Northampton v Connacht

Gio Trappatoni

Just looking at possibilities for the weekend - any advice on whether this is realistic...

Am over on Friday for the Leinster game on Sunday, but am thinking to grab a train from London to Northampton for the Connacht game - looks pretty reasonable 2hrs on train, tickets still available - can do it for about 50GBP return

Is this realistic?

Am also concerned that this might make tabloid headlines...
"Irish Province Fan Goes to Support Another Irish Province" :eek:
"Irish Province Fan Brings Shame To Irish Rugby By Ignoring The Current Ethos of Sledging Other Irish Provinces":eek::eek: (maybe a bit wordy for a tabloid headline)

Diabhal Beag

Skip the Leinster match and make sure you definetley see the Connacht match :pac:

chupacabra

Little Shyte wrote: »

Skip the Leinster match and make sure you definetley see the Connacht match :pac:

+1 :pac:

If its possible then i would most certainly go for it. Infact, you are stupid if you dont go.

Diom

Definitely go. I'd love to...can't though. Go to the Connacht Supporters Page to get the info on where to meet the rest of supporters going over.

Enjoy.

Robbo

If you're looking for a ticket, try to go for the Terrace, Block D. That's where the bulk of the travelling support (including me) are going. The other allocated away section is in the corner and apparently has a rubbish view.

I believe the pubs are the Malt Shovel, the Beckett and the Foundry. They're all close enough to Franklin's Gardens, as is the train station.

leeroybrown

I'll also be in Terrace, Block D. Is anyone else off Boards heading over?

wixfjord

CONNACHT TEAM TO PLAY NORTHAMPTON SAINTS

15 Gavin Duffy
14 Fionn Carr
13 Niva Ta'auso
12 Keith Matthews
11 Liam Bibo
10 Ian Keatley
9 Frank Murphy
1 Brett Wilkinson
2 Sean Cronin
3 Ronan Loughney
4 Andrew Browne
5 Andrew Farley
6 John Muldoon (capt)
7 Jonny O'Connor
8 Ray Ofisa.

Replacements:
16 Adrian Flavin
17 Brian McGovern
18 Michael Swift
19 Colm Rigney
20 Conor O'Loughlin
21 Andy Dunne
22 Troy Nathan

Not considered due to injury: Kieran Campbell (hip), Tim Donnelly (knee), John Hearty (hip), Michael McCarthy (foot), Robbie Morris (foot).

emc2

Stupid Question I Know but is this on TV anywhere?

leeroybrown

No. Sky have the TV rights to the games but are only showing the Worcester-Brive game on Saturday. There tends to be poor coverage due to the HEC games being on at the same time.

leeroybrown

I forgot to add that during the game there should be live commentary by Rob Murphy on Galway Bay FM.

thomond2006

50-1 for Connacht to win the ECC. Any takers???

Robbo

thomond2006 wrote: »

50-1 for Connacht to win the ECC. Any takers???

After London Irish were put out last night, I'd regard Northampton as probably being the strongest team left in it so we can all dream...

7mountpleasant

Thinking about having a punt on connaught +20 points on the handicap, any opinions? Thought northhampton were vey very flattered by the ospreys result and may struggle to get up for this one.

Serenity Now!

Northampton will whallop them, I reckon.

Serenity Now!

leeroybrown wrote: »

No. Sky have the TV rights to the games but are only showing the Worcester-Brive game on Saturday. There tends to be poor coverage due to the HEC games being on at the same time.

There is no sponsor for the TV rights so ERC will always take precedence as long as this is the case.

robgloster

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS TEAM TO PLAY CONNACHT
European Challenge Cup quarter final
Franklin’s Gardens
Saturday, April 11th, 2009
Kick off 3:00pm
15 Ben Foden
14 Paul Diggin
13 Joe Ansbro
12 James Downey
11 Bruce Reihana (capt)
10 Stephen Myler
9 Lee Dickson
1 Soane Tonga’uiha
2 Dylan Hartley
3 Euan Murray
4 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe
5 Juandre Kruger
6 Neil Best
7 Scott Gray
8 Roger Wilson

Replacements
16 Brett Sharman
17 Tom Smith
18 Courtney Lawes
19 Mark Easter
20 Alan Dickens
21 Barry Everitt
22 Chris Mayor

liam12989

Connacht seem to be doing well 6-6 after 31mins

liam12989

Prop Binned For Connacht 9-6 to Northampton after 38mins

chupacabra

Uncontested scrums. Good for connacht. Ref is a home towner.

Diom

Rob is not happy with the ref. Offsides, knock-ons, and 50 50 rucks all going the way of the home team. Connacht sounding good though. Two near tries from Connacht.

Was worried about Nathan coming on, but he doesn't seem to have put a foot wrong so far.

COME ON CONNACHT.

liam12989

Com On Connacht!!
Uncontested Scrums:D

thomond2006

How are you guys watching this???
Any streams???

Hennybug

No but full coverage on Galway Bay fm

chupacabra

Christ this ref is very inconsistent....

thomond2006

Hennybug wrote: »

No but full coverage on Galway Bay fm

Can u get that on net plz??

Score update??

Hennybug

Woo hoo try for Connacht!!! Think Rob is going to have a heart attack though 13 - 12

chupacabra

TRY CONNACHT!!!! Ray Ofisa in the corner!!!!

thomond2006

Great coverage. 15 - 13 to the Saints :mad::mad:, 24 mins to go.

chupacabra

Connacht front row being annihilated in the scrum, Duffy having a blinder. 15 - 13 to Northhampton.

Dave Joyce

Jesus, why do we ALWAYS seem to get the worst of referees in the most IMPORTANT of games. They are sounding like they are doing really well, just hope they can keep up the pace to the finish!! COME ON CONNACHT!! 18mins to go, come on lads!!

thomond2006

C'mon Connacht ffs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thomond2006

Jonny O' Connor in the bin, playing ball on ground. :mad::mad:
The ref is a right f**ker. :mad::mad: x 10000000000000.

Dave Joyce

Fvk it, Johnnie O'Connor sinbinned.

thomond2006

Saints pen: Saints lead 18-13 FFS. It's slipping away as always...... :(

Dave Joyce

Double fuk, NOW we have Gavin Duffy in the bin. Bastard of a ref!! Not looking good, and sure enough a ****ing try.........BOLLOCKS

chupacabra

Ridiculous refereeing. But a very brave performance from our brothers in the west nonetheless.

johnnyboy4711

poxy ref and blind touch judges,same old story!
O Loughlin should have started!
no back up for prop on the bench(really)
Very unlucky with matthews going off so early!
Proud of the lads as they put in what sounded like a great performance.
no back to brass tacks and get at least 9 points(2 wins plus losing bonus) and a max 13 points(3 wins plus losing bonus) out of our remaining 4 ML games and pip dragons for the HC play-off!!!
slan
j

Stev_o

You can blame the ref all you want lads but the difference between a bad and a good team is the ability to play the ref. What exactly has he been warning Connacht? Breakdown? If he is then the surely Bradley should say don't risk anything at the breakdown. Ref's don't win matches remember.

Dave Joyce

Jaysus, Rob commented that Bibo was taken out just before that fuking try. Fuking scoreline flatters Northampton from the sounds of things.

Hennybug

Aw b*****s i thought for once we might pull it off :mad: 42 -13, Northampton socre 4 tries in the last 15 minutes

Dave Joyce

Absolutely gutted, 4 tries in the last 15mins. Then again, to have 2 men in the bin at a critical time in the game. Fuk it anyway!!!:mad::mad::mad:

Serenity Now!

Dave Joyce wrote: »

Jaysus, Rob commented that Bibo was taken out just before that fuking try. Fuking scoreline flatters Northampton from the sounds of things.

"Rob" (whoever that is) flatters Connacht by the sound of things.

People here are blaming a ref they havent seen in a game they havent seen lol

johnnyboy4711

complaining about the ref and officials is par for the course when i go to connacht games as a supporter.
Its like they come to the game thinking "they are a bunch of no-hopers so they dont expect much"
If any other province had even half the amount of mistakes and bad calls against them then this message board would be chocca block with complaints about refs etc.
We dont even get TMO at our home games(even when the are on tv!!!).
Standard of referreeing in the ML is fairly shocking but when they know they are not on TV a la the sportsground,it is like they empty their closet with bad calls.
I dont mind losing but when we have to play the ref as well 50% of the time on average.
It really does suck!
slan
J

PS: I respect rob murphy but he always jinxes connacht saying that "this could be connacht greatest achievement" when they are 13-12 up and 25 minutes to go!!!
I knew when he was saying those sort of things that we were not going to do it!
Rob easy on the enthusiasm!!!
a more cautious approach would be nice!

I think its just general frustration that the calls always seem to go against us.1 game in particular against Llanelli last January the ref was scandalous even if we created some of our own problems that night.Anyway we're out and thats that.In what we can control our lack of depth at prop was again shown up.Keith Matthews had to go off injured etc.Basically our squad needs to be improved in the summer.I hope the release of all the players listed on the other thread will see us make a statement of ambition in the summer.Also Bradley I think could use resources better.Danny Riordan should be in our squad week in week out but never is and is being released in the Summer.I won't go any further.

We have shown this year our first XV has the quality to compete.Outside that there is a lack of depth in a number of positions.We need a new head coach,a couple of experienced heads in the pack and in particular the backline who can still contribute something and a couple of wingers and props.

Still hope left in this season.If our attitude is right there is no reason we can't add 12 more points to our total before the end of the season and we'll have to hope thats enough to edge ahead of the Dragons.

leeroybrown

A very disappointing result. I'm just back from Northampton and while they were the better team the 42-13 result is a little flattering to them. For the most part it was quite a tight game with them only having a single score lead for most of the 80 minutes. The ref wasn't great and his inconsistency seemed to benefit them more but far from being the cause of the loss. Our scrum creaked for the 52 minutes that it was contested and the resulting field position was giving up easy kick-able penalties. When Johnny went to the bin on 63 minutes the game tilted to their favour and the pressure eventually told with Duffy's card, three minutes with 13 men, Best's try and eventually three more from their backs as the team tired heavily.

Ultimately it was squad depth, particularly at prop, that decided things.

I'll add that Franklin's Gardens is a great place to watch a game and the Northampton fans were very welcoming.