lads playingtheir hearts out, should really be ahead by more than 3.

Doesn"t look great for Quinn, feel sorry for the man.

I don't understand why White and Marmion don't start this potentially tight game whereas there's Challenge Cup to rest them for 2 weeks. Nonsense to play them as we have now, after Munster away win, far less chance to win the trophy (with Harlequins in the competition) than to be top 6 of the Guiness pro12

Happy enough with the Connacht lineup but I think Niyi is hard enough done by not to be in the 23. Man of the Match against Brive and gives us the pace and workrate that are vital. Having his pace off the bench could have been a useful tool in turning turnover ball into territory and tries. Robb is a good option at 12 but we could do with a genuine wing option to give us another option. However, Pat hasn't got it wrong so far so we have to back him to make the right call.

The Cardiff team looks decent again but there are a couple of areas we should be looking to take them on. I think we can get at Cardiff up front. Obviously Hoeata is quality but overall I think we should hopefully have the edge up front. I'm glad to see Josh Navidi isn't starting, he's given us plenty of problems in the past. Up front Filise went 38 last May, its a testament to him he's still playing at this level but we have to put him under pressure.

Both sides are missing their first couple of options at hooker. At lineout time I'll be honest and say Dave Heffernan doesn't fill me with confidence. However, Cardiff are down to their 3rd choice as well.

Jarrod Evans is a player who is highly thought of but he is still finding his way in the game, we should hopefully be able to cause him problems.

Cardiff are a team whose confidence is fairly fragile which hopefully we can play on. It's likely to be nervy. Any kind of win would be a good night's work.

salmson wrote: Cardiff team:

Cardiff Blues: 15 Rhys Patchell, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Gavin Evans, 11 Tom James, 10 Jarrod Evans, 9 Lloyd Williams; 1 Gethin Jenkins (c), 2 Ethan Lewis, 3 Taufa'ao Filise, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 5 Lou Reed, 6 Macauley Cook, 7 Josh Turnbull, 8 Manoa Vosawai

Replacements: 16 Kristian Dacey, 17 Sam Hobbs, 18 Craig Mitchell, 19 James Down, 20 Cam Dolan, 21 Tavis Knoyle, 22 Garyn Smith, 23 Dan Fish

You look at that selection and wonder how in God's name they are where they are in the table.

Haven't seen them play this season but in the past they have generally played like a group of individuals rather than a team, and tactics are often restricted to 'give it to Cuthbert to bosh up the middle'. With the coaching upheaval they've gone through lately I can't imagine they've improved in that respect. There's probably enough talent in that team that we should be wary but I don't think its insurmountable by any means.

This is probably the best fixture possible to have after that Thomond performance, the feeling that we owe them for last season should focus minds more than last year against Edinburgh after Munster for instance.

Hi folks, usual spot in the Dail will be held for us!

Evil_g wrote: I haven't seen much of Robb, but I'd have every confidence in the other 4.

Parata in particular seems like an old head already.

He was our stand out player at the Limerick Sevens in the summer (followed by Gaffney and Caolin Blade)

Plus he can tackle :

How did those internationals get so many caps without playing regular champions cup?

Do you have to sign a pro contract to be considered an academy graduate or does playing a pro game count?

Cardiff - 12 internationals/251 caps starting, with Jenkins accounting for nearly half those.
Connacht - 3 internationals/7 caps....

...and the bookies have the spread at scratch.

I haven't seen much of Robb, but I'd have every confidence in the other 4.

Parata in particular seems like an old head already.

Nigel Carolan deserves special mention to what he has contributed in regards the Academy SetUp

Having 5 lads who are still in Academy in the 23 is kinda crazy for such big game

Average age of 26. George, Aly, Rodney, JHW and Porter pull it up a bit.

More stats: 14 graduates of the Connacht Academy in the 23 and only 2 NIQ.

[edit] ....well technically five of them aren't graduates yet.

As usual we'll be in The Dail Bar from 6.30 for this one for whoever's around town.

Connolly starting, O'Donnell, O'Brien, Robb, Parata on the bench, must be close to our youngest ever Pro12 match day 23. This is a huge game for us in terms of proving we have sufficient depth in the squad.

Cardiff team:

Cardiff Blues: 15 Rhys Patchell, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Gavin Evans, 11 Tom James, 10 Jarrod Evans, 9 Lloyd Williams; 1 Gethin Jenkins (c), 2 Ethan Lewis, 3 Taufa'ao Filise, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 5 Lou Reed, 6 Macauley Cook, 7 Josh Turnbull, 8 Manoa Vosawai

Replacements: 16 Kristian Dacey, 17 Sam Hobbs, 18 Craig Mitchell, 19 James Down, 20 Cam Dolan, 21 Tavis Knoyle, 22 Garyn Smith, 23 Dan Fish

You look at that selection and wonder how in God's name they are where they are in the table.

Five academy players in the 23 as well.

The Connacht side to face Cardiff Blues at Arms Park tomorrow night features eight personnel changes and one positional switch from the side that won at Thomond Park last weekend.

Darragh Leader comes on to the right wing for his 50th Connacht appearance while Tiernan O’Halloran shifts to fullback. Jack Carty is named at outhalf and scrum half Ian Porter earns his first PRO12 start of the season.

There is a new front row with the introduction of Ronan Loughney, Dave Heffernan and Rodney Ah You while Quinn Roux returns from injury to partner Aly Muldowney in the second row.

Captain John Muldoon becomes the first player to break the 200-cap barrier in the PRO12 when he leads the side out in the Welsh capital tomorrow night. The Galway man, who turned 33 on Monday, is named in the back row with Academy flanker James Connolly and the returning Number 8 Eoin McKeon.

Both Jason Harris-Wright and Conan O’Donnell are named among the front row replacements. Academy backs Peter Robb and Rory Parata are also named on the bench, the former in line to make his PRO12 debut, having started in the centre against Enisei-STM last month.

Commenting on the team selection and the upcoming game, head coach Pat Lam said:

“We have another big game on the road again this week. Cardiff has been a difficult fixture for us the past few seasons and they are very tough to beat at home. They have some quality, experienced players in their squad and they will view this game as a chance to get back to winning ways.

“We know we will have to be at our best and fully focused as a team to get the four points on offer in another vital PRO12 game, before attention switches to Europe.

“With the short turn around and following a very physical game against Munster, we obviously see some changes in the side this week. While we lost four more guys to injury in the last game, we also have players coming back into contention. And with competition as high as ever, it makes our job for selection that bit more difficult but that’s what we want as coaches.”

“I’d also like to give a special mention to our skipper and warrior Mul (John Muldoon) who consistently epitomises what we’re about and leads his province into battle for the record-breaking 200th time in the PRO12.”

Connacht team to face Cardiff Blues

15 Tiernan O’Halloran
14 Darragh Leader
13 Bundee Aki
12 Craig Ronaldson
11 Matt Healy
10 Jack Carty
9 Ian Porter

1 Ronan Loughney
2 Dave Heffernan
3 Rodney Ah You
4 Quinn Roux
5 Aly Muldowney
6 John Muldoon (captain)
7 James Connolly
8 Eoin McKeon

Replacements:

16 Jason Harris-Wright
17 Conan O’Donnell
18 Finlay Bealham
19 George Naoupu
20 Sean O’Brien
21 Kieran Marmion
22 Peter Robb
23 Rory Parata

Unavailable/Injured: Tom McCartney, Denis Buckley, JP Cooney, Andrew Browne, Ben Marshall, Nepia Fox-Matamua, Jake Heenan, Eoghan Masterson, John Cooney, AJ MacGinty*, Fionn Carr, Danie Poolman, Robbie Henshaw, Conor Finn, Api Pewhairangi.

*AJ MacGinty suffered a meniscal tear to his knee during the game against Munster. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on Thursday and is facing 3 – 4 weeks of recovery.

Eight changes and it's still a very strong team.