Cooney was brought on and off because technically It was a blood injury. On the replay you can see Gavin Malouf pointing up Rodney's nose to ref. He certainly looked to be out cold for a couple of minutes. Apparently he has passed all his concussion tests and is not a a recovery from concussion program.

So there hasn't been an official statement whether he was concussed or not? I hope if he was then he won't be risked unless a doctor passes him as cleared, it might put us under pressure but last thing we want is to see players getting hurt, we saw Marshall's issues last year and Clarke had to take a few weeks off during S15 season due to a concussion.

salmson wrote: (I'm told the HEC doesn't do concussion check substitutions but will take correction on this.

This is correct. Neither the ERC or PRO12 operate them at the moment pending the outcome of IRB concussion trials which are still ongoing. What a concussion trial IS exactly, I have no idea.

phatguerilla wrote: Actually just remembered, don't recall anything being said about this but does anyone know if Rodney picked up an injury in the first half of the game? Was he concussed? He certainly looked somewhat out of it to me at the start of the second half.

He took a bang to the head and Cooney came on for him as a blood sub (I'm told the HEC doesn't do concussion check substitutions but will take correction on this). He had a hell of a game alright; when I was watching this back, Sky had him as joint top carrier and in the top 3 for tackles going in to the final quarter.

Actually just remembered, don't recall anything being said about this but does anyone know if Rodney picked up an injury in the first half of the game? Was he concussed? He certainly looked somewhat out of it to me at the start of the second half.

Wow. Considering that our scrum had maybe, just maybe, been a bit dodgy before the game.

Roll on Saturday. Zebres at home is never one to relax about, they're going to target the game and we'd have to keep our focus.

From the Connacht Rugby Facebook page:

Heineken Cup Stat: Connacht were one of just two clubs (Clermont were the other) to maintain 100% success rates at both the lineout and scrum in Round 1.

That is astonishing considering the opposition and our injury list. Even more proud of the lads now.

Absolute fantastic game, I thought after the first 10 mins the game was dead and buried but far dues to the lads for not letting there heads drop. Rodney was brilliant but I thought Poolman was Fantastic with ball in hand and at the brake down and chased every high ball.

What game was he watching. Ashton hated the high balls being sent at him.

Hes in another atmosphere. I would be very suprised to see 50,000 Saracens supporters.

We're getting a Defence coach!? Thank F*CK!

I couldn't understand all the complaints about the length of the advantage at the time, so I watched it back there and we still don't have a leg to stand on as far as I'm concerned. 23 seconds, two and a bit phases, maybe 10 metres gained. If it had been the other way around and it wasn't called back for a penalty to us, I'd have been raging.

I know technically as Shelflife said the ref was well within his right to continue the advantage as long as he did, but have to say a lot of refs would have pinned it to the success of the cross field kick and when the Saracens pulled it down you'd expect it to be over.

That first Saracens try is a perfect example of why Connacht need to get a defense coach in fast.

They seem to all be supporting the PRL and English teams on this though. Its a united front from the BBC to ESPN to the print media. Its as if they know something we don't and therefore are prepared to support them at all costs.

The Sunday/Daily Times is part of the Murdoch broadcasting monolith right? So why would he be encouraged to big up the BT Sports Premiership and BT Sports Nigel Wray Invitational etc. and so on?

I think we have to credit the man with ignorance and bias all of his own making.

The plus side of this whole palaver is how much more interesting the games are when you can become a vitriolic Scarlets/Castres/whoever supported for the 2 hours they're playing a random English team. Would love to see them all out by Christmas, though Saracens victory against us means even home and away defeats to Toulouse wouldn'y necessarily eliminate them. Quins will be first up against the wall this weekend, hopefully accompanied by Northampton if Ospreys can get their heads together.

connachtcl wrote: Ignore him! Trolls thrive on attention, good or bad!

He has to support the Aviva premier team and particularly the leaders. He gains extra brownie points for managing to highlight elite competition between French and English opposition aka the rugby champions cup. The PRL propaganda machine strike again. You have to admire the English journalists blind and unwavouring support for the PRL and the English clubs . Its a pity our journalists didn't support our provinces and the irfu goals as well as the pro12 in a similar manner. Instead they simply reprint the English propaganda pieces and report negatively on our league.

thanks I didn't get a chance to watch the game on TV, so if I could be a small bit critical the first try was soft, like a few weeks ago where the players didn't trust the drift defence and it happened again this time with Henshaw stepping back on the inside to make a tackle when he should have stayed in line with the other defenders. Other than that considering the Possesion and Territory that we gave up the game plan worked very well and we could almosat have snatched it at the end with a bit more patience. Rodney had a super game as did Marmion and Parks kicking from hand was excellent. Fionn Carr was not in the game much but he did ok defensively.

What happened with the late switch before the game with Ronaldson for So'Oialo, as it turned out the 12 Position was not a key area of the game and not one that Saracens Targetted. Not sure having him on the bench and bringing him on was a wise move, i think there should hav ebeen better tactical options than So'Oialo