Dunno... I can't see why not. We already know that he is a top-drawer flanker so I cannot see much objections about it. One concern would be if developed into a perma-broke type player. Not that that seems likely but he did miss half of his contract so far through injury. What is he on at the minute?

Diom wrote: No way? Wilko is co commentating! Getting my earbuds ready as we speak.

Excellent interview with Heenan on TheScore today. Can't wait to see him back in action.

Yes great work ethic, always trying to find the best stable position, leaerning from the others etc. Has the stuff champions are made of

His contract must be renewed as soon as possible, otherwise the others provinces will pinch him. Is it possible to sign him this year on a long term commitment??

sea_point wrote:

wp_rathead wrote: ha the "Craggy Island FM radio commentary" is pretty funny in fairness...

One poster is expecting Dragons get a bonus point win- rest just confident of a win.

Wouldn't be the first "New Dawn" of NG Dragons Rugby, let's come back to this in February and see where we are..

Bless them, living in BEEB (b)Land they're obviously used to being fed achingly boring corporate drivel. Give me local color/local radio any day, Wilko has big boots to fill in replacing the excellent Joe Healy along side Rob this season. Joe is Galwegians President this term so one assumes he's unavailable during his term in office...

No way? Wilko is co commentating! Getting my earbuds ready as we speak.

Excellent interview with Heenan on TheScore today. Can't wait to see him back in action.

wp_rathead wrote: ha the "Craggy Island FM radio commentary" is pretty funny in fairness...

One poster is expecting Dragons get a bonus point win- rest just confident of a win.

Wouldn't be the first "New Dawn" of NG Dragons Rugby, let's come back to this in February and see where we are..

Bless them, living in BEEB (b)Land they're obviously used to being fed achingly boring corporate drivel. Give me local color/local radio any day, Wilko has big boots to fill in replacing the excellent Joe Healy along side Rob this season. Joe is Galwegians President this term so one assumes he's unavailable during his term in office...

there is but its in ballinasloe at 2pm.

ladies play leinster at wegians at 3pm

Can anyone tell me if there is an under 18s game on before the dragons match

wp_rathead wrote: ha the "Craggy Island FM radio commentary" is pretty funny in fairness...

One poster is expecting Dragons get a bonus point win- rest just confident of a win.

BBC wales coverage isn't better at all!

And they are confident 'cause they suppose they've got the best Dragons packf or a while. BUT they omit we've got the most balanced one for a while too.

Buckley great scrummager and monster at the breakdown
White, Roux and Heff add the extra kilos we missed so much
Heenan is just great to tackle and support, just as Mc Keon
Kearney for lineout technique
And Muldoon to lead all this!!!!!

ha the "Craggy Island FM radio commentary" is pretty funny in fairness...

One poster is expecting Dragons get a bonus point win- rest just confident of a win.

anyone know why Ronaldson is'nt in the match day squad, will be interesting to see how Leydan gets on at 15, thought he was a centre.

will be interesting the South-Af duel in 2nd row between Rynard Landman and Quinn Roux, new recruits for both clubs

Nice, only one mistake in my predictions, White ahead of Ah You, but I was right for Heff ahead of Henry and Adeolokun/Finn more than Carr!
Ok young halfbacks counting with absolute values, but for a head-to-head, we've to COMPARE with the team we're facing. Average age from 9 (Scrum-Half) to 14 (winger) is EXACTLY the same : 22.5 years old

Was reading the same on dragons forum, someone has to sign up, log in and calm down that tribe of ironic optiomistics :woohoo:

I was just looking/lurking on the Dragons board and they are taking the piss something fierce of our parochial style of commentary here on craggy island: draggedup.co.uk/chat/viewtopic.php?t=5615

s mentioned in the other thread, the match will be covered live on craggy island fm after the news at approx 5:10. let your imagination run riot as a welshman takes the ball up and is bravely stripped by johne who goes on a bullocking run down the wing to be brought down cruelly by a welshman and then the welshman goes in at the side and that welshman there is illegally sealing off and the ref blows for a well deserved penalty which dan parks, resplendent in the green has slotted over from FIFTEEN! yards inside the connacht half. no ,i tell a lie i t was more like twenty five. and the welshmen restart the game and oh that welshman there has tackled brave johne in the air, alright his feet were on the ground but the referee has rightly seen the intent there and if he had been in the air it would've deserved a red card, not the yellow the referee has actually awarded, and now dan parks is lining up the penalty fro the connacht 22, and oh, it's over, another well deserved three points for connacht. the welshmen are down to 12 men after eight minutes and it seems they have no answer to the brave connacht attack.

etc.

etc.

Anyway the Taffy lot are a bit optimistic, and are hoping that optimism does not fade before the month is out.
Let's hope it does not make it thru the weekend

First team of the season!

Connacht line-up v Newport Gwent Dragons
15. Shane Layden
14. Niyi Adeolokun
13. Darragh Leader
12. Dave McSharry
11. Danie Poolman
10. Jack Carty
9. Ian Porter

1. Denis Buckley
2. Dave Heffernan
3. Nathan White
4. Mick Kearney
5. Quinn Roux
6. John Muldoon ©
7. Jake Heenan
8. Eoin McKeon

Replacements:
16. Sean Henry
17. Finlay Bealham
18. Rodney Ah You
19. George Naoupu
20. Willie Faloon
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Miah Nikora
23. Conor Finn

Unavailable / Injured: Jason Harris-Wright, Tom McCartney, Andrew Browne, Mata Fifita, Bundee Aki, Mils Muliaina, Tiernan O’Halloran, Shane O’Leary, Robbie Henshaw, Matt Healy, John Cooney

Connacht Site Article

Look at the youth.
2 players over 26, Mul is 31 and white is 33
9 players 23 or younger.
4 players between 24 and 26. Mcsharry 24, poolman 25, porter 26, buckley 24.

Director of Rugby Lyn Jones, has chosen a mixture of youth and experience in his team to face Connacht at the Sportsground, in the opening round of the Guinness PRO12 (Saturday 6 September, KO 17:00).

© Huw Evans Images
By Katie Vizard | 05/09/2014

Skipper Lee Byrne will make his debut alongside Boris Stankovich, Lloyd Fairbrother, Rynard Landman and Andy Powell.

The back three is a trio of internationals as Lee Byrne is named as fullback with both Tom Prydie and recently returned Dragon Aled Brew on the wing. Jones has appointed a fresh look centre pairing with Jack Dixon and Tyler Morgan. The Newport Gwent Dragons highest points scorer Jason Tovey retains the number 10 jersey as Jonathan Evans is named as scrum-half.

Jones carries on with his mix of youth and experience in the front row as Boris Stankovich is named as loosehead prop, Elliot Dee as hooker and Lloyd Fairbrother as tight head prop. Last years skipper Andrew Coombs is named in the second row along with south African lock Rynard Landman. The back row contains flankers Lewis Evans and Nic Cudd alongside British and Irish lion Andy Powell at number 8.

The replacement bench contains T. Rhys Thomas, Owen Evans, Dan Way, Ian Gough, Taulupe Faletau, Dorian Jones, Geraint Rhys Jones and also gives academy player Barney Nightingale, who impressed during pre-season, the chance to pull on the Dragons jersey.

Newport Gwent Dragons team to face Connacht

Lee Byrne (c), Tom Prydie, Tyler Morgan, Jack Dixon, Aled Brew, Jason Tovey, Jonathan Evans; Boris Stankovich, Elliot Dee, Lloyd Fairbrother, Andrew Coombs, Rynard Landman, Lewis Evans, Nic Cudd, Andy Powell.

Replacements
T. Rhys Thomas, Owen Evans, Dan Way, Ian Gough, Taulupe Faletau, Dorian Jones, Geraint Rhys Jones, Barney Nightingale.

Looks like an exiting team, hope the noobs have a bright start. I won't be going to this after all, poor timing on my part. anyone know what's up with Ronaldson he's not listed as injured but didn't feature in preseason afaik?

Beaten by Swifty :evil:
Tried to delete the post, but nothing happened

Connacht team announced for Dragons game
05th September 2014

Head Coach Pat Lam has named his squad for the opening round of the GUINNESS PRO12 against Newport Gwent Dragons at the Sportsground tomorrow, Saturday, KO 5pm.

In making their competitive Connacht debuts in round 1, lock Quinn Roux, scrum half Ian Porter and wing Niyi Adeolokun all start.

Jack Carty has been handed the reins at outhalf for the opening fixture while Shane Layden, from Carrick-on-Shannon, has been named at full back. The 21-year-old Academy back made a substitute appearance against Leinster in October 2011 but has battled with injuries in recent years. The former minor Roscommon footballer has trained with the senior squad all summer to earn his place in tomorrow’s starting line-up.

Up front, John Muldoon will captain from the blindside in a back row with fellow Galway man Eoin McKeon and New Zealander Jake Heenan, who makes a welcome return following surgery back in February.

From the bench, 21-year-old Academy graduate Conor Finn from Ballinasloe is also in line to earn his first competitive cap.

Commenting on team selection and the opening game, Head Coach Pat Lam said:

“Selecting the first team to go out was a really tough process. Despite some of the injuries we have, the competitiveness shown by the squad has made it difficult for the coaches but at the end of the day, that’s what we want from the players. The team that is lining out tomorrow is based on the hard work that has been done over the last nine weeks.

“It’s a very young side throughout but having the experience of leaders John Muldoon and Nathan White on the field will be invaluable.

“We have some Connacht debutants with both Ian Porter and Quinn Roux slotting in after a good pre-season. It’s also very pleasing to see young Niyi Adeolokun earning his first ever professional cap. Since he’s come in, he’s ticked every single box. He’s impressed his team mates and coaches with his work ethic and the speed at which he’s adapted to the professional set-up. He deserves this start and it’s very exciting for both him and his family.

“After a long battle with injuries, Shane Layden is back fighting fit and starting at full back tomorrow. His determination and focus to get back to this position is a credit to him.

“Without scrumhalf John Cooney available to us just yet, the IRFU have been very flexible to us in allowing Ireland international Kieran Marmion to take a place on the bench in order to cover number 9.

“We have prepared well but we know Dragons will be no pushover. They have recruited well in the summer and are coming here on the back of a huge win last week against the Northampton Saints, the current Premiership champions who had their full squad out. That shows exactly where they are at and they’ll be tough opponents for a lot of teams this year including us tomorrow.

“But we are still confident of getting off to a winning start at the Sportsground. Having a good home record is vital to us so the key thing is to channel all our excitement, effort, fight and desire to win at home into the process of winning the game.”

Connacht line-up v Newport Gwent Dragons

15. Shane Layden

14. Niyi Adeolokun

13. Darragh Leader

12. Dave McSharry

11. Danie Poolman

10. Jack Carty

9. Ian Porter



1. Denis Buckley

2. Dave Heffernan

3. Nathan White

4. Mick Kearney

5. Quinn Roux

6. John Muldoon ©

7. Jake Heenan

8. Eoin McKeon



Replacements:

16. Sean Henry

17. Finlay Bealham

18. Rodney Ah You

19. George Naoupu

20. Willie Faloon

21. Kieran Marmion

22. Miah Nikora

23. Conor Finn

Unavailable / Injured: Jason Harris-Wright, Tom McCartney, Andrew Browne, Mata Fifita, Bundee Aki, Mils Muliaina, Tiernan O’Halloran, Shane O’Leary, Robbie Henshaw, Matt Healy, John Cooney

Tickets for Connacht v Dragons are selling fast with the Clan Stand already sold out. Remaining tickets are available on tickets.ie, in Centra & SuperValu stores province-wide and from the Connacht Rugby offices at the Sportsground.

Adult tickets start at €20 while it’s €5 for all Juniors (17 years and under).

Remember, for savings of over €100, get your 2014/15 Season Ticket.