Let's go Adrian get those darts down!

Ah You on? Sounds like Eric is waving the white flag.

As poor of a half as they've had all season. Reminds you of the same fixture in Italy. Hope Connacht can recover better this time out. Let's show some pride lads!

What is going on? Conceding try and penalty in quick secession? Stuck listening Galway Dublin. Arrrgh!

Come on Lads!

Diom wrote:

connachtexile wrote: That's the live one on after the last game? Will be Ray be attending? Does anyone know about Keith Matthews?

I'm in Oz at the mo so won't be there. Would dearly love to be as well.

Ray will be there, but not to answer questions. He's a bit shy for that!

Can someone bring a camera and upload some photo's of the game and the Q&A/Presentations, think those of us not able to go to the game or out of the country would like to see the moment captured.

connachtexile wrote: That's the live one on after the last game? Will be Ray be attending? Does anyone know about Keith Matthews?

I'm in Oz at the mo so won't be there. Would dearly love to be as well.

Ray will be there, but not to answer questions. He's a bit shy for that!

we should try chanting RAZOR RAZOR RAZOR mid way through the first half. they will be tears

RogueXV wrote:

AironiRugby wrote: I hope Ray is able to put in a full shift or at least 60+ minutes

Would only be right to take him off to the ovation he deserves

ummm, wrote: If we don't have the cash then I guess the decision not to retain him wasn't on rugby grounds.

Didn't the PGB go over budget this year with renovations etc? I seem to remember reading that.

I'm sure there are plenty of guys who would have loved to have kept Henry.

The branch got 250K from the IRFU to build the clan stand, which was not nearly enough. The government then covered the remainder (just over 400K if I remember correctly).

They've given full contracts to Dave Mc and Griffin, added Dave Gannon mid-season and retained him (I'm not counting Tonetti as that was, unfortunately, a one-in-one-out scenario) and signed White, Parks and Faloon, so it's hardly surprising Henry's been let go.

From a playing point of view you'd want to keep him, but most of these decisions were probably made at the start of the year, and while he's been playing brilliantly since New Year, I think it's fair to say that at that point he mightn't have looked worth keeping on high wages.

AironiRugby wrote: Aironi fly to Galway to face Connacht tomorrow at the Sportsground (Saturday, kick-off at 5 pm) for their last away match of the season. After playing a good game game against the Scarlets a week ago but collecting just a defensive bonus point, coming up short to lose 23-26, the Italian side has its last opportunity of the 2011-2012 season to achieve a win away from Stadio Zaffanella (where they beat Connacht twice). Ian Davies takes charge of the match, his first in the RaboDirect PRO12.,</strong>

I guess there's no point in dwelling on it, but they seem to be going to the extreme to avoid saying this is the last chance ever to get that away win.


I hope Ray is able to put in a full shift or at least 60+ minutes, I think there's a try in it if he does. Yes, it does become abundantly clear that the decision to let Henry go is all down to money. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself since it's only been a few games really, but with the way Nikora is playing Connacht probably could have done without Parks and kept Henry on the books.

Connacht should win this one with a little to spare, but make no mistake Aironi will be coming to play. Keeping their discipline and Nikora taking all points on offer will be imperative. It's no time for a slip up, they need to finish off at the Sportsground strong.

If we don't have the cash then I guess the decision not to retain him wasn't on rugby grounds.

Didn't the PGB go over budget this year with renovations etc? I seem to remember reading that.

I'm sure there are plenty of guys who would have loved to have kept Henry.

ummm, wrote: Great to see Buckley give his start, proper decision.

Glad to see Ray and Henry starting in their final home games. I hope they're given a rousing send off.

And I hope we also give Aironi a respectful goodbye as well. We came very close to disappearing not to long ago.

Henry starting again is pretty damning of the decision not to retain him.

17 Pro12 games this season so far and 13 of these were starts... (Add on 3 more for HEC with 1 start). Be nice to see him finish with a try or two..

C'mon someone get the cheque book out....

Agree about Aironi, regardless of the result hopefully supporters will hang around and wish them well at the end...

Great to see Buckley give his start, proper decision.

Glad to see Ray and Henry starting in their final home games. I hope they're given a rousing send off.

And I hope we also give Aironi a respectful goodbye as well. We came very close to disappearing not to long ago.

Connacht XV to Face Aironi:
15. Duffy 14. O'Halloran 13. Tonetti 12. Fa'afili 11. Vainikolo 10. Nikora 9. Murphy
1. Buckley 2. Reynecke 3. Loughney 4. Swift 5. McCarthy 6. Muldoon 7. Ofisa 8. Muldoon
16. Flavin 17. Maguire 18. Ah You 19. Kearney 20. J O'Connor 21. O'Dobnohoe 22. Jarvis 23. Griffin

Aironi Team announced...

AironiRugby wrote: AIRONI MAKE JUST ONE CHANGE TO FACE CONNACHT

For immediate release Friday 20th April 2012
Issued on behalf of Aironi Rugby

Aironi fly to Galway to face Connacht tomorrow at the Sportsground (Saturday, kick-off at 5 pm) for their last away match of the season. After playing a good game game against the Scarlets a week ago but collecting just a defensive bonus point, coming up short to lose 23-26, the Italian side has its last opportunity of the 2011-2012 season to achieve a win away from Stadio Zaffanella (where they beat Connacht twice). Ian Davies takes charge of the match, his first in the RaboDirect PRO12.

There’s just one change in the Aironi starting XV. Giovanbattista Venditti is back on the wing, with Sinoti Sinoti switching to outside centre in place of Gilberto Pavan, who starts from the bench.

Fullback Tito Tebaldi, wing Giulio Toniolatti and inside centre Matteo Pratichetti complete the back line, while Luciano Orquera and Tyson Keats pair up again in the halves.

There are no changes in the pack. Josh Sole is at number 8 and flankers Nicola Cattina and Simone Favaro complete the back row, captain Marco Bortolami and Quintin Geldenhuys are the locks. In the front row Matias Aguero and Lorenzo Romano are the props with Fabio Ongaro hooking.

The game in Galway will be pretty special for Paolo Buso. After playing in three games and scorin 12 points (3 penalties and a drop goal) last season coming from a long injury break, Buso was injured again during the summer. Now, after a long recovery, Aironi’s utility back is ready to go again and collects his first call-up of the season in the matchday squad and will start from the bench.

AIRONI: 15 Tito Tebaldi; 14 Giulio Toniolatti, 13 Sinoti Sinoti, 12 Matteo Pratichetti, 11 Giovanbattista Venditti; 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Tyson Keats; 8 Josh Sole, 7 Simone Favaro, 6 Nicola Cattina; 5 Marco Bortolami (cap), 4 Quintin Geldenhuys; 3 Lorenzo Romano, 2 Fabio Ongaro, 1 Matias Aguero.

Replacements: 16 Tommaso D’Apice, 17 Alberto De Marchi, 18 Luca Redolfini, 19 Joshua Furno, 20 Nick Williams, 21 Naas Olivier, 22 Gilberto Pavan, 23 Paolo Buso.

Coach: Rowland Phillips

If Ah you is starting we will be under the kosh from the start.
Scrum will not function and we POSSIBLY will become the first and last team to loose a home match against Aironi in the Pro 12.