Morning all! We'll have the one and only Mr. Danie Poolman in the Clan Bar for an interview post match. Come one, come all!

Cathal wrote: Evening lads & ladies. I've won a pair of tickets online but can't make it back to Galway from work so the tickets are free to a good home. Message me if any takers

Tickets snapped up. Enjoy the match all....pity I can't be there

Evening lads & ladies. I've won a pair of tickets online but can't make it back to Galway from work so the tickets are free to a good home. Message me if any takers

Was officially still recovering/unavailable against Grenoble and Castres. No news since Munster game. I guess he's just late in his phisycal preparation and Lam prefers fully competitive locks, fighting for places, as it was said. Muldowney would be back soon in this scenario.

Not sure
Didn't appear at all over the 3 Preseason games
Yet isn't on the unavailable listings

What's the story with Muldowney?

Surprised Dillane nowhere to be seen also.

Dragons team from BBC: www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/34134094

Meyer, Prydie, Wardle, Warren, Scott, Tovey, Pretorius; Stankovich, TR Thomas (capt), Knight, Hill, Landman, L Evans, Cudd, Jackson.

Replacements: Gustafson, Price, Harris, Crosswell, Benjamin, C Davies, D Jones, Morgan.

Dragons have a host of new signings making their first appearances for the region, but nobody making their pro debut (like Parata).

Thought Dillane would start ahead of Browne but regardless: Hon Connacht

15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Danie Poolman
13. Rory Parata
12. Bundee Aki
11. Matt Healy
10. Jack Carty
9. Kieran Marmion

1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney
3. Rodney Ah You
4. Quinn Roux
5. Andrew Browne
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. Nepia Fox-Matamua
8. Eoghan Masterson

Replacements:
16. Dave Heffernan
17. JP Cooney
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Ben Marshall
20. Eoin McKeon
21. John Cooney
22. Craig Ronaldson
23. Fionn Carr 

Unavailable / Injured: Nathan White, Ronan Loughney, Jake Heenan, Dave McSharry, Api Pewhairangi, Niyi Adeolokun, Darragh Leader, Robbie Henshaw.

Connacht install new attack coach, but have 4 injury worries before start of new season
Pat Lam’s centre options for the opening month of the season have taken a hit.


CONNACHT ANALYST CONOR McPhillips has been promoted to the Westerners’ coaching ticket as assistant attack coach ahead of the new Pro12 season.

McPhillips, who coached Connacht Sevens last month, will continue on as head analyst, but will now officially support head coach Pat Lam and backs coach Andre Bell.

Jimmy Duffy, Pat Lam, Dave Ellis, Andre Bell and Conor McPhillips Jimmy Duffy, Forwards Coach, Pat Lam, Head Coach, Dave Ellis, Skills Coach, Andre Bell, Backs & Kicking Coach and Conor McPhillips, Assistant Attack Coach

“Since I came in two years ago he has been out with us on the training pitch and doing a lot of work behind the scenes from a coaching perspective,” Lam says of the man who held the accolade of being Connacht’s record try-scorer before being surpassed by Fionn Carr.

“He is hugely passionate and I know he really enjoyed the recent Sevens experience as a coach. He did a great job working with players that had never played the game before and under quite a bit of time pressure.

“He will still head up our analysis team but his role will also include helping me and the other coaches in structuring our team attack whilst also analysing the opponent’s attack.”



McPhillips joins Lam, Bell, Jimmy Duffy (forwards) and Dave Ellis (skills) to complete the Connacht coaching ticket. That quintet go in to Friday’s league opener at home to the Dragons with four injury concerns, with centre options the worst hit.

Newly converted rugby league player Api Pewhairangi has been ruled out for up to three months after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in the pre-season meeting with Castres.

Inside centre Dave McSharry is undergoing return to play protocols following a concussion, while both Darragh Leader and Niyi Adeolokun need about a month before pulling on the green jersey again.

Leader strained a wrist ligament in the win over Munster and will be kept in a plaster for three weeks. Adeolokun strained his posterior cruciate ligament and will require four weeks to recover.

salmson wrote: if he's back training already that's great news.

The proof

inpho.ie/cache/inpho/51/8f/cf/b412e7ae74...3/INPHO_00963138.jpg

connachta wrote: But there's Parata too. And Conor Finn was on a training pic today, he may also play 12 or 13 outside Aki. Relieving to see him and JHW back!

Finn had knee surgery in April. He'll hardly feature Friday but if he's back training already that's great news.

But there's Parata too. And Conor Finn was on a training pic today, he may also play 12 or 13 outside Aki. Relieving to see him and JHW back!

RogueXV wrote:
Hope McShazz passes the protocols and soon with flying colours. Would hate to be without both him and Leader for this stretch of games without Henshaw.

100% agree

Westie85 wrote: Personally I think Muldowney will start. One of our best forwards last year.

On the injury front according to Linley McKenzie Pewhairangi out for 3 months, Niyi out for 4 weeks, Leader out for 3 weeks and McSharry is going through the return to play protocols.

Hope McShazz passes the protocols and soon with flying colours. Would hate to be without both him and Leader for this stretch of games without Henshaw.