Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

lavrenti

Did Eliza at war go to bed early or something? She's very quiet all of a sudden.

Citizenpain

ugly but only 2nd win there in 20 years or something like that

randomname2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122685496#Comment_122685496

Josh was good with ball in hand I thought but wreckless when it came to maul penalties

connachta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122685845#Comment_122685845

perfectly agree

yes i forgot about Joyce, he'll start!

what about SHL Smith Duggan injuries which are supposed to be short-term?

AND where's Sean O'Brien X.O (ours) ? Prendergast out and Jansen away he'd be welcome!

Ugly win but a win away from home you'll take it. Typical Connacht that we'd have to keep a bad team in the fight. Really though alarm bells are ringing in my head for ulster with the strength of their maul.

The next two games will tell a story as to whether we are making progress or not.

ShineyShiney

Take it and run.

Great start to the season, I'd have bitten your arm off for 11 points from our first 3 games before the season. Congratulations to all of the much maligned management ( mainly by me) on such a good start.

Delighted for Jack to play so well after a torrid time, when the confidence is up he's a very good player.

Really is a tough league, Ulster next.

Buckley, Heffernan, Bealham, Joyce, NMurray, Murphy,Oliver, Boyle, Murphy, Carty Mack, bundi, Forde, Bolton, piers.

Special mention for me, Boyle on form is a cracking player.

SqueakyKneecap

That's a solid result. Hopefully Carty can keep this up, played some really smart stuff at times.

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122686504#Comment_122686504

Close to our best team against likely the worst team in the league. Now if that doesn't set off a few alarms then we are deluded

On a positive note Ulster has been softened up after a couple of games in SA so there is not a better time to face them.

Last night I did consider who will end in the last 4 of the league. My guess was Scarlets, Edinburgh, Connacht and Zebre. Let's see

sydthebeat

How did bundee get signed off for this??

https://www.carlowlive.ie/news/what-s-on/1621197/what-s-on-charity-football-match-in-carlow-with-sports-stars-and-influencers-galore.html

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122685354#Comment_122685354

Do you really honestly believe what you say? I hope not. I'm a critic and my teams biggest critic. Because you need for someone to say it's not ok. It needs to be said and that's why I say it

BrokenMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122688435#Comment_122688435

Didn't you say you weren't commenting here any more?

And yeah I'm blocking you,.better for my peace of mind

Shehal

Trying to discuss rugby with Welsh fans online is really like talking to the wall…I'm now getting a fan who thinks Aki should have got a red card because there were 2 yellow card offences in the same incident that led to Aki's yellow…I cant 😂

Tommybojangles

it's been a very up and down start to the season and I think we're a bit fortunate to have the points tally we have. Three games now Ulster (A) Leinster (H) and Dragons (H) before the long break. 2 Wins from those and we can definitely start to look forward with a bit of confidence but atm I'm not allowing myself to get hopeful.

if you offered me 8 points from the 3 games but no embarrassing 30 minute collapses I'd take it for sure

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122683135#Comment_122683135

In all fairness Connacht hadn't a clue what they were playing last year… A more conservative OH was needed because the style of play Jack plays involves everyone knowing what they are doing… When it comes off it unlocks defences, when it doesn't it looks terrible..

Think Cathal might be the up and coming at 10… He is like Frawley in height and weight… a lot depends on how good Hugh Gavin is at senior rugby…

thePigeon_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122694203#Comment_122694203

Think Gavin's going to be pretty **** good at senior rugby

kita99

AT the EI matches , Connacht players seemed all good. I think maybe after returning home to Galway, they can play for senior team soon. I hope that they 'll come back without any injury.

Zeugnis

Joyce and Cian available for Saturday's game against Ulster, that's great news. SHL out - bummer

Sam Illo out for six weeks, so some tricky fixtures to come. Ironically while we are missing Aungier, Ulster are down Scott Wilson who is also with Emerging Ireland for tomorrow's game against the Cheetahs. Could be a messy scrum this weekend. will be interesting to see if Lasisi stays at 18 or is swapped out for Barrett. Either way, Bealham needs to stay healthy for the next few weeks.

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122697985#Comment_122697985

That’s great news, think I’d go with pretty much the same team as scarlets but Joyce in at lock with Niall Murray. Start Cian at 6 and Boyle at 8 and Ioanna in at 10.

On the bench then, I’d go 6-2 with Dowling, Murphy, SOB and Bolton.

Cherryson

Hi All,
Has anyone seen a google calendar *.ics list of Connacht fixtures for 24/25?
Many thanks in advance.
All the best,
M.

kita99

At EI tour, Connacht players were all impressive for me. Especially Gavin and Devine were superb at the last game. Murray seemed very steady. Aunger, Jansen Mullins were all healthy (maybe). I can not wait their coming home.

testtech05

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122700983#Comment_122700983

I was looking for something last week but didn't have any look bar an overall URC calender. Hopefully someone might have found one.

EachSmallChime

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703542#Comment_122703542

URC provides them on a club-by-club basis. Really handy

https://sync.ecal.com/button/v1/schedule/?widgetId=62d020b94997d0000f85dd35&category[0]=Fixture/{{ECAL_USER_COUNTRYCODE}}&apiKey=ZM0osXtXk0VDrZhYeL6lATXvtVQWj27CibljIUCha4I62d016c

testtech05

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122703671#Comment_122703671

Great, is there something similar for the European competitions i wonder?

KBurke85

CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY 23 VS ULSTER RUGBY 
20:00, Saturday 12th October 2024 @ Kingspan Stadium 

Number/Name/Caps (* denotes uncapped) 

15. Santiago Cordero (5)
14. Mack Hansen (35)
13. Piers O'Conor (3)
12. Bundee Aki (139)
11. Shayne Bolton (15)
10. Josh Ioane (2)
9. Ben Murphy (3)
1. Denis Buckley (251)
2. Dave Heffernan (203)
3. Finlay Bealham (206)
4. Joe Joyce (22)
5. Josh Murphy (21)
6. Cian Prendergast (71) (C)
7. Sean O’Brien (9)
8. Paul Boyle (95)

16. Dylan Tierney-Martin (39)
17. Peter Dooley (40)
18. Temi Lasisi (1)
19. Oisín Dowling (62)
20. David O’Connor (2)
21. Caolin Blade (195)
22. Cathal Forde (34)
23. Conor Oliver (88)

FtD v2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122707742#Comment_122707742

Interesting side - big opportunity for Sean O'Brien to show where he's at in a big interpro.

Cathal Forde is absolutely perfect for the utility back in a 6-2 given he can cover almost anywhere in the backline to a high standard.

Huge experience in the starting front row, but tempered significantly by having Lasisi at back up THP. That said - it's not like Ulster's prop department is overwhelmingly strong right now either.

Good to see them continue to back Ben Murphy to continue his good form at 9.

SqueakyKneecap

With all those Ulster injuries you'd have to say this is a must-win if Connacht want Champions Cup next season

realhorrorshow

Strong, settled team. Glad to see Prendergast back at 6, his best position by a distance IMO. Excited to see Sean O'Brien, I thought he was in a good position to nail down the 8 jersey at the start of the season but Boyle has taken his chance and stolen a bit of a march there.

I wonder if we'd be better off with Barrett at 18, Lasisi looks like a loosehead to me and I'm not sure how viable covering both positions is. That being said, scrummaging against Reid likely won't be the toughest assignment he'll face so hopefully he comes through strongly, seems to have a bit about him in the loose. Not a fan of O'Connor over Murray on the bench, guess we're planning on subbing Joyce off and want the cover on the tighthead side.

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122707742#Comment_122707742

What jumps out to me about that team is how few of them are Connacht Academy products. Connacht really are a side of buying in players from elsewhere and trying to get the best out of them. Which is fine, before anyone jumps down my throat. It's worked out really well in the case of Hansen, for example.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122709974#Comment_122709974

Compare Direct playing pool in connacht at any level with playing pool within any other pro teams local area. Connacht are doing wrll with the resources they have

FtD v2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122709974#Comment_122709974

5 players in the XV (Buckley, Heffernan, Bealham, Prendergast, Boyle) with another 3 on the bench (Tierney Martin, Blade, Forde) by my reckoning. Of those 8 - only the three on the bench are from Connacht and educated in Connacht, with 4/5 in the XV having gone through Leinster schools/youths.

6 Leinster Academy players in the 23 (Ben Murphy, Josh Murphy, Sean O’Brien, Peter Dooley, Temi Lasisi, Oisin Dowling).

5 guys in the 23 who went to Blackrock.