Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Thread title suggestion: Let's get the Carty started!

Are Roux taking your Daly meds?!

Well now you conceed how important "power" is.
2 years I'm saying it

You can't get back from 5 meters to the tryline attacking to rolled out of the 22. + mauls. Unacceptable, even vs Munster. We're ok in other areas

Such a strange game! For 75 mins or so we didn't deserve anything from the game but also duno how we didn't get the win! Absolutely shocking decision making at last scrum! Its 15 v 13 and we decide to pick and go!

connachta wrote: »

1-4 or 4-1 does not change anything, Munster would have had 5 point-lead in the table, with the home game against us in hands

With this BP and Cardiff only taking 4 points with 14 men, we clearly nailed down Top 3 then Europe next season

Pro "12" are now a warup for Racing game and Rainbow Cup in 3 months. Let's make good use of it to give gametime to Papali'i, O'Donnell, Duggan, Tierney, N.Murray, S.Marterson, Reilly, Dean, SOB 2.0, Sullivan

We’re not nailed down for second at all and if this Rainbow Cup doesn’t happen, and it won’t unless the SA teams come north, there’s a big chance we’ll be reverting to the playoff systems we’ve had the past couple seasons.

Can’t see the Rainbow Cup going ahead.

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Can’t see the Rainbow Cup going ahead.

I do think it will. Not because covid will be over, but because you'll have enough vaccine doses on the market at the time to "decently" order 800 of them for 16 X 50 players/staff in April

lenny4545 wrote: »

I agree, not even close to nailed on for top 3 we could have done with a Scarlets victory 2day to take Cardiff out of the equation!

I'm 99% sure we're safe, 2 games in hands and Cardiff home.
If we screw to that extent, we simply do not deserve anything

connachta wrote: »

I do think it will. Not because covid will be over, but because you'll have enough vaccine doses on the market at the time to "decently" order 800 of them for 16 X 50 players/staff in April

South Africa haven't even begun to roll out vaccines and wont be until April or May and with different strains causing issues with transmission .... not sure rugby teams will be prioritised over more vulnerable groups

Burkie1203 wrote: »

South Africa haven't even begun to roll out vaccines and wont be until April or May and with different strains causing issues with transmission .... not sure rugby teams will be prioritised over more vulnerable groups

It won't be about S-A, but Pro16 order for professional players.

As "overall" vaccine will be advanced enough in Europe

connachta wrote: »

It won't be about S-A, but Pro16 order for professional players.

As "overall" vaccine will be advanced enough in Europe

There is very little chance of being able to buy vaccines for rugby players direct from the manufacturer while there is a global pandemic going on. We have already been told by our Govt that the current restrictions
Are likely to be around until the end of March

A group in the least impacted age range getting vaccines ahead of more vulnerable groups is not going to happen IMO.

Pro14 will likely be played out, 6n could be pushed back and Rainbow cup will be canned is what I reckon will happen. No idea what will happen with European Cup.


A regionalised Rainbow Cup with some form of knockout playoffs in June might be a solution but I cannot see it going ahead in April. If the European rugby calendar starts to get moved around then that will take all precedence given it is the most financially beneficial to the Unions

connachta wrote: »

I do hope we have kind of a fresh breeze to June.
If it's not Rainbow Cub, let's invite Saracens, Ealing, Jaguares, Japanese franchise, Fidjian Druas, anything innovative, don't let our league die this year.

The league isn't going to die because we don't have a massive summer clash of the Irish provences vs the mighty ealing trailfinders.

connachta wrote: »

I do hope we have kind of a fresh breeze to June.
If it's not Rainbow Cub, let's invite Saracens, Ealing, Jaguares, Japanese franchise, Fidjian Druas, anything innovative, don't let our league die this year.

Pro12 - played to a full conclusion until end of march
European Cup - who knows
6 nations - could be pushed back to April or May start.

There is a huge pile of rugby to be played between now and June. The championship starts in March in England so that's a no go

There won't be teams from other timezones invited especially in the current climate. Japan wouldn't travel in October for the Nations Cup and the situation is pretty bad there currently with Covid and they are also trying to stage the Olympics this summer.


Right now minimal travel is the most likely scenario for the next 3 or 4 months. Even getting the testing done is lucky considering the sheer volumes of people seeking tests in last 2 weeks.

macslash wrote: »

Were there any updates on the phases with the upgrading of the Sportsground. I obviously know the overall redevelopment will be significantly delayed but man I wish the new pitch was in already. Soft ground is no craic with the way we play now

The pitch was meant to be replaced at the end of this season. Not sure if that’s still the case

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Pro12 - played to a full conclusion until end of march
European Cup - who knows
6 nations - could be pushed back to April or May start.

There is a huge pile of rugby to be played between now and June. The championship starts in March in England so that's a no go

There won't be teams from other timezones invited especially in the current climate. Japan wouldn't travel in October for the Nations Cup and the situation is pretty bad there currently with Covid and they are also trying to stage the Olympics this summer.


Right now minimal travel is the most likely scenario for the next 3 or 4 months. Even getting the testing done is lucky considering the sheer volumes of people seeking tests in last 2 weeks.

Raibow Cup to run as announced (I trust Pro14 and not Burkie)
means Connacht are through Europe next season


Cardiff have only 5 games in hands, and have to take 20 points in the minimal scenario Connacht only take 15 point out of 7 games


That's quite a done deal. And that's why I really hope the projected Rainbow Cup stands. Europe in the bag + pleasure for young guys vs Saffers. This is what we need. Please. Stick to it

Watching back last ten mins of game lastnight and it's sickening how close we came to sneaking the win from munsters grasps. Would have been so sweet as we are often on the receiving end of such losses and would have given huge boost to confidence of these players in beating munster at full strength. Hate to single out one person but Paul Boyle has to take a lot of flak for the call on past scrum. We don't know if initial plan was to go 8-9-14 play out to the backs and if pressure on scrum made him change plan at last minute but to pick and go against 13 men on near side was criminal. Friend will be like a bear with them for messing up a chance to make a pro 14 final over such a schoolboy error. This is second time in a month that Boyle is getting flak for poor decision making and whilst he's young and a serious prospect it's an area he needs to be more clued in to. The positive is that it's something that he can easily improve on and comes with experience. With an experienced half back pairing like marmion and Carty behind him this should not have happened. If they butchered the chance out wide with a knock on it would be much easier to take the loss than the way it unfolded.