Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

No doubt they are on a bad run of results but this is also by far the toughest stretch of fixtures they will have all season.

Bulls, Leinster, Bordeaux, Saracens, Ulster & Munster.

Could easily have won both the Leinster and Ulster games but didn't. Munster the last one to come on NYD.

The schedule does ease up a bit in the 2nd half of the season as we still have a lot of the Welsh teams, the Italian teams and the other two South African teams to play at home.

Some of our selections this season have been really strange, it's hard to see what the logic is and sometimes feels like we're throwing **** at the wall to see what sticks. In the back three, we've rotated Kilgallen, Smith, Bolton, and now Jennings in and out to the point that each has gotten a bit of exposure but imo none have gotten enough sustained gametime thus far to develop effectively. We also picked McNamara on the bench for the first few games before banishing him to the AIL. We dropped Tom Daly and Jordan Duggan in at random for key away games with no follow up. I understand wanting to spread the gametime but one start in 9 months is not going to keep a player like Daly happy anyway. Dylan Tierney-Martin has seemed to fall out of favour out of nowhere. Niall Murray is out and Darragh is in, although in fairness Niall hasn't been at his best so I don't mind that. I think we've chosen untimely games to rotate Joyce out. He should start every game if fit, at least until Thornbury gets back to his best.

Our attacking shape is very average. The u20s played a very similar system under Sexton, which I thought made sense with underage players and limited time together, but I don't think it's suited to this level. We are often far too flat and when we do play out the back it's lethargic and easy to read. As an aside, our hyper focus on support players "tackling the tackler" has often left the ball completely exposed to a jackal.

No one has a dought that professional rugby is not only sports but entertaiment. At last week's match, Hansen worked hard and well, but looked to have no trying-chance. Many fans disappointed him who is the best try -getter in this country to receive almost no chace ball. I want to know how do Connacht atacking coach or HC think about it. On the other hand, another exactly same player knocked-on just in front of gall line of Ulster (each 1st, and 2nd half). Both timings of mistakes was the big chances for Connacht. I think that Connacht shuld not use such a player who tend to fall in panic even his higher skill.- Next match will be must win one. I hope a good result.

Last game of this block of league games, 4 pts would be very welcome.

7 winnable league games after that, we are going to need a fairly good run of form.

I’d argue the lineout is more concerning. Carty and JJ both looked better against Ulster but neither are long term options

kicking game to the posts (and touch) inclines to JJ though, even if the latter's not perfect either

it's losing 5/7 with JJ per game as Carty creates tries more often or losing 6 with Jack as he misses kicked pens/lineouts which would have led to pens

not a huge gap overall...

Considering Munsters injury worries in the pack, I’d love to see Joyce and Thornbury start together at lock. This could give Connacht a real physical advantage. I’d go for something like:

Buckley DTM Bealham

Joyce Thornbury

Prendergast Jansen SHL

Blade Carty

Bundee Farrell

Hansen Porch Bolton

McElroy Dooley Aungier N Murray Oliver McDonald JJ Forde

I wouldn't change a single name in your 23 😃

With the expected Munster absentees, Connacht should go hard after the set piece. They've their own issues there but Munster are likely to have Eoghan Clarke throwing in to Beirne and Coombes.

Munster will look to expose the dodgy Connacht defending though and I'd be surprised if they don't get some success there.

Big breakdown performance needed to slow things down. I'd lean towards Munster but if Butler is an enforced starter, I'd make it closer to even.

Munster won't be as weak as people think imo.

Loughman Clarke Archer

Ahern Beirne

Jod Hodnet Coombes

Murray Crowley

Daly sob Frisch Nash

Zebo

Wycherley ANO Jager Patterson Scannell Kendallen Gleeson McCarthy

That's a pretty decent side, Scannell will come in ahead of Butler imo if Crowley is an enforced absentee

They could do a lot worse than giving Shane Delahunt a buzz and see if he fancies a month of rugby

Think that's my opinion in total

Looks like Jansen is out anyways, had put him in as I knew the other two were defo out.

Presume it’ll be 6 SHL 7 Oliver 8 Prendergast 20 Butler but if dowling is fit I’d go 6 dowling 7 SHL 8 Prendergast 20 Oliver, could really target that Munster lineout .

Agree strongly with pretty much all of this, although I do think Carty may be playing the system, as he attacked the line much more aggressively up to last season. Hanrahan tends to play very deep also and shovel ball to static runners etc.

Your last point is one I agree with strongly and have done for some time. I noticed it especially at Eagles games back in the day, where you can hear the moaning much more clearly without crowd noise. Thankfully we have stopped counting down from five when an opposition scrum half was preparing a box kick - you are never going to get the decision and it drives referees mad. Blade reminds me of Jamie Ritchie as captain, which is not a good thing. Constant discussion and blatant negative body language is not going to endear him to any ref, and he has been warned at least once this season about his referee interactions.

It is amazing that Caolins behaviour and our out halfs behaviour is acceptable. It is left to the rest of the team to suffer their poor choices