Connacht v. Scarlets - Saturday 22nd September - 5.15 PM at the Sportsground

pinky wrote: The only club I ever hear mentioned in connection with this rule is Leinster (though I'm sure Toulon, Racing, etc. have to work around it). I really doubt a team like Connacht can afford to be signing players they might not be able to play.

Racing only have two Kiwis (one of them is Rokocoko) and one Argentine so I doubt they're affected. Given Leinster's well publicised issues with visas to SA last year I guess they just messed up.
Not that we can afford to talk after our squad eligibility issues of last season and the one before.

Was amazed to see the spread is only 1 point, but on checking, since Scarlets were crowned champions in May 2017 their only league wins outside Wales were against Kings, Zebre, and the semi vs. Glasgow. They've lost to Leinster and Ulster twice, and Munster, Cheetahs, Treviso & Edinburgh (a hockeying) since.

That stat is a lot more hopeful than the caps count - I make it roughly 272 vs. 52.

salmson wrote: Was amazed to see the spread is only 1 point, but on checking, since Scarlets were crowned champions in May 2017 their only league wins outside Wales were against Kings, Zebre, and the semi vs. Glasgow. They've lost to Leinster and Ulster twice, and Munster, Cheetahs, Treviso & Edinburgh (a hockeying) since.

That stat is a lot more hopeful than the caps count - I make it roughly 272 vs. 52.

I put a few bob on the Connacht Glasgow game and sat out doing the same on the Edinburgh game. The exchanges were scarily on the button for both games.
Watching the blues Munster game tonight kinda backs my own personal belief that the players who play best together are the best team selection, and not about the return of international players. Which is why I wouldn't start bundee in my 15 selection. Other than not having Marmion at 9 week-in week-out all other positions really are utter quality

Thank you good sir

A lesson learnt. Never ask a question online, give wrong information and you'll be corrected

connemara man wrote: It's passport based not IQ based I thought so unless he has an Irish passport it's still 3 into 2

Bit late to this but not quite. After 36 months of continuous employment in the EU you are entitled to the same employment rights as an EU citizen so anybody here for 3+ years doesn't count towards the cap.

Sorry just saw Shelflife pipped me to it

Does anyone know if a copy of the ticket on your phone will let you in because I can't print a ticket for on the lads

Deliberate knock on. Yellow card every day
No wonder referees would wreck your head

Great win. Proper good team. Caolin behave yourself and all will be well good. Just stop being silly. And we saw the best and worst of Cian today. Fantastic team selection. Sob, Copeland immense. We have a most talented team, I might go as far as to say this team is better than our 2016 success

No it's not.

Sub props, especially LH, are a worry
Forwards ball-carrying abilities still weak
Kelleher (or new Reece) aren't sure bets in defence, neither is organisation for scramble defence.
Team isn't well-oiled, players "surprise" each other in attack.

Otherwise it's good yes, but not 2016-good. It's gonna be a totally undecided 3-way battle for 1 and 1/2 spot between Connacht, Cardiff and Ospreys
(a full-euro + Play-off spot, and a 50% european chance if we finish 4th)

NB : Meanwhile, Carty 2018 is indeed a massive improvement compared to Carty 2016.
Playing that way, he should make his way into the Irish squad after Sexton final RWC.

There is a significant difference between carty today and carty yesterday. Fine player this weather

Great game, delighted with the display against a team like Scarlets - even allowing for Scarlets patchy away form.
Really fantastic to see Connacht playing such entertaining rugby.
Carty seems to have come of age and is controlling games, Tom and Bundi were great - but to be honest almost everyone stepped up. I know we had a few mistakes in first half that kept them in the game but second half ( although we should have scored more) we really powered them off the park.
Delighted with the direction we’re headed in, and our style of Rugby, at this early stage of the new managers tenure.

Our centre pairing today were excellent along with the half backs. Thought Heff was good too. Roux was everywhere today and it was his best game in a long time for us.
I don't want to say negative things after a great win but I think Buckley is literally hanging on in every scrum but he is our best LH If we lose him to injury I think we will be under serious pressure with the better teams. TH isn't much better after Bealham. Saying that I thought McCabe and McCoy did well when they came on so maybe it's just a bit of rustyness at scrumtime. Hopefully they kick on as there is fantastic competition around the rest of the park. Blade is really coming on too which is super.
Any word on Thornburys injury ?