Folks, we will be inducting Eric Elwood into the Hall of Fame in the Clan Bar after the Ulster game on Friday, details here:

www.connachtclan.com/news/218-eric-elwoo...cted-to-hall-of-fame

its_phil wrote:

sea_point wrote:

its_phil wrote:

connachtexile wrote:
That said Griffin and Tonetti are a worry and you'd imagine one of them might be on the way out if they can't stay fit. I think it's also a good idea to try and rotate here more with Murphy showing he can handle this level and maybe bringing through the likes of Jarvis, Leader and Roche faster than previously thought.

What ridiculous claims to make. Griffin's only major injury has been his hamstring but he has been flying since the surgery in Germany. No problems since then, he is only going to be out for the game this week with a concussion. A hamstring problem can cause major difficulties and decrease your quality over the years like Michael Owen but that is only if it has been mismanaged. It clearly hasn't done that to Griffin, seen as has been a regular fixture in our 23 since Christmas. He is clearly staying fit.

Tonetti is the same, he got over his hamstring problem after going to the same surgeon. He came back and played brilliantly against the Ospreys. But unfortunately he picked up a knock to his ankle. It happens. No need to throw the toys out the pram. Tonetti was an excellent acquisition last year, unfortunately injuries happen and he has been dreadfully unlucky that he only had two injuries this season but both required a lot of time for recovery.

If he was injury plagued again and only made one appearance again next year that would be fair enough but one season is not enough to say give him the boot. Comparing to Tuohy who broke his leg badly is nonsense.

Nothing ridiculous in the comment at all IMO, of course the coaching team will review players on longer term injuries, they would be remiss not too. Of the two Tonetti has spent a large part of this season on the physio table (all but 141 minutes this season) and in liaison with the medical care I'm sure the coaching team and the administration review where money is being tied up and could be better utilised...

There have been plenty of good players in the past who have worn our jersey but never shone due to injuries and been let go, Downey and Ofisa Treverianus just two examples...

Professional sports people need to be lucky as well as talented..

And like I said fair enough if he was injured again next year in the final year of his contract and played one game. But it is one season.

Season ending injuries unfortunately happen all the time. If you chucked a player out everytime that happened there would be very few professional rugby players left. It doesn't mean you hold it against the player next year if he has fully fit year.

Speculating on whether a player deserves a new contract in one years time, based on one good season and one injury plagued year is OTT. Give him the benefit of a year's time and the Griffin is 'crocked' too worries can't be used because he is well over his hamstring injury which was the only thing keeping him out.

CE didn't specify a time frame, and Tonetti is contracted to 2014 but could be with us much longer if he can get and stay fit. No players are indispensable, they have to be an asset for the outlay and that means being fit and available for most of the period of their contract. Personally I don't particularly care how nice someone is or where they're from if they're using up our hard earned wedge for salary and rehab costs longer term with little or no return.

It's business, pure and simple I'm afraid. If we had a first class ground and were generating a surplus every season my view my be different. But we don't on either count, not even close..

sea_point wrote:

its_phil wrote:

connachtexile wrote:
That said Griffin and Tonetti are a worry and you'd imagine one of them might be on the way out if they can't stay fit. I think it's also a good idea to try and rotate here more with Murphy showing he can handle this level and maybe bringing through the likes of Jarvis, Leader and Roche faster than previously thought.

What ridiculous claims to make. Griffin's only major injury has been his hamstring but he has been flying since the surgery in Germany. No problems since then, he is only going to be out for the game this week with a concussion. A hamstring problem can cause major difficulties and decrease your quality over the years like Michael Owen but that is only if it has been mismanaged. It clearly hasn't done that to Griffin, seen as has been a regular fixture in our 23 since Christmas. He is clearly staying fit.

Tonetti is the same, he got over his hamstring problem after going to the same surgeon. He came back and played brilliantly against the Ospreys. But unfortunately he picked up a knock to his ankle. It happens. No need to throw the toys out the pram. Tonetti was an excellent acquisition last year, unfortunately injuries happen and he has been dreadfully unlucky that he only had two injuries this season but both required a lot of time for recovery.

If he was injury plagued again and only made one appearance again next year that would be fair enough but one season is not enough to say give him the boot. Comparing to Tuohy who broke his leg badly is nonsense.

Nothing ridiculous in the comment at all IMO, of course the coaching team will review players on longer term injuries, they would be remiss not too. Of the two Tonetti has spent a large part of this season on the physio table (all but 141 minutes this season) and in liaison with the medical care I'm sure the coaching team and the administration review where money is being tied up and could be better utilised...

There have been plenty of good players in the past who have worn our jersey but never shone due to injuries and been let go, Downey and Ofisa Treverianus just two examples...

Professional sports people need to be lucky as well as talented..

And like I said fair enough if he was injured again next year in the final year of his contract and played one game. But it is one season.

Season ending injuries unfortunately happen all the time. If you chucked a player out everytime that happened there would be very few professional rugby players left. It doesn't mean you hold it against the player next year if he has fully fit year.

Speculating on whether a player deserves a new contract in one years time, based on one good season and one injury plagued year is OTT. Give him the benefit of a year's time and the Griffin is 'crocked' too worries can't be used because he is well over his hamstring injury which was the only thing keeping him out.

its_phil wrote:

connachtexile wrote:
That said Griffin and Tonetti are a worry and you'd imagine one of them might be on the way out if they can't stay fit. I think it's also a good idea to try and rotate here more with Murphy showing he can handle this level and maybe bringing through the likes of Jarvis, Leader and Roche faster than previously thought.

What ridiculous claims to make. Griffin's only major injury has been his hamstring but he has been flying since the surgery in Germany. No problems since then, he is only going to be out for the game this week with a concussion. A hamstring problem can cause major difficulties and decrease your quality over the years like Michael Owen but that is only if it has been mismanaged. It clearly hasn't done that to Griffin, seen as has been a regular fixture in our 23 since Christmas. He is clearly staying fit.

Tonetti is the same, he got over his hamstring problem after going to the same surgeon. He came back and played brilliantly against the Ospreys. But unfortunately he picked up a knock to his ankle. It happens. No need to throw the toys out the pram. Tonetti was an excellent acquisition last year, unfortunately injuries happen and he has been dreadfully unlucky that he only had two injuries this season but both required a lot of time for recovery.

If he was injury plagued again and only made one appearance again next year that would be fair enough but one season is not enough to say give him the boot. Comparing to Tuohy who broke his leg badly is nonsense.

Nothing ridiculous in the comment at all IMO, of course the coaching team will review players on longer term injuries, they would be remiss not too. Of the two Tonetti has spent a large part of this season on the physio table (all but 141 minutes this season) and in liaison with the medical care I'm sure the coaching team and the administration review where money is being tied up and could be better utilised...

There have been plenty of good players in the past who have worn our jersey but never shone due to injuries and been let go, Downey and Ofisa Treverianus just two examples...

Professional sports people need to be lucky as well as talented..

connachtexile wrote:
That said Griffin and Tonetti are a worry and you'd imagine one of them might be on the way out if they can't stay fit. I think it's also a good idea to try and rotate here more with Murphy showing he can handle this level and maybe bringing through the likes of Jarvis, Leader and Roche faster than previously thought.

What ridiculous claims to make. Griffin's only major injury has been his hamstring but he has been flying since the surgery in Germany. No problems since then, he is only going to be out for the game this week with a concussion. A hamstring problem can cause major difficulties and decrease your quality over the years like Michael Owen but that is only if it has been mismanaged. It clearly hasn't done that to Griffin, seen as has been a regular fixture in our 23 since Christmas. He is clearly staying fit.

Tonetti is the same, he got over his hamstring problem after going to the same surgeon. He came back and played brilliantly against the Ospreys. But unfortunately he picked up a knock to his ankle. It happens. No need to throw the toys out the pram. Tonetti was an excellent acquisition last year, unfotunatley injuries happen and he has been dreadfully unlucky that he only had two injuries this season but both required a lot of time for recovery.

If he was injury plagued again and only made one appearance again next year that would be fair enough but one season is not enough to say give him the boot. Comparing to Tuohy who broke his leg badly is nonsense.

our team.
1. wilko 2.flavin 3.locks 4.swift 5.macca 6. browne 7.mul 8. george
9.KM 10.parks 11. fetuu 12. fifita 13. poolman 14.duffy 15. henshaw

16.ER 17. ah you 18.cooney 19.kearney 20.who's left? anderson? 21. POD 22. nikora 23.TOH

could have 19, gannon 20, kearney or what is the story with grace at 20

Brian Murphy at 12 and Fifita at 20.

Decadence wrote: Ulster name a strong squad:/quote]

Not that strong, no Niall o Connor :evil: :evil: :evil:

with today being a lovely day, it brings me back few years when we played 3 games in a week, munster, leinster and bourgain. that was some end to the season, now im excited for friday, 6pm in o connells.
reading the ulster forum, i see there not having a supporers bus, not enough numbers, only 5 and needed 20 to break even, but seems a good crowd, like always are making there own way.

they are very respectful about us, but reading the forum, im having nightmares. wilko and locks our only fit props worth taking about vs the strongest pack outside of france in the heineken cup.

i can see a penalty try or two on friday. does any bookies take money on penalty trys being scored.

our team.
1. wilko 2.flavin 3.locks 4.swift 5.macca 6. browne 7.mul 8. george
9.KM 10.parks 11. fetuu 12. fifita 13. poolman 14.duffy 15. henshaw

16.ER 17. ah you 18.cooney 19.kearney 20.who's left? anderson? 21. POD 22. nikora 23.TOH

could have 19, gannon 20, kearney or what is the story with grace at 20

Really holds for all three young centres, Tonetti, McSharry and Griffin. Tonetti has missed the most but the other two have had their fair share of time out injured. It's troubling considering how young they are. Is it a case of just treating the injury or is time going into finding out why they are chronically injured and how to prevent it?

Agreed we were losing people with knocks left right and center there before xmas. Lam is going to have to figure out how to stop this either through different training or different conditioning. Admittedly our injury rate has improved since xmas but it's always going to be high with less rotation than the other provinces.

That said Griffin and Tonetti are a worry and you'd imagine one of them might be on the way out if they can't stay fit. I think it's also a good idea to try and rotate here more with Murphy showing he can handle this level and maybe bringing through the likes of Jarvis, Leader and Roche faster than previously thought.

connachtexile wrote: Beginning to have concerns about Tonetti. How many injuries has he picked up this season and last?

Really holds for all three young centres, Tonetti, McSharry and Griffin. Tonetti has missed the most but the other two have had their fair share of time out injured. It's troubling considering how young they are. Is it a case of just treating the injury or is time going into finding out why they are chronically injured and how to prevent it?

Strong squad named for Ulster. But can honestly see Connacht possibly coming out trumps, IF they bring it on the day. Injury list aside, we've a strong squad there and hopefully Eric (and Pat?) will name the right combination. My only worry would be what our injury list could look like come next Monday with two matches left this season.

Ulster name a strong squad:

Ulster squad: Chris Henry, Callum Black, Rory Best, Robbie Diack, Dan Tuohy, Lewis Stevenson, Declan Fitzpatrick, Nick Williams, Rob Herring, John Afoa, Ricky Lutton, Tom Court, Iain Henderson, Johann Muller, Ruan Pienaar, Jared Payne, Paddy Jackson, Paul Marshall, Peter Nelson, Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Michael Allen, Adam D’Arcy, Stuart Olding, Darren Cave.

Beginning to have concerns about Tonetti. How many injuries has he picked up this season and last? If he doesn't get a run of luck soon I can see him going the same way as Tuohy did.

Squad Update ahead of Ulster game

The Connacht Squad trained in Galway yesterday following Friday night’s 32-24 victory over Edinburgh.

During the game at Murrayfield, centre Eoin Griffin was forced to come off following a knock to the head. He suffered a mild concussion but doctors are confident that he will be fit for Friday’s game against Ulster.

While there are a number of players on the long-term injury list, it is hoped that hooker Jason Harris-Wright (calf) and flanker Willie Faloon (ankle) will make it back for either the rearranged game against Treviso or the last game of the season against Glasgow. Both are likely to miss this week’s derby clash along with Eoin McKeon who is still struggling with bruised rib cartilage.

Nathan White, who missed out on last week’s game in Scotland, is set to see a specialist this Friday for a damaged knee. Fellow front-rower Denis Buckley has also been ruled out of the game against Ulster due to a medial knee ligament injury.

Dave McSharry underwent surgery on a troublesome hip yesterday and will miss the remaining three games of the season. The young centre joins Kyle Tonetti on the sidelines. Tonetti had ankle surgery last week and will be out of action for the remainder of the season.

Connacht take on Ulster at the Sportsground this Friday night at 7:45pm and the team will be announced on Thursday at midday.

Griffin 50/50
JHW injured
White injured
Willie Faloon injured
Eoin mcKeon injured
Denis buckley injured
Dave Mcsharry injured
Tonetti injured

that is a big important injury list. will be hard seeing us win this if (they should) bring there strongest squad

Yeah, I'd have to wait for the team announcements to make a final decision. As Swift4prez pointed out Ulster's form as been uneven since the new year so if the lads show up for this one Connacht can make a game of it. However, they'll have no chance if they concede upwards 10 kickable penalties and have two players carded.

Fascinating game this one. With Cardiff at home in their last game Ulster will be thinking a win here will almost seal top spot. They will be coming down here all guns blazing as they know they need to win the Pro 12 if they are to justify talk that they have moved forward and the best way to do that is get the top spot and the home s/f and if they get through that the home final.

Our lads have the bit between their teeth in recent weeks, couple of good away wins and even if unimpressively at times have got the job done at home. Traditionally we haven't really turned up against Ulster but the last two seasons at home we have got results off them.

I'd expect two seriously fired up teams and I think we'll get a good match which will give us a fair indication of where we're at. Too early to call, will have to see how both teams line up but I'm looking forward to a good occasion.

just clear up that was a joke, yes a racist text was sent to pat lam and this week lam said he was looking forward to welcome him here and 'catch up'.
i was running out of facts so i thought id try to be funny.

ps ummmm, the calender 'fact' was a joke too, they also have 12 months :evil: :whistle: