McCrea I think, remember this is a "possible" line up from the indo, not actual

Packie wrote: From Memory, Duffy is at Fullback, Jarvis to centre, loughs TH and Mike Mac into second row for Andrew Browne

Which centre drops out?

From Memory, Duffy is at Fullback, Jarvis to centre, loughs TH and Mike Mac into second row for Andrew Browne

that team is not including the lads who went to new zealand. duffy maccarty and locks will prob be in

From Galway Independent online:

Possible Connacht team to face Cardiff: M Jarvis; F Vainikolo, M McCrea, D McSharry, T O'Halloran; M Nikora, D Moore; D Buckley, E Reynecke, JP Cooney; M Swift, A Browne; J Mudoon, W Faloon, G Naoupu.

But on the printed version today it has a different line up

connolly wrote: I sent this to Danie Poolman the last day on got this reply
Derek C @XVanbasten 25 Aug
@DaniePoolman You going to be fit for next Saturday

@DaniePoolman
@XVanbasten yes I am already back on the field!

good to see he is over his slight injury

It will be interesting to see the squad thats announced this week (if they bother, I seem to remember they stopped doing it about half way through last season, and just announced the 23 on Friday).
I imagine it will be pretty strong. I can see a lot of the younger players, who got gametime in the preseason, will disappear again from the 23

I sent this to Danie Poolman the last day on got this reply
Derek C @XVanbasten 25 Aug
@DaniePoolman You going to be fit for next Saturday

@DaniePoolman
@XVanbasten yes I am already back on the field!

good to see he is over his slight injury

Great hope we will see Macca and Swifty back in the second row

Surprised we got Loughney back Happy but surprised. Means we should have a strong XV against Cardiff. The centre partnership is going to be interesting though.

So the injuries mightnt be as bad as we thought. Seems the website did nothing wrong in reporting injuries, that might not rule out players. :silly:

Looks like we might have Loughney, Duffy and McCarthy back for this one

"Elwood is helped by the availability of Irish squad members Ronan Loughney, Gavin Duffy and Mike McCarthy, although loosehead prop Brett Wilkinson will sit this one out under the player welfare management plan."

www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/elwood-sw...fitness-3213339.html

based on info at the time i think are 15 is gonna be this:

1. Denis Buckley
2. Adrian Flavin
3. Peter Reily (White/Ah You - injured & Loughs -rested)
4. Michael Swift
5. David Gannon
6. John Muldoon (c)
7. Johnny O'Connor
8. George Naopou
9. Dave Moore (Murphy and O'Donoghue - injured)
10. Miah Nikora (Parks - injured)
11. Fetu Vainikolo
12. Dave McSharry
13. Rob Hemshaw (Griffin injured, Poolman to soon to start, Tonetti?)
14. Mark McCrea
15. Tiernan O'Halloran (Duffy - rested)

I'd really like to know the state of our injuries but the dead site never up-dated on Ah You going off or the state of Tonetti's, White's or Parks injuries either. That said we have a strong backline and Moore/Nikora know each other if Reily can hold his own then we have a good shout.

Robbo wrote: The ref if that lovely Scotchman who had the Ospreys game at the Sportsground last year and the Cardiff away fixture. Looking back over the match reports, this may be a cause for concern.

You know the season is back when the referee agenda comes back to the threads.

Haven't been impressed by this guy any time we've had him ref us. Opening games are scrappy so hopefully he'll use common sense and try to let the game develop.

Either way, its up to Connacht to adjust to this lads reffing style. We've seen enough of him now to know what he's about and this is where Conor McPhilips should be earning his wages. Our discipline has improved over the past couple of seasons but with Tovey now in their ranks, anything from just inside their 10m line in is kickable so it'll be important to show discipline from the start again.

Nobody really knows what team we'll have out. Cardiff have lost some top players but made a couple of astute signings but if we aren't too injury ravaged I believe its a good chance to keep our strong opening day record going with a narrow victory.

CONNACHT RUGBY NEWS: Ahead of Connacht’s opening game in the RaboDirect PRO12 against the Cardiff Blues, Head Coach Eric Elwood is feeling bullish about securing the maximum four points of offer in Saturday’s home tie.

Speaking at this evenings press conference at the Sportsground, a focused Elwood and captain Gavin Duffy, were resolute in their stance they were not looking any further than the season opener and, to sum up their confident attitude, neither player nor coach ever mentioned a simple bonus try win – It was always ‘four points on Saturday’.

www.sportsnewsireland.com/rugby_irish/co...od-bullish986986986/

We are trying to organise an event for that night in the updated Clan Bar. Hopefully it will be ready to go.

Player Forum and are hoping to have a lineup of players announced soon. Hopefully 4 of the new faces so that it will be an introduction of sorts. I wanted to announce this all last week, but I didn't have all the required details. Still don't I guess!

Anyway I will do up an article on it as soon as I get the last bits and pieces sorted.

Anyone know what the word is on White or Ah You? Otherwise Reily could be starting at 3. Apparently EE was talking with the IRFU to try and get some of our guys back early but when you consider that the only player to get some gametime was Loughney the chances of him starting are slim.