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Connacht v Ulster - The Big One

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    #362
    connachta
    Registered Users Posts: 7,965 ✭✭✭connachta


    Bazzo wrote: »
    McKeon came off injured after a couple of mins but SOB II in to replace him so no big deal. Maybe it's just me but Carty didn't look 100% coming off at the end there either, and then there was Robb pulling up in the captain's run.
    Yes McKeon was carrying knock and SOB was 24th man anyway.
    If Jack isn't 100% I wouldn't be bother to see a Ronaldson/Robb/Aki combo
    If Robb isn't, I think Jack improved in the last two games and Carty/Ron/Aki is ok
    If both aren't 100% Ronaldson/Aki/Griffin would be interesting too
    We have depth there.


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    #363
    Interested Observer
    Registered Users Posts: 13,021 ✭✭✭✭Interested Observer


    I didn't see this match but have read Henderson didn't look great, possibly feeling the effects of his injury. Not good with the AIs approaching.


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    #364
    wp_rathead
    Registered Users Posts: 10,067 ✭✭✭✭wp_rathead


    I'm pretty sure he is still on antibiotics at the moment, wouldn't worry too much yet about Henderson. See how he goes in Europe


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    #365
    Kal El
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 613 ✭✭✭Kal El


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    I don't know about that. This was the first match this season that they resembled the team that won last year and it was against an injury decimated Ulster who still very nearly won.

    Oh I dont say they always win, but no boring rugby, they throw it around from everywhere. I havent watched a bad game since Pat came in, obviously there has been, I personally havent watched it


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    #366
    Kal El
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 613 ✭✭✭Kal El


    sydthebeat wrote: »
    They certainly don't play it perfectly.

    They are very adept at what they do, and last season they could carry it through the whole season, but as the Glasgow game showed, teams will have studied their style and will work to negate it.

    You mis understand me, I dont think they will win every game, more they make it exciting


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    #367
    Yeah_Right
    Registered Users Posts: 5,971 ✭✭✭Yeah_Right


    Kal El wrote: »
    Connacht could be the most exciting NH team to watch for a neutral. They play the game perfectly

    I reckon Wasps are the most exciting team to watch in the NH. Their games against Connacht could be Super Rugby-esque.


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    #368
    nice_guy80
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,723 ✭✭✭nice_guy80


    Marcus Horan lamenting the lack of % rugby from Connacht in getting ball out of defence last night on TG4

    Maybe Connacht's different approach is why they were the best team in the Pro 12 last season?


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    #369
    MarinersBlues
    Registered Users Posts: 1,290 ✭✭✭MarinersBlues


    nice_guy80 wrote: »
    Marcus Horan lamenting the lack of % rugby from Connacht in getting ball out of defence last night on TG4

    That stuff is getting kinda boring now.
    Pat answered the question very well in the press conference last week.
    It's on the Craggy podcast from the Edinburgh game.

    Basic summary: The opposition tire from all the tackling and the Connacht players are keeping their handling skills primed. As a result when they do work their way up the field there are more opportunities to score and the players are better able to take advantage.
    The key is to keep the turnovers to a minimum.

    We have lost games (eg Scarlets) as a result of kicking the ball away.

    We have BP wins in the games where people have been critical of this strategy (Edinburgh, Ulster, the Pro12 run in last year).


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    #370
    connachta
    Registered Users Posts: 7,965 ✭✭✭connachta


    MarinersBlues wrote: »
    nice_guy80 wrote: »
    Marcus Horan lamenting the lack of % rugby from Connacht in getting ball out of defence last night on TG4

    That stuff is getting kinda boring now.
    Pat answered the question very well in the press conference last week.
    It's on the Craggy podcast from the Edinburgh game.

    Basic summary: The opposition tire from all the tackling and the Connacht players are keeping their handling skills primed. As a result when they do work their way up the field there are more opportunities to score and the players are better able to take advantage.
    The key is to keep the turnovers to a minimum.

    We have lost games (eg Scarlets) as a result of kicking the ball away.

    We have BP wins in the games where people have been critical of this strategy (Edinburgh, Ulster, the Pro12 run in last year).
    I agree with all what Lam said but let's face it
    Sometimes we should clear our line more than we did
    Clearance kicks are not good enough when we did them


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    #371
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,929 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    connachta wrote: »
    I agree with all what Lam said but let's face it
    Sometimes we should clear our line more than we did
    Clearance kicks are not good enough when we did them

    I think they need to recognise better when kicking is the best option. The first few games of this season they seemed 100% committed to playing it off their own line even when it wasn't working. It also looked like a few teams had figured them out since last season, Glasgow in particular.

    I know Connacht had a few injuries last night too but if Ulster had even 1 of their missing guys last night, Pienaar or Olding, for example, that match could have turned out very differently for Connacht.

    I suppose the fact they won it will be all that matters if people try to criticise any of their decisions.


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    #372
    MarinersBlues
    Registered Users Posts: 1,290 ✭✭✭MarinersBlues


    connachta wrote: »
    I agree with all what Lam said but let's face it
    Sometimes we should clear our line more than we did
    Clearance kicks are not good enough when we did them

    Our tackling and kicking are weak points. Our passing and running are strong points.
    It is only right for us to play to out strengths.
    Using weak points is madness.
    Boschoff will be here for the winter months when kicking is more of a priority.The last couple of games were ideal for running rugby. As was the weather toward the end of last season.

    It does result in high scoring games but we consistently come out on the right side of them.
    We win more games and we get more BPs.


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    #373
    connachta
    Registered Users Posts: 7,965 ✭✭✭connachta


    MarinersBlues wrote: »
    connachta wrote: »
    I agree with all what Lam said but let's face it
    Sometimes we should clear our line more than we did
    Clearance kicks are not good enough when we did them

    Our tackling and kicking are weak points. Our passing and running are strong points.
    It is only right for us to play to out strengths.
    Using weak points is madness.
    Boschoff will be here for the winter months when kicking is more of a priority.The last couple of games were ideal for running rugby. As was the weather toward the end of last season.

    It does result in high scoring games but we consistently come out on the right side of them.
    We win more games and we get more BPs.
    Weather for Glasgow wasn't that bad, our back-line was full-strenght, and the exit strategy still wasn't "mixed" enough. At all.
    Agree for BPs and missing Boshoff though.


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    #374
    connachta
    Registered Users Posts: 7,965 ✭✭✭connachta


    I want to highlight how important Heenan has been since his comeback.
    Hidden behind Kell, Heff and Blade, but god this guy is the key of our system
    Another great volley pass (forward TBH) for Kelleher on 3rd try, crucial turnovers won, always gains ground and keeps possession, rarely misses a tackle. Even injured half of his 3 years in Ireland, I'm still as much convinced he's in contention for RWC 2019 as I've ever been


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    #375
    Bazzo
    Registered Users Posts: 7,047 ✭✭✭Bazzo


    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    I think they need to recognise better when kicking is the best option. The first few games of this season they seemed 100% committed to playing it off their own line even when it wasn't working. It also looked like a few teams had figured them out since last season, Glasgow in particular.

    I know Connacht had a few injuries last night too but if Ulster had even 1 of their missing guys last night, Pienaar or Olding, for example, that match could have turned out very differently for Connacht.

    I suppose the fact they won it will be all that matters if people try to criticise any of their decisions.

    Connacht have heaps of injuries too, neither side was close to full strength. Match day squad injured last night: Buckley, McCartney, SOB, Marmion, Robb, Healy. Those are all huge players for Connacht. Some of the guys who replaced them really stepped up, Heffernan and Blade had excellent games, but Buckley in particular is a massive loss. A prop who turns the scrum into a weapon, has the hands of a scrum half and turns over like a back row. And even then if your replacements step up(as they did) you're still playing with a significantly weakened bench.


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    #376
    connachta
    Registered Users Posts: 7,965 ✭✭✭connachta


    Bazzo wrote: »
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »
    I think they need to recognise better when kicking is the best option. The first few games of this season they seemed 100% committed to playing it off their own line even when it wasn't working. It also looked like a few teams had figured them out since last season, Glasgow in particular.

    I know Connacht had a few injuries last night too but if Ulster had even 1 of their missing guys last night, Pienaar or Olding, for example, that match could have turned out very differently for Connacht.

    I suppose the fact they won it will be all that matters if people try to criticise any of their decisions.

    Connacht have heaps of injuries too, neither side was close to full strength. Match day squad injured last night: Buckley, McCartney, SOB, Marmion, Robb, Healy. Those are all huge players for Connacht. Some of the guys who replaced them really stepped up, Heffernan and Blade had excellent games, but Buckley in particular is a massive loss. A prop who turns the scrum into a weapon, has the hands of a scrum half and turns over like a back row. And even then if your replacements step up(as they did) you're still playing with a significantly weakened bench.
    you even forgot Fox-Matamua


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    #377
    TICKLE_ME_ELMO
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 23,929 Mod ✭✭✭✭TICKLE_ME_ELMO


    Bazzo wrote: »
    Connacht have heaps of injuries too, neither side was close to full strength. Match day squad injured last night: Buckley, McCartney, SOB, Marmion, Robb, Healy. Those are all huge players for Connacht. Some of the guys who replaced them really stepped up, Heffernan and Blade had excellent games, but Buckley in particular is a massive loss. A prop who turns the scrum into a weapon, has the hands of a scrum half and turns over like a back row. And even then if your replacements step up(as they did) you're still playing with a significantly weakened bench.

    I know they had injuries too, that's why I said "I know Connacht had a few injuries last night too".

    My point was they still insisted on playing the ball out of their own 22 every time, and they would have done that too even if Ulster weren't missing half their back line and in that situation the result could have been very different.


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    #378
    Bazzo
    Registered Users Posts: 7,047 ✭✭✭Bazzo


    connachta wrote: »
    you even forgot Fox-Matamua

    I forgot SOB is actually back so you can swap him out for fox :p


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    #379
    testtech05
    Registered Users Posts: 1,995 ✭✭✭testtech05


    connachta wrote: »
    you even forgot Fox-Matamua

    And Masterson


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    #380
    connachta
    Registered Users Posts: 7,965 ✭✭✭connachta


    testtech05 wrote: »
    connachta wrote: »
    you even forgot Fox-Matamua

    And Masterson
    Big headache to come in less than 9 weeks.
    McKeon or SOB
    Masterson or Muldoon
    Heenan or Fox
    You can even mix, I'd love to see Heenan 7, Master 8, Nepia 6
    But what about Connolly?? Would be so good to have all those guys competinng at the same time... Dreams come true, sometimes..


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    #381
    flogthebog
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 259 ✭✭flogthebog


    connachta wrote: »
    Big headache to come in less than 9 weeks.
    McKeon or SOB
    Masterson or Muldoon
    Heenan or Fox
    You can even mix, I'd love to see Heenan 7, Master 8, Nepia 6
    But what about Connolly?? Would be so good to have all those guys competinng at the same time... Dreams come true, sometimes..

    As time rolls by usually the decisions are made by themselves. It always seems the case when someone returns someone else gets injured. So the decision is made easy normally. Its the nature of the attritional game that is rugby


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    #382
    Diabhal Beag
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15,238 ✭✭✭✭Diabhal Beag


    That's very true ouncer. Always seems like for every returning forward we lose two. You can't really plan that far ahead with our eternal injury crisis.


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    #383
    mfceiling
    Registered Users Posts: 12,788 ✭✭✭✭mfceiling


    Just watched it.

    Ulster were poor, very poor. Must have missed at least 40 tackles?

    Take nothing away from Connacht though...deserved winners.

    Ulster seem to lack the cynical play others do with ease. At a couple of rucks last night some of the players were held on to and not allowed back into the line. Ulster never seem to be able to do this at all... (no slight on connacht as leinster did a number on us a few years ago with this tactic and we still haven't learned from it).

    Pack were poor...Diack gets knocked back in every drive. Tommy Bowe didn't play well...bar 2 decent enough runs. I think it was connacht's first try that he looked at a player and basically put out an arm as an attempt at a tackle.

    Coetzee can't get into a white jersey quick enough.


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