cant wait for nikora to come back.

Offers that nippy-ness (is that a word?) at 10 alright. Quick to recognise an opportunity for a drop as well.

Bit of ping-pong kicking going on there, with Connacht gaining a little territory.

cant wait for nikora to come back.

Treviso lead 3 -0. Penalty.

We have live match tracker from todays match

www.sportsnewsireland.com/rugby_irish/48500/

Treviso 0 – 0 Connacht, 2pm, Stadio di Monigo.
0 min played

Commentary
0min Connacht rugby’s opening game in the newly named, RaboDirect Pro 12, gets underway this Saturday, away to Italian side Benneton Treviso at the Stadio di Monigo in the north of Italy.

Teams:
Benetton Treviso: L Nitoglia; M Sepe, K Burton, A Pratichetti, B Williams; W De Waal, A Chillon; M Rizzo, F Sbaraglini, A Allori; A Pavanello (capt), V Bernabo; M Filippucci, F Minto, M Vosawai
Replacements: D Vidal, M Muccignat, P Di Santo, G Padro, B Vermaak, S Picone, A Di Bernardo, B De Jager.

Connacht: G Duffy (capt); M McCrea, E Griffin, H Fa’afili, T O’Halloran; M Jarvis, F Murphy; R Loughney, A Flavin, R Ah You; M Swift, M McCarthy; J Muldoon, R Ofisa, G Naoupu.
Replacements: E Reynecke, D Buckley, D Rogers, TJ Anderson, J O’Connor, P O’Donohoe, N O’Connor, B Tuohy

sportsnewsireland wrote: Preview:
Connacht rugby’s opening game in the newly named, RaboDirect Pro 12, gets underway this Saturday, away to Italian side Benneton Treviso at the Stadio di Monigo in the north of Italy.

This is the Italians side’s second season in the Rabodirect Pro 12 league and they finished ahead of fellow Italian debutants Aironi Rugby and woeful Scottish side Glasgow Warriors last year.

Although Connacht finished ahead of Treviso, they suffered a narrow defeat against the Italians last October at the northern Italian venue. Treviso are certainly no mugs, taking the scalps of both Leinster and Munster at home last year, and head coach Franco Smith has called for more of the same as look to improve on their debut season.

It has been possibly the biggest summer in Connacht’s history since last May when, thanks to Leinster’s Heineken Cup triumph, they automatically qualified for Europe’s biggest competition and a flurry of activity have followed the westerners since then.

A record number of season tickets have been sold– at this stage the Sportsground is almost completely sold out—and only this week the Irish Sports council issued a grant, worth over €400,000, for upgrading stadium facilities and hopefully boosting attendance numbers at the Galway venue.

While most fans are realising the prospect of taking on the likes of French giants Toulouse, the league is and should be the main priority for Eric Elwood’s men as they look to improve on last year’s fourth from bottom finish. In fact they only finished a solitary point ahead of this weekend’s opposition.

Although they have lost several key players including Ian Keatley, Sean Cronin, Jamie Hagan and record try scorer Fionn Carr, Elwood and his backroom squad have bought wisely and strengthened in key areas. They have secured the services of utility back Matthew Jarvis, out-half Niall O’ Connor, hooker Ethienne Reynecke, centre Henry Fa’afili and back-row forward George Naopu, who returns to the Sportsground after a two year absence. Reynecke and Fa’afili, in particular, bring a wealth of southern-hemisphere experience to the team.

Gavin Duffy has been named captain for the year after Galway man John Muldoon led the side for the past three seasons. The Ballina native is the correct choice as he has been with the province for a number of years and is an experienced campaigner. Another crucial factor for Elwood choosing Duffy is the fact that he is a local player, which always goes down well with the fans.

Pre-season hasn’t exactly gone to plan with three losses, most recently suffering a heavy defeat, away to English side Saracens. Injury’s to Eoghan Grace, Brett Wilkinson and long term absentee Dave Nolan rob Elwood of a number of options ahead of Saturday’s game.

Treviso will be missing no fewer than 12 members of their squad, all of whom are away on World Cup duty, and while last year’s defeat in Treviso could not be avoided, Connacht will be hoping to capitalise on the Italian side’s misfortune and secure a valuable away win.

Connacht team: 1. Ronan Loughney, 2. Adrian Flavin. 3. Rodney Ah You, 4. Michael Swift, 5. Mike McCarthy, 6. John Muldoon, 7. Ray Ofisa, 8. George Naoupu, 9. Frank Murphy, 10. Matthew Jarvis, 11. Tiernan O’Halloran, 12. Henry Fa’afili, 13. Eoin Griffin, 14. Mark McCrea, 15. Gavin Duffy (C)

Replacements: 16. Ethienne Reynecke, 17. Denis Buckley, 18. Dylan Rogers, 19. TJ Anderson, 20. Johnny O’Connor, 21. Paul O’Donohoe, 22. Nial O’Connor 23. Brian Tuohy

I think guys that Galway Bay Radio will have live commentary as they have just been backed by Rabodirect. As far as I know that is where we will get to hear the game.

I told you so !!!

He was terrible at scrum time to be honest. In fairness he received very little help from his assistants during the Exeter game. Exeter were constantly offside and off their feet at the break down, without a hint of it being marshalled.
Hopefully the assistants in Italy will be more prepared to make themselves heard.

Ah crap, I knew I recognised the name but couldnt figure out when he reffed us, it is his second season reffing at this level.

Treviso have only 3 starters from their last game of last season so we could be in with a chance if the ref doesnt kill us at scrum time as he did against Exeter.

Wow, we have an Irish ref for the game - Dudley Phillips, not sure he has ever reffed us before.

NOOOOO! He was the fella we had for the Exeter game! Jesus he was terrible!

Wow, we have an Irish ref for the game - Dudley Phillips, not sure he has ever reffed us before.

I'd Say It'll be;
loughs, Flav. Dave.
Swifty, Maccer,
Mul, George, Razor

                        Frank
                                Jarvis
  TOH                                  Henry    Griff                Touhy
                                        Gav (capt)

Reyencke
Rogers
Buckley
TJ
JOC
POD
NOC
McCrea     

wuhoo, first post!!   

Close, Bar Tuohy-McCrea I was nearly there.
Eric when you need me I'll be there, subject to Contract etc..(jamie hagan mode)

http://www.connachtrugby.ie wrote: Ronan Loughney  Adrian Flavin  Rodney Ah You

            Michael Swift    Mike McCarthy

John Muldoon                                  Ray Ofisa
                          George Naoupu

                                      Frank Murphy
                                                    Matthew Jarvis
                                                            Henry Fa’afili
                                                                          Eoin Griffin
                      Tiernan O’Halloran                                                          Mark McCrea
                                                                                        Gavin Duffy (C)

Replacements
16. Ethienne Reynecke
17. Denis Buckley
18. Dylan Rogers
19. TJ Anderson
20. Johnny O’Connor
21. Paul O’Donohoe
22. Nial O’Connor
23. Brian Tuohy

Looks very strong. JOC on the bench to change up our rucking if needed. Dangerous leaving Tuohy off... top try scorer last season.

Only 5 starters from the last game of last season - 3 backs (Duffy, Griffen and Murphy) and 2 forwards (McCarthy and Muldoon) with one positional change Mul played 8 that day - that is some churn, not sure mobile phone companies have to deal with that level of turnover 

Indeed.  Some true talent out there in this lineup, though, so what we have to hope for is them continuing to learn how to play as a cohesive side (how's that for stating the obvious?).

Only 5 starters from the last game of last season - 3 backs (Duffy, Griffen and Murphy) and 2 forwards (McCarthy and Muldoon) with one positional change Mul played 8 that day - that is some churn, not sure mobile phone companies have to deal with that level of turnover 

www.connachtrugby.ie/2011090282587/connacht-xv-to-face-treviso

Nice one...looks like a fine lineup to me!

www.connachtrugby.ie/2011090282587/connacht-xv-to-face-treviso