Newcastle are sending their A-team. Given we have 13 of the Thomond 23 on duty and Ah You and Poolman back we should be looking to give them a pounding.

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/rugby-unio...-15-changes-10575603

www.connachtrugby.ie/connacht-team-to-fa...alcons/#ConnachtNews


Connacht team to face Newcastle Falcons

15 Tiernan O’Halloran (captain)
14 Niyi Adeolokun
13 Rory Parata
12 Peter Robb
11 Matt Healy
10 Jack Carty
9 Caolin Blade

1 Finlay Bealham
2 Jason Harris-Wright
3 Nathan White
4 Ultan Dillane
5 Aly Muldowney
6 Sean O’Brien
7 James Connolly
8 George Naoupu

Replacements:

16 Shane Delahunt
17 Conan O’Donnell
18 Rodney Ah You
19 Danny Qualter
20 Dave Heffernan
21 Ian Porter
22 Shane O’Leary
23 Danie Poolman

Unavailable through injury from European registered Squad: Tom McCartney, Denis Buckley, Ronan Loughney, Andrew Browne, Ben Marshall, Quinn Roux, Nepia Fox-Matamua (deregistered), Eoghan Masterson, John Muldoon, Eoin McKeon, John Cooney, Kieran Marmion, AJ MacGinty, Bundee Aki, Craig Ronaldson, Robbie Henshaw, Fionn Carr, Darragh Leader.

Other squad unavailability: JP Cooney, Jake Heenan, Conor Finn

Still a decent starting 15 all things considered!

Diom wrote: Any other changes?

No. Only other change allowed would have been a front row, but doesn't look like he took that option.

Any other changes?

Westie85 wrote: According to Linley,
Shane O'Leary is being drafted into the euro squad in replace of Fox

I didn't see any official confirmation of this from Connacht but the squad list has been updated on EPCR site so obviously it happened.
www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/connacht.php?section=3

Oranmoron wrote: Anyone know when Jake is due back?

He was walking past me at the Brive game so I asked him. Initially 11th December was the target but he said he's not going to make that. It'll be a few weeks after. He didn't say exactly when his new target is. Ulster at the earliest I'd say but more likely it'll be January

Based on salmson's list, the 21 Available players break down roughly as:

Back 5: 6
OH: 1
SH: 1
Back Row: 3
Lock: 3
Hooker: 3
TH: 4
LH: 0

And with O'Donnell playing mostly LH anyway, that gives a starting 15, with just a few bench spots to come from the possible list and new registrations.

Good news soon for Api, then. Devasted for J.P, very kind lad... He'll give everthing to help Connacht for top 6 starting March!

connachta wrote: What are the stories for Api and J;P Cooney? They should be close to recovery, since August, shouldn't they?

"Squad Update 13/10/15 ahead of round 4 game at home to Zebre the Connacht Rugby medical team provided the following update.

Prop JP Cooney, who made an appearance from the bench in all three games this season, dislocated his shoulder in the final minutes of the game against Cardiff Blues. The 25-year-old underwent stabilisation surgery on Friday and is expected to be sidelined for up to four months."

Potentially not back until March!

As for Api all i could find was the link below which seems to suggest January return

www.galwayindependent.com/sport/topics/a...longterm-casualties/

What are the stories for Api and J;P Cooney? They should be close to recovery, since August, shouldn't they?

pinky wrote: Could leave us with no loose head.

Bealham could prop here
and I guess Rodney could be back there, + McCartney in emergency cases

I'm much more worried about Roux and Marshall out for 3 months, a lot of our hopes for pro 12 lie on the Dillane/Muldowney pairing, Browne to cover.
If one of them gets injured, it's a severe drop-off in quality with either Naoupu, Qualter or SOB 2.0 back to lock...Maybe Romaine too..

Available - 21
Adeolokun
Ah You
Bealham
Blade
Carty
Connolly
Delahunt
Dillane
Harris Wright
Healy
Heffernan
McSharry
Muldowney
Naoupu
O'Brien
O'Donnell
O'Halloran
Parata
Qualter
Robb
White

Possibly available - 8
Aki
Browne
Loughney
Marmion
Muldoon
Poolman
Porter
Ronaldson

Definitely unavailable - 12
Buckley - expected back for Ulster
Carr
Cooney (John)
Fox-Matamua
Henshaw
Leader
MacGinty - Scarlets (a)
Marshall
Masterson - Ulster
McCartney - Ulster
McKeon - Scarlets (a)
Roux

Not registered - 5
Cooney (JP)
Finn
Heenan
O'Leary - reported to be replacing Fox-Matamua in EPCR squad.
Pewhairangi

Injury update says Loughs, Mul and Bundee could be out, but Brownie and Danie could be in.
Could leave us with no loose head.
www.connachtrugby.ie/squad-update-ahead-...s-game/#ConnachtNews

According to Linley,

Shane O'Leary is being drafted into the euro squad in replace of Fox

Weirdly, the injuries have made life easier for replacements. One(or both) of Quinn/Ben will be replaced with/or Darragh.

Oranmoron wrote: Anyone know when Jake is due back?

We've been told "December" way back but no updates lately. In any case he's not in the Challenge Cup side and since we can only make one non-front-row change he's unlikely to be.