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Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,264 ✭✭✭SqueakyKneecap


    We've an awful away record in the Challenge too and could easily lose to any team with home advantage left in the Challenge. Be far more demoralising losing to the likes of Ospreys away than the likes of Toulouse. You want to test yourself against the very best if you're a professional.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,826 ✭✭✭Jump_In_Jack


    That’s that, 4 th try



  • Registered Users Posts: 408 ✭✭Tommybojangles


    Pretty relieved tbh. I've seen us take enough smashings the last few years. If we had any shot at giving Toulose or whoever a game I'd be desperate for it but in reality it would be 40 or 50 more than likely. We now have 2 very realistic goals imo of getting top 8 and a Challenge Cup Semi to work towards



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,264 ✭✭✭SqueakyKneecap


    It seems complex enough yet but if Bayonne and Sale both lose tomorrow I think it ends up being either Dragons/Pau or Lions/Ospreys away in the last 16.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,551 ✭✭✭FACECUTTR


    LAR 10 Sale 0 nearly half time.



  • Posts: 0 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Ospreys away it looks like unless Bayonne beat Exeter it looks like.

    If win that looks like a home qf



  • Registered Users Posts: 454 ✭✭Former Coach


    Bayonne 26-7 ahead at half time....


    40-17 Bayonne. Almost over....

    Post edited by Former Coach on


  • Registered Users Posts: 408 ✭✭Tommybojangles


    Anyone have the research done on where a Bayonne win leaves us? 😆



  • Posts: 0 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Pau away possibly. Our side of the draw looks a bit more favourable either way.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023%E2%80%9324_EPCR_Challenge_Cup is a good reference for the seedings



  • Registered Users Posts: 454 ✭✭Former Coach


    It's Pau away I think!



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 774 ✭✭✭Zeugnis


    Section Paloise are having a good season, beat Lyon soundly and took Bordeaux's scalp early in the campaign, so that'll be a tough brief. On the positive side, Ryanair fly Dublin to Biarritz, which is just over an hour from Pau :)



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,742 ✭✭✭StevenToast


    There is nothing positive about flying Ryanair..

    "Don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining." - Fletcher



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,914 ✭✭✭Rigor Mortis


    If you’re old enough to remember when Aer Left nous had a monopoly on pricing you wouldn’t say that.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 774 ✭✭✭Zeugnis


    Well you could fly with Aer Lingus to Bordeaux, which isn't that much further away, but it'll cost ya!



  • Registered Users Posts: 222 ✭✭kita99


    I love Aer Lingus. I want that it directly fry to the country where I am living someday (with some coooperation). I know our needs for it is larger than many Irish peple is thinking.

    In Paw, Sam Whitrock ((AB) came in last year. (He is 35 now).who has some worth challenging even now.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,483 ✭✭✭✭cson


    That's a great away trip, cracking part of the world.

    I'd be all over that if I was living back in Ireland.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 305 ✭✭CuriousCucumber


    Yeah, looks like Pau, is a No for me.

    Looking into the trip, and its a lot of effort.

    Best I could see, was assuming the match was on the Saturday, fly with Aer Lingus to Bordeaux from Dublin on the Friday, and return on the Sunday.

    Flights are costing approx €280, plus another €70 for train tickets from Bordeaux to Pau.

    It would mean leaving Galway at around 7:30am on the Friday, and arriving in Pau at 18:30 (local time), so that's 12hours of travelling before reaching Pau

    It's a pity, as it looks like a nice town, and not somewhere I'd have reason to travel to very often


    If I had more free time, I'd probably do it



  • Registered Users Posts: 267 ✭✭Strand1970


    Heard of a few people picking a T14 game well in advance and getting cheap flights as not much demand. They reckon good rugby, food and not mad expensive.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 774 ✭✭✭Zeugnis


    In their pool games Pau struggled to tight victories against Zebre (28-27) and Dragons (24-21) which suggests to me that they're not that interested in the Challenge Cup. They play Toulouse away the week before in the T14.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,176 ✭✭✭testtech05


    Have to say I'm a bit shocked this was overturned. Don't think it was intentional but still so dangerous thought it was a red.

    https://the42.ie/6279139





  • It's one of the most straightforward red cards I've ever seen - I really doubt he was intentionally stamping, but it's the definition of reckless and it's not remotely exaggerating to say Finlay Bealham could have lost an eye here ffs.

    The people running these disciplinary appeals need their head examined if they think that wasn't a red.

    Next thing you know, Langdon will get off for his assault on Ahern too.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,551 ✭✭✭FACECUTTR


    Prendergast called up.



  • Registered Users Posts: 4,820 ✭✭✭b.gud


    In other Prendergast news he is joint 2nd for most turnovers won in the pool stages of the champions cup with 7, just 1 behind VDF



  • Registered Users Posts: 222 ✭✭kita99


    Maybe the commitee members live in 20th century. At that time, lying players on the ground were regarded as small stones. Now (21th), all stanping deserves red card in the case of not only face but even also body.

    Cogratulation, Prendergast. but I am a little afraid of Cardif and Benetton matches both away. Dowling will be expected at 6 and Jansen or SOB at 8. But if POM and Conan are healthy, Prendergust will have no chance of appearance and release from the duty. Even its case, I think that Dowling should be at 6 (and Prendergust mainly at 8).





  • Prendergast will likely be released back to Connacht for those games, as he took Ahern's place as a training squad member and not a full squad member.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,739 ✭✭✭serfboard


    Yeah the +3 seems a good idea to subject some of these prospects to the first-team training camp environment.

    However, if he did make the 34, I can't see him getting picked in a match-day 23 without a lot of injuries, and am I right in thinking that he wouldn't be available for Connacht either?

    Post edited by Boards.ie: Mike on


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,558 ✭✭✭typhoony


    Can't beleive they over-turned the red card, even if it wasn't intentional he knew that Finlays head was likely to be where his foot would land, he had a duty of care that he ignored



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭Mr Tickle


    Absolute madness. I've watched the replays repeatedly and I can't see what mitigation they could have found.

    There was zero obstruction of his view, Bealham didn't move or roll into the way, and he wasn't knocked off balance by another player at the ruck.

    It totally undermines any claims about player welfare



  • Posts: 0 Dax Gorgeous Wing


    The referee sent Josh Caulfield off for intentionally stamping on Finlay's head. Caulfield didn't accept the charge of "stamping" and the disciplinary committee agreed with him so the red card was overturned. He was knocked off balance and his foot came down in exactly the wrong place. Accidents happen.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 636 ✭✭✭GBXI


    How was he knocked off balance? He should face a ban for the lack of personal responsibility. It was like watching a cow hurdle a fence.

    Post edited by Boards.ie: Mike on


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  • Posts: 0 Dax Gorgeous Wing


    I should have chosen a better word than "knocked". He's trying to step over Finlay while changing direction to enter the ruck legally with another team mate about to bind onto him. It was clumsy and resulted in an accidental clash with Finlay's head. Probably a yellow for failure in duty of care but definitely not a red for the intentional act of stamping.

    My final comment on the topic so we can just agree to disagree.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,165 ✭✭✭Mr Tickle


    "Knocked off balance" is very very soft there.

    There was the lightest of touches by his teammate. His upper body doesn't move or change direction at all.

    The same thing is being said in the munster thread about the knee that Aherne got. "It may not have been intentional, but it would have looked the same if it was".

    Or else treat it like the Ralston hit on JOD. It's either an intentional attempt to injure a guy or he arrived with no control and the result was an injury.

    I don't think it's dramatic to say that Bealham could have lost an eye there.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 774 ✭✭✭Zeugnis


    Game against Section Paloise on Sunday April 7th, kick off 4.30 (3.30 Irish time).

    https://www.epcrugby.com/challenge-cup/matches/276338/news



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 305 ✭✭CuriousCucumber


    Thought it was 18:30 (local)/17:30 (Irish Time)



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 774 ✭✭✭Zeugnis


    Not according to the EPCR link above which should be definitive, but now I see that in the tweet that EPCR published it gives a later kick off time for for Pau v Connacht and Sharks v Zebre. I've written to them to ask for clarification.

    Post edited by Zeugnis on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 774 ✭✭✭Zeugnis


    Leinster are playing two friendlies during February against Bath and Saracens. Munster are playing Crusaders and Harlequins. But I haven't heard about us having any additional fixtures - is that correct?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,551 ✭✭✭FACECUTTR


    There's an article in the Independent saying Munster are after Kilgallen. Could be just agent shithousery.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 774 ✭✭✭Zeugnis


    They can't outbid. Kilgallen would have to decide that he wanted to leave and refuse to extend his contract, a la Henshaw. It would be extremely disappointing if he was to do so, after having gone through our academy and been given so many opportunities as a senior player. Hopefully it's not true.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,069 ✭✭✭realhorrorshow


    Not just the academy, he played u19 for us while still in school too. Would be a big blow to lose him, but it's very understandable why other provinces would be interested. If I were Leinster I'd be taking a serious look at either him or Bolton.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,582 ✭✭✭ulsteru20s


    Connacht have done an amazing job in development and scouting. Both from outside ireland, from leinster and their own. Like the raw numbers aren’t crazy from connacht, but the Murray brothers, Barrett, Gavin, Jennings, Forde, Farthing.. even guys like Walsh and O Connell who played u18 clubs this year. Its extremely impressive.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 774 ✭✭✭Zeugnis


    I thought he was from Kildare and went to Roscrea - was he already in the Academy when he played u19 or how did it happen?



  • Registered Users Posts: 24,258 ✭✭✭✭Buer


    Nah, been whispers of it for a couple of weeks now.

    Munster need back three depth and I'd imagine he very much fits the mould for them in terms of physical presence. Tall guy with good pace....he'd suit there attacking structure very well.

    He has only really got a good run this season....was he previously injured a lot?



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,389 ✭✭✭macslash


    Would be seriously disappointing to lose him. Hopefully he stays. Has been with us a good while so it would hurt that bit more.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,470 ✭✭✭✭Utopia Parkway


    Very tough on Connacht if Kilgallen leaves. Came through the academy. Finally broke through onto the first team this season. Started scoring tries. Got injured. And now he might be off.

    Would mean they would have to invest in the back three next season. Cordero will be back hopefully but TOH isn’t getting any younger. Not sure what Porch’s contract situation is?



  • Registered Users Posts: 222 ✭✭kita99


    I don't worry so much. In Connacht, there are many good back 3 players as him. Hansen, Ralston, Bolton, Porch, Smith, McNulty who was impressive at the game against Bristol, Cordero, Jennings, Mullins (after Olympics), Gavin (He can play as winger.). And O'Connor may makeover. Connacht should seek IQ players ( any positions) around the world like Hansen or Bolton. Now the success story of Hansen is known by all rugby societies in the world. From now, volunteers will continue to increase. Galway is one of the world -class excellent city in the world so talented rough players will want to come here. But if it is true,Connacht must harsh correspondence against him and should give some chancesfor young players.



  • Posts: 0 Dax Gorgeous Wing


    Perhaps Kilgallen thinks that Connacht have placed too much priority on overseas players (Mack, Bolton, Ralston, Porch, Cordero, MacNamara) and converting sevens players rather than developing back three players who've come through our academy. We've been using an out half as back three cover regularly. He's had game time on the wing but with a fully fit squad I see the coaches rotating him through lesser league games.

    Cordero was already a top class international when we signed him but otherwise everyone including Mack have been playing some careful moneyball with large player numbers.

    If Graham Rowntree or Mike Prendergast convinced me that that my direct style of wing play was in his plans - and it seems to be - I'd probably be very tempted too.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 305 ✭✭CuriousCucumber


    So basically there's one article in the Irish Independent.

    Not exactly much to get worked up about yet



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,458 ✭✭✭Wegians89


    Would be very disappointed if Kilgallen goes to Munster. I think himself and Bolton Would have been pretty much nailed on first choices when fit and Mack was away.

    Saying that the likes of Smith and Ralston have looked decent in patches and theres Gavin, Chay Mullins, Jennings, Josh O’Connor and Mallon all in the academy.



  • Posts: 0 Dax Gorgeous Wing


    Ralston has actually started eight games on the wing this season. Until his yellow card v. Munster he'd played every minute of the season. The coaching team were clearly eager to have him on the pitch.

    I definitely hope this is all just contract season noise and he will sign a new deal.



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