clanman wrote:

salmson wrote: Heaslip, Madigan, Toner, McCarthy and Rob Kearney will all have to be rested for one of the 3 games over Christmas, so I'd expect at least 2 and possibly all of them to be held back against us.

Agreed, max 3 from that list will play against us. If we're near enough to our 'A' game then we'll beat them, simple as, whereas they will have to be on theirs and we'd have drop our standard for them to beat us, at least that's how i see it. Never thought I'd be this optimistic about an away Interprovincial.

It might come down to how they want to play the Munster game. Will O'Connor have much job security if their rivals do the double over them this season or will he be fine just winning 2 of the next 3 so he will concentrate on the 2 home games? He could rest 4-5 of them and still name a decent side but their bench would be suspect. I'd like Connacht's chances a whole lot better if that were the case.

I fear that I was too confident earlier in the week, and I have gotten myself too confident.
I've done this before to myself *cough* *Saracens* *cough*

I dont know what to think. I'm used to my head and my heart disagreeing with each other over rugby matches, but I think I allowed them both to think the same way earlier this week, and now my head says that it's possible, but my heart is telling me, that it doesnt want to get hurt by rugby again.

Maybe it's a good thing I'm not in Dublin this Friday. I could combust.
I need to see the team news, and see Leinster put a full strength team, while we send up a team of academy players. Only then, might things feel normal again

Comeontaf**kCONNACHT

salmson wrote: Heaslip, Madigan, Toner, McCarthy and Rob Kearney will all have to be rested for one of the 3 games over Christmas, so I'd expect at least 2 and possibly all of them to be held back against us.

Agreed, max 3 from that list will play against us. If we're near enough to our 'A' game then we'll beat them, simple as, whereas they will have to be on theirs and we'd have drop our standard for them to beat us, at least that's how i see it. Never thought I'd be this optimistic about an away Interprovincial.

Heaslip, Madigan, Toner, McCarthy and Rob Kearney will all have to be rested for one of the 3 games over Christmas, so I'd expect at least 2 and possibly all of them to be held back against us.

So, something like:

Bent Strauss Furlong
Toner McCarthy
Conan Heaslip Ryan

Boss Madigan
Darce Fitzgerald
Dave K Rob K Kirchner (KKK fire power :ohmy: :lol: )

?

After training yesterday in UCD, coach Matt O'Connor issued a squad injury update ahead of Friday's Guinness PRO12 game against Connacht in the RDS (Kick Off: 7.35pm - live on TG4 and RTÉ 2FM).

TweetAs confirmed by Guy Easterby yesterday, flanker Rhys Ruddock will be out for four to six weeks with a fractured arm. However the good news is that it was a clean break and did not warrant surgical intervention.

Gordon D'Arcy, Richardt Strauss and Dave Kearney once again trained with the squad and are all fit and available for selection.

Fergus McFadden is training away as is Ben Te'o but both are a few weeks away from a return to action. Similarly Marty Moore continues to make good progress from his shoulder injury.

Both Sean O'Brien and Cian Healy have taken to the pitch this week and are stepping up their recovery as they seek to return from shoulder and hamstring injuries respectively.

I think O'Connor is taking a long look at his squad for this game. He can't take any chances with Munster and Ulster to follow, stumble at the first hurdle and you up the pressure for the trip to Thomond. He'll want to get this series of interpros off to a solid start so I anticipate a strong game day 23 to be named. It's great the buzz this game is creating but as Connachta has been saying let's keep our heads. A win is certainly possible but if Connacht can manage leaving the RDS with a LBP it will be a successful trip.

I think MOC will put out the first team. He knows that if he loses this game then it's curtains for him. That there is actually a lot of Leinster fans who want us to win just so that they can vocally call for his resignation says it all. This will be a tough one a LBP would be great.

I think O'Connor is taking a long look at his squad for this game. He can't take any chances with Munster and Ulster to follow, stumble at the first hurdle and you up the pressure for the trip to Thomond. He'll want to get this series of interpros off to a solid start so I anticipate a strong game day 23 to be named. It's great the buzz this game is creating but as Connachta has been saying let's keep our heads. A win is certainly possible but if Connacht can manage leaving the RDS with a LBP it will be a successful trip.

So, for those not on facebook/twitter, the plan for Friday is:

Attention all Connacht Rugby supporters heading to Dublin this Friday! Many of us will be travelling on the 2.15 Citylink bus from Galway to Dublin City and then getting the Dart from Tara Street Station to Grand Canal Dock. We will be gathering in Slattery's Bar beside the station and then heading onwards to the RDS for the game, most of us have tickets for the North Stand. All welcome to join us!

Now, i'm ok with the 62 pts margin win, especially with Ben Swift as sub, as the French commentator said :lol: :lol:

swift4prez wrote:

connachta wrote:

ConnachtCows wrote: Referee: Ian Davies (WRU, 23rd competition game)

Oh yeeeeees he was so nice with us last week! He'll make it two in a row!

Open for correction here, but from a quick look over 2 and half season's, we have a 80% win ratio when he is the ref

ALL GAMES HAVE BEEN AWAY

Simple reason for this he just authorizes 1 or 2 more seconds to clean the ruck and release the ball, which is our main liability

connachta wrote:

ConnachtCows wrote: Referee: Ian Davies (WRU, 23rd competition game)

Oh yeeeeees he was so nice with us last week! He'll make it two in a row!

Open for correction here, but from a quick look over 2 and half season's, we have a 80% win ratio when he is the ref

ALL GAMES HAVE BEEN AWAY


Matt O’Connor – ‘You need strong officials and I don’t think we had that tonight’

www.thescore.ie/matt-oconnor-munster-mat...o12-1706829-Oct2014/

ConnachtCows wrote: Referee: Ian Davies (WRU, 23rd competition game)

Oh yeeeeees he was so nice with us last week! He'll make it two in a row!

Leinster's only defeat in their last eight fixtures in all tournaments was at Harlequins in round 3 of the European Champions Cup.
The Leinstermen have been victorious in their last 18 encounters at the RDS Arena since drawing there 29-all with Ospreys in the Guinness PRO12 in round 2 last season.

Leinster have lost both encounters they have played against fellow Irish provinces this season and have only lost three successive matches against their fellow countrymen once before - in season 2003/04.

Connacht have won their last four matches in all tournaments and have not won five in a row since 2002. Connacht's only loss in their last five Guinness PRO12 fixtures was 11-26 at the Ospreys in round 7.

Connacht are going for a first ever league double over Leinster having already beaten them 10-9 in Galway in round 3, however Connacht have won only once in Dublin since 1985: 26-23 at Donnybrook in the PRO12 in September 2002.

At RDS Arena, 7.35pm. Live on TG4
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU, 23rd competition game)
Assistant Referees: Leo Colgan, Andy Brace (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Peter Ferguson (IRFU)
TMO: Marshall Kilgore (IRFU)

phatguerilla wrote: I doubt its a secret but I think you're right. Also just saw on the Ulster fans forum that a couple are fearful for Connacht's visit to Ravenhill!?! What sort of bizarro parallel universe have we fallen into where other provincial fans are worried about Connacht? Personally I'm obviously delighted with how things have gone thus far this season but winning back to back away inter pros including a trip to Belfast would probably rank ahead of Toulouse result in terms of best results ever, or at least for the professional era?

Laughing gas should have been dropped on the whole Ireland to celebrate WWI !! :lol:
We can dream, and they can fear about us, that's nice per se, but the wise aim is still winning both Munster/Edinburgh home :whistle:

I doubt its a secret but I think you're right. Also just saw on the Ulster fans forum that a couple are fearful for Connacht's visit to Ravenhill!?! What sort of bizarro parallel universe have we fallen into where other provincial fans are worried about Connacht? Personally I'm obviously delighted with how things have gone thus far this season but winning back to back away inter pros including a trip to Belfast would probably rank ahead of Toulouse result in terms of best results ever, or at least for the professional era?