Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

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.

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Give it a rest will you. Chill out.

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.

Surprised there are still Main Terrace tickets available.

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

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

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?

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 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.