Wasps vs Connacht 11/12/2016 1pm on Sky Sports 2

aled

Wasps team to face Connacht this Sunday at the Ricoh Arena, kick off 1pm

15. Rob Miller
14. Christian Wade
13. Alapati Leiua
12. Kurtley Beale
11. Josh Bassett
10. Jimmy Gopperth
9. Dan Robson
1. Matt Mullan
2. Tommy Taylor
3. Marty Moore
4. Joe Launchbury ©
5. Kearnan Myall
6. Ashley Johnson
7. Thomas Young
8. Nathan Hughes

Replacements
16. Alex Rieder
17. Tom Bristow
18. Jake Cooper-Woolley
19. James Gaskell
20. Guy Thompson
21. Joe Simpson
22. Brendan Macken
23. Frank Halai

So much to look forward to. Adelokun vs Wade, Beale vs Aki and so many more face-offs. Should be a mental game. Yes the news of Pat leaving is disappointing. But my belief is that, as a player, you will relish the challenge put in front of you. And this is as big a challenge as comes. Expecting a big performance from Connacht. Its close to a full strength team named. Very much looking forward to it. Think Connacht team is very capable of winning this game.

Robbo

Already noted on the other thread but Peter Robb pulled up this morning and Matt Healy will replace him on the Connacht bench.

Connacht's replacement OH will be Denis Buckley as that majestic bastard can do just about everything else on the pitch so why not.

Bridge93

Heffernan, Buckley and Brendan Macken all in the same year in school.
Think this could be a high scoring one. Wasps by about 10 for me

connachta

Mixed feeling about Ili for centre. weak tackler, off-feet quickly, but electric, agressive player... At least 13 is easier for a winger, isn't it??? (real question)
Heenan is THE unseen impressive player for many games now. I'm confident he (and Nepia) will be rock-solid again. Rucks depend on them.
Dillane is our ball-carrier, we needed that profile. Good.
Carey carries well too, we don't regret AhYou at all. Will he hold the scrum, helped by Buckley?
No reliable kicker, no sub kicker at all, we said it already. Everthing thrown to the corner is the strategy then, to score tries tries tries...
Healy will cover back 3, Parata 12/13. Let's see...
Rather confident in our starting back-3, if we give them balls they'll take their oppotunities.

aled

connachta wrote: »

Mixed feeling about Ili for centre. weak tackler, off-feet quickly, but electric, agressive player... At least 13 is easier for a winger, isn't it??? (real question)
Heenan is THE unseen impressive player for many games now. I'm confident he (and Nepia) will be rock-solid again. Rucks depend on them.
Dillane is our ball-carrier, we needed that profile. Good.
Carey carries well too, we don't regret AhYou at all. Will he hold the scrum, helped by Buckley?
No reliable kicker, no sub kicker at all, we said it already. Everthing thrown to the corner is the strategy then, to score tries tries tries...
Healy will cover back 3, Parata 12/13. Let's see...
Rather confident in our starting back-3, if we give them balls they'll take their oppotunities.

connachta, that's the most positive post I have seen from you in an age. I think our pack is as strong as it can be. I think Browne tries to be Aly but he is a long way from Aly today so Roux and Dillane is the best choice second row (even if Browne was available). Its a more solid combination without the need to be too interesting. Its simply physically solid.

As for Jacks stats well there is a couple of things to be mindful of. Jack has a very good awareness of the game so I expect him to play quality positional rugby. So maybe we won't be totting up a penalty count against Wasps, but I do expect that Jack will put us in their territory with decent ball. Thats what I hope for. May not turn out that way but it is what I hope for. If he can do that then we have a team around him that can do damage

connachta

aled wrote: »

connachta, that's the most positive post I have seen from you in an age.

You defo missed that one
two days ago!

We can be harmful in midfield

Look I don't wanna give the impression that I'm optimistic but before sleep, I remembered

Have we got our main front-row fully available? Yes, we have!
Have we got an International lock pairing available? Yes, we have!
Have we got more quality back-rowers than we can put on a single teamsheet ? Yes, we have!
Are we the wealthiest province when you consider scrum-halfs ? Yes, we are!
Have we got Pro12 man of the year in midfield? Yes, we have!
Have we got an all-international back-3, whoever of Cian/Matt plays? Yes, we have!

So I dare say (except if Ili/Robb/O'Leary have a nightmare), for once, if we lose, the injury excuse doesn't stand anymore

connachta

One of the 2 big days!
H-2!!!!!!!!!!

NiallBoo

Robbo wrote: »

Already noted on the other thread but Peter Robb pulled up this morning.

He's not actually injured, it's that the plane was too heavy to take off with him on it

The November internationals really seem to have forged a surge of intent into Irish rugby. Confidence and belief. Connacht were the only province last season to really demonstrate that kind of belief all on their own so hopefully they can take whatever cool aid the rest of the provinces have downed this weekend and make it 4 from 4.

connachta

Deleted User wrote: »

The November internationals really seem to have forged a surge of intent into Irish rugby. Confidence and belief. Connacht were the only province last season to really demonstrate that kind of belief all on their own so hopefully they can take whatever cool aid the rest of the provinces have downed this weekend and make it 4 from 4.

Yeah TBH would be happy with one point
We're not Leinster yet, we're away from home, Wasps are  way better than Northampton/Leicester

aled

This game should be a good marker as to how far Connacht has developed. While Wasps may have a tasty team, if they don't have the ball they can't do much. And thats what Connacht are good at. Starving the opposition. Of course that has its own risks but I figure its a good game strategy against a team like Wasps

gally74

Cmon Connacht,

I smell a win

Stheno

gally74 wrote: »

Cmon Connacht,

I smell a win

Yeah round off a great weekebd for the provinces

thunderthing

Mod edit: No discussion of illegal streams

Bridge93

a wonderful metaphor an be made from that Wasps defence.

Bridge93

Wasps on paper very similar to Connacht in the sense they are greater than the sum of their parts when you look at the names compared to other teams

TeoReid

harsh call there. thought he was through the gate

ScrubsfanChris

If Huges had passed that first time instead of trying to be a "big man" and bounce off connacht players, then they probably would have scored a try.

irishbucsfan

Jaysus Nathan Hughes not interested in that TOH tackle! Hard man to bring down

dregin

Any radio coverage of this?

irishbucsfan

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

If Huges had passed that first time instead of trying to be a "big man" and bounce off connacht players, then they probably would have scored a try.

Well it was 2 on 2 so definitely should not have been a try

irishbucsfan

7-0 to Wasps, Beale with a try a few minutes into his debut. Gopps converts

Bridge93

Is Beale eligible for the Wallabies?

swiwi_

Bridge93 wrote: »

Is Beale eligible for the Wallabies?

Yes he has 60 caps.

Bridge93

Some depth of scrum half in England compared to ourselves. Youngs, Care, Robson, Wigglesworth and so on

Bridge93

Connacht playing all the rugby but this lineout is a nightmare.

LuckyGent88

Very bad miss. Having all the possession but nothing to show for it

pickarooney

Holy ****. Connacht, give Hanrahan a call, this is brutal kicking.

Korat

Wasps are a tough ask when everything is working but Connacht have no chance in this game without a lineout or a kicker.

connachta

As expected by all here, no lineout no kicker Ili weak tackler, but we compete at breakdown!

Lake1989

thats a terrible miss