Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

CowboyTed · 14-12-2021 03:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118314062#Comment_118314062

The old format seemed better to me... Maybe we have to bed into this one with a little more time..

Paps going was a risk not fully playing off... It was worth it and someone else could get a very good player. We just can't risk the red cards... Would like to see Soroka coming west for his good. Of course we would love and need Deegan, it might be very good for Deegan too...

Tommybojangles · 14-12-2021 04:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118320519#Comment_118320519

Yea it will take a long time to get used to this format if it stays. Playing teams that don't have to play each other and probably going up against totally different teams for the top 8 takes away a lot of the edge I think.

Like playing Stade and Leicester who play Bristol amd Bordeaux all to be left fighting it out with Quins and Wasps (For example) for a place in the top 8 doesn't give familiarity any opportunity to breed contempt. Even in the NFL you have your 6 division games every year. When there's so many teams in the pool/group/conference whatever there's really no point looking at the table until after round 3 as there's so many variables, whereas otherwise you'd be looking at the other result and thinking bonus point/ need a win or whatever next week

Zzippy · 14-12-2021 05:41PM

I see the branch are still selling the 3 game package for after Christmas but in reality, is it in any way likely the Stormers game will go ahead? They would have to travel before the 29th December and isolate for 10 days (training??) just for one game. Same for Leinster v Lions the same weekend.

I wonder is there a chance they might reschedule the Connacht-Leinster game to that weekend to fill the gap? They did similar for the SA derbies when the Munster/Scarlets/Cardiff/Zebre games couldn't go ahead down there.

KBurke85 · 14-12-2021 06:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118321284#Comment_118321284

Hopefully they don't reschedule the Leinster game. 3 interpros in a row followed by two more weeks in Europe would be tough going.

sydthebeat · 14-12-2021 06:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118320151#Comment_118320151

ah i must have misunderstood what i heard earlier. i though it was said that he is already gone to brive, which would have required a buy out.

Wegians89 · 14-12-2021 06:37PM

Looks like dowling, Duggan and burke all d say our training today. New loose head could be thrown in for a start

connachta · 14-12-2021 08:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118320377#Comment_118320377

TOH, Robb, Fifita'a looks back on training pics too, Tuimauga's there

Aki is MASSIVE boost

I'd go with Tuimauga 17 with Duggan 1 and Burke rested after HIA

Bealhan 3 MCoy 18

Aki/Bolton

Arnold or TOH 23

Fifita'a 19

The rest unchanged, even McNulty!

Not sure Delahunt will be there though, Murphy then

Former Coach · 16-12-2021 08:15PM

http://tigersfamily.co.uk/interface/external_view_email.php?AT916757347483300116641330zzzzz64fa362e45b8daf16dff5e11a6c221655b043e4aefed4a0f69dfe5bd2f4d022e70&varId=

KBurke85 · 17-12-2021 01:00PM

Team named, hopefully no mass changes like last week.

CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY 23 VS LEICESTER TIGERS

Sunday 19th December, 13:00 @ Mattioli Woods Welford Road

Number/Name/Caps ( * denotes uncapped)

15. Tiernan O’Halloran (195)

14. John Porch (45)

13. Sammy Arnold (24)

12. Bundee Aki (112)

11. Alex Wootton (25)

10. Jack Carty (167) (C)

9. Kieran Marmion (194)

1. Mattthew Burke (31)

2. Dave Heffernan (152)

3. Finlay Bealham (166)

4. Ultan Dillane (121)

5. Niall Murray (23)

6. Cian Prendergast (16)

7. Conor Oliver (28)

8. Jarrad Butler (81)

Replacements

16. Shane Delahunt (108)

17. Tietie Tuimauga *

18. Jack Aungier (21)

19. Leva Fifita (3)

20. Abraham Papali’i (16)

21. Caolin Blade (138)

22. Conor Fitzgerald (42)

23. Diarmuid Kilgallen (4)

RonnieL · 17-12-2021 01:40PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118336610#Comment_118336610

Looks a good team - I like the combination of Ultan and Murray in the second row. With all the covid chaos, you'd have to wonder if they'll actually end up playing though. Time will tell.

17-12-2021 03:16PM

Some serious physicality on that bench. Will be needed against this Leicester side. Wiese is a big danger for them.

Zeugnis · 17-12-2021 03:44PM

Neither Ford or Genge have been picked for Leicester - that helps.

That's a strong Connacht side, although I would have left McNulty at 15. Tiernan has a lot of credit in the bank and I hope that he shows his selection was justified. Once Mack is back there can be no passengers in the back three - we have too much potential to maximize.

FACECUTTR · 17-12-2021 04:35PM

Leicester team.

15 Bryce Hegarty [4]

14 Freddie Steward [42]

13 Matt Scott [32]

12 Dan Kelly [28]

11 Hosea Saumaki [4]

10 Freddie Burns [83]

9 Ben Youngs [270]

1 Nephi Leatigaga [51]

2 Nic Dolly [10]

3 Joe Heyes [82]

4 Harry Wells [135]

5 Eli Snyman [6]

6 George Martin [25]

7 Tommy Reffell [57]

8 Jasper Wiese [25]

REPLACEMENTS

16 Julián Montoya [11]

17 James Whitcombe [9]

18 Dan Cole [274]

19 Calum Green [70]

20 Ollie Chessum [18]

21 Marco van Staden [6]

22 Jack van Poortvliet [30]

23 Guy Porter [27]

serfboard · 17-12-2021 09:57PM

Freddie Steward is a real threat (if the game goes ahead, of course). I watched him on the telly playing for England in the Autumn Series and he was fantastic. Scored tries against South Africa and Australia.

UAEguy2020 · 17-12-2021 11:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118340046#Comment_118340046

I watched him on the telly also.

clsmooth · 19-12-2021 02:09PM

Good start from Connacht. Should have done better with that line break though

UAEguy2020 · 19-12-2021 02:34PM

Arrrgggh Porch/Wootton was in there if Arnold got the offload away!

clsmooth · 19-12-2021 02:43PM

Great time to score. Connacht deserve the lead. Good game.

Clegg · 19-12-2021 02:46PM

Connacht were excellent from minutes 25-40. Was about to say it was a shame they couldn't convert their possession dominance to points. Then the intercept happened.

Utopia Parkway · 19-12-2021 03:14PM

Tigers changed their entire front row and have got 4 pens from the 4 scrums since.

UAEguy2020 · 19-12-2021 03:15PM

That knock on from O'Halloran when he should have kicked it now looking to be a very costly mistake.

UAEguy2020 · 19-12-2021 03:18PM

The one positive from this is its running time off the clock.

Former Former Former · 19-12-2021 03:22PM

Yer man's pronunciation of Aungier is hilarious

UAEguy2020 · 19-12-2021 03:27PM

Sadly Connacht are throwing this away in typical Connacht fashion.

Clegg · 19-12-2021 03:31PM

Carty blew it.

Clegg · 19-12-2021 03:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118346705#Comment_118346705

X2

UAEguy2020 · 19-12-2021 03:33PM

When Connacht get into this position the game is already up sadly, they will just continue to shoot themselves in the foot until they have nothing left.

TRC10 · 19-12-2021 03:34PM

Carty can do great things in attack but his game management and tactical kicking has been astonishingly poor and will seriously go against him when it comes to Ireland selection

Utopia Parkway · 19-12-2021 03:35PM

5 pens and a yellow card won since Leicester changed their entire front row. And 14 points conceded by Connacht during that yellow. Things were going pretty well up to that point.

19-12-2021 03:39PM

That knock on summed up the half.

Beyond woeful.

Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

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