Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122145929#Comment_122145929

Considering JJ injury, could we ask Leinster for Sam Prendergast as a loan for next year Or at least until JJ is back.

Look it from Leinster's point of view… Sam played 379 min of rugby this year.. Mostly as a Sub and few were competitive games…

So he will be lucky to play the accumulative of 5 games in 12 months of Rugby…

Connacht could put that into him in a month and have done it with his brother before…

We could plough over a 1000min of mainly starting (ie 10 on his back) by February… He would not be playing with a dominate pack but a competitive pack, he will have to work his backline (no sitting in the pocket, Ross)…

Connacht could get a reprieve while we can try and see what we got.. Can Naughton be nurtured through? Is Cathal passer that can run the line?

ElisaAtWar

Basically there are 5 management teams in Ireland. Ireland, Leinster, Munster, Ulster & Connacht. Ireland contracts the players it considers important to the national team using central contracts. So that's all IRFU stuff. And here it is important to understand that management team starts at the likes of Willie Ruane and ends at the coaching setup.

For the players NOT "centrally contracted" the best way to think about it is the remaining budget is devolved from the IRFU to the province to spend, along with what they generate themselves. Provinces decide how much to offer a player based on their budget.

Provinces can sign foreigners but it has to be approved by the central IRFU.

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122145949#Comment_122145949

Remember the game…

Edinburgh picked a smallish out half and tom used him as a speed bump… It was cruel to watch, it was like Niyi when he came to Connacht first….

Tom made mince meat out of him and we gained 10 yards on most plays… Tom was a good kicker too..

Personally I think he is highly underrated and was unlucky to here when Cathal was coming through. It happens…

We are getting Piers O'Connor who got the same type of luck in Bristol.

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122142011#Comment_122142011

The only time i've ever heard anything about this 'officially' from someone employed by a province (it was on a podcast not a personal conversation lol) they said that basically all coaches to do with the academy and development were irfu employees.

I've heard elsewhere that the head coach is but not the other coaches, but that is more like a rumour.

New coaches have to be a bit ruthless and connacht is a WAY tougher job than the other provinces, so i'd be inclined to give time.

b.gud

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122146169#Comment_122146169

IMO Prendergast on a loan wouldn't be great for Connacht. As it is he's a largely untested out half with huge potential, don't get me wrong if he was from Connacht/came through our academy I'd be all for giving him as much game time as possible. If he were to come to Connacht the only real winner would be Leinster/Ireland. Best case scenario he gets loads of game time and absolutely rips it up giving Connacht what they were missing and our best season since 2016, then what? He goes back to Leinster and they now have a much more experienced out half and we're in the same position or worse at 10.

We either need an experienced 10 who can give us what we need or serious prospect from the academy who takes to out half at the pro level pretty quickly like Devine did at scrum half

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122147148#Comment_122147148

I see what you are saying and I was thinking very short term due to JJ injury…

But Sam did actually rip it up, then Leinster could then be offloading an outhalf from there roaster as well…

There is no massive win just try and kick the can down the road a bit…

Naughton or Forde could be the longer term answer…

b.gud

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122147494#Comment_122147494

Similarly I can completely see your logic for wanting someone like Prendergast I just think if Naughton or Forde are the answer then we should start getting them game time and not worry about stop gaps

testtech05

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122147778#Comment_122147778

Based on this season I don't think the coaches see Cathal at 10, there has been ample chance to try him there this season if they did.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122147828#Comment_122147828

Same with Hawkshaw. He can do it, but they haven't chosen to do it more than a couple of times this year.

crusd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122147148#Comment_122147148

Harry Byrne is the player who should be moving on from Leinster

Zeugnis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122147494#Comment_122147494

I don't see any external solution coming to our aid at this point. Loans are not really established as part of the system for high-end talent, I think they're always perceived as a softer way to get someone halfway out the door. Agreed that focusing on West or Naughton is the best approach. We should see some more of the latter at the U20 Championship this summer, I thought he looked good in the minutes that he had during the 6N.

Bear in mind that Tector played seven URC games for Leinster in his first year out of U20. Sam Prendergast got two senior caps during his U20 season and has played in thirteen games so far in his first year out of the age grades. So Connacht can take away the cotton wool if required and give the lads a shot.

Lastly, we should at least look at Mack at 10. The guy has an amazing football brain and we have plenty of other back three options, especially if Santi works out. It probably won't happen because Wilkins is highly risk averse, IMO, and the IRFU mightn't be crazy about it. But hey, if we're to be left to sink or swim…

Zeugnis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122147864#Comment_122147864

Harry has had a good season, capped twice for Ireland and played in both ties against La Rochelle, starting at 10 in the first. He won't feel any motivation to leave. And for whatever reason, the IRFU are not willing to impose moves on Leinster's surplus of riches, recent renewals have made that 100% clear. And while I find it sort of weird, it's also fair enough, the other provinces should get their **** together, and make themselves more attractive destinations for these guys who have to uproot their lives to change team. When I look at Connacht management, I can't see why a Harry Byrne or a Frawley etc would want to move.

realhorrorshow

Hopefully Naughton gets decent minutes in the JWC, he had some nice moments in the 6N I thought but he got such little time to impress.

I don't think Forde is the answer at 10, he is an out and out 12 imo. He essentially plays as an auxiliary flanker, he is not a playmaker.

FACECUTTR

CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY 23 VS DHL STORMERS 
17:05, Saturday 18th May 2024 @ Dexcom Stadium 

 Number/name/caps (* denotes uncapped) 

15. Tiernan O’Halloran (237)
14. John Porch (86)
13. David Hawkshaw (28)
12. Bundee Aki (137)
11. Byron Ralston (29)
10. Jack Carty (210)
9. Caolin Blade (190)
1. Peter Dooley (35)
2. Dave Heffernan (198) (C)
3. Finlay Bealham (202)
4. Joe Joyce (19)
5. Darragh Murray (23)
6. Cian Prendergast (66)
7. Shamus Hurley-Langton (38)
8. Sean Jansen (6) 

16. Dylan Tierney-Martin (34)
17. Jordan Duggan (48)
18. Jack Aungier (65)
19. Oisín Dowling (58)
20. Jarrad Butler (128)
21. Colm Reilly (25)
22. Cathal Forde (29)
23. Santiago Cordero *

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148802#Comment_122148802

Good team except I would picked Farrell because his bad day at 13 is better than most others. He has the speed and ability to break lines.

FYI: Tom Farrell had the most defenders beaten last season.

Scratching my head how he was treated this season.

He played in 4 games before Ulster Christmas game. They are the only four games we won and Ulster was lost by a point.

In fairness he was dropped or injured for the Munster win… But we played Bundee and Forde as centers that day…

If he wasn't playing Farrell today, I would have gone for Bundee and Forde which was there for the Munster win.

FACECUTTR

I think his face just didn't fit with the current setup for whatever reason. Hawkshaw works hard but he is not a patch on Farrell.

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149170#Comment_122149170

Not even a patch on Forde…

Forde head must be scrambled by this stage (much like Farrells).

Forde played outside center when we beat Munster. No one complained as Cathal and Tom are top class operators and competing against each other is fair with Connacht as the winner…

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149170#Comment_122149170

That is my problem…

Bundee didn't fit last year.

The highest defender beater last season in the league didn't fit after winning his first four games.

Forde best player we had before Christmas doesn't fit now…

The 2nd string outhalf from the team that came second last, last year became our first choice outhalf.

We are loosing games and someone things we have the luxury of not playing our best players because he doesn't thing they fit..

Borders no.2

Hope it goes well for Cordero when he gets on. In relative terms he's had a rough year and it'd be nice if he could get a chance to show what he can do but aside from thato expect Stormers to win comfortably.

FACECUTTR

There are definitely man management issues and the selections are mind boggling at times. I really hope things turn around next season, I hate being so negative about the team going forward. If heads drop tomorrow the scoreline could get ugly.

AccidentallyOnside

Stormers back 3 have done virtually nothing but practice fielding high ball all warmup.

Not sure exactly what that means but don't expect us to win many contestables

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122153540#Comment_122153540

Interesting prep for facing the team that kicks second least in the league.

realhorrorshow

Looking very much like we could finish 11th now, i.e. last of the somewhat half decent teams in the league.

Burkie1203

Pinball game

typhoony

Ralston has been very poor the last 2 games

realhorrorshow

It's amazing how quickly we lose shape once we go through a few phases. Nice break from O'Halloran there but once the Stormers scrambled Carty ended up carrying into contact multiple times because he had absolutely no options.

theVersatile

Worst lineout of the year goes to...

(Surprisingly, not the team with Dweba on it)

SaoPaulo41

Is there a worse commentator than Hugh Cahill?

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122153801#Comment_122153801

If you can get it Jamie Lyall on Premier/Viaplay is one of the best in the business.

Zeugnis

We lost but nobody cares anymore. Credibility gap emerging between the club and its supporters, IMO.