Connacht in Russia

Temperatures expected to reach -22 tomorrow for their game - surely there's a serious risk of hypothermia?? How is it physically possible to play in those temperatures?

As good as it is to build rugby in some areas, it is farcical the journey connacht have had to make and the conditions they have to play in.

Ouch

Shhh. Don't tell Gatland. He will probably think it is a good conditioning run out for his players.

Seriously, this could be dangerous.

I recall the NY Giants in a playoff game at Green Bay back in 2008. Temps were similar and they were all bundled up.
If -22° is right, this could be a major problem.

The pitch is also frozen and covered in snow!

So the players get to warm up by shovelling snow before the match?

Given the way Connacht have been trying to play for the last few seasons even in normal temperatures.... -22 will sure be incentive to start at full tilt and keep going at full tilt for the full 80.... just to stay alive

Being from Connacht they probably won't notice much difference

Yeah...that windchill coming off the raw Atlantic in winter can feel similar!

Yep, chills to the bone. The hard ground might be a problem though. Might be an interesting game.

They won 34 - 14. Game was streamed live and is on youtube.

Thanks, prof. I meant to watch it this morning, but had to miss it.

24autotv, youtube channel is where its on.





Match over, time for bed.

Wasn't a bad game. Didn't expect a whole lot from Enisey, weak scrum, but they weren't bad at all. Nice to see Lam giving them a bit of praise when he was chatting to their coach.

I see they play the remainder of their games in a warmer climate. Too cold for them.

Their 15 is the pitting image of Robbie Keane.

That's a great pic of them, prof

Seemed too blydi cold to me. Was there a pitch inspection?

Surprised if they don't get freezer burn

I'm sure there was a pitch inspection, Dave. The ground would have been fairly solid though. A few sore bodies in the morning.

Munchkin wrote:Surprised if they don't get freezer burn

I'm sure there was a pitch inspection, Dave. The ground would have been fairly solid though. A few sore bodies in the morning.

-18c apparently. Feckin 'ell that's cold. I assume it was a heated pitch?

Incidently, it was  the Connacht guys that looked more comfortable in the conditions.  The Russian guys were blowing on their hands and looked frigid.  The Connacht boys seemed to be concentrating too much to even think of it much.

I remember these guys (Enisei) used to play a friendly every year against Connacht A team. Quite fitting that they were drawn with Connacht and that for their 1st European game they got to play their 1st team this time.

Read that there was only 18 Connacht fans that made the journey, fair play to them.

Hopefully the lads can do well this season.

Some young lads, with hopefully a bright future.

Only? That's a great number imo.

More than Edinburgh send to most away games!

Indeed! And pretty much any French team too.

SecretFly wrote:Incidently, it was  the Connacht guys that looked more comfortable in the conditions.  The Russian guys were blowing on their hands and looked frigid.  The Connacht boys seemed to be concentrating too much to even think of it much.

The thing is Krasnoyarsk where Yenisey-STM play is closer to Mongolia than it is to Europe, how can this be an European team when the side comes fro Asia. Did the game take place in Krasnoyarsk ?

It looks like an absolute beautiful city though:-

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Krasnoyarsk&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=923&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CCsQsARqFQoTCM3VgvqxlckCFYm1Ggod-K0HDQ

It looks a beautiful area.  And it was fun watching the crowd play at keeping warm during the halftime break.

Girls dancing, people jumping on the spot.  Looked like a happy place.

They've had a bit of a nightmare trying to return home. Their chartered flight had computer failure. Not great preparation to face Brive.

Cardiff Dave wrote:

Munchkin wrote:Surprised if they don't get freezer burn

I'm sure there was a pitch inspection, Dave. The ground would have been fairly solid though. A few sore bodies in the morning.

-18c apparently. Feckin 'ell that's cold. I assume it was a heated pitch?

Didn't look like it. They are moving the rest of their game to somewhere warmer, so I wouldn't think so, although looking at some of the swimwear pics that LD posted, they seem to like the cold

Munchkin wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:

Munchkin wrote:Surprised if they don't get freezer burn

I'm sure there was a pitch inspection, Dave. The ground would have been fairly solid though. A few sore bodies in the morning.

-18c apparently. Feckin 'ell that's cold. I assume it was a heated pitch?

Didn't look like it. They are moving the rest of their game to somewhere warmer, so I wouldn't think so, although looking at some of the swimwear pics that LD posted, they seem to like the cold

Well used to the cold I spose with wind and rain too, but not a concrete pitch.