Leinster v. Connacht - RDS Stadium - Saturday 4th January - 5.30 p.m. KO

We're usually competitive at least in the RDS Sol, but I fear for us this weekend. Having McAllister and Thornbury available is a plus. We could really do with Marmion, Butler, and Healy being fit too to fit into the 9, 7, and 15 shirts.

Second row Niall Murray is set to make his first start for Connacht as they face Leinster in the Pro14 in the RDS on Saturday (Kick off 5:30pm). The 20 year old Roscommon man came off the bench in Connacht’s recent Champions Cup win over Gloucester, but this will be a first start for his home province.

In a boost to Connacht, Gavin Thornbury has returned from injury to partner Murray in the second row. Thornbury has been out of action since he picked up an arm injury against the Cheetahs at the end of October.

In the front row, prop Denis Buckley also returns to the starting team where he lines up alongside hooker Shane Delahunt and Dominic Robertson McCoy at tighthead. While in the backrow, Eoghan Masterson is included at blindside with his brother and Academy player Sean, named among the replacements.

Scrum half Caolin Blade captains the side in the absence of Jarrad Butler through injury. Blade continues his half back partnership with Conor Fitzgerald.

There is a new look back three for Connacht with Stephen Fitzgerald named at full back and Niyi Adeolokun and John Porch on the wings. While Tom Daly and the versatile Kyle Godwin make up the midfield.

Commenting ahead of the game, Connacht Head Coach Andy Friend said: “We are fully aware of the challenge we face away to Leinster in the RDS. They have been impressing week in week out in the Pro14 and the Champions Cup and have set the standard so far this season. We really challenged them in the corresponding fixture last season and the lesson from that game is that to beat them you need to deliver a top class performance over eighty minutes, or they will punish you. That is exactly what we are asking of our boys, a consistent performance over the eighty minutes”.

“I am delighted for Niall Murray who gets his first start in a Connacht jersey and there is no bigger challenge for him than going to the RDS to face Leinster. He has really developed his game and is an exciting prospect for the future. He has a good group of experienced heads around him so that is always a help when you’re making your first start”.

Connacht Matchday Squad V Leinster (Sat 5:30pm)

(15-9): Stephen Fitzgerald, Niyi Adeolokun, Kyle Godwin, Tom Daly, John Porch, Conor Fitzgerald, Caolin Blade (Capt) (1-8 ): Denis Buckley, Shane Delahunt, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Niall Murray, Gavin Thornbury, Eoghan Masterson, Paul Boyle, Robin Copeland.

Replacements: Tom McCartney, Paddy McAllister, Conor Kenny, Joe Maksymiw, Sean Masterson, Stephen Kerins, David Horwitz, Tiernan O’Halloran

This could be worse than the Ulster match. I'm not very hopeful.

We need to be really at it or this could be a 50 pointing hiding

We have the guts of a decent team, but we don't have the depth to deal with the current run of games we are on with a full panel, with a host of injuries we will struggle to be competitive.

More than anything we need a week or two off to regroup and recover........that's not happening though.

Lets see what team the Goys put out, their C team would be heavy favourites but their As could eat us alive.

This could be difficult alright. We are badly outmatched all over the park. Thornbury's return is a serious plus, and I'm delighted to see Stephen Fitzgerald in at 15 and hopefully we'll see an improvement at full back on last week. Huge onus on Paul Boyle in an otherwise out-gunned back row.

Leinster: Jordan Larmour, Fergus McFadden, Garry Ringrose, Joe Tomane, Dave Kearney, Ciarán Frawley, Luke McGrath; Peter Dooley, Seán Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Ross Molony, James Ryan, Rhys Ruddock, Will Connors, Max Deegan

Replacements: Bryan Byrne, Ed Byrne, Roman Salanoa, Ryan Baird, Caelan Doris, Jamison Gibson-Park, Harry Byrne, Cian Kelleher

This could be 100 points.
Genuinely embarrassing.

Fair play to the lads for the second half, showed up much better in the second half.

Murray can be happy with his starting debug.

Leinster are very very good. Brush ourselves off and go again next week.

The arrogance of Leinster fans left me feeling so proud to be a Connacht fan leaving the RDS tonight. The guy beside me says to me after our try that "We'll be talking about that try for years to come". The majority of them genuinely don't have a clue about rugby. I was born and raised in Leinster but with my Dad being from Galway I have been a Connacht fan all my life and I am proud to be so through thick and thin. Roll on Toulouse next week ...

As a Leinster supporter I want to say the following:

I want to say well done to Connacht Rugby tonight, with all their injuries and players missing due to IRFU protocols, you didn't once stop playing and fighting on the pitch for the full 80 minutes. I do hope Conor Fitzgerald and Stephen Kerins both make speedy recoveries.

The banter and craic with members of the Connacht Clan in the South Stand was super. They were singing and cheering Connacht from the start. Even some of the Leinster supporters were cheering on Connacht hoping they wougld score, which they eventually did. Good luck against Toulouse and Montpellier.

Peter

Hi BundeeBurke,

It’s quite unfair to decide that the majority of Leinster fans are arrogant on the basis of the twat you found yourself sitting beside yesterday. There are lots of fair minded Leinster supporters including myself who would be the first to acknowledge that you are ravaged by injuries at the moment and that you were robbed in the corresponding fixture last year. My parents were from Sligo and Galway but having been born and lived all my life in Dublin I support Leinster. I wish to see all the Irish provinces doing well except when they play Leinster. I hope that the Fitzgerald’s recover soon. Their injuries were very 7nfortunate.

If bragging about a try is nasty you must lead a very soft life, is arrogant alright and I have met few unpleasant fans of all provinces.
Somebody else thinks Leinsters budget/squad is unfair, surely with a smaller population demographic you are going to have work much harder than Leinster.