Really good an interesting interview with Andy friend
Great article, very interesting - well worth a read. Thanks for posting it.
It will be interesting to see if Marmion makes the bench. I suspect he might be having a late fitness test or something when he has been moved to a bench spot.
Reilly or Gilvarry as back-up?
Gates at 11.30 or 12?
12
Thanks ya I'm in! Queues a bit busier today than usual.
Bealham out. Dom in.
Plus the new Tongan prop is doing the warmup here. Absolute tank!
Christ, the size of this fella
Duggan is looking at him thinking who's this monster?
Where did you hear that about big papa? He was out doing the warm-up with squad today!
Any word on which french club?
overall very impressed with the development,
it feels like We are missing a lot at the moment and really doing well to be competitive,
I remeber the first year we were in the H Cup, We were out of our depth, what a difference, Big french club, from Paris, Youth all over the place and Were getting cranky with our selves when Stuff dosent come off, with so many 1st team names not even on the field.
If that true about abe I’d be trying to get deegan out west asap.
For his own good yes
Anyway the pack needs beef it was obvious today
Tuimauga'a and Fifita'a at least on the bench for Leicester
Boyle may be ok?
One of Aki/Robb/Daly, Arnold is rolled-back often
Bealham will be in it too
Farrell finaly let's hope
Hansen is a plus, but we have great talents in this back-3, McNulty baffled me
Great win and a great last 15 in the Sportsground.
That's disappointing if true about Big Papa.
Hard to gauge the Papali'i news if that washes out. Professional game and is obviously entitled to make the best decisions on a short career but if we had been interested in retaining (and who knows behind the scenes what the relative contracts are) who have liked to have thought we earned some loyalty sticking with him despite calls to get rid and working with him heavily on his fitness and tackling. Hopefully he stays but if he doesn't we are back to the original problem of having excellent backrows but missing the option of a heavy contact ball carrier
Game wise, delighted by the performance of our props, some struggles against a heavy pack but they all were solid today, particularly Duggan who took the opportunity presented by Burkes head knock (and lets hope that is as minor as it can be) to really put his hand up.
Particularly though I thought Dowling has a great game. I saw in the 42 afterwards he was the lineout leader and that was a Thornbury-esque level of perfection in leading the lineout today. Helped by Delahunt having a great day with his darts but we consistently threw into the right areas today and disrupted their lineout well, Murray is a real menace front of lineout in particular.
Arnold has been playing great rugby this season, he will be missed
Based on the Craggy podcast unlikely on Boyle. Tuimauga'a it depends on learning the plays, unsure how long he has been in training?
Bundee sounds close back but your harsh on Arnold, he might be knocked back but its often a double tackle in heavy traffic and does it willingly to suck in others.
Bealham will depend on the illness but lets hope its minor, he is a class above all our props at the moment with Denis working his way back
It was interesting listening to him speak on the master of none podcast and he mentioned that Connacht were putting more emphasis on a speed based games rather than trying to have a game plan relying on big men making holes in the opposition defense and he seemed to suggest that is why he wasn't featuring as much this season. It's a great interview if you get the chance to listen to it. He comes across as a really good guy and seems to be enjoying his time in Galway
Also he hates cold weather, that was very clear, and I'd imagine his wife wanted a move to south of Francce ASAP.
What a win yesterday. Heineken Cup feels a little watered down this year but it wasn't feeling that way yesterday, I was reminded of when I was a kid not believing that Munster could beat Stade in the early 2000s and never even thinking about us playing at that level.
Thanks for the effort but I wouldn't be at all put out by losing Papa. It was really a no lose situation for us and it hasn't worked out so of he can make a few pound elsewhere then good luck to him but I don't think we're going to be missing out in anything.
No issue with papilli going, a bit part player for us without the level of fitness required to play more than 40 effectively
Started it and got distracted so must go back. Sounds interesting,
Funny you mention that. At the game yesterday he seemed to be adding layers of clothes each time I looked at him!
Not too bothered about Papali'i going. He was a punt on a big unit with very little union experience that ultimately didn't work out, despite the odd spectacular carry. His fitness and tackle technique were liabilities, and our game plan of moving the ball and moving big teams around is aimed at tiring out opposition players like him, not having them on our side getting wrecked. He wasn't on big money so it wasn't an expensive mistake, but best to let him go, and best of luck to him picking up a contract in France.
i wouldn't call papalii a mistake at all, it call him a moneyball shot which just didnt work out, i cant see him having cost connacht much at all.
he came as a novice to union, and has been bought out of contract only 6 months into his contract extension... at the end of the day id imagine his 3 tries just above covered the value of his contract
I was very surprised when they extended his contract. It would have been a nice story if it had worked out but ultimately it didn't, on any level.
Any source that he's being bought out of his contract?
All I found was a mention of considering following Arnold to Brive next season.
I doubt he's being bought out. Id say its more of a case that he's signing for them for next season
Bundee likely to be fit, Hansen will likely miss the game
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://wa.vanillicon.com/v2/ad289898c0c6dda7e667bf900ae26d0c.svg)
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://wd.vanillicon.com/v2/d39f175469178884d38a12d0cdbdc52d.svg)
