Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123038708#Comment_123038708

So in other words people did condemn Sexton

dockysher

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123038909#Comment_123038909

Crazy and never going happen

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123038859#Comment_123038859

Yep, Darragh has played a couple of minutes more. I think id like to see us go with Murphy and Joyce at second row when available, both Murrays' carrying and ruck effectiveness stats are dreadful.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123038894#Comment_123038894

Murphy has played most of his rugby in the back row this season. I can see him playing more at lock for the remainder with Hurley-Langton back, Boyle in form, Prendergast indispensable, and Jansen to provide much needed bench impact.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123039187#Comment_123039187

I'm indeed wrong. I'd forgotten that he'd put in quite a few 80 minute games at six early in the season. Nothing like following Connacht to addle your mind! 🤣

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123038691#Comment_123038691

You see the TMO thing is weird in Busby games.

I'm just picking out one game here which doesn't pertain to any of our provincial sides and there's been many controversial in games in Ireland.

This is a play that was reviewed. Busby says before anybody that it's two players going low and just a penalty.

The comments by his assistants,

Assistant referee Christophe Ridley added: "It's very, very direct, mate."

Adam Leal says: "He's also lowers a bit as he comes in, as well." He did lower his head going in.

Jamei Roberts said: "It's a rugby incident for me. I do not think that is foul play one bit, goes to strip the ball, they're both low."

Busby's comment after that: What we're seeing is a careless action by South Africa 16 but we're still just looking at a penalty. The TMO agreed.

So check it out here.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1804523917983297633

In the same game, a try by Mapimpi was reviewed and the try was awarded. Apparently this was not a forward pass.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1804516904800747578

This is one of many, many games where controversial decisions have been made by Busby with different TMO's making peculiar calls. The common denominator is Busby.

KaneToad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123038896#Comment_123038896

The Barrett/Aki collision had a point of impact that was shoulder to shoulder. It's not a conspiracy against Connacht

Cherryson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123039956#Comment_123039956

Mod Edit: Attacking the poster.

realhorrorshow

I have to say, I don't think I've ever felt so indifferent to Connacht rugby in 20+ years as a fan. This should be a time of unbridled optimism, the stadium is flying up and we have a good young squad packed with talent. The best we've ever had in my opinion. Despite that, I'm finding it hard to muster enthusiasm.

The on-pitch product is relentlessly pain-inducing, I've never experienced frustration akin to that I've felt watching our games over the past season and a half. I grew up watching us lose, I can deal with that. But there's something infuriating about our performances that I can't put my finger on. It could be the turgid phase play, the brainfarts, the discipline, the errors, not showing up emotionally for big games. Perhaps it's simply because we should be better, whereas back when I was watching us lose to the Borders at home, it didn't feel like there was any alternative.

On top of that, the Hansen incident has left a sour taste in my mouth. The way I see it, either:

a. Connacht as a collective genuinely believe that refereeing decisions are tangibly and materially impacting their outcomes, with Hansen's outburst simply an emotional response to a perceived continuous injustice.

b. Connacht made a more calculated decision to craft a narrative and alter public perception in order to achieve a goal. Hansen's comments in this case being a more thought-out, Erasmus-esque attempt to influence referees, either consciously or unconsciously.

Either of the above would be extremely frustrating for different reasons.

Sam Loudermilk 247

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123040360#Comment_123040360

Mod Edit: Attacking the poster.

dockysher

I presume there is technical issues with connacht v munster ticket portal today. Queue barely moving and on it 30mins.

Friends have same issue.

Redo91

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123040633#Comment_123040633

Yes there must. I followed the link on the email last night and selected my tickets with no bother.

Buddy Bubs

I got this far after about 45 mins but it's been like this for 10 mins now

Sam Loudermilk 247

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123040360#Comment_123040360

they attacked the previous poster, where's their warning?

SqueakyKneecap

Must be north of 15k tickets gone already. Great to see even if this queue is slow moving.

happyoutscan

Website banjaxed I'd say?

Got in but the stand was sold out.

Can select the amount of terrace tickets I want but it won't let you actually proceed to checkout to purchase.

I've now been kicked out so I'm at the back of the line.

Anyone else have this problem?

KBurke85

CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY 23 VS LYON 
20:00, Saturday 11th January 2025 @ Dexcom Stadium  

Number/Name/Caps 

15. Santiago Cordero (13)
14. Chay Mullins (2)
13. Piers O’Conor (9)
12. Bundee Aki (144)
11.Shane Jennings (19)
10. Josh Ioane (6)
9. Ben Murphy (9)
1. Peter Dooley (44)
2. Dave Heffernan (207)
3. Finlay Bealham (211)
4. Oisín Dowling (67)
5. Joe Joyce (27)
6. Cian Prendergast (77) (C)
7. Shamus Hurley-Langton (47)
8. Sean Jansen (14)

16. Dylan Tierney-Martin (46)
17. Jordan Duggan (53)
18. Jack Aungier (75)
19. Josh Murphy (26)
20. Paul Boyle (103)
21. Caolin Blade (202)
22. Cathal Forde (42)
23. David Hawkshaw (37)

RonnieL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123040935#Comment_123040935

Is anyone actually surprised that they've managed to make a mess of the ticket sale? They've got form - remember the time they allowed clan season ticket holders to buy multiple clan tickets for the semi final vs Glasgow, the link for which leaked before the advertised time?

I do feel they've gotten much more professional in general, and the redevelopment project seems to be going very well, but there's still a general sense that we're just not as serious an operation as the other provinces. Maybe that's just me!

Anyway, hopefully the Munster game sells out and it generates a few extra euro to put towards a good coaching group :-)

CuriosityKilledtheCat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123040935#Comment_123040935

Yes, same experience. Queued, selected tickets and got booted. I was attempting to buy a mix of adult and junior - I went back in the queue again and was able to buy all adult tickets instead.

happyoutscan

Must be the luck of the draw.

I've tried on different pc's, chromebooks, phone and no joy.

Different browsers as well.

Still can't, although at least the Basket revealed there were 23 tickets for me to purchase.

Seriously, why can't we just do simple things correctly?

MarinersBlues

Getting a little fed up with them not selecting a specialist out half on the bench.

Constantly shoving Forde in there does him a disservice, and I don't think Hawkshaw should be there either. There have been a few games where we have gone 30 mins+ without an out half on the pitch and that is not going to win us games.

testtech05

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123041457#Comment_123041457

I was thinking similar I kind of understood the idea behind Hawkshaw or Forde on the bench in a 6:2 split which we seem to be fond of this season, but with 3 backs having 2 very similar options in Forde and Hawkshaw (centres who can play 10 at a push) doesn't make much sense unless Jack and the rest of the back 3 options are unavailable.

ShineyShiney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123039956#Comment_123039956

I have a different opinion to you however our opinions are not relevant. The incident was significant as far as the game went and deserved official review by the ref and the TMO. The fans deserved to see and hear the discussion that either cleared it or penalized it as it was a potentially game changing incident. We have seen refs let play go on while they ask the TMO to review. Id be ok with that, then the ref can inform the players at the next break that it was reviewed. End of drama.

I'm sorry Busby is retiring and a capable ( not perfect) ref is being lost to the game but if I'm being honest and I saw his name coming up to ref us this week even without last week's game id be groaning.

I totally accept that rugby officiating is an imperfect and impossible task. I accept that refs are human and make mistakes and I even like the drama it can create. I don't like when a ref is so entrenched in his rightness ( general comment, not aimed at any specific ref) that he or she refuses to use the available assistance to get to the best possible decision, even if I don't like the outcome.

The simple fact for Connacht is we need to be better so that results are not left to the rugby gods

ShineyShiney

Decent Team, a win would be good.

See, I'm trying to move on 😂

Seathrun66

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123040935#Comment_123040935

The website a mess. Went in early and on the ticket page circa 10.15. Stand tickets kept disappearing and reappearing so I tried the seated terrace where I had to try again after putting in the numbers and gazing at an empty basket. Kept repeating this only to see at one stage that there were 64 tickets there but zero ten seconds later. Though it might be the device so tried another one and after a 70 min wait got the same result.

Gave up and returned at 6.15 to get tickets with very little bother. €34 for myself and two small kids including fees. That's a bargain and there's a hell of an atmospheric night ahead. Close to 20,000 sold I'd guess.

AccidentallyOnside

Lot of doom and gloom around Connacht at the moment but 21.5k tickets sold for the Munster game is amazing news!

HBC08

That's amazing!

I think it would be better under lights but I think it's a 2 30 KO which might be better for families etc.

I wonder what they will cap the capacity at for this? Is 25k for a one off GAA match,28k for a match with a curtain raiser under current GAA guidelines.

In reality the ground can comfortably hold 34k (and has as recently as 2018)

If the weather is decent this will be some occasion!

SqueakyKneecap

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123043160#Comment_123043160

Think it's actually only 26k since about 2021. Health & Safety similar to Pearse Stadium is my guess.

Wouldn't have expected 18k at this with the way Connacht are going presently so 20k in the first couple of days is fantastic.

2025Connacht

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123040420#Comment_123040420

I feel very similar to this. There was a long time supporting Connacht where you went along knowing what the outcome would be with the odd win keeping us going. The thought of having 3 or 4 Connacht players in the Irish team at that stage would have been laughable.

Since Bradleys last season (where we got a bounce in the challenge cup after he announced he was leaving) I always felt we were on a slow (if somewhat bumpy) upward trajectory.

The change of qualification rules getting us into the Heineken Cup pushed us on another bit and then we had the unexpected glory of 2016. After that it was always going to be downhill but it feels like we've lost our way completely despite having a number of internationals and a number of exciting academy talents.

There's obvious weaknesses in the squad as many have discussed in detail. To me it's been a very haphazard recruitment process over recent years.

It feels like the plan was to thread water with unambitious appointments until the renovation is completed but its a dangerous game. As a fan I felt deflated when Wilkins was appointed on a 3 year deal. I can imagine as a player it wasn't exactly a statement of intent for Connacht's future.

I think the Ulster game was a fork in the road moment. The Christmas interpro is always huge in terms of people watching who mightn't watch week to week and it was a home banker and we lost badly against a weakened side with a basic game plan.

Connacht fans are relatively easy to satisfy but we are almost gone full circle to the bad old days whereby our league season is hanging by a thread in January and we are relying on the Challenge Cup for a boost.

The Challenge Cup group is extremely kind to Connacht and there's a definite route to a high seeding but I've no faith we'll make a significant dent in the competition. Id expect we'll win tomorrow. If we don't we may as well pack up for the season. If we do win (hopefully with BP) we need to go flat out for the Cardiff game and try and get a top seeding to give us something to cling to.

We are more than likely going to lose in Glasgow and our league hopes look very remote so I'd hope Wilkins treats the Cardiff game as (essentially) a knockout game.

The Castlebar experiment is already a big success but that's just a novelty value really. For run of the mill games when the stand is complete id worry what kind of crowd we'll attract unless we change the course we are currently on.

HBC08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123043334#Comment_123043334

I can't find anything online but last time it was an issue was Mayo v Donegal in 2019 when it was capped at 28k,sold out and the place looked half full.

Either way it's already a massive success on tickets sold 3 and half months out.

KaneToad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123042570#Comment_123042570

The TMO is constantly reviewing the play and draws the refs attention to any suspected foul play. The TMO saw no foul play with Barrett clear out. The ref also didn't deem it necessary to review. Replays that I've seen confirm that TMO & ref were correct, in that instance.