H-Cup Draw for Connacht

[Leezer]

Toulouse, Harlequins, Gloucester, Connacht


i think its a good group, they deserve to see the big teams and will hopefully sell out the sportsground on each day!

[nopeare]

Toulouse, Harlequins, Gloucester, Connacht


i think its a good group, they deserve to see the big teams and will hopefully sell out the sportsground on each day!

its a great draw if I am not traveling to a match I would got down to see them play any of them and as someone else stated on another thred will help them sell season tickets aswell

[ronk]

Isn't that about the toughest possible group they could have landed.

[Donny B.]

Isn't that about the toughest possible group they could have landed.

It is of course, but they were always going to be up against it no matter who they drew. This way, they have three big homes games against well-known sides which they'll be able to sell lots of tickets for. If they're smart they'll sell them as a package and it will also hopefully help them shift more season tickets. The Sportsground is never an easy place to go, especially when the wind blows, so I'd bet on them getting at least one or two upsets. It's going to be a great adventure for them anyway.

[mikey]

Isn't that about the toughest possible group they could have landed.

It is of course, but they were always going to be up against it no matter who they drew. This way, they have three big homes games against well-known sides which they'll be able to sell lots of tickets for. If they're smart they'll sell them as a package and it will also hopefully help them shift more season tickets. The Sportsground is never an easy place to go, especially when the wind blows, so I'd bet on them getting at least one or two upsets. It's going to be a great adventure for them anyway.

I cant wait to see Toulouse play in the Sportsground on a day like the time Dr Phils kick came back through the posts at him - that kind of weather can be a real leveler!!

[claire_m]

With absolutely no disrespect to Connacht, I'm really hacked off with the group! I was looking forward to some away trips and I don't think I'll bother this year!

We seem to play Connacht every season - either in the European cup or pre-season. I think we've played them pretty much every season since the year we came back to the premiership (2006/7). Love Connacht, bored of the Sportsground, sorry.

Glaws - yawn! Really didn't want them.

Toulouse - we've played them recently too. OK, I had a great weekend in Toulouse, but there are so many French teams I'd love to play, I'm a bit annoyed. I may go depending on funds as I found some great violet liquor there, but I may just give a friend some money...

It's great for Connacht to be in the Heiney and I am pleased for them, I just wish we weren't in the same group...

[Hickiefan]

Why would any rugby fan not want to go to Toulouse?

Have you been to Galway? The ground may be a bit cr@p but the town is a great place to visit.

[claire_m]

Why would any rugby fan not want to go to Toulouse?

Have you been to Galway? The ground may be a bit cr@p but the town is a great place to visit.

I've been to Galway on more than one occasion (as has pretty much every Quins fan I know!) and ditto Toulouse.

Don't get me wrong, I like them both, but funds are very limited next season. I would have moved heaven and earth to have made an Italian game or one against another French side (and preferably one I've not been to). As it is, I may just do the day trip to Glaws, or I may just go to the pub with friends and watch all of the away games there. I don't think that travelling support will be as good as it could have been next season as people will be (and according to our fans forum are) reluctant to go to places that they are already familiar with. If they do go, it will be for day trips and local economies won't do as well out of Quins fans as they have done in the past / would have done if we'd gone to places that we haven't been to many times before.

Also, it seems Eric Elwood is in agreement:

"The Heineken Cup is the best club competition is Europe and we have been drawn with three fantastic teams, although it might have been nice to have a break from playing Harlequins and coming up against my good friends Conor O'Shea and John Kingston yet again."

[Hickiefan]

It's always nice to go to new places but getting good rugby towns and nice places generally is not to be sniffed at. I can certainly understand why you'd save the pennies and do shorter trips though. I'd go back to Toulouse every time, finances permitting.

[hugonaut]

Great group for Connacht - 3 teams that they don't play in the league, so no boredom factor [even if they've clashed with Quins a number of times in the past].

The biggest team in the history of the competition, in Toulouse, who are absolutely loaded to the gills with outstanding internationals. Two English teams, whose supporters always travel in pretty good numbers [in comparison to the French, for example]. An away trip to London [versus Quins], to the south of France [vs Toulouse] and to a real rugby heartland [vs Gloucester]. The two games against English clubs will get the home fires burning in the Sportsground, and people will definitely come for Toulouse.

It's a good draw for them, from my point of view.

[Comer Toes]

Great draw, shame about the decimated squad. Hagan, Carr, Keatley, Nathan, Wynne, Bibo, Willis, McComish, Cronin, Upton etc. etc. all gone... back row is the only position that looks healthy. I assume that Elwood was straight on to Philip Browne after the final whistle in Cardiff insisting that he does the necessary to free up the 9 or 10 guys in Leinster, Munster, Ulster that are not playing more than 4 or 5 ML games a year; 1 of the young Leinster 10's should move west, Ulster & Leinster have excess back 3 options, Munster could dispense a lock, or even 2 & the centre Dineen was hardly ever used.

It will be ugly unless there is significant movement over the next two months.

[porterbelly]

The budget is more or less the same as usual and has actually been cut from the figure that we were guaranteed in December. No surprise there. We're at least 4/5 players of short of being able to have a squad that can compete competitively on 2 fronts. Our scrum could be decimated without a recognised tighthead. Big question marks over Ah You and Maguire. Maguire will be good in a year or 2 but it's a colossal ask to ask for him to lock a scrum against heavyweights like Toulouse. Jamie Stevens is 31 and has been signed from Wegians. Desperation stuff. That's what you get on a shoestring. After the high hopes of getting Benson Stanley it looks like no such big name will be arriving. Henry Fa'afili is the name being bandied about as the 'high profile centre', which is very underwhelming and suggests there's very little cash available.

I'm confident our 1st team can give anyone a game, our back row is excellent and with the likes of Ofisa, McKeown and Grace as back up it looks healthy. We now have options at 9 too. However, we look poor at 10. Tighthead is a major headache. If Duffy get's injured we have no one really who can step in at 15. 2nd row depth is non existent, 3 recognised locks in Swift, McCarthy and Browne, with Browne more comfortable at 6. It's the same old, same old really. In a season that promises so much off the field in terms of attendances for big games etc, there's major worries on the field, and I'm sure Elwood knows that despite the positive spin he has to put on it. It shouldn't have to be like this

[Ultra Vires]

Why would any rugby fan not want to go to Toulouse?

Have you been to Galway? The ground may be a bit cr@p but the town is a great place to visit.

I've been to Galway on more than one occasion (as has pretty much every Quins fan I know!) and ditto Toulouse.

Don't get me wrong, I like them both, but funds are very limited next season. I would have moved heaven and earth to have made an Italian game or one against another French side (and preferably one I've not been to). As it is, I may just do the day trip to Glaws, or I may just go to the pub with friends and watch all of the away games there. I don't think that travelling support will be as good as it could have been next season as people will be (and according to our fans forum are) reluctant to go to places that they are already familiar with. If they do go, it will be for day trips and local economies won't do as well out of Quins fans as they have done in the past / would have done if we'd gone to places that we haven't been to many times before.

Also, it seems Eric Elwood is in agreement:

"The Heineken Cup is the best club competition is Europe and we have been drawn with three fantastic teams, although it might have been nice to have a break from playing Harlequins and coming up against my good friends Conor O'Shea and John Kingston yet again."

Just be happy you didnt get Leinster.

1 I'm sure you've been to Dublin loads more times than you've been to Galway.
2 Its way more expensive here.
3 You'd be coming away with nothing after the Boys in Blue get their 4 try bonus point win.

[claire_m]

Why would any rugby fan not want to go to Toulouse?

Have you been to Galway? The ground may be a bit cr@p but the town is a great place to visit.

I've been to Galway on more than one occasion (as has pretty much every Quins fan I know!) and ditto Toulouse.

Don't get me wrong, I like them both, but funds are very limited next season. I would have moved heaven and earth to have made an Italian game or one against another French side (and preferably one I've not been to). As it is, I may just do the day trip to Glaws, or I may just go to the pub with friends and watch all of the away games there. I don't think that travelling support will be as good as it could have been next season as people will be (and according to our fans forum are) reluctant to go to places that they are already familiar with. If they do go, it will be for day trips and local economies won't do as well out of Quins fans as they have done in the past / would have done if we'd gone to places that we haven't been to many times before.

Also, it seems Eric Elwood is in agreement:

"The Heineken Cup is the best club competition is Europe and we have been drawn with three fantastic teams, although it might have been nice to have a break from playing Harlequins and coming up against my good friends Conor O'Shea and John Kingston yet again."

Just be happy you didnt get Leinster.

1 I'm sure you've been to Dublin loads more times than you've been to Galway.
2 Its way more expensive here.
3 You'd be coming away with nothing after the Boys in Blue get their 4 try bonus point win.

I'd have preferred Leinster actually. Quins have never played Leinster in Dublin and I could have caught up with my friends.

anyway, it's all academic now! There does seem to be some unwritten law that whenever Quins and Connacht are in the same competition, they must be drawn together and I look forward to no doubt renewing some friendships, but it would have been nice to have gone somewhere new... That said, we are in the Heiny next season and I'm just very grateful for that...

[king]

@porterbelly, I share your feelings about tighthead but outside of that I am pretty happy with how our first choice selection could look.

Wilkinson, redneck, ah you
McCarthy browne
Muldoon george ofisa
Murphy Jarvis
Mccrea Henry griffin vianikolo
Duffy

I'm pretty excited by the backs and a bit concerned about tight head, and as usual we will have to make do at 2nd row.

[porterbelly]

@porterbelly, I share your feelings about tighthead but outside of that I am pretty happy with how our first choice selection could look.

Wilkinson, redneck, ah you
McCarthy browne
Muldoon george ofisa
Murphy Jarvis
Mccrea Henry griffin vianikolo
Duffy

I'm pretty excited by the backs and a bit concerned about tight head, and as usual we will have to make do at 2nd row.

I'm hoping Jarvis can nail down the 10 spot as well, no faith in O'Connor or Nikora

O'Connor for Ofisa at 7, O'Connor is back to his best and while I'm a huge fan of Razor, O'Connor has to start. He is like a wild animal these days, a pure nuiscance for the opposition. Ofisa will see plenty of games though as well at 7 and 8 as I hope we do a small bit of rotation. High hopes for Eoghan Grace as well if he stays fit, incredible at Shannon and if he can recapture that form he'll be a superb asset to the team. Eoin McKeown will see action as well. Tiernan O'Halloran is very talented and if he gets the head right there's no reason why he can't become a mainstay on the wing.

Wilko Reyneke Ah You
Macca Browne
Muldoon Naoupu Concrete
Murphy Jarvis
O'Halloran Fa'afili Griffin Vainikolo
Duffy

Flavin
Maguire
Loughney
Swifty
Ofisa
O'Donoghue
Nikora
McCrea

[ceemec]

Interesting scenario at Connacht in relation to their NIQ players. They have 6 signed not including Ofisa who is Irish qualified. However, Ofisa has been brought into the Samoan training squad for the WC. If he was to be given a cap he would lose his Irish eligibility and Connacht would have 7 NIQ players. I wonder did Connacht try to dissuade him from accepting the call up or was it done in the knowledge that the IRFU will allow them a dispensation for the unusual circumstances involved?

[porterbelly]

Interesting scenario at Connacht in relation to their NIQ players. They have 6 signed not including Ofisa who is Irish qualified. However, Ofisa has been brought into the Samoan training squad for the WC. If he was to be given a cap he would lose his Irish eligibility and Connacht would have 7 NIQ players. I wonder did Connacht try to dissuade him from accepting the call up or was it done in the knowledge that the IRFU will allow them a dispensation for the unusual circumstances involved?

I'd say we'd have to be allowed dispensation. Ofisa has a 1 year contract signed. He should get capped and I hope he does. Cracking player, one of the great NIQ successes.

[CRAZYDAVE]

Why would any rugby fan not want to go to Toulouse?

Have you been to Galway? The ground may be a bit cr@p but the town is a great place to visit.

Toulouse in November, -8 degrees!! Ouch