RogueXV wrote: Relieved Marmion has been released. Hopefully he'll be looking to impress the Irish selectors and put in a good string of performances. I thought word was the Ronaldson was available, I guess he's not quite ready. This side is looking strong enough to win, hope they take up the challenge of picking it up another level as Pat mentioned. Winning it won't guarantee them 6th put it will certainly throw down a marker that let's the Scarlets know they will have to work to overtake us. Tough news for McKeon and Mils. Like Pinky I'm curious as to when the injuries happened. Was it in training?

Craig Ronaldson

Crag Ronaldson has returned to full training following the quad injury he sustained in the warm up prior to the Connacht v Exeter game in January. The outhalf is expected to be available for selection next week when Connacht travel to play Newport Gwent Dragons

Relieved Marmion has been released. Hopefully he'll be looking to impress the Irish selectors and put in a good string of performances. I thought word was the Ronaldson was available, I guess he's not quite ready. This side is looking strong enough to win, hope they take up the challenge of picking it up another level as Pat mentioned. Winning it won't guarantee them 6th put it will certainly throw down a marker that let's the Scarlets know they will have to work to overtake us. Tough news for McKeon and Mils. Like Pinky I'm curious as to when the injuries happened. Was it in training?

connachta wrote:

pinky wrote: When did the McKeon and Muliaina injuries happen?
There was nothing about them in the squad update earlier.

Maybe just sickness, a sudden flu or something like that

No Mils is a hamstring and McKeon has a fractured sternum. Just hadn't heard mention of either of them til the announcement.

No i think Mick Kearney is getting the Stuart Hogg treatment !!
Worked for Glasgow he didnt sign for ulster in the end !!!

Connnnnacht wrote:

wp_rathead wrote: No Mick Kearney is a puzzler
Aside from that, I like that lineup

Not our strongest bench mind. Big games for TOH and O'Leary if they come on

Delighted for Masterson, deserved spot on Bench

Very strange. Not mentioned in the unavailable list either.

Kind of a punishement for signing in Dublin?

Anyway I really love that team
Marmion released, White and Jake Heenean back
Masterson, finally :woohoo:
Dillane is good, O'leary made 2/3 good Eagles games to deserve it

Porter ahead of Blade and Cooney for Bealham are the only ? question marks for me...

pinky wrote: When did the McKeon and Muliaina injuries happen?
There was nothing about them in the squad update earlier.

Maybe just sickness, a sudden flu or something like that

wp_rathead wrote: No Mick Kearney is a puzzler
Aside from that, I like that lineup

Not our strongest bench mind. Big games for TOH and O'Leary if they come on

Delighted for Masterson, deserved spot on Bench

Very strange. Not mentioned in the unavailable list either.

When did the McKeon and Muliaina injuries happen?
There was nothing about them in the squad update earlier.

No Mick Kearney is a puzzler
Aside from that, I like that lineup

Not our strongest bench mind. Big games for TOH and O'Leary if they come on

Delighted for Masterson, deserved spot on Bench

Cows got there before me again

Head Coach Pat Lam has named his Connacht side to face Scarlets in Wales on Sunday 15th February at the early kick off time of 12:45.

Irish international Kieran Marmion, who celebrated his 23rd birthday this week, has returned from camp to take his place at scrum half for his 65th Connacht appearance. Jack Carty starts at outhalf for the 15th time this season.

Darragh Leader shifts from wing to fullback with Niyi Adeolokun and Matt Healy starting on the wings in a back line with an average age of just under 24.

In the centre, this season’s top try scorer Danie Poolman is named to start outside Dave McSharry who recently committed two more years to the province.

Up front, the front row is boosted by the return of tighthead prop Nathan White who plays his first PRO12 game since October.

Jake Heenan makes his long awaited return since his injury in round 1 of the competition and starts in a back row with captain John Muldoon and Number 8 George Naoupu.

From the bench Eoghan Masterson and Tiernan O’Halloran are in line to make their season debut while it would be a first cap for outhalf Shane O’Leary if he was called upon.

Commenting on the team selection and the upcoming game, Head Coach Pat Lam said:

“We lost Eoin (McKeon) and Mils (Muliaina) * to injury which was obviously a big blow especially on top of the loss of another back row in Willie (Faloon). But with these guys going down, it’s good to welcome back Jake (Heenan) and Tiernan (O’Halloran) from long-term injuries.

“What we see with this team are the huge opportunities up for grabs for so many young players. The likes of Shane O’Leary, who has worked hard in training and for the Eagles, has his first match day involvement and we’re delighted for him.

“This is a huge game for us against a well-coached and quality side in Scarlets. We know they are breathing right behind us and like us, they have top six aspirations. We haven’t won on their soil since 2004 and we’ve never won at Parc y Scarlets. We’ve challenged ourselves to take it to another level for this block of four games, and it must start with a performance this Sunday.”

*Eoin McKeon sustained a fractured sternum and is expected to be out of action for four weeks. Mils Muliaina is also looking at up to four weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring tear.

Unavailable/Injured: Jason Harris-Wright, Sean Henry, Michael Swift, Willie Faloon, Eoin McKeon, John Cooney, Craig Ronaldson, Bundee Aki, Robbie Henshaw, Mils Muliaina.

ConnachtCows wrote: Furlo is indicating on Twitter, that Ronaldson is back. I wonder will they try himself and Dave McSharry at 12 and 13?
I still expect Marmion to be released. It's just too early to do so yet.

Connacht team to face Scarlets

15. Darragh Leader
14. Niyi Adeolokun
13. Danie Poolman
12. Dave McSharry
11. Matt Healy
10. Jack Carty
9. Kieran Marmion

1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney
3. Nathan White
4. Quinn Roux
5. Aly Muldowney
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. Jake Heenan
8. George Naoupu

Replacements:

16. Dave Heffernan
17. JP Cooney
18. Rodney Ah You
19. Ultan Dillane
20. Eoghan Masterson
21. Ian Porter
22. Shane O’Leary
23. Tiernan O’Halloran

RONANL wrote:

None of whom featured when we narrowly beat them in the Sportsground. For the record, their team that day was:

15 Steffan Evans
14 Harry Robinson
13 Michael Tagicakibau
12 Regan King
11 Kristian Phillips
10 Steve Shingler
9 Aled Davies
1 Phil John
2 Kirby Myhill
3 Peter Edwards
4 George Earle
5 Johan Snyman
6 Aaron Shingler
7 James Davies
8 John Barclay

16 Ryan Elias
17 Wyn Jones
18 Jacobie Adriaanse
19 Lewis Rawlins
20 Rory Pitman
21 Kieran Hardy
22 Josh Lewis
23 Gareth Owen

15 Jordan Williams,
14 Harry Robinson,
13 Regan King,
12 Hadleigh Parkes,
11 Michael Tagicakibau,
10 Steven Shingler,
9 Aled Davies,

1 Phil John,
2 Ken Owens [c],
3 Peter Edwards,
4 Lewis Rawlins,
5 Johan Snyman,
6 Aaron Shingler,
7 James Davies,
8 John Barclay

Replacements:
Ryan Elias, Ben Leung, Jacobie Adriaanse, George Earle, Rob McCusker, Gareth Davies, Adam Warren, Kristian Phillips

So what are the scrum half options then?

RonanL wrote: According to Galway Bay FM this morning, Connacht will be without Marmion. Not feeling too positive about our chances, but there's always hope.

Matt O'Connor says Reddan is not fully fit in the Independent which rather fits with Marmion not being available. Blade it is then.

According to Galway Bay FM this morning, Connacht will be without Marmion. Not feeling too positive about our chances, but there's always hope.

salmson wrote: Reddan's fit, and Cooney was recalled to Leinster, which would suggest that Boss isn't being released. Marmion trained with Connacht at the end of last week so would expect him to be released again tomorrow.

Yeah, Leinster are at home on Sunday too so would prob make more sense to have one of their SHs in reserve.