Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117887365#Comment_117887365

Since Fainga left Jarrad has looked very ordinary

SqueakyKneecap

That move to 8 seemed to really do a number on his confidence because he was fantastic prior.

macslash

Eagles playing Leinster A tomorrow, the Eagles will line out as follows:

15. Oran McNulty

14. Josh O’Connor

13. Peter Sullivan

12. Cathal Forde

11. Mack Hansen

10. Conor Fitzgerald (C)

9. Will Reilly

1. Charlie Ward

2. Dylan Tierney-Martin

3. Greg McGrath

4. Eoin Ryan

5. Fiachna Barrett

6. Jonny Murphy

7. Oisin McCormack

8. Ciaran Booth

Reserves

16. Kolo Kiripati

17. Bart Vermeulen

18. Kacper Palamarczuk

19. Gareth Kilkelly

20. Matthew O’Hara

21. Matthew Devine

22. Darragh Kennedy

23. Declan O’Loughlin

That's hardly the hooker Murphy at 6 is it??

Bazzo

Came to ask the same question. Don't recall there being any other Jonny Murphys?

Wegians89

Rewatched the first half of the London Irish match there after being up at the match last week.

wasnt half as bad as I expected. Line out is still shocking and kills any forward momentum.

with a tmo and a decent ref could have been a different game.

Digifriendly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117903939#Comment_117903939

From what I saw Connacht were well and truly hammered never mind the TMO and poor refereeing.

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117903534#Comment_117903534

Callow team. A hooker at 6, two u19s in the row, and no sub tighthead. If McGrath is to be 3rd choice loosehead it would have been nice to get him some minutes there during pre season.

u20: Kolo Kiripati, Kacper Palamarczuk, Matthew O'Hara, Matthew Devine, Darragh Kennedy, Declan O'Loughlin

u19: Eoin Ryan, Fiachna Barrett, Gareth Kilkelly

realhorrorshow

Senior players yet to feature this season:

Denis Buckley

Finlay Bealham

Sam Illo

Leva Fifita

Gavin Thornbury

Sean Masterson

Abraham Papali'i

Caolin Blade

Bundee Aki

Peter Robb

Alex Wootton

Seems that Illo, Fifita, Thornbury, Masterson, Robb, and Wootton may be injured.

connachta

That's proving, again, McGrath is NOT moved to LH and Bealham will

that's my guess

ClanofLams

Niyi starting for Bristol tonight against Saracens, with Jake Heenan on the bench.

connachta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117904194#Comment_117904194

Well except 4-5-6 and bench, that's a team made of (potential) senior players

Hansen, McNulty, Fitzgerald, Tierney, McGrath, even Sullivan and Murphy out of positions will benefit from gametime and be readier if needed, which is the aim of Eagles.

Lost Ormond

FT | Connacht Eagles 67-7 Leinster Development XV

Dont think too many expected that result!

KBurke85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117907836#Comment_117907836

Leinster had a very young and inexperienced team we had a much stronger team named in fairness. Great result all the same

FACECUTTR

It's finally game week !!!! We get a team update today don't we ?

Utopia Parkway

Murray Kinsella

@Murray_Kinsella

#Connacht boss Andy Friend says they are close to finalising a deal for a new loosehead prop.

Denis Buckley will sidelined with his knee injury through until the end of the year.

KBurke85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117918862#Comment_117918862

Looking at some of he training photos it looks like Wootton is out anyway

KBurke85

https://www.the42.ie/connacht-loosehead-prop-5554225-Sep2021/?utm_source=shortlink

Injury info here. Thornbury out long term with a shoulder injury

connachta

Great great news about LH prop!

connachta

Not good for Thornbury but Dowling looks fit.

I'd have no SH on the bench in the situation, and put Healy in n°21 for 2 games before Caolin is back

Marmion can play 80 and Matt will provide cover only if needed

FACECUTTR

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117919563#Comment_117919563

Seems like a big list already. Good opportunity for Murray and Dowling and the Academy sh,s.

Training must be hot and heavy.

realhorrorshow

So something like:

1. Jordan Duggan
2. Shane Delahunt
3. Finlay Bealham
4. Ultan Dillane
5. Niall Murray
6. Cian Prendergast
7. Conor Oliver
8. Paul Boyle
9. Kieran Marmion
10. Jack Carty
11. Ben O'Donnell
12. Tom Daly
13. Sam Arnold
14. John Porch
15. Tiernan O'Halloran
16. Dave Heffernan
17. Matt Burke
18. Jack Aungier
19. Oisin Dowling
20. Jarrad Butler
21. Will Reilly
22. Conor Fitzgerald
23. Tom Farrell

Hooker could go either way, Delahunt had serious wobbles at the lineout against Irish but was great all last season. Not a great balance in the second row but we don't have much in the line of tighthead locks available. It's likely that one or both of Masterson and Butler will start for leadership, but I went with the form players in the backrow. The coaches will obviously have a good read on whether Farrell is ready to start but I've conservatively opted to ease him in from the bench. Hard to call the back 3, think it's Porch + Wootton + another but with Wootton injured it's wide open.

realhorrorshow

Loosehead

Denis Buckley (31) - Signed contract in 2021

Matthew Burke (24) - Signed contract in 2021

Jordan Duggan (23) - Signed contract in 2021

Charlie Ward (21) - Academy year 2

Tighthead

Jack Aungier (22) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Finlay Bealham (30) - Signed contract in 2021

Sam Illo (20) - Signed 2 year contract in 2021

Greg McGrath (24) - Signed contract in 2021

Dominic Robertson-McCoy (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Hooker

Shane Delahunt (27) - Signed contract in 2021

Dave Heffernan (30) - Signed contract in 2021

Jonny Murphy (29) - Signed contract in 2021

Dylan Tierney-Martin (22) - Signed contract in 2021

Declan Adamson (22) - Academy year 3

Eoin De Buitléar (19) - Academy year 2

Lock

Ultan Dillane (27) - Signed contract in 2021

Oisin Dowling (24) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Leva Fifita (32) - Signed contract in 2021

Niall Murray (21) - Signed contract in 2021

Gavin Thornbury (27) - Signed contract in 2021

Darragh Murray (20) - Academy year 2

Back row

Paul Boyle (24) - Signed contract in 2021

Jarrad Butler (30) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Eoghan Masterson (28) - Signed contract in 2021

Sean Masterson (23) - Signed contract in 2021

Conor Oliver (25) - Signed contract in 2021

Abraham Papali’i (28) - Signed contract in 2021

Cian Prendergast (21) - Signed contract in 2021

Ciaran Booth (21) - Academy year 2

Donnacha Byrne (20) - Academy year 2

Oisin McCormack (20) - Academy year 3

Scrumhalf

Caolin Blade (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Kieran Marmion (29) - Signed 3 year contract in 2020

Colm Reilly (22) - Signed contract in 2021

Will Reilly (u21) - Academy year 1

Outhalf

Jack Carty (29) - Signed contract in 2021

Conor Fitzgerald (23) - Signed contract in 2021

Cathal Forde (19) - Academy year 2

Centre

Bundee Aki (31) - Signed 3 year central contract in 2020

Sammy Arnold (25) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Shayne Bolton (21) - Signed contract in 2021

Tom Daly (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Tom Farrell (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Peter Robb (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Shane Jennings (20) - Academy year 3

Back 3

Mack Hansen (23) - Signed 2 year contract in 2021

Matt Healy (32) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Oran McNulty (21) - Signed contract in 2021

Ben O'Donnell (26) - Signed contract in 2020

Tiernan O'Halloran (30) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

John Porch (27) - Signed contract in 2021

Peter Sullivan (23) - Signed contract in 2021

Alex Wootton (27) - Signed contract in 2021

Diarmuid Kilgallen (21) - Academy year 2

Josh O'Connor (20) - Academy year 1

connachta

Bolton may be the surprise call for 23 at least

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117920392#Comment_117920392

Seems a powerful runner but I thought he was caught out quite badly in defence a couple of times vs Irish.

connachta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117920485#Comment_117920485

May need time to overcome a really good pairing like Farrell/Daly, but Sam Arnold is, yes for now maybe more cohesive, but not more talented IMO

ClanofLams

I don't really understand why loosehead signing took so long, but hopefully it's a very experienced player. I see media reporting that Butler will be "club" captain but may not always captain the team when playing as they want to develop younger leaders, seems unusual.

Squad looks shallow enough already even with loosehead incoming, will likely need academy players to step up very often this season.

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117920958#Comment_117920958

Seems it was difficult because they were only offering a one year deal. Not sure why, even with Buckley back we could still use another quality option beyond this season.

Wegians89

Kind of excited for this season, think it’ll go better than most expect. Oisin McCormack could be one to surprise a few this year

Zeugnis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117922302#Comment_117922302

Things are certainly looking brighter with the news that a loosehead is incoming. I too am excited about McCormack especially becasue that seven jersey is up for grabs. Hoping that Cathal Forde get a good crack at the first team as well.

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117922492#Comment_117922492

looks like Forde is being lined up as a 12, he’d have a much easier path at 10