Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

It's still my impression that the Connacht Academy isn't a particularly good pathway for talented homegrown players. I suppose with only a handful of the senior players having their minutes managed by the IRFU there are less openings in matchday squads throughout the season for Academy players compared to at Leinster, say.

There are very few rugby schools in Connacht for a start so not sure why anyone would be surprised about that. Even allowing for that there are a number of very promising local players coming though at the moment. Especially in the backs. Probably the most that there's been in years actually.

Not many local forwards coming through right enough but again they are selecting from a shallow pool.

It is and is only going to increase as connacht get more clubs more club teams etc playing. They are getting more under 20 club teams playing. More games for players at higher level which helps get home grown players chances to be ready for pro game.v

Connacht has 20% of the population of Leinster, 26% that of Ulster, and 43% that of Munster.

Of the current squad, 43% (19/44) came through the Academy and 32% (14/44) played age grade in Connacht. These numbers look fine to me.

As regards Blackrock, there are players from there in all four provincial squads, hardly surprising as it's the most prolific rugby nursery in the country.

The focus of the academy seems to have shifted, we are taking in smaller numbers but they now train with the senior team. Seems to me to be a more effective strategy, but time will tell. From talking to younger guys who were on the fringes of the academy a while back, there seemed to be a feeling that some players were being strung along to make up the numbers, despite their prospects in the pro game being slim. I think that was backed up by the large number of guys who passed through the academy in the late 10s and early 20s. The focus now seems to be on smaller classes of high potential players.

We had a mini golden generation of players born in 2001 - Eoin de Buitléar, Cathal Forde, Shane Jennings, Oisin McCormack, and Darragh Murray. If we can supplement that core with an average of 2 homegrown players from each age grade I think we'll see in a strong place. Something like the below seems realistic to me:

2002 - Matthew Devine

2003 - Fiachna Barrett & John Devine

2004 - Max Flynn & Hugh Gavin

2005 - Tomás Farthing & Bryan Walsh

And that's without factoring in the two other Gavins in the underage system currently.

We have a lot of redundancy in our back line but notably not at 13. Watching Tom Farrell in red is difficult, he's been fantastic for them since he went south. I only wish him the best, but that was an appalling error of judgement by the management team. His handling tonight has been out of the world.

That's woeful defence from Connacht

Fought back well. We are watching two pretty average imported 10's. I wouldn't be easily convinced that they are any better than Flannery, Murphy, Carty, Forde, Hawkshaw, etc.

Heffernan, Murphy and Boyle are enjoying the physical stuff. Great try from Ben Murphy

Frustrating to concede three tries to a team with no attacking shape. We've given them access and they've taken their chances well. The Cooney try was unforgivable.

This is not the best performance from Ioane while Murphy is having a blinder. So leave Murphy and change Ioane.

That decision on Hansen has proven very costly. Led to a yellow card and now an Ulster try. And still 9 minutes left on the yellow card.

Explicitly stating that he saw a grounding then immediately contradicting himself by saying he was blocked is a major faux Pas and will probably be brought up when his performance is reviewed.

More annoyed with the stupidity at the lineout.

Nothing to do with missing touch but that is one of the worst on field decisions I have ever seen. Why is Ioane still kicking also with Forde on the field