What a sad story with Mike Ross on the Late Late Show tonight. Brings things into perspective

Leinster here to take the points and be in a good Pro 14 position before European games start.
Strong team, let’s face it they’re the best team in Europe with talent all over. As an Irishman, Leinster’s sucess last year has to be acknowledged and is great for Irish rugby.
Looking forward to the game, and if we play to intensity of last week, we can unsettle them, and can get a result. Have seen some great Leinster teams downed in the Sportsground.
No if’s or but’s would it will be tough, but if we play like last week it’ll be a hell of a tussle.
Looking forward to it!!

As Tomas Bjorn said about the Ryder cup, you have a chance to go out thee and do stuff, so Connacht go you

You might consider Leinster's team selection as a show of respect or you might consider it as an opportunity for Connacht to relive 2016. In my view Connacht is up for this. Indeed it's been many years since Leinster came to our ground with the likes of the team they have announced. So it's happy times in every way for Connacht. They won't lose if they lose. And if they win. Well....

2 Tickets Bothar Mór End. €20 Each.

Sexton's ready for Bundee I hear...:whistle:

pinky wrote: Bookies had Connacht -1 for this earlier in the week (I hate being slight favourites) but now they're at a more typical +3 for some reason, so I can relax a bit in the slightly longer grass.

Connacht +6 now. Nice long grass, Savannah-like. Good practice for the Africa trip.

(15-9) Tiernan O’Halloran, Cian Kelleher, Tom Farrell, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy, Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion, (1-8)Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan (C), Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Quinn Roux, Sean O’Brien, Colby Fainga’a, Robin Copeland.

Replacements (16-23): Tom McCartney, Peter McCabe, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, James Cannon, Paul Boyle, Caolin Blade, Craig Ronaldson, Niyi Adeolokun.

How wrong was I? Henshaw the only first XV guy missing (you could debate lock and 7 but he's the only unquestioned starter left out). First appearance at the Sportsground for Sexton in 8 years.

15. Rob Kearney (198)
14. Jordan Larmour (25)
13. Garry Ringrose (52)
12. Joe Tomane (4)
11. James Lowe (15)
10. Johnny Sexton (150) CAPTAIN
9. Luke McGrath (98)
1. Cian Healy (193)
2. Seán Cronin (156)
3. Tadhg Furlong (87)
4. Devin Toner (220)
5. Scott Fardy (24)
6. Rhys Ruddock (144)
7. Josh van der Flier (62)
8. Jack Conan (77)

16. James Tracy (69)
17. Ed Byrne (25)
18. Andrew Porter (33)
19. Ross Molony (66)
20. Seán O’Brien (116)
21. Nick McCarthy (28)
22. Ross Byrne (52)
23. Rory O’Loughlin (44)

salmson wrote: Despite the unguarded response to an unexpected & nonsensical question by Mensa's Cian Healy, and the best efforts of Ross O'Carroll-Kelly tribute act Luke Fitzgerald to talk up this fixture, I'm finding it hard to see any other scenario than Leinster resting pretty much everyone and sending down a seconds team. Hopefully we'll see Fardy & Tomane though.

Any of the really big names who started against Edinburgh definitely won't start against us, as picking them would commit them to a minimum 5 starts on the trot (Henshaw's played the last three so that would mean eight on the trot). Those who didn't start against Edinburgh probably won't start against us, as that would mean 4 starts in a row.

Leinster have one league win against us in the Sportsground before the first tranche European games, in 2006. Admittedly that's a tiny sample size (about half a dozen games) but you get the feeling they have much bigger fish to fry, and if we play to anything close to the standard we did last week we should put them away.

Cullen won't get drawn into the big rivalry hype as some people in the media have pushed this week. as much as I'd like to see aki v henshaw matchup the stats as you say point towards many of the big names being rested. Rob Kearney may get a start which considering the pace we have in the back three we can put him under a lot pressure

overstrander wrote: Well we've always felt quite a bit of antipathy towards them for all their resources etc.
But if they are starting to feel hatred towards us, then they must finally be seeing us as a threat. More of the same please!

Couldn't agree more. I've always hated the term "Everybody's second favorite team" often applied to Connacht. It's like you neighbors cute little puppy who wags his tail, does what he's told and loves when you pet him and tell him what a good boy he is. Leinster now have to deal with the fact that Connacht is now a fully grown Rottweiler. Fine if respected and left alone, but set foot in our garden and you'll probably be counting you vital parts on the way to A&E if your lucky.

Bookies had Connacht -1 for this earlier in the week (I hate being slight favourites) but now they're at a more typical +3 for some reason, so I can relax a bit in the slightly longer grass.

Couldn't agree more Overstrander. Bring on the hatred. At least that presupposes respect.
I would take very little credence of what wee Luke has to say. He's never been the brightest which I guess is exemplified by him depending for his profile (and income) these days on a sponsored podcast. This was the guy if we remeember during his career was wont to pull out of games suffering from nothing more than a broken nail!

Despite the unguarded response to an unexpected & nonsensical question by Mensa's Cian Healy, and the best efforts of Ross O'Carroll-Kelly tribute act Luke Fitzgerald to talk up this fixture, I'm finding it hard to see any other scenario than Leinster resting pretty much everyone and sending down a seconds team. Hopefully we'll see Fardy & Tomane though.

Any of the really big names who started against Edinburgh definitely won't start against us, as picking them would commit them to a minimum 5 starts on the trot (Henshaw's played the last three so that would mean eight on the trot). Those who didn't start against Edinburgh probably won't start against us, as that would mean 4 starts in a row.

Leinster have one league win against us in the Sportsground before the first tranche European games, in 2006. Admittedly that's a tiny sample size (about half a dozen games) but you get the feeling they have much bigger fish to fry, and if we play to anything close to the standard we did last week we should put them away.

Well we've always felt quite a bit of antipathy towards them for all their resources etc.
But if they are starting to feel hatred towards us, then they must finally be seeing us as a threat. More of the same please!