Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

ElisaAtWar

I see no reason why we don't go on and get a bonus point win with a bit of sensible play using the wind. up to you JJ

niallm77

Can't be missing those JJ

Clegg

Connacht knocked on twice from maul transfers when 5m from Glasgow's line. Just not good enough.

Clegg

Jack Carty ffs

ElisaAtWar

JJ was always not fantastic but heavens above. Huge disappointment today😟

AccidentallyOnside

This is a stupid rugby team. How often did we kick in the second half with a huge wind behind us? Only time I can think of is Reilly's 50:22....which we made a mess of

Terrible stuff, if you can't beat that Glasgow team you don't deserve anything. League season over. This is a very hard Connacht team to support.

Digifriendly

Connacht need to concentrate on CC and try and win that competition. Their performances in URC seem some way below those in CC to a neutral observer here.

StevenToast

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123101717#Comment_123101717

They are going to try to do what the sharks did last year...but they arent good enough...

Hard to judge CC wins because some teams dont give a shìt....

kita99

This defeat was due to the selection mistakes. Why Boyle and Devine were not starters? Why Hanrahan and Cordero have been on the pitch so long time? Both players were non-fanctional. Connacht lost the winnable match.

Did you watch Devine's speed and 50-22 kicking from left foot?

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123101717#Comment_123101717

The teams we played in the CC were much less motivated than those we face in the league. We are a tad unlucky in that our URC fixture list is generally tougher than say Cardiff, but the reality is we are not a good team and 14th in the league is a reasonable reflection of where we're at.

Joma4good

either the half time coaching message was missing or didn’t get through or players went off script but why we tried to still bash it up with one up carries rather than kick some territory beats me. Two f**ked up mauls was the icing on the cake. Few people saying last week we should extend Cordero, I think tonight shows why we shouldn’t.That was an opportunity to get a rare win in Glasgow completely wasted, so much possession with so little to show for it.

FACECUTTR

Jack Aungier called up to the Irish squad. Furlong ruled out.

AccidentallyOnside

Delighted for Aungier, his first call up should have come long ago

seanin4711

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123101717#Comment_123101717

they wouldnt win an arguement atm and are woeful.

they are completely one dimensional and not up to basic skills standard.

all the weekly weight and gym sessions in the world on socials and deliver nothing week in week out.

how on earth is mchale park sold out is beyond me.

seanin4711

with last seasons results no playoffs and QF of CC as a benchmark.

worse league position and maybe dare i say bow out once again at QF stage of CC.

at some stage the coaching ticket needs to be looked at.

Wilkins at al never instilled much confidence in me tbh.

niallm77

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123102412#Comment_123102412

Novelty factor, a chance to see an intro pro for the local people from the Castlebar area etc. Rugby is very much a highly viewed sport on TV in ireland ATM.

ShineyShiney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123101717#Comment_123101717

While a run in the CC is great, we do need to be realistic and think it's only going until any of the other teams decide they are interested.

I'm still of the opinion that the squad is decent and better than the league position suggests but that tactically we are poor. Yesterday imo would support that, playing keep ball with a huge wind is not a great idea for a team that finds scoring difficult. I do accept that our skill levels are poor but again if you haven't got great skills then playing with the ball all the time passes advantage to the opposition. They just wait for our error, which unfortunately is about as certain as death and taxes.

ShineyShiney

On a positive note thought Royston and Hawkshaw had some good moments. Piers, Joyce and Murphy went pretty well.

Devine just has a touch of class about him, always makes something happen. Needs a bit of accuracy in his passing but otherwise looks great.

Nice to see Finn Tracey get a debut.

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123104146#Comment_123104146

Hawkshaw was good, as he always is when he gets a run at 12. The problem is that he is best as a hard running 12 but we have three others who can play that role and are a lot bigger than him. Not sure where his future lies with us, I don't think playing 13 is the answer and he doesn't seem to be viewed as a 10. You'd think with his background as an outhalf he could distinguish himself as more of a playmaking 12, but his distribution skills are not particularly good. There is the potential that he has it in the locker but the coaching staff just aren't focusing on those skills, as no-one in the squad seems capable of throwing a pass beyond five metres.

Devine is a livewire and lots of fun to watch but his passing concerns me. It seems like rather than simply having some execution issues, his technique is fundamentally flawed. He snatches at his passes, pulling his arms across his body rather than following through and finishing the motion with his hands pointed at the receiver. He threw two shockers yesterday, one at Dooley's ankles which forced a forward pass under pressure, and one so far above Hanrahan's head that it earned him a bollocking. Both were off his left hand, where he seems to struggle the most. Don't want to be too critical as I really admire the way he plays the game but he is a full time pro now and standards are high, especially for he who has the potential to be an international if he can nail the fundamentals of the position.

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123101742#Comment_123101742

I would be also addingSean Naughton to the mix…

Ulster are going to have Jack Murphy as their number one by the end of the season… We are playing for nothing in URC really, blood up a lad or two and it would be worth while…

Devine is a massive player and player that we might be lucky to keep when we get down to a choice between Murphy and Devine…

To be honest I could see either Murphy or Devine being No. 2 in Leinster getting huge game time…

Zeugnis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123104146#Comment_123104146

Thought Paul Boyle was very good as well, he's had a brilliant return to form this season and is one of the few capable of making a line break.

Zeugnis

Eight Connacht players now in Ireland camp - is that a record?

Poor reflection on this coaching ticket that they are not able to get better results out of this squad.

connachta

We can do it to CC final
Buckley B.Murphy, Aki, Hansen, D.Murray, Prendergast, Forde, Bealham, maybe Porch/Bolton, that's way enough to move from a decent team, winning in a very tricky away Cardiff game for exemple, to a really good team in April

ElisaAtWar

When all is over and done there is just nothing to be said. Over the years I have been a critic in the hope for better. I have nothing more to say. That Glasgow performance was an absolute disgrace. I can't even blame Pete Wilkins on this one. That performance was realized by players who for some reason are paid a wage. They should be utterly ashamed of themselves.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123105630#Comment_123105630

Well said, I fully agree that we need to give younger players the opportunity in the URC for the rest of the season. It's good for them and it's good for the senior lads to be fresh for the Challenge cup.

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123107143#Comment_123107143

Same thinking…

I would say at the moment we seem to lack a plan in attack and this comes more obvious when they get into the opposition 22. It is very frustrating and I really feel for the players… The Outhalves seem to not know where there players are going to be. Either our moves are very easy read (or Old), ponderous, not executed properly (could be too complex) or doesn't exist (unlikely).

I think this started last year when Jack tried a few no look passes and the players weren't at the end of them. Jack looked very stupid (unfairly), criticised and stopped doing it. That used to open defenses… Against Ulster it was like we told Ulster what we were doing before every play… Only thing that worked that night was a chip from Jack and Mack following and getting lucky. Rest was shocking…

We are just not converting and the challenge cup performances we were in different class than opposition. We meet a proper team (that does its homework) and we could have problems.

This coaching team is not performing. It lacks a lot. I think we when Friend was leaving we should have swapped like for like and no other changes. Say a Declan Kidney in for a year or two and let him change other personal to hand over. Pete not only have to learn how to be a Manager but all his coaches were learning too..

Way too much, we are 18 months later and we can't tell you where the real problems are..We can gues but even some days Nigel would tell you that Pat Lamb called the shots…

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123107143#Comment_123107143

I have to disagree here. I don't have a much faith in the way the team are coached, but we should let the fixtures, results, and player fitness dictate our plans. We're also a rubbish team cold after some time off. What we need to do is build form by winning multiple games without pushing the lads too far.

Here's our fixture list:

• Feb 15 - Cardiff (H) (URC)
• Mar 1 - Benetton (H) (URC)
• Mar 22 - Ospreys (A) (URC)
• Mar 29 - Munster (McHale Park) (URC)
• Apr 5 - Cardiff (H) (Challenge Cup)
• Apr 11/12/13 - Potential QF (H) (Challenge Cup)
• Apr 19 - Stormers (A) (URC)
• Apr 26 - Lions (A) (URC)
• May 2/3/4 - Potential SF (H) (Challenge Cup)
• May 10 - Edinburgh (H) (URC)
• May 17 - Zebre (A) (URC)
• May 23 - Potential Final (Cardiff) (Challenge Cup)

The first three fixtures are very winnable with rest weekends between them.

Are we really going to rest all our front line players for "the big game in Mayo"? We'll undo half the good work from filling McHale Park.

Manage the squad sensibly to win every game until after the Challenge Cup QF then make a big call on the strength of the squad we send to South Africa. The Lions and Stormers both look beatable right now even if it's a big ask.

There's plenty of leeway to develop players sensibly in that schedule.

ShineyShiney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123108473#Comment_123108473

Spot on.

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123108473#Comment_123108473

If we were 8 points better or even 5 points better, it would have been a great run in…

We can't seem to breakdown defences anymore…

kita99

In all sports in any countries, almost all teams change the manager or HC in this (like Connacht) situation as the adrenaline shot although it's too late. Maybe there are some reason Connacht cannot sack.