and potentially a home quarter final. Even a losing bonus point would be an ok result and keep us in a decent position. We can rotate in a few positions without much of a loss but I think we'd be foolish to look ahead to Ospreys with the chance that is opening up in front of us.

Even with a weakened side Exeter at Sandy Park is a tough task. Exeter have the LV Cup to play in next weekend. Not the most glamorous competition but they did well to win it last year and they will be keen to put up a good defence of the trophy I'd imagine but they are a very proud team at home regardless of the competition.

Looking ahead to Ospreys, I know people will slate me for being negative but in all honesty if we get a losing bonus point it'll have been a very good result. If it was Cardiff or Scarlets at home or away where it could have a major bearing on our season I might take a different attitude but without being too defeatist, Ospreys away is one of those games where anything would be a bonus.

A good result on Saturday, win the 2 league games in November and we'll be well set for both competitions heading in to December.

the last one I've said I was ok. Unconvinced by the others. But no need having an endless epilogue, past is past :dry:

connachta wrote:

clanman wrote: I remember last year it was Edinburgh and Glasgow we played the week before and just after the Autumn Internationals. We thought that they would be putting out weakend teams and they didn't and we lost both that set us back for the rest of the season. This year it's 2 welsh teams Ospreys and Scarlets, it's crucial we come away with at least 5 points from these 2 crucial games. No point looking beyond November.

So I can see where Lam is coming from with his conservative approach for next week

But why now and not last week when we would still have won in all likelihood?

Even though I was in favour of a few more rotations than occurred, I can still see a number of reasons why the best team possible was put out. If you don't mind me listing them:

- first game of the competition. Put your best foot forward.
- Pat says they're targeting the final. The weekend's selection was a statement of intent.
- unknown opposition. Although we knew by midweek that many of the best La Rochelle players wouldn't feature Pat couldn't have banked on it. In addition without having played them before or having seen them play in Europe they were an unknown quantity. Best to play the strongest team possible in case their seconds were still good.
- unbeaten home record. Why not try to extend this as long as possible. Success breeds success etc.
- avoid a slog/demoralizingly close win against poor opposition. By Thursday/Friday we knew it would be a second string french team, but playing 6 Eagles and making it a close fought contest/missing out on a tbp could have made it feel like a loss and could affect home quarter final status.
- related to the last two points, get a tbp on the board/entertainment factor. Connacht won't have many chances to rout another team, even Zebre have shaped up a bit this season, take it while you can.
- respect for the fans. Again related to the above point, put out the team the fans paid money to see. Give them a big event. Try and foster some excitement for the future home games. This being a lower competition than the last few seasons, its important to get as many people through the gates as the likes of toulouse etc. Winning big could be a part of that.

Squad Update ahead of Exeter game
20th October 2014

Following Saturday’s bonus point win over La Rochelle in the European Challenge Cup, the Connacht squad returned to the Sportsground on Monday to prepare for round 2 away to the Exeter Chiefs this weekend.

Despite a few bumps and bruises, there were thankfully no major injury concerns for Pat Lam and his coaching team after the full 23-man match day squad was used during the round 1 home victory.

The medical team also confirmed today that second row Michael Swift, who celebrated his 37th birthday on Saturday, has recovered from his leg injury earlier than expected and will be available for selection this weekend.

The Connacht Eagles were also in action at the weekend in round 2 of the British & Irish Cup competition. The only notable casualty from the game was Academy hooker Jack Dinneen who suffered a high ankle sprain. The 19-year-old will be unavailable for the Eagles’ round 3 clash with London Scottish at the Sportsground on Saturday. Nigel Carolan is also likely to be without the services of new Academy recruit Shane Delahunt as the Offaly-born hooker continues his rehab on an ankle sprain picked up in the round 6 PRO12 game against Treviso.

In other news, Connacht Rugby will welcome new recruit Bundee Aki to the Sportsground this week. The 24-year-old New Zealander lands in Ireland today, Monday, and will link up with his teammates later in the week.

The Connacht teams to face Exeter Chiefs and London Scottish will be named on Friday at noon.

Exeter Chiefs v Connacht Rugby
Saturday October 25th
Sandy Park
Kick off 15:00
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (F)

Connacht Eagles v London Scottish
Saturday October 25th
The Sportsground
Kick off 14:30