Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

connachta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120464529#Comment_120464529

Gosh.

DeBuitlear 16 then, no choice.

Kilgallen Byrne or Jennings on the wing, choices there

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120464550#Comment_120464550

Is delahunt fit? Would be keen to see him on the pitch one last time.

connachta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120464611#Comment_120464611

Was supposed out for the season and even if he theorically is, very bad idea to throw him without gametime for months and apparently not very happy how it went...

Though have him in the pocket for next week in case of injury would be a plus...

Connacht announced a signing today too - Liam McNamara, an Aussie who is IQ through his Dad. Has played 7s for Australia and Ireland.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/connacht-rugby/connacht-land-sevens-star-liam-mcnamara-for-next-season-as-stars-return-for-key-cardiff-clash-42427749.html

What's going on with Chay Mullins? Is he still part of the Connacht squad / Academy?

connachta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120465983#Comment_120465983

What's going on with TOH situation above all

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120465983#Comment_120465983

He is still part of the connacht academy but he has been playing 7s recently.

Connacht have also signed ex leinster academy winger Andrew Smith who has been playing 7s.

Going for a full ex 7s back line soon?

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120466001#Comment_120466001

Assume he’s gone and we’ll get an announcement this week thanking him

Wegians89

Looking more likely no ten will be coming in next year. Think a nine might though. Not too many backs all things considered.

9 Blade Reilly Devine

10 Carty Hawkshaw

11 Hansen Smith

12 Bundee Forde Daly

13 Farrell Ralston Jennings

14 Porch Killgallen Bolton

15 Cordero McNulty McNamara

Acadamy lads who could also feature:

Will Reilly, West, Gavin, Devine, Hawkshaw, O Connor, Mullins

Zeugnis

Wouldn't have expected us to have such a big game at this point this season, but a win against Cardiff gives us a lot of the cards necessary to get to the Champions' Cup.

Honestly, my expectations for the season have already been exceeded. This is not just becasue we're still in contention to qualify, where I was sure that the shield system represented an insurmountable barrier, but also because a lot of new talent has been gotten the necessary development minutes with very positive results: Cathal Forde, Darragh Murray, Sam Illo, Shane Jennings, Diarmuid Kilgallen.

Furthermore, three of our four arrivals from Leinster this season got the game time they came for - the only exception being the injury-cursed Adam Byrne - which will be good for future recruitment out east.

Yes, there were errors, Newcastle etc, but for me this season has been something of a success and a good platform for next year.

Ultimately imo Saturday will decide if this season is a positive one. Cardiff have turned us over so often over the years im wary of them.

If we win that should effectively seal Top 8 with hopefully the potential for Top 7 and Champions Cup which is a positive finish. Maybe a bit simplistic an evaluation but unless we achieve something concrete in the league the season is a failure for me.

To date we are only 3 points ahead of last season. Last season we played 6 European Cup games at full tilt and never threatened Top 8 in the league whereas the challenge cup this year was a bit of a half baked effort that had no logic behind it.

On the positive side of the coin a lot of players have got more gametime and the depth looks a bit stronger in certain positions but for most of the season we've been unconvincing at best. I think a lot of things fell in our favour.

The South Africans were dipping their toes into European action and effectively threw some league games to concentrate on Europe. That was a distraction they didnt have last year. Sharks was a soft 5 pointer for example.

The Welsh teams tanked for a lot of the season but likes of Scarlets found form late on and took points off others. Luckily we'd got them when they were poor.

I'd have had Edinburgh as a shoo in for Top 8 and they have caved in entirely. Munster gave everyone else a big headstart too

We have done well to recover from the start we had especially after Ulster at home before Christmas I thought the league season was over.

We've put ourselves in position to achieve something but the nagging feeling is that this group don't deliver under pressure. I hope they can at least get a result Saturday and we'll see how things are for the final game. Maybe in that situation Glasgow will have no skin in the game and may rotate heavily but its all academic if we don't get a result Saturday.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120464611#Comment_120464611

Even if he was fit I'm not sure if that would be a great idea after how badly things seem to have ended.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120466001#Comment_120466001

My understanding is that he doesn't necessarily want to move abroad right now so unless we can put a last minute deal in front of him that might be the end for him.

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120465983#Comment_120465983

Funnily enough I had my eye on McNamara as a potential signing years ago, he looked very decent for Australia u20s. Just assumed he was IQ due to the name. Hasn't done a whole pile since though, particularly in the XV a side game.

Seems a strange signing, we haven't had to reach particularly far down the depth chart in the back 3 this season, and we have now signed three more players. Even if Adam Byrne and Tiernan O'Halloran both leave, we still look a bit overstocked imo:

Santiago Cordero (29)

Mack Hansen (25)

Shane Jennings (22)

Diarmuid Kilgallen (23)

Liam McNamara (26)

Oran McNulty (23)

John Porch (29)

Andrew Smith (23)

---------------------

Shane Bolton (23)

Byron Ralston (23)

---------------------

Hugh Gavin (19)

Shane Mallon (21)

Chay Mullins (21)

Josh O'Connor (22)

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120467138#Comment_120467138

Seems McNamara has been playing full back in Scottish semi pro rugby during 2022. He was on a bench for Glasgow selection in a best of AIL sort game between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Saying that there is a good chance that Bundee, Mack and Cordero could all be going to the World Cup. So the short term depth might be needed

Former Coach

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120467138#Comment_120467138

Cordero and Mack are likely to miss a good portion of the season and if you throw in a few injuries then we might look thin enough in the back 3.

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120467167#Comment_120467167

We have more outside backs in our squad than Leinster, seems like overkill to me.

FACECUTTR

They should be more concerned signing a hooker as 2 seniors with another just promoted from the academy is not enough.

Treaty fella

Declan Moore joining from Ulster ?

salmocab

No particular beef with any of Connacht signings but are they in the positions that Connacht don’t seem particularly weak in.

FACECUTTR

Was there an announcement on that or just rumour ?

FACECUTTR

We needed an 8 and a 15 and got Jansen and Cordero. A 10 and 2 but we have Hawkshaw but no real backup to him. Moore as mentioned above was rumoured to come in but nothing there yet.

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120469375#Comment_120469375

McNamara being mentioned as able to cover 10 would suggest to me that there isn’t a ten coming in.

Would also add a physical second row to the list of needs and Joyce ticks that box.

Treaty fella

https://twitter.com/connachtrugby/status/1646151288994791424?s=46&t=bBfKvlC9CzSxnwXskLDiYg

O’Halloran signs on

Wegians89

Is McNulty out of contract?

Treaty fella

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120469541#Comment_120469541

Nope signed a 2 year extension last year

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120469548#Comment_120469548

McNamara surely coming in as ten cover so? Just doesn’t make sense.

Zeugnis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120469516#Comment_120469516

I think Connacht needed to do this and I'm glad they have. Tiernan came out of a trough this year and turned in some good performances. There were times before that I would have sent him to Siberia, but he's been reliable and our defence has looked much better shaped when he's been around. Furthermore, we have failed to find a successor. this will give McNulty more time to develop, and we can try some other back three permutations as well. But I think TOH has earned it.

Zeugnis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120469461#Comment_120469461

This one has the distinctive connacht taste of moneyball about it. And why not, maybe he turns out to be gold.

One does wonder sometimes if we keep too many fringe players on the books, and if the money would be better consolidated into, say, extending Marmion and Delahunt, two players we will definitely miss.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120469516#Comment_120469516

I have to say I'm loving the work of the social media team on the contract announcements.

Jump_In_Jack

McNamara could cover 10 and 15 no?

The article posted earlier in the thread had this line in it:

"The former Queensland Reds player, who worked with departing Connacht coach Andy Friend with the Australia Sevens team, can play at out-half and full-back."

connachta

Just Moore and we're done now

Good squad