I love the optimism in this thread. Even if we put in a performance we are capable of that's still a very very strong Ospreys team. They are only missing 2 from the Wales team. They are in great form while we have been stinking up the place. I fear tonights result won't be a good one and I hope I am extremely wrong

Important game for Connacht to have any chance of improving their league position for the rest of the season. Ospreys really impresssed me last week up in Ravenhill, defended superbly and scored a winning try that very few teams could execute. They mightn't do it in the Heineken but they consistently get the job done in the Rabo and they won't want any slip ups here with the league being so tight.

The Connacht team looks fairly decent on paper but if only for their own personal pride they need at least a strong performance tomorrow. I read they had a referee in during the week to try and clear up difficulties at the breakdown which has resulted in Connacht giving away a lot of kickable penalties throughout the season. I'd like to see Connacht just go out and have a go tomorrow and keep the ball in hand whenever possible. Kicking the ball up in the air hasn't exactly been a successful tactic for the majority of the season.

I'd like to be hopeful as at least on paper we should have a team capable of winning this one but given how poor we've been for the majority of this season its hard to see much of a return tomorrow night.

RogueXV wrote: 3 from 3 would see them equal last year's win total with 5 games to see them go one maybe two better.

Would that be the same season where we lost 14 in a row? Just goes to show what a bad season it has been, despite 2 big wins.

GTTC is right. If Connacht put in the performance they're capable of and are long overdue for they should win this one somewhat comfortably. They've put themselves in a really poor position. The only way out of it is to win their next 3 starting with the Ospreys. From there they have a Blues team that have only won twice at home in 8 league games and then back to the Sportsground for Zebre. This patch of games really provides them with an opportunity to turn their season around. 3 from 3 would see them equal last year's win total with 5 games to see them go one maybe two better.

Hopeful that this young backline with Henshaw back and Poolman on the wing will cut loose and bag a handful of tries.

Does it not just all depend on " which Connacht turns up?"

Alltime record for this fixture:

3 wins (by an average of 4 points) 6 defeats (avg. margin 12 points).

We've lost 4 years on the bounce gaining losing bonus points in 2 of those years, including a 1 point defeat 2 years ago when Matthew Jarvis kicked the winning penalty, albeit for a stronger Ospreys selection.

We're upbeaten in 4 home February games in the last 2 seasons, our alltime home record for February is P8 W3 D2 L3

So despite Ospreys ominous win at Revenhill last week, there's at least hope of a win, or at least a bonus point.

Richie Fussell tore our defence to shreds back in October, we'll need a much improved defensive performance...

swift4prez wrote: thats a fairly good team, apart from buckley and george in the forwards, who are covered well, this is a strong pack with macca with ireland.

im very worried about our centres. both fair injury prone, kyle just back and cant remember when griffin put in a full game, with duffy for cover, i dont fancy having nikora coming in at centre.

as ummmm, will point out. look at the ref, 5th game!!! his 1st and 3rd games were for us away at the dragons.

that ref has a 60% of all games involve us! 3/5!

Ah no, not the Italian lad that took charge of the Dragons game! I am still having nightmares about that game.

Alun Wyn and Fotuali'i will have a big say on the outcome of this match we need to keep them quiet and our management of the ref needs to be a lot better this time. One thing I think we can guarantee is that there will be cards a plenty on Friday, I just hope we are on the right side of them this time.

15 Richard Fussell
14 Tom Habberfield
13 Tom Isaacs
12 Jonathan Spratt
11 Ben John
10 Matthew Morgan
9 Kahn Fotuali'i
1 Duncan Jones
2 Scott Baldwin
3 Cai Griffiths
4 Alun Wyn Jones (Capt)
5 James King
6 Joe Bearman
7 Sam Lewis
8 Morgan Allen
REPLACEMENTS
16 Matthew Dwyer
17 Marc Thomas
18 Dmitri Arhip
19 Lloyd Peers
20 Jonathan Thomas
21 Arthur Ellis/Sam Davies
22 Rhys Webb
23 Ross Jones

You have to go back to 2007/08 to find a Connacht victory at home to Ospreys, and that includes two matches during the November internationals when they were depleted. We have a very poor record against them, even when we have the more settled side.

The boys really need to make a statement after getting nothing in Wales last week.

thats a fairly good team, apart from buckley and george in the forwards, who are covered well, this is a strong pack with macca with ireland.

im very worried about our centres. both fair injury prone, kyle just back and cant remember when griffin put in a full game, with duffy for cover, i dont fancy having nikora coming in at centre.

as ummmm, will point out. look at the ref, 5th game!!! his 1st and 3rd games were for us away at the dragons.

that ref has a 60% of all games involve us! 3/5!

There is a hint of opportunity here. normally this would be chalked down as a loss with hope for a LBP but the ospreys have 23 players missing and WRU have also withdrawn Ryan Bevington as cover for James and Jenkins who are available for their clubs this weekend( there is something wrong with the system when the 3rd choice LH cant play for his region because the 1st and 2nd choices are potentially playing for their clubs in France and England!)
It looks like a very decent connacht team on paper although the sight of Dave as LH cover(or any cover) continues to give me the shivers.
Im hopeful that the weak squad and some complacency after winning in Ravenhill might make this a contest we can win. god knows we need it.

Robbie returns for Ospreys clash

Connacht Rugby has announced their team to face Ospreys tomorrow night in Round 15 of the RaboDirect PRO12 league.

Eric Elwood’s side welcome defending champions Ospreys to the Sportsground and the Head Coach has made just three personnel changes to his starting XV.

Robbie Henshaw, who last week earned his first Ireland Under-20 cap, returns to full back. The 19-year-old was instrumental in Ireland’s dramatic one-point 6 Nations victory over England in his home town of Athlone.

Tiernan O’Halloran, who covered the full back position last week, now returns to the right wing. Try-scorer Danie Poolman replaces Fetu’u Vainikolo on the left wing, completing the youthful and pacey back three.

A strong performance in Wales on his first game back from injury sees Kyle Tonetti retain the number 12 shirt. He joins up with Eoin Griffin again in the centre.

Meanwhile, the front five in the pack remains unchanged with Nathan While captaining the side tomorrow.

Recent returnees John Muldoon and Willie Faloon were brought off the bench against Scarlets last Friday night. This week, they both start in the back row, replacing Andrew Browne and Johnny O’Connor respectively.

Gavin Duffy is named on the bench and could make his 150th Connacht appearance at the Sportsground tomorrow night.

Connacht XV

15. Robbie Henshaw

14. Tiernan O’Halloran

13. Eoin Griffin

12. Kyle Tonetti

11. Danie Poolman

10. Dan Parks

9. Kieran Marmion

1. Brett Wilkinson

2. Jason Harris-Wright

3. Nathan White (captain)

4. Michael Swift

5. Mick Kearney

6. John Muldoon

7. Willie Faloon

8. Eoin McKeon

Replacements: Ethienne Reynecke, Rodney Ah You, Ronan Loughney, Andrew Browne, Johnny O’Connor, Paul O’Donohoe, Miah Nikora, Gavin Duffy

Connacht v Ospreys
Friday 15th February
The Sportsground
Kick off 7:45pm

Referee: Guiseppe Vivarini (FIR, 5th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Michael Black, Will O’Connor (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Tom McCormack (IRFU)
TMO: Jude Quinn (IRFU)

FRONT UP RISE UP

The famous Clan Stand is almost sold out but tickets are still available on ticketmaster.ie and from the Connacht Rugby offices.

It’s just €20 for adults and €5 for Juniors (kids under 12 go free; must be accompanied by an adult).