Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Wegians89 · 30-11-2023 10:54AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121436396#Comment_121436396

Ah yes of course he did. Think himself, Mack , forde and kilgallen will form a vital part of the back line moving forward.

kita99 · 30-11-2023 10:09PM

I am paying my attention to Connacht's pack weights (especially at maul and scrum time) at this week-end match. hopely near 900kg.. I think that if they fight evenly In the FW battle, They can win. (Aind indeed the accuracy of kicking is another key factor)

01-12-2023 09:16AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121431451#Comment_121431451

I think Brace is generally fine even though ideally I'd prefer non irfu officials for these games. At this stage as long as Frank Murphy is nowhere near the sportsground I think it could be worse.

sydthebeat · 01-12-2023 09:40AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121440774#Comment_121440774

No one wants Frank Murphy near any ground.

CuriousCucumber · 01-12-2023 11:26AM

Fingers crossed for JJ to be named at 10 today

And the game is a sell out.

Could be a very cold one, but hopefully the flames are alight a lot tomorrow evening, and that helps keep us warm

ElisaAtWar · 01-12-2023 12:25PM

lots of tough selection calls to be made. likely one of TOH, porch or Ralston will miss out completely and I suspect it might be porch. certainly a tight call

KBurke85 · 01-12-2023 01:02PM

CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY 23 VS LEINSTER RUGBY

19:35, Saturday 2nd December 2023 @ The Sportsground

Number/Name/Caps

15. Tiernan O’Halloran (227)

14. Mack Hansen (28)

13. Byron Ralston (21)

12. Cathal Forde (18)

11. Diarmuid Kilgallen (20)

10. JJ Hanrahan (5)

9. Caolin Blade (176)

1. Peter Dooley (23)

2. Dave Heffernan (183)

3. Jack Aungier (54)

4. Darragh Murray (13)

5. Oisin Dowling (49)

6. Cian Prendergast (52)

7. Shamus Hurley-Langton (25)

8. Seán Jansen (1)

16. Dylan Tierney-Martin (29)

17. Denis Buckley (233)

18. Finlay Bealham (191)

19. Niall Murray (61)

20. Paul Boyle (85)

21. Michael McDonald *

22. David Hawkshaw (18)

23. Conor Oliver (68)

Wegians89 · 01-12-2023 01:14PM

Strong bench again. More rotation too. Could argue that’s a second choice front 5.

Zeugnis · 01-12-2023 01:14PM

No Joe Joyce nor Tom Farrell? There was no mention of an injuries earlier this week. And no Jack. I'm also a little surprised that Jansen starts but good to see Paul Boyle back. Still, a good team, hope we can get some penetration in midfield.

Wegians89 · 01-12-2023 01:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121441680#Comment_121441680

You’re probably looking at Buckley DTM Bealham N Murray Joyce Oliver SOB Bundee Farrell and Porch all coming in fresh next week for Europe. That’s the bones of decent team completely fresh

Zeugnis · 01-12-2023 01:20PM

By the way, I demand that they play only Pogues tunes tomorrow at the ground. It's only fitting, The Body of an American.

Zeugnis · 01-12-2023 01:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121441697#Comment_121441697

Well four out of the first five will be on the bench tomorrow, but I know what you mean.

I wonder how long Reilly is out for, and if Devine will recover in time to be able to share some of those minutes with MacDonald.

01-12-2023 02:23PM

The lack of information regarding player availability is frustrating. Rather than the inane old boys club questions they ask at press conferences it would be great if we knew to some extent where we stood with players even if was put as an embargoed section for release after the team announcements.

Obviously on the Tuesday or whenever they do the interview it may be too early to tell in some cases but certainly for definite non starters it's disappointing to not be given proper information. I don't think other teams gain advantage from this info as they have plenty of time to tweak their setup either way.

In such a vacuum its hard to know whether it's injuries forcing Wilkins hand or whether once again he has mismanaged his resources leaving us short key players for a winnable game.

To me we already blew a winnable game in Edinburgh by selecting a weakened side and although any team Leinster put out will start as favourites we have to be targeting this game.

With what Leinster have on the bench a 6-2 split makes some sense. We should have the options to cover across the backline unless there's bad luck with injuries but it's a risk.

Wegians89 · 01-12-2023 10:37PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121441882#Comment_121441882

Yeah and bundee just coming back from injury so no guarantees there. Just some really good depth in the squad now.

connachta · 02-12-2023 10:46AM

Ralston vs Henshaw is key

he's light copared to Robbie, never really convinced me for now but Wilk sees smth in him, potential he has indeed, and he's already a stealmate for opponent in defence..

he may be a bit more naturally skillful too

connachta · 02-12-2023 11:10AM

No rain tonight

Will favour light mobile locks Dowling/Murray bros

realhorrorshow · 02-12-2023 12:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121444880#Comment_121444880

Ralston reminds me a lot of Fergus McFadden, he's an admirably gutsy, hard working player. Unfortunately, he's not particularly powerful, fast, or elusive, and doesn't have a standout passing game. As a result, I feel like our attack suffers when he's at 13. He is probably the smartest defender in our squad so I don't mind him playing there against the likes of Leinster, where we may be defending more than attacking.

My feeling this season has been that our attacking shape is very simple and relies a lot on individual moments of brilliance from Forde and Farrell; the former running a lot of clever lines against the grain, the latter using his footwork and intelligent offloading game to create space for both himself and others.

connachta · 02-12-2023 12:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121445190#Comment_121445190

Your reasoning stands bar one little element who has a name and is back tonight.

Hansen

His ability to change his position across an attacking backline and create sparks is huge difference. It will be seen, and demultiplate the basis you noted we build on

RichieRich_89 · 02-12-2023 02:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121444953#Comment_121444953

Baird is quite mobile too.

jopper · 02-12-2023 04:58PM

Message deleted

Utopia Parkway · 02-12-2023 10:32PM

Unforgivable to blow that. Messed up a scrum trying to milk a penalty. Got away with it and then threw a crooked lineout that would have sealed a win.

PCeeeee · 02-12-2023 10:34PM

Heartbreaking

AccidentallyOnside · 02-12-2023 10:40PM

Being a connacht fan would break your heart.

Didn't play well but still should have won, that's a poor side we played (by Leinster standards)

Utopia Parkway · 02-12-2023 10:48PM

Connacht scored 3 absolutely brilliant tries and still conspired to lose in the end.

ElisaAtWar · 02-12-2023 11:04PM

And there you go. Years of years of the likes of Jack and more recently JJ.

ElisaAtWar · 02-12-2023 11:05PM

both are complete rubbish but whatever

ElisaAtWar · 02-12-2023 11:06PM

truthfully cracks me up

dockysher · 02-12-2023 11:13PM

Surely professional paid players can not make same simple mistakes over and over again for years. Years of no progress now. Simply a game we should have won,simple mistakes again.

Over turned peno at end first half was criminal bad. Happened last week with JJ in last min in South africa, simply mistakes to lose enidrough game at end too nd today

MayoForSam · 02-12-2023 11:13PM

Being a Mayo football supporter is slightly worse than being a Connacht supporter but its close.

I was at the game tonight, the place was rocking after Kilgallen's try, the Clan was in full voice with the Fields. Mack gave us an edge in attack. But our lineout was a shambles and lost us the game. Blade was MOTM but I would question his game management as captain.

thecretinhop · 02-12-2023 11:19PM

The ref was a disgrace try 1 hand bags reversed penalty try 2 not backing up and yellow card I'm so sick of bad referee's I don't give a fk anymore

Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

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