Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Defence is a big issue here lads.

117 tackles made and 30 missed (Stade were 103/18). And it's experienced guys too, TOH missed 4, Arnold 5, Carty 6. Last week it was 22 missed vs 8 by Leicester.

Of the teams in the last 16, only Montpellier conceded more points in the pools.

You're bringing a knife to a gunfight with stats like these.

Just haven'really seen it before and not sure why it's been used in the last 16 only of this competition .

I would have thought the higher seeded team gets home advantage in a one off game.

I was disappointed that Illo only got a five minutes. In the one scrum he seemed to hold his own and it was unclear why Barnes gave Stade the penalty, commentators were confused as well. Given the problems McGrath had been having, what was there to lose?

Hope Dowling wasn't badly injured, he's become an important player for us over the last few months, and is essential especially until Gav Thornbury returns. Fifita hasn't made much of an impact.

Since the GAA county grounds rules have changed and its now up to the countys could connacht may be look at using pearse park or mcchale park for there home game getting extra capacity that way and not having to cross the shannon?

According to the MasterofNone on twitter, Buckley will be available for this week's game against Glasgow.

I certainly hope so.

Jim you know full well you don't get out of Limerick after insulting the Munster out half... No exceptions... #WhereROGwasGod

The Irish team trained in Dublin today. I

imagine they head to Portugal in the next day or two. I wouldn’t expect Cian to be available

Seen that on the Leinster thread. Has to be second row. I can't see Fifita being kept and with Dillane leaving he will get the game time.

He would be a good signing. I was skeptical when this idea was previously mooted. Three games for Leinster this season, including two starts at 5 in Europe. I think he'd be a great addition to Connacht, twenty six and fifty caps for Leinster.

He completed his medical degree last year. I wonder if he might be able to combine his rugby career with work in the hospital in Galway (probably unrealistic, a junior doctor's load is a heavy one).

I think it alsdo tells us something about who Leinster want to hold: Deegan, and probably Penny (in addition, of couse to the established back rowers: Conan, JDF, Doris, and Connors. Hard to project Dan's future).