Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Looking ahead to the season I can't help but get excited about the amount of young talent at the province, doubt we've ever been so stacked before. Reckon we could put out a very decent 23-and-under side:

1. Jordan Duggan (23)

2. Dylan Tierney-Martin (22)

3. Jack Aungier (22)

4. Cian Prendergast (21)

5. Niall Murray (21)

6. Donnacha Byrne* (20)

7. Oisin McCormack* (20)

8. Sean Masterson (23)

9. Colm Reilly (22)

10. Conor Fitzgerald (23)

11. Mack Hansen (23)

12. Shayne Bolton (21)

13. Shane Jennings* (20)

14. Peter Sullivan (23)

15. Oran McNulty (21)

16. Declan Adamson* (22)

17. Charlie Ward* (21)

18. Sam Illo (20)

19. Darragh Murray* (20)

20. Conor Booth* (21)

21. Will Reilly* (21)

22. Cathal Forde* (19)

23. Diarmuid Kilgallen* (21)

24. Eoin de Buitléar* (19)

25. Josh O'Connor* (20)

10 indigenous, 10 from Leinster, 2 exiles, 2 IQ from SH, 1 Munster

Did I hear we're playing a pre season game this coming weekend? I know we've got London Irish on the 10th.

That's a very very interesting point, even if 1 out of 2 succeeds, that makes 12 players, ie a full team for the next 10 years with very few imports

Future is bright

Ya I only found the kick off time through the Worcester announcement back in July.

The communication coming from Connacht has been shockingly bad!

Excited to see Oisin McCormack getting some senior team action, thought he was great for the irish U20s. Curious about Greg McGrath, and looking forward to Dowling and Murray in the row.

Surprised not to see Jack Aungier on the sheet.

What's very interesting is the fact that both McCoy and McGrath are listed as TH, leaving wiiiide open (though not proven) my theory : Bealham will switch to LH!

McCoy/McGrath/Aungier/Illo, 4 TH with only 2 LH, in all logic Bealham will be the 3rd LH (waiting for Buckley)

Some may say it's friendly experimental team, but I can't see the point not to try McGrath or McCoy as converted LH if it was the chosen solution

The last time we played heads / less structured Rugby , was the year KK was in charge and that season went t!ts up . Hopefully the coaches are better communicators .

Jordan Duggan off early in friendly. Hopefully nothing serious if an injury but not great to be one injury away from disaster in the front row either way.

I know it's first game of season and wasn't a full strength team by any means, but looks like Connacht defensively as porous as ever!

From watcher of Worcester

"the second half was massively fragmented with changes and stoppages. Connachts bench was emptied by about 60 minutes long before ours and their depth (or lack of it) really showed IMO."

We have to look mainly at the HT score, 17-10, which isn't bad.

Depth will be there with Boyle, Bealham, Heff, Daly, Dillane, Thornbury, Papali'i, Aungier, Blade, and players fitting in after coming or coming back (Bolton, Hansen, Farrell, Robb, McGrath, Fifita'a, Illo, McCormack,Tierney-Martin)

Any news about Duggan off early?

Id agree, in general you would prefer to win but there are too many oddities in selection in matches like this to read much into the scoreline.

Great to see Farrell with the set up Oliver's try. Rest of it is fairly standard preseason stuff. Reilly fond of a quick tap

I'd like to see Daly, Bolton, Hansen, Thornbury (if fit), Dillane, Aungier (if fit), S.Masterson starting vs London Irish

BTW Wootton has to play too. And Sullivan