Should be a cracker of a game, I'm really looking forward to it.

Front row: we are slightly stronger
Second row: go with us again
Back row: 50.50
Half back: stronger 9, 10 depends on which Jack turns up
Midfield: we are stronger
Back 3: I think we are slightly stronger
Bench 50/50

I hope Carberry has a mare at FB like Stockdale did in his last visit to the sportsground.

(15-9) Tiernan O’Halloran, Niyi Adeolokun, Tom Farrell, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy, Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion, (1- Denis Buckley, Shane Delahunt, Finlay Bealham, Gavin Thornbury, Quinn Roux, Eoin McKeon, Jarrad Butler, John Muldoon (Capt).
Replacements (16-23): Tom McCartney, Peter McCabe, Conor Carey, Ultan Dillane, Eoghan Masterson, Caolin Blade, Craig Ronaldson, Darragh Leader.

15. Joey Carbery (34)
14. Barry Daly (25)
13. Tom Daly (9)
12. Noel Reid (99)
11. James Lowe (10)
10. Ross Byrne (47)
9. Nick McCarthy (25)
1. Jack McGrath (129) CAPTAIN
2. James Tracy (62)
3. Andrew Porter (26)
4. Ross Molony (63)
5. Mick Kearney (34)
6. Max Deegan (19)
7. Peadar Timmins (12)
8. Jack Conan (70)

16. Seán Cronin (149)
17. Cian Healy (187)
18. Michael Bent (105)
19. Devin Toner (214)
20. Jordi Murphy (104)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (49)
22. Jordan Larmour (18)
23. Adam Byrne (37)

There's not the slightest chance Sexton will play at the w/e. He's played only a third of league matches since he was shipped home from France in several pieces, and hasn't started an away league game since October 1 2016 vs. Cardiff.

I'm also a bit skeptical as to how many Leinster will rest. Obviously Sexton and a few others will be wrapped in cotton wool, but they have a w/e off before the Champions' Cup final so they'll need to balance resting players with keeping themselves fresh.

I was thinking the same re a possibly stronger selection given the week off next week, but they rested pretty much everyone for both the games between the QF and SF. They haven't fielded anything close to a full strength team in the Pro14 since the Christmas interpros and even then they rotated a fair bit. (Am I right in saying the last Connacht game was Sexton's only league start since the Champions Cup started? That's vaguely interesting. Maybe he doesn't trust anyone else against us ...)

It's hard to make any predictions based on history. We've been away more often than not for the final game of the season (8 away, 6 home) since the start of a "full" league, and of the home games we've won half, but only one where the opposition had something to play for (Glasgow 2 years ago). We have a bad record in retiring legends with a win; Glasgow beat us well in Elwood's last game and Ospreys beat us when Swifty retired.

I'm also a bit skeptical as to how many Leinster will rest. Obviously Sexton and a few others will be wrapped in cotton wool, but they have a w/e off before the Champions' Cup final so they'll need to balance resting players with keeping themselves fresh. Who knows, we may even see [strike]Endorsement[/strike] Henshaw. Regardless, they could switch their front row to McGrath/Tracy/Porter and it won't be much easier than their first choice. To be honest, I think the more of their starters are involved the better as they might be more inclined to look after themselves than the second string, who'd be going all out to make the 23 for the final.

Shelflife wrote: While I fully expect Connacht to come out all guns blazing I think a lot of people are underestimating Leinsters "skin in the game" position.

Leinster are in the HC final, I expect them to field a much changed side on Sat. However everyone of those players will have an eye on the HC and a place in the squad. This will be a huge opportunity for them to stake a place.

I dunno, I think Leinster are starting to get this reputation for unbestableness that may not be completely deserved. Their first team is a machine, and even with quite a few changes they're not that much worse but ANY team if you send out the seconds/thirds becomes disjointed and suffers. Look what happened to them Vs Benetton.

That said we've had far more poor displays than good this season. But I hope for the sake of a club legend like Mul the team will at least go out and show 100% committment and throw themselves physically into this game. I don't want to see soft metres being given up to the opposition forwards with carry after carry, or lads falling off tackles.

While I fully expect Connacht to come out all guns blazing I think a lot of people are underestimating Leinsters "skin in the game" position.

Leinster are in the HC final, I expect them to field a much changed side on Sat. However everyone of those players will have an eye on the HC and a place in the squad. This will be a huge opportunity for them to stake a place.

My maths may not be great, and my memory may be poor did we loose 4 from 6?
I think The last time we bet a strong team was in Glasgow.
I think the stats should be the other way around we won 4 and lost 2,

We’ve won two of the last three at home over last three seasons

I really hope we put in a performance and win this match.
On paper how many times in the last 3 years did we have our 1st team out, they have their 2nd/ 3rd team out. And we loose.

I always think we are going to beat them beforehand, but something goes wrong like yellow card, bad ref call etc.

After saying that, I still think we are going to win
What's the definition of stupidity?

your last line 100%, thats why i'm going all out and throwing money on them to front up. nothing and everything to play for. Optics for next season

While almost inconsequential in terms of league position (would be nice to guarantee Zebre can't catch us) I personally feel that this is a massively important game in terms of the overall mood surrounding Connacht rugby. It has been a very tough year for everyone involved, however it would be great for the morale and enthusiasm of fans and players alike if the last memory of the season is of us stuffing Leinster and sending off the departing players in style.

As was evidenced by the home loss to Treviso, any Leinster team with Molony and Nagle in the second row and Reid and O'Loughlin at centre is eminently beatable. Add to that the likely crash in emotional intensity after a momentous performance yesterday and I think they are there for the taking. On our side, I'd fancy Muldoon to put in a monstrous performance given the occasion and the fact that he has been rested quite a bit recently, perhaps with this game in mind. We are not going to solve our myriad systematic issues, however a large percentage of winning rugby matches is winning collisions, and if we can't pump ourselves up to smash Leinster on this of all occasions I will be quite worried.