Very happy to see Pat taking this in his stride at least for media consumption. I'm sure inside he's seething and this situation is far from ideal but we've just got to knuckle down for Saturday and prove our point on the pitch.

Craggy Island Podcast from Siberia is up on the front page, well worth a listen!

[

green13 wrote: 'With McSharry out, one of Robb, Parata, Ronaldson, Aki will have to partner Henshaw in center'


McSharry tweeted a few days ago that he's finished rehab and ready to get back on the pitch. Might just give us some badly needed options for Saturday.

oh brilliant, I missed that. Id assumed due to not being involved with Eagles he still wasn't available[/quote]

I just double checked, it wasn't a tweet but an instagram to Eoin Griffin and Fetu Vainokola. Just as well he didn't play with the Eagles! he's needed next Saturday!

But Lam urged that further games hosted by Enisei-STM in their home base at Krasnoyarsk should take place in September or October when the weather is not as severe.

He has attached no blame to their hosts or EPCR for their nightmare trip home — they were grounded when a technical fault was discovered in their French charter aircraft.

“It is just something that has happened. It was important that they staged a game in their home city, nobody planned for that plane to break down.

Fair play to Pat Lam for not being bitter about it

green13 wrote: 'With McSharry out, one of Robb, Parata, Ronaldson, Aki will have to partner Henshaw in center'


McSharry tweeted a few days ago that he's finished rehab and ready to get back on the pitch. Might just give us some badly needed options for Saturday.

oh brilliant, I missed that. Id assumed due to not being involved with Eagles he still wasn't available

A couple of up to date articles from journalists who are travelling with the squad

Linley Mackenzie;
www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/european-...-continues-1.2432189

John Fallon;
www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/connacht-...-issue-34204997.html

'With McSharry out, one of Robb, Parata, Ronaldson, Aki will have to partner Henshaw in center'


McSharry tweeted a few days ago that he's finished rehab and ready to get back on the pitch. Might just give us some badly needed options for Saturday.

Bottom line is a few guys who traveled are going to HAVE to start on Saturday
Our 3 fit hookers traveled
Our 3 outhalves traveled
Our 3 fit looseheads traveled
With McSharry out, one of Robb, Parata, Ronaldson, Aki will have to partner Henshaw in center

Not ideal - has put a dampener on what seemed a good trip that the players really embraced

Pinky,

Who told you about my exploits???
Had to do something to keep busy prior to the match!

not blaming the branch straight out.
the plane wasn't there fault.
I'm just questioning the planing for flights today and whatever the story With visas Are.

swift4prez wrote: Most of the players left the airport before me. About 2hours before me.
My question is who messed up not giving them enough time between airports.
Date might be up on visa but if it's less than 3 days, they don't need new visa.

In fairness it being the whole schemozzle was organised by the EPRC I wouldn't be jumping to the conclusion it's Connacht's fault.

connachta wrote: EPRC should allow Connacht additional players in the european squad for this game, due to exceptional circumstances..
To be clear Menuargia, O'Keefe, C.McKeon, Moloney, Dineen could do the job if the European institution give the permission
That would be fair, I doubt they are

That would not be fair.

I left the same hotel as them about after most of the team, not all. Most of the players left the airport before me. About 2hours before me.
My question is who messed up not giving them enough time between airports.
Date might be up on visa but if it's less than 3 days, they don't need new visa. Some of the branch know that 3 people from the irish embassy came down to watch them, as member from clan invited them, did they not think giving them a ring?

connachta wrote: EPRC should allow Connacht additional players in the european squad for this game, due to exceptional circumstances..
To be clear Menuargia, O'Keefe, C.McKeon, Moloney, Dineen could do the job if the European institution give the permission
That would be fair, I doubt they are

The regulations allow for registration of extra players on a one-off match basis where there is an emergency, but only where a team is short of front rows.

3.4 In order to reduce the possibility of uncontested scrums, each club may also nominate further front row players, referred to as Emergency Front Row players, who may be registered with EPCR on a match-by-match basis provided that all necessary details of the players have been submitted before 12 noon (GMT) on 22 October 2015. The provision for the nomination of Emergency Front Row players is not intended to allow clubs to improve the quality of their squads, and is designed to cater for illness and/or injury in the relevant positions. The players added to squads will typically come from a club's academy or similar.

They've been stuck in Moscow for 8 hrs sorting out visa issues.

Muldoon tweeting that they are stuck in Moscow now

EPRC should allow Connacht additional players in the european squad for this game, due to exceptional circumstances..
To be clear Menuargia, O'Keefe, C.McKeon, Moloney, Dineen could do the job if the European institution give the permission
That would be fair, I doubt they are

Thats if they return at all. Seeing now twitter they are now stuck in Moscow.

Mul hoping to be home in time for kick off on Sat and Carty hopes to be home for the munster game.

Some unhappy looking players.