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

That team has surprised me. All the talk during the week was weak team etc.

Have to say I nearly agree with this selection. I would have tried one or two things, like possibly Ronaldson at 10 with a full strength team around him.

If we get the 5 points this week then Bayonne will have no interest at all the following week. We can rest a few then and hopefully still get the win, come back and beat a tired Leinster team

And to answer to Swift, I really think the team I proposed could have brought 5 points at home against the very very weakened Bayonne one

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

salmson wrote:

swift4prez wrote: To back up this strong team, we have no choice next week but send out the same strongest team.

We'll be resting lots of players next week, apparently, which is fine by me, the InterPros take priority. But why take a sledgehammer to a peanut this weekend?

Agree, start maybe 4players that aren't in the usual first xv. (I wasn't having a go at connachta but what I meant was you can't throw 15 players together and expect a 5point win)
Why are we risking players tomorrow unless next week we go out with a strong team with real chance at looking for 4 or 5 points.

At least Mils and Bundee will gain confidence playing with each other and probably scoring a brace.. But if we lose just one of the 12 starters (I except McSharry, Naoupu and McKeon), we are immediatly in dire straits

swift4prez wrote: To back up this strong team, we have no choice next week but send out the same strongest team.

We'll be resting lots of players next week, apparently, which is fine by me, the InterPros take priority. But why take a sledgehammer to a peanut this weekend?

Pat Lam has named his side for Connacht’s round 3 Challenge Cup clash with French side Bayonne at the Sportsground on Saturday (kick off 5pm).

The Head Coach has made just one change to the starting lineup that defeated Scarlets 14 – 8 in the PRO12 last week

.Lock Mick Kearney comes in to boost the pack in place of the injured Andrew Browne while Michael Swift, capped 266 times for the province, has been included amongst the replacements.

Jack Carty is named at outhalf for his tenth start of the season and is partnered by Irish international Kieran Marmion.

Mils Muliaina and Bundee Aki will run out at the Sportsground for the third time in three weeks following back-to-back PRO12 wins in Galway.

20-year-old Academy scrum half Caolin Blade, named on the bench in the absence of the injured Ian Porter and Leinster-tied John Cooney, is in line to make his third senior appearance.

Commenting on the team selection and the upcoming game, Head Coach Pat Lam said: “Protecting our home ground is one of our main priorities and that drive continues this week.

We have chosen a strong side to face Bayonne on Saturday in what is our last home game of the year. “We’ve stated Top 6 in the PRO12 as a big goal but we also have other aspirations to reach the knock out stages in the Challenge Cup. This will require input from the entire squad over the next fortnight. We know we will have to rely on everyone going into a difficult period of games over the Christmas period.“Bayonne are a good side who have taken some big scalps in the Top 14 this season, namely Toulouse and Clermont. There are no easy wins in this pool and we are expecting a bruising battle on Saturday against a physically massive team. They are a typical French side and we expect them to be very direct so we will need to put them under pressure from the outset and cut them down

.“Again, I have to praise the home support over the last number of weeks. They have been phenomenal and it gives us all such a big lift. We want to make sure we protect our ground again this week in the last home game until the New Year.”

Connacht v BayonneSaturday December 6thThe SportsgroundKick off 17:00

Referee: Matthew Carley (Eng)Assistant Referees: Ian Tempest & Ross Campbell (both Eng)

connachta wrote: I was about to post it. Shame, complete shame... but Pat is the leader (play on words here :woohoo: ) so.. Submission

I though your team was to mickey mouse, but the team named is way to strong.
I'd love to know what's team he is thinking for next week
I don't agree with resting players for no reason but if someone is carrying a knock, give him week of. Someone like quinn for example.
To back up this strong team, we have no choice next week but send out the same strongest team.

I was about to post it. Shame, complete shame... but Pat is the leader (play on words here :woohoo: ) so.. Submission

Connachta will have kittens when he sees this team....

15. Mils Muliaina
14. Danie Poolman
13. Bundee Aki
12. Dave McSharry
11. Matt Healy
10. Jack Carty
9. Kieran Marmion

1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney
3. Rodney Ah You
4. Mick Kearney
5. Quinn Roux
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. Eoin McKeon
8. George Naoupu

Replacements:

16. Dave Heffernan
17. Ronan Loughney
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Michael Swift
20. Willie Faloon
21. Caolin Blade
22. Craig Ronaldson
23. Darragh Leader

Ooops, started another thread. Very entertaining game to watch. Exeter play nice rugby. First time I have seen them play this season

2nd try for Exeter by former Connacht prop Brett Sturgess. Chiefs will pick up the 10 points with ease from these 2 games. La Rochelle playing a brainless game which Exeter are doing well to punish fully.

1st try from Exeter worked well up the pitch from a maul turnover. 10-0 after 30 minutes.

20 minutes gone in La Rochelle. 3-0 to Exeter. Helter-Skelter game with plenty of mistakes as you'd expect with both teams weakened, Exeter looking more dangerous but La Rochelle hanging in there and getting a few turnovers.