Well, job done on Saturday bonus point win in the bag, and match [pretty much went as expected. They were never going to be hammered unless Connacht had a plan of action from the start and put in an eighty minute performance.

Bayonne won't show us the courtesy of putting out a scratch side next weekend that's for sure, so it's going to be interesting to see what Pat does. I think he can make a few changes, but not wholesale ones if he want to get a win. For me he has to run his strongest side again (but not risk anyone carrying knocks) or the win on Saturday will have been a waste....

McShazz try, and above all, a good lineout catch in slow motion!

Lads just to remind those talking about Bayonnes weakened team, granted its not their first team but they have a budget in the region of €20m, thats well over 4 times what ours is.

Just to put their buying power into perspective.

That was a weird game. For years we've been the utterly outclassed side that fought like dogs before getting turned over. Considering BO rested almost the whole first team they put us up to it for a long while. The conditions were a lot to do with that - we won the first half by 3 points and the second by 20 which gives you an idea what it was like. Scrum and lineout were solid given the wind/rain, but as others have pointed out restarts were a mess and people got isolated repeatedly. Whole backline was good, great to see Carty score 6 from 7. All in all a much better game and more satisfying victory than I'd expected.

Don't fancy our chances if we rest half our team next week and they bring half a dozen back in.

Could not have seen us winning that with a weakened side out, feared the worst with 20 to go but once Aki got his try their heads went down

Bundee Aki is a superstar, he only seems to have one mode -- 100% full on, balls out, in your face aggression. Fantastic.

Restarts have been a worry for years now, I can't imagine us changing that any time soon, it wouldn't feel right if we did, I mean where is the fun in scoring and not giving the opposition a chance and the nearest opportunity.

Recently on here Rodney's work rate and tackling were criticized, well he put 2 in tonight that shook all the way back to the french revolution.

Twice we were behind, with things not going our way, and twice we fought back. That Bayonne pack were very aggressive, very physical and fought ferociously at the breakdown, but the maul that resulted in the yellow card finally broke their resolve.

Job done in a scrappy game on a bad night. After Bayonne got their try they deserved the lead at that stage but once we got a bit of territory and started using the rolling maul to good effect we got control of the game. To be fair to Bayonne it was a weakened team but they made it tough at times.

I don't think the lads will be happy with a lot of tonight's performance but we'll take the 5 points at this time of year and move on to next week. I really hope we go with a strong team next week as even though they are effectively out Bayonne will be out to protect their home patch.

Bundee Aki - believe the hype.
Lads a superstar in the making

Thought McSharry had great game, as did Poolman- but my MotM was Tom McCartney. Can see why his nickname was Freak- his work rate is astounding.

Shame Mils didn't make it from his charge down - we need bigger deadball zones

Our restarts are still a worry. And too many stupid kicks and chips to nowhere.

George looked like he dislocated something in his hand at end of the game, and Kearney didn't look good coming off.. Plus Roux didn;t look too comfortable throughout the game so injuries are a worry, especially in second row..

Bayonne proved to be no pushovers, could be rough next weekend in France if we send over second string XV like expected

ps: enjoy ye're night in Dail

its_phil wrote:

connachta wrote: many of you guys, always talk about players as a whole.. I see the individual cases according to various factors like age, matches played, depth squad.

Is mcCartney your last experienced hooker : yes absolute protection
Did Muldoon played a lot : yes so slight rest would have been good espacially for weakened Bayonne at home
Is Buckley the 3rd best LH in Ireland : Yes, but Loughney is ok, so just a little rest sometimes
Is McKeon indispensable for now? No, Faloon and Naoupu have the same level, so you can and must play him

I just have the impression a lot of you like to reson with "sentimental" variables. Don't misunderstand me, they have a part of truth. Like for economics "confidence" is a base, just saying it's not all we have to focus on

Very high opinion of your own view there mate and quite dismissive of other posters who make very valid contributions to this forum. Just because we don't agree with you on team selection does not mean we don't take those things into consideration and too simply dismiss those opinions on the basis of "sentimental variables" is condescension at its finest.

Many I'd imagine would rather play a strong team this week and rest players a good few players next week, the week before Leinster rather than the week before Bayonne away.

claiming an implicit majority behind you is quite condescendant too. But listen, Its_phil, I had no intention to appear as condescendant, I'm not, really, and I apologize honnestly if that's what you felt. Peace, we disagree, but there's no sour feelings

its_phil wrote:

connachta wrote:

Shelflife wrote: So are you proposing not to play mccartney until the xmas games? where do you expect him to build a relationship with his props ? his lineout jumpers and the various moves off lineouts.

They have only played a few games, they are just back from a break, i would imagine that Buckley goes better in games rather than training, the more games players play with each other the better the knit.

You cant turn form on or off, you cant legislate for injuries, The Claw once injured his back feeding the child while sitting down, injuries can just as easily happen training as in a match.

Im sure Pat and his team know what they are doing.

I Propose to play him for Bayonne away, Leinster, Munster and Edinbugh, and give gametime to Heffernan for winnable Bayonne home, and "unwinnable" (yeah I know, screaming everywhere, Bradley strategy etc^^) Ulster away,

About injuries, that's just like you're saying you can be killed in a car accident driving a 30 km/h as well as 180 km/h... yes there's a tiny possibility that a player gets injured at home, a little chance at trainning and a much bigger chance during a real game. That's pure logic...

Really don't think you've taken his point about injuries at all. They happen and you can't say he might get injured this week but he won't get injured two weeks later.

It might happen but for more useful purpose. And one match off the field reduces the risk, now and later

connachta wrote: many of you guys, always talk about players as a whole.. I see the individual cases according to various factors like age, matches played, depth squad.

Is mcCartney your last experienced hooker : yes absolute protection
Did Muldoon played a lot : yes so slight rest would have been good espacially for weakened Bayonne at home
Is Buckley the 3rd best LH in Ireland : Yes, but Loughney is ok, so just a little rest sometimes
Is McKeon indispensable for now? No, Faloon and Naoupu have the same level, so you can and must play him

I just have the impression a lot of you like to reson with "sentimental" variables. Don't misunderstand me, they have a part of truth. Like for economics "confidence" is a base, just saying it's not all we have to focus on

Very high opinion of your own view there mate and quite dismissive of other posters who make very valid contributions to this forum. Just because we don't agree with you on team selection does not mean we don't take those things into consideration and too simply dismiss those opinions on the basis of "sentimental variables" is condescension at its finest.

Many I'd imagine would rather play a strong team this week and rest players a good few players next week, the week before Leinster rather than the week before Bayonne away.

connachta wrote:

Shelflife wrote: So are you proposing not to play mccartney until the xmas games? where do you expect him to build a relationship with his props ? his lineout jumpers and the various moves off lineouts.

They have only played a few games, they are just back from a break, i would imagine that Buckley goes better in games rather than training, the more games players play with each other the better the knit.

You cant turn form on or off, you cant legislate for injuries, The Claw once injured his back feeding the child while sitting down, injuries can just as easily happen training as in a match.

Im sure Pat and his team know what they are doing.

I Propose to play him for Bayonne away, Leinster, Munster and Edinbugh, and give gametime to Heffernan for winnable Bayonne home, and "unwinnable" (yeah I know, screaming everywhere, Bradley strategy etc^^) Ulster away,

About injuries, that's just like you're saying you can be killed in a car accident driving a 30 km/h as well as 180 km/h... yes there's a tiny possibility that a player gets injured at home, a little chance at trainning and a much bigger chance during a real game. That's pure logic...

Really don't think you've taken his point about injuries at all. They happen and you can't say he might get injured this week but he won't get injured two weeks later.

Don't know about tv but should be on Galway Bay Fm

Hi all,
Does anyone know if the game will be available online or anywhere else live, looking like it won't be possible to make it. Typical!!

Shelflife wrote: So are you proposing not to play mccartney until the xmas games? where do you expect him to build a relationship with his props ? his lineout jumpers and the various moves off lineouts.

They have only played a few games, they are just back from a break, i would imagine that Buckley goes better in games rather than training, the more games players play with each other the better the knit.

You cant turn form on or off, you cant legislate for injuries, The Claw once injured his back feeding the child while sitting down, injuries can just as easily happen training as in a match.

Im sure Pat and his team know what they are doing.

I Propose to play him for Bayonne away, Leinster, Munster and Edinbugh, and give gametime to Heffernan for winnable Bayonne home, and "unwinnable" (yeah I know, screaming everywhere, Bradley strategy etc^^) Ulster away,

About injuries, that's just like you're saying you can be killed in a car accident driving a 30 km/h as well as 180 km/h... yes there's a tiny possibility that a player gets injured at home, a little chance at trainning and a much bigger chance during a real game. That's pure logic...

Borders no.2 wrote: They may well be just back from a rest but this is the 3rd game of 10 in a row so we need to be sensible and I don't think we have been sensible in picking this team.

My main concern is that we'll put out our strongest team here and then send a weakened team to Bayonne which may kill our chances in the Challenge Cup and make this game pointless.

Ok playing our strongest team is a chance to bed the new players in, get used to systems etc. but its unlikely to tell us a lot about ourselves. An away game in France will.

Can't say better than you did