The state of this comment. Are you the arbiter of appropriate excitement levels? This thread is the pretty much the only place for Connacht fans to discuss their team, please try refrain from posting obnoxious, condescending comments that add no value whatsoever to the discussion.
You're right
https://www.laws.worldrugby.org/?domain=9&guideline=16&language=EN
I hadn't noticed the Borthwick incident but I was right behind Burns in the clan for the 3 second half conversions and each time there was a small group in the clan jeering him and singing songs about Billy Burns etc. So they were definitely not interested in what Borthwick was doing.
Just goes to show I guess depending on where you are in the stadium different things can be going on that the fans are reacting to.
It's play-off Champions Cup, that's all matters.
If La Rochelle win in Glasgow, and we don't play it smart, it will be Leinster
If LaR do not win (or we play our game as I advise), Ulster or LaRochelle it should be, and we'd have a decent chance to go even further
A number of teams that win just 1 game of 4 will get through to the last 16. Connacht could be one of those teams (although I expect them to win in Paris). It’s hardly a massive accomplishment given the format and all the Covid stuff. There are teams that have lost all 3 games so far who could still get to the last 16. It’s almost hard not to qualify to the last 16.
Jesus you're some craic when it comes to Connacht these days Molloy. Through to knockouts for the first time in history in the champions cup, ran the English premiership leaders who have only a single defeat this season very close twice, and really should have beat them at the weekend.
And the best you can offer is to piss in everybody's cornflakes
And the point is Connacht missed Buckley, Thornbury, Daly, Hansen and fit-and-starting Boyle and Farrell
That's 5-to-6 starters, 1/3 of a team, who, fingers crossed, will peak in April for round of 16
With them, bar Leinster we should be smart enough to avoid, we are able to beat basically anyone
Thanks for the replies. I suppose that wasn't really an option so, although in some cases when the scrum is being obliterated I'd say going down to 14 might actually be worth it.
Hopefully Finlay and Jack are not too badly injured, or we could be in serious tight head trouble.
Regarding the next round of Europe - while I agree it's good that we'll have a good sense for who our opponents might be given the different potential outcomes of the Stade game, I don't think I'd be trying to avoid Leinster necessarily. They'd probably beat us at home in Europe with basically the Ireland team......but what if they didn't? Dare to dream :-)
La Rochelle and Ulster are clearly beatable, Leinster are not on a-home-and away basis
We shouldn't claim it but FFS absolutely try to avoid Leinster, a QF would be great, vs anyone, then, but let's give us a (real) chance for round of 16
+ I'm sure we could fill a non-restricted Sportsground welcoming French or English big guns and not another interpro
Re the booing, in the ground the replay on the big screen clearly looked like no try. Even Carty went back to the ref when he saw it again. And fans watching on tv at home have the benefit of the ref mic so they can hear the conversation, you don't have that in the ground. It was only later I saw a replay of the last ruck, which has me more annoyed.
Anyway, on to Paris. Stade can qualify with a BP win and if Wasps get nothing in Limerick, so they're likely to pick a strong team. But I think we can take them if we play like we did on Saturday.
How do you mean I’m some craic when it comes to Connacht these days? Don’t think I’ve posted anything about Connacht in a while before today.
In order to balance out the above and be a little clearer in my take on Connacht, one criticism I’ve had of Connacht for some time has been their maddening inconsistency. Things like the loss to Dragons earlier in the season etc. they seem to be putting that behind them and delivering some consistency across a prolonged period, which is great to see. Carty almost epitomises that and should def be getting a very serious look in for Ireland in the next few weeks.
I rate Friend as the best coach Connacht have ever had. Sure Lam gave ye a trophy in what was a very good season. But it was just 1 season. Friend has taken you a step above where you’ve been before consistently over the course of his tenure. If he can get the consistency in performance sorted, which it’s looking like he is, then he’s doing fantastic work there.
Remember Leicester had no Dan Coles, Ben Youngs, George Ford and Julian Montoya.
The usuals bang on about the Sportsground, weather, Carty inconsistency blah blah but actually forget how difficult it is to play like Connacht. They are in the top three for tries scored (12), points (87) and conversions (32), carries (305), clean breaks, and even top for lineouts won.
Strongly fancy Connacht against Stade and really IF the forwards get parity anything is possible with that backline and Carty pulling the strings.
So?
Leicester is the best team in Europe this season with Leinster and we had parity with them with the same, if not more, number of absence
Full-team Connacht are probably a really bad draw for anybody in round of 16
And had the lowest meters made of any team at the weekend.
Tbh this is somewhat overstated. Those stats aren't up to date, BTW, but I think all their tries at the weekend came from the pretty conventional "pound away in the forwards then sling it out the backs" route? Connacht scored 4 tries but had the lowest metres made of ANY team in round 3, which is quite a feat given some of the other performances this weekend. They got a lot of kudos for "trying to play" against Munster while Munster were cursed from a height, but again their only try was from the back of a lineout maul. They didn't really create much.
They are a lot more of a meat and potatoes team than you would think.
Arnold owes us nothing... He has been brilliant since he arrived... He probably way too good to be leaving Ireland considering Munster's center issues...
I don't post or browse too often these days but I had the impression the last few posts I'd seen from you about Connacht were quite pessimistic, apologies if I'm mistaken.
This team is incrementally improving, and I agree with you about Friend, he's been a great find. At the end of the day Conncaht consistently punch well above their weight when comparing available resources, which is all we can ask as fans really.
Well there are a few obv reasons why the meters gained column was lower this wk. Namely they played against a very good Leicester side! You cut your cloth accordingly. Connacht kick allot but generally for the right reasons. Friend is no fool.
Three of the tries were all brilliantly finished after some good play by the forwards. Every team needs forwards in order to play! I wouldn't compare Connacht to Munster. Two very different coaches who ask two very different questions of their forwards and halfbacks.
Steve Borthwick is heaping on the praise for Jack Carty. Connacht got him on that 3 year deal just in time.
Leicester have signed Handre Pollard... i think they'll be ok
in fairness to Leicester they all came across well, pity they couldnt bring travelling fans!
i wonder will the round of 16 be reduced to just 1 game...
There fans a good craic alright...
The format of this competition is crap.... The old system was way better.. That Leicter tie would have been great as the pre Christmas home away..
Connacht Rugby are delighted to announce that six Academy players have signed Pro contracts beginning in the 2022/23 season.
The six players are Cathal Forde, Shane Jennings, Oisin McCormack, Darragh Murray, Ciaran Booth and Diarmuid Kilgallen, and represents another substantial seal of approval for the Connacht pathway system.
All sweet
A.Friend “You may well see a few new faces in there.”
Good, avoid Leinster
Test, Reintroduce and Rest
I'd go with
1) Tuimauga
2) Murphy
3) McCoy
4) Fafita'a
5) E.Masterson
6) D.Byrne
7) S.Masterson
8) Boyle
9) C.Reily
10) C.Fitz
11) O'Donnell
12) Bolton
13) Farrell
14) Kilgallen
15) McNulty
16) Heff
17) Duggan
18) Illo or McGrath
19) D.Murray
20) McCormack
21) Devine
22) C.Forde
23) O'Connor
(all verified listed in the European squad)
seems like his apology didn't come quick enough, same ref for the Ireland v England 6N game
I'm glad you're not the Connacht head coach.
my team is too strong not to take a BP you're right
But let's be honest, as good as Prendergast is, he doesn't add as much to a team, pound for pound, as a Nathan Doak, who most definitely should be a development player in this squad.
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