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Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

[Deleted User]

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Bazzo

No idea why Marmion quick tapped there. Not convinced the player was back 10 either though.

its_phil

What an awful 5 minutes for Murphy.

163 points conceded in our last 4 games. Mother of god

Bazzo

Have Connacht won a single jackal penalty in this match?

connachta

Always tried to find good points, like double BP vs Scarlets, individuals and so on

There, 45 points conceeded in 45 minutes

Unacceptable.

[Deleted User]

Absolutely pathetic defensive performance. I don't particularly care about this trophy but these games are important for Connacht in terms of taking something positive from an at best very mixed bag season.

Before anyone says anything we all know how good Leinster are and all credit to them but once again we went from a situation where we had played some excellent rugby and were in a really strong position to complete capitulation within 10-15 minutes. Leinster just had to up the intensity a notch and we fold like deckchairs. Same story v Scarlets, Leicester, Ospreys, Ulster at Christmas etc. etc. The volume of cheap scores we are shipping and the rate at which we ship them when the tide turns against us is alarming. The maul defence is once again beyond belief. If a team overpower us or go through a large number of phases and wear us down I've no problem but we have shown no signs that we have any idea how to cope defensively and in particular with the maul, if you saw that level of disorganisation at junior level you'd be asking serious questions

Leinster were running the ball over the line off mauls without having to build any concerted pressure. Once the first shove came on, any resistance caved in. Some tries we gave them an uncontested lineout and still had no ideas of how to make them work for the try at least.

We have a new forwards coach coming in but that isn't going to solve the systemic issues within Connacht. I like Friend as a person and when we are in full flow we play some great stuff but to me there is pretty limited leadership in this team as a whole and I don't see any accountability in terms of our defence. How Wilkins is being kept around is beyond me. Nigel Carolan's loss looks like it'll be huge too.

A few big wins have papered over the cracks to some extent but Im very worried about the tracjectory we are on.

ShineyShiney

We are an easy team to beat, no respect for the ball we give it away far too cheaply and have no turnover threat to recover it. Time for a change of tactics I think.

Some good individual performances despite the heavy loss.

Wegians89

Saw something about roux going to Toulon, hopefully that’s not true.

Not having Tom Farrell has been a huge loss this season. Hopefully he can get a good run next season. Is bundees suspension over now? Would expect the team to get a real boost when he plays next abs are we likely to see ginger sob during the rainbow cup?

d-gal

Heard SOB2.0 (centre) leaving for England as well

lenny4545

d-gal wrote: »

Heard SOB2.0 (centre) leaving for England as well

Where did you hear that? Would be big mistake by Connacht to let him go! Especially as I doubt Robb will get contract extension next season given the amount of injuries he gets!

jacothelad

ClanofLams wrote: »

Yeah that’s fair enough too.

I would like the expectation to be that any first choice international will stay at Connacht, that expectation exists in Ulster/Munster (can’t recall the last time one moved within Ireland) but I’m not sure it does in Connacht or at least it didn’t in 2016, when a large part of the support was pretty accepting of the move.

Isaac Boss and Ed O'Donohue both left Ulster for Leinster as first choice players though Ruan Pienaar had been signed so Boss left. He was O.K. for Leinster, EOD wasn't.

Former Former Former

Wegians89 wrote: »

Saw something about roux going to Toulon, hopefully that’s not true

If it is true, the money needs to be found to bring in a test quality second row from somewhere, a big lump who can stand in the way of a rolling maul and hopefully give a bit of on field leadership.

[Deleted User]

lenny4545 wrote: »

Where did you hear that? Would be big mistake by Connacht to let him go! Especially as I doubt Robb will get contract extension next season given the amount of injuries he gets!

SOB 2.0 has been one of the standouts in the back half of the season,

Zeugnis

If Quinn is leaving, it must be because of money, Toulon are ceretainly not going to win a champions cup. If it's a wage issue, the IRFU surely should have to explain their financial analysis. Quinn is an international and important member of the Irish squad. It would be very odd if he was to be lost to the Irish system (Leinster are also in need of a lock of his type.). Claims of times being tough are not sufficient if money can be found to bring Zebo back from France and sign Jenkins for Munster. And there are rumours that Munster's are not finished shopping.

Zeugnis

gallyind wrote: »

SOB 2.0 has been one of the standouts in the back half of the season,

Please let this be a situation where they are allowing him to play himself into a contract, because he has been putting in the performances. I thought him and Daly were good yesterday.

Zeugnis

Regarding last night, it was nasty to see the identified weaknesses result in a rout. On the other hand Leinster learnt the lessons form the last outing and fixed their vulnerability in the line out.

Inability to win the ball on the ground, and a continued failure to properly protect the ball carrier, these things we've seen over and over. And the maul, it was a disgrace. Occasionally it has appeared as if progress was being made on that front, but last night exposed it in the most gory manner imaginable. somebody needs to be given the job of fixing this problem and given the resources if necessary to do so. Failure to solve the problem should result in dismissal.

Last night's maul failure was behind five of Leinster's tries. Now they're a great team, so some of those scores they would have gotten anyway, but they didn't have to sweat. Something has to change or we will not be competitive.

connachta

Most were scornful but I stand for my point
We need gym gym and gym again (+ arm-wrestle technique of course)
It was boys vs men in contact. No gainline success. No ruck abilities. Simple as.

I was about to say, yes, we look as disjointed as within Bradley era.
But we're letal in attack out wide, and that's a big big difference, explaining we're in a trouble era between disaster and genius.
Pre-season will be a key to see the side of the coin where we fall

connachta

The strategy to give us fresh air by constantly crashing out n°8 (Boyle Butler or Papa) and 12 (Aki Robb or Daly) is so limited it has been targeted yesterday. Papa and Daly were involved and brave, but neutralised by 3 players on their backs any time

Bazzo

connachta wrote: »

Most were scornful but I stand for my point
We need gym gym and gym again (+ arm-wrestle technique of course)
It was boys vs men in contact. No gainline success. No ruck abilities. Simple as.

I was about to say, yes, we look as disjointed as within Bradley era.
But we're letal in attack out wide, and that's a big big difference, explaining we're in a trouble era between disaster and genius.
Pre-season will be a key to see the side of the coin where we fall

If spending all day in the gym made you great rugby players then the USA would be an absolute powerhouse. It's far too simplistic a view.

connachta

Bazzo wrote: »

If spending all day in the gym made you great rugby players then the USA would be an absolute powerhouse. It's far too simplistic a view.

No, because Friend give us the handling abilities.
No issue with this.We're good at it already
We need organistion and physicality, like Lam had (with Muldoon and Muldowney and others we have still in our squad, better used) and has even more now in Bristol

Bazzo

connachta wrote: »

No, because Friend give us the handling abilities.
No issue with this.We're good at it already
We need organistion and physicality, like Lam had (with Muldoon and Muldowney and others we have still in our squad, better used) and has even more now in Bristol

Ah right so you're saying you want to keep the current players, you just think they're not spending enough time in the gym?

You seriously think the S&C team aren't analysing these sorts of things into the ground??

salmocab

Apart from maybe a freak like Porter I doubt the Connacht pack were not as strong as their Leinster opposite number give or take. It’s a coaching issue that won’t be solved in the gym.

connachta

Bazzo wrote: »

Ah right so you're saying you want to keep the current players, you just think they're not spending enough time in the gym?

You seriously think the S&C team aren't analysing these sorts of things into the ground??

I think it clearly doesn't work out for now. And it's not recent

Utopia Parkway

Roux leaving with be very bad news as he's one of the few genuine big lumps we have in the pack and probably no coincidence that our maul defence has got even worse in his absence.

Anyway hopefully he stays.

connachta

salmocab wrote: »

Apart from maybe a freak like Porter I doubt the Connacht pack were not as strong as their Leinster opposite number give or take. It’s a coaching issue that won’t be solved in the gym.

Did we win collisions?

We did vs Racing and Ulster yes, but not vs the best (Leinster, Munster and Bristol)

salmocab

connachta wrote: »

Did we win collisions?

We did vs Racing and Ulster yes, but not vs the best (Leinster, Munster and Bristol)

They aren’t crash test dummies smashing straight into each other, technique is really important. The biggest player in the world will be dropped by a scrum half if he doesn’t know what he’s doing. You’ve decided they aren’t strong enough and seem to think that it’s the only issue. Connacht maul defence is appalling and if you think that can be fixed lifting weights you’re way off the mark.

Former Former Former

salmocab wrote: »

They aren’t crash test dummies smashing straight into each other, technique is really important. The biggest player in the world will be dropped by a scrum half if he doesn’t know what he’s doing. You’ve decided they aren’t strong enough and seem to think that it’s the only issue. Connacht maul defence is appalling and if you think that can be fixed lifting weights you’re way off the mark.

Yep. There was a moment in the second half yesterday when Papali'i took the ball from the base of a scrum, got a head of steam going... And was felled with no trouble by Luke McGrath. He's a big unit but he's no rugby player.

ShineyShiney

Former Former Former wrote: »

Yep. There was a moment in the second half yesterday when Papali'i took the ball from the base of a scrum, got a head of steam going... And was felled with no trouble by Luke McGrath. He's a big unit but he's no rugby player.

One trick pony at this point in his development but what a great trick !!!

I'd prioritize his fitness then teach him how to clear out a few rucks so he adds value both sides of the ball.

I think we might see his real value in tight games against similar standard teams next year. I'm a fan for now, took me a while to get over his lack of rugby nouse but glad we've retained his services.

Clegg

If putting in big numbers at the gym determined success on the rugby pitch then Pierre Spies would be considered the greatest of all time. But for most of his career he was criticised for his lack of physicality.

Connacht's problem isn't it's S&C work.

Dubinusa

I believe Friend is out to sea. Connacht are poor and the play reflects on the coaching team. They're regressing and once in a while they perform well.

Burkie1203

connachta wrote: »

I think it clearly doesn't work out for now. And it's not recent

Thats more likely to be poor technique then anything else.