NewGuy wrote: Any one have a spare ticket to sell ? All sold out just back from New Zealand today badly want one

Holy beejaysus it is actually sold out, apart from the hospitality tickets.
Long time since we've had a game completely sold out

NewGuy, I have seen touts outside the Sportsground a little bit this season. I imagine if you go up early, with a sign possibly, someone will have a spare, or be selling a ticket.

thinking back to the game in the RDS we had a fair bit of trouble in the Lineouts, in fact both Toner and McCarthy were a nuisance that night, neither will play on Saturday, also Sexton was playing and is another absentee. In the Tight 5 we have the upper hand that is for sure.

Decadence wrote: And to add to what Sol said, bad language is never acceptable here. And posting three messages in a row in a conversation with yourself is heavily frowned upon!

Same carry on between the two over on boards.ie which makes me skip 80% of the posts over there

Any one have a spare ticket to sell ? All sold out just back from New Zealand today badly want one

And to add to what Sol said, bad language is never acceptable here. And posting three messages in a row in a conversation with yourself is heavily frowned upon!

Had Ronaldson been available it could well have been Healy that missed out due to the horrible conditions forecast - with Henshaw to FB and TOH onto Healy's wing
Lam did similar last year against Munster with Leader moving to wing instead of Healy in similar weather
Pure speculation though ofcourse - and Ronaldson is definitely going to be missed

Really hope the weather doesn't ruin this game - has all the ingredients to be a cracker

Getting pretty nervous about this match.
Was very confident at the weekend, but now I'm questioning myself. I'm just blaming nerves.
Still, it should be a cracker. Really expect a massive atmosphere up there.
Couple of early big hits from Connacht lads
Domination of an early Leinster scrum
A bad kick from a Leinster player
A stolen lineout
Anything positive at all should get the crowd behind the team, which I think will be very important.

Pat Lam is doing a fine job in selling the game too

“Now the test is one v two, Connacht v Leinster, the Sportsground, sold-out, big crowd, broadcast live on Sky, Nigel Owens as ref. We want to get as many of these guys going to South Africa [with the Ireland squad] and these are the sort of games that if we perform well as a team, they’ll have an opportunity as individuals.”
The Connacht coach added another appetiser: “We’re talking about the best attacking team [Connacht] against the best defensive team [Leinster], so it’s set up quite nicely.”

Come on Connacht

#Moooooo

dobby wrote:

dobby wrote: On the basis of connachta we should drop toh for the ability of Robbie. Its kinda like zebo taking over fullback at Munster. Jesus Connachta get a grip. Tiernan is a part of why our results are what they are. You must be kidding me. He should be discarded. Who next? Go Robbie at fullback. Just brilliant. Because he is better than our fullback. Hmmm

.

Good to know that the team that got us here is s***. Robbie is better than toh, robbie is better than marmion, robbie is better than pat. Its such an annoying opinion but I suppose you have a right. Hopefully others will think not the same

No one is questioning the ability of any of our squad, Tiernan, Robbie, Craig, or any of the lads that will put the jersey on this Saturday, or anyone that has lined out for Connacht earlier this season. People are just pointing out that that in the few Pro12 games Robbie has been available for, in the majority of them Pat has opted to play him at FB. Whether or not Robbie'll be available, or where he might start, we'll find out later in the week, but I do think that a direct comment from the coach is a pretty good indicator as to a players availability or otherwise.

On Craig, he's a massive loss to us, regardless of whether he'd be starting or on the bench, no one is disputing that. We're now missing two of the three lads who have shouldered the kicking for the season.

No need for a slagging match between us, folks. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, disagree with it all you want, but no need to question the integrity of the person giving the opinion.

dobby wrote: On the basis of connachta we should drop toh for the ability of Robbie. Its kinda like zebo taking over fullback at Munster. Jesus Connachta get a grip. Tiernan is a part of why our results are what they are. You must be kidding me. He should be discarded. Who next? Go Robbie at fullback. Just brilliant. Because he is better than our fullback. Hmmm

.

Good to know that the team that got us here is s***. Robbie is better than toh, robbie is better than marmion, robbie is better than pat. Its such an annoying opinion but I suppose you have a right. Hopefully others will think not the same

On the basis of connachta we should drop toh for the ability of Robbie. Its kinda like zebo taking over fullback at Munster. Jesus Connachta get a grip. Tiernan is a part of why our results are what they are. You must be kidding me. He should be discarded. Who next? Go Robbie at fullback. Just brilliant. Because he is better than our fullback. Hmmm

salmson wrote:

connachta wrote: Ronaldson is a loss for the bench, no more. I can't imagine Lam having dropped one of McGinty/Aki/Henshaw. anyway.

Nonsense. Ronaldson is a nailed on starter when fit, he's our only reliable place kicker, his defence and playmaking have been superb. He's started 13 of the last 14 league games, and allows us to name 2 outside backs on the bench. One of those will have to make way for a wet-behind-the-ears-10 this week and for the next few weeks (Carty is a few weeks from even resuming contact training).

On 2 of the 3 occasions Henshaw was available in the league, he has played at 15 to accommodate Craig, with TOH moving to the wing. That was the selection against Munster and I would have hoped to see it again this weekend. I'd happily have traded Henshaw's availability for Ronaldson's in this weekend's selection, doubly so as the weather forecast is cat and the game may be reduced to a kicking contest.

Agreed utter nonsense

Dobby - Pat Lam confirmed today that Robbie and the other internationals are available to him for the match with Ultan carrying aka slight knock so your point holds no weight!

connachta wrote: Ronaldson is a loss for the bench, no more. I can't imagine Lam having dropped one of McGinty/Aki/Henshaw. anyway.

Nonsense. Ronaldson is a nailed on starter when fit, he's our only reliable place kicker, his defence and playmaking have been superb. He's started 13 of the last 14 league games, and allows us to name 2 outside backs on the bench. One of those will have to make way for a wet-behind-the-ears-10 this week and for the next few weeks (Carty is a few weeks from even resuming contact training).

On 2 of the 3 occasions Henshaw was available in the league, he has played at 15 to accommodate Craig, with TOH moving to the wing. That was the selection against Munster and I would have hoped to see it again this weekend. I'd happily have traded Henshaw's availability for Ronaldson's in this weekend's selection, doubly so as the weather forecast is cat and the game may be reduced to a kicking contest.

connachta wrote: If Ronaldon/Parata were fit, you might have been right. But there Robbie is an emergency joker, and I do think Lam has negociated with IRFU to rest him in Grenoble and/or Ulster

That is so ridiculous. So indicators are that we don't have Ronaldson this weekend. And Parata (injured and not available) is the backup ? when its absolutely obvious that Peter Robb is the obvious centre replacement. So it means AJ has to take the kicks. If the game in the RDS is anything to go by those kicks will be positional.

If Ronaldon/Parata were fit, you might have been right. But there Robbie is an emergency joker, and I do think Lam has negociated with IRFU to rest him in Grenoble and/or Ulster

I still think it unlikely Henshaw will start, but i hope that I'm wrong. in terms of tactics for the game we should be targetting their back 3 and use Healy's pace to get in behind them, with a bit of luck the wind and rain will stay away. I thought that Carty would be back for this one but maybe the game has come a week too soon. Also we need to show early that we have a dominant scrum and get Nige on our side.