Treviso-Connaught. (KO, 7:30)

BrokenMan

Irlandczyk wrote: »

Bit of a strange decision there, not sure I understand the logic.

There is no logic. That was the one decision that wasn't possible.

AngeGal

Carty looks lively.

CatFromHue

A losing bonus point would be good to take from this game.

Beery Eyed

AngeGal wrote: »

Carty looks lively.

That was a nice half break & offload by him to Duffy. Pity it didn't come to more, but it's good to see him showing ambition in a difficult game to come into like this. Doesn't look out of place at all

Almaviva

AngeGal wrote: »

Carty looks lively.

Can anyone tell us about this guy ?

porterbelly

Shambles

ouncer

Can we say this is the end to parks and Duffy tonight. Utter pants. Said it a million times. Poolman is a great winger but a poor centre. How the feic did gavin stay on for 80 minutes. Toh proved that he can tackle and Fionn had some great runs. Shocked that lam did not wish to use Healy. Rodney was Rodney. Next week is heineken cup time and would like to see toh at full back, Healy and fionn on the wings and griffin (if available) with mcsharry at centre.

porterbelly

ouncer wrote: »

Can we say this is the end to parks and Duffy tonight. Utter pants. Said it a million times. Poolman is a great winger but a poor centre. How the feic did gavin stay on for 80 minutes. Toh proved that he can tackle and Fionn had some great runs. Shocked that lam did not wish to use Healy. Rodney was Rodney. Next week is heineken cup time and would like to see toh at full back, Healy and fionn on the wings and griffin (if available) with mcsharry at centre.

Agree re Parks and Duffy

Poolman did ok, except for defence on last try

Healy isn't fully fit. Nobody else to put on bench. 16 injured, add at least 3 more to that tonight

AngeGal

Almaviva wrote: »

Can anyone tell us about this guy ?

Young (21 I think)outhalf from Buccaneers, represented Ireland at u18s and u20s. Has impressed for Connacht seconds aswell but obviously tonight was a big step up from that.

WallyGUFC

Shocking performance really. This tactic of running the ball from their own end line is absolutely suicidal stuff. Treviso's first try was a farce, for instance. Plenty of possession, particularly when Treviso had your man in the bin, but the basic handling, technical and tactical errors were terrible as well as their spacial awareness (as evidencd by the amount of offside and obstruction pens given away).
Duffy was shocking, and it amazes me as to how Rodney Ah You can continue to receive a wage off the Connacht Branch. How anybody so overweight, unfit and capable of such extraordinary brainfarts (pen given away with 10 mins to go) can call himself a professional rugby player is farcical.
Massive improvement needed from players and management or next weekend could be a demolition job.

ouncer

porterbelly wrote: »

Agree re Parks and Duffy

Poolman did ok, except for defence on last try

Healy isn't fully fit. Nobody else to put on bench. 16 injured, add at least 3 more to that tonight

Why would you travel to Italy with Healy unable to be involved. So the reason Gavin wasn't replaced is because we had a player on the bench who wasn't fit enough to play. That aside, and I'm at a loss why you would travel with a player unable to play, this was Gavin's final play. While many may say I am a very negative supporter all I can say is that Gavin has been a servant of Connacht rugby for as long as I have supported the team. He has given everything to this team. But like everybody there reaches a time to step down

connemara man

Ok I genuinely need someone anyone to give mé a positive after that, we were shocking. There seems to be a serious lack of fight in the team, heads seem to be dropping around the pitch, the front row took a battering, the fact that Clarke was first to Fionns breaks was shocking, and there seemed to be a lack of direction.

We dont look like a team that deserve a spot at the top table of Europes elite and from what iv seen this year Im worried about this season

wp_rathead

Sarries will be licking their lips
all Farrell has to do is kick it into our 22, we will try run it, fail, and concede pens and tries in the process


Heenan impressed me again, fact he is only 21 is so exciting

ouncer

So Saracens next weekend. What did we learn. Well Rodney is not a starting player that is a cert. Gavin was shocking. So I guess we get a new back line with so'oialo at full back (first time for his appearance) and then your lost. Mcsharry hasn't played a game in nearly a year so is he ready, griffin is injured, Murphy isn't good enough, poolman is a winger and not a centre, Robbie is no bod and does not know how to recycle or offload at pace. Dan is not the figure of authority he used to be. Marmion is far too slow.

So that's the negatives. Positives, hope Healy is available for duty, would like to see mcsharry and griffin in the centre and poolman at 14. Think toh proved tonight that he can defend and recycle and would like to see him at 15 with so'oialo as bench replacement. Fionn, as said in the past is great going forward, but Saracens will not allow the open space he had tonight so his defensive weaknesses will become obvious if he is selected. Robbie will become a better player in due course but he has yet to learn to offload/pass at both 13 or 15.

What is it with Connacht and an injury list. As with last year it seems half the team is injured and we are only a few games into the season

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

ouncer wrote: »

So Saracens next weekend. What did we learn. Well Rodney is not a starting player that is a cert. Gavin was shocking. So I guess we get a new back line with so'oialo at full back (first time for his appearance) and then your lost. Mcsharry hasn't played a game in nearly a year so is he ready, griffin is injured, Murphy isn't good enough, poolman is a winger and not a centre, Robbie is no bod and does not know how to recycle or offload at pace. Dan is not the figure of authority he used to be. Marmion is far too slow.

So that's the negatives. Positives, hope Healy is available for duty, would like to see mcsharry and griffin in the centre and poolman at 14. Think toh proved tonight that he can defend and recycle and would like to see him at 15 with so'oialo as bench replacement. Fionn, as said in the past is great going forward, but Saracens will not allow the open space he had tonight so his defensive weaknesses will become obvious if he is selected. Robbie will become a better player in due course but he has yet to learn to offload/pass at both 13 or 15.

What is it with Connacht and an injury list. As with last year it seems half the team is injured and we are only a few games into the season

even your positives are mostly negatives

molloyjh

I didn't see the see the full game but one thing stood out from what I did see. Connacht were well able to put together a few decent bits of play. There were some really good lines being run at times and some really nice line breaks that should have led to more. But silly errors inside the opposition 22 cost them numerous scoring chances. That's where the focus needs to be over the next week. Less running inside their own 22 and more focus and concentration inside the oppositions. There were definite signs of Lams influence and it looked like it could reap really positive results if the players can knock some of the basic errors on the head.

Keep the heads up and stay behind your side. The last thing they and you need is a big loss of confidence. As bad as things looked last night there were small things that, if sorted, could turn it around.

porterbelly

We have a lineout that can compete on the opposition throw. Clarke made 2 steals last night and the Treviso hooker got jittery

For the love of Jesus, we had Muldowney, Clarke, Browne and George who are lineout jumpers, so we were well able compete to turnover ball at the lineout. So play territory-Parks forte, and go from there.

Bloody common sense

its_phil

ouncer wrote: »

So Saracens next weekend. What did we learn. Robbie is no bod and does not know how to recycle or offload at pace. Marmion is far too slow.

It just shows how blinded with hatred you are for Henshaw that you include him in your post-match analysis of the game last night. He wasn't even playing so in all reality you were just having a rant about him again for the sake of it.

The offload thing is crap too. He's probably one of the best in our team at carrying the ball in to contact and getting his hands free. The problem is, like it was when Fa'Fili was here, is our support runners are dire. Go watch the ulster game again and see how many times he gets his hands free in the contact if you don't believe me.

The Marmion thing I let go a few weeks ago when you said something along the lines of he didn't want to digging for the ball when it hadn't come fully out of the scrum. But if IIRC he puts his hands on the ball while it is in the scrum, then at that very moment his hand touches the ball it is out and he's going to get clattered before he can pass the ball. The number 8 needs to manage the ball coming out of the scrum not the 9. Even if your talking about his passing from the ruck, I honestly don't know what your talking about.

I think a few positives from the game are our scrum, line out and POD. POD has really stepped it up after two years of poor performances. TOH showing up some of the Connacht fans who have some sort of beef with him was also good.

The flaws are obvious there is too much Southern Hemisphere rugby going on in our own 22 and the option to kick for territory is not being used enough. But like MolloyJH says I think we are getting there and when we do it should be good. The skill levels are a lot better this year but the line depth being taking by players is too flat at times. Duffy has had a very poor start to the season, he needs a couple weeks off.

CatFromHue

its_phil wrote: »

But like MolloyJH says I think we are getting there and when we do it should be good.

Another thing to keep in mind has been your fixture list.

You beat the team you would expect to beat (Zebre) but the some of the other games you wouldn't expect Connacht to do well as in your opposition would be hoping to win the comp (Ulster and Ospreys). Going away to Cardiff and Treviso are not easy games either.

For me it's too early to see where Connacht really are.

student1990

Connacht had a great chance to kick on this year, really not happening.

Almaviva

student1990 wrote: »

Connacht had a great chance to kick on this year

Why did you think that ?

Connacht is designed by the IRFU never to be able to 'kick on'. The structure is self correcting every year to keep them towards the bottom of the league with players who are either over the hill, or never going to make it, or maybe-will-maybe-wont make Lei/Mun/Uls level but leave them in Connacht for a few years to find out, where they wont harm the chances of our 'real' contending provinces. To improve would require having better players - the structure is that a better player will go to one of the other three provinces or abroad as soon as he is good enough to do so, and that lesser players will collect there.

student1990

fairly talented young bunch of players being the biggest reason.

Tox56

Almaviva wrote: »

Why did you think that ?

Connacht is designed by the IRFU never to be able to 'kick on'. The structure is self correcting every year to keep them towards the bottom of the league with players who are either over the hill, or never going to make it, or maybe-will-maybe-wont make Lei/Mun/Uls level but leave them in Connacht for a few years to find out, where they wont harm the chances of our 'real' contending provinces. To improve would require having better players - the structure is that a better player will go to one of the other three provinces or abroad as soon as he is good enough to do so, and that lesser players will collect there.

Eh?? Connacht have brought in better players and this is helped in no small part by Connacht being exempt from the current NIQ restrictions implemented on all other provinces.

In terms of NIQs Connacht were able to bring in a Samoan international, the two time Super Rugby winning captain and the NZ U20 skipper. That's just in the last summer.

All this is in addition to the IQ signings of an Aviva Premiership and Heineken Cup starting second row, the AIL player of the season, Fionn Carr and Sean Henry

I really don't see what this has to do with the IRFU. Connacht have a very strong squad (there are many promising young talents and quality players who were involved last season to go with all those named above), it's now about performing on the pitch

Almaviva

Tox56 wrote: »

In terms of NIQs Connacht were able to bring in a Samoan international, the two time Super Rugby winning captain and the NZ U20 skipper.

That doesnt mean they are good enough to bring the team to a higher level.

Your examples support my point :

Tox56 wrote: »

All this is in addition to the IQ signings of an Aviva Premiership and Heineken Cup starting second row

The one he is replacing was 'too' good for Connacht so moved up a level.

Tox56 wrote: »

Fionn Carr

'Looked' good at Connacht so worth trying out at Leinster. Not up to that level at all, so end up moving back.

Tox56 wrote: »

Sean Henry

Tested but not up to standard for Munster. So back to Connacht.

Tox56 wrote: »

the AIL player of the season

AIL says enough, with all due respect, even if player of the season. But the same syndrome will apply - if he really is good enough he will move on pretty quickly.

i.e. its a constant evolution of better players moving up and lesser players moving to Connacht.

Tox56 wrote: »

I really don't see what this has to do with the IRFU.

They will not pay or leave there any international level players that they want to contract centrally.

Tox56 wrote: »

there are many promising young talents

Promising meaning good (possibly) in the future. Not week n week out now.


Its a difficult situation for the fans and I have sympathy for the situation - effectively a seconds team for the other three, despite the efforts to build support, loyalty, and a run of wins. But almost pointless - any sign of success really only leading to a greater pruning to bring it back a step.
The players are probably OK with it I guess though, in that it is a step on the ladder or opportunity to try for better things.Effectively the squad being 'handicapped' every year to keep it at the same level. The situation will likely get worse if the HC saga really does have a detrimental effect on the income available to keep Irish players in Ireland. If there is an exodus of the stars from the 3 top provinces, it will be todays Connacht level players that will fill the gaps. Pushing Connacht further down the ranks.

CatFromHue

Do the players have no say in whether they move or stay? Or are they just IRFU pawns?

Almaviva

CatFromHue wrote: »

Do the players have no say in whether they move or stay? Or are they just IRFU pawns?

I presume they have a say. But in practice, the IRFU decides where the money goes so you cant blame the players for following that.

CatFromHue

Almaviva wrote: »

I presume they have a say. But in practice, the IRFU decides where the money goes so you cant blame the players for following that.

The provinces can't outbid each for players i.e. whatever Connacht were offering Carr and McCarthy Leinster could only equal.

Almaviva

So they move out purely to play at the higher level then. Or move in because one of the big provinces is letting them go whether they like it or not to make room for someone better.

CatFromHue

Almaviva wrote: »

So they move out purely to play at the higher level then. Or move in because one of the big provinces is letting them go whether they like it or not to make room for someone better.

Well yeah, that's a natural thing.

The IRFU don't and can't control this aspect of life.

jacothelad

Almaviva wrote: »

Why did you think that ?

Connacht is designed by the IRFU never to be able to 'kick on'. The structure is self correcting every year to keep them towards the bottom of the league with players who are either over the hill, or never going to make it, or maybe-will-maybe-wont make Lei/Mun/Uls level but leave them in Connacht for a few years to find out, where they wont harm the chances of our 'real' contending provinces. To improve would require having better players - the structure is that a better player will go to one of the other three provinces or abroad as soon as he is good enough to do so, and that lesser players will collect there.

From where can Connacht recruit the top class players you think they need?