The weather will actually help I think. Our skills shine brightly in a monsoon.

Bundi is a huge loss.

dobby wrote:
With the weather the way it is looking for tomorrow it will be very much ball up the jumper time. So I wouldn't despair. Think our pack have the advantage so its not all doom and gloom

That's true
Our pack is close to the best, Heff, Roux and SOB associated are the most impressive 3 ball carriers we have

J.P + McCartney LH means we can struggle in the end at scrumtime, but in open-play, they will give all they have. Dillane + McKeon + Dawai should have a great impact too

phatguerilla wrote:

EvoGeo wrote:

Oranmoron wrote: Beat me to it. I was just going to ask if any of our internationals are likely to be unavailable. Apparently there's an Ireland camp this week. Ultan and Kieran we can probably survive but without Finlay we're banjoed. Same goes for any for the backs but I'm guessing they're less likely to be called.

Ulster pack is probably their weakest element though so JP might be able to do a job even without bealham we should be OK here.

This is a great chance to pick up a win up there but we'll need carty to be right on it.

Sorry to be the horrible pessimist, but we say this every year we usually leave without even a losing bonus, and with a few extra players on the physio table for good measure. Ulster will probably name a pretty average team, but what they are never lacking at home, against Connacht, is the ability to outmuscle their opposition. At the same time, Connacht often appear cowed by the atmosphere or history of the derby and play within themselves. Maybe that attitude will be lifted somewhat after the win in Galway this season but its asking a lot. We've only got about one fit tighthead and outhalf so a weakened Ulster team in comparison to our own position will still look much closer to first choice.

With the weather the way it is looking for tomorrow it will be very much ball up the jumper time. So I wouldn't despair. Think our pack have the advantage so its not all doom and gloom

clanman wrote: in fact as far as I remember we signed him as a Centre, it's going to be very difficult up there. at some point we have to look ahead and plan for the 2 champions cup games.

we may not have any centres at this rate

You're both right he was signed as centre-wing but in reality the few times he's played centre have never been particularly convincing. Add in the non contact training and he's in for a tough night. Lots of teams target the opposition 10-12 channel anyways but given injuries and what Diabhal's pointed out, I don't expect Ulster will look beyond that approach very often.

In a world where any sort of injury to Jack means it's Blade or Tiernan to OH I think Poolman at centre is the least our fears.

in fact as far as I remember we signed him as a Centre, it's going to be very difficult up there. at some point we have to look ahead and plan for the 2 champions cup games.

we may not have any centres at this rate

Still, all things considered, it's a decent squad named there. More concerned by the amount of training together than the personnel. If they can keep their noses in it for the first 50-60 minutes they just might come away with something. A couple of easy scores to Ulster early on and it could be ugly. Jack needs to build on his last time out.

phatguerilla wrote: Poolman at 12, holy f***. The only way that works out is if Lam has secretly been drilling him as a centre for the past few months and that's why we haven't seen him playing.

Last week there was no or very very limited contact training and we missed a lot of relatively simple tackles, this is another week without it, tackling needs practice like anything else.

Should we be organizing a whip around to fund a medical joker tighthead?

I'm pretty sure I can remember Danie deputizing at centre for us before. Still, I take your point, we're pretty stretched. We're another back or prop injury away from a very dark place.

Poolman at 12, holy f***. The only way that works out is if Lam has secretly been drilling him as a centre for the past few months and that's why we haven't seen him playing.

Last week there was no or very very limited contact training and we missed a lot of relatively simple tackles, this is another week without it, tackling needs practice like anything else.

Should we be organizing a whip around to fund a medical joker tighthead?

Ulster's lineup looks strong here. Bundee out is a big loss. I never really fancy us away to Ulster but even less so now. They really knocked us off our stride by pushing up their defensive line on us when we played them there near the end of last year. The game was over by the time we got to grips with them. Couple of dinks over the top or up and unders from Jack Carty early on in order here just to mix things up. Even if nothing comes of it we don't want to give them soft targets to hit and a chance to get early momentum. Ulster's record at Ravenhill is excellent and individually their side is strong but to me they are a side who seem to be drifting on a road to nowhere and are vulnerable if we can get some momentum early and get a sceptical crowd on their back.

Ciaran FCUKING Gaffney!!
Delighted he is involved, cracking player

Tom covering LH I see

Bundee out to February, Tom sub loosie, Poolman at 12. We're gonna get killed.

www.connachtrugby.ie/connacht-team-to-fa...ster-6/#ConnachtNews

Connacht team to face Ulster
22nd December 2016

Connacht head coach Pat Lam has made four personnel changes to his side ahead of tomorrow’s round 11 Guinness PRO12 clash with Ulster at Kingspan Stadium (7:35pm).
Bundee Aki will undergo surgery this week for an ongoing ankle injury and will return in mid-February. In the absence of recognised midfielders, last week’s try scorer Danie Poolman will start at inside centre for the first time alongside Rory Parata.
With Conor Carey added to the long list of injured props, the versatile Tom McCartney has now been named on the bench to cover loosehead prop. Dave Heffernan with start the game in the number 2 shirt while Shane Delahunt is named on the bench as replacement hooker.
James Cannon comes in to the side to partner Quinn Roux in the second row while Galway man Sean O’Brien is promoted from the bench to join the back row with Nepia Fox-Matamua and captain John Muldoon.
There remains a 6-2 split on the bench with just nine backs available to Lam and his coaching team. Academy back Ciaran Gaffney is this week named in his first match day squad. The 21-year-old from Galway made 10 appearances, including nine starts, for the Ireland Under-20’s between the 2014 U20 World Championship and the 2015 U20 Six Nations.
Commenting on the team selection and the upcoming game, head coach Pat Lam said:
“This week has probably been the most challenging I’ve had at Connacht Rugby with all the injuries, sickness and the group only coming together yesterday. Losing both Bundee (Aki) and Conor (Carey) to long term injuries is a big blow especially with our injury crisis at prop and midfield. With 21 injuries in our squad it’s an opportunity for the next player still standing to come in and nail his role in our structures and systems.
“With the named squad not even training once together this week, there has been a huge emphasis once again on the classroom learning and mental preparation. I was really proud of the boys with the work they put in last week and the character they showed in adversity to grind out a big win. We’ll be looking for the same again this Friday night, albeit in a much tougher environment at a sold out Kingspan Stadium and against a quality side like Ulster.
“We know we don’t have a good record up in Belfast but that just means this is a huge opportunity for us to create something special as a group. We’re really looking forward to the challenge.”
Connacht team to face Ulster
Friday December 23rd, kick off 19:35, Kingspan Stadium
(Connacht caps in brackets)
15           Tiernan O’Halloran (113)
14           Niyi Adeolokun (44)
13           Rory Parata (21)
12           Danie Poolman (75)
11           Matt Healy (79)
10           Jack Carty (67)
9             Kieran Marmion (111)
1             Denis Buckley (103)
2             Dave Heffernan (70)
3             Finlay Bealham (67)
4             Quinn Roux (42)
5             James Cannon (4)
6             Sean O’Brien (26)
7             Nepia Fox-Matamua (13)
8             John Muldoon (captain) (288)
Replacements:
16           Shane Delahunt (22)
17           Tom McCartney (51)
18           JP Cooney (40)
19           Ultan Dillane (36)
20           Eoin McKeon (98)
21           Caolin Blade (33)
22           Ciaran Gaffney (0)
23           Naulia Dawai (1)
Injured: Ronan Loughney, Conor Carey, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Ivan Soroka, Conan O’Donnell, Ben Marshall, Andrew Browne, Jake Heenan, Eoghan Masterson, John Cooney, Marnitz Boshoff, Shane O’Leary, Craig Ronaldson, Peter Robb, Stacey Ili, Eoin Griffin, Bundee Aki, Cormac Brennan, Cian Kelleher, Josh Rowland, Darragh Leader.

EvoGeo wrote:

Oranmoron wrote: Beat me to it. I was just going to ask if any of our internationals are likely to be unavailable. Apparently there's an Ireland camp this week. Ultan and Kieran we can probably survive but without Finlay we're banjoed. Same goes for any for the backs but I'm guessing they're less likely to be called.

Ulster pack is probably their weakest element though so JP might be able to do a job even without bealham we should be OK here.

This is a great chance to pick up a win up there but we'll need carty to be right on it.

Sorry to be the horrible pessimist, but we say this every year we usually leave without even a losing bonus, and with a few extra players on the physio table for good measure. Ulster will probably name a pretty average team, but what they are never lacking at home, against Connacht, is the ability to outmuscle their opposition. At the same time, Connacht often appear cowed by the atmosphere or history of the derby and play within themselves. Maybe that attitude will be lifted somewhat after the win in Galway this season but its asking a lot. We've only got about one fit tighthead and outhalf so a weakened Ulster team in comparison to our own position will still look much closer to first choice.

The Pavilion and the Errigle on the Ormeau Road are popular pre and post-match pubs. Are walking distance to the ground.

Team selection from both sides will be interesting, usually at this time of year, sides go strong in 1 game and play a much weakened side in the other (even though D4 has no influence over team selection;) )

I'm flying over and staying with friends in Belfast, is there a favourite bar / pub that the clan goes to before the Ulster games?

connachta wrote: my composition is likely then!

this game against ulster is hugely important to Connacht's season. I certainly wouldn't contemplate the team you suggest. There is never a better time to beat a team like Ulster. Other than a home win against Clermont they are on a disastrous run. And we need points. Cue our best team available.