Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

The attack was good under Wilkins to be fair, definitely our strength last season.

Playoffs should have been our aim at the start of the season with no Champions Cup, or top 8 at a minimum. I'm not feeling as negative as you, yet, but we could be in for a bad time if the Welsh teams are semi competent this season.

Blade ruled out of the emerging Ireland tour and Cathal Forde called up in place of Frawley whos also injured

Thought blade played well until his injury. Buckley, DTM and especially Bealham were really good.

Murphy was decent again, I prefer him at 6 but a good shift.

Boyles physicality was much improved and butler also added significantly.

Problems at 10,12,13 we need to stick with Daly and Farrell and let them develop a partnership now with bundi gone for the foreseeable.

My team for the weekend

Dooley Heff Bealham

Thornberry Dowling

Murphy Boyle Butler

Marmian Carty

Daly Farrell

Mack Roylston

Porch

I know they were in the process of hiring someone a few months back. I was expecting the social media content to improve drastically but it looks like Wilkins is in charge of that too.......

This is great for Forde, he's exactly the sort of player who should benefit from this experience. It's early days but my belief is that we will finish in the bottom half of the URC table and there will be no return to HEC. If that is correct then this season is best used to develop the recent Academy graduates, Chay Mullins, etc.

I wonder if the search for a TH continues, or did the re-signing of DRMC take that off the table?

Bundee's last suspension was for four weeks, my guess is he'll get eight this time. In such instances is the sanction consdiered to start from the day of the infringement or that of the citing committee decision?

Post match remorse? Maybe that’s okay the last time or two. Don’t think he’ll get to pull that card again

I do sympathise with Bundee myself, no one else does but do. It's not as though he is the only one who tackles like that.

the reaction after was done out of his frustration.

Nope Darcy Swain recently only got a 6 week ban for a dangerous clearout that ruptured Quinn Tupaea’s medial cruciate ligament in his left knee and will have him out of action for at least 3 months https://www.the42.ie/darcy-swain-ban-5873033-Sep2022/

While I agree this should be the case there are countless examples of repeat offenders getting time off their ban for remorse etc. Thomas Lavinini, aka the most carded man in rugby history, got 2 weeks off for “expression of remorse, his conduct at the hearing, and the fact that he has been taking active steps to ensure that his on-field aggression was appropriately controlled, the committee reduced the sanction by two weeks.” in December for a hit on Cian Healy during the AIs, this was his 3rd red card in international rugby

I’m wondering if Aki attacked someone with an axe on the pitch. Would we see people come along and say he’s only being criticized out of racism. I’m guessing we probably would to be honest.

You mean your post above?

Any word when Aki's disciplinary hearing is?

I saw Henning (head of referees for the URC) speaking to the papers yesterday basically calling for an extended suspension for dissent and making it a general policy for referees to crack down on dissent.

Problem is that he doesn't really have much good conduct on his side.

3 career reds, a citing, (all for high tackles) 5 career yellows and a citing commissioners warning for dissent in January 2022.

I think Connacht could do with the hearing being done with and the ban announced so they can figure out how long they need to plan without Aki.