Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

SHL being similar to faingaa could be huge. He was a brilliant player for Connacht. SHL looks a bigger unit so could slot in at 8. Back row of prendergast Oliver and SHL could be tasty with a second choice of Murphy, butler boyle

Do you have a link by any chance? Haven't read much of ROG stuff in a while but used to find his analysis pretty good previously but that sounds like a BS take on that game having suffered through it all.....

Edit: Found it https://www.the42.ie/ronan-ogara-ireland-new-zealand-5718721-Mar2022/

I think it would be pretty obvious to most here why the Byrnes or Carbery haven't had results like that this season. Seems incredibly harsh to basically blame a 50 point beating on your outhalf! Ill have to give the whole article a read when I get home from work.

Here is what he said:

“He (Carty) came on and had an opportunity (against France), remember Ireland had a chance to win the game? It was Jack Carty’s pass from right to left that went forward and Dan Sheehan knocked it on, but it was a difficult pass to handle. But these are the moments that we’re talking about. But also, my abiding memory of the Six Nations (for Carty) is that Jack Carty was out-half for Connacht that went to Edinburgh and the score was 56-8. 

So I think we have to be consistent in our analysis in the fact that you can’t knock on the door, knock on the door, knock on the door and then come up with a performance like that and go, ‘Well that didn’t happen.’ Because the staff and coaches look at that and that rocks everything about your environment, about your culture, about what you stand for.

“Then you go, ‘Test level is another level up and I’m the out-half on that team that has gone to an away game and we’ve copped 50 points.’ So I think it’s a very, very harsh message but every game counts. Especially when you’re not the incumbent, every game counts.

“The out-half is the driver in the team and this isn’t harsh against Jack, I’m just trying to give you guys a picture of what’s involved in selecting a potential test out-half. It’s an all-encompassing position with so many layers and strands associated with the job and the task at hand.

“You can’t just pretend that Connacht-Edinburgh game didn’t happen. That comes into selection criteria because the two Byrnes (Ross and Harry) haven’t had that on their CV this year. Joey hasn’t had that. So little things become big things when you want a really important piece of your jigsaw.”

It's ridiculous to pin the loss against France on Carty with his 90 second appearance.

He didn't do that either though.

Carberry is not very good! He wouldn't get a look in in France or England! But, that's where we are.

Maybe it's the long shadow of the Edinburgh game, but I think we'll lose this by a couple of scores. Maybe the best bit will be a close look at Dooley, Murphy and Hawkshaw. Big question for me will how the THs perform, and if TOH puts in a performance. Sorry that Thornbury wasn't ready to bench.

If you have Connacht as favourites, I'll take your money ;)

Edinburgh was three weeks ago, long enough for the shame to have been parked. Leinster's front five are going to dominate and Ross/JOB will attack Tiernan O'Halloran. Tom Daly, usually so good, had a dreadful game last time out and will need to be sharp or Frawley will make a total mickey of him. I'd have started Arnold at 13 for his bite, Farrell has been off it since he picked up an injury before Xmas.

This should be a good match! I think it will be close. Delighted to see Frawley back.

That was incredibly stupid from Daly. Game over.

Hard lines today lads. I thought ye showed a lot of grit for the first 50 minutes and made life miserable for Leinster.

But Carty had an appalling game today. His kicking from hand was so poor and his passing was iffy too. Great identification for the overlap for your try. But his level is so up and down that he can be a huge hindrance.

One big positive for Connacht tonight is Hawkshaw