Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121958644#Comment_121958644

The crisis is in signing player who is 32 this summer when you have one that is 32 this summer… JJ was meant to be cover, he had 800 min with Dragons before joining.. What really should have happened is that a young possible future international should have been put in with Jack and they run the team together much like Jack carty devloped under Dan Parks.

Now it looks like we are getting no one… Tector might become available but Ulster will surely be sniffing.. I say row our own canoe… Let's look at Forde at 10… To do that we need cover in centre… So Hugh Gavin would hopefully graduate quickly and hang on to Tom Farrell, he has easyly been our best outside center for a long time and is only 30…

Sorry but Hawshaw struggles to get the line moving at 10 when compared to Jack , he started there 6 times last year… Was still better than JJ..

I feel Wilkins has us sliding this year.. Poor attacking play and team seem apprehensive on the ball..

Rugbyf565

bit of a hot take but if Andrew Smith keeps playing the way he’s playing I can see him playing for Ireland within a year. He has a special flair and pace about him I haven’t seen from a homegrown Irish winger since Denis Hickey, could be v special IMO.

Dubinusa

Carty and JJ are URC level. That's as good as they'll get.

cson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965363#Comment_121965363

I think we're going to get shelled in Thomond.

As has been said in the last few posts, at least with Friendy, you could always see what he was trying to do even if the execution wasn't there. With Wilkins, it feels like we're going backward at a point when the team should be more familiar/comfortable with whatever he's trying to do - which at the moment seems like its 2008 era Munster keep it tight with the forwards and run it up the gut. That doesn't work in 2024 as we've seen.

Lastly, I don't think you'll have anyone in here arguing that JJ/Jack are anything other than borderline replacement level OHs in the URC.

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121966733#Comment_121966733

I really like the way he constantly gets involved on both sides of the ball. That being said, his skills are not up to international level just yet and he makes some poor decisions. At the weekend, he identified that there was no scrumhalf in our own 22 so stepped in, passed to a forward, cleared out the tackler himself, and got into the guard position over the ruck. Really diligent and effective play, going beyond what's typically expected of a winger. Then a minute later he dropped a very catchable pass, and those couple of minutes really summed up where he's at currently imo.

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965324#Comment_121965324

Carty has flucked this team for 8 years. But you want to give him more time. Super plan. It's kinda funny. When Jack flunked that kick after half time he ran back into the line and he smiled. Because he knew that was the final nail in the coffin..For those who don't believe me that he smiled just replay it. It wasn't a smile of happiness. It was the final smile of failure.

Credit to Jack for all he has done for Connacht. It wasn't his fault that he was put in the limelight

dockysher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121968018#Comment_121968018

Agreed, every game so many mistakes. Yes he has some good moments but his mistakes has lost us so many games. Suggestions he should play and have no kicking duties are crazy.

lavrenti

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121959477#Comment_121959477

The jury is out on Wilkins FACECUTTR, but where I wholly agree with you is on the kicking. If the team is to carry Carty at 10 for his undoubted playmaking abilities, then either JJ plays 15 or Forde or Hawkshaw (if selected at 13 over Farrell) with Bundee now back will have to kick. We cannot afford one more game with Carty as front line kicker.

lavrenti

Would be the ideal solution if we could prise him from Ulster to finish his career here.

b.gud

Conor Oliver signed a 1 year extension

https://www.connachtrugby.ie/news/conor-oliver-renews-connacht-contract/bp2958/

Wegians89

Anyone know who else is out of contract that needs resigning? Think most the big hitters are signed on apart from Farrell.

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121976738#Comment_121976738

Loosehead
Denis Buckley (34) 2025+1

Matthew Burke (27) 2024

Peter Dooley (30) 2025+1

Jordan Duggan (26) 2024

Oisin Michel (22) - Academy year 2

Charlie Ward (24) - Academy year 3

Tighthead
Jack Aungier (25) 2026

Finlay Bealham (32) 2026

Sam Illo (23) 2025

Dominic Robertson-McCoy (30) 2024

Fiachna Barrett (21) - Academy year 1

Hooker
Eoin De Buitléar (22) 2025

Dave Heffernan (33) 2025

Tadgh McElroy (27) 2024?

Dylan Tierney-Martin (25) 2026

Matthew Victory (21) - Academy year 1

Lock
Oisin Dowling (27) 2024?

Joe Joyce (30) 2025?

Josh Murphy (29) 2025

Darragh Murray (23) 2026

Niall Murray (24) 2025

Gavin Thornbury (30) 2024

Back row
Paul Boyle (27) 2025

Jarrad Butler (33) 2024

Shamus Hurley-Langton (24) 2026

Sean Jansen (25) 2025

Oisin McCormack (23) 2024?

Sean O'Brien (24) 2025?

Conor Oliver (28) 2025

Cian Prendergast (24) 2025

Scrumhalf

Caolin Blade (30) 2026

Michael McDonald (25) 2024

Colm Reilly (25) 2025

Matthew Devine (22) - Academy year 2

Outhalf
Jack Carty (32) 2025

JJ Hanrahan (32) - 2025?

Sean Naughton (21) - Academy year 1

Harry West (21) - Academy year 2

Centre
Bundee Aki (34) 2025

Tom Daly (31) 2024

Tom Farrell (30) 2024

Cathal Forde (22) 2026

David Hawkshaw (25) 2025

John Devine (20) - Academy year 2

Hugh Gavin (20) - Academy year 2

Daniel Hawkshaw (22) - Academy year 2

Back 3

Shayne Bolton (24) 2026

Santiago Cordero (30) 2025

Mack Hansen (26) 2025

Shane Jennings (23) 2024?

Oran McNulty (24) 2024

Tiernan O'Halloran (33) 2024

John Porch (30) 2025

Byron Ralston (24) 2024?

Andrew Smith (24) 2025?

Shane Mallon (22) - Academy year 2

Chay Mullins (22) - Academy year 2

James Nicholson (21) - Academy year 1

Josh O'Connor (23) - Academy year 3

Finn Treacy (20) - Academy year 1

*ages as at 01/09/2024

IN:OUT: Diarmuid Kilgallen (back 3, Munster), Liam McNamara (back 3, released)

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121976825#Comment_121976825

Cheers thanks, Dowling and Ralston The big ones left

SqueakyKneecap

Butler would be a big enough one surely?

Burke, DRMC, Thornbury, Farrell, McNulty, and Daly I'd say will go. Could see Duggan, Butler, Dowling, TOH, Ralston, Jennings, McElroy and McDonald potentially getting one year deals.

cson

Ugh another season of Jack and JJ, god help us.

Fine with letting TOH go too, great servant but not up to it anymore.

Yes, my view is very coloured from his awful defence at the weekend.

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121977012#Comment_121977012

Ralston seems to be extremely highly rated - he has played every minute he's been available for this season. I'm sure he'll get a decent deal if staying. I'd imagine Oisin McCormack will leave.

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121977012#Comment_121977012

It’s strongly rumoured that Butler will be leaving?

FACECUTTR

CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY 23 VS SECTION PALOISE 
17:30 Irish time, Sunday 7th April 2024 @ Stade du Hameau  

Number/name/caps 

15. Tiernan O’Halloran (233)
14. Shayne Bolton (12)
13. David Hawkshaw (26)
12. Bundee Aki (132)
11. Shane Jennings (8)
10. Jack Carty (208) (C)
9. Caolin Blade (185)
1. Denis Buckley (244)
2. Dave Heffernan (193)
3. Finlay Bealham (197)
4. Joe Joyce (14)
5. Niall Murray (70)
6. Cian Prendergast (63)
7. Shamus Hurley-Langton (34)
8. Jarrad Butler (124) 

16. Eoin de Buitléar (6)
17. Jordan Duggan (45)
18. Sam Illo (18)
19. Darragh Murray (21)
20. Conor Oliver (78)
21. Matthew Devine (1)
22. JJ Hanrahan (15)
23. Tom Farrell (107)

testtech05

Hard to know the story with some of the selections when we dont get much injury info……

Glad to see Farrell back although I would prefer to see him starting at 13.

Has the Pau team been released?

SqueakyKneecap

Farrell on the bench is as good as confirmation he's going Munster I'd say. No way you'd start Hawkshaw out of position ahead of him otherwise.

kita99

Glad to see Devine at 21. Good luck.

This week-end, I hear that the south area of France will be very hot. Please prepare for the heat.

realhorrorshow

Glad to see Shane Jennings finally get his first start. No idea why it's taken so long but hopefully he can give the coaches some headaches moving forward. Wonder if Devine's selection is planned rotation or a reaction to McDonald and Reilly's performances last week. Would be great to see him push past them pretty quickly, as I think his ceiling is far higher, but not confident he'll get much time.

Pau's team seems like a bit of a mix, certainly not the espoirs but also no Whitelocks, Gailleton, Attissogbé, etc.

BrokenMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121979023#Comment_121979023

I don't understand the idea that if a player is leaving then don't play him. He's still getting paid to do a job. Put the best players you have in your squad right now on the pitch. Makes absolutely zero sense to me to pay someone's wages and have them sit in the stands.

lavrenti

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121979352#Comment_121979352

Whatever about Jennings getting his first start (and he could do very well indeed) I cannot fathom why our two best backs in Treviso - Forde and Smith - are banished from the 23 altogether, while the two that cost us victory - Carty and TOH - are selected. It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever and I cannot understand why Farrell couldn't start at 13 with Hawkshaw moved to 10.

FACECUTTR

I think McDonald picked up a knock last week. Delighted to see Jennings get the start.

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121979389#Comment_121979389

Probably more to do with resting Forde and Smith. I’d assume they’ll be back in at 13 and 11 Next week

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121979389#Comment_121979389

Forde was pulled after 53 minutes last week which was unusual, he often plays the full 80. I wouldn't be surprised if his GPS data indicated he needs a rest, he gets through a huge amount of work and looked wrecked. Helps that we have one of the form centres in world rugby to replace him. Smith has played the full 80 the last 6 games in a row, Jennings offers a similar skillset so I've no issue with him getting a shot.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121979409#Comment_121979409

Yes you're right actually, he was mentioned in the squad update. Reilly had a bit of a stinker so not surprised Devine got the nod.

lavrenti

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121979453#Comment_121979453

There won't be a next week unfortunately if we're beaten in Pau, but I accept what Realhorrorshow says about their excessive minutes played already this season. Let's hope at the very, very, least Hawkshaw is doing the kicking.

cson

I like Butler starting.

I actually quite like the look of that team, wouldn't surprise me if we were very competitive/snuck a win.

Pau are on the bubble of the Top 14 playoffs so not sure if they care more about that than the Challenge Cup?

Hey_Ho_Lets_Go_3

Murray Kinsella linking Ben Murphy with a move to Connacht on the 42 weekly podcast