Only Leinster no need for Bundee lol

Game plan should run run run keep them moving and get the ball to Niyi and Kelleher as soon as and as much as possible

Leinster have managed to put out a more than decent pack especially in the front row, they win the international headcount (7 in XV; 11 in 23 vs. 4 in XV, 5 in 23) but their three quarter line is incredibly callow. If we can keep the ball we can cause them a lot of pain.

www.connachtrugby.ie/connacht-team-to-fa...ster-7/#ConnachtNews

Concerned about JP Cooney v Ross . Strong midfield and think we have the strength and experience to get the better of them there although suprised Bundee isnt starting. It will be interesting to see James Cannon.

Here are the two teams:

Leinster:
1. Healy
2. Cronin
3. Ross
4. M Kearney
5. Nagle
6. Leavy
7. O'Brien
8. Conan
9. Gibson-Park
10. Carbery
11. Daly
12. Ried
13. O'Loughlin
14. A Byrne
15. Nacewa

Connacht:
1. JP Cooney
2. D Heffernan
3. C Carey
4. Q Roux
5. A Browne
6. S O'Brien 2.0
7. J Heenan
8 J Muldoon
9. K Marmion
10. J Carty
11. C Kelleher
12. C Ronaldson
13. P Robb
14. N Adeolokun
15. T o'Halloran

Ahead of tomorrow’s Guinness PRO12 round 7 clash with Leinster at the RDS, Pat Lam has made three personnel changes to his Connacht side that defeated Zebre in Europe five days ago.

Tiernan O’Halloran, who missed out last week through injury, returns to the starting lineup and will take his place at fullback. Cian Kelleher, top try scorer so far this season, shifts to the left wing in a pacey back three completed by Niyi Adeolokun.

In the pack, there are two changes with Dave Heffernan and Conor Carey coming into the front row.

28-year-old lock James Cannon, who signed with the province from Wasps last month, will make his Connacht debut should he feature from the bench tomorrow.

Commenting on the team selection and the upcoming game, head coach Pat Lam said:

“Despite the high number of injuries that we have, we are excited by the challenge and opportunity to be the first Connacht team to win at the RDS. Leinster have started the season extremely well and are sitting top of the table so we understand the difficulty of that challenge.

“Although it has been a short week with the travel back from Italy on Monday, we have mentally prepared very well as we know that a focus on our team roles will give us the best shot at the points on offer.”

Connacht team to face Leinster
Saturday 29th October, kick off 17:15, RDS Arena

(Connacht caps in brackets)

15 Tiernan O’Halloran (107)
14 Niyi Adeolokun (39)
13 Peter Robb (20)
12 Craig Ronaldson (54)
11 Cian Kelleher (6)
10 Jack Carty (61)
9 Kieran Marmion (108)

1 JP Cooney (34)
2 Dave Heffernan (64)
3 Conor Carey (4)
4 Quinn Roux (36)
5 Andrew Browne (147)
6 Sean O’Brien (22)
7 Jake Heenan (39)
8 John Muldoon (captain) (282)

Replacements:

16 Shane Delahunt (20)
17 Dominic Robertson-McCoy (1)
18 Finlay Bealham (64)
19 James Cannon (0)
20 Eoin McKeon (92)
21 Caolin Blade (27)
22 Bundee Aki (47)
23 Stacey Ili (3)

Feeling pretty positive about this one

wp_rathead wrote: At moment Connacht +8 or @13/5 to win

strangely I wont take that. I have bet and won on all the games Connacht have won this year. this is one bet I'm not sure of. maybe its a good bet but not for me. all the games Connacht have lost I did not bet on. this is one of those. I get an edgy feeling and I have an edgy feeling about this game

Marmion didn't play much so he can bench behind Blade
Roux/Browne + Cannon is a combo you can be confident about, let's give Dillane a rest
Bealham has played quite a lot, but I'd beg for him being authorized a 20 minutes display again. If not, O'Donnell/Soroka are still out, if Saba or our current props get a knock, we have litteraly nobody else.

Awful good of Joe to write Pat's pre-game speech for him ahead of the Leinster match. Again.

connachta wrote:
What about John Cooney then? If still out, has to be Kerrins

Cooney still out. Will be other side of Nov break at least

At moment Connacht +8 or @13/5 to win

will be interesting to see what odds the bookies will have on this match, all depends on who is freed up to play but right now we're looking good

salmson wrote: No indication yet as to whether players will or will not be available.

Joe does say in the article that "more than half the squad likely to be involved in Pro12 action this weekend." Of course the trick is to figure out which ones. I'd guess likely starters for the 5 Nov match will not play this weekend unless they need gametime under their belts plus a couple of key replacements. Probably will leave Leinster short a few beyond Sexton. Maybe Marmion possibly Finlay play for Connacht.

No indication yet as to whether players will or will not be available.

Several international careers rightly ended there (Ross, Bowe, McCarthy), some brave picks (Ryan, Carbery) but some real head scratchers too (Kearney over TOH, Gilroy over Olding or Niyi).

salmson wrote: Only Kieran, Ultan and Finlay in the Ireland squad.

www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/internati...adigan-35164365.html

TOH, Niyi (Tackle turnstile Gilroy included) and Roux (Billy Holland in!) omitted. Pretty much every fit Leinster international present and correct, with the exception of Mike Ross, whose international career is presumably over.

Sorry guys, missed this. Shame
+ Finlay is the only one we hardly can replace.
Cooney and Carey to start, McCoy on the bench, but who stands for n°18? Saba probably...

What about John Cooney then? If still out, has to be Kerrins..
If so, weak Scrum, weak SH, stronger than opposition elsewhere

Only Kieran, Ultan and Finlay in the Ireland squad.

www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/internati...adigan-35164365.html

TOH (form-vacuum Kearney the elder included), Niyi (Tackle turnstile Gilroy included) and Roux (Billy Holland in!) omitted. Pretty much every fit Leinster international present and correct, with the exception of Mike Ross, whose international career is presumably over.

Beginning to see why Henshaw thought he needed to move to Leinster to play international games.