Connacht Team Talk Thread V - The Friend Zone

connachta

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ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

13-6 Connacht. Not a great view on Connacht Clan (though obviously better than nothing!!) but Fitzgerald seems to be going well, great touch line conversion. De Buitléar put a huge hit in earlier on also.

wp_rathead

You've got a Friend in me

27-13 now with 20 mins to go
Dissapointing 2nd half so far

Edit: Boyle in the bin now too

flatty

Abject performance here. Missing tackles. Don't look interested. Poor enough really. Fans travelled a long way. Worst I've nearly ever seen from connacht. Sale are band average

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

wp_rathead wrote: »

27-13 now with 20 mins to go
Dissapointing 2nd half so far

Yeah. Turnover at 13 all in 22 then botched clearance by Connacht led to try was disaster.

Now five yards from Sale line throw an interception, gets all the way to Conn 22 before late tackle leads to yellow card. Comedy of errors really

wp_rathead

You've got a Friend in me

Ashton hattrick

connachta

High score against us as predicted.
Good to see we held vs Sale main for a Half

connachta

High score against us as predicted.
Good to see we held vs Sale main for a Half

Utopia Parkway

Terrible 2nd half after we could easily have gone in ahead at half time.

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Sale are average at best.

Obviously it’s a bit of mix and match for Connacht with an inexperienced bench but losing the last half hour of the game 35 mins - 65 mins) 28-0 isn’t good at all.

connachta

Well don't forget Aki, Butler, Marmion, Roux, and Bealham are coming back into the team next week. Probably Healy too. Will be different half-changed lineup.

Diabhal Beag

Good start but they died when TOH knocked on.

Thought Fitz was very good but Horowitz disasterous.

We suffered an ashsplah too sadly.

freyners

The Friend Zone

Immediate thoughts.

Fitzgerald looks a serious prospect. Great kicking. Should have set us up for a try almost immediately but for a faf eating the yc for deliberate knock on

Horowitz started very brightly but after the first spell faded and was poor. Made one monster tackle

De butleair looked good. Could challenge healy kelleher and niyi soon.
Copeland possibly had his best game so far for us also

Tohs knock on into the try was the turning point unfortunately imo. Life went out of us. Can well take them at home if its all to play for.

Finally. The day Ashton finally knocks on a splash will be a great day for rugby

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

With the money for Reece hopefully maybe investing in Adam Byrne could be an option. I’d say Byrne would be cheaper and would keep an now spot open for a prop

connachta

Wegians89 wrote: »

With the money for Reece hopefully maybe investing in Adam Byrne could be an option. I’d say Byrne would be cheaper and would keep an now spot open for a prop

We need a prop now IMO

connachta

Wegians89 wrote: »

With the money for Reece hopefully maybe investing in Adam Byrne could be an option. I’d say Byrne would be cheaper and would keep an now spot open for a prop

We need a prop now IMO

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

A disastrous 5-10 minute period lost that game. An excellent turnover on our line and then Tiernan botched the clearance and they scored straight away from the scrum. Then some great attack but intercepted on their line and they go the length of the pitch and score. Heads dropped after that unfortunately and the game was done.

Fitzgerald and De Buitlear will be challenging the match day squad sooner rather than later. Fitzgerald did incredibly well for his 2nd(?) senior cap. Haven't seen enough of Horwitz to judge properly yet but wouldn't be surprised if Fitzgerald is the number 2 going forward.

Don't think average is a fair way to describe that Sale team. They've been underperforming in the premiership imo, they have some absolutely top quality players and they were full strength yesterday. De Klerk is an absolute bollox to play against.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Bazzo wrote: »

A disastrous 5-10 minute period lost that game. An excellent turnover on our line and then Tiernan botched the clearance and they scored straight away from the scrum. Then some great attack but intercepted on their line and they go the length of the pitch and score. Heads dropped after that unfortunately and the game was done.

Fitzgerald and De Buitlear will be challenging the match day squad sooner rather than later. Fitzgerald did incredibly well for his 2nd(?) senior cap. Haven't seen enough of Horwitz to judge properly yet but wouldn't be surprised if Fitzgerald is the number 2 going forward.

Don't think average is a fair way to describe that Sale team. They've been underperforming in the premiership imo, they have some absolutely top quality players and they were full strength yesterday. De Klerk is an absolute bollox to play against.

On Horwitz I think he really deserves a long time before being judged. Not only is he a player coming back from injury but he’s after moving hemispheres, changing back to ten and hadn’t even played at all for the rebel’s last season. It’ll take a while for him to get up to speed as a ten

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

Wegians89 wrote: »

On Horwitz I think he really deserves a long time before being judged. Not only is he a player coming back from injury but he’s after moving hemispheres, changing back to ten and hadn’t even played at all for the rebel’s last season. It’ll take a while for him to get up to speed as a ten

I'm not saying Horwitz is crap, I was just really impressed by Fitzgerald. I've barely seen Horwitz play which is why I mentioned I wasn't judging him yet but obviously the branch see something in him to sign him from Australia and seemingly intending him to be 2nd choice/challenging for starts.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Bazzo wrote: »

I'm not saying Horwitz is crap, I was just really impressed by Fitzgerald. I've barely seen Horwitz play which is why I mentioned I wasn't judging him yet but obviously the branch see something in him to sign him from Australia and seemingly intending him to be 2nd choice/challenging for starts.

Was t saying you were I have seen others saying he looked terrible after ten minutes. Just meant in general he shouldn’t be judged yet. Delighted Fitzgerald went well, he looked extremely nervous last week in the sports ground so good to hear he went well.

flatty

We had more problems at 9 yesterday. After a sequence of botched licks, he just kept at them. Missed a tackle which ended in a try for sale right on half time, and was nothing more than workmanlike otherwise. 10 looked promising, but the back line, indeed the whole team,looked disjointed and flat. Sale are bang average. Leinster would beat them out the gate. Ashton is one of the biggest pr1cks in world rugby. That sale scrum half is an annoying nightmare, love him if he plays for you, hate him if he plays against. Once the ref had decided that was a deliberate knock on, it was surely a penalty try btw.

Buer

Adam Byrne would be a waste for Connacht. He's very similar to the current Connacht wingers and not particularly an upgrade. You would be far better off spending elsewhere.

connachta

loosehead

connachta

loosehead

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Wonder how likely it is Ireland squad players will be available this week? Presume Marmion will be as he needs minutes anyway but Aki and anyone else who makes the cut (hooker/second row I guess with Tom Farrell being outside shot)?

The Lost Sheep

flatty wrote: »

We had more problems at 9 yesterday. After a sequence of botched licks, he just kept at them. Missed a tackle which ended in a try for sale right on half time, and was nothing more than workmanlike otherwise. 10 looked promising, but the back line, indeed the whole team,looked disjointed and flat. Sale are bang average. Leinster would beat them out the gate. Ashton is one of the biggest pr1cks in world rugby. That sale scrum half is an annoying nightmare, love him if he plays for you, hate him if he plays against. Once the ref had decided that was a deliberate knock on, it was surely a penalty try btw.

With several players making debut especially the 10 the backline would be disjointed. Leinster are going to be a challenger for champions cup so of course Leinster would likely beat a side in challenge cup
Ashton isnt that bad at all.

Diabhal Beag

Just on Horowitz:
I hope nobody thinks I'm writing him off after his first appearance for the first team. Anybody there will tell you though that he had a rough day at the office. A clearance kick that didn't find touch lead to a Sale try in the second half. It's the sorta stuff Carty used to get crucified for online. Even though he made a few mistakes he worked his bollocks off in defence. He likely still isn't fully right since his injury too.

Was super impressed by Fitzgerald though. He was everywhere, his kicking was excellent and didn't avoid any hard contact collisions in his defensive capacity. Sale targeted him 3 metres out from the line with huge backrowers carrying but he still did his best to make the tackles despite the immense size difference.

We need a solid replacement outhalf for Carty and no harm to see a lad like Fitz putting in a big shift like last Saturday. Hopefully its onwards and upwards.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Anyone get up the Connacht hotel and get a look at the plans?

KBurke85

The Friend Zone

Wegians89 wrote: »

Anyone get up the Connacht hotel and get a look at the plans?

Few pics and stuff over on the connacht clan forum

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

All internationals available this week thankfully. McCabe, Sean O’Brien and Peter Robb back available.

Thornbury, McKeon and Masterson back in ‘coming weeks’. Matt Healy not available this week.

http://www.the42.ie/connacht-injury-update-craig-ronaldson-4301722-Oct2018/