Connacht Team Talk Thread V - The Friend Zone

The Lost Sheep

realhorrorshow wrote: »

This is such a short term point of view. Connacht players spending time in international camp is good for Connacht rugby because:

a) The player gets exposure to the best players and coaches in the country and brings that experience back to the province with him.
b) The player will be more likely to remain with Connacht, knowing that his provincial form will get him into the international squad.
c) Players from other provinces will be more likely to sign for Connacht knowing that provincial form could be rewarded with international honours.
d) Having more players in the international squad adds prestige to the Connacht brand and long term should generate revenue through bums in seats, additional sponsorship, etc.

Totally agree And...
e) Connacht get more games to play younger, less experienced players in less pressurised games where international players are not involved
Having more players in international camp is totally win win win.

Burkie1203

Mul, it's over

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'm not really clear on the rules for the current Ireland bubble and releases etc but what I do know is these upcoming nations cup games have to played. If an outbreak costs Ireland one or two games it is potentially ruinous and the squad depth at the provinces will be the victim.

I would guess movement in and out will be kept to an absolute minimum to ensure games are not lost. AFAIK (friend is an IRFU staffer) players have a short break from camp this coming week but have some fairly strict guidelines to adhere to.

connachta wrote: »

I 100% want them to be released rather than being 4th choice and not playing a minute with Ireland

If (as Dillane today), one of them is 3rd choice so on the bench, good, I'm happy
If Baird is back, it's not the same situation, at least for 1 of Roux or Dillane

So your basically taking the next few weeks as more important then the next 2, 5, 10 years for connacht rugby. Your also ignoring that the players will have international ambitions and not being in camp hinders them.

And as Thomond pointed out, financially these games are bringing in revenue that's badly required.

connachta

I still say all of you may regret a loss against Dragons if we miss few points in the end of the season and we don't qualify for Europe
that's the massive aim.

Yes playing Racing 92 is more important than having 4th choice non-playing guys kept in an extended squad.
But again it was about one of our locks released if, and only if, Baird is back as he was initially

Burkie1203

Mul, it's over

connachta wrote: »

I still say all of you may regret a loss against Dragons if we miss few points in the end of the season and we don't qualify for Europe
that's the massive aim.

Yes playing Racing 92 is more important than having 4th choice non-playing guys kept in an extended squad.
But again it was about one of our locks released if, and only if, Baird is back as he was initially

R92 game doesnt clash with any Ireland game

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

connachta wrote: »

I still say all of you may regret a loss against Dragons if we miss few points in the end of the season and we don't qualify for Europe
that's the massive aim.

Yes playing Racing 92 is more important than having 4th choice non-playing guys kept in an extended squad.
But again it was about one of our locks released if, and only if, Baird is back as he was initially

We'll regret it more if players don't want to move to/stay at Connacht because Connacht players seem to be less likely to be in Ireland squads.

connachta

Burkie1203 wrote: »

R92 game doesnt clash with any Ireland game

I was using Racing as an great example of what is at stake for qualification in next European season
(not for the game this season)

connachta

Bazzo wrote: »

We'll regret it more if players don't want to move to/stay at Connacht because Connacht players seem to be less likely to be in Ireland squads.

I doubt any player would move to Connacht mainly because he's (not even 4th but) 5th choice Irish squad player (which is what Dillane was until Baird+Roux got injured)


Look I've never ever said I wasn't happy to see Dillane play tonight for example, and I do hope he becomes 3rd choice for RWC who knows.
I'm saying that, at the moment, when 3rd and 4th choices are back, which seems the case for next game, I hope him released!
No more than that in my intial words:)

thomond2006

Some Like It TOH

Burkie1203 wrote: »

I would guess movement in and out will be kept to an absolute minimum to ensure games are not lost. AFAIK (friend is an IRFU staffer) players have a short break from camp this coming week but have some fairly strict guidelines to adhere to.

35 odd players have to be retained for a reason.
Look how close Wasps were to not fulfilling the Premiership Final fixture. If a few players had to suddenly self-isolate then the backup players have to already be in the bubble. Look at the disaster of the Barbarians fixture. Ireland cannot afford to call off matches.

Burkie1203

Mul, it's over

connachta wrote: »

I was using Racing as an great example of what is at stake for qualification in next European season
(not for the game this season)

And the IRFU are struggling for cash. Cash which keeps the provinces going.

The games in the next 5 weeks have to be played. Look at last week. RFU lost £1,000,000.

connachta

thomond2006 wrote: »

35 odd players have to be retained for a reason.
Look how close Wasps were to not fulfilling the Premiership Final fixture. If a few players had to suddenly self-isolate then the backup players have to already be in the bubble. Look at the disaster of the Barbarians fixture. Ireland cannot afford to call off matches.

I get that but clearly next week it's said players are released under strict conditions. I do hope these include provincial training and game for fringe players. Provinces squad are in kind of "bubles" too, and those players could engage into extra precaution in their life home

Burkie1203

Mul, it's over

connachta wrote: »

I get that but clearly next week it's said players are released under strict conditions. I do hope these include provincial training and game for fringe players. Provinces squad are in kind of "bubles" too, and those players could engage into extra precaution in their life home

We saw what happened with premier league players going to play international football 3 or 4 weeks ago

Think IRFU might have to keep a degree of separation. Expect only a handful of players to be released back if any

connachta

It was supposed to be an Eagles game in October, nothing happened?

connachta

Hell yes pessimistics were wrong!!

https://www.the42.ie/connacht-boost-ireland-dragons-5253497-Nov2020/?utm_source=shortlink

Burkie1203

Mul, it's over

connachta wrote: »

Hell yes pessimistics were wrong!!

https://www.the42.ie/connacht-boost-ireland-dragons-5253497-Nov2020/?utm_source=shortlink

Nobody was wrong. Nobody knew what exactly the IRFU had planned given the importance of staging the games in the next 5 weeks and the situation can change in hours (look at the national football team to see)

I would imagine players had been tested at least twice last week before they switched camps.

connachta

You were abslotely wrong saying unlikely they wouldn't be released. They are. And for the best

b.gud

connachta wrote: »

You were abslotely wrong saying unlikely they wouldn't be released. They are. And for the best

In fairness most people weren't saying that it was unlikely more they were saying that they would prefer the players to stay in the Ireland camp if it helped their chances of playing for Ireland rather than lining out against the Dragons.

We should really be able to fairly easily dispatch Dragons without our internationals. If we can't then we have big problems. Though I must say it will be good to have one of Roux/Dillane available to give Thornbury a weekend off

Dog Botherer

You've got a Friend in me

Dragons are absolute muck. the Eagles would probably beat a full strength Dragons side.

connachta

b.gud wrote: »

In fairness most people weren't saying that it was unlikely more they were saying that they would prefer the players to stay in the Ireland camp if it helped their chances of playing for Ireland rather than lining out against the Dragons.

We should really be able to fairly easily dispatch Dragons without our internationals. If we can't then we have big problems. Though I must say it will be good to have one of Roux/Dillane available to give Thornbury a weekend off

Dragons home is always a tricky (above all with Tompkins/Rowlands back). Could be decisive to have most internationals.


And I agree with our defence coach saying they desperatly need real gamtime rather than imprisoned in training sessions only. Including to raise their chance for Ireland



Except Bundee of course, who'll be rested

Tommybojangles

Mul, it's over

Obviously theres lots of positives to having players in the Ireland squad but I think the reaction to Connachtas original post was a bit harsh. There's times over the last few years where the absence of Bundee and certainly Jack during the Injry crisis a few years ago cost us crucial points and we ended up narrowly out of the race for Europe.

Look obviously then we held onto Bundee because he became an ireland regular while playing for us and that amazing, but I dont think anyone should be shot down for saying it would be nice to get Ultan back for Dragons, which is a must win game, and not one we are above losing

Burkie1203

Mul, it's over

connachta wrote: »

You were abslotely wrong saying unlikely they wouldn't be released. They are. And for the best

No. I said movement in and out would be kept to a minimum. We didn't know what that would be exactly given the current covid 19 circumstances.

FACECUTTR

https://www.the42.ie/abraham-papalii-connacht-5253684-Nov2020/?section=comment#comments

Sounds like a really positive addition. Great to get a guy in the forwards like that along with Bundee.

RonnieL

FACECUTTR wrote: »

https://www.the42.ie/abraham-papalii-connacht-5253684-Nov2020/?section=comment#comments

Sounds like a really positive addition. Great to get a guy in the forwards like that along with Bundee.

What's the story with Ben O'Donnell? Looks to me like we announced his signing 4 months ago, but he did his ACL in January - did we really sign him a few months into his recovery from an injury many players struggle to recover fully from?

connachta

FACECUTTR wrote: »

https://www.the42.ie/abraham-papalii-connacht-5253684-Nov2020/?section=comment#comments

Sounds like a really positive addition. Great to get a guy in the forwards like that along with Bundee.

50/50 O'Donnel comes for Champions Cup and Iterpros, massive incentive for him


Big Papa is what I expected, Nick Williams 2.0

FACECUTTR

RonnieL wrote: »

What's the story with Ben O'Donnell? Looks to me like we announced his signing 4 months ago, but he did his ACL in January - did we really sign him a few months into his recovery from an injury many players struggle to recover fully from?

We were stuck at the time and Friend has worked with him in the past so I'd trust his judgement. If he gets over the injury only time will tell I suppose. Porch doing a great job at the moment at 15 and Wooton has been fantastic.

RonnieL

FACECUTTR wrote: »

We were stuck at the time and Friend has worked with him in the past so I'd trust his judgement. If he gets over the injury only time will tell I suppose. Porch doing a great job at the moment at 15 and Wooton has been fantastic.

Porch has been brilliant, and I would also trust Andy's judgement, it's all just come as a bit of a surprise to me. I remember the announcement of his signing, then news that he'd arrived in Galway, but only recently that he's actually (badly) injured. I assumed I just hadn't been paying proper attention. Fingers crossed he recovers well and contributes meaningfully to the squad sooner rather than later.

realhorrorshow

RonnieL wrote: »

Porch has been brilliant, and I would also trust Andy's judgement, it's all just come as a bit of a surprise to me. I remember the announcement of his signing, then news that he'd arrived in Galway, but only recently that he's actually (badly) injured. I assumed I just hadn't been paying proper attention. Fingers crossed he recovers well and contributes meaningfully to the squad sooner rather than later.

His injury was known about and many of us expressed concerns on here at the time, including myself. I personally have no idea why we signed him when we could have signed someone who didn’t have a torn acl, but time will tell I guess.

FACECUTTR

realhorrorshow wrote: »

His injury was known about and many of us expressed concerns on here at the time, including myself. I personally have no idea why we signed him when we could have signed someone who didn’t have a torn acl, but time will tell I guess.

I'd imagine the contract was not a big money deal as he had the injury.

Burkie1203

Mul, it's over

Only Marmion and Roux available for Connacht from Ireland squad

connachta

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Only Marmion and Roux available for Connacht from Ireland squad

Well that's exactly who we need, especially a 2nd row


Weird about Carty, but it might bode well for him to play with Ireland, good news

roverjoyce

You've got a Friend in me

connachta wrote: »

Well that's exactly who we need, especially a 2nd row


Weird about Carty, but it might bode well for him to play with Ireland, good news

Carty dropped from the squad