menacethedenis wrote: Anyone know what the story with TJ is? Thought he might be involved here

Out to grass? Not on the injured list. McCrea's in the same boat. Given the fact that they'd be on decent money and aren't really anywhere near the first team, I'd say the decision has already been made to cut them at the end of the year.

Personally I have no problem with these games being in Dubarry. I half suspected they might be, you can't have 2 full-on matches on the Sportsground pitch in one weekend. Would be nice if the branch ran a few buses there and back but they probably won't. I'd say there'll probably be just a big an attendance at Dubarry as there would be in Galway for these games. Went to see the under 21's (I think?) play that US colleges touring-side in pre-season at the sportsground on a saturday afternoon and there was fuck-all people there. Most people are just interested in the first squad games.

Anyone know what the story with TJ is? Thought he might be involved here

Porterbelly wrote: I have a feeling that putting Wilkinson there is a typo error

No typo, Ah You in on the bench for the first XV

Hey swift4prez, what have you against using Athlone for games? There are Connacht supporters outside of Galway city you know. Buccaneers and the midlands have always been centrally involved in the development of the game in the province. A ittle bit of cop on please!

I have a feeling that putting Wilkinson there is a typo error

Eagles team announced for opening B&I game
Thursday, 11 October 2012 21:56


Eagles team announced as British & Irish Cup kicks off

This weekend is an historical one for Connacht Rugby as we send two teams into European Rugby terrain.

While the senior squad are en route to Parma to take on Zebre in round one of the Heineken Cup, the Connacht Eagles will face Newport RFC as part of the British & Irish Cup.

This year, the B&I Cup has been expanded to 32 teams (from 24) and sees the first involvement of the Western province. Head Coach Nigel Carolan has named his side that will travel to Rodney Parade in Wales for the opening fixture tomorrow, October 13th.

The team for this weekend contains some well-known names in the starting XV. Conor Finn was part of the Irish under 20’s squad that finished 5th in the Junior World Championship in South Africa during the summer. He is joined in the centre by Tadhg Leader who is in year 2 of the Connacht Academy. Matt Healy who this season joined the club from Lansdowne RFC starts on the wing along with 22 year old James Loxton who played with the senior team in Glasgow last month in the RaboDirect PRO12 .

Scrum half Marcus Walsh played with the Connacht U20s last season and was recently contracted to the Connacht Academy.

Flanker and former Munster Academy Player of the Year Eoghan Grace will captain the side. Grace joined Connacht last season from the Exeter Chiefs and was a member of the Ireland 7's side that travelled to the 2009 World Cup in Dubai. He was also a member of Eric Elwood's famous U20 grand slam winning team.

Grace is joined in the back row by Dave Heffernan who is a former Irish U20’s International. Heffernan made his senior debut against the Scarlets last season. 20 year old Jonathan Gardiner will start at number 8. Originally from Wales, but with Irish parents, Gardiner joined the Connacht Academy during the summer.

Following this weekend, the Connacht Eagles will welcome Newcastle Falcons to Dubarry Park on Friday 19th October. KO is at 7.45pm and Connacht Rugby season ticket holders are granted access to all Connacht Eagles home B&I Cup games.

Connacht Eagles XV

15 Shane Layden

14 James Loxton

13 Conor Finn

12 Tadhg Leader

11 Matt Healy

10 Jack Carty

9 Marcus Walsh

1 Brett Wilkinson

2 Jason Harris-Wright

3 JP Cooney

4 Mick Kearney

5 Danny Qualter

6 Dave Heffernan

7 Eoghan Grace (captain)

8 Jonathan Gardiner

Replacements (from):

16 Kevin O’Byrne

17 Peter Reilly

18 Ultane Dillane

19 Aaron Conneely

20 Mark Dolan

21 Darragh Leader

22 Steve Macauley



British & Irish Cup Fixtures

Round 1

Newport RFC Vs Connacht Eagles Sat 13th Oct 2012 KO 2.30pm Rodney parade

Round 2

Connacht Eagles Vs Newcastle Fri 19th Oct 2012 KO 7.45pm Dubarry Park

Round 3

Crosskeys Vs Connacht Eagles Sat 8th Dec 2012 KO 2.30pm Pandy Park, Crosskeys, Caerphilly.

Round 4

Connacht Eagles Vs Crosskeys Sat 15th Dec 2012 KO 2.30pm Dubarry Park

Round 5

Newcastle Vs Connacht Eagles Sat 12th Jan 2013 KO 3.00pm Kingston park, Newcastle

Round 6

Connacht Eagles Vs Newport RFC Sat 19th Jan 2013 KO 2.00pm Venue Dubarry Park

www.connachtrugby.ie/2012101183046/eagle...for-opening-bai-game



Brett Wilkinson and JHW starting in the Eagles game so

Edit: Just seen on Newcastle Rugbynetwork one poster saying k/o is Friday 19th at 7.45 in Dubarry Park.

That's a pity, not sure too many will turn up in Dubarry Park for these matches. It would have been nice if they'd let us know this in the season ticket package as an asterisk beside the free access to B&I Cup games.

Was really looking forward to these games particularly how we performed against Newcastle, I'll try and make one or two of them if possible but it won't be easy and seeing the sort of times A and u20 matches have been played before I wouldn't be surprised with a 3.00 Friday afternoon kind of kick off which suits no-one.

The least the Branch should do is let people know about details for the first home game now so people can make arrangements.

A Saturday afternoon kick off ahead of the Harlequins game for the Newcastle game would be a tasty double header and would have generated interest in the A side. I know it might have affected the pitch but the Sportsground is well maintained and I wouldn't have seen it as a problem, even if they had it in Crowley Park it might help generate a bit of revenue, I'm sure a few Harlequins fans would venture down for a look too.

These lads deserve better.

I would imagine that sharing the ground with the dogs has a lot to do with the decision to have the A games in Athlone.

For the Quins game for example, racing is cancelled on Saturday night. While I have little time for the doggie crowd, it'd be utterly unreasonable to ask them to cancel Friday night for the Newcastle game as well (expecially since Friday and Saturday are the only nights they run at this time of the year).

Equally playing the game during work/school hours on Friday afternoon in the Sportsground would be unsatisfactory.

The Newport game is on the same weekend as the Zebre game (which won't be scheduled until mid-December) so same goes there. They could really only have kept the Cross Keys match in the Sportsground.

according to dave finn on twitter @furlo (top man) all the fucking games in the b+i cup will be played outside of connacht in bloody dubarry f****** park.

who thinks this is a good idea. two years ago vs exeter in preseason, only 'home' pre season in the last 3years only had a handful of people.
i was really looking forward to these games in the sportsground watching our second string team but i cant and wont be going to athlone.
i wont be surprised if our will feel the same as myself, season ticket t&c stated - free entrance to preseason games (none) and free entrance to all HOME b+i cup games (87 km away from home ground)


are we trying to become like sarries, will next year involve a heineken cup game in south africa

Here's the (old) website article. I've seen several posts saying the first game is in Dubarry Park but haven't seen a date or time.....

www.connachtrugby.ie/2012071682894/briti...p-fixtures-announced

It's on in Dubarry park afaik. what I'm wondering is if there's a supporters bus going?

Does anyone know the arrangements for fixtures? Can only find details on Wikipedia, which claims we are at home to Newcastle on the same weekend as the Quins game