Have to agree with everyone else on here, that was heartbreaking.

Can't blame Clancy, even tho there was a few bits he missed (I thought there should have been a card for the tip tackle, can't see how the last try was grounded). Leinster really put in the hard yards at the end in fairness.

That said: massive positives. Really good running rugby in phases, backs were immense.

Special mention for Jack, holy hell he was up for that. His chip ahead try was spectacular (never mind that he spilled it forward).

Two points in the RDS? I'll take that. Now, onto two wins in the SG.

What a heart breaking game. Sickened. I don’t want this to sound like an excuse but I see a lot of places saying that it was Connachts strongest team playing. I know I’m modern rugby there’s always injuries but I feel there was at least five players who would have started if fit/ not rested. Those are roux, sob, marmion, Healy and toh. Not to mention the strength of what the bench could have been if Carey, thornbury, faingaa, blade Horwitz etc. I think this is a real positive of how there is a real strength in depth developing.

Unfortunately Glasgow game was the same - well up and a man up too late on.....

Absolutely sick still

Morning after and this hurts even more. Played some brilliant stuff but ultimately the lack of any depth on the bench came back to bite us when we started to flag.

We still should have had enough but some poor decision making late on gave leinster the momentum.

One big area we need to sort out is our maul defence. Conceding way too many tries in that regard.

In a few days might see more positives but for now it's still very raw can't imagine how the players feel.

Positive is that 6 of the last 10 are at home. We haven't much room for error now if we want top 3 in our conference.

I hope we aren't left ruing the ospreys and Leinster games at the end of the season.

Just watching it now and George Clancy makes a freak show of the scrum. Dooley had his ass facing the touch line for most of the scrums but driving straight was never mentioned by George (not on his mind tonight, early engagement was his priority though only he knew what he actually meant by that) until Byrne replaced Dooley. When Delahunt came on he warned him that if he moved left of the mark he'd whistle free kick against Connacht but Delahunt had to correct him that it would be most likely he'd end up to the right of the mark. Still he chatters on about not going left on that and the next scrum. Bizarre. Don't think any TMO could have confirmed the grounding of Porter's try but ultimately Connacht only have themselves to blame. 2 kicks which should have found touch in the last 10 mins could have slowed the momentum and allowed Connacht to find some control. 2 wins vs Ulster and Munster are now a must.

Horrible defeat but afik we're the only team to come away from Dublin with points so far this season. Need a big response now against ulst & munst .

It really was a sickening defeat, I don't think I've ever felt so raging about a result, and there's nothing to blame only ourselves, the bench really did not make any sort of impact, very tough pill to swallow

Lucky ye weren't there lads. Most sickening defeat I've been at as a Connacht fan.

Ouch......ouch.
We dominated them in midfield but we were being burned out wide. For their third, or was it fourth, try we needed to get that ball off the park when kelleher had the chance.

Real missed chance..... sickened, may have ruined my Christmas

And it's deja but all over again but this time they are attacking our line and get the try to win. Seem
Seems like we fell asleep. Have to question why we didn't use all the subs if we were tiring that badly (again like last year).
Take the positives to the Ulster game next week and win.

Tonight's game is going to eclipse 2002. 3 tries by half time. Unless we beat ourselves, I don't see this Leinster team having the ability to reverse this score. Cmon Connacht

Some chance this!!!!!

I have a spare ticket for this Saturdays Guinness Pro14 fixture between Leinster and Connacht
The ticket is for the North Stand of the RDS

Value €40. Now Selling for €30

You can collect the ticket off me outside the The Bridge Bar in Ballsbridge on the day of the game. I'll be there from 6pm.

Leinster's team still looks strong. Fardy is the glue that holds the team together when the big names are missing and lads like Ruddock have huge experience. Leavy is a class apart for me. Even with the inexperience in certain areas the team Leinster have out is strong and playing with confidence. Having seen how well some of these Leinster lads played v Ospreys & Dragons they are well able for this level. O'Brien at 12 in particular has hugely impressed me.

Having said that we are on a decent run and that's a strong side we've out. Bundee could be a trump card off the bench if we are still in contention. We've mixed and matched fairly well in Europe so hopefully that should stand us in good stead in the interpros. Matt Healy is a loss for me though. Leader has done fine in recent weeks but this is a step up.

If I was offered a losing bonus I'd probably take it at this stage but we've been on the end of a few near misses in the RDS. It'd be great to end that run. Mark McHugh's winning drop goal at Donnybrook is an awful long time ago. If we are in contention late on hopefully the experience we have on the park can get us over the line.

This is pretty much our strongest team. Would prefer if we held our fire for Ulster and Munster. Anyhow we might win this one . Gents see you post match for a beer in the Bridge.

(15-9) Tiernan O’Halloran, Cian Kelleher, Kyle Godwin, Tom Farrell, Darragh Leader, Jack Carty, Caolin Blade, [1-8] Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Gavin Thornbury, Jarrad Butler (Capt), Colby Fainga’a, Paul Boyle.
Replacements (16-23): Shane Delahunt, Peter McCabe, Dominic Robertson McCoy, James Cannon, Eoghan Masterson, James Mitchell, David Horwitz, Bundee Aki.

www.connachtrugby.ie/dillane-bealham-and...-travel-to-leinster/

15: Hugo Keenan (4)
14: Adam Byrne (44)
13: Rory O’Loughlin (50)
12: Conor O’Brien (7)
11: Dave Kearney (127)
10: Ross Byrne (59)
9: Jamison Gibson-Park (61)
1: Peter Dooley (54)
2: Bryan Byrne (32)
3: Michael Bent (112)
4: Mick Kearney (42)
5: Scott Fardy (31)
6: Rhys Ruddock (151) CAPTAIN
7: Dan Leavy (60)
8: Caelan Doris (6)

16: Seán Cronin (162)
17: Ed Byrne (32)
18: Andrew Porter (41)
19: Ross Molony (73)
20: Max Deegan (29)
21: Hugh O’Sullivan (4)
22: Ciarán Frawley (6)
23: Noel Reid (108)

www.leinsterrugby.ie/preview/cullen-name...sh/?FixGuid=18LC5663

Reading through the Leinster team, I was feeling quite confident until I got to 5-6-7...

Betty Swallocks wrote: You keep forgetting Boyle Connachta!

As I said before, not good enough

No I'm kidding, that's right I forget about him all the time, he imposed himself as a regular starter so so fast it's just amazing!

connachta wrote: Our SOB not theirs...
Copeland looks fit though
Butler/Copeland/Fainga'a + Masterson and Connolly, I'm not worried yet

Yes, I meant more so from his point of view as he’s had a great season and would have had a chance to impress Andy Farrell in the Interpros. We have the depth to manage.

You keep forgetting Boyle Connachta!

Our SOB not theirs...
Copeland looks fit though
Butler/Copeland/Fainga'a + Masterson and Connolly, I'm not worried yet

SOB is injured, awful timing.

Just to point out full game is being shown on TG4 but delayed to 10pm kick off

We don't need to. Except our wingers no one has been overplayed

any chance we send 2nd string and focus on home interpros?

I would expect Bundee to start in the RDS alongside Tom Farrell. I would then expect to see Kyle Godwin replace Bundee for the Ulster game and finally for Bundee and Kyle to face Munster.