No new injuries after Ulster.
www.connachtrugby.ie/squad-update-ahead-...clash-with-leinster/

As genuinely excited I am by what Akhi could offer, Farrell hasn't put a foot wrong, it's his shirt to lose.

Ahki on his way back to Ireland, so he'll be available for Munster

RoadRunnerR1 wrote:

Mark Mostyn wrote: Realistically we probably need to target one out of the next two games. I'd like to see us go after Leinster, we have 3 extra rest days and I think we could catch them cold after 3 tough games on the trot and a very short turnaround from the Munster game.

Much will depend on what kind of team Munster pick for game at Kingspan with both teams now under pressure to avoid two inter-pro defeats in a row. Under IRFU player Welfare, they'll have to rest key players in this game or at home to Connacht. They may well be better off going for broke against an off form Ulster side carrying a lot of injuries to key players who will probably also have to rest Ian Henderson (Since he played full game in Galway) to have him available for Leinster away and rest players at home to Connacht also giving them a weeks rest before their important Champions Cup games in January. Whatever team Leinster put out, they'll be very hard to beat at the RDS.

Agree, so I'd try smart rotation splited on both interpros than full-strenght vs Worcester

Munster. Leinster Worcester
1. Coulson. Coulson Buckley( Coulson)
2. Tom Tom Tom
3. Bealham . Carey Bealham
4. Dillane Thornbury Dillane
5. Cannon Roux Roux
6. Gallagher Dawai Masterson
7. Butler. Butler Butler
8. Muldoon. Masterson SOB (Muldoon)
9. Marmion. Mitchell Marmion
10. Deegan. Carty Carty
11. Ili Healy Healy
12. Bundee Farrell. Farrell
13 Pita Robb . Bundee
14. Leader. Niyi Niyi
15. Toh. Kelleher Toh
16. Delahunt. Heff Delahunt
17. McCabe. McCabe Coulson (McCabe)
18.Carey Bealham. Carey
19. Roux. Cannon Cannon
20. Dawai Connolly Muldoon (Dawai)
21. Mitchell. C;McKeon Mitchell
22. Carty Ronaldson Deegan
23. Niyi. TOH Scholes (Leader)


(players into brackets are alternates if injury recovery is not soon enough for SOB, Buckley, and Scholes)
in Blue, my bet on "ex-Dubliners revenge" for Leinster game.

Mark Mostyn wrote: Realistically we probably need to target one out of the next two games. I'd like to see us go after Leinster, we have 3 extra rest days and I think we could catch them cold after 3 tough games on the trot and a very short turnaround from the Munster game.

Much will depend on what kind of team Munster pick for game at Kingspan with both teams now under pressure to avoid two inter-pro defeats in a row. Under IRFU player Welfare, they'll have to rest key players in this game or at home to Connacht. They may well be better off going for broke against an off form Ulster side carrying a lot of injuries to key players who will probably also have to rest Ian Henderson (Since he played full game in Galway) to have him available for Leinster away and rest players at home to Connacht also giving them a weeks rest before their important Champions Cup games in January. Whatever team Leinster put out, they'll be very hard to beat at the RDS.

Turnaround means nothing. They’ll play a completely different team. And still beat us well alas.

Leinster were unplayable at times in the first half if we give them that much ball and momentum it could make for a long new years day.

But they rotated a good bit today and still scored 34 points in Thomond park.
They've beaten Bristol twice in b&i cup, with BP both times
I wonder if their A team is better than the main...

0 points for the next 2 games would be logic, the main idea is to avoid "current-good-mind-disruption", make decent performances without bad injuries, and all-in in Worcester,

connachta wrote:

Mark Mostyn wrote: Realistically we probably need to target one out of the next two games. I'd like to see us go after Leinster, we have 3 extra rest days and I think we could catch them cold after 3 tough games on the trot and a very short turnaround from the Munster game.

Leinster will be so hard to beat.
I think we could use the psychological influx "revaege of the rejected ex-Dubliners" to try grabbing smth
Coulson LH
Thourbury/Roux 2nd row pairing
Farrell/Robb centre pairing
Healy/Niyi/Kelleher back-3

Butler/Dawai/Masterson would put smth extra in back-row.
Then with McCartney/Bealham experience, + on fire half-backs Marms/Carty, who knows...

They will of course but don't underestimate the toll of the last three weeks and the quick turnaround. I'd rather we picked the best team possible rather than relying on some sort of unquantifiable chip on the shoulder from the ex-Leinster lads.

Mark Mostyn wrote: Realistically we probably need to target one out of the next two games. I'd like to see us go after Leinster, we have 3 extra rest days and I think we could catch them cold after 3 tough games on the trot and a very short turnaround from the Munster game.

Leinster will be so hard to beat.
I think we could use the psychological influx "revenge of the rejected ex-Dubliners" to try grabbing smth
Coulson LH
Thourbury/Roux 2nd row pairing
Farrell/Robb centre pairing
Healy/Niyi/Kelleher back-3

Butler/Dawai/Masterson would put smth extra in back-row.
Then with McCartney/Bealham experience, + on fire half-backs Marms/Carty, who knows...

Realistically we probably need to target one out of the next two games. I'd like to see us go after Leinster, we have 3 extra rest days and I think we could catch them cold after 3 tough games on the trot and a very short turnaround from the Munster game.

IMO Worcester is a priority now.
But we can rest some without too much harm for once (depth!)

Aki, Bealham, Healy, Dillane, Marmion should be preseved out of 1 of the 2 away interpros

Robb/Griffin, Carey, Ili/Scholes, Cannon/Gallagher, Mitchell are able to start one of those 2

+ Butler, McCartney, Coulson, Browne, Niyi all need gametime and can play any minutes, so the vertebral column will be nice!

Podge57 wrote:

Mark Mostyn wrote: Neither TOH nor Marmion are on central contracts so the IRFU had nothing to do with their retention.

Marmion is second choice scrum half and if he didn’t have enough self belief that he would remain so he wouldn’t be in that position. You’d imagine Tiernan has reason to believe he still has a shot but that’s pure conjecture.

No idea what Carty has to do with this discussion.

Does anyone know who are the centrally contracted players with the IRFU? (all provinces)

I think it's something like:

McGrath
Healy
Best
Furlong
Toner
Henderson
O'Mahony
O'Brien
Heaslip
Stander
Murray
Sexton
Henshaw
Payne
Earls
Bowe
Kearney

Best, Bowe, Kearney, and Payne are all expiring this summer.

ConamaraOB wrote: Guys, this is a forum where people should be allowed to express their opinion, regardless of whether others agree with it or not. Dobby may annoy the crap out of you with his views, and if so you have the option to argue/discuss it with him/her, or indeed totally ignore them, such is the nature of a forum. Just my opinion on it.

He's after turning around and trying to use some brilliant news in O'Halloran signing a new contract to try and have another go at bashing Carty for absolutely no reason. It's not an opinion, it's a bloody vendetta.

Obviously with the caveat that any opinions aren't personal attacks.

Guys, this is a forum where people should be allowed to express their opinion, regardless of whether others agree with it or not. Dobby may annoy the crap out of you with his views, and if so you have the option to argue/discuss it with him/her, or indeed totally ignore them, such is the nature of a forum. Just my opinion on it.