Does NZ's lack of experienced locks give anyone hope that we can overpower them or does it just mean there'll be even more pace across the field that we can't deal with?

They were great. Snyman would suit the connacht style perfectly.

watching SA vs Barbarians. Fantastic game of rugby by Barbarians. Simply stunning rugby. And they only had one week to prepare and get to know each other. First time in a while that a BaBas team used younger generation players and its really working. rugby can be pretty Joe

Joe has 3 FB's going to the US
1. RK
2. Zeno
3. Payne
But I actually think when return for the home games if RK is seriously poor or injured I see Tiernan leap frogging Zebo as Joe won't want to move Jared and maybe that's his thinking get TOH club rugby as I won't be using him in US but if anything goes wrong I have him for the home games.

sligsup wrote: Ok few we points
1: Does anyone find it strange that Tracy who has a handful of caps is picked ahead of Heffernan, personally I don't believe Dave is at that level yet but I think is is still way ahead of Tracy and delahunt is also.
2. The TOH is a strange one especially when Payne is named as a centre
3. I haven't being impressed with Gilroy but yet he's ahead of Niyi Kelleher Sweetman and Bowe ( I'm throwing bowe in for the exoperinece as this is the rubbish you hear yet no worryvabout experience when it comes to Carberry and Ringrose who are undoubted talents )
4. Would Heenan be in the squad if he wore blue - my answer is yes ( selfishly delighted he's not due to his injury record but would like everyone given a fair crack of the whip )

Just a few thoughts !

if you watch Ireland a bit more closely you will see that players get dragged into the centre as a forward push. do you honestly believe toh or niyi fit that equation. thought it was hilarious when toh threw an outside pass to earls and he came back inside to be smothered up in the final SA test. He simply hadn't a clue what a winger does. its simply sad.

sligsup wrote: Ok few we points
1: Does anyone find it strange that Tracy who has a handful of caps is picked ahead of Heffernan, personally I don't believe Dave is at that level yet but I think is is still way ahead of Tracy and delahunt is also.
2. The TOH is a strange one especially when Payne is named as a centre
3. I haven't being impressed with Gilroy but yet he's ahead of Niyi Kelleher Sweetman and Bowe ( I'm throwing bowe in for the exoperinece as this is the rubbish you hear yet no worryvabout experience when it comes to Carberry and Ringrose who are undoubted talents )
4. Would Heenan be in the squad if he wore blue - my answer is yes ( selfishly delighted he's not due to his injury record but would like everyone given a fair crack of the whip )

Just a few thoughts !

Agree with all that except there were times over past few seasons when Gilroy was the form winger and ignored so I won't begrudge him his spot on the plane now..
The TOH omission is easily the biggest headscratcher - it was rather eyerolling how on Off the Ball today Gerry and Wood just agreed Kearney would be 15 and the only"debate" was "could maybe Ringrose play 13 and Payne go 15"- they didn't talk about the form FB being excluded at all..

I know sweet feck all about Tracy so can't really comment, I don't imagine he is any better than Heff though.

Ok few we points
1: Does anyone find it strange that Tracy who has a handful of caps is picked ahead of Heffernan, personally I don't believe Dave is at that level yet but I think is is still way ahead of Tracy and delahunt is also.
2. The TOH is a strange one especially when Payne is named as a centre
3. I haven't being impressed with Gilroy but yet he's ahead of Niyi Kelleher Sweetman and Bowe ( I'm throwing bowe in for the exoperinece as this is the rubbish you hear yet no worryvabout experience when it comes to Carberry and Ringrose who are undoubted talents )
4. Would Heenan be in the squad if he wore blue - my answer is yes ( selfishly delighted he's not due to his injury record but would like everyone given a fair crack of the whip )

Just a few thoughts !

At least it gives us a decent crack at the chosen ones.

Now that Boss and Reddan have retired do people think Marmion will be the de facto number 22 or given the selection is it possible that Joe could pick Luke McGrath ahead of him? He has more box kicking practice than Marmion.

I'm going with the argument that Joe wants Connacht to win the Champions Cup and, as such, wants to cause the province the least possible disruption. This simply must be the case. All other logical arguments don't work

Kearney over TOH?
Joe has some sense of humor tbf

Won't begrudge Billy Holland getting call up ahead of Roux, Roux hasn't played much rugby and Holland having good season

connachta wrote: Niyi has to prove he doesn't miss any tackle. Connacht players have to be immaculate to have their chance. Times aren't changing that fast...

I talked to my mum about this. Her line is 'its probably all for the best'. So I'm sticking with this line while gritting my teeth

Irelands loss in Connacht's gain: Quin and Brownie can cover Dillane, Blade is playing as good as I've seen him and we have front row covered. We should be looking like favourites vs Leinster!

I'm just glad we have defensive masters such as Craig Gilroy to shore up any breaks those pesky All Blacks might dare attempt

Niyi has to prove he doesn't miss any tackle. Connacht players have to be immaculate to have their chance. Times aren't changing that fast...

so even a suspended player is better than niyi. fantastic