Not the team ideally you'd want to pick but I expect wholesale changes:

1. Loughney
2. Heffernan
3. Bealham
4. Swift
5. Muldowney
6. Muldoon
7. Faloon
8. McKeon

9. Marmion
10. Carty/Ronaldson
11. Carr
12. McSharry/Ronaldson
13. Poolman/McSharry
14. Niyi
15. Leader

In looking at the team to play Bayonne I'd be more on the lines of thinking ahead to who are the key players that we need to rest so that they are ready for the game against Leinster, what positions do we hold the advantage agianst Leinster; Tight Head/Backrow6&7/Scrumhalf/Center/Wing. I think Ah You can give Ross a hard time, McKeoin\Muldoon have the upper hand on their Leinster counterparts, Marmion was crucial in the home game and will be away. McSharry\Aki\Henshaw all 3 can attack their midfield, still a question mark over Henshaw will he be ready and fit, anyway he won't play against Bayonne. Poolman and Healy but maybe play one of them against Bayonne, So just in case i'm not being clear i suggest resting all the above players for the Bayonne game.

connachta wrote: Here's the squad I see travelling in Pays Basque

You may want to have another go at this one....

Ah You is supposedly due a rest week (I know, it's not like he's had a whole lot of minutes), Roux was limping the whole game against BO, Browne afaik is still injured, and Masterson is ineligible.

I'd expect an entire new front 5 (Loughs/Heff/Bealham/Swifty/Muldowney) and Faloon, Ronaldson and Leader are in need of gametime, so I'd expect your general thrust of wholesale changes is accurate.

Update: Sports bulletins on the radio have Mick Kearney going for an MRI tomorrow on his injured ankle.

Before any traditional controversy, this is my 1000th post, just one year after my trip to Ernest Wallon! Great coincidence, so cheers to everyone of the Clan :woohoo:

Here's the squad I see travelling in Pays Basque

1) Loughney
2) McCartney
3) Ah You
4) Muldowney
5) Browne
6) Muldoon
7) Faloon
8 ) McKeon
9) Marmion
10) Ronaldson
11) Carr
12) McSharry
13) Finn
14) Poolman (good momentum for him)
15) Leader



16) Heffernan
17) Buckley
18) Bealham
19) Roux if he's 100% ok, if not Swift
20) Masterson
21) Blade
22) Carty
23) Layden

Bayonne v Connacht – Stade Jean Dauger European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 2 Round 4
Saturday 13th December 2014 Kick Off 19:45 (Irish time)
On TV: FR4 / beIN

After securing a bonus point win at home to Bayonne, Connacht travel to Bayonne hoping to make it 4 wins on the trot in all competitions and keep in contention for a quarter final spot.

Other Match Stats
Connacht beat Bayonne in their last three meetings in the Challenge Cup.
Bayonne have lost 4 and drawn 1 of their French Top 14 games this season
Bayonne have won 5 and lost 2 of their home games so far this season with Toulon and Montpellier being the only teams to win at Stade Jean Dauger

Bayonne Stats
Website: www.abrugby.fr/
Founded: 1904
Ground: Stade Jean Dauger
Capacity: 16,934
Coaches: Patricio Noriega, Nicolas Morlaes
Captain: Mark Chisholm

Top 14 Position 2013/14: 10th P:26 Points:54
Top 14 Position 2014/15: 10th P:12 Points:23
Challenge Cup 2013/14: 2nd in Pool 4 Points: 15

Previous Fixtures
Connacht 42-19 Bayonne (Challenge Cup Round 3)
La Rochelle 19-19 Bayonne (Top 14 Round 12)
Racing Metro 27-10 Bayonne (Top 14 Round 11)
Bayonne 24-13 Clermont (Top 14 Round 10)
La Rochelle 27-13 Bayonne (Challenge Cup Round 2)
Bayonne 30-24 Exeter (Challenge Cup Round 1)

Next League Fixture:
Saturday 20th December 2014 Bayonne v Bordeaux-Begles @ Stade Jean Dauger @ 18.30 (local time)

European Rugby Challenge Cup (Pool 2)
Exeter 11
Connacht 10
La Rochelle 4
Bayonne 4

Bayonne Ins and Outs 2014/15
Players In
Blair Stewart from Grenoble
Giogi Jgenti from Perpignan
Lukas Pointud from Tarbes
Thibault Visensang from Albi
Lalakai Foketi from Melbourne Rebels

Players Out
Guillaume Bernad to Oyonnax
Julien Puricelli to Lyon
Neemia Tialata to Toulouse
Stephen Brett to Lyon
Mathieu Bélie to Perpignan
Victor Manukula to Béziers
Pierre-Philippe Lafond to Montauban
Abdellatif Boutaty to Pau
Sam Gerber retired

Previous Meetings
Saturday 6th December 2014 European Challenge Cup Pool 2
Connacht 42-19 Bayonne
www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/29677.php

15th January 2011 European Challenge Cup Pool 1
Bayonne 21-35 Connacht
www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/amlin-challenge/2...85-bayonne_connacht/

15th October 2010 European Challenge Cup Pool 1
Connacht 16-13 Bayonne
www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/amlin-challenge/2...30-connacht_bayonne/