connachtexile wrote: The replacement bench is interesting as well. I see that he has Grace an out-an-out seven in the team and Kearney who could be a future Irish international in the second-row. Think we could see these two in at some point and would be happy for them to get experience.

Aye, except the way things are going we'll see Grace at hooker and Kearney playing FB like his namesake!

I think we're all agreed that the pack selection is a massive WTF?! I hope that maybe it's tactical and they revert to their proper positions when the game gets going. As for Loughney I think he's a dam good LH but no TH, really wondering why Maguire hasn't at least made the bench or why he hasn't switched Wilkinson to TH and put Loughney in at 1.

I think we'd all be alot happier if this was the line-out.

1. Loughney
2. Reynecke
3. Wilkinson
4. Swift
5. Gannnon
6. Muldoon
7. Ofisia
8. Naopu

The replacement bench is interesting as well. I see that he has Grace an out-an-out seven in the team and Kearney who could be a future Irish international in the second-row. Think we could see these two in at some point and would be happy for them to get experience.

Enough already has been said about Matthew Jarvis and Fetu'u Vainikol but I agree!

its_phil wrote: I know this might be mad, but does anyone think that maybe Declan Kidney asked for Gannon to play in the backrow?

I know its crazy,but he is playing well. Not saying he's going to be picked by Ireland but it aint impossible

I think it's marginally less unlikely Kidney wants to see Loughs at 3 and Muldoon at 7. With Hagan 3rd in line at Leinster, Fitzpatrick behind Afoa at Ulster, and sub-international class players like Jennings and Ronan & Henry blocking young talent at 7, 5 good games in either position would get someone in the six nations squad.

That said this and the Gannon suggestion are probably batsh*t.

I reckon Mul isn't fast enough at 7 and others have listed Loughs failings at tighthead - that said he was very young and injury-prone at the time.

The real explanation is surely that after some really bad performances the management is throwing everything in the air and seeing where it lands.

Of course while each of the pack changes is in itself an interesting experiment, 5 players out-of-position smacks of Mark Lievremont

I know this might be mad, but does anyone think that maybe Declan Kidney asked for Gannon to play in the backrow?

I know its crazy,but he is playing well. Not saying he's going to be picked by Ireland but it aint impossible

Positives and negatives in that team, was very happy looking at the changes in the backline from 15-11. Bar Griffin those look our best options at present.

Good to see Jarvis in the 23 again.

Front row looks vulnerable, Wilkinson needs to lift his performance to his usual high levels. Ronan Loughney has impressed at loose head in the past couple of years and imo has deserved more game time this season at LH but any time I have seen him at Tight Head he has struggled.
Reynecke deserves a chance, has done well off the bench recently but needs to take this opportunity, Flavin has done well for us this season and is 1st choice until Reynecke delivers.

5-8 looks a bit all over the shop. With Swifty back I think George should have reverted to 8. John Muldoon at 6, Ray at 7 (has done well at 8 but just think George is the better option), Gannon in the 2nd row (or possibly Kearney). Gannon has played a bit at 6 here and at Exeter and possibly in NZ but just feel we need to get those who should be our top performers into their best positions.

Saw Treviso against Leinster last Saturday afternoon, gave up a couple of soft tries early but had the better of a lot of that game against a strong Leinster side. Threw away at least a bp in that game though and looked to have a lot of injuries, the depth of their squad will be tested but the one thing for sure is that they will have a good pack and put it up to us.

Connacht owe themselves and the supporters a win and a strong performance here, anything less than 4 here would be a disaster and would surely send us to Aironi in early January on the back on 12 defeats on the spin and could be the death nail in our season. If that can't motivate the players, then nothing will.

Tired of the back line lacking any penetration over the past few games. Delighted with the changes in the back row. All I can say is bring it on as last week's performance against the Ospreys was pretty pathetic to say the least - flat, no pace and no penetration.

No good only relying on forwards to break the game line game after game after game.Its non-sense.

We need pace pace pace pace..............................

I have been saying that McCrea should start all the time ahead of Tuohy , Nikora has been poor , Jarvis should be starting ahead of O'Connor (don't care how young he is, that's a load of BS!!).

The lads who have been dropped can absolutely no complaints - change is needed and fast to halt this losing match streak. I'm working in Dublin tommorrow and will be horseing it down the motorway to see this team play. It is a shame that Griffin is still out as his addtion to this back -row would make my weekend!!


Front up Rise up Connacht for Christ's sakes please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rant over and don't care if anyone agrees with me or not.......

V important we win tomorrow, have to bear in mind that we are only 2 points behind Ulster and with a bit of luck can go above them. It is now time for the team to "front up" as the supporters have, really looking forward to seeing Tonetti and am pleased to see Jarvis back, I also think that we should give Vainikola a run in the team to "settle" him in etc :evil:

george and swifty in the 2nd row to give a bit more timber behind loughs, I'd say.
interesting to see how tonetti gets on although he's better at 12 I think,

A win is paramount though

Just noticed the replacement prop is Dennis Buckley from the Academy Squad, no Rodgers as already mentioned and no Stewart Maguire. Strange one as well.

Yet again more experimental (by the looks of it) changes, we need a win here first and foremost. Hopefully the days of targeting games are behind us, its momentum we need now. Will be very interesting to see how the backline gets on, going in against Italian opposition with a changed pack is worrying. Positive to see Jarvis and McCrea back in the mix. Brian Touhy has gone from starter to not being in the match day squad. Dylan Rogers has made cameos off the bench, and isn't included in the match day squad either.

Would love to hear an explanation from Eric on the choices made on 5-8. As has been said, the side would be better served if all four were in their strongest position. I can only assume the management are desperate to give George another run in the second row and that necessitated the reshuffle.

I like the looks of the back line but of course will there be a platform from which Murphy can work and will NOC be able to utilise them to their best?

Is Bradley back?

Our No 8 in the second row, and a second row in the back row? WTF? Meaning Ray isn't playing 7 and Mul isn't playing 6??? Too many players at their second best spots, and entirely unnecessarily!

Top it off with a lovely backline with players with something to prove, who will get no service from NOC!

We're setting this game up to throw it away.

REALLY don't like this team. Ronan Loughney hasn't played Tighthead for at least two years, and always struggled when there (has been great a loosehead since being moved, by the way). Naopu is a back row not a second row. Gannon is a second row not a back row. Muldoon isn't a 7, Ray can and has done a job there. Nikora has been unceremoniously dumped from the 23 without as much as an explanation.
No problem with the backs, but Treviso are very strong up front so not looking forward to that battle.
Hope to be proved wrong but not too optimistic for this game...

ConnachtCows wrote: Big Ray's 100th Cap for Connacht.

Make sure he gets the ovation he deserves from those going to the game.

Didn't know that. Another centurion in green

Good to see the team mixed up a bit, we were (I hope this can stay in the past tense) in a deep slump. I think McSharry is doin great, is Griffin still injured?

Big Ray's 100th Cap for Connacht.

Make sure he gets the ovation he deserves from those going to the game.