Just watched the highlights on the TG4 player. JHW wasn't too happy at the end - seemed to motion as though he'd been stamped on at the end when we held their lad up to form a maul, which subsequently hit the deck.

While we're talking about Brive's weakened team we should remember we rested 3 of our starting pack - Mul, All, and Buckley - had 2 more injured and played Masterson out of position.

Fourdogs wrote:

Borders no.2 wrote:
Frustrated that what should have been a 5-0 victory turned into a 4-1 but given everything we'll take it and move forward. It'll be tough going there later in the pool but still we are in a good position and looking at some of the results from the other pools, if we do our business at home and pick up a bonus point or two away worst case scenario we should be able to get through as one of the best runners-up..

Would be interested to hear who you think will win our pool if you are suggesting we will only be runner up.

It was really great to hear more comments of "it should have been a 5 pointer" last night.

It's not to long ago that we would have been happy to come away with a loosing bonus point from a game against a team currently standing 5th in the Top 14.

I think we can win the pool but was just laying out a possible scenario. Brive could/should have 15 points on the board when we visit there. If they beat us over there it makes it very difficult to win the pool. All hypothetical at the minute. We'll see how we're fixed after the double header. Lost chance for some leeway further down the road in the pool I feel but at the same time relieved with the win as a 5-1 defeat (which it would have been if Brive got the try at the death) would have really left us in trouble in this pool.

Brive are 5th in the Top 14 but brought a weakened side here. We also have to remember that like us they made progress during the World Cup and are likely to fall back in the months ahead. Having said that they played some good rugby and were good value for at least a bonus point.

Borders no.2 wrote:
Frustrated that what should have been a 5-0 victory turned into a 4-1 but given everything we'll take it and move forward. It'll be tough going there later in the pool but still we are in a good position and looking at some of the results from the other pools, if we do our business at home and pick up a bonus point or two away worst case scenario we should be able to get through as one of the best runners-up..

Would be interested to hear who you think will win our pool if you are suggesting we will only be runner up.

It was really great to hear more comments of "it should have been a 5 pointer" last night.

It's not to long ago that we would have been happy to come away with a loosing bonus point from a game against a team currently standing 5th in the Top 14.

salmson wrote: Incredibly costly win - Nepia has suspected acl injury and browne's cut on the hand is bad enough to need minor surgery, in addition to two concussions. Given that we lost 4 of the back 5 in the pack and finished with 3 props and 2 hookers in the pack we did well to hold out.

yeah, very costly.
thankfully Heenan should be back soon and Connolly and O'Brien look like they can make the step up if needs be like Masterson did last season
I'd say can be lookint at a 6-7-8 of Muldoon-McKeon-Masterson
I saw Browne go off with cut hand- didn't realise was so serious

Incidentally Robbie's try looked good on the tv highlights.

yes, farcical how there is no standardised rule that there is "TMO At Every Game" in the Pro 12 and EPCR Cups
Fact it is only at games that are televised lived is so amateurish

Incredibly costly win - Nepia has suspected acl injury and browne's cut on the hand is bad enough to need minor surgery, in addition to two concussions. Given that we lost 4 of the back 5 in the pack and finished with 3 props and 2 hookers in the pack we did well to hold out.

Incidentally Robbie's try looked good on the tv highlights.

Won't argue with a win but mixed feelings overall. Happy to hang on at the end. We were slow out of the blocks and but for some woeful kicking at goal from Brive would have faced a sizeable deficit at half time. Having got the 2nd try early in the 2nd half, we let them in for a cheap try to give them hope.

After the 3rd try we should have been able to tie it down. Key moment for me was a rolling maul close to the line which had all the momentum but Marmion got detached and we didn't have anyone directing it and ran into touch. We gave them a penalty at that lineout and from there on they had most of the play. Would like to see the potential try on the Main Stand side again, was given as lost forward, too far away to call. I was sure Brive were going to steal it at the end and with it all 5 points but we slugged it out and we're still alive.

Frustrated that what should have been a 5-0 victory turned into a 4-1 but given everything we'll take it and move forward. It'll be tough going there later in the pool but still we are in a good position and looking at some of the results from the other pools, if we do our business at home and pick up a bonus point or two away worst case scenario we should be able to get through as one of the best runners-up.

Nepia Fox-Matamua will be a big loss for the weeks ahead. Niyi was superb and Robbie showed again why he should start in the centre. Bundee was quieter but made a couple of decisive contributions.

We are coming into a tough run of games now and while there are huge positives from our start to the season, we'll have to be more ruthless in the weeks ahead when wins aren't as easily gotten.

Mental end to the game with Loughney at 6 then 8 and Heffernan at 7

Fox looks badly injured - he couldnt stand up
He almost certainly out for Thomond next week so can see McKeon at 7 and Masterson 8 and Muldoon 6

I'll take the 4 points - considering the week build up we had and that Brive weren't typical away French side and actually played some good rugby we could have lost out there

O'Donnell was brilliant yet again in the scrum when he came on - massive prospect

7th Win on the Trot now for Connacht

Definitely agree that it would have been nice to give Bundee a rest. Looking at the up coming schedule can't see a game I'd rather have him miss maybe Cardiff. If things go exceedingly well he could come off early with Ronaldson or Parata even capable of moving to centre. Otherwise I hope McSharry returns before the end of the year to offer more options there.

Edit: Just over to the Eagles thread and see McSharry is named in the side so that's good news.

Borders no.2 wrote:
Doesn't seem to be any word on the Brive team yet that I see, will be interesting to see their approach.

Brive team on EPCR website now, looks a competitive enough selection:

15
Romain Sola
14
Elia Radikedike
13
Benjamin Petre
12
Christopher Tuatara
11
Benito Masilevu
10
Matthieu Ugalde
9
Jean-Baptiste Pejoine (capt)
1
Damien Lavergne
2
Thomas Acquier
3
Kevin Buys
4
Johan Snyman
5
Wilhem Steenkamp
6
Hugues Briatte
7
Poutasi Luafutu
8
William Whetton
16
Guillaume Ribes
17
Goderzi Shvelidze
18
Giorgi Jgenti
19
Victor Lebas
20
Said Hireche
21
Teddy Iribaren
22
Alfifeleti Mafi
23
Sevanaia Galala

wp_rathead wrote: Thought we'd give Bundee a break this week - would have liked to seen Robb and Henshaw partner up

Or Ronaldson given that he didn't start last week.
I thought Fionn was expected back.
It might have been a case of basing the selections on who survived the jetlag best.

Sensible selection. Rested as many of those who made the trip to Siberia as possible. Good to see Ben Marshall back. Will be interesting to see how he does. When we have everyone fit 2nd row which was for a long time a problem position is now looking like a competitive area.

Will be interested to see how that backline fares. Looks exciting on paper.

Doesn't seem to be any word on the Brive team yet that I see, will be interesting to see their approach.

Either way I'd be very disappointed if we don't win this one. Brive's win over Newcastle means that either way they should be in contention when we play them in Round 5 in January so if we hopefully get the win, denying them a losing bonus point could prove to be important down the line. We've carelessly let a few potential rivals in the Pro 12 leave with 1 or 2 losing bonus points already this season.

Strong team but I always get a little panicked when Mul doesn't start let alone not even getting on the bench! He's due a rest though. Really looking forward to seeing how Bundee and Robbie get on in centre and very happy Tiernan is back in his best position

salmson wrote: Great to see Buckley rested though his inclusion on the "unavailable" list is worrisome. Was there an injury update this week?

I wouldn't be to worried, a number of players listed on it last week, are playing this week.

Possibly a request from Irish management for him to be rested?

Thought we'd give Bundee a break this week - would have liked to seen Robb and Henshaw partner up
Great to see Poolman back

Great to see Buckley rested though his inclusion on the "unavailable" list is worrisome. Was there an injury update this week?