Pro 12: Newport Gwent Dragons v Connacht; Friday 23rd November KO 7pm. Not on TV

freyners

Dragons
Tom Prydie, Will Harries, Pat Leach, Ashley Smith, Tonderai Chavhanga, Dan Evans, Wayne Evans, Phil Price, Hugh Gustafson, Dan Way, Adam Jones, Rob Sidoli, Lewis Evans ©, Nic Cudd, Tom Brown. Replacements: Steve Jones, Owen Evans, Nathan Buck, Ian Nimmo, Ieuan Jones, Jonathan Evans, Lewis Robling, Jack Dixon.

Connacht
15.Robbie Henshaw 14. Tiernan O’Halloran 13. Danie Poolman 12. Dave McSharry 11. Gavin Duffy (captain) 10. Dan Parks 9. Kieran Marmion 1. Denis Buckley 2. Jason Harris-Wright 3. Nathan White 4. Michael Swift 5. Mick Kearney 6. Andrew Browne 7. Willie Faloon 8. Eoin McKeon
Replacements: 16. Ethienne Reynecke 17. Rodney Ah You 18. Ronan Loughney 19. Dave Gannon 20. Johnny O’Connor 21. David Moore 22. Miah Nikora 23. Matt Healy

Connacht chase their first back to back win of the season this Friday against the Newport Gwent Dragons in their home turf at Rodney Parade.

The Connacht team features a number of changes, with Mike McCarthy fantastic form this season being recognised by St. Deccie with another start tomorrow v Argentina. Mick Kearney, who has impressed many spectators with his form and for his imitations of the imposssibru guy fills in at 4.

Another loss to the squad is John Muldoon, who is out for 10-12 weeks due to a knee injury sustained last week playing for the Ireland XV v Fiji. Andrew Browne, who had a fantastic game v treviso, replaces him at six. Willie Faloon keeps out JOC at 7 while Eoin McKeon, who has impressed in the absence of Georgie, lines out at 8.

Eoin Griffin has picked up an injury and Danie Poolman will look to build on his try scoring debut for the province at 13.

The most surprising choice in this XV is Gavin Duffy at wing instead of his more natural home at 15. While this is an absence at 11 due to Vainikolo being called up into the Tongan squad, it is a testament to the form of Robbie Henshaw that he is retained at full back ahead of the captain.

On the bench Lansdowne winger Matt Healy could earn his first cap for the province from the bench. Rodney Ah You is on the bench ahead of Brett wilkinson who starts for the eagles this weekend.

Dragons welcome back their captain Lewis Evans after last weeks defeat to Northampton. Dragons themselves are in a 7 game losing streak and will have targeted this game to break it. Last year Connacht came out 19-27 victors in this fixture and, with a strong team travelling, will hope to repeat this result.

This game is not on TV (for the third game in a row) so, as usual, there are updates available on the Connacht Facebook Page and Twitter account. Galway Bay usually also provide updates of the game

For all those who are around Galway tomorrow evening, the Connacht Eagles are playing Leinster A in the Sportsground at 5pm. XV's are as follows

15 Matthew Jarvis, 14 Mark McCrea, 13 Conor Finn, 12 Brian Murphy, 11 Steve Macauley, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Paul O’Donohoe, 1 Brett Wilkinson, 2 Kevin O’Byrne, 3 JP Cooney, 4 Ultan Dillane, 5 Jonathan Gardiner, 6 David Heffernan, 7 Eoghan Grace (captain), 8 Aaron Conneely

Leinster A: 15: Adam Byrne 14: Andrew Boyle 13: Rory O'Loughlin 12: Jordan Coghlan 11: Max McFarland 10: Cathal Marsh 9: Luke McGrath
1: James Tracy 2: Bryan Byrne 3: Tadhg Furlong 4: Tadhg Beirne 5: Tom Denton 6: Ben Marshall 7: Conor Gilsenan (captain) 8: Jack Conan

ray jay

freyners wrote: »

Another loss to the squad is John Muldoon, who is out for 10-12 weeks due to a knee injury sustained last week playing for the Ireland XV v Fiji.

Muldoon's injury is so unfortunate, especially to pick it up in a match of no consequence. He's going to miss the rest of the HC matches and the Christmas interprovincials.

.ak

No beer and no TV makes .ak go something something...

molloyjh

.ak wrote: »

No beer and no TV makes .ak go something something...

Go crazy?


I don't understand why S4C or TG4 are not showing this? BBC Wales have the Ospreys game. I know both S4C and TG4 are showing the Scarlets game on Sunday but that shouldn't prevent one (or both) from showing this game too...

.ak

molloyjh wrote: »

Go crazy?

Don't mind if I do!

Blackheath

Interesting to see how furlong gets on against Wilkinson

CatFromHue

I see there is just the 5 Evans's and 3 Jones's lining out for The Dragons tomorrow night!

freyners

Macca, Muldoon and George are three huge losses, all three are primary ball carriers and are leaders on there field, we're lucky to have good replacements for them but their absence is going to be missed

Digifriendly

molloyjh wrote: »

Go crazy?


I don't understand why S4C or TG4 are not showing this? BBC Wales have the Ospreys game. I know both S4C and TG4 are showing the Scarlets game on Sunday but that shouldn't prevent one (or both) from showing this game too...

S4C don't generally show Friday night matches. BBC2W do and they've chosen Ospreys at Edinburgh. Presumably with no BBC Wales OB cameras at Newport TG4 could not cover this match live. There should however be brief highlights of this game on S4C before the Scarlets match on Sunday and on BBC2W 'Scrum V' on Sunday night.

thomond2006

A must win for Connacht?

freyners

thomond2006 wrote: »

A must win for Connacht?

id mark it as one, with this match and embra at home its a good chance to build up momentum for the round of HC matches.

If we are ever going to take the next step in terms of progress these are the type of games we should be looking to win.

goreyguy

How talented is McKeon?

Funk It

goreyguy wrote: »

How talented is McKeon?

Very.

Well thats my opinion anyways. Has impressed me several times in the Connacht jersey. A solid backrow option.

ray jay

thomond2006 wrote: »

A must win for Connacht?

Connacht are 8th, Dragons are 11th. This is the sort of match Connacht should be winning if they want to maintain their position.

freyners

Funk It wrote: »

Very.

Well thats my opinion anyways. Has impressed me several times in the Connacht jersey. A solid backrow option.

i agree, hes unlucky to have georgie ahead. Mckeon has really impressed in his absence

Zzippy

ray jay wrote: »

Connacht are 8th, Dragons are 11th. This is the sort of match Connacht should be winning if they want to maintain their position.

Agree, but Dragons are in a similar position to Connacht in that they only have one player with the Welsh squad (IIRC), are playing at home, plus we have a couple of injuries in addition to missing McCarthy - Muldoon and George the biggest losses. Reckon this will be a tight one and hopefully Connacht come out the right side...

eyeball kid

They really do need to be winning matches like this. Muldoon and Macca will be a big loss but hopefully we'll have a enough to get the win. Will this match be even covered by any Welsh radio station?

Robbo

Darragh Leader's replaced Matt Healy on the bench.

Mal-Adjusted

TBH, i find it disgraceful that TG4 aren't showing this.

Digifriendly

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

TBH, i find it disgraceful that TG4 aren't showing this.

As I explained earlier TG4 probably cannot show this live as there are almost certainly no OB cameras for them to do so. For better or worse BBC Wales have decided to show Edinburgh vs Ospreys live so no OB coverage of this Connacht game. Remember the game is in Wales not in Ireland. Having said that the Edinburgh game is in Scotland and BBC Wales are showing it while BBC Alba are showing the Glasgow game.

thomond2006

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

TBH, i find it disgraceful that TG4 aren't showing this.

Nothing they can do if there's no willing host broadcaster.

thomond2006

Matt Healy cried off, Darragh Leader onto bench.

jamiedav2011

Jaysus had no idea Matt Healy was playing for Connacht. Good signing for them, he was always a player that impressed me.

Playing wing or 9?

thomond2006

winger I think

CIARAN_BOYLE

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

Jaysus had no idea Matt Healy was playing for Connacht. Good signing for them, he was always a player that impressed me.

Playing wing or 9?

wing I think, he was going to be wearing the 23 shirt with Moore also on the bench so I presume he wasn't meant to be 9 cover

Zzippy

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

Jaysus had no idea Matt Healy was playing for Connacht. Good signing for them, he was always a player that impressed me.

Playing wing or 9?

Signed as a wing I think, if there's one thing we have enough of its scrum halves!

jamiedav2011

Interesting, he was a wing for Landsowne aswell I think?

Good, definitely Rabo level player.

thomond2006

I'm following updates on the Rabo site.

0-3; Parks penalty

its_phil

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'm following updates on the Rabo site.

0-3; Parks penalty

Connacht twitter is a good place to follow the game. They are quite snappy and you get some insight to whos doing well.

its_phil

From the Connacht Clan Twitter

Connacht Clan wrote:

15mins in & pretty much all Connacht. Only one Dragons possession, kicked dead. Couple of very positive phases, but a lot of kick-chase....

eyeball kid

3-3 all now.

its_phil

Connacht down to 13 men with Browne and JHW in the bin

freyners

its_phil wrote: »

Connacht down to 13 men with Browne and JHW in the bin

how the ****??????

eyeball kid

Down to 13 players for 7 mins. Hopefully the damage won't be too great.

its_phil

freyners wrote: »

how the ****??????

TJ binned Browne.

JHW have no idea. May have been indiscipline at breakdown.

Prydie missed two penalties in a row and JHW has only 3-4 mins left in bin.

Try Dragons. No conversion

Funk It

Missed penalty thankfully.

Crucial time to not fall to pieces.

freyners

dragons try, missed conversion, 8-3

its_phil

Connacht defence stood up well with only 13 men according to Twitter.

Connacht much the better team apparently. So being in touch at half time aint a bad thing either. A nice kick up the hole by Eric and come out all guns blazing.

its_phil

HT and JHW back on the pitch

freyners

They wrote a comment on the FB page re the yellows

Separate incidents: Harris-Wright as Connacht failed to release the ball at the scrum on numerous occasions. And Browne for alleged stomping

Funk It

Wait, how exactly does a hooker get binned for not releasing the ball at a scrum?

This is baffling me a bit. Might just be a mistake (or my grey matter is on standby now the weekend has come).

EDIT: I have come to the conclusion that they must mean at a ruck.

eyeball kid

11-3 now. Dragons with a penalty. 46 mins.

Mal-Adjusted

14-3 now

eyeball kid

Urgh..gets worse. 14-3 now.

thomond2006

14-3 FT

That's a very poor result. Looks like those yellows were costly, crazy for Browne to be binned for stomping when there's already a guy off the pitch.

its_phil

Pathetic.

I think the worst part is that you can't judge how good or bad the performance was without a TV or radio during the game.

eyeball kid

The sinbinnings didn't help at all. The ConnachtClan twitter page were saying that an awful lot of decisions were going in the Dragons favour and mentioned something about a 'hometown' ref. Probably not the most unbiased of sources but there's not much else to go on. They were also saying that we were dominant for the 1st half.

Anyway, really disappointed not to get anything from that game. Thought with the team they had, it would be enough to get something.