Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

CowboyTed

There are lies, lies and statistics..

Just comparing our stats this year to last…

Attack improving has my head scratching as I didn't think it had (someone explain that to me).

Nice to see Discipline improved …

Our real area of concern has been the drop in Lineout and Scrum stats, dropping from leading position to well into bottom half.

These are URC only figures…

Attack

22/23 season

23/24 Season

Defence

22/23 Season

23/24 Season

Kicking (Drop)

22/23 Season

23/24 Season

Discipline (Major Improvement)

22/23 Season

23/24 Season

Lineouts (Major Drop)

22/23 Season

23/24 Season

Scrums (Major Drop)

22/23 Season

23/24 Season

Lord Palmerston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137072#Comment_122137072

The attack stats are telling to me - broadly similar number of offloads and defenders beaten, with a significant increase in clean breaks, but a massive drop in actual tries scored.

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137116#Comment_122137116

I felt the attack at times this year have seemed a bit aimless going back and forth until we eventually made a mistake.

Is this just something stuck in my head or real?

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137116#Comment_122137116

How do you interpret that? Why are we beating defenders and making clean breaks but not scoring tries?

The most obvious answer is that we're playing on the wrong areas of the pitch. The fact that we kick the second least in the league backs that up imo. It's also notable that we have the least retained kicks in the league, likely largely because we don't have a particularly standout box kicker in the squad.

We also tend to align very laterally so perhaps when we do make a linebreak, there are less players ahead of the play and in position to run a support line and convert the opportunity.

Lord Palmerston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137390#Comment_122137390

Yeah, that's exactly how I interpreted it too: trying to play too much rugby in the wrong parts of the field.

You'll get cheap metres and occasional linebreaks, but it's the logical explanation for why it doesn't convert into tries.

Mr Tickle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137072#Comment_122137072

Is the drop in lineout success and steals simply down to Niall Murray getting less game time? He topped the individual charts by some distance last year if i'm remembering right.

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137390#Comment_122137390

I noticed the last day…

Leinster from hand can give the ball to Ross Byrne, Frawley, Osbourne or Lowe…

We on Saturday had only Jack who seemed to be nursing a hamstring (he does take it longer than that).

Sorry, Kicking is a learnt skill, you can practise it and become good at it, especially from hand. A backrow could if they were not too exhausted.

Even Penalty Kicks, a few years back year only two 6 nations had there out half as kicker. We seem to be obsessed by it in Ireland. I would have Matt Devine and Shane Jennings out kicking this week… Start them early..

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137807#Comment_122137807

We really lack options, especially compared to Leinster as you say, who will generally have 3+ kicking options in the backline plus JGP. We haven't had a 9 with a good kicking game since Cooney. Devine already looks to be the best in the squad but it's early days yet. When receiving a deep kickoff, most teams aim to work the ball to a position just inside the 22, 10 metres from the touchline, from where most decent 9s are able to find touch somewhere between the 10 and halfway. We don't use Blade for exits, instead generally choosing to pass backwards 10 metres to a player under pressure.

Outside of 9, we don't have many players with a strong kicking game. Hanrahan is technically poor and struggles for distance. Carty is better technically but looks low on confidence and seems to be making more errors than ever, after a very decent 22/23 season. Forde is the only decent kicker in the outside backs, but even he's miles off the likes of Osborne or Lowe as a left footed option. Our first choice centres can't kick at all. We don't have any options in the back 3 either, which seems rare these days.

realhorrorshow

The 2006 group could be strong one for us, the last interpro winning group (2001) has yielded five pros - de Buitléar, D Murray, McCormack, Forde, and Jennings. The three players shortlisted for the u18 poty award are exciting prospects.

Rory Gavin (lock) is Hugh's brother and played for Ireland u18 schools this year, which is relatively rare for Connacht players.

Diarmuid O'Connell (back row) also played for the u18 schools team.

Seán Walsh (centre) is the brother of likely future academy member Bryan and also a Galway minor footballer, played for the u18 clubs team.

Hey_Ho_Lets_Go_3

Walsh is an in demand footballer… Can Connacht keep him?

rumorued that Eanna McCarthy UCC backrower joining Connacht Academy.

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137765#Comment_122137765

Last year Niall played 806 min last year by round 16 to this compared 746 this year… that is not a 10% difference with one player.. But Niall has 10 less steals than last year.. But Josh murphy had 8 as well (3rd in whole league)…

Stealing lineouts is about reading teams and having lifters in right place.

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137390#Comment_122137390

Might this have something to do with it:

We benched him a lot this season.

Our top this season is Cathal Forde at 30 (inside Center) and Blade at 25 Scrum Half…

Outside Centre breaks have less traffic after the break.

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137989#Comment_122137989

They brought Jennings in as an u19 which I assume was to keep him from the GAA, not sure if that's an option this time though.

Hey_Ho_Lets_Go_3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138022#Comment_122138022

Walsh in school next year but presumably they'll try to add him to academy straight out of school.

missed irish u18s at easter due to injury.

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137890#Comment_122137890

I don't really understand this… Gaelic Football is our national sport, it is hard to find someone who is into sport in Ireland that can't kick from hand with accuracy…

After that it is a simple skill which you can practise and practise… Look at golf, Rory McIlroy, he is one of the best strikers of the ball in the world, but is he a natural putter? Well he doesn't like one(think of the putter swaps), but he is 61st in the PGA mainly down to practise.

That is my 2c on it…

Borders no.2

I think when analysing stats we quickly forget that for most of last season we were awful. The Ulster home game last season looked like the death nail of our league season and inexplicably we threw away our challenge cup hopes with a strange selection against Newcastle and a catastrophic opening 20 minutes or so.

We got a bit of a head of steam up towards the end of the season in the league but even at that we got a huge favour from Sharks writing off the away fixture and Munster drawing with them near the end of the season. We also were blessed to come away from Dragons against 14 men with a win.

The Ulster away win was great but ultimately it was a poor game and getting over the line was as much to do with ulster's failings as our good play.

lavrenti

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122134715#Comment_122134715

Also leaving are Kilgallen, McDonald, with McNamara and Moore from this season's squad already having left.

lavrenti

Every season we have one nightmare coming from nowhere stinking the place out. This year that was that horror show at home to the Lions when we really needed 5pts. We've also left 7pts behind us in last play defeats to Embra, Leinster, and Treviso. We get those 12pts we comfortably make 5th/6th place in the league and qualify for next season's HEC. We won away in South Africa, are one of the only teams to beat Glasgow this season, and for most of the season have looked in better shape that Ulster.

We've missed a real abrasive edge in the pack, and hopefully Josh Murphy will bring that on his return next season. We've flogged Joe Joyce to death and Niall Murray has regressed. Similarly Conor Oliver hasn't repeated his excellent form of last year, and Boyler looks a shot player. We're going to need more, much more, from Sean O'Brien and Sean Jansen next season to complement the consistently excellent Prendergast and SHL.

Blade's form has tailed off alarmingly in the second half of the season, but with Devine and the incoming Murphy next season we could actually improve at 9. The coaching team are going to have to try out and stick to either Hawkshaw or Forde at 10 because we really can't go with Carty anymore and outside of accurate kicking off the tee JJ adds nothing. Can't understand at all why Farrell - who has been our most consistent back outside Bundee in the last 7 years - is being let go. A bizarre management decision. There's cause for optimism though in the back 3 with any combo of Mack, Cordero, Porch, Smith, and Bolton being as good as any in the league.

Finally, can't see any point in the recruitment of Dave O'Connor or McBurney at all. Journeymen's journeymen at best are they likely to be upgrades on McElroy or Thornbury. I don't think so!

Utopia Parkway

I expect the coaching ticket will get another season given this was their first but they've shown very little overall this year. Wilkins talks a good game in interviews but no sign yet that he's a good head coach. Fardy has had a rough spell over the defence. He may come good but he's clearly learning on the job at the moment. Worryingly we took a few right hidings this season.

Injuries haven't helped. Especially among the backs. Cordero and Hansen have both basically missed the entire season. Connacht are depending on those two for creativity and tries.

The signings for next season are pretty underwhelming apart from O'Conor who has some pedigree in the Premiership. But will be be better than Tom Farrell? Doubtful. And I think McBurney will contribute. Not sure I see the others making much of an impact. Murphy will be back I guess which will at least be another body up front. The players leaving seem better than the players arriving so that's never usually a good thing.

10 still a problem position. Hanrahan out until the new year now and he played a lot of games this season. Carty still mixes the sublime with the ridiculous. Even in the same game.

Important next season for Connacht. Won't be long now until they will have a bigger stadium to fill and more season tickets to sell. Can't really afford to go into that on the back of 2 or 3 bad seasons.

kita99

Is there not space for Paddy Jackson yet? I belong to nationality (race) who are too torelant against such an ethical issue far more than all Irish people, so I think that he has reflected himself long time enough. In 2017, I watched him at the hot (above 30°c) and very high-humidity (near 90%) Tokyo (Ajinimoto) stadium in June. He came to Japan as a member of Ireland excluding Lions squads (including Connacht 5 players). Then he did place kicking practice about an hour in such a hard conditition before whole Irish member's pre-match training. In that game Ireland won by big margins, so he had many conversion chances and he succeeded all kicks including kicks from both cornors. He didn't loose his concentration for 80 minutes. We are impressed very much by the seriousness of Irish team (Tonner, Leavy, Ringrose etc) especially Jackson. I believe even now that if he were in the squads of 2019 Rwc, Ireland were never beaten by Japan because Ireland lost the game due to a fatal mistake (over the dead-line) of restart kicking (at the beginning of 2nd half). Who was the kicker? I think that ordinary people have the learning (from mistake) ability, but someone have not it. Anyway I expect at next season Connacht use two academy FH( West and Naughton) if Jackson is not available. They may mistake sometimes, but would have the learning ability. And Devine can help them.

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122139727#Comment_122139727

The IRFU are a very "safe" organisation. They won't do anything controversial. It doesn't matter to them that Jackson was found innocent. As far as I can tell it's about protecting their public image and their relationships with sponsors. Anyone who is even slightly controversial due to brushes with the law over sexual or domestic violence cases is got rid of.

Some cases are clearly worse that others. But how bad the crime the player is accused of committing doesn't actually matter. Gang rape (Denis Coulson), not attempting to stop a crime (Chris Farrell), physically attacking a woman (Sevu Reece), receiving consensual oral sex (Stuart Olding), engaging in a consensual threesome (Paddy Jackson) - all these cases are treated exactly the same, with the player no longer being offered contracts in Ireland.

I would argue it's a questionable stance by the IRFU in cases where individuals have been found not guilty by the courts, but it is what it is.

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122137986#Comment_122137986

I watched an u18s clubs game with i think gavin, o connell and walsh the centre. All great athletes. I really think this is a bit of a potential golden era of homegrown talent coming through at connacht right now. All of those guys, the other walsh, other gavin, farthing, flynn would be in demand at other academies i think.

FirstFiveEigth

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122139731#Comment_122139731

Not sure if this is a serious post or not but just to be clear, not guilty does not mean innocent either. It only means it wasn't proven by the evidence presented in court. Those listed could easily still be guilty.

Not really a questionable stance at all IMO. Even if not guilty, some of those above showed themselves to pretty sh#t people, who would want to work with them or have them around the squad realistically?

Mr Tickle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122139727#Comment_122139727

No. If people are worried that poor performances will mean a stadium with empty seats then any serious talk of bringing in someone like that will empty the place.

b.gud

Cordero is in line to start this week, Hansen still not available

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122139609#Comment_122139609

The coaching staff will get another season because there is no way we can afford to buy out their contracts. In my opinion, Connacht made a grave strategic error in opting for an inexperienced and likely low-cost coaching ticket. We would have been much better served cutting some players from the middle of the depth chart, leaning on the academy more, and committing more budget to experienced, proven coaches. The 10 least played players in the senior squad combined for only 902 minutes. Three back 3 players played just 72 minutes between them.

If I was David Humphreys, I would find an experienced, even semi-retired DoR, and place him in Connacht for one year with the following remit:

a) Assist with media duties/PR. Andy Friend perfectly understood the benefits of this, he was out kissing babies in Claremorris from his first week on the job. His charisma and affability helped create a better mood around the province, even when results were poor. Wilkins is no Kieran Keane to be fair to him but he lacks Friend's immediate likeability.

b) Take over the typical DoR duties that Wilkins would have inherited from Friend after his departure, and allow Wilkins to focus on coaching. He's clearly rated by the IRFU, as he has been brought into the Irish staff, give him the chance to prove himself with less distractions.

c) Provide Wilkins with a sounding board to bounce high level ideas off, and assist with selections and contracting decisions.

d) Nurture the young unit coaches. Mark Sexton clearly has a vision for the attack and seems like he has a good rugby brain, but is struggling to translate that to on-pitch results. Perhaps with some guidance he could tweak his philosophy or alter his method of delivery to the players as required.

e) Assess the entire coaching staff on behalf of the IRFU. As far as I know the entire ticket's contracts expire in 2025. Some high level feedback could help decide whether any of the coaches are worth persisting with beyond 24/25.

Robbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122140686#Comment_122140686

Anyone know if the opening of the M17 has brought the famous commute time from Moylough down?

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122138330#Comment_122138330

Our fixtures at the start were very tough… Rem entering the turn at Christmas and knowing a good run was on…

Last season we had the confidence against our rivals, Bentton, Edinburgh, Cardiff were all dispatched with convincing scores… We were competitive in the games we lost…

It felt we were playing better rugby, especially towards the end of the season… Beating Ulster…

CowboyTed

I agree with you… Considering all the constraints we would probably need a Director of Rugby for next two years…

Personally I think Pete is a very good technical coach who can work with players technically. I think struggles a bit in man mangement (sorry to be critical, but Friend is no better mentor at getting that right). He was amazingly honest and had no problem having a pint with you and telling everything.

The DoR would have to be someone with some experience… Maybe Declan Kidney, Mike Catt or Simon Easterby (duel role with Ireland job), don't know really, but need someone right… Fresh Face on old shoulders..

SqueakyKneecap

Wilkins doesn't seem to do much of the community work either. That was a big knock against Kieran Keane but seemingly Wilkins hasn't been doing much either.

I've zero doubt things are staying as is for 2024/25 though. The money won't be there with the redevelopment for the likes of a DOR.