BBC Radio Bristol Commentator

He's give a penalty to Connacht, from County Mayo ... I beg your pardon, from Galway

Oh dear ...
3-0 up though.

connachta wrote: Good news, in theory the Eagles match can be followed by audio here :
www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/29557356

Yep, that works. They just dropped coverage of Bath v Wasps to go to the main event.

Good news, in theory the Eagles match can be followed by audio here :
www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/29557356

You never know where he will end up, after academy years are over.

connachta wrote: Was lookin to the Leinster A team which has beaten Plymouth and I wonder : is the promising TH prop Oisin Heffernan a relative of our Dave?

Well Oisin is a Connemara lad so there's a small chance, Dave being Ballina....

Disappointing that Oisin isn't coming through our Academy though despite his Leinster schools background....

Was lookin to the Leinster A team which has beaten Plymouth and I wonder : is the promising TH prop Oisin Heffernan a relative of our Dave?

Delighted to see Browne back he'll be another option at 6 for us as well as the second row. We've being flogging Muldoon pretty hard so far so being able to stick Andrew on the bench as a viable 4/5/6 option is a welcome addition. Also glad to see Jack Dineen getting a run out, must be slightly galling being overtaken by Shane Delahunt a sub-academy player (up til this week) and seeing him getting a full debut. Looks like a well balanced team hope they do well.

Good to see Andrew Browne getting a run here, could do with a couple more options in the pack, interesting to see him back in the 2nd row. With Quinn Roux going back in a couple of months, we probably aren't overflowing with options there.

Would like to see more of John Cooney, thought it was a very good signing initially but he's only got a few minutes so far. 15-9 looks good. Would like to see maybe Layden get a game next week. Couple of young lads in the pack I know very little about, tomorrow will be a baptism of fire but its a learning experience.

Bristol were all set for promotion last year and have got off to a good start again this year. This will be a tough game. We took some awful beatings on the road last year but you'd hope this team can give a good account of themselves.

Eagles Team announced, very decent looking mix. Should be competitive...

Connacht Rugby wrote: Eagles team to face Bristol
10th October 2014

The Connacht Eagles team, sponsored by NUI Galway, has been named ahead of their departure to face Bristol Rugby in Sunday’s British & Irish Cup opener at Ashton Gate, KO 3pm. Head Coach Nigel Carolan has named a 22-man squad that includes a mixture of senior, Academy and development players.

Academy forward Eoghan Masterson will once again captain the side at number 8 while Connacht centurion Andrew Browne returns from injury for his first competitive game of the season starting in the second row.

Miah Nikora has been handed the reins at outhalf and is joined by Leinster loanee John Cooney in the half back pairing.
This will be the first-ever competitive meeting between 2011 British & Irish Cup winners Bristol Rugby and Connacht Eagles, although Bristol did win a pre-season friendly in Galway 33-24 back on August 8, 2002.

Bristol have reached the knockout stages on three occasions, while the Eagles have been defeated in the opening rounds of their first two tournament appearances. Bristol have yet to lose at Ashton Gate.

Nigel Carolan’s Connacht outfit enter the tournament in good spirits after a dramatic 26-24 win away to Ulster Ravens last Thursday, with replacement outhalf Conor McKeon landing the match-winning conversion.

Speaking about this weekend’s game for which there are five changes to the starting line-up, Carolan said:
“We were happy with our opening day Eagles win against Ulster Ravens but we know Bristol pose an entirely new challenge. They are one of the most progressive teams in the English Championship and that’s been reflected in their unbeaten record that sees them sitting top of the table.

“We’ve trained well during the week ahead of our departure on Saturday and our guys are really looking forward to challenging themselves against quality opposition.

“It’s a tough pool with London Scottish and Pontypridd to come but we have enjoyed playing in this exciting competition the last two years. It’s been invaluable in terms of getting exposure to top class games for both our young and experienced pro players.”

Eagles team to face Bristol
15. Shane Layden
14. Fionn Carr
13. Shane O’Leary
12. Peter Robb
11. Ciaran Gaffney
10. Miah Nikora
9. John Cooney
1. JP Cooney
2. Pat O’Toole
3. Jamie Dever
4. Andrew Browne
5. Danny Qualter
6. Steve McVeigh
7. James Connolly
8. Eoghan Masterson (captain)

Replacements:
16. Jack Dinneen
17. Jacob Walshe
18. Ultan Dillane
19. Cian Romaine
20. Caolin Blade
21. Conor McKeon
22. David Panter

Bristol Rugby team: Jack Wallace; Ryan Edwards, Luke Eves, Mark Cooke, Charlie Amesbury; Adrian Jarvis, Craig Hampson; Kyle Traynor (c), Chris Brooker, James Hall, Ben Glynn, Glen Townson, Nick Koster, Olly Robinson, Marco Mama.
Replacements: Rhys Lawrence, Ellis Genge, Joe Joyce, Josh Ovens, Luke Baldwin, Jack Tovey, Darren Hudson.

Bristol Rugby v Connacht Eagles
Sunday October 12, kick off 3pm
Ashton Gate Stadium

Connacht Eagles fixtures:
Thu, 02-10-2014 15:00 Ulster Ravens 24 v 26 Connacht Eagles Deramore Park Interpro
Sun, 12-10-2014 15:00 Bristol v Connacht Eagles Ashton Gate Stadium B&I Cup
Sun, 19-10-2014 14:30 Connacht Eagles v Pontypridd RFC the Sportsground B&I Cup
Sat, 25-10-2014 14:30 Connacht Eagles v London Scottish the Sportsground B&I Cup
Sat, 29-11-2014 19:00 London Scottish v Connacht Eagles Richmond B&I Cup
Sat, 06-12-2014 TBC Pontypridd RFC v Connacht Eagles TBC B&I Cup
Sat, 13-12-2014 14:30 Connacht Eagles v Bristol the Sportsground B&I Cup
Thu, 15-01-2015 17:00 Connacht Eagles v Leinster ‘A’ the Sportsground Interpro
Thu, 22-01-2015 TBC Munster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles TBC Interpro
Thu, 05-02-2015 17:00 Connacht Eagles v Ulster Ravens the Sportsground Interpro
Thu, 12-03-2015 TBC Leinster ‘A’ v Connacht Eagles TBC Interpro
Thu, 02-04-2015 TBC Connacht Eagles v Munster ‘A’ the Sportsground Interpro

First British & Irish Cup fixture coming up for the Eagles this weekend. They're away to Bristol on Sunday at 3pm.

You can track B&I Cup - Results and Tables form the RFU site - www.englandrugby.com/fixtures-and-result...e-british-irish-cup/

Bristol are currently top of the pile in the Greene King IPA Championship, they are the only unbeaten side remaining with 5/5 won (beating Worcester (2nd), thumping Scottish (3rd) and lower sides Leeds (Yorkshire Carnegie), Moseley and Cornish Pirates).

They're running a mix of their first / second string players, and players returning from injury (including Leinster old boy Darren Hudson on the bench). But with their A side having had a a run out on Monday they could be a lot sharper than the Eagles.

Bristol Rugby wrote:
Bristol name side for Pool One clash
Two of Bristol’s summer signings are set for their first competitive appearances when Bristol face Connacht Eagles as the B&I Cup gets underway on Sunday (3pm KO).

Chris Brooker and Olly Robinson are included in the pack ahead of the Pool One clash at Ashton Gate Stadium.

Eight of the side that helped Bristol United to an A-League victory over Northampton Wanderers on Monday are included in the starting line-up, as Nick Koster makes his first competitive outing of the campaign.

Darren Hudson could make his competitive debut from the replacements bench after returning from a shoulder injury to be named in the 22-man squad.

Bristol Rugby team to face Connacht Eagles at Ashton Gate Stadium on Sunday, 12 October (3pm KO):

Jack Wallace; Ryan Edwards, Luke Eves, Mark Cooke, Charlie Amesbury; Adrian Jarvis, Craig Hampson; Kyle Traynor (c), Chris Brooker, James Hall, Ben Glynn, Glen Townson, Nick Koster, Olly Robinson, Marco Mama.

Replacements: Rhys Lawrence, Ellis Genge, Joe Joyce, Josh Ovens, Luke Baldwin, Jack Tovey, Darren Hudson.
- See more at: www.bristolrugby.co.uk/news/9972/team-ne...sthash.Wbjcmj5X.dpuf

Some (Ulster biased) pics

www.irishrugby.ie/rugby/fixturesandresults/32576.php

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/u...e-park-30633457.html

No mention of Marshall's injury but photos on dicksondigital.com

Indredible win against a very strong Ulster team. Would have loved to have seen it. They play in the Sportsground on the 19th deserve a decent crowd.

Really do worry about Marshall at this time. Serious health questions have to be asked. Awful for such a talented young player but life after rugby is the priority.

Funny moment on the Ulster forum : "the ravens were defeated 24-26 by Connacht Eagles"

"Were there any witnesses?
Dispose of the bodies and maybe no one will find out."

Luke Marshall went off with another head injury!

Sh*t. I honestly can't see Marshall's career continuing if this keeps happening.

P.S. Anyone know about Rory Parata is he injured at the moment?

our Academy and sub-Academy looks stronger now than it has been for a few years, the u-20's lock could be a real find for us and could make the step up to senior squad this year.