Any idea on where to go for a pint before?

Leinster website confirmed it's a sell out. I'll just have to see if I can pick up a ticket around Ballsbridge.

I presume there is no bus running up to this?
Don't need it on the way up, but if it was there I'd get it home.

Also, just noticed ticketmaster have no tickets for this. I presume they will be available? Didn't buy one as wasn't sure if going.

Where is everyone meeting before the match tomorrow??

I might be in Galway on Saturday, is there a clan bar for the match?

sea_point wrote:

Devils own wrote: Got my ticket a while back for block J grandstand..was at clermont match yesterday cheering on leinster so it will be a reversal come the 29th, <strong>the few french fans were still more vocal and energetic than 48,000 reserved leinster people the chants sound so much better in french ICI ICI C'EST LA CONNACHT! has a ring to it. </strong>Anywhere to get decent tickets left for the munster match in galway was thinking i might head down

Actually that would work very well for us "as gaeilge"....
<strong>Anseo, anseo, anseo Connacht!</strong> (accompanied by manic bouncing up an down)....

Haha ya thats not bad although it might bring back some terrifying primary school memories for some...the froggies have the class chants down got to hand it to them

Connacht XV

15. Robbie Henshaw

14. Danie Poolman

13. Eoin Griffin

12. Dave McSharry

11. Matt Healy

10. Dan Parks

9. Kieran Marmion

1. Denis Buckley

2. Jason Harris-Wright

3. Nathan White (captain)

4. Michael Swift

5. George Naoupu

6. Andrew Browne

7. Johnny O’Connor

8. Eoin McKeon

Replacements (from):

16. Ethienne Reynecke

17. Brett Wilkinson

18. Ronan Loughney

19. Mick Kearney

20. Eoghan Grace

21. Paul O’Donohoe

22. Matthew Jarvis

23. Tiernan O’Halloran

No first choice player starting for Leinster bar maybe McFadden. Still a relatively strong side but there is hope for us in this game.

LEINSTER:

15: Andrew Conway
14: Fergus McFadden
13: Brendan Macken
12: Andrew Goodman
11: Fionn Carr
10: Ian Madigan
9: Isaac Boss

1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Aaron Dundon
3: Michael Bent
4: Ben Marshall
5: Devin Toner
6: Rhys Ruddock
7: Shane Jennings CAPTAIN
8: Jordi Murphy

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Sean Cronin
17: Jack McGrath
18: Mike Ross
19: Leo Cullen
20: Dominic Ryan
21: John Cooney
22: Noel Reid
23: Adam Byrne

Pretty sure the player management is to blame for Macca not being in the squad, I read somewhere each team had their choice of one of these provincial games to give their players a break. In our case the Munster game was targeted by management for the win and Macca was picked. Would love to do the double on Leinster this season but don't see it happening, the Munster game was targeted with good reason and it still stings a bit that it was given away. Also I think Parks and to a lesser extent Marmion could do with a break soon enough, Henshaw too probably. When is Shane Layden due back? It would be good to see Nikora or Jarvis or even Carty start a game in the near future and see if Parks' influence has rubbed off to any degree so far.

Was thinking along the exact same lines S_P. It's not like they're going to say we're not playing the bastard because he has signed up with these poachers. :silly: Normally I'd be happy enough with a losing bonus point, but they've dropped too many league games they should have won so they need to win some against the head. Connacht have managed to keep it tight at the RDS on a number of occasion, this time they need to go a step further.

Borders no.2 wrote: No Mike McCarthy, presume its due to the player management nonsense? Pleased to see Kyle Tonetti back in the squad at least giving us another strong option at centre. Leinster will be down a lot of players through player management nonsense and injuries but will still have a strong hand to chose from. However, if we seriously want to think we are making progress the minimum target for the team is to be in contention going into the last 10/15 minutes.

He's probably being held back because of conflict of having the contract being already signed with Leinster, if it was player management I'm sure something would have been said. It's not like he was overplayed in the AI's...

No Mike McCarthy, presume its due to the player management nonsense? Pleased to see Kyle Tonetti back in the squad at least giving us another strong option at centre. Leinster will be down a lot of players through player management nonsense and injuries but will still have a strong hand to chose from. However, if we seriously want to think we are making progress the minimum target for the team is to be in contention going into the last 10/15 minutes.

Extended Squad to face Leinster

The Connacht Rugby squad trained in Galway today ahead of Saturday’s derby clash with Leinster and an extended squad has been named.

The 26-man squad sees a return to fitness of centre Kyle Tonetti who trained well today following his hamstring treatment in Germany.

The side also includes 23-year-old winger Matt Healy who could earn his first cap for the province on Saturday evening.

Head Coach Eric Elwood will announce the starting XV and replacements tomorrow at midday.

Forwards:
Brett Wilkinson; Denis Buckley; Ronan Loughney; Nathan White; Rodney Ah You; Jason Harris Wright; Ethienne Reynecke; Michael Swift; Mick Kearney; Andrew Browne; Johnny O’Connor; Eoghan Grace; Eoin McKeon; George Naoupu

Backs:

Kieran Marmion; Paul O’Donohoe; Dan Parks; Matthew Jarvis; Fetu’u Vainikolo; Matt Healy; Dave McSharry; Eoin Griffin; Danie Poolman; Kyle Tonetti; Tiernan O’Halloran; Robbie Henshaw

Unavailable through injury: Gavin Duffy, Willie Faloon, John Muldoon, Frank Murphy, Miah Nikora

Devils own wrote: Got my ticket a while back for block J grandstand..was at clermont match yesterday cheering on leinster so it will be a reversal come the 29th, the few french fans were still more vocal and energetic than 48,000 reserved leinster people the chants sound so much better in french ICI ICI C'EST LA CONNACHT! has a ring to it. Anywhere to get decent tickets left for the munster match in galway was thinking i might head down

Actually that would work very well for us "as gaeilge"....
Anseo, anseo, anseo Connacht! (accompanied by manic bouncing up an down)....

Got my ticket a while back for block J grandstand..was at clermont match yesterday cheering on leinster so it will be a reversal come the 29th, the few french fans were still more vocal and energetic than 48,000 reserved leinster people the chants sound so much better in french ICI ICI C'EST LA CONNACHT! has a ring to it. Anywhere to get decent tickets left for the munster match in galway was thinking i might head down

I'm looking at where to get tickets as well.

Availability seems to be behind the goals mainly. I'd prefer to be at the sides but the availability in the Angelsea Stand is at the ends, which I suspect is in line with the in-goal area.