pinky wrote: Why no McCartney?
Surprise Ireland call-up?

My personal view here when i saw the slection is Heffs greater speed on the plastic surface over tom also my train of thought for leader omission.

Why no McCartney?
Surprise Ireland call-up?

salmson wrote: Ha! Both McKeon and Heenan made it!

www.connachtrugby.ie/keane-names-startin...ence-rivals-cardiff/

(15-9) Tiernan O’Halloran, Niyi Adeolokun, Eoin Griffin, Tom Farrell, Matt Healy, Jack Carty, Caolin Blade,

(1- Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Quinn Roux, James Cannon, Eoin McKeon, Jake Heenan, John Muldoon (Capt)

Replacements (16-23): Shane Delahunt, Peter McCabe, Conor Carey, Gavin Thornbury, Eoghan Masterson, James Mitchell, Steve Crosbie, Pita Ahki.

Surprised Dawaii hasn't made the squad with the to lads only integrating back this week into training. Is this a reflection of KK's opinion on him I wonder.

Ha! Both McKeon and Heenan made it!

www.connachtrugby.ie/keane-names-startin...ence-rivals-cardiff/

(15-9) Tiernan O’Halloran, Niyi Adeolokun, Eoin Griffin, Tom Farrell, Matt Healy, Jack Carty, Caolin Blade,

(1- Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Quinn Roux, James Cannon, Eoin McKeon, Jake Heenan, John Muldoon (Capt)

Replacements (16-23): Shane Delahunt, Peter McCabe, Conor Carey, Gavin Thornbury, Eoghan Masterson, James Mitchell, Steve Crosbie, Pita Ahki.

www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/42082873

It's not about doing a job like Qualter last season. It's a MUST-WIN game.
We have an awful schedule, this game is a decider for Europe next year (like Brive and Worcester away)

Gallagher is probably a bit slow to play back row from what I’ve seen of him, but if Masterson Boyle and Fox are deemed too young, small, and *ahem* not match fit, then I’m sure he could do a job short term.

I think connachta still wins the diplomacy award for:

connachta wrote: but his morphology is (for now?) not the same as Finlay's

(though he ruined it by saying what he really meant in parenthesis)
www.connachtclan.com/clan-forum/2-connac...-time?start=16#47026

sligsup wrote:

connachta wrote: In the worst case scenario, some want Gallagher as n°20, but if we need a young guy to step up, I wish we could see our big Australia u20 Harley Fox. Could make an impact vs Nick Williams

Id say Mr Fox has other priorities before getting a run in the first team and that is probably spending alot of time with Johnny O' C. I think toned muscle will win out over redundant muscle in this instance Connachta.

I was expecting for that, that's why I quoted Nick Williams who has "redundant muscle" too

sligsup wrote: ...redundant muscle...

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I shall be using this forthwith: "No I don't have a bolg on me, that's redundant muscle".

connachta wrote: In the worst case scenario, some want Gallagher as n°20, but if we need a young guy to step up, I wish we could see our big Australia u20 Harley Fox. Could make an impact vs Nick Williams

Id say Mr Fox has other priorities before getting a run in the first team and that is probably spending alot of time with Johnny O' C. I think toned muscle will win out over redundant muscle in this instance Connachta.

In the worst case scenario, some want Gallagher as n°20, but if we need a young guy to step up, I wish we could see our big Australia u20 Harley Fox. Could make an impact vs Nick Williams

connachta wrote: On the bench, 1 of them could make it with a week of full-training, couldn't he?

The language in the bulletins (tortured though it is) has been fairly consistent:

"Gavin Thornbury has reintegrated" means he's available.

"Eoin McKeon will integrate fully into training" means he won't make this weekend but should be back next week if he doesn't have an adverse reaction to full contact training.

So I'd be hugely surprised (and delighted to be wrong) if either McKeon or Heenan make it.

On the bench, 1 of them could make it with a week of full-training, couldn't he?

From the injury update it looks like neither of Heenan and McKeon will make it, so I guess we'll be pulling someone from the academy to cover backrow.

I had no idea Ili was injured, that might partly explain why he didn't play since the previous Cardiff game...
Well, a lot of comebacks in December, sadly the 8-pointer is this week


the XV picks itself, choices to make only on the bench

1) Buckley
2) McC
3) Beal
4) Roux
5) Cannon
6) Masterson
7) Dawai
8 ) Muldoon
9) Blade
10) Carty
11) Leader
12) Farrell
13) Ahki
14) Niyi
15) TOH

16) Heff
17) Coulson
18) Carey
19) Thornbury
20) the fittest between Heenan and McKeon
21) Mitchell or C.McKeon
22) Deegan or Crosbie
23) Healy or Kelleher

NB : if it's Crosbie he can cover centre so we can pick Matt as utility back-3,
if it's Deegan, 23 has to be Kelleher to cover 13 to 15