Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

kita99

there are 4connacht players in U20 ireland squads.

Barrett(TH).West(OH),younger Devine,Gavin(CTB).

Gavin is yet U19.

Someone who saw him at some gameor practice,please teach that he has played.

StevenToast

Whats the point of drip feeding contract extension announcements....just announce them all and be done with it....

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120124452#Comment_120124452

1 article gets in the news once.

Multiple articles draw attention to Connacht rugby on multiple occasions.

The more Connacht are in the press, the more chance of someone saying, you know what, I must buy a ticket for a game/buy a jersey/invest some of my time in the team.

All press is good press, so things get dragged out on purpose

StevenToast

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120124512#Comment_120124512

Good answer

realhorrorshow

Niall Murray signed through to 2025. Wouldn't have had him down as a flight risk but good bit of business nonetheless.

realhorrorshow

Priorities now are Denis Buckley, Shane Delahunt, Gavin Thornbury, Paul Boyle, and Kieran Marmion imo.

tintedgreenglasses2016

Central contracts must end. We can't have a situation where players who are not selected for provincial duty must be selected for international duty.

Dubinusa

Buckley is getting on. I think he's 32? This could be his last contract.

Niall Murray is a fantastic player. I rate him better than Thornbury.

SqueakyKneecap

Thornbury was about to hit that next level imo before his second most recent injury layoff. He came back after and was good but hasn't been able to reach the same heights. Niall Murray has reached that next level imo as he's improved so much since that Ulster win in the Aviva.

Wegians89

Really hope Shane Jennings and Mccormack are in the 23 this week

crisco10

Hey - looking to go to the Edinburgh match for a stag in March (coming from Dublin). Obviously terrace tickets would be easier to manage etc, which is the "best" terrace in the Sportsground for a bit of atmosphere/view/pints?

TIA

eagle eye

On the coaching thing. I wonder could we get Andrew Goodman? He won the New Zealand Cup coaching Tasman a few years ago. He's certain to be a head coach in Europe in the not too distant future. If you could get him now he could build his profile with Connacht. We have plenty of players who played under him with Leinster so he might be tempted.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120133409#Comment_120133409

id be pretty sure Goodman is eyeing up Lancasters role at leinster.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120133433#Comment_120133433

Is Lancaster leaving?

Actually I just remembered he is going to Racing.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120133500#Comment_120133500

assuming youre serious ?? :D

yes

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/15186/12705835/stuart-lancaster-to-leave-leinster-to-become-racing-92-director-of-rugby

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120133511#Comment_120133511

Yeah, just edited my post to say I remembered. Somehow it slipped out of my head. I'd still be willing to wait to see what happens there. Obviously if he gets that offer he is going nowhere.

Zeugnis

Team v Newcastle:

15. Mack Hansen (23)

14. Adam Byrne (4)

13. Byron Ralston (11)

12. Cathal Forde (6)

11. Alex Wootton (39)

10. Conor Fitzgerald (62)

9. Colm Reilly (16)

1. Denis Buckley (221)

2. Shane Delahunt (123)

3. Finlay Bealham (184)

4. Leva Fifita (21)

5. Josh Murphy (10)

6. Shamus Hurley-Langton (11)

7. Conor Oliver (53)

8. Jarrad Butler (106) (C)Replacements

16. Dylan Tierney-Martin (14)

17. Jordan Duggan (33)

18. Jack Aungier (42)

19. Darragh Murray (4)

20. Ciaran Booth (4)

21. Caolin Blade (160)

22. Tom Daly (70)

23. Tom Farrell (89)

AccidentallyOnside

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120133402#Comment_120133402

You won't get clan stand as it sold out with season ticket holders. Bohermore and College Road are terrible places to watch rugby, bad view and very exposed, only really suitable for kids to run about in.

Thar only leaves you the main stand.

SqueakyKneecap

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120133966#Comment_120133966

If they got a hospitality package they'll get Clan tickets. I think's like 80 per head but you get a meal and a couple of pints.

I'd sooner get mainstand tickets and then go to the wooden terrace beside the stand. Easy to get a good spot without needing to be an hour early, can see the match and handy to get pints because there's a heineken stall underneath it too.

crisco10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120134146#Comment_120134146

Thanks both, yeah was leaning toward the "Main terrace" alright. I can't imagine the place will be thronged for an Edinburgh game a week after 6 nations, so the behind the posts terraces seem a tad bleak. Don't think we're interested in the Clan hospitality, will be doing other things for food later in the day.

Just double checking - thanks again.

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120133409#Comment_120133409

Goodman is in his first hear in Leinster.

You have zero players who have played under him at Leinster. You may in a few years but not now.

realhorrorshow

All to play for tomorrow after Bath and Zebre do us favours by holding Glasgow and Toulon to a draw and a non-BP win respectively. A bonus point win tomorrow guarantees top two and thus home games in the round of 16 and quarter final, however if we finish 3rd or 4th the our becomes much harder.

Top spot seems unlikely as we would need Brive to deny Cardiff a win, although it does look like they have named a stronger team this time around.

Good results elsewhere tonight. A win tomorrow gets us up to 3rd seed. Bonus point win gets us 2nd seed. I cant see Cardiff dropping the ball on top seeding. Looks like Newcastle have a pretty strong team out so even a win will be difficult but 2nd seed would be huge in the bigger picture.

3rd seeding we could end up with Clermont-Ferrand or Ulster or Sale and away in quarters if manage to pull through that whereas 2nd seed you could get Cheetahs or Pau or Stade maybe and the added benefit of a home last 8 tie if you get through that.

We are unlikely to win this competition but getting a couple of knockout games in the sportsground would keep a bit of excitement in the season and you never know how the cards fall with teams priorities later in the season.

SqueakyKneecap

Tomorrow is the biggest match of the season so far in all honesty. I see Falcons have 0 points so far which means they'll be unreal tomorrow knowing our luck.

I hope we don't regret missing on the TBP at home to Falcons.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120137106#Comment_120137106

I agree with this, but am struggling then to see why Connacht are not going fully loaded for it? I know it’s worked out fine so far to pick these heavily rotated selections in this tournament, but can’t understand at this point in the season why not go balls out to try and win it, get the home knock out game etc?

I’m not saying there aren’t a lot of Connacht’s best players in that side, but certain selections (Reilly-Fitzgerald at half back) don’t point to Wilkins/Friend putting out their obviously strongest side.

AccidentallyOnside

I think we've rolled the dice and lost here; presumed toulon and Cardiff would get 5 points each so one match point or 5 made no difference. With toulon not getting 5 we're heading into a massive game with a heavily rotated squad and a break coming up after next week.

Not ideal but need some guys to step up big time today.

Jump_In_Jack

Qualification guaranteed so giving the squad a good rotation is the best thing to build strength. Hopefully can get the win, and a try bonus point would be fantastic.

b.gud

Coming towards the end of the first half Brive are beating Cardiff by 17-3 having scored 3 tries

FACECUTTR

Cardiff start the second half with 2 scores. Back in it.

FACECUTTR

Brive 37 Cardiff 24 65mins