Connacht Cardiff Build-Up thread

pinky wrote: By popular demand. I augmented neill_m’s list with the preferred result for Connacht. Winners in bold. Strikethrough means we don’t care.

Fri Apr 12

6:35pm Southern Kings v Ospreys Premier Sports 2 / S4C (guarantees at least 4th – even no TBP for Ospreys would help)
7pm Benetton v Munster Free Sports (reduces Munster motivation and Treviso are arguably the least worst QF opponent)
7:35pm Edinburgh v Ulster Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 2 (don’t want a TBP for Edinburgh in case we lose and meet them in the playoff but Ulster defeat is better for next season’s Pro14 conferences and Champions Cup seedings)
7:45pm Newcastle v Tigers BT Sport 1

Sat Apr 13

1:45pm Bordeaux v Castres Sky Sports Arena (to help La Rochelle – tough call as these are the two directly above them – you would think a Castres win might be better but Bordeaux have a tough run-in so I don’t think they are as big a threat)
3pm Gloucester v Bath BT Sport 3 / Channel 5 (Bath are level with Sale in fifth)
3pm Worcester v Sale (so they don’t need the 20th qualifying spot)
3pm Harlequins v Northampton (Northampton are 2 behind Sale)
4pm Stade Francais v Agen (very unlikey but it would help La Rochelle)
4pm Lyon v Perpignan (ditto)
4pm La Rochelle v Pau (so they don’t need the 20th qualifying spot)
3pm Connacht v Cardiff Blues TG4 / Premier Sports 2 (their fans are sound)
3pm Leinster v Glasgow Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 1 (not so important if Munster win but it could guarantee Glasgow top spot so Munster have nothing to play for if we end up needing a win)
5:15pm Scarlets v Zebre Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 2 (not that important but takes Scarlets out)
6:35pm Cheetahs v Dragons Premier Sports 2
7.45pm Grenoble v Toulon Canal+ (Toulon are ten behind La Rochelle but no harm if they lose)

Sun Apr 14

11.30am Racing v Montpellier Canal+ (Montpellier just behind Le Rochelle)
3pm Chiefs v Wasps BT Sport 1 (Wasps are two behind Sale)
3:50pm Toulouse v Clermont Sky Sports Action (doesn’t affect us but worth a look!)

Weather is uncertain. Probably light rain in 2nd half, which TBH and for once, will suit us vs a team like Cardiff
Odds are + 6 now

I Dunno Connachta teams that have troubled us have targeted our breakdown, a wettish day and if Nick Williams is back, the breakdown is somewhere Cardiff can make hay

Interesting analysis from the ever excellent Murray Kinsella on the Pro 14 Hour last night about Saturday's game. Cardiff's young backrow v Munster in defensive situations near their line were getting trapped behind the ruck and not "sweeping" apparently.

The problem with analysis like that is it's unlikely to be any good to you- their performance analysts will definitely have spotted that and drilled it all week, it would be very unprofessional of them to be caught by the same relatively simple to fix problem two weeks in a row.
Plus we don't have the ballast to play a punishing pick and drive game unfortunately.

Farrell will cause havoc IMO. He's the decider of the game..Good to have him fit.

Quinn Roux will be a huge loss especially if the weather is promised bad, I hope the supporters turn up in good voice as this is the defining game of the season and it all rides on this result, surely home venue will be a massive advantage. The Cardiff centres are explosive but I hear Josh Navedi is out for the season and he will be a huge loss. Is Nick Williams also struggling to be fit, hopefully

Is Quinn definitely out? Listening to the craggy podcast preview it didn't seem too clear cut - they mentioned he has a bug and would be assessed further.

connachta wrote: Weather is uncertain. Probably light rain in 2nd half, which TBH and for once, will suit us vs a team like Cardiff
Odds are + 6 now

maybe Quinn on the bench?

connachta wrote: maybe Quinn on the bench?

Looks like Evans and Arhip fit, Williams and Dacey out for Cardiff.

www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-...th-anscombe-16114503

Would be a hell of a good piece of news!!