Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

b.gud

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124030218#Comment_124030218

I feel like Naughton at 15 is a part of a long term goal of getting him to 10. It's a way for him to get game time at senior level and get used to the pace of the game with a bit less pressure then comes at 10.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124030286#Comment_124030286

I think he might move to 10 very soon. When Hansen is fit our back three will likely be him, Gilbert and Bolton.

I really want to see Sean at 10. He might be a future international there.

connachta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124030327#Comment_124030327

Don't forget about Tracey

typhoony

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124030378#Comment_124030378

Not sure about him, still young and has time on his side

HBC08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124029554#Comment_124029554

I was at the game and the stand is looking great.

I was a bit surprised that the clan terrace is not in place yet.They may be a bit under pressure to get it open for jan 24th but they've done a great job so far so I'd have confidence in them.

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124029549#Comment_124029549

Scrum was 100% successful prior to Buckley and Illo coming in. When they did come in Buckley should have been pinged on 67 and was pinged around the 70 mark which was in fact the only time in the whole game Connacht were were pinged at the scrum.

So how did you come to your conclusion?

OldRio

Both teams had 100% success on their own put ins. I said during the match that the scrum was under pressure but the changes brought more stability.

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124031451#Comment_124031451

So when we have no issue with scrum and after replacements we now have issues with the scrum then that is an improvement?

ElisaAtWar

To be honest the biggest issue is the lineout. Dave has been questionable at best but Eoin is not an improvement

ElisaAtWar

Even the national team suffers from this.

OldRio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124031681#Comment_124031681

But there were issues or didnt you see them.

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124031801#Comment_124031801

I didn't really Oldrio. I have dealt with autism for over 40 years now so I do tend to see things differently. As are my boards comments somewhat different to others

OldRio

Well the scrum was under pressure. Lancaster was pro active by making changes. It worked.

ElisaAtWar

I really didn't witness what you saw. Maybe you could provide an exact timeframe so I can assess?

OldRio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124032272#Comment_124032272

Eh no. Sorry but I have better things to do.

Mr Hinx

The Sharks tried to use their scrum with all the recent Saffer scrum love. I felt Duggan got minced in a few scrums but we also had Ben Murphy get the ball out asap so don’t recall we conceded too many scrum penalties.

The scrum was a bit better for sure when Buckley and Illo came on and I dare suggest, Lancaster planned it this way.

Think Illo is a future international too. We don’t produce that type of profile often. He’s proper. We need to get games into him.

It’s mad we are stacked at 3 and pretty devoid at 1.

cson

Full value for the win and margin of victory.

Season hinges on winning the next two games imo - puts us in a strong position to make top 8. It is a pity we didn't manage to get the Scarlets game out of the way - fair chance we'd be 6th now.

Zeugnis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124032732#Comment_124032732

Such a shame what happened to Lasisi, hopefully he recovers fully from his knee injury and becomes a real option at LH.

Dooley is injured at the moment, no idea how long he's out for. If we lose another, the choice will be either reaching into the Academy or moving Bealham over. Considering our depth at 3, the latter is probably the best way to go.

RonnieL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124031193#Comment_124031193

The terrace is in place, it is hidden behind the hoarding but I saw a photo of it on the craggy rugby discord channel a few weeks ago. I'd say they're just doing bits and pieces at this stage.

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124029614#Comment_124029614

Has to hit a hand or arm… Shoulder doesn't count… Weird one…

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124029796#Comment_124029796

Occupied positions by Sam on start team :

• Fullback : 45 times ( Fullback 54% )
• Center : 19 times ( Inside Centre 23% )
• Winger : 14 times ( Right Wing 17% )
• Fly-Half : 5 times ( Fly-Half 6% )

He started a 2 games on the wing in Super rugby last year and all at 12 the year before.. Most at 15..

ShineyShiney

I'm fairly happy with all 3 of our looseheads, of course I would love a top end international standard 1 but there aren't too many of them around. Bohan looks like he is a good prospect but I would like to see another couple of props in the academy.

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124030218#Comment_124030218

I was scared initially as well… Really a 10 for the time we have seen him but he is really a rugby player with a good bit of class..

I think some forget that he still and academy player who is 78kg(he could be higher), making him the lightest player on the pitch… He plays with such maturity it is hard to believe his age..

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124031692#Comment_124031692

Sorry Elisa, the lineout issues looked more coaching than individual… They seem to be found out by the opposing team which is a bit of a joke considering how many jumpers Connacht have available to them (3 +)…

Today Connacht are 13th in the league in Lineouts… Last year we finished 2nd, year before 12th, year before 1st(Niall Murray gets record steals) , year before 6th…. There is a feeling of decline… Connacht might not have the biggest forwards, this should make us leading lineout guys..

Generally all the same personnel, it was clear during the game that Sharks had done their homework…

CowboyTed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124032205#Comment_124032205

These sides come to scrummage and it was shown in other games, get any partaity there and they become muted…

Even look at the International game, Ireland gave away were annihilated in scrum and look at the score… Imagine if Ireland wasn't giving away penalty after penalty..

Mr Hinx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124033937#Comment_124033937

I thought we looked a bit tired too at lineout time, a bit slow to get Darragh Murray into the air fast enough. But Sharks did compete well, especially on Darragh. Unusual to see him loose 2-3.

CatFromHue

Ospreys have only 1 win, against Zebre, and a draw, to Dragons, so far this season. With the group Connacht have getting an away win to them on the weekend would be a big help in getting the home QF spot. After that it's Black Lion and Mantauban at home and Montpellier away.

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124033937#Comment_124033937

I have an opinion on the lineout. It's maybe too simplistic but here goes. So you have (usually )a tight head telling the hooker what the throw should be. So the hooker now how has to deal with much calamity in the lineout as players run forward, backward or just generally make a complete mess of any structure in the lineout. And the hooker is left with just one simple purpose. He should ignore the mayhem and hit the player the tight head has said in the first place.

So that's just mental. As the team with the throw in you have an obvious advantage. So why are you running this way and that way like headless chickens. With the throw in advantage you know exactly where the ball is going as compared to the opposition.

So stop this running around stuff and just hit the part of the lineout that the tight head has said. You have the advantage so why do you give this advantage away by all this carry on

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124034250#Comment_124034250

Crikey, they are trying to give the opposition no clue as to where it's going. If you stand still then there's every chance the opposition steal it.

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124034334#Comment_124034334

That is the alternative viewpoint Eagle Eye. Personally I am of the opposite opinion. If you have a static lineout as the winner of the lineout your throw in is under your control. The opposition lineout can run right left up or back but fundamentally we have the advantage. We decide where the ball is placed in the lineout. It's our advantage so we don't need to mess with our advantage.

Also by slowing down the lineout we have more control