Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

MarinersBlues

At 2nd glance I can see how the structure works. It makes more sense than I first realised. I would have hoped for more of a discount on the cat1 and cat2 tickets.

Still, we have had STs for more than a decade and will need to have a think about it before renewing this year.

SqueakyKneecap

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123408159#Comment_123408159

Apologies for the late reply. You do make some very fair points and I'll always commend somebody for focusing on the positives as it's a great trait that I don't have. This isn't life or death stuff either but we invest a lot of time and nowadays a lot of money into supporting these lads so it's a true shame to see them regularly perform like they don't care because many of us would give anything to play for Connacht. As you alluded to my focus has been really on the past two seasons, which have been an absolute disaster but I do feel a bit more optimistic that it's been acknowledged now with the changes incoming to the coaching ticket. A few very sore points though:

1. We've always been a side that skirted on the attack arsenal over having a solid defensive structure. That's a risk but in the last 2 years we are showing the worst defense in my 20 years attending Connacht games. That Ospreys game in particular was embarrassing.
2. We made some absolutely mental selection decisions. I don't think we had a settled starting 15 because there was so much chopping and changing, even on big game nights with our internationals. I don't know what Niall Murray did in the last couple of seasons to be sidelined but he certainly is a great example of a fully-fit player way too good to be playing Eagles games. Conor Oliver another lad that was frozen out for a lot of this season.
3. Do we have any leaders nowadays? Youngsters like Forde, Gavin, Devine have been thrown into the deep end and yet there doesn't seem to be any true leadership. Sure, internationals like Bundee and Prendergast are mighty, but we seem to look at a lad like Boyler who puts everything on the line in any cameo appearance, and ignore it. That's a lad that shows leadership but is never trusted to start.
4. Maybe the most important point of all is that there's absolutely been a loss in the team-supporter relationship. The grassroots to greenshirts stuff seems to have died off entirely since Friendy departed and even from the social media side of things we don't seem to be promoting players calling out to clubs around the province etc. The cost of a season ticket isn't cheap and I know a good few friends debating renewal or picking & choosing games. We've been poor before since 2016 but at least there seemed to be a community feeling to attending games and an enthusiasm that we'd bounce back.

Sorry now for rambling on there but 2 seasons of underperforming back to back is a massive concern. Castlebar, the new stand, new coaches are all mighty but the branch and the players need to take a huge amount of ownership on the last 2 seasons. I don't expect us to win titles, finish in the top 4 or even be in the Champions Cup every year but for these lads to have been out of the top 8 running with 3 games left is a joke.

ShineyShiney

By all metrics we have underperformed for this season and last. That doesn't mean that there aren't occasional positives. Castlebar was a good event, the stadium is a huge investment in Connacht's future but on the field we have been underwhelming.

The appointment of a new coach of a reasonable calibre is absolutely essential.

The complete communication silence from Connacht Rugby since Wilkins departure is concerning. It appears as if they were totally blindsided by his departure which would be very surprising considering the long period of noise regarding his tenure.

On a positive, the lack of leaks under this management is to be commended 😀

The Moist Buddha

Rodders and the boys 🙏👌

b.gud

New contract for Carty confirmed, no mention of length as of yet

cannco253

Got some season tickets. Looks like plenty still available.

Didn't see an option as to where they will relocate you before the stand opens - presume that will be based on where your current season ticket is located?

• You will receive discounted prices, and will be relocated to other areas of the ground for the first half of the season.

ShineyShiney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123422119#Comment_123422119

I'm glad to see this, it would be a shame to see us lose his experience when there isn't any sign of an experienced 10 joining us.

BrokenMan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123422227#Comment_123422227

There was a drop down that was defaulted to the south stand on mine.

typhoony

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123422289#Comment_123422289

You hear stories from ex-players who knew themselves that the game was passing them by before they even retired. Having watched Carty in a few games this season that's exactly what I could see. Maybe he had injury or wasn't fit but I think that would just be an excuse

FACECUTTR

I thought he looked unfit too the few games he played in. Obviously we couldn't attract Harry Byrne, Frawley or any other IQ outhalf so it's better to have him on board to mentor Naughton.

The silence on recruitment is worrying tbh especially the season tickets going on sale.

RonnieL

Regarding the season ticket sale - like many previous Connacht rugby ticket sales, it was an absolute $hit $how (at least for anyone trying to by multiple tickets for a group, as the branch themselves suggested doing). The site would allow multiple seats to be selected, but only one was added to the basket. I was trying with a friend to buy 12 seats together. My next door neighbour was trying to buy 9. We all had the exact same experience. In the end, the only option was to buy tickets individually, and hope someone else didn't take the seats you were planning to buy in the meantime. Buying the tickets individually meant authenticating each time, filling out the forms, going through the checkout process etc. It was slow and error prone. To improve our chances of ending up beside each other, we chose a less popular area. My friend and I managed to get the 12 tickets, but not exactly together. My neighbour was the same - he bought 9, but not together. Oh, and to make the matter even more farcical, the confirmation emails for the tickets show a different section to the one selected (for example, selecting seats in section 104, resulted in email confirmation for seats in section 106).

b.gud

Andrew Smith has signed a 1 year deal with Munster for next season

ShineyShiney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123422476#Comment_123422476

Yeah I certainly don't think this was in either the branches plan or Carty's and considering the poor man management around the squad Carty had probably checked out. With JJ and Ioane ahead of him he was surplus to the coaches needs until injury to Ioane, JJ gone to Munster and Wilkins himself surplus and no 10 anywhere in sight.

Looks like Ioane, Naughton and Carty next season. Without Jack it would be pretty bare.

ShineyShiney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123422786#Comment_123422786

Best of luck to him, he's got a bit of something but wasn't getting a look in for us this season.

CowboyTed

Here is just a possible Swap…

Way it looks Devine and Murphy are better off in two separate outfits, if manage to keep them this year and Ulster look like they are sniffing for Devine, it would probably happen anyway.

Ben Murphy looks like the next JGP (Gibson Park), Leinster are using McGrath as sub in major games…

So how about swapping Ben Murphy for Fintan GUNNE, Alan SPICER (Big Lock) and Henry MCERLEAN.

Connacht need a replacement for Murphy if he left and that would be Fintan Gunne.

Alan Spicer is huge, 20 years old bit of a risk but could work out (Conor O'TIGHEARNAIGH or Alex SOROKA is another possibility)

Henry MCERLEAN, we need a full back… Very impressive at U20 and could be a diamond. (Aitzol KING is another possiblity)

I know it is expensive, Ben Murphy is very very good… But we have devine and with Gunne in it could work out for us better to have 3 high prospects…

What do you think… Concept is to offer something they could really want and see what we could get in return…

AccidentallyOnside

The thing is Irish rugby doesn't really do "swaps", generally the big 2/3 just generally take the players they fancy, the players that go the other way aren't really swaps.

Zeugnis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123424469#Comment_123424469

Spicer is the most anticipated player to come from schools rugby in a decade. There is zero chance of him being transferred anywhere. Gunne is seen as the next real prospect at 9, they will keep him. McErlean is a good player and it would make sense for us to pursue him, Aitzol King will probably be released but I don't see why we would need him.

Anyway, as @AccidentallyOnside wrote, Irish rugby doesn't do swaps. What we need more than anything is an outhalf, but what we've learned, i think, is that the opportunities we can offer do not currently outweigh the setup's perceived dysfunctionality. Otherwise one of the Leinster 10s would have agreed to move. I think it's understandable - we're a mess - even though Leinster have made a hames of their 10 succession process.

dee_kay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123422658#Comment_123422658

Aside from not being able to buy multiple tickets, a screw-up that I've been a victim of on other occasions, the block numbering changed during yesterday so it was probably wrong at 11:00 when the process opened for business and was noticed and "corrected" at some stage. The top image is how it looked last night, the bottom image is how it looked yesterday morning. The block numbering, e.g. 103-203, is completely flipped.

ShineyShiney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123424469#Comment_123424469

Blade, Murphy and Devine are all in contract as far as I am aware. I expect all 3 to be with us next season.

We are short in the back 3, Aitzol would be a good signing based on how he went against us in the last match but I suppose a lot depends on how we view the guys in our academy.

RonnieL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123424881#Comment_123424881

Yes, that's what I was alluding to in my post with the 104/106 confusion. An utter omni-shambles.

FACECUTTR

O'Connor has been re-signed for next season. Really reaching for the stars now.....

ShineyShiney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123425238#Comment_123425238

A surprising resigning really.

testtech05

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123425238#Comment_123425238

Piers or David? Personally I'd be happy enough to hang on to Piers

b.gud

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123425302#Comment_123425302

David

testtech05

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123425326#Comment_123425326

That's a surprise, he has hardly appeared all season last one I remember was as part of a 6-2 split on the bench and came on for about 5 mins at the end.

If that is the height of our signings for next season things are really looking tight.

Who else is left of the regular selections who is out of contract this season? Corder, Joyce and Piers O'Connor are 3 I think I have heard about

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123424869#Comment_123424869

I will agree with yourself and Shiney, swaps are not the IRFU thing (seems we take now and be happy)…

Our coaching ticket has been the main place of concern in attracting talent and more important keeping them… Andrew Smith leaving is no surprise, Tom Farrell, Diarmuid KILGALLEN… We are the Munster backline development squad…

The reason Leinster would be interested is because they have been searching for a scrum half for 9 years… Becasue the way their club is set up they fail to give the quality time to young SH.. Gunne has had 350 poor quality minutes this year while Luke McGrath has had 700 far higher quality minutes… Gunne is being just asked to bookend games won before he brought on or play in third string SA games… It is in Leinster's interest to send him to Connacht even without a right of first refusal in 2 years time.

I think they would want first refusal on Spicer in 3 years. Let Connacht have him and plough the minutes into him (in season one) and they would hope to get back an almost finished article… This deal would be a winner for IRFU… Connacht would have the player for three years and if worked out, a path for more promising talent in Leinster to leverage.

Henry is hitting a dead wall in the Leinster system… It is all internationals in front of him… He need to gain his 1000 min (the initial minutes to get you to speed as professional rugby player). Connacht have the gap and minutes available if he can show a reasonable level of form. With a proper coach, he could explode from here… Look at Hanson, Bolton,…

Totally agree on the the cynical nature of internal swaps and contracting in Ireland… There seems to be very little give and take, just take and let the other side b*tch….

ClanofLams

Completing the new stadium is great. But the on pitch product is equally as important and that seems to have been lost amongst those running the show.

Lurching from one mess to another right now, with seemingly no long term vision. Communication with supporters is horrific.

When Wilkins was appointed two years ago as a fait accompli (interviewed a grand total of three apparently and the other two appear to have been to check a box), said on here it looked like a jobs for the boys set up, nothing has changed since.

On the current path, Connacht's average attendance will end up falling to 3-4000 when a set up with vision and ambition could get it close to five figures. If the IRFU had any concern for provincial well being, Willie Ruane would get the road.

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123425439#Comment_123425439

Agree with you… IRFU for ourselves seemed to have created an idea which might have seemed great on paper but a disaster in reality… They thought they were putting all the new coaching talent under one roof and it failed bad, very bad… They seemd to have doubled down on the idea in Ulster as well… Murphy is better and is clearing house quicker and resetting in a team on the fly, but it is costing Ulster this season…

I don't think the IRFU know that:

A coaching set up is as good as its weakest link and if you bring in inexperienced or unexposed coaches you are drastically increasing that risk… This hole is then left to guys learning their trade to cover up… So in Connacht set up defence started to fall a part last season…Wilkins then tried to double job and effectively did neither.

Giving long term contracts to unproven coaches is very constraining… Wilkins three year contract was madness, he was totally unproven at the level… I don't even think he like the role and preferred the more hands on approach…

Also, leaving a young set up on there own with no Director of Rugby (even part time) to help and support is quite cruel… I say Pete had issues where he would have loved to have a Declan Kidney or someone to talk to about for the last two years…

So going forward:

Connacht just need to go back to basics an build a new team of coaches with known pedigree but have eye to develop with the game… Mark Sexton has left a good attack and the line out is the best in the league.

Defence is 3rd worst, Kicking is worst, Scrum is the worst in the league.. So that is area of improvement.

On a sidenote on kicking… I don't see why we are persisting with Ione for penalties… It is a learnt skill, with the background in GAA (which develops timing and strength) and time practicing, a number of players should be quite competent kickers… Make Jack Carty the kicking coach while we are at it, he couldn't do worse…

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123425341#Comment_123425341

Buckley*, Dooley*, Lasisi**, Joyce***, Oliver, M Devine**, Reilly, Gavin**, O'Conor**, Cordero

*contract expires 2025 but contains option for an additional year

**signed contract of unannounced length in 2024

***signed contract of unannounced length in 2023

I assume both Buckley and Dooley's options will be exercised. Hard to know re. the guys who signed last year, but there's been rumours about Devine and O'Conor. I imagine Lasisi is on a 1 year deal. Joyce maybe signed for 3 years initially.

KBurke85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123425529#Comment_123425529

Mullins signed a new deal back in March

https://www.instagram.com/p/DHViizNPI_3/