Connacht v cardiff blues sportsground Saturday 29th oct 6pm live on rte 2

seanin4711

really need to get the ball rolling again against a perennial top 4/5 team.
what's your two cents?

totallegend

AFAIK, Cardiff will be without their Wales contingent so Jamie Roberts, Leigh Halfpenny, Bradley Davies, Gethin Jenkins and Sam Warburton all miss out; if Connacht are going to have any hope of making an impression on the league this year, this has to be the sort of game that they target.

Cardiff got a hammering in their last game against the Scarlets so they are very beatable.

Digifriendly

totallegend wrote: »

AFAIK, Cardiff will be without their Wales contingent so Jamie Roberts, Leigh Halfpenny, Bradley Davies, Gethin Jenkins and Sam Warburton all miss out; if Connacht are going to have any hope of making an impression on the league this year, this has to be the sort of game that they target.

Cardiff got a hammering in their last game against the Scarlets so they are very beatable.

To be fair in that LV cup game Cardiff played, they fielded a very inexperienced side see - http://www.cardiffblues.com/rugby/5413.php
However last number of results (they've lost matches 6 in a row) does show confidence levels must be not that high at the moment for the Blues and Connacht esp. with home advantage should be clear favourites.

porterbelly

George Naoupu looks set to return at 8, Vainikolo is in line for his debut and Nikora is fit, not sure if he'll start or not.

We need a win pure and simple with the fixture list we have ahead of us

Robbo

Really looking forward to seeing some live rugby after the break. Picking through the article in the Advertiser today, I'd imagine George will come on from the bench with the pack being Wilkinson, Flavin/Reynecke, Ah You, Swift, McCarthy, Muldoon, O'Connor, Ofisa.

Behind that, I've no idea what way Elwood will go apart from Faafili and Griffin in the center. He has a lot of options now in the backs, at last.

.ak

Teams announced on Friday noon I'd assume?

porterbelly

Extended squad announced.

Team to be announced at midday tomorrow (Friday)

Forwards: Rodney Ah You, Ronan Loughney, Dylan Rogers, Brett Wilkinson, Adrian Flavin, Ethienne Reynecke, Michael Swift, Dave Gannon, Mike McCarthy, George Naoupu, John Muldoon, Johnny O'Connor, Ray Ofisa, TJ Anderson.

Backs: Paul O'Donohoe, Frank Murphy, Matthew Jarvis, Miah Nikora, Niall O'Connor, Tiernan O'Halloran, Brian Tuohy, Henry Fa'afili, Eoin Griffin, Fetu'u Vainikolo, Gavin Duffy

siltirocker

porterbelly wrote: »

Extended squad announced.

Team to be announced at midday tomorrow (Friday)

Forwards: Rodney Ah You, Ronan Loughney, Dylan Rogers, Brett Wilkinson, Adrian Flavin, Ethienne Reynecke, Michael Swift, Dave Gannon, Mike McCarthy, George Naoupu, John Muldoon, Johnny O'Connor, Ray Ofisa, TJ Anderson.

Backs: Paul O'Donohoe, Frank Murphy, Matthew Jarvis, Miah Nikora, Niall O'Connor, Tiernan O'Halloran, Brian Tuohy, Henry Fa'afili, Eoin Griffin, Fetu'u Vainikolo, Gavin Duffy

Who do you drop from that back line?

Robbo

siltirocker wrote: »

Who do you drop from that back line?

Murphy, Jarvis, O'Halloran, Griffin, Faafili, Vainikolo, Duffy

Bench: O'Donoghue, Nikora, Tuohy?

My thinking being, Nikora can cover 10/12, Jarvis can move to fullback and Duffy can move to 13 if so needed.

porterbelly

McCrea missing surprises me, then again Vainikolo needs to start, O'halloran is one of the 1st names on the teamsheet and Tuohy played very well in Dublin so maybe that explains it

I'd like to see

1.Wilkinson
2.Flavin
3.Rodney
4.Swift
5.Macca
6.Mul
7.JOC
8.Ofisa
9.O'Donoghue
10.Jarvis
11.O'Halloran
12.Fa'afili
13.Griffin
14.Vainikolo
15.Duffy

I wouldn't risk George or Nikora from the start with the fixtures coming down the road, although a win is essential. With George, Miah and Reyneke coming off the bench that could give us huge impetus

porterbelly

Judging by twitter it looks like Jarvis won't be in the match day squad as he's tweeted Tommy Bowe saying he's playing in Ballymena Saturday. Bit disappointed with that

mr socco

How has Griffin been doing this season? Only saw one Connacht game and didn't seem to see much of the ball.

porterbelly

mr socco wrote: »

How has Griffin been doing this season? Only saw one Connacht game and didn't seem to see much of the ball.

He's doing well, got a very good try v Scarlets. He's still getting used to Fa'afili outside him and he's fast becoming a key player for us

evil_seed

15 Gavin Duffy ©
14 Fetu’u Vainikolo
13 Eoin Griffin
12 Henry Fa’afili
11 Tiernan O’Halloran
10 Niall O’Connor
09 Frank Murphy
01 Brett Wilkinson
02 Adrian Flavin
03 Rodney Ah You
04 Michael Swift
05 Mike McCarthy
06 John Muldoon
07 Johnny O’Connor
08 Ray Ofisa

16 Ethienne Reynecke
17 Ronan Loughney
18 Dylan Rogers
19 Dave Gannon
20 George Naoupu
21 Paul O’Donohoe
22 Miah Nikora
23 Brian Tuohy

thomond2006

Cardiff Blues:
15 Chris Czekaj 14 Alex Cuthbert 13 Casey Laulala 12 Dafydd Hewitt 11 Tom James 10 Dan Parks 9 Richie Rees
8 Xavier Rush 7 Josh Navidi 6 Maama Molitika 5 Paul Tito 4 Michael Paterson 3 Taufaao Filise 2 T Rhys Thomas 1 John Yapp

16 Ryan Tyrrell 17 Sam Hobbs 18 Scott Andrews 19 Deiniol Jones 20 Ellis Jenkins 21 Lewis Jones 22 Ceri Sweeney 23 Gavin Evans

freyners

first match i can get to this season..cant wait.

CatFromHue

thomond2006 wrote: »

Cardiff Blues:
15 Chris Czekaj 14 Alex Cuthbert 13 Casey Laulala 12 Dafydd Hewitt 11 Tom James 10 Dan Parks 9 Richie Rees
8 Xavier Rush 7 Josh Navidi 6 Maama Molitika 5 Paul Tito 4 Michael Paterson 3 Taufaao Filise 2 T Rhys Thomas 1 John Yapp

16 Ryan Tyrrell 17 Sam Hobbs 18 Scott Andrews 19 Deiniol Jones 20 Ellis Jenkins 21 Lewis Jones 22 Ceri Sweeney 23 Gavin Evans

That's a strong team. Stronger than the team that Munster beat, which is my only reference really. Not as strong as the Cardiff team that won in Galway last season though.

People have been mentioning Griffin and O Halloran as good prospects, well in LuaLua and Cuthbert they have their work cut out.

Connacht will be doing well to beat them if you ask me.

wixfjord

Really looking forward to this game to see whether Connacht can deliver on early promise.
In the context of the season it's a huge one imo, and that's a good Cardiff team.

seanin4711

and they won well!
okay missing a few but still

this seasons blues

15 Chris Czekaj 14 Alex Cuthbert 13 Casey Laulala 12 Dafydd Hewitt 11 Tom James 10 Dan Parks 9 Richie Rees
8 Xavier Rush 7 Josh Navidi 6 Maama Molitika 5 Paul Tito 4 Michael Paterson 3 Taufaao Filise 2 T Rhys Thomas 1 John Yapp


last seasons blues

CARDIFF BLUES: Chris Czekaj; Leigh Halfpenny, Casey Laulala, Jamie Roberts, Tom James; Dan Parks, Richie Rees; John Yapp, Gareth Williams, Taufa'ao Filise, Bradley Davies, Paul Tito (capt), Andries Pretorius, Martyn Williams, Xavier Rush.

heres hoping lightening does strike twice!

CIARAN_BOYLE

JOC beaten up in the warm up. One of the Connacht forwards stamped on his knee while practicing rucks

swalsh

any streams for this? hopefully joc will start and and the injury in the warm up isn't too bad

thomond2006

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

JOC beaten up in the warm up. One of the Connacht forwards stamped on his knee while practicing rucks

Not so bad when you can bring in Nauopu though.

thomond2006

Very nice try!

CIARAN_BOYLE

TOH try good man

swalsh wrote: »

any streams for this?

RTE.ie

NOC conversion

Burgo

Try in the first 2 great start.

thomond2006

and great conversion from NOC: 7-0

thomond2006

I don't agree with Cahill & Ward, a scrum advantage should be over when Murphy kicked it.

thomond2006

Parks thinking he was playing Gaelic there, great point! :pac:

thomond2006

7-3, Parks penalty.

thomond2006

Immediate reposte from Connacht

10-3; NOC pen

irishbucsfan

Beastly

CIARAN_BOYLE

15-6 try from a rolling maul conversion to come

ambid

What a maul from Connacht! Great try.

thomond2006

Huge score for Connacht, McCarthy try. Should be converted too.

thomond2006

Converted: 17-6.

molloyjh

Great try there from Connacht. Not fancy but damn effective. Missed the first try, any good?

thomond2006

Monster tackle from Griffin on Cuthbert, who isn't exactly a small guy.

thomond2006

molloyjh wrote: »

Great try there from Connacht. Not fancy but damn effective. Missed the first try, any good?

Good finish by O'Halloran at the end of a sweet pass from NOC, IIRC.

thomond2006

Chance for Cardiff here, 5m scrum. Important that Connacht try to hold out till the break.

molloyjh

2 incredibly poor kicks from Parks...

thomond2006

Parks is having a mare.

irishbucsfan

Hugh Cahill is wrecing my head. I wish this was on TG4

thomond2006

+1 on Cahill.

Halftime: 17-6

Good performance from Connacht. Along with Parks not turning up, Connacht's defence is the key to their lead at the moment.

thomond2006

thomond2006 wrote: »

+
Good performance from Connacht. Along with Parks not turning up, Connacht's defence is the key to their lead at the moment.

Cuthbert in the corner.

thomond2006

jesus another Cardiff try.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Connacht still in the dressing room I think

molloyjh

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Connacht still in the dressing room I think

Where ever they are they aren't on the pitch! Desperate stuff from Connacht....

CIARAN_BOYLE

Tito binned kickable penalty that they are going for.

20-20

wixfjord

26 20 now to Cardiff. Parks with DG.

thomond2006

Same old Connacht....

wixfjord

Cardiff win.
Big loss there for Connacht, absolutely capitulated in the first four mins of the second half giving away 14.