Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

niallm77 · 15-02-2025 10:07PM

AbJect stuff, so many basic errors. Can't blame the coach on that

FrancieBrady · 15-02-2025 10:12PM

Thought they might rue passing up the 3 points. Well worked try but this game should never have gotten to this

randomname2005 · 15-02-2025 10:18PM

Every point counts. Winning in a tight match is always a good thing. Hopefully it will stand to them later in the season

Brief_Lives · 15-02-2025 10:19PM

Nice one Connacht.

24-19 ——— 4 tries bonus point win.

realhorrorshow · 15-02-2025 10:19PM

Too many errors but some of those are a consequence of picking so many young players. Illo's scrummaging was extremely encouraging.

realhorrorshow · 15-02-2025 10:21PM

Credit to Muldoon, our lineout is excellent and two well worked maul tries today.

15-02-2025 10:22PM

Not great but I'd take that in as many games as we can over the next few fixtures.

eagle eye · 16-02-2025 12:33AM

Was happy with the first half performance despite us leaving a lot of points out there. They should have scored at least ten more than they did.

I don't know what happened in the second half.

I rarely drink these days but if you gave me a bottle of whiskey at the start of the second half it would have been all gone after 30 minutes.

Ioane's kicking was poor but he did well in general play.

Ben Murphy looked great, Hurly-Langton was the best of the back row, they all played well in the first half. Forde and Gavin did okay individually but they need more games together to get in sync I think.

I felt we needed to spend more time in the middle of the field before spreading the ball out wide, Cardiff were always ready for us because we didn't pull them in from the wings.

We got the points though and we have a realistic chance to make the top 8. That's the most important thing.

CMOTDibbler · 16-02-2025 10:11AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123175748#Comment_123175748

The wind was very strong, kicking a bit of a lottery as a result. One conversion attempt didn't make the goal line and would have made a banana blush it was so bendy. Connacht should have made better use of it in the first half. They didn't adapt kicking style in the 2nd half to keep it lower.

eagle eye · 16-02-2025 10:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123176150#Comment_123176150

The wind was brutal for sure but that penalty after about 30 minutes should have been scored. I'm not just talking about goal kicking though. And it wasn't just him, there was a few kicks that made no sense and in my opinion cost us points as we were winning at the point of contact with crash ball and good rucks. Cardiff were being caught a lot for infringements and our lineout and scrum were both working very well.

With the wind I was sure we'd keep it with the forwards unless it really opened up on outside. We weren't patient enough to suck more defenders in from the outside.

AccidentallyOnside · 16-02-2025 12:23PM

We played really well at times and deserved the win but this game shows why we won't make top 8. Well on top but still needed a last gasp try to take the win. No ability to kick points, touch or even tactically. Coughed up 3 tries in quick succession, a better team wouldn't have let us back in.
The positives waa 80 mins of Gavin and Forde, Forde looked much better at 12 so just leave him there, Murphy and Devine both good, josh Murphy very confrontational again, Morgan good at FB. Pity we didn't get Bolts into some space at any point during the game.
Top 8 not completely gone but we're going to need a win in SA and not sure we're good enough to do that.

2025Connacht · 16-02-2025 01:30PM

The fact we dug it out was important for our league campaign but we are still behind the 8 ball and the fact that we dug yet another hole for ourselves is worrying.

The one positive for us is that outside the Top 5 no one is very convincing but ultimately we've left a lot of points behind us already. Even with the Lions and Stormers not in good form winning one or both of those games in south africa is a huge ask and we have next to no wiggle room with the amounts of teams in mid table.

With the challenge cup games on home turf we can't be messing around with the team for those games so reaching top 8 is still a very long shot.

niallm77 · 16-02-2025 07:29PM

SCott fardy rumoured to be leaving connacht at the end of the season

16-02-2025 07:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123178292#Comment_123178292

I'm not too surprised. My understanding is that Wilkins took over coaching the defence and moved him to a skills role. We already need a defence and attack coach for next season so I don't think our budget stretches to retaining. Of course this based on the assumption that Wilkins is still Head Coach without a DoR above him next season.

b.gud · 16-02-2025 10:39PM

Jack Aungier, Sean Jansen, Darragh Murray, Shayne Bolton, Cathal Forde, Hugh Gavin, Ben Murphy are all in the Ireland A squad game against England

b.gud · 17-02-2025 12:46PM

One other interesting inclusion in the Ireland A squad is Harry Byrne who is currently coming to the end of a 3 month loan to Bristol.

Since was willing to move to Bristol I'm assuming he's starting to see that he might need to move away from Leinster if he's hoping to get game time at 10 and Connacht should be putting their hat in the ring in particular noting all the game time and recognition from the Ireland squad that Ben Murphy has gotten since his move this season

17-02-2025 02:56PM

I'd be very happy if Harry Byrne decided to move West. I think the balance of his game would suit the way we want to play and the backline we can put around him.

FACECUTTR · 17-02-2025 04:13PM

John Porch released early from his contract to play in France.

The very best of luck to him he has had some great games for us. Lots of competition in the back 3 so understandable he wanted to go with the lack of gametime in the past 2 seasons.

CuriousCucumber · 17-02-2025 05:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123181137#Comment_123181137

Totally understandable. He was an ok winger for us. Had some very good moments, but not someone any other team would be trying to poach off of us. Best of luck in France.

AccidentallyOnside · 17-02-2025 05:03PM

Always gave 100% for the team and had a really great abrasive presence on the pitch.

Pity he won't get a send off at the end of the year, maybe they could invite him back for last game if it doesn't clash with his new club, rumoured to be Vannes.

We all know how many outside backs we've carried in the last few years but when you think we lost kilgallen last year and Porch this one that's a lot of quality walking out the door.

Best of luck to him and his young family, pro rugby is a tough gig so brilliant that he's got something lined up.

bingobango12 · 17-02-2025 05:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123180286#Comment_123180286

Been trying to follow how he is doing at Bristol as a Leinster fan and from the bits I've seen and online reporting, he has settled in brilliantly and playing well. Their style of play seems to work for him (similar style to Connacht imo).

Should be something Connacht should try to explore. Rumours of R Bryne leaving end of season would leave Leinster very short of cover when Ireland squads are together but that's not Connachts problem, they should definitely put a contract on the table and see what happens.

cson · 19-02-2025 09:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123181289#Comment_123181289

I mean tbf is it quality if he's now getting games for us with the way we've been playing?

The other side of it is creating pathways the first team for the academy lads.

If you could combine Jack, JJ and Ioane into one player, they'd probably be a servieable out half, but at the end of the day they're all relatively expensive and flawed and blocking us from giving a younger lad a chance or getting one of Leinster's many prospects. Just an example of how stockpiling experienced players hurts you imo.

kita99 · 20-02-2025 01:41AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123188888#Comment_123188888

Absolutely correct. And plus Cordero.

eagle eye · 20-02-2025 02:46AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123190014#Comment_123190014

Isn't Cordero gone after the season? My memory might be flawed but I was certain he signed a two year contract when he came. Ioane got a one year contract. I don't know about Hanrahan but if he got a two year deal then we can move on and have money to spend.

Tbh I'd go looking in SA for an out-half. There's so many talented ones out there.

Maybe Frawley might be interested, I've always felt he'd be really good if he got a couple of consecutive games at 10 which has never happened for him.

kita99 · 20-02-2025 12:58PM

I think that the next match (vs Benetton) will be very difficult as it is now. Cian Prendergast who participates this week 6N match vs Wales may be absent. (I don't know) The opponent is very strong especially at break down time. Connacht should select most powerful pack for this challenge. And they should use better defenders in backs because Benetton looks excellent at one on one (plus little handling mistakes).I think that Connacht need hard tacklers than speed-stars. My defence-strong team are 9. Devine 10. Forde 11. Ralston 12. Gavin 13. O'Connor 14. Bolton 15, Jennings. Anyway defending must top priority.

KBurke85 · 20-02-2025 01:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123190973#Comment_123190973

A large chunk of Benetton's squad will be with Italy. It's a game we should be and need to win

KBurke85 · 20-02-2025 01:19PM

Team named for the friendly tomorrow. I believe its being streamed on Harlequins Youtube page

CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY SQUAD VS HARLEQUINS
19:45, Friday 21st February 2025 @ Twickenham Stoop

15. Shane Jennings
14. Finn Treacy
13. Byron Ralston
12. David Hawkshaw
11. Andrew Smith
10. Jack Carty
9. Matthew Devine
1. Denis Buckley
2. Adam McBurney
3. Temi Lasisi
4. Niall Murray
5. David O’Connor
6. Oisín Dowling
7. Oisín McCormack
8. Paul Boyle (C)

16. Dylan Tierney-Martin
17. Jordan Duggan
18. Fiachna Barrett
19. Joe Joyce
20. Conor Oliver
21. Colm Reilly
22. Seán Naughton
23. Shamus Hurley-Langton
24. John Devine
25. Piers O’Conor
26. Shane Mallon

2025Connacht · 21-02-2025 09:54AM

I guess it's a good runout to keep lads in rhythm. A lot of them wont have played in a long time and the A inter-pros turned into a bit of a farce which removed that avenue for game time.

I think this is where we really suffer with not having competitive AIL teams to give some of these lads a run out.

Lots of lads in that squad there you'd nearly forget were still here. Andrew Smith in particular was one of the few success stories of last season but has hardly been seen this year. The 2 year contract for Ralston looked strange at the time but even more so now.

Zeugnis · 21-02-2025 12:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123193584#Comment_123193584

Smith has been injured since before Christmas, he had a broken thumb which required surgery IIRC. Hopefully he'll get a run now.

realhorrorshow · 21-02-2025 01:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123194132#Comment_123194132

Before that injury he was fit and playing AIL while not selected for the opening 8 games of the season. A bit odd that he fell out of favour so comprehensively after a debut season where he played nearly 1,000 mins, perhaps a consequence of going to the Olympics.

Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

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