Definitely haven’t heard of anyone coming back after 4 months from an ACL but would be delighted to be wrong. Thought 6 months is best case scenario. Would be delighted if he is back around April for the tail end of the season.
Reilly out is a big blow, especially if blade gets a deserved call up to the six nations squad. Need Devine back fit asap.
Delighted to see Thornbury back. He could be a vital rotation cog in the second row as he’s a lineout caller.
Not as long as it used to be though, players coming back after 4-6 months rather than the 9-12 months it used to be.
ACL isn't it? - I suspect back at training means able to start rehab - it's a long process
No mention of Farrell or Aungier but I assume they are available. No harm having Bolton fit again.
On Cordero, he said he is back training. I wonder will we get to see him early in the new year ?
A squad update ahead of Friday's Champions Cup game at home to Bordeaux with Laya Healthcare #ABeatAhead.
Bundee Aki (hamstring), Gavin Thornbury (knee) and Shayne Bolton (hamstring) are available for selection having recovered from their respective injuries.
Colm Reilly (ankle) has undergone surgery for a ligament injury and is expected to be unavailable for 12 weeks.
Tiernan O’Halloran (foot) and Oisin Dowling (shoulder) will be further assessed this week after picking up injuries against Leinster.
Also unavailable for this week are Oisin McCormack (hamstring) and Santiago Cordero (knee).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTG-dvhw7hU&ab_channel=ConnachtRugby
Have to say I'm impressed with Cordero for hitting all the talking points that fans want to hear in this video. I don't care if he's full of BS but fair play to him for doing it and making the effort to ingratiate himself to the fans.
Having been in Bordeaux a few weeks ago for the RWC, I can confidently say I'd be miserable if I moved to Galway for the winter!
Still, bodes well for the future if he can get fit.
FW pack weights of Bordeaux against Oyonax (latest match of them) were 938kg.The THP(Sadie from south africa) is 147kg. He has started every other week. Indeed Ihave no idea whether this week is his turn or not. Under no good weather in Galway this week,such a heavy playermay not effective. Their no 8 (Tatafu) is Tonga- born japanese player. He came to Japan at 15years old (his highschool time) and became current representative Japan. He is not tall (184,110) but powerful and skillful. So Connacht must not take him lightly.
anyone collect their season ticket gift pack yet or does anyone know what it is? im just wondering will i bother going to sportsground to collect it in this weather. probably only a bottle opener or something!!
The bullet to the head was a couple of things. The clearing kicks to touch by JJ were beyond awful. It's called a clearing kick because it relieves pressure. Instead all his kicks put more pressure on Connacht.
While I was critical about a couple of decisions by Busby, I would have to say that Connacht in general did well from his calls.
So then how did we lose this game. And while some might say our lineout was rubbish. Well that's not fair. Our lineout in the first half was 100%. And then in the second half it collapsed.
But in first half and second half there was just one consistent problem. Leinster had all the possession, had all the go forward. So without a doubt they deserved to win the game. The question has to be asked as to why Connacht did not have the same.
What is wrong? But we were fairly beaten by a moderate team
Bundee is fit.
Totally agree about the distances we get from kicks out of hand - it's a problem off restarts too. Opposition teams regularly clear their lines to almost half way off our restarts, but we never seem to make it beyond about half way between the 22 and 10 meter lines of theirs. Forde seems to be tasked with taking a lot of the kicks off restarts, and it seems to me he COULD get more distance, but often gets the angle wrong and puts it into row Z of the stand. I'm sure it's something they are aware of, and working on.
It feels like there are some very OTT reactions in here. Understandable considering how frustrating the last 5 mins were, but Connacht were about 2 decisions (by players) away from beating Leinster and having a crack at a bonus point win.
JJ's penalties are a little cautious, but I'll take 10 penalties that land 15m out over 8 that land on the 5m and 2 that go dead. Connacht's attack has been generally good, so just getting possession and attacking in the 22 is a win.
The attack has been going well without Bundee and Mack. JJ has been significant in that.
Blade arsing around at the base of that scrum probably was the decider in that game, but if anyone thinks you'd have been in that position without him you're kidding yourself. He played a blinder for 75 mins. It's big costly mistake. It's one you learn from. If that happens more than once, then you worry.
The only thing I'd be concerned about from that game, that hasn't been solved on the drive home, is the lineout.
Think Joyce is nailed on as captain for next season. He looks a proper leader. Himself and Jansen look to be exactly what was needed to be brought in up front.
Would like to see DTM and McElroy as the first and second choice hookers moving forward. There is the making of a strong pack there.
Too many silly mistakes and moments of madness from individuals. Not too sure how this is fixed.
I think that Hanrahan is too cautious at penalty kickking. Maybe he would be afraid to mis-kick like Carty. So I think that Connacht should make Forde or Hawkeshaw kick from hand. Hanrahan is a good place kicker, so he should kick some gaal-kickking. As it's current situation, Connacht can not use an atacking maul, so it can not increase the numbers of try. At last, the best no.10 may be Hawkshaw because he can many things (fast and wide field (eyes) running, good passing, strong tacklings and cover defendings). It seems that's time for the decision.
so I think this is the Connacht primary issue. I don't think JJ is good enough. Yes he can kick penalties. I think Caolin is the biggest whinger at the scrum and the breakdown. Solve these issues and we have a really good team
my second half analysis. Paul Boyle was incredible. Suddenly the lineout that was perfect went pear shaped. And JJ and Caolin are poor together. And that was for the duration of the game. And that's the critical issue moving forward
Poor game management in the final few minutes. They didn't have to win a Scrum penalty just get it out. Then the lineout was thrown to the middle or rear when a simple throw to the front, secure it from the ruck and put it out of play. Leadership in these situations seems to be lacking still. How many times in the past few seasons have we beaten ourselves in the final 15 ?
I must mention Jansens impact at 8. He looks really excellent and adds what we are missing at 8. Hansen it just top drawer and gives so much in attack. Dooley looked really good too apart from the yellow.
Get the simple game management stuff right. It should be basic. Leinster didn’t win that game, they were given it.
So that was my analysis of the first half. But there were worrying signs. The scrum and lineout for Connacht were dominant and yet Leinster had the vast majority of the possession and the territory in the first half. Some of that was based on really poor kicking by JJ for touch but also based on being pushed back on most every move
Having the clock past 39 minutes and for JJ to kick to the corner was such a totally stupid call. 8-7 at the time, tight game, you take the points. Crazy decision
The reversed penalty on 35 minutes against SHL was a joke. So it's ok for players to front up, push each other around with arms raised into each other's faces but it is unacceptable that one player touch another players cap. What law of rugby says this? This is all typical rugby argy bargy. Clearly if one player hits another player, this is unacceptable. But who decided that grabbing another's players cap in such a melee is considered a culpable infringement. And this was the basis for the Charlie Ngatai try for Leinster.
Just got to watch the game back on TV. The decision by Busby to yellow card Forde for getting his head in the way of Charlie Ngatai's shoulder was just the most bizarre decision I have seen in quite some time. To call it head on head was beyond incomprehensible. And to yellow card Forde just borders on ridiculous when it should have been the other way around. I'm simply gobsmacked by this. It is such a downer that officiating is destroying many of the games in the URC
That loss still really hurts!
One thing that I've noticed that's a real shortcoming for JJ (who I think has been largely excellent for us) is his touch finders from open play and penalties; he just doesn't get enough distance. When we were in attacking positions we always seemed to be 10-15m out rather than 5 and when defending he barely seemed to clear the 22.
On another note- muldoon said last week that he had totally overhauled the line-out as he want other things from it so hopefully thst gets back to the strength it was last year quickly.
20kg at scrum isn't really an issue and should in no way mean anything in terms of dominance
Having a focus on mobilisation and speed should never be considered a bad thing
there were many good things (indeed and bad things). I think that Connacht were heavier than Leinster (maybe about 20kg) at the pack-weight. So, They have been winning at scrum times and break downs (Connacht BDwas quit stronger than the opponent). It wasproven that the stabilized scrumage creates the stabilized defence.The HC must think the pack size at first. The persistence to the mobilization and quickness is wrong in current rugby game.
the last throwing by DTM didn't seem crooked in my TV screen. But I wonder that who was the caller. It seemed another easy way to slow to nearer catcher. Muldoon must teach the Line Out skill. In Connacht, it seems no SH coach watching Reilley( v Edinborugh) and Blade last night. Both SHs seemed the slow judjement player.
Connacht have only themselves to blame for loss, arguing over a disputed penalty call is pointless at this stage.
On to next game, surely a better ending on next Friday 😂 it is Connacht though
You're the one claiming the reversed penalty was incorrect, it's up to you to present a reason why you think the officials got it wrong.
I've told you that the explanation the ref gave matched what we saw on TV and that it was the correct decision
How is that trolling?
MOD: If you have an issue with a post report it, don't call people trolls
OK troll not engaging
The yc for connacht quote rte commentators incredibly harsh.
At the match we taught it was a lens yc ffs
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