Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Big chance of getting to a semi final this weekend. Squad I’d go with:

Buckley Heff Bealham

N Murray Joyce

Prendergast Boyle SHL

Blade Carty

Bundee Forde

Smith Toh Jennings

McElroy Dooley Illo D Murray Oliver Devine JJ Farrell

Could start Jennings or Porch instead of TOH

Surprised to see both Tom and Cathal amongst the subs. Maybe Cathal is covering 10 and Tom the wing? I thought Jack was quite good last week so surprised to see him drop out completely but barring injury it's the same selection policy as the rest of the season I guess

Ah OK sorry hadnt seen that. Makes a bit more sense then. Maybe 20 mins for Cathal at 10 wouldnt be the worst thing to see how he would go there but getting a win is most important.

DTM is just back from a neck injury so Zebre might be a better opportunity to reintroduce him. McElroy is an odd one, seemed to be very much in favour for most of the season but has been dropped the past 3 weeks in favour of de Buitléar, who clearly isn't trusted.

Could be the case but there's no point discarding McElroy to prioritise de Buitléars development and then leaving him on the bench. I'd be surprised if we didn't offer McElroy an extension, time will tell.

4 hookers are probably necessary, with 3 we'd only be two injuries from having to play Matthew Victory, who was a late convert from the back row. Most URC games now border on must win, having to rely on an inexperienced player in such a crucial position could derail our season.

4 scrumhalves is too many though IMO, 3 plus academy should be plenty.

Can't understand not starting Farrell either, for me he'd have to start in a game like this. Has it been decided that Hawkshaw has gotten accustomed to and good enough in the role to be the first choice?

I'd be also interested in whether Cathal is covering 10, or whether they'd switch Hawkshaw to 10 and Cathal would then cover 13.

Any knowledge as to how Victory is getting on down west?

I for one enjoy your posts, largely for their comedic effect, however it's a chat board you're entitled to your opinions.

Pretty uncontroversial, I'd say. Helped, obviously, by the fact that we haven't actually seen Cordero, so there's no sense of what we'd miss.

You have your favourites - Tiernan and Tom Daly - but if one is going to be brutal, then it would be TOH who would be released rather than Porch, given that JP is three years younger, and contracted through to 2025. Reilly and Carty are also 2025, but yes, I wouldn't renew either of them.

Murphy does look like an unnecessary bit of recruitment, interesting that he didn't go to Ulster with his father. But he's young and quite well regarded at Leinster, so hopefully he'll prove us wrong.

Hawkshaw is being played out of position IMO. his performances at 12 were very good, but things have been cloudy there as Bundee rollercoaster has ridden high and low. I wouldn't be sure that next season will be BA's last, which means we are overstocked there, especially with Gavin's promotion. Forde is still worth looking at for 10, IMO, and they could return to playing Hawksaw there as well - something to try in pre-season friendlies perhaps?

13 looks like a problem to me, which is why I'll be disappointed if the Farrell rumours prove to be true. Neither Ralston nor Hawkshaw have impressed me there, so what, try forde or Gavin? Seems a bit random from here.

Great start but very poor exit again by us. Being reviewed now too....yellow for Darragh is fair enough there tbh.

Though the the Treviso player was lucky not to be checked for the clearout on Boyle that lead to our try too.

And there is the try. For years now we have been so terrible at restarts and exits.....

We must have crazy stats for given up scores in the couple of minutes after we score

Ah Bladey..... Made a great read of the play there and completely fumbled the tackle