mary hinge wrote: I'm concerned there's still no mention of when Mils is due to be fit. Or have I missed something?

I remember reading a few weeks ago that Pat reckoned Mils forst game would be V Zebre in mid November

They have always said that the Zebre game is the target for Mils

I'm concerned there's still no mention of when Mils is due to be fit. Or have I missed something?

Buckley to get a call up ??? www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/internati...mber-tests-1.1979799

connachta wrote: Justin Tipuric and Aaron Jarvis will be released from the Wales squad to play for Ospreys on Friday against Connacht though.. Still 7 players to miss this...

is that confirmed? the poor dragons are without 17 out of a registered 45 players either injuries or on Wales duty, they face Ulster in Ravenhill.

Justin Tipuric and Aaron Jarvis will be released from the Wales squad to play for Ospreys on Friday against Connacht though.. Still 7 players to miss this...

I don't need to write anything, just to wait for Rogue to do it perfectly!

clanman wrote: Don't agree with you there, let's wait and see who's available on the team at the end of the week before we start any talk of doom and gloom. I'm firmly of the opinion that we can get something out of this game and there's no comparison to the Glasgow game where I thought it was highly unlikely. Ospreys are a completely different proposition to Exeter and Glasgow

do you not agree that with Aki, Muldoon, Marmion and Mcsharry available that we are in a much stronger position this week, ok props are potentially a problem area however the Ospreys Pack were completely dominated by the Saints this last weekend and Welsh teams don't beat you up front instead they beat you through building the phases and backline plays.

Yeah, I'm reserving judgment until either the team is named or at least there is a definitive answer on whether any of the 5 included in the AI camp are released to Pat. I'm especially curious about Marmion. Why would he be rested for the Exeter game if he was going to be held out of the Osprey game as well? Is he carrying a slight unreported knock? It will almost verge on negligence if one of the props isn't released and if Leader is to be named in any of the AIs it will be Georgia and even that would likely take an injury or two. I could see just Henshaw and White being held out so Pat could still name a very strong team against the Ospreys. A LBP would be well within reach and if the Ospreys did lose 5 or more players and Bundee clicks right away a win wouldn't be out of the question.

We'll be watching this live in the Dail from 6.30 on Friday night, dressing up is optional

theCulk wrote: Even though the spreys are missing 9 (potentially, injuries not included), the 5 we will be missing and then add in the injured players, we are screwed for this game. The Exeter game is a big foreshadowing for this game.

Don't agree with you there, let's wait and see who's available on the team at the end of the week before we start any talk of doom and gloom. I'm firmly of the opinion that we can get something out of this game and there's no comparison to the Glasgow game where I thought it was highly unlikely. Ospreys are a completely different proposition to Exeter and Glasgow

do you not agree that with Aki, Muldoon, Marmion and Mcsharry available that we are in a much stronger position this week, ok props are potentially a problem area however the Ospreys Pack were completely dominated by the Saints this last weekend and Welsh teams don't beat you up front instead they beat you through building the phases and backline plays.

Even though the spreys are missing 9 (potentially, injuries not included), the 5 we will be missing and then add in the injured players, we are screwed for this game. The Exeter game is a big foreshadowing for this game.

Still no mention of Mils being available to play, however it seems Aki is available for selection this weekend. This game has to be treated like a cup match, we need to get points from this game no matter what. We really need those players on the Ireland camp back and available.

With Ronan Loughney out its essential that at least one and preferably both of Nathan White and Rodney Ah You are released. I'd imagine Rodney will be released, Nathan White looks likely to pick up his first cap against South Africa in the 23 at least so we mightn't get him back. The flip side to that is that I read somewhere Joe Schmidt saying that they pay a lot of attention to the interpros and games against Ospreys and Glasgow so maybe they might release Nathan White also as a trial of sorts ahead of the following weekend.

I find it hard to see us getting anything here. I'd be pleased with a bonus point and it would help in some way to justify us not going with our best available squad away to Exeter.

The rest of the games for next weekend look fairly cut and dried apart from Cardiff at home to Munster so I'd expect us to sit 7th after this game. The Zebre and Scarlets games in November are the ones we must win to try and ensure we try and keep tabs with the top half.

www.facebook.com/WordInSport/posts/564017793699872

Hurt because both squad will be impacted by International tests
the key for us is TH in my opinion, Lam confirmed it :

"Lam will now turn his attentions to Ospreys and will hope that Joe Schmidt releases one of his tightheads, Rodney Ah You or Nathan White, for the trip to Swansea.

"We are hoping we get one tighthead available for us because it is a big challenge for us down there but we will wait and see," he said.

"It is a difficult challenge because they are the best team in their home ground but ultimately for us that is exciting," added Lam."

Optimistic team / pessimistic one -potential injuries or unavailable players- ( "" means unchanged)

1) Buckley / ""
2) Heff / ""
3) AhYou / JP Cooney
4) Roux / ""
5) Muldowney / ""
6) Muldoon / ""
7) Faloon / ""
8 ) McKeon / ""
9) Marmion / Porter
10 Carty / ""
11) Healy / Niyi
12) McSharry / Ronaldson
13) Aki / Finn
14) Poolman / ""
15) Leader / Layden

16) JHW / ""
17) Loughney / big trouble
18) Bealham(out of the radar?) / big trouble
19) Kearney / ""
20) Naoupu / ""
21) Blade / ""
22) Ronaldson / O'Leary
23) Niyi / TOH? Carr