Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

It frustrates me that we went with an artificial pitch that clearly causes more injuries. Good performance even if Scarlets are in trouble. Still dont understand how we allowed Devine to leave but kept Murphy

not fantastic but just what was needed. in fact that reminds me of Leinster with Leo Cullen. They just do enough. And enough is good enough. Well done Connacht. Onwards we go

Don't be silly. That's bias towards a local lad.

Bundee was our best player, in our greatest ever season. A 2 time Lion, nominated for World Player of the Year, and one of the first names on the team sheet for probably the best, most consistent Irish team of all time.

Eric deserves to be mentioned and remembered as a great connacht player. But bundee is a different level.

Gilbert was hurt in that first incident where he was taken out in the air and landed heavily. The ref rushed to judgement and decided it was just penalty, but the player never got off the ground.

He carried on for a few more minutes after but then took a second knock and had to go off.

CLASS

Did really well few big impacts. Only mistake was a silly penalty he gave away from a kick off but overall was excellent fair play to him

Oh those of short memories. Bundee arrived with Mils Muliaina and those who knew a little bit figured Bundee was the major signing and not Mils. So roll on a little and Bundee and Robbie were amazing. Then roll on into the 2017 season things went stale. So Pat Lam left and Andy Friend arrived. And Andy Friend did an ok job. He is a really nice guy. Met him a few times. Brought in a few new players, even benched Bundee but overall Connacht struggled. And then there was Wilkins. And those years were tough.

Overall I thought Bundee during the Pat Lam period was excellent. Andy Friend put some manners on him and Pete Wilkins was simply weak. So Lancaster is sorting it all out today.

Bundee for me has the charisma and kids love him. And that's huge for rugby development at Connacht. And this will be his biggest legacy

Id say since the build up to the 23 world cup Bundees performances for us fell off a lot but come on. Elwood is a legend and our greatest ever 10 but Bundee was genuinely world class for years for us.

IIve a vague hazy memory of walking out of a pub in Dublin after a watching a win iver in wales around 2018 or 19 thinking theres no way a player that good will ever spent nearly his whole career with Connacht again

Id also have Muldoon marginally ahead of Elwood. Bridged the gap from fighting it out with Borders all the way to the heineken cup and becoming champions.

And Marmion over Blade by a margin

Yeah, possibly another way of framing it is Bundee is the greatest player who has ever played for Connacht arguably, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he has been Connacht’s greatest player (even though I would probably vote for him for that).

For me, the greatest player for a team that has won one trophy pretty much has to be one who contributed massively to that. So Bundee for quality, Muldoon/Buckley for longevity, or Marmion/Bealham for a combination of both.

100%, I wonder how many kids have shown up for mini rugby at their local club specifically because of Bundee.

Probably all of them!