Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

realhorrorshow

Are any of Dooley, Blade, Ralston injured?

realhorrorshow

Benetton: Rhyno Smith, Ignacio Mendy, Tommaso Menoncello, Ignacio Brex, Onisi Ratave, Jacob Umaga, Alessandro Garbisi, Thomas Gallo, Giacomo Nicotera, Giosuè Zilocchi, Niccolò Cannone, Eli Snyman (CAPT), Alessandro Izekor, Michele Lamaro, Toa Halafihi

Replacements: Bautista Bernasconi, Mirco Spagnolo, Tiziano Pasquali, Federico Ruzza, Lorenzo Cannone, Andy Uren, Tomas Albornoz, Malakai Fekitoa

Strong Benetton team. Defending the Brex/Menoncello axis is going to be a big challenge for Hawkshaw.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121952799#Comment_121952799

I don't think he's been dropped. Look at the amount of regular starters missing.

sydthebeat

Hate to say it but I think connacht could take a bit of a pummeling here

typhoony

I think it can go only one way tomorrow and that's from bad to worse,poor recruitment is the cause of the lack of improvement over the last 4 years. One Mack Hansen isn't going to buck that trend

SqueakyKneecap

We're going to get absolutely fileted tomorrow. Big ask of the centre partnership.

ShineyShiney

Or you could say one Wilkins, one Muldoon and one sexton have bucked the trend.....

I'm ok with the squad on an individual basis but something stinks in the set up.

I wouldn't say no to another few international standard players but this squad is more than good enough to have a minimum expectation of top eight.

Total Coaching failure imo.

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121953058#Comment_121953058

Can't agree with this at all. Recruitment has been excellent, especially under Friend, and our squad is the best we've ever had imo.

ionadnapokot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121952799#Comment_121952799

Whats McDonald like?

And what is the fascination with playing Hawkshaw at 13?

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121953420#Comment_121953420

McDonald is pretty average imo, but he hasn't gotten many minutes thus far to show what he can do. I guess they want to get Hawkshaw in the team, and minutes at 12 are going to be hard to come by.

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121952748#Comment_121952748

The winning combination must be just around the corner. Will surely hit on it before the end of the season. It's clear to me that we have just been incredibly unlucky not to have already solved the problem. Our issues are clearly down to the perfect starting 15.

ElisaAtWar

Rather than mentioning selection changes I suggest we call the process 'the Wilkins shuffle'

testtech05

Forde needs to start getting those clearances off the pitch

testtech05

How many chances do you want to clear your lines..... Walked in very easily.

SqueakyKneecap

Embarrassingly easy try for Benetton. People are seemingly paid to devise defensive reads, which is money well wasted this season.

The scrum will cost us today.

SqueakyKneecap

Ffs. That's some waste

testtech05

How many phases can they go back to check a knock on? That's the way the season is going as it sounded like might have been a penalty try coming there.

SqueakyKneecap

Brainless stuff from Heffernan

SqueakyKneecap

This might be the most toothless I've seen Connacht in over a decade. They have no belief that they can can finish from close range.

testtech05

I wasn't happy with the way killgallen left but wouldn't wish that on him. Looked like maybe a serious shoulder injury.

2 big visits to the 22 now and nothing to show from either. Once we get close we just go so 1 dimensional and with the lack we have it's just not going to work.

SqueakyKneecap

It's not nice watching a team with mo belief in themselves. We have the players to be much better than this muck but not the coaching ticket.

Even that Bolton break you knew they'd get caught.

SqueakyKneecap

Good man Prendergast.

SqueakyKneecap

Please don't rule this out for a forward pass. Well worked

testtech05

Much more like it. Lovely score

SqueakyKneecap

Fairplay to McDonald and Murray. Lovely read and a great line.

CMcsporty

That was a well worked try.

Question the decision to kick to touch in that position. Worked out well.

Clegg

Criminal from Carty. Simply has to make touch from that penalty.

CMcsporty

how could Smith possibly get back to his feet without releasing???

testtech05

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121956114#Comment_121956114

Thought the same he definitely released.

Poor touch miss from jack always probe to them. Stil think he offered a fa mor than JJ in play though

testtech05

After 10 mins I think I would have taken that half time score