Connacht vs Ospreys (26/11/11 18:30) Rabo Pro 12

Cant keep dweeling in the past

Big Pro 12 game this Saturday. Hopefully we've gained a few new fans.

Can't make it myself, as I have a cousins 30th to attend in Cork.

Who's going?
What are our chances like?
What should the team be?

We need a win. Hopefully my absence will be a good luck charm.

Come on Connacht, Moooooo

Duffy
McCrea
Griffin
McSharry
Vainkolo
Nikora
O'Donoghue
Wilkinson
Flavin
Rogers
Naoupo
McCarthy
Anderson
Grace
Ofisa

Reynecke
Loughney
Ah You
Gannon
Heffernan
Murphy
O'Connor
Jarvis/Loxton

Give a few lads who've done well in the As a game, give the Grandad (Swifty) the baby (TOH) and the beardy (Mul) the night off, rotate them back in in against Treviso. Also see what George is like in the second row, alledgedly he can do a job in there and if it works it would allow us name 2 back rows on the bench against Gloucester.

I'd say Tiernan and Mul will miss this through injury. Both limping after the game, eventhough mul said he's fine

I'd give Tonetti a run at 13 and rest "Grico", with Henry at 12 because he should be fresh and itching to impress and give Eric a selection headache.

McCrea and Vainikolo on the wings, Jarvis at 10 against his old club. This is assuming they have decent games against Saracens today and deserve the call up.

I'd imagine that Loxton is still out, no?

I'm a little divided about how the team should be handled for the Ospreys' game. As far as the RDP12 is concerned the next two games are important, a couple of wins probably sees them get to the middle of the table. Connacht need to take advantage of the positive feeling from their HEC games and with their next 3 games at home they have a great opportunity to do that. So too many changes against the Ospreys could disrupt things, but that has to be weighed with giving certain players a rest. Don't envy Eric and crew. Perhaps Macca's citing and injuries will force their hand in places.

Do we know what the time frame is for the return of Matthews, Browne and JOC? Probably sorted for centre options, but JOC and Browne would lend some flexibility to the second and back rows.

JOC was out for a month, but that was two matches ago, so we should have him back for Glaws.

Matthews I thought would have been back in October, no idea what's happening there.

Would like to see a few changes to give us a fresh impetus and because if we don't make changes we will be run out of steam in the coming few games. Also if lads can't step up when given the chance to stake a claim for HC starting spot they never will.

McCrea or Vainikolo in for Tuohy see how the A game goes. Would like to see Tonetti get a run in one of the next two games but happy with the two lads.

Would like to see Jarvis at 10 for this one against his former side but if not him Nikora who had a fairly decent outing last Saturday. Scrum Half is a bit open, Murphy has done fairly well off the bench but can't help but feel he won't make as much impact from the start. Moore could be worth a look.

Maybe Rogers in at tight head, Ronan Loughney looks the form loosehead for my money, I'd go with Flavin so as not to change too much hopefully Reynecke can use his decent cameo last Saturday as a kick start to his time with Connacht.

Pity Andrew Browne is out for a while, could do with another option there, maybe Anderson in the back row too.

The league games are what is vital to us at the end of the season. The last 3 league games have been very dissapointing but its still a congested table a couple of wins over the next few weeks and everything will look a lot better.

Cant go either...Working..but will be back there for the Treviso Game...My Season Ticket will be used tho I have given it to a mate who is going!!

Am I right in thinking the Ospreys don't have their international contingent on account of Wales - Australia the week after?

ummm, wrote: JOC was out for a month, but that was two matches ago, so we should have him back for Glaws.

Matthews I thought would have been back in October, no idea what's happening there.

No idea about Matthews either.

I was talking to the man himself, JOC, after Toulouse. He'll be back for Gloucester, but not sure if he'll make the home game. He's dying to play!

Its a big game Saturday - we have lost the last 6 games (I know two have been HCup Games) Its a must win game Select the HCup 15

Wilkinson redneck Rodgers
Gannon swift
Tj George ofisa / grace depending on fitness of ray
Pod Nikora
Mcsharry griffin
Mcrea vianikolo
Duffy

Let the centres develop together if fit, some consistency at 9 and 10 will do the team good and neither need a rest also murphy is a better impact than pod

If Toh is fit he plays.

Bench
Ah you
Loughney
Muldoon
Tonnetti
Murphy
Jarvis
Kearney

Henry unlucky but Tonnetti more versatile

Connacht XV to face Ospreys

Connacht Rugby have announced the starting XV that will face the Ospreys tomorrow (The Sportsground, Galway kick-off 18.30)

Head Coach Eric Elwood has been forced to make 3 personnel changes and a number of positional switches to the side that took on Toulouse in the Heineken Cup last weekend with lock Mike McCarthy serving a 2 week ban, secondrow legend Michael Swift nursing a knee injury and Eoin Griffin recovering from a hamstring injury.

The frontrow remains unchanged from the starting lineup from last week with Connacht centurions Brett Wilkinson and Adrian Flavin joining Rodney Ah You. Dave Gannon retains his place in the second row and is joined by George Naoupu who replaces the injured Michael Swift in the engine room of the scrum. The pair played against each other in those positions in the 2004 U21 World Championship final, Dave captaining Ireland and George for New Zealand. TJ Anderson, John Muldoon and Ray Ofisa make up the rest of the pack in a mobile and dynamic back-row .

Paul O'Donohoe and Miah Nikora continue their successful halfback pairing, as do back three Tiernan O'Halloran (left wing), Brian Tuohy (right wing) and captain Gavin Duffy (full back). There is an exciting new centre partnership with Samoan international Henry Fa'afili at 12 joining breakthrough sensation Dave McSharry at 13.

Among the replacements, Eric Elwood can call on the experience of Ethienne Reynecke and Ronan Loughney along with future prospect Stewart Maguire in the frontrow while Mick Kearney and Eoghan Grace, who have both shone for Connacht 'A' in recent weeks complete the forward replacements. Frank Murphy and Niall O'Connor are the replacement halfbacks while flying winger Mark McCrea covers the backs.

Connacht XV to face the Ospreys (The Sportsground, Galway Saturday 26th December kick-off 18.30)

15 Gavin Duffy (C)

14 Brian Tuohy

13 Dave McSharry

12 Henry Fa'afili

11 Tiernan O'Halloran

10 Miah Nikora

09 Paul O'Donohoe

01 Brett Wilkinson

02 Adrian Flavin

03 Rodney Ah You

04 Dave Gannon

05 George Naoupu

06 TJ Anderson

07 John Muldoon

08 Ray Ofisa



16 Ethienne Reynecke

17 Ronan Loughney

18 Stewart Maguire

19 Mike Kearney

20 Eoghan Grace

21 Frank Murphy

22 Niall O'Connor

23 Mark McCrea

Shaky second row, and being stuck in the second row means Big George won't be rocketing out of the scrum.

Fair enough given the injuries, though. Very happy to see McCrea back.

will be nice to see george at 5 but im surprised not to see fetu'u at 14. finally nice to see mark mccrea back

I guess with a toss up between Vainikolo and McCrea it makes sense to go with McCrea considering he can cover centre as well as back 3. And he has scored a try in each of the past two games, which should be rewarded.

Having said that I hope Vainikolo starts putting pressure on others for a spot, he was very good in the RWC, don't want to see him flop here.