Parks is out, Nikora to start.

This just got tougher

TG4 and RTE only show a province's away game if the local TV channel is showing it. They piggyback on that signal. We were never in with a shout of TG4 or RTE showing this game.

Same reason Leinster didn't have their last two games televised.

tg4 covering 2 games, leinster and munster.
rte covering ulsters game which is covered also by bbc ni...

i know tg4 split there games 3 ways, connacht/munster/leinster but surely rte must have so agreement that they have to show connacht.

Creedence wrote: www.cardiffblues.com/tickets/6248.php

That's a nice offer. Cardiff shirt and a match ticket for £30.

Guess their Canterbury contract is up then..?

ummm, wrote:

menacethedenis wrote: Safe to assume this is not on TV anywhere?

Fraid not, the Welsh TV channels haven't shown a Connacht match in over two years

Having been to most of them, I'm not surprised frankly.... :S

menacethedenis wrote: Safe to assume this is not on TV anywhere?

Fraid not, the Welsh TV channels haven't shown a Connacht match in over two years

www.cardiffblues.com/tickets/6248.php

That's a nice offer. Cardiff shirt and a match ticket for £30.

Safe to assume this is not on TV anywhere?

15. Gavin Duffy (captain)
14. Danie Poolman
13. Eoin Griffin
12. Brian Murphy
11. Fetu’u Vainikolo
10. Dan Parks
9. Kieran Marmion



1. Brett Wilkinson
2. Jason Harris-Wright
3. Nathan White
4. Michael Swift
5. Andrew Browne
6. John Muldoon
7. Willie Faloon
8. Eoin McKeon

Replacements: Ethienne Reynecke, Denis Buckley, Ronan Loughney, Mick Kearney, TJ Anderson, Paul O’Donohoe, Miah Nikora, Matthew Jarvis

A lot missing for Connacht but that's still a good side. White and McKeown being fit are major positives. We'll see how Murphy gets on at 12, hope it goes well for him. Having Denis Buckley back fit is a major positive to boost the bench.

Cardiff had a good away win in Edinburgh last Friday and aren't missing a huge number of players. We got a bonus point in this fixture around this time last year that should be the minimum aim. A win could really set us up for a good finish to the season but its important we get at least some return.

From our 10 away games so far this season we have 2 wins (against Zebre) and zero bonus points to show for our efforts. We don't expect much on the road against Leinster, Ulster, Ospreys etc. but against the bottom half teams we need to get some return especially during the internationals.

Have to agree with you on the LBP salmson. If the game were against one of the teams in the top 6 it would be a different story, but Connacht can't afford a 7/8 point swing here if they have any hope of catching Cardiff for 7th in the table.

I was set to agree with TheCulk about 10 man rugby, but really Murphy is the only question mark so they may as well give it a good lash. Besides even when conditions have called out for keeping the ball tight Eric has gone with the same game plan which seems to value kicking over possession.

It's an important game for Duffy IMO. Henshaw is now entrenched at FB so he'll be fighting just to keep himself in the frame for a spot on the bench. Otherwise he'll spend the rest of his time at Connacht as a filler for Robbie while he is on international duty.

ummm, wrote: We absolutely have to get something from this game even if it's a LBP.

A losing bonus point is worth almost nothing, it would leave us eleven points off seventh place and possibly six off eighth.

On the other hand a win, even while conceding the LBP, would leave us 5 points off Cardiff. I'd then fancy us to go 7th the next week when we face Zebre at home while Cardiff and Treviso travel to the top 2.

As Kevin Keegan used to say, it's a "massive, massive, game for us".

Murphy has looked very solid for 'wegians and the Eagles this year. Huge chance for him to prove he's up to it now.

Filise has been moved from TH to LH. Sweeney misses out to Patchell which I'd say is a step up. Copeland in at 8 is a very good move. Down in the secon row is the real dangerman, MOTM last time round and regular starter for Blues now.

Cardiff: Fish, Robinson, Evans, G Davies, James, Sweeney, Jones, T Davies, Kyriacou, Filise, Copeland, Down, Watts-Jones, Navidi, Pretorius.
Replacements: R Williams, Trevett, Bourrust, Reed, Hamilton, L Williams, Allen, T Williams.

The team they brought to Galway earlier this season

15 Chris Czekaj 14 Owen Williams 13 Richard Smith 12 Gavin Evans (c) 11 Harry Robinson 10 Rhys Patchell 9 Lewis Jones

8 Robin Copeland 7 Rory Watts-Jones 6 Michael Paterson 5 James Down 4 Macauley Cook 3 Benoit Bourrust 2 Kristian Dacey 1 Taufa'ao Filise

16 Rhys Williams 17 Nathan Trevett 18 Scott Andrews 19 Luke Hamilton 20 Thomas Young 21 Liam Davies 22 Ceri Sweeney 23 Jason Tovey

Not available for selection:
Josh Navidi - Hamstring strain
Andries Pretorius - Shoulder injury seeing specialist this week

Dafydd Hewitt- Fractured cheeckbone, back mid March

Andi Kyriacou- Neck operation, seeing specialist in March

Cory Hill- Ankle sprain

Dan Fish- Suffered shoulder nerve palsy in match against Zebre, return late April

Tom James- Fractured sesamoid (big toe) return mid March

Tom Davies- ACL knee reconstruction, back in March

Tom Williams- Shoulder dislocation, back in May

From the Blues Website - Would like to know how their team compares to the squad they brought over to The Sportsground?

Is Fafita injured?

i thought he was one of the eagles better performers this season. he has always played 13 for them though with leader or fafita inside him.