Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

So the curtain closes on another year and I concur with the comments made here. Bones of a good team but a coaching disaster. And I suppose the team selection for our last game just said it all. A dead rubber game and still our coaching staff couldn't see the opportunity provided.

Roll on next year. As supporters we always live in hope

I am reasonably optimistic next year….

We have a good squad and a lot are home grown.

I don't understand Conor Oliver leaving unless he asked to leave or we have something serious coming in.… He constantly performs and doesn't get injured alot.

Niall Murray non inclusion in the set up is a bit of head scratcher… A couple of seasons ago he was the terror of the lineout…

We live in hope! Its to our great credit that the majority of us tend towards optimism 😊

The changes in the coaching staff naturally present an opportunity for Niall. His attributes aren't suited to the game we've been playing under Wilkins, and clearly there was no interest in crafting a role that utilises his strengths, like Munster have done with Ahern. As we were playing a high possession, high phase count game, we needed forwards who could win contacts both in the carry and at the breakdown. Unfortunately Niall's stats were very poor in both of those areas.

However, if we were to kick to compete more next season, with his pace he could be extremely effective on kick chase supporting the winger. Or we could use him as an edge forward and have Prendergast play closer to the ruck, which would allow him to win more collisions.

Murray has plenty of strengths - he's fast, great at the lineout, a good tackler, and very effective pressuring opposition box kicks. I think the coaching team needs to find a way to utilise those, and he needs to add to his game - be that by improving his distribution, or rounding out his lineout game by becoming a specialist mauler, etc.

Totally agree…

Question I would ask, why are we playing a game that needs a high phase count and big contact forwards?

Did he look at the forwards he had?

Connacht is not known for that type of game and we just don't have that type bought in South African forward game. We are Irish with Irish forwards in Connacht, our gene pool doesn't produce that generally.

Look at our academy, we have one player in Locks and Backrow… Why? because we aren't that big and the big guys are usually introduced into Hurling or Football first… Hurling has some seriously big guys lately…

Attacking for the second half of the season greatly improved but with the complete lack of defence it made it so difficult. I'm really hoping for a good upcoming season with a new look coaching ticket. A good pre season and time for things to bed in and hopefully by Christmas we are going well. Did I read somewhere there will be some sort of update to the recruitment of coaches this week ?

Thanks for that. I remember reading it but couldn't find it again.

Oisin McCormack is a strange one. No minutes over the last three years he's been contracted, and still he gets kept on while Oliver left. He'd need to play like Jesus Christ when he is given the opportunity.

Unfortunately playing no minutes makes you very expensive… SHL is starting to dominate minutes there but it is a lot to place on one player…

Joe's Final Thoughts of the season

https://x.com/JoeNaConnacht/status/1924722095507865763?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Final Thoughts on Connacht’s 2024/25 Season – and Looking AheadThere’s a lot changing at Connacht — and not all of it is on the pitch. The brand-new, world-class stand at the Sportsground is a genuine game-changer, a sign that the province is thinking bigger and building for the long term. There’s also a fresh coaching ticket incoming, a new General Manager of Performance behind the scenes, and a wave of exciting young talent rising through the ranks.

On the field, though, 2024/25 was a tough watch at times.

Losing all six interpros — including a gut-wrenching home defeat to Ulster — was hard to swallow, and the season never quite found consistency. Realistically, our only win over a full-strength side came in the Challenge Cup last 16 against Cardiff. The league form was patchy at best, and we struggled to put points on the board against stronger sides.

Connacht averaged 23 points per game, placing around 11th in the URC for scoring. Defensively, we leaked an average of 25 — likely the third worst in the competition. That combination left us on the wrong side of too many scorelines.

Worryingly, the Sportsground was no fortress. Just four home wins from nine (against Sharks, Cardiff, Benetton and Dragons), while the only away victories came against Zebre and Scarlets. Six wins from 18 in the URC doesn’t meet the standard this squad should be aiming for.

But not everything was bleak.

The Challenge Cup run was a real highlight. Five wins and a thrilling, high-scoring battle with Racing at home showed what this team is capable of. It wasn’t just the results — it was the way Connacht played in that competition: ambitious, energised, and entertaining.

There were also individual standouts. Ben Murphy was a revelation. Sean Jansen and Paul Boyle brought consistent power. Peter Dooley anchored the scrum. Shayne Bolton keeps going from strength to strength, while Finn Tracey made a strong impression. And then there’s SHL — a real leader, and arguably the standout player of the season. Coming back from injury inside five weeks was a testament to his character.

Looking ahead, recruitment has been low-key — with only Sam Gilbert arriving so far — and finances remain tight. That’s likely why Rob Seib, originally set for a backs coach role, is now the favourite to take the head coach position too. There were whispers of interest from Dan McFarland and Stuart Lancaster, but nothing materialised. If Seib does step up, a top-class defence coach beside him will be vital.

The bones of a strong season are there. With a new stand, new structures, new energy — and a core of talented, committed players — there’s reason to believe. A top-eight URC finish and a Challenge Cup semi-final run are realistic targets if things click.There’s work to do, but the future isn’t bleak — it’s just waiting to be built. Roll on 2025/26.

Would be worried that they cut corners on coaching… I think we could make a strong case to IRFU that we have given 10 players to the 6 nations squad and we have a young team, that investing in a proper coaching set up might be prudent…

Well if you want to fill the stadium you need a good coaching set up and get results. If we are playing like we did this season you'll find lots of empty.

It's a case of spending to enhance your income.

I don't usually disagree with your take Facecuttr but on this I think it would be exactly what you say we should avoid. A repeat of the budget coaching setup. No Disrespect intended towards Rod who I know very little about except what's on wiki but he has been recruited to replace Mark Sexton more than likely based on his success with the Brumbies attack. It's a bit of a pivot to now think hes the right guy to lead oyr coaching team. The criteria being assessed for both roles would be very different.

Looks like we need to start the season well based on the fixtures. Tough finish but not as tough as Ulster which is brutal Leinster, Munster, Stormers and Glasgow.

It's a great early set of fixtures especially with a new coaching team.

I would be pressuring the IRFU…

Sorry but I found our last set up was a IRFU coaching wishlist… It was a disaster, Connacht were really hurt in a number areas due to the experiment… We have a lot of future possible internationals in Connacht, probably the most outside Leinster especially in the back line. If we were allowed to ask for Leinster players who we know won't get 150 min this year on long term loan (1 -2 years), likes of Henry MCERLEAN(FB), Alan SPICER(Lock), Rob RUSSELL(Winger), Stephen SMYTH(Hooker)…

We might get away with Seib and a defence coach(lets pencil in Jarrad Payne type coach)… Just feel we need a bit more for our forwards, our Scrum is placed last in the league, our lineout is ranked as the best in the league(doesn't feel like that but the stats say that)… We just seem to get bullied and get beaten up alot…

Note: Joe Joyce played 900 min this season and 1320 min last season… That is 4 full games not there… He is our largest lock with 4kg heavier than Darragh, rest are giving 8kg+ (1.5 stone)

Richie Murphy was dealt the same raw deal but had the were with all to start dumping technical coaches at a rate of knots… He swapped three coaches in 12 months… Dan Soper is the only one really left and he changed roles… Murphy has a new Defence, Attack and Forwards coach… I know on the field it hasn't gone well for them but I think Murphy is repairing deeper problems, he also has a squad that is not as good as Connacht IMHO (Andy Farrell/Easterby seems to agree)…

Would want points in the bank going into the last 4 games… There is a lot of pressure to build up a bank of point early because after Christmas we have Leinster twice, Glasgow and trip to SA…. Points can be got but you have to be firing at that stage…