connachta wrote:

_nobody_ wrote: Who badly needs a rest?

Aki, Muliaina and McCartney are in a new system and need time playing with new people.

Muldoon has played a lot of rugby this year but had a break during the international window. Marmion was involved with Ireland but did not get a significant run and I thought he was slightly rusty, when he came back at first, compared to his usual standards.

Play them this week, if we win easily then a weakened team can go to France and get the win. We can then focus on the interpros around Christmas.

Aki deserved a rest more then anyone, he played nearly every week since February
McCartney just need to be "wrapped up into cotton " as its-phil said. Not because he needs rest, he doesn't, but since heis, let's face it, our last experienced hooker.

Aki just had 3 weeks off, and had a couple off before he came over here. I certainly didn't suggest wrapping players in cotton, quite the opposite. This is a contact sport, injuries happen and if he gets injured that's s**** but he's a just arrived hooker and he needs to build a rapport with his jumpers during matches which is more than anything needed with this team. We've the worst lineout in the Pro12. This will only be his second start so he's not exactly being overplayed. Leinster are going to go for the juggular at our lineout in two weeks for sure.

connachta wrote:
Muliana should play at a rythm of 2 games 1 rest at 34. Especially with Leader as quality backup.
Aki deserved a rest more then anyone, he played nearly every week since February
McCratney just need to be "wrapped up into cotton " as its-phil said. Not because he need rest, but since he's, let's face it, our last experiece hooker.
Ok for Marmion if you want, the guy doesn't seem injuy prone anyway

Fair point for Muliaina but not after being out of the game for 8 months! Needs to get match fitness and awareness.
Aki is 24, has played a lot but I think he is capable of it at that age and as I say is still settling in.
McCartney, maybe, becasue he is our last standing hooker. But we have had such problems in lineout this year we need some consistency to get form there.

As I say I agree with the team selection. Also to keep the fortress tag alive

_nobody_ wrote: Who badly needs a rest?

Aki, Muliaina and McCartney are in a new system and need time playing with new people.

Muldoon has played a lot of rugby this year but had a break during the international window. Marmion was involved with Ireland but did not get a significant run and I thought he was slightly rusty, when he came back at first, compared to his usual standards.

Play them this week, if we win easily then a weakened team can go to France and get the win. We can then focus on the interpros around Christmas.

Muliana should play at a rythm of 2 games 1 rest at 34. Especially with Leader as quality backup.
Aki deserved a rest more then anyone, he played nearly every week since February
McCartney just need to be "wrapped up into cotton " as its-phil said. Not because he needs rest, he doesn't, but since heis, let's face it, our last experienced hooker.
Ok for Marmion if you want, the guy doesn't seem injuy prone anyway

Who badly needs a rest?

Aki, Muliaina and McCartney are in a new system and need time playing with new people.

Muldoon has played a lot of rugby this year but had a break during the international window. Marmion was involved with Ireland but did not get a significant run and I thought he was slightly rusty, when he came back at first, compared to his usual standards.

Play them this week, if we win easily then a weakened team can go to France and get the win. We can then focus on the interpros around Christmas.

clanman wrote: still worried that one or more of our key players will pick up an injury in the next 2 games, it wasn't worth the risk in a game where we'll likely put 40pts on them. Are we the only team treating this competition seriously, devalues the whole thing.

Our home record was never going to be at risk, as somebody said maybe it's catering for the how should I put this unknowledgable supporter who goes to the game as some sort of entertainment event.

You can't wrap players up in cotton wool all year and then roll them out for big games. Taking players out for a two week break when so many of them just had three weeks off isn't exactly smart for going into big games with Leinster, Munster and Ulster. I've little doubt there will be changes made next week but changing an entire XV would almost certainly not guarentee a TBP. Look at Exeter last night got the TBP in the last five minutes while La Rochelle were down to 14 men.

connachta wrote: inflicting 50 points to La Rochelle Zebre and Bayonne 2nd strings is simply not enough to build on... My opinion...

It's not going to be the foundation upon which attendances suddenly shoot up but it's only going to help. We're not going to be playing the Scarlets in 6th vs 7th battles every week. Not sure what more you want the team to do? You can only beat what is in front of you

connachta wrote: It could even be conterproductive. Every Bayonne youngsters will play 110% just to try bumping-into legendary All-Black Muliaina...

They play in the Top 14 and play with and against All Blacks most weeks, it won't exactly be a big deal regardless of Muliaina's status in the game.

clanman wrote: don't agree, the options were Win Big or Win Comfortably. We've gone for the former needlessly

Clanman! you arrive right on time to back me up

theCulk wrote: Right team selection IMO.

It's really simple lads and Pat and the players have emphasized it all season - WE DO NOT LOSE AT HOME. Why can'y ye understand this?

Add that to the Eagles having a game in the B&I cup and we get the team we have selected.

don't agree, the options were Win Big or Win Comfortably. We've gone for the former needlessly

Right team selection IMO.

It's really simple lads and Pat and the players have emphasized it all season - WE DO NOT LOSE AT HOME. Why can'y ye understand this?

Add that to the Eagles having a game in the B&I cup and we get the team we have selected.

still worried that one or more of our key players will pick up an injury in the next 2 games, it wasn't worth the risk in a game where we'll likely put 40pts on them. Are we the only team treating this competition seriously, devalues the whole thing.

Our home record was never going to be at risk, as somebody said maybe it's catering for the how should I put this unknowledgable supporter who goes to the game as some sort of entertainment event.

inflicting 50 points to La Rochelle Zebre and Bayonne 2nd strings is simply not enough to build on... My opinion...

connachta wrote: because Pat has only one reason but cares about it : pleasing the sportsground...

This does seem to be the reasoning and I think overall it could be worthwhile. Lam knows the clan will show up and make noise at every game but the atmosphere in the sportsground has generally been sub par elsewhere. Building confidence and excitement amongst the more casual fans is worthwhile.
And if that also translates into a home record that the team can be proud of then so much the better. Without looking it up I'm 90% sure connachts home record last year was much worse than away. Targeting 6th place in the league requires a strong home record.

I assume the whole idea is to keep fortress Sportsground alive.

As we haev always said if we can take most of our home games, we will be there abouts come end of season.

45th.. The only real positivity I see there, if i make an effort, is that this selection releases decent players for Carolan. Delahunt, Finn Browne, Masterson, Carr, Layden will travel to Wales in all likelihood...

connachta wrote: It could even be conterproductive. Every Bayonne youngsters will play 110% just to try bumping-into legendary All-Black Muliaina...

Given the selections, tactics, and application displayed by the French teams in this competition, I'd say 10% would be pushing it.

To make this interesting, maybe we could all have a guess at what time (minutes played) we get the try bonus at.