we should be working Roux as hard as possible in case of him returning to Leinster after Christmas.

Dam Mary that's pretty mean! I like it! :lol: Agree with what you say but I think Porter should start with Cooney on the bench. Have being impressed with what I've seen of Porter so far and he's less of an unknown element against a team like Glasgow.

I always enjoy reading Connachta's posts on this forum. He/she is a passionate Connacht fan with a great knowledge of the game and our set-up, and a great passion for Connacht Rugby and the game.

However I have to disagree with any suggestion of ceding the game to Glasgow. We must continue to build on the winning mentality. 2/3 changes max to the side. My side as follows:

1. Buckley.
2. Heffernan.
3. White.
4. Kearney.
5. Muldowney.
6. Browne (if fit).
7. Muldoon.
8. Naoupu.
9. Cooney.
10. Carty.
11. Healy.
12. McSharry.
13. Henshaw.
14. Poolman (if fit).
15. Leader.

16. Delahunt.
17. Ah You.
18. Loughney.
19. Roux.
20. Masterson.
21. Porter.
22. Ronaldson.
23. O'Leary.

I would rest Faloon (give him a chance to recover from last week's injury), Marmion, and Niyi. If Browne isn't fit I would move Muldoon to 6 an bring in Masterson at 7. If Poolman isn't fit, I would play Carr.

We need to see what Cooney is like, and Marmion could probably do with a week off. Ronaldson should come on for Carty at around 50mins. McSharry needs as much game time as possible, and we should be working Roux as hard as possible in case of him returning to Leinster after Christmas.

Big believer in winning being a habit. I think we need to send a good team over.

Gavin Duffy mentioned on newstalk that there will probably be one or two changes and I can live with that. Wholesale changes would be mad.

As mentioned above we have not clicked yet in any of the games. Another run for the team together could help to get to this.

After a great start to the season I'd hate to see us send a second string side to Glasgow. Lets try and put out the best side we have available. Where a position is 50-50 on who should fill it of course give it to the lad who were rested last week. Lets maintain a good bench also.
I'd be delighted if we can get any points out of Glasgow. A good performance is a must as the standards are set now.
Lets keep up the momentum.

swift4prez wrote: I'm just after reading back that thread. I agreed with it at the time, but not anymore, we approved too much to be at that now. That thread got feathers flying.
Isn't debate a lovely thing

It is, when it takes place with moderate debaters like us
We nearly all agree some, like Leader, Healy, Roux . can be risk for Glasgow as we have (or will have) enough depth in the squad, on the contrrary Marmion and Faloon should be rested for most of us

The debate is manly focused on :

1) the n°8 McKeon/Naoupu as we're short for that spot
2) the props Buckley and White
3) Rob Henshaw

swift4prez wrote: Isn't debate a lovely thing

UGH! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU JUST SAID THAT, YOU'RE SO WRONG!

pinky wrote:

swift4prez wrote: No way should we send over a second team. No way
Glasgow picked up a few knocks vs dragons. If we send over a second team, we are basically telling the players that it's okay to lose. It's not, give 100 % and points can be picked up. All well and good resting players but they can get injured inside the first min vs Cardiff.
We haven't clicked yet so we need game time to click.

We're not bringing back Bradley any more so S4P?

I'm just after reading back that thread. I agreed with it at the time, but not anymore, we approved too much to be at that now. That thread got feathers flying.
Isn't debate a lovely thing

Things must be going well, 32 posts in a match thread by Tuesday!

At present, we are 3 games through 9 weeks in a row and everyone can't play the 9 games especially at the type of intensity on show last Friday. We need to rotate during this period. Obviously we don't want to do the Bradley on it but with a bit of smart management we can make the best use of our squad. Rotation for the sake of it wouldn't be sensible but in 4 or 5 positions players can go in and out without it having any significant effect. Obviously keeping the momentum going is also key. Really its up to the management and back room team to strike the right balance.

For me the league is more important at the moment and imo the Cardiff game in particular is hugely significant in determining whether this start is a blip or whether we are really on the right road.

I'd risk putting out the fringe players against La Rochelle in the Challenge Cup and hope we could pull through there. I'd really love a run in the challenge cup but if we could have 20 or more points on the board at that stage in the league it'd be a huge step toward putting ourselves right in the mix for qualification especially considering the games in November and during the 6 nations have fallen reasonably favourably for us.

I'd be very pleased if we can get anything on Friday but if we go there with confidence who knows.

pinky wrote: I'm hoping at least we'll have some radio coverage.
BBC Scotland MW have it, but as I recall from previous frustrated efforts, the MW content isn't available online, even within Scotland.
www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland/programmes/s...w/2014/09/26#evening
I listened to Edinburgh away last season though. I think there was a stream to it in BBC Sport even though it wasn't on the iPlayer or something like that.
I don't suppose GBFM are sending Rob over?

Update on this, the last Edinburgh away game that wasn't on TV was available online on this link:
www.bbc.com/sport/0/scotland/17708882
and this link to the same programme (Sportsound) was working earlier for a soccer match:
www.bbc.com/sport/0/scotland/21267690
So I presume it will be up there somewhere. They say they are covering the Edinburgh v Scarlets game also so might not be full commentary.
The catch is it is only available in UK so you would need a VPN or proxy or whatever.
Or tune your radio to MW and climb something very high.

I just trust the stats saying an away game is much harder to win than a home one
Your examples makes me ill-at-ease I admit but
1) AhYou just plays 12 games + 10 on the bench
2) Marmion is a SH, and even with this, the real cause was the lack of depth in the squad, and I don't think it's good for him on the long term
3) Parks was out of breath in the end

connachta wrote: 22 games in a season, + 6 european, look at the Pro 12 stats, there's not any player who can cope with it. So I prefer choosing the "rest" moments rather than be subjected to them.

*cough* Marmion for the last two seasons *cough* Parks last season *cough* Rodders last season*

Look I get the point but its early in the season, the time for wholesale resting of the team is during international breaks and against the Italians, not against last seasons finalists. If you're going to rest players on the basis that the game is basically unwinnable then by rights we should have rested against Leinster and not Glasgow - the league winners, recent European champs, the bulk of the six nations winning team, 11 straight interpro defeats - on paper we've a much better chance against Glasgow than we had against Leinster.

galway_gas wrote:

connachta wrote: crying souls will say "it's bad luck we've just JP Cooney at tighthead"

Don't knock JP. He's never let us down. Underused in my humble opinion.

No offense for JP, used him as an example because White and AhYou are international material and would be missed.. But on my teamsheet I wrote him as one who deserve a go, especially in those kind of matches. Let him grow on the field now instead of waiting injuries or Eagles

clanman wrote:

its_phil wrote:

connachta wrote: Consequences of over-using players won't be seen immediatly. But when the last match of the season will come, and be decisive to separate us and Scarlets/Edimb, some crying souls will say "it's bad luck we've just JP Cooney at tighthead". It would seem to be bad luck, but if White, 34 years-old, hadn't played on one unwinable match earlier in the season, he could have had the reflex, the speed, the vigilance, the energy to avoid a stupid contact.

I know it's rugby-fiction, but it's realistic...

It's rugby fiction more than anything else. It's a physical game and injuries are bound to happen. Wrapping players in cotton wool like that is just silly and just sounds like OTT hedge betting.

we have a history of players picking up long term injuries, if you've a Heaslip in the team it doesnt matter he plays every game and never gets injured, I look at the list of our players and I'm concerned as the majority are susceptible why risk for a game we more than likely will lose, sure they could get injured in the Cardiff game but at least we managed them a bit better. Thats why Ireland has a player management program, in makes complete sense to me.

Yes 100 times yes, France has one too... of course injuries can happen anytime, but it is highly logical the succession of effort is a cause of risk on the long-term, especially with injury-prone guys. In every sport, teams deal with reccuperation moments, even in soccer, with very light contacts compared to rugby.
22 games in a season, + 6 european, look at the Pro 12 stats, there's not any player who can cope with it. So I prefer choosing the "rest" moments rather than be subjected to them.
Understand me well, the Glasgow game is not the main point, it's also on a whole season perspective...

Let's just give the players this year off so they're good and fresh for next season, eh? Or maybe even the year after, just in case?

Bloody hell, it's the Irish mindset of having 'the good room' in the house that means you get to live in 70% of your own property.

Rotation is good, it's important, but let's make sure we focus on getting the best possible performance out of the team at all times. 'Best possible' won't always mean the win, but it's a damn sight better than being too scared to go for it

I understand the desire to save our best players but its unrealistic. Most here will remember when Johnny O'Connor got injured in the match warm up a couple of years ago. Ferris once injured himself getting off a bus while on the Lions tour. Injuries can't be predicted, and very rarely can they be avoided.
Unless there is an overuse injury that needs to be monitored, or a rehab scenario where a player needs to be eased in, its unrealistic to suggest that injuries can be prevented by not playing the players, especially if they're going to continue training which I most certainly hope they do.

Also while Cardiff at home is probably the easier of the two games, they shouldn't be taken for granted at all. Apart from obvious markers like Connacht's poor home record, number of internationals in each team, etc, etc, I would suggest that the only team flakier than Connacht in the past has been the Blues. Yes they may have been shit so far this season but they were also capable of beating Toulon last season while being pretty much as bad. Form means nothing to Cardiff and they are just as likely to come over here and thump Connacht by 20 as they are to roll over and lose by 20.

swift4prez wrote: No way should we send over a second team. No way
Glasgow picked up a few knocks vs dragons. If we send over a second team, we are basically telling the players that it's okay to lose. It's not, give 100 % and points can be picked up. All well and good resting players but they can get injured inside the first min vs Cardiff.
We haven't clicked yet so we need game time to click.

We're not bringing back Bradley any more so S4P?