It is worrying to see Bundee and Danie in the injured list. Hopefully it is nothing serious.

If your bringing the better players over, why not start them? It's only an extra 40 mins of rugby.with (subbed around 60mins)
1 Denis
2 heff
3 belham
4 Swifty
5 aly
6 mckeon
7 Willie
8 George

9 km
10 MiAh
11 matt
12 Ronalson
13 dave
14 niyi
15 leader

That would be a very good team. Okay, bench would be very weak but if there is no injures, keep the first 15 going

swift4prez wrote: Pat Lam has named his side for Connacht’s round 4 Challenge Cup clash away to Bayonne on Saturday (kick off 8:45pm local time).

There are wholesale changes to the team that defeated the French side 42 – 19 at the Sportsground last week. Outhalf Miah Nikora has been handed the captaincy and is partnered by Academy scrumhalf Caolin Blade who makes his first senior start for the province.

22-year-old Conor Finn from Galway will also earn his first competitive start in a centre partnership with versatile back Craig Ronaldson.
Darragh Leader is installed at fullback in a back three with centurion Fionn Carr and Niyi Adeolokun on his return from injury
.Up front, Finlay Bealham starts for the first time in a reshuffled pack with Ronan Loughney, Dave Heffernan, Michael Swift and Willie Faloon also promoted from the bench. After featuring for the Connacht Eagles on Saturday following a six week absence, lock Aly Muldowney is back in action for Pat Lam at the weekend.

Academy forward James Connolly will make his Connacht debut at the Stade Jean Dauger on Saturday. The 21-year-old from Naas will feature in a back row with Faloon and Athlone man Danny Qualter at Number 8 for his own first start

.Named on the bench, Academy prop Saba Meunargia could also make his Connacht debut tomorrow night. The 20-year-old Georgian-born prop attended Marist College and has represented Ireland at Under-18 (Club and Schools) and U19’s level. Last season the Buccaneers club man was called into the Ireland U20’s squad.Commenting on the team selection and the upcoming game, Head Coach Pat Lam said:“With an extremely busy period ahead and a number of guys injured or unavailable to us, there are a lot of players getting an opportunity to wear the Connacht jersey this weekend. It’s an exciting time for them and this week has been all about ensuring that they have clarity in their role and the game plan to execute our Connacht systems with confidence. I look forward to seeing how they perform in a pressurised environment

.“Tomorrow night presents a very different task to the one at the Sportsground last week. Like all French teams, Bayonne at home will be a totally different proposition. But a very good training week has given us the confidence and the belief that we have the game plan, and the players, to perform.

”Connacht team to face Bayonne
15. Darragh Leader
14. Niyi Adeolokun
13. Conor Finn
12. Craig Ronaldson
11. Fionn Carr
10. Miah Nikora (captain)
9. Caolin Blade

1. Ronan Loughney
2. Dave Heffernan
3. Finlay Bealham
4. Michael Swift
5. Aly Muldowney
6. James Connolly
7. Willie Faloon
8. Danny Qualter

Replacements:
16. Shane Delahunt
17. Denis Buckley
18. Saba Meunargia
19. George Naoupu
20. Eoin McKeon
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Dave McSharry
23. Matt Healy

Unavailable/Injured: Jason Harris-Wright, Sean Henry, Nathan White, Rodney Ah You, JP Cooney, Mick Kearney, Andrew Browne, Jake Heenan, Robbie Henshaw, Tiernan O’Halloran, Bundee Aki, Danie Poolman, Ian Porter, John Cooney, Shane Layden.

Approximatly the team I expected for the home game... Will be hard to win away... Connolly/Qualter/Saba are neophytes.... The backline seems decent in my opinion, though, as well as the starting front row...

Pat Lam has named his side for Connacht’s round 4 Challenge Cup clash away to Bayonne on Saturday (kick off 8:45pm local time).

There are wholesale changes to the team that defeated the French side 42 – 19 at the Sportsground last week. Outhalf Miah Nikora has been handed the captaincy and is partnered by Academy scrumhalf Caolin Blade who makes his first senior start for the province.

22-year-old Conor Finn from Galway will also earn his first competitive start in a centre partnership with versatile back Craig Ronaldson.
Darragh Leader is installed at fullback in a back three with centurion Fionn Carr and Niyi Adeolokun on his return from injury
.Up front, Finlay Bealham starts for the first time in a reshuffled pack with Ronan Loughney, Dave Heffernan, Michael Swift and Willie Faloon also promoted from the bench. After featuring for the Connacht Eagles on Saturday following a six week absence, lock Aly Muldowney is back in action for Pat Lam at the weekend.

Academy forward James Connolly will make his Connacht debut at the Stade Jean Dauger on Saturday. The 21-year-old from Naas will feature in a back row with Faloon and Athlone man Danny Qualter at Number 8 for his own first start

.Named on the bench, Academy prop Saba Meunargia could also make his Connacht debut tomorrow night. The 20-year-old Georgian-born prop attended Marist College and has represented Ireland at Under-18 (Club and Schools) and U19’s level. Last season the Buccaneers club man was called into the Ireland U20’s squad.Commenting on the team selection and the upcoming game, Head Coach Pat Lam said:“With an extremely busy period ahead and a number of guys injured or unavailable to us, there are a lot of players getting an opportunity to wear the Connacht jersey this weekend. It’s an exciting time for them and this week has been all about ensuring that they have clarity in their role and the game plan to execute our Connacht systems with confidence. I look forward to seeing how they perform in a pressurised environment

.“Tomorrow night presents a very different task to the one at the Sportsground last week. Like all French teams, Bayonne at home will be a totally different proposition. But a very good training week has given us the confidence and the belief that we have the game plan, and the players, to perform.

”Connacht team to face Bayonne
15. Darragh Leader
14. Niyi Adeolokun
13. Conor Finn
12. Craig Ronaldson
11. Fionn Carr
10. Miah Nikora (captain)
9. Caolin Blade

1. Ronan Loughney
2. Dave Heffernan
3. Finlay Bealham
4. Michael Swift
5. Aly Muldowney
6. James Connolly
7. Willie Faloon
8. Danny Qualter

Replacements:
16. Shane Delahunt
17. Denis Buckley
18. Saba Meunargia
19. George Naoupu
20. Eoin McKeon
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Dave McSharry
23. Matt Healy

Unavailable/Injured: Jason Harris-Wright, Sean Henry, Nathan White, Rodney Ah You, JP Cooney, Mick Kearney, Andrew Browne, Jake Heenan, Robbie Henshaw, Tiernan O’Halloran, Bundee Aki, Danie Poolman, Ian Porter, John Cooney, Shane Layden.

For any Connacht fans State-side - the game is being streamed on ESPN3. espn.go.com/watchespn/index#type/upcomin...0141213/sport/rugby/

(Along with the Leinster, Munster and Ulster games)

ok then i think we have enough quality in the team to beat them again, especially if we cut out some of the mistakes we made last week, maybe not a bonus point win though.

clanman wrote: I'm confused, i thought they were going to field a much stronger team than last week?

I think there was a fair amount of conjecture on here that they would field a stronger team if for no other reason than to defend their home patch. There was probably some indication that they are not overly concerned about such matters in their performance last time Connacht faced them in the Challenge Cup and they were already eliminated. Sure, as Connachta said, they saw that this team gave Connacht a tough enough time in Galway and they're probably strong enough to win at home to a weakened Connacht. And if not, no big deal and they have saved their top players for their domestic league.

Given their upcoming schedule, i'm not surprised Bayonne have gone with a weakened side but that isn't to say it won't be still a very tough challenge for us as winning at home will always be important for the French.

Bayonne have some vital league games coming up, 4 league games before Round 5 in Europe
v Bordeaux/Begles (h)
Oyonnax (a)
Brive (a)
Lyon (h)

All of those teams are only a few points in front of them or behind them so I'm sure their view is that 10+ points from those games will give them a bit of breathing space and will put them in contention for Top 6 rather than relegation.

From the advertiser today it looks like Daragh Leader and Niyi Adeolokun will start along with Willie Faloon with Carr, Ronaldson and Nikora also making the trip. Aly Muldowney and Swifty in the 2nd row.

Hope we keep a strong spine to the team. A few regulars could make all the difference here.

clanman wrote: I'm confused, i thought they were going to field a much stronger team than last week?

No, they're already out of the competition. But this team caused problems for us, and I don't think we'll be able to turn the game around once more, away and with a weaker team, if we are led after an hour...

I'm confused, i thought they were going to field a much stronger team than last week?

swift4prez wrote: Le XV de départ:
 Ellisalde ;
Vaka, 
Ugalde,
Foketi,
Sayerse ;
(o) Otazo,
(m) Loustalot (cap) ;
Visensang,

Chouzenoux, 
Ancely ;
Taele, 
Fa'aoso ;
Lapeyrade,
Roumieu,
Van Rensburg.

Remplaçants: Labouyrie, Pointud, Iguiniz,Chisholm, Monribot, Rouet, Duhalde, Lovobalavu.

Starting 15, I counted 10 started in Galway

None of this team started against La Rochelle in the top 14 game on 29 November - probably the best indicator of their strongest available team. Their bench for saturday looks pretty strong.

Le XV de départ:
 Ellisalde ;
Vaka, 
Ugalde,
Foketi,
Sayerse ;
(o) Otazo,
(m) Loustalot (cap) ;
Visensang,

Chouzenoux, 
Ancely ;
Taele, 
Fa'aoso ;
Lapeyrade,
Roumieu,
Van Rensburg.

Remplaçants: Labouyrie, Pointud, Iguiniz,Chisholm, Monribot, Rouet, Duhalde, Lovobalavu.

Starting 15, I counted 10 started in Galway

It'll be on at my place, bring a sleeping bag

I'd say www.tvole.me/ and www.koisports.com/ are worth a gander too - particularly the latter as the quality is usually excellent. Ole Ole has a wider range of sports, Koi has all the UK/US sports channels listed out so you can just pick a channel to watch and change when you fancy it.

Not that I approve of this sort of thing or anything. Ahem.

Try here: www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=296927&part=sports

They also have a forum that advertises links closer to the day:
forum.wiziwig.eu/threads/92619-Rugby-This-week-8-14-December

Pretty much all televised sport can be found somewhere and Wiziwig contains links to nearly all of it.

by the far the best quality streams are the acestream ones