After tonights woeful game at Firhill we remain 2 behind Ulster. Troy Nathan with the decisive try, one of the better performers but given the standard thats not saying much.

Despite all the HC hype its 6 defeats on the bounce going into this one. Ok No one expected results in the HC but all the same.

Ospreys are strong as always but its a game we've got to be looking to get a result from. Swift and McCarthy are big losses but hopefully George can step into the breach. Need the pack to deliver, discipline is everything in games like these, Morgan will punish us as ruthlessly as the last 2 weeks if we give up cheap penalties

Not confident but hopeful of a win to get our season back on track.

Still a bloody strong team, heavily laced with experienced full Internationals (Bowe, Jones, Gough, Davies, Stowers and Parker) and plenty of experienced heads in Bishop,Fussell, Hibbard and Bearman.

We'll have to play really well just to get anything out of this, but it's absolutely critical that we don't start as slowly as we did against Toulouse. Positive start at a sustainable pace....

eastcoastconnacht wrote: Ospreys team for tomorrow.
15 Barry Davies
14 Tommy Bowe
13 Andrew Bishop
12 Ashley Beck
11 Richard Fussell
10 Matthew Morgan
9 Rhys Webb
1 Duncan Jones
2 Richard Hibbard
3 Aaron Jarvis
4 Ian Gough
5 James King
6 Tom Smith (Capt)
7 Chauncey O'Toole
8 Joe Bearman

Replacements:
16 Mefin Davies
17 Cai Griffiths
18 Joe Rees
19 James Goode
20 George Stowers
21 Tom Isaacs
22 Sonny Parker
23 Hanno Dirksen

They are missing the internationals with Wales playing Aus.
What do people think of our chances?

Lets give Henry a chance to see what he can do tomorrow, would like to see jarvis get game time as we need options at 10

where is Jarvis?
was it me imagining how well he played the chances he got?
surely he would be better than Henry in the centre

Ospreys team for tomorrow.
15 Barry Davies
14 Tommy Bowe
13 Andrew Bishop
12 Ashley Beck
11 Richard Fussell
10 Matthew Morgan
9 Rhys Webb
1 Duncan Jones
2 Richard Hibbard
3 Aaron Jarvis
4 Ian Gough
5 James King
6 Tom Smith (Capt)
7 Chauncey O'Toole
8 Joe Bearman

Replacements:
16 Mefin Davies
17 Cai Griffiths
18 Joe Rees
19 James Goode
20 George Stowers
21 Tom Isaacs
22 Sonny Parker
23 Hanno Dirksen

They are missing the internationals with Wales playing Aus.
What do people think of our chances?

Was hoping for a few more changes but have to trust the coaches. Fetu came with a big reputation, had a brilliant season in super 14 two years ago. Would love to see him stake a claim for his place. Although Tuohy has been playing well I dont feel he is the answer on the wing and think both Mc Crea and Vanikolo could target that.

Also what has happened Jarvis? He seemed a bit slight and maybe coaches worry about that. But he transformed a few games when he came on and seems to offer more of a sprak from the bench then NOC.

Competition for places is what is needed and it finally loks like we are building that in the squad!!!

Given the injuries we have and the need to rest a few players I think this is still a pretty strong team. With the 2 games coming up in the H Cup as well this is a great opportunity for the likes of Mark and Henry to push their case and I hope they step up and show what they can do.

I guess with a toss up between Vainikolo and McCrea it makes sense to go with McCrea considering he can cover centre as well as back 3. And he has scored a try in each of the past two games, which should be rewarded.

Having said that I hope Vainikolo starts putting pressure on others for a spot, he was very good in the RWC, don't want to see him flop here.

will be nice to see george at 5 but im surprised not to see fetu'u at 14. finally nice to see mark mccrea back

Shaky second row, and being stuck in the second row means Big George won't be rocketing out of the scrum.

Fair enough given the injuries, though. Very happy to see McCrea back.

Connacht XV to face Ospreys

Connacht Rugby have announced the starting XV that will face the Ospreys tomorrow (The Sportsground, Galway kick-off 18.30)

Head Coach Eric Elwood has been forced to make 3 personnel changes and a number of positional switches to the side that took on Toulouse in the Heineken Cup last weekend with lock Mike McCarthy serving a 2 week ban, secondrow legend Michael Swift nursing a knee injury and Eoin Griffin recovering from a hamstring injury.

The frontrow remains unchanged from the starting lineup from last week with Connacht centurions Brett Wilkinson and Adrian Flavin joining Rodney Ah You. Dave Gannon retains his place in the second row and is joined by George Naoupu who replaces the injured Michael Swift in the engine room of the scrum. The pair played against each other in those positions in the 2004 U21 World Championship final, Dave captaining Ireland and George for New Zealand. TJ Anderson, John Muldoon and Ray Ofisa make up the rest of the pack in a mobile and dynamic back-row .

Paul O'Donohoe and Miah Nikora continue their successful halfback pairing, as do back three Tiernan O'Halloran (left wing), Brian Tuohy (right wing) and captain Gavin Duffy (full back). There is an exciting new centre partnership with Samoan international Henry Fa'afili at 12 joining breakthrough sensation Dave McSharry at 13.

Among the replacements, Eric Elwood can call on the experience of Ethienne Reynecke and Ronan Loughney along with future prospect Stewart Maguire in the frontrow while Mick Kearney and Eoghan Grace, who have both shone for Connacht 'A' in recent weeks complete the forward replacements. Frank Murphy and Niall O'Connor are the replacement halfbacks while flying winger Mark McCrea covers the backs.

Connacht XV to face the Ospreys (The Sportsground, Galway Saturday 26th December kick-off 18.30)

15 Gavin Duffy (C)

14 Brian Tuohy

13 Dave McSharry

12 Henry Fa'afili

11 Tiernan O'Halloran

10 Miah Nikora

09 Paul O'Donohoe

01 Brett Wilkinson

02 Adrian Flavin

03 Rodney Ah You

04 Dave Gannon

05 George Naoupu

06 TJ Anderson

07 John Muldoon

08 Ray Ofisa



16 Ethienne Reynecke

17 Ronan Loughney

18 Stewart Maguire

19 Mike Kearney

20 Eoghan Grace

21 Frank Murphy

22 Niall O'Connor

23 Mark McCrea

Wilkinson redneck Rodgers
Gannon swift
Tj George ofisa / grace depending on fitness of ray
Pod Nikora
Mcsharry griffin
Mcrea vianikolo
Duffy

Let the centres develop together if fit, some consistency at 9 and 10 will do the team good and neither need a rest also murphy is a better impact than pod

If Toh is fit he plays.

Bench
Ah you
Loughney
Muldoon
Tonnetti
Murphy
Jarvis
Kearney

Henry unlucky but Tonnetti more versatile

Its a big game Saturday - we have lost the last 6 games (I know two have been HCup Games) Its a must win game Select the HCup 15

ummm, wrote: JOC was out for a month, but that was two matches ago, so we should have him back for Glaws.

Matthews I thought would have been back in October, no idea what's happening there.

No idea about Matthews either.

I was talking to the man himself, JOC, after Toulouse. He'll be back for Gloucester, but not sure if he'll make the home game. He's dying to play!

Am I right in thinking the Ospreys don't have their international contingent on account of Wales - Australia the week after?

Cant go either...Working..but will be back there for the Treviso Game...My Season Ticket will be used tho I have given it to a mate who is going!!