menacethedenis wrote: I can't find a link but Brendan fanning in the sindo wrote today:

It was Connacht who had to fight hardest to nail a home draw in the semifinal. It remains to be seen if they take that game to Thomond Park, where the 26,000 capacity is three times that of the sportsground. A Munster spokesman confirmed to the Sunday independent last week that Connacht had explored the option earlier in the season, but had not pursued it.

Wtf would you move the game? Surely home advantage is much more important than revenue in your first semi final?

I can't find a link but Brendan fanning in the sindo wrote today:

It was Connacht who had to fight hardest to nail a home draw in the semifinal. It remains to be seen if they take that game to Thomond Park, where the 26,000 capacity is three times that of the sportsground. A Munster spokesman confirmed to the Sunday independent last week that Connacht had explored the option earlier in the season, but had not pursued it.

www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/connacht-...e-slip-34686559.html

some highlights from the prick francis

I have watched Glasgow coming up on the rails, and predicted here about six weeks ago they will finish top of the league at the end of the regular season

I hope you had money on that.

They will beat Connacht on Saturday and do so with a good bit to spare. Sticking this article up on the dressing-room wall won't make that much of a difference.

D1ckhead

.....Finn Russell and he pulled all the strings in that Scarlets demolition and I fancy him to control the game for Glasgow - un-fussed and unhurried by anything that happens around him.

well, any comment?

I figure that the final standings at 5.0 on Saturday will be Glasgow, Leinster, Connacht and Ulster in that order.

A picture can say more that a million words....

Game is on Setanta Ireland @20:00 tomorrow night.

Highlights up a bit earlier than usual.



Anyone know when it'll be up on TG4's site?

columoc wrote: The refusal of a blood sub for Cooney confused me. We played about 5 minutes with 14 as Roux was not allowed on. Is there a rule that doesn't allow you to substitute a forward when there is uncontested scums?

Yeah It's logical, it's about to avoid injuries faking for teams dominated at scrumtime

So the obvious starting pack is

1) McCartney
2) Heffernan
3) Muldowney
4) Robb (as big as SOB on trainning pics)
5) Blade
6) Loughney
7) Aki
8 ) Marmion
9) Heenan

:woohoo:

columoc wrote: The refusal of a blood sub for Cooney confused me. We played about 5 minutes with 14 as Roux was not allowed on. Is there a rule that doesn't allow you to substitute a forward when there is uncontested scums?

From rules page of Pro12 website:

5.7. If a Front Row Player has to be replaced and his Team cannot provide a replacement or other suitably qualified player from those who started the match or from the nominated replacements to enable the match to continue safely, the match referee will order uncontested scrums. Should this happen, the Team concerned shall not be entitled to replace the player whose departure caused uncontested scrums.

With Connacht having lost 3 props and already shifted Tom to loosehead (most teams would have been scuppered already at that point) the ref had no choice but to refuse the replacement.

The refusal of a blood sub for Cooney confused me. We played about 5 minutes with 14 as Roux was not allowed on. Is there a rule that doesn't allow you to substitute a forward when there is uncontested scums?

Yep, and we also had Caoilin Blade at 8 (for one scrum vs Ulster)

I didn't think we would win because of our prop situation so have to tip my hat to Rodney and Loughs as they really put in massive shifts for us, as did Tom when playing LH :woohoo: . I had a sinking feeling in my stomach when Ah You came on because even at his best he's not an 80min player and there was 78 to go but he really did well for us, might be he was lacking match fitness more than desire.

Lets just hope for some good news on the injury front and really take it to the weegies again in two weeks :evil:

I watched the first half of the game yesterday and had to wait til this morning to see the second half, I was starting to go laa laa with suspense!

Super super win, to overcome those crucial injuries that occurred throughout the game, maintain our composure and gameplan throughout the game was wonderful. So proud of the performances that everyone put in, Niyi was probably targeted as the weaker winger and was great in defence and rucking, gave them nothing. TOH outshone a lions fb with that try. Loughs and Rodney were much improved on last week and kept us in it. SOL came on and added his kicking game to start pinning Glasgow back even against the wind, something they couldn't do to us in the first half.

The red card was obviously a huge moment and probably a double benefit for us as they brought on Lamont who is undoubtedly their least intelligent player and made a number of errors that kept us in it.

I think with a different ref or better weather we could have had 3-4 tries in the first half, Glasgow might have scored more too but I think we could have still won.

The sequel is going to be even more physical given the way things ended.

Well played Connacht- thoroughly deserved your win.

See you in 2 weeks time

menacethedenis wrote:
Total rugby. Cruyff would be proud (if he liked rugby).

Or Ranieri. Right I know it's cliché but YES Leicester City and Connacht are brothers in sucess :lol:

wp_rathead wrote: so just to recap this season, we've had Loughney at 8, Bundee at 8, Muldowney at 3, Tom at 1 and Heenan playing Scrum Half

Total rugby. Cruyff would be proud (if he liked rugby).

Well I do think Gloucester experience last year is much valuable.
And good weather won't be bad for us.
Glasgow and Connacht are pretty much into the same confidence, style and quality of rugby.
The Sportsground will have another good game
With a team to cheer a lot for the change happeing in this province. Just enjoy, whatever the result now .