Might have been a tight enough match had Connacht not decided to gift Benetton a couple of free tries early on. Were always chasing the game after that.
Not sure this coaching ticket would survive in any of the other provinces but not sure anyone in the IRFU are overly bothered because it’s only Connacht.
Presuming they are kept on they really need to show something next season or they’ll struggle to sell season tickets in the new stadium.
Week in and week out it's the same. Week in and week out it's the same players that disappoint. So the question is why do we select these players that disappoint week in and week out. Dave's lineout has been an issue for years. So why does he keep getting selected. Hawkshaw needed to replaced by Farrell and shouldn't even be on the team sheet. Forde should have started at 10 and I would prefer never to see Jack or JJ within our 23. Instead stupid replacements. Thankfully Devine replaced Blade. An obvious move. Other than that they haven't a clue. This management is a complete joke.
Would like to see Farrell start at fullback next week. Played well when he came on
Is that you Wilkins? Why not? You have tried everything else. OR HAVE YOU?
he came on at fullback today and played well
I wouldn't hold out much hope for IRFU guidance. Humphreys is new to the job and probably still settling in. Ulster have problems as serious as ours, although they're ahead of us in terms of installing a new management. Still, I'd imagine that the northerners have priority on his attention, in terms of contribution to irish squads they are underperforming us despite a bigger budget and player base.
Based on the season as a whole, I believe the best player to lead us as captain is Cian Prendergast. He's young but his consistency and commitment should be an example to the team as a whole.
Ok, only issue he didn't come on at fullback
Or maybe you are Wilkins and thought he came on at fullback. Tom went to the wing while Jennings covered full back. Sorry Wilkins. It was clear you had another plan that backfired. Can't wait for the next plan
..
Cians a young player. Let’s just enjoy his development without giving him the added pressure of the captaincy
Overall there is nothing new to be seen here. Same complaints every time. If your coach can't see it then where are we at?
Really today was inevitable. Like everyone i hoped against hope for a result but it was never a contest once Treviso got up and running.
We made their job easy for them. Hopefully they do well against Gloucester. They'll certainly be competitive but they're another average team we made look like world beaters.
I still hope we make the top 8 but it's unlikely and even if we scrape through it's hard to be any way enthused for the direction the province is going in.
RTE had zero coverage of the Connacht game today...no updates, no final report....nothing....even now, hours after the result....when ulster had their arses handed to them yesterday, they had a final report up on the app straight away....
Im not sure if this is a reflection of how bad RTE or Connacht are....
Both probably….
Edit...a report has finally gone up about 6 hours after the full time whistle...copy and paste job...
As fans it isn't really difficult to see the issues. As a player, the person who does this 7*24, it must look criminal to them.
Give it a rest will you. Chill out.
looking this match, it was too hot for Connacht player. That's all. Never mind. Devine's tempo was very good. I think he will fit for actual fight.
Urgh, have immediate buyers remorse after renewing my season ticket there.
Feel bad giving money that goes towards some of the dross that currently play for us.
names?
Surprised there are still Main Terrace tickets available.
I'm not.
I was very close to not renewing.
The team are playing poorly, atmosphere has been poor at most games I attended this season. Value for money isn't there right now
Just my opinion, but I wouldn't be upset if any of the following didnt play for us again
Heffernan
Blade
Carty
Hawkshaw
O'Halloran
Boyle
Porch
Burke
Janssen
Those are all good players, and with the exception of O'Halloran, are all still in their theoretical prime. If multiple players are out of form, in my opinion you have to look at the coaching team. Hawkshaw doesn't pick himself at 13, a position he has (AFAIK) never played before this season. He has performed well when picked in his preferred position. Blade is out of form but he is not a bad player - Andy Farrell doesn't cap bad players. In my opinion there is top to bottom confusion with our attacking system which leads to him arriving to rucks not knowing which way to play, I don't recall seeing that from him prior to this season. The moaning to referees, simulation, hand waving etc. are all within his control though, and I would like to see some improvement from him in in those respects. Again, he didn't pick himself as captain, a role he is not suited to whatsoever (at least in terms of managing the ref).
There's a slight nuance in what I said.
I'd said I wouldn't be upset if they didnt play for Connacht again.
Heff is so unreliable. How many 5m line-outs has he messed up in the past few years. Would rather De Buitlear and Tierney Martin be given the opportunities
Blade is so wasteful. We have conceded an awful amount of penalties at rucks, when the ball has been available. His try record papers over so many of his cracks.
We have better players than Hawkshaw
O'Halloran is so very slow these days. Offers very little
Boyle, when available, is decent, but he is rarely available
Porch - we have lots of options for the back three
Jannsen, I think we have better option for the back row
The renewal email came through this morning and I ignored it. I've been going to Connacht games for over 25 years and a season ticket holder for the guts of 20 but I'm fed up of the way the organisation is being run and if that means I have to jump off the train for 2 years so be it. I'm sure with limited availability others will be happy to snap up the spot and good luck to them.
I'm fine with supporting a rubbish team. I've seen us take some awful beatings over the years but for the first time ever I'm apathetic to this whole setup now.
When the new stadium is here and we hopefully have a new CEO and coaching team I'll be delighted to come back.
That's kind of how I feel too.
Previously, when we were rubbish, it was easy to understand why.
Now Connacht have become an extraordinarily frustrating team to watch and support.
I get no excitement when going to games right now
Previously, even when we were bad, it seemed to mean something to the players, and was easier for the crowd to get behind them.
Now, they players dont seem to have that same level of enthusiasm.
We're really lacking, a proper captain. Someone the players want to follow, and who leads by example.
Carty is not that man, and Blade definitely isn't
When did we last see the players reacting to something, and geeing up the crowd?
it as mentioned yesterday during the match but prendergast is the only player who plays like a captain. I’d say give it to him, so what if he’s young
Great post. The confusion in attack, especially yesterday, was shocking to see. Lads literally running into each other, balls being passed to thin air because the person who was meant to be there didn't get the memo etc etc.
Agree with everything you've said about Blade, but the items you've listed in the "under his control" category have all been going on for ages, so either he isn't aware of them, or he's not doing enough to address them. I also share Cucumbers' frustration with his tendency to labour things at a ruck that was won, and turn it into a turnover for the other team.
Cucumbers point about the captaincy also resonates with me - we were blessed with Muldoon as captain, because he lead by example, and everyone rowed in behind him. It was also clear to the fans how much it meant to him personally. Him being born and bred in the province obviously helped too. I think Prendergast is outstanding, and leads by example more than anyone in the squad, but I do think it would be a risk to give him all that extra responsibility/pressure at such a young age.
Frustrating times (but I didn't hesitate for a second to renew this morning - I love going to watch the games live, not least because it's the only chance I get to see the group of lads I go with in person……………still, it would be nice if we won more)
I think Conor Oliver would do decent as a captain as well, but he's not a certainty to start
Need a plan for getting Hugh Gavin, Cathal Forde, and Matthew Devine more regular game time next season
I give all players a pass until the coaching set up has been fixed. How can Iyou hold a player accountable for the outcomes when he's following the coaches instructions.
Playing backwards ball in our 22 against a physically superior team is nonsensical and is the instruction they are being given. It's been the strategy all season.
I see porch mentioned above, why ? He hasn't been picked all year, how does he come into it.
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