Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

ClanofLams · 10-09-2021 08:54PM

That was awful. Really, really poor. Looking at a hammering in Cardiff first up if they’re not massively improved.

ClanofLams · 10-09-2021 08:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117873710#Comment_117873710

Hopefully that’s the last time he is in the sportsground. If the league is going to be taking seriously, can’t have an ex player reffing club he lined out for.

macslash · 10-09-2021 09:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117874087#Comment_117874087

Ah okay. Hopefully just a stinger as he didn't seem to be carrying it awfully bad walking off.

Bolton went well enough. Hansen was on ballboy duty on the sidelines.

connachta · 10-09-2021 09:56PM

All has been written

Awful collectively

2 lineouts won, about 8 lost.

Scrum overall on the back-foot.

Slow support

Handling and passing errors (no friendly excuse, L.I played its 1st friendly and did not make many)

Dominated in most contacts

So poor defence both in organisation and commitment overall (desperate episodic scrumble or kamikaze rush don't count for much)

All that vs bottom of table club (tough they were ok, they weren't Leinster)

21 y.o Prendergast and Bolton are forward and back of the match, really gems yeah.

jesuisros · 11-09-2021 12:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117873598#Comment_117873598

I didn't get to tune in but in the area of Roscommon that he's from it's pronounced "Mur-ray" (so maybe that's what was said) but elsewhere it's pronounced more like "Mur-ree"

ShineyShiney · 11-09-2021 10:48PM

Great to see rugby back.

Thought there were some good individual performances, marmian, prendergast, Oliver and Masterson showed well, scrum held up well when Duggan and aungier were on.

Protecting our ball in contact and lineout were pretty poor. Lineout looked like it lacked any subtlety at all. Poor Ultan had a game to forget but in fairness he usually needs a few games under his belt before he hits form.

I hope we can avoid Frank Murphy for most of the season because I just can't see the game the way he does most of the time and win lose or draw it spoils my enjoyment of the game.

connachta · 11-09-2021 11:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117878769#Comment_117878769

Bolton, though not the fastest, has serious steps and physicality too.

It's more of a collective problem

ElisaAtWar · 11-09-2021 11:57PM

The pronunciation of Murray was interesting. I was at a loss on that one. It was all fine and good LI playing the ball like a hot potato but on a most basic level the lineout was shocking. Everything else was chaotic but you need to get the basics right. You could argue that Connacht were done out of a couple of tries but really was irrelevant

ClanofLams · 13-09-2021 04:43PM

From the 42, Blade has leg injury, will miss Cardiff trip, should be back for second round. Butler and Boyle had food poisoning which caused late withdrawals from London Irish game. Aki back training this week, won’t be available until round three or four.

connachta · 13-09-2021 09:37PM

Boyle Butler Masterson Prendergast Oliver

pick 3 (4 with bench)

lenny4545 · 13-09-2021 09:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117887060#Comment_117887060

Prendergast 6, Butler 7, Boyle 8, Masterson bench!

realhorrorshow · 13-09-2021 10:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117887169#Comment_117887169

Tbh Oliver has consistently outperformed Butler since his arrival. I do think Jarrad deserves a chance to play himself into form however.

connachta · 14-09-2021 12:00PM

Oliver is in form and gets turnovers.

But he's too small and light ... I'd still go with Butler, very consistant if not shinny, and bring more fuel, support around the ball carrier

FACECUTTR · 14-09-2021 03:01PM

Are those 2 games the only pre season games for Connacht?

Could do with 1 this weekend too by the looks of things.

ClanofLams · 14-09-2021 03:02PM

Shane Jennings included in sevens squad for World Series in Vancouver this weekend. Only three guys left from Olympics squad they are trying some new people/testing depth.

Not sure what to think about it, I thought he might get some game time on the wing (as centre is stacked) this season but it has helped the development of some such as Hugo Keenan.

Anyway best of luck to him.

ElisaAtWar · 17-09-2021 12:38AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117887365#Comment_117887365

Since Fainga left Jarrad has looked very ordinary

macslash · 17-09-2021 12:51PM

Eagles playing Leinster A tomorrow, the Eagles will line out as follows:

15. Oran McNulty

14. Josh O’Connor

13. Peter Sullivan

12. Cathal Forde

11. Mack Hansen

10. Conor Fitzgerald (C)

9. Will Reilly

1. Charlie Ward

2. Dylan Tierney-Martin

3. Greg McGrath

4. Eoin Ryan

5. Fiachna Barrett

6. Jonny Murphy

7. Oisin McCormack

8. Ciaran Booth

Reserves

16. Kolo Kiripati

17. Bart Vermeulen

18. Kacper Palamarczuk

19. Gareth Kilkelly

20. Matthew O’Hara

21. Matthew Devine

22. Darragh Kennedy

23. Declan O’Loughlin

That's hardly the hooker Murphy at 6 is it??

Bazzo · 17-09-2021 12:53PM

Came to ask the same question. Don't recall there being any other Jonny Murphys?

Wegians89 · 17-09-2021 02:04PM

Rewatched the first half of the London Irish match there after being up at the match last week.

wasnt half as bad as I expected. Line out is still shocking and kills any forward momentum.

with a tmo and a decent ref could have been a different game.

Digifriendly · 17-09-2021 02:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117903939#Comment_117903939

From what I saw Connacht were well and truly hammered never mind the TMO and poor refereeing.

realhorrorshow · 17-09-2021 02:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117903534#Comment_117903534

Callow team. A hooker at 6, two u19s in the row, and no sub tighthead. If McGrath is to be 3rd choice loosehead it would have been nice to get him some minutes there during pre season.

u20: Kolo Kiripati, Kacper Palamarczuk, Matthew O'Hara, Matthew Devine, Darragh Kennedy, Declan O'Loughlin

u19: Eoin Ryan, Fiachna Barrett, Gareth Kilkelly

realhorrorshow · 17-09-2021 02:34PM

Senior players yet to feature this season:

Denis Buckley

Finlay Bealham

Sam Illo

Leva Fifita

Gavin Thornbury

Sean Masterson

Abraham Papali'i

Caolin Blade

Bundee Aki

Peter Robb

Alex Wootton

Seems that Illo, Fifita, Thornbury, Masterson, Robb, and Wootton may be injured.

connachta · 17-09-2021 07:33PM

That's proving, again, McGrath is NOT moved to LH and Bealham will

that's my guess

ClanofLams · 17-09-2021 07:44PM

Niyi starting for Bristol tonight against Saracens, with Jake Heenan on the bench.

connachta · 18-09-2021 08:19AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117904194#Comment_117904194

Well except 4-5-6 and bench, that's a team made of (potential) senior players

Hansen, McNulty, Fitzgerald, Tierney, McGrath, even Sullivan and Murphy out of positions will benefit from gametime and be readier if needed, which is the aim of Eagles.