Connacht Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread - Part II

connachta

porterbelly wrote: »

Id imagine TOH being brought on ahead of Niyi had alot to do with the weather conditions as he provides that more assurance in the air being a natural full back on the wing.

It wasn't a day for Niyi really.

TOH did look hungry for action and he needs to be because he's 4th choice winger now really and 3rd choice full back. Hopefully the competition brings the best out in him because he has undoubted talent but with the likes of Ciaran Gaffeney coming through the academy, he might struggle for a contract after next season unless he rediscovers some form.

Mils in his last year next season at best, and Leader will have to cover centre with Henshaw away, so I think TOH has good days in front of him to play FB


The main emergency for next season is to sign a blindside (Muldoon isn't eternal) and a tighthead (White isn't either)

AngeGal

Worth noting this season is now officially an improvement on last regardless of what happens from here on out in terms of points (now on 37, finished last season with 35.)

Am I the only one feeling reasonably optimistic about top6 at this stage?

Would expect a minimum of 8 points from Treviso and Zebre.

Three tough home games in Ulster, Glasgow & Ospreys but with the likes of Marmion, Henshaw and Aki back, hopefully Heenan back
to the top of his game and our home form this season (Edinburgh aside) don't think it's mad to suggest we can win one of those.

Munster in Thomond has never been good and despite the improvement this season, can't see us getting anything there especially with top 4 race so close - lbp would be great.

Cardiff away is the key - win there and it's definitely on.

We'll finish with 50+ for sure imo and think 55+ is possible, which will be tough for either Scarlets (despite their run easier run in) or Edinburgh to match.

ouncer

porterbelly wrote: »

Id imagine TOH being brought on ahead of Niyi had alot to do with the weather conditions as he provides that more assurance in the air being a natural full back on the wing.It wasn't a day for Niyi really.

TOH did look hungry for action and he needs to be because he's 4th choice winger now really and 3rd choice full back. Hopefully the competition brings the best out in him because he has undoubted talent but with the likes of Ciaran Gaffeney coming through the academy, he might struggle for a contract after next season unless he rediscovers some form.

If the last two weeks selections were any indication, toh is third on the list of wingers and very close to pushing darragh out of fb. Mils may be back in action but in truth I'd rather darragh or tiernan. Bottom line is I don't think tiernans contract is in question. I actually see this guy taking the fb position on a regular basis and challenging for the Irish 15 shirt

galwaylad14

ouncer wrote: »

If the last two weeks selections were any indication, toh is third on the list of wingers and very close to pushing darragh out of fb. Mils may be back in action but in truth I'd rather darragh or tiernan. Bottom line is I don't think tiernans contract is in question. I actually see this guy taking the fb position on a regular basis and challenging for the Irish 15 shirt

You must be looking at a different player to the rest of us so. Although I expect him to keep his contract he's not within an asses roar of being in contention for the Irish squad

RobbieRuns

ouncer wrote: »

If the last two weeks selections were any indication, toh is third on the list of wingers and very close to pushing darragh out of fb. Mils may be back in action but in truth I'd rather darragh or tiernan. Bottom line is I don't think tiernans contract is in question. I actually see this guy taking the fb position on a regular basis and challenging for the Irish 15 shirt

He would want to get hold of the Connacht 15 shirt first before he starts thinking of any other one. Not sure about that statement.

connachta

RobbieRuns wrote: »

He would want to get hold of the Connacht 15 shirt first before he starts thinking of any other one. Not sure about that statement.

The right thing is he probably has the raw talent for it, and is only 23. The rest is pure speculation. He did so so bad now and then last year...

Rickwellwood

A few things arising out of yesterday.....

Happy with the win but with Dragons shooting themselves in the foot early doors with the red card they made it easier for us in the end. We really didnt kill them off however and allowed them right back into the game which was disappointing.

Dragons captain (unprovoked assault on Jack Carty with his elbow) should be banned for 6 months minimum. That sort of blatant thuggery not acceptable on a rugby pitch. If one of ours had done it I'd be looking for the same.

In general it is terrific that we have good talented players coming back from long injuries and competing with the incumbents for their positions and at a pivotal point in our season. This is a huge positive. So there is now a task of skillful management of this matched with getting the best out of these players, bearing in mind our opposition in the run in.

We've covered this ground for many seasons but our deficiencies at 10 are glaring again, unfortunately. Any 9,10 combination is crucial for attacking rugby. Admittedly yesterdays conditions were nowhere near ideal for attacking mobile rugby, but when dragons 9,10 got going they were making yards and breaking the gainline in midfield far more often that we did with similar ball.

Pat Lam and his process this week needs to examine this in more detail and act on it.

Its terrific that we have true ball carriers like Masterson, Kearney, Mc Keon, Heenan, Mc Cartney, George, Mul, who cause havoc with defenses straight up. They identified gaps at the breakdown area and ran into the spaces available. This is coachable but its a dark art too so these players have this skill in spades and they proved it yesterday.

Treviso this week is another cup final.........and at home. Lets lift the intensity again, do the basics right and get the win. C'mon Connacht.

S12b

ouncer wrote: »

If the last two weeks selections were any indication, toh is third on the list of wingers and very close to pushing darragh out of fb. Mils may be back in action but in truth I'd rather darragh or tiernan. Bottom line is I don't think tiernans contract is in question. I actually see this guy taking the fb position on a regular basis and challenging for the Irish 15 shirt

You're dead right, once he gets ahead of Rob Kearney, Felix Jones, Jared Payne, Simon Zebo, Stuart Olding, Craig Gilroy, Ian Madigan, Dave Kearney, Keith Earls, JJ Hanrahan, Niall Morris and Darragh Leader.....he'll be right up there challenging for the Ireland 15 shirt!!

connachta

S12b wrote: »

You're dead right, once he gets ahead of Rob Kearney, Felix Jones, Jared Payne, Simon Zebo, Stuart Olding, Craig Gilroy, Ian Madigan, Dave Kearney, Keith Earls, JJ Hanrahan, Niall Morris and Darragh Leader.....he'll be right up there challenging for the Ireland 15 shirt!!

Kearney and Payne aren't young, most of the other guys you quoted don't play FB as prefered position. In a 4-year period, it might well be between him and Jones. But he will have to raise his level of play a lot

Bazzo

connachta wrote: »

Kearney and Payne aren't young, most of the other guys you quoted don't play FB as prefered position. In a 4-year period, it might well be between him and Jones. But he will have to raise his level of play a lot

Kearney is surprisingly young. 27 or 28 I believe.

total former

connachta wrote: »

Kearney and Payne aren't young, most of the other guys you quoted don't play FB as prefered position. In a 4-year period, it might well be between him and Jones. But he will have to raise his level of play a lot

Jones is only a year younger than Kearney.

connachta

Bazzo wrote: »

Kearney is surprisingly young. 27 or 28 I believe.

29 in a month. 33 in 4 years, too old to play his best IMO

connachta

total former wrote: »

Jones is only a year younger than Kearney.

So It's between TOH and Leader for RWC 2019:D

connachta

Assuming no-one steps up in the other 3 Academies, which is unsure bet for the least
But everything based on Ouncer speculations is unsure

S12b

connachta wrote: »

Kearney and Payne aren't young, most of the other guys you quoted don't play FB as prefered position. In a 4-year period, it might well be between him and Jones. But he will have to raise his level of play a lot

Please don't tell me you're actually trying to add credence to the view that Tiernan O'Halloran is a legitimate contender for Ireland.....

Hagz

If there comes a time where Tiernan O'Halloran is Ireland's full-back, either Connacht have done an incredible job in development, or Ireland have done an atrocious job in development.

connachta

S12b wrote: »

Please don't tell me you're actually trying to add credence to the view that Tiernan O'Halloran is a legitimate contender for Ireland.....

Not is, not at all. But might be, because Ireland may have a little void in 3-4 years with Kearney/Payne retired. Just saying there are currently very few 21 to 25 y-old contenders who are mainly FB right now (I consider Zebo Conway and Dave as mainly wingers)

its_phil

connachta wrote: »

Not is, not at all. But might be, because Ireland may have a little void in 3-4 years with Kearney/Payne retired. Just saying there are currently very few 21 to 25 y-old contenders who are mainly FB right now (I consider Zebo Conway and Dave as mainly wingers)

Relax, he's just back from injury. Let him get his form going and play some games before talk like that.

S12b

connachta wrote: »

Not is, not at all. But might be, because Ireland may have a little void in 3-4 years with Kearney/Payne retired. Just saying there are currently very few 21 to 25 y-old contenders who are mainly FB right now (I consider Zebo Conway and Dave as mainly wingers)

A LOT of if's, buts and maybes there....let's move on.

connachta

S12b wrote: »

A LOT of if's, buts and maybes there....let's move on.

Yeah no prob guys, was just saying that what Ouncer said isn't completely insane (unlikely but not crazy);) . Hard task to plead his cause sometimes here and I was expecting your reactions

freyners

I see the cheap shot merchant from sunday has done the fashionable thing and given a twitter apology for letting himself dragons and his team down. Nothing to jack for the damage he could have done with such a dirty dig. Hopefully the citing commissioners see through his bull****

macslash

About when were Aki and McCartney announced last year? April/May?

porterbelly

macslash wrote: »

About when were Aki and McCartney announced last year? April/May?

Think it was after the season had ended, June/July time

It was definitely late anyway so I wouldn't be too worried.

I'd imagine any would be high profile signings may hinge on Champions Cup rugby.

We don't need much inward movement, retain what we have, bring through SOB, Moloney, Romaine, Gaffney and add 3/4 I'd be happy.

A back row, 10 (depending on how Ronaldson goes til seasons end), 2nd row, would be happy enough with that.

CatFromHue

They were both announced in April I think, so late on in the season.

connachta

porterbelly wrote: »

Think it was after the season had ended, June/July time

It was definitely late anyway so I wouldn't be too worried.

I'd imagine any would be high profile signings may hinge on Champions Cup rugby.

We don't need much inward movement, retain what we have, bring through SOB, Moloney, Romaine, Gaffney and add 3/4 I'd be happy.

A back row, 10 (depending on how Ronaldson goes til seasons end), 2nd row, would be happy enough with that.

and a TH, as I said White isn't eternal and AhYou is a 2nd choice for now...

CatFromHue

I wouldn't want to be relying on Ah You in the wet in a HEC game tbh.

wp_rathead

Still no word on Poolman contract?

S12b

freyners wrote: »

I see the cheap shot merchant from sunday has done the fashionable thing and given a twitter apology for letting himself dragons and his team down. Nothing to jack for the damage he could have done with such a dirty dig. Hopefully the citing commissioners see through his bull****

Is the twitter apology not an official mitigating factor at this stage??

evil_seed

S12b wrote: »

Is the twitter apology not an official mitigating factor at this stage??

it's on par with breaking up with someone by text. Cowards way out

Robbo

Squad update.

Leader picked up a knee injury at full time against the Dragons. Looks like TOH may be starting at FB against Treviso.