The kits are far too similar in color for TV. Maybe close up it is ok.

Greendragon wrote: A couple of hours to go till kick off. Good luck Connacht, Young Guns go for it !!!!! :woohoo: :woohoo:

Yeah absolutely, just give it a lash.

If they can get a head of steam up early and get some scores on the board pressure will transfer to the Warriors. Need to be clinical with our points taking though...

A couple of hours to go till kick off. Good luck Connacht, Young Guns go for it !!!!! :woohoo: :woohoo:

In fairness not all the changes are down to Eric. Kidney is sticking his oar in to ensure some players are rested every week. Looks like McCarthy this week.

Happy enough with the team been given a bit of a shake up but there's a lot of speculating given the lack of information on players injuries. Bench looks very inexperienced to be honest but bar a few names we don't know who's fit and who's not so we don't know who really is dropped. I really hope Andrew Browne isn't injured again but there must be something up as he was one of our better performers last week and deserved to hold his spot.

Can't see much out of this but if he has dropped the underperforming players, I hope these lads can put up a good show and make it clear that they aren't just there to make up the numbers in the squad and that no place is safe in the Connacht side regardless of reputation, in the long term that's where Connacht need to be heading where no-one gets complacent or there's someone biting at their heels to take their place.

rogue i think you have summed it up well. it may ultimately benefit the team a bit like when locks moved to th and saved our season. hopefully some or all but particulary jarvis make a similar impact. a losing bonus point on the back of a decent performance is all we wud hope for anyway and i think/hope this team can deliver that.

Would have to say any questions about players playing out of position, the number of changes made to the side and having the Ulster lads playing so soon after Spence's passing can all be answered by the injury list. Though this is probably not Eric's first or, in some cases, even his second choice team, in the past Connacht have put out far worse. The number of changes is a concern, but it is good seeing the likes of Loxton, McCrea, Jarvis and Gannon getting starts.

There's plenty to be concerned about this Glasgow side, they're coming off a big win away to the Ospreys and they're looking for the first win at their 'new' home so they will be up for this one. But if Connacht can play more like the first half of the Scarlets game, make their tackles and complete their passes then they can make a contest of this and maybe come away with something.

I am happy with this team delighted to see McCrea get a run , as for inexperience marmion , loxton and henshaw ok as for the rest there is plenty of experience , time for these guys to hold there hands up. Glad to see TOH not playing whether due to being dropped or rested , he seems to have got a little bit big for his boots. Id agree with MK starting as well performed very well any games he was asked to feature in last year.
Will be extremely interesting to see MJ at 10 as its his natural instinct to run the ball and can really get a back line moving. Will he go with whats inate or stick stringently to his coaches instructions.

Can't see us getting anything out of this game. Glasgow playing well at the moment and while talented there's too much inexperience in our team.

Not keen on seeing JOC at 6, either. Would prefer to see Mick Kearney start there.

A hooker did leave, I think it was Dermot Murphy but I could have the name wrong.

Your right I was thinking of Dermot Murphy. Thanks!

My thoughts after seeing the team and reading the comment are:

1. If the Branch were more honest about us with injuries maybe the fans wouldn't be so hard on them.

2. EE last year went through an odd phase of picking players out of position which did nothing for no-one. I hope this is caused by injuries rather than him useing this method again.

3. Saw the team and its good imo. Hopefully we get a result away to Glasgow.

rossie wrote: <strong>we have three talented but injury prone 1st team centres in mcsharry, tonetti and griffin.</strong> we also have a very talented 18 yr old centre in henshaw. when all are fit again id like to see frequent rotation or position sharing between the 4 of them to try limit the impact on them physically. there are no guarentees in rugby but it may help keep them fit longer. mc sharry and tonetti cud share 12 and griffin/ henshaw 13 for example. there is very little to separTe them talent wise. so far we seem to play them til injured and other then takes up.

Which to me still begs the question why Fa'fili wasn't kept on, could be wrong but he didn't miss a game through injury last season IIRC...

I have a very bad feeling about this one, Glasgow are a very good side nowadays and sending out a patched up side away from home and without any real combinations is a bit like sending lambs to the slaughter. If we finish within twenty of Glasgow it will have been an outstanding performance...

PlanetRugby wrote:
Form:

The Warriors' only victory in their last six PRO12 encounters with Irish provinces was 24-3 against Connacht in this equivalent fixture last season. Connacht's solo win in their last four contests was over Italian new boys Zebre in round two. The Irishmen have recorded just one victory in Scotland since 2006: 19-17 against Glasgow at Firhill on 17 September 2010. The Warriors' 24-3 win over Connacht at Firhill in May snapped a four game winless run against the Irish province. Connacht have triumphed just twice on Glasgow home turf, in 2003 and 2010.

The teams:

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Peter Murchie, 14 Sean Lamont, 13 Alex Dunbar, 12 Peter Horne, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Henry Pyrgos, 8 Ryan Wilson, 7 John Barclay, 6 James Eddie, 5 Al Kellock (c), 4 Tom Ryder, 3 Moray Low, 2 Dougie Hall, 1 Ryan Grant.
Replacements: 16 Finlay Gillies, 17 Mike Cusack, 18 Gordon Reid, 19 Tim Swinson, 20 Angus Macdonald, 21 Sean Kennedy, 22 Scott Wight, 23 Troy Nathan.

Connacht: 15 Gavin Duffy (capt), 14 James Loxton, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 David McSharry, 11 Mark McCrea, 10 Matthew Jarvis, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Eoin McKeon, 7 Willie Faloon, 6 Johnny O'Connor, 5 David Gannon, 4 George Naoupu, 3 Nathan White, 2 Adrian Flavin, 1 Brett Wilkinson.
Replacements: 16 Kevin O'Byrne, 17 Denis Buckley, 18 Rodney Ah You, 19 Michael Swift, 20 Michael Kearney, 21 David Moore, 22 Jack Carty, 23 Mata Fifita.

Date: Friday, September 21
Venue: Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Kick-off: 19.35 BST (18.35 GMT)
Referee: Alain Rolland (IRFU)
Assistant referees: Peter Allan, Adrian Graves (both SRU)
Citing commissioner: John Kirk (SRU)
TMO: Jim Yuille (SRU)

ummm, wrote: I thought the Ulster guys would have been given a break after the stress of the Spence funeral.

Good point. I see from a piece in the paper that Willie Falloon was one of the pall bearers for Nevins coffin. I'm sure he'll be eager to play well in his honour. Tragic stuff.

6 changes last week, 8 this. That's not good. I know we're in need of a shake up, but too many changes could ruin any positives.

I thought the Ulster guys would have been given a break after the stress of the Spence funeral.

rossie wrote: welcome the changes whether forced or by choice.

Yes indeed, it's good to see we have real squad options for a change, and that we're using them.

Never thought I'd see the day we had 3 Welsh backs in our team.

If Jack Carty gets a run-out he'll be the eleventh Connacht-bred player to feature in the 4 games thus far (after Bucks, Loughs, Mul, Browne, JOC, McKeon, Griffin, TOH, Henshaw, and Duffy) which augurs well for the long term.

(I was tempted to include Fifita as a 12th on the grounds he's played for Sligo for several years).

we have three talented but injury prone 1st team centres in mcsharry, tonetti and griffin. we also have a very talented 18 yr old centre in henshaw. when all are fit again id like to see frequent rotation or position sharing between the 4 of them to try limit the impact on them physically. there are no guarentees in rugby but it may help keep them fit longer. mc sharry and tonetti cud share 12 and griffin/ henshaw 13 for example. there is very little to separTe them talent wise. so far we seem to play them til injured and other then takes up.

thks for that porterbelly.

i have to say i like the look of the team and welcome the changes whether forced or by choice.

i have concern about henshaw starting but there is no doubt hes good enough.
l would also prefer to see joc on bench with kearney at 6. it wud be a more balanced back row.

i like jarvis starting at 10 and hopefully he lives up to our expectation. carty as back up is a worry but he is a v good 10 at ail level so hopefully he can step up if called on. george has done well in 2nd row in past so no worries there.

this selection has caught my imagination and im cautiously optimistic again.