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Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

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13567…401

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    #62
    Wegians89
    Registered Users Posts: 3,440 ✭✭✭Wegians89


    ClanofLams wrote: »
    https://twitter.com/connachtrugby/status/1347513326025252865?s=21

    Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Ben O’Donnell into side. Heffernan Paul Boyle and Marmion strengthen bench. Along with Thornbury there is a fair impact there.

    More optimistic after seeing teams named, hope for decent conditions and should be a good game.

    Sob back in too, will expect a big impact from him


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    #63
    ClanofLams
    Registered Users Posts: 4,210 ✭✭✭ClanofLams


    Wegians89 wrote: »
    Sob back in too, will expect a big impact from him

    Yeah it would be great to see him get a bit of luck and a clean run of games.


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    #64
    RonnieL
    Registered Users Posts: 769 ✭✭✭RonnieL


    Two strong squads in fairness - conditions set to be ideal (assuming the pitch isn't frozen!), so fingers crossed we get off to a good start. I feel like Jack in particular needs to start well and we could be in for a belter. Hon Connacht.

    PS: it says a lot about the form of our centers that we're not completely devastated by Bundee and Tom being unavailable.


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    #65
    ionadnapokot
    Registered Users Posts: 4,730 ✭✭✭ionadnapokot


    Blade v Marmion
    Has Blade improved his game and/or Marmion not playing as well as he was?


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    #66
    SqueakyKneecap
    Registered Users Posts: 1,128 ✭✭✭SqueakyKneecap


    ionadnapokot wrote: »
    Blade v Marmion
    Has Blade improved his game and/or Marmion not playing as well as he was?

    Marmion's injury took him a while to fully recover from and Blade improve significantly within that window. Blade has been the better of the two (Marmion is excellent btw) since 2018 imo.


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    #67
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Wootton, Arnold and Oliver will be wanting to put in big performances against their old teammates. Fingers crossed for a dry night also and we get to see some 7's flair from Porch and O'Donnell.


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    #68
    ClanofLams
    Registered Users Posts: 4,210 ✭✭✭ClanofLams


    ionadnapokot wrote: »
    Blade v Marmion
    Has Blade improved his game and/or Marmion not playing as well as he was?

    I think Marmion is still no.1, presumably by a very narrow margin, certainly it would seem to be me he has generally gotten the selection when both available.

    He pulled out of the squad on match day last week, not sure if it was injury or illness, but Blade obviously had a stormer, especially in the first half i thought so would be very harsh not to go with him tomorrow but would expect to see Marmion on relatively early in the second half.


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    #69
    Bazzo
    Registered Users Posts: 7,047 ✭✭✭Bazzo


    Not sure about management but Blade has overtaken Marmion now for me. If he keeps this up it's hard not to see how Ireland don't involve him.

    That's not to say that Marmion is poor or playing badly at all - he's just suffered from lack of game time through injury or being with Ireland while Blade has steadily continued to improve with game time.


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    #70
    ionadnapokot
    Registered Users Posts: 4,730 ✭✭✭ionadnapokot


    SqueakyKneecap wrote: »
    Marmion's injury took him a while to fully recover from and Blade improve significantly within that window. Blade has been the better of the two (Marmion is excellent btw) since 2018 imo.

    From an outsider looking in I thought Blade started playing excellent stuff near the end of 2019.
    I think that was around the time that Marmion was just back from that injury.

    Marmion started back well there in August though.


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    #71
    ElisaAtWar
    Registered Users Posts: 1,004 ✭✭✭ElisaAtWar


    Delighted for Sean Masterson. Delighted for Daly and Arnold at centre. Delighted for Caolin. Delighted for Delahunt. Form is being rewarded. And the bench isn't shabby either. But like any Connacht supporter you are left wondering what Connacht team will turn up. It was much the same when we faced Leinster. Leinster had a lot of novices last week but you were never certain that Connacht would prevail.

    Are we so damaged that we end up each week wondering what is going to happen? On an interesting note I suspect many will remember back to the years when opposition intercepted a pass and ran the length of the field. These days it's Connacht are doing it to their opposition.


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    #72
    realhorrorshow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,858 ✭✭✭realhorrorshow


    ElisaAtWar wrote: »
    Delighted for Sean Masterson. Delighted for Daly and Arnold at centre. Delighted for Caolin. Delighted for Delahunt. Form is being rewarded. And the bench isn't shabby either. But like any Connacht supporter you are left wondering what Connacht team will turn up. It was much the same when we faced Leinster. Leinster had a lot of novices last week but you were never certain that Connacht would prevail.

    Are we so damaged that we end up each week wondering what is going to happen? On an interesting note I suspect many will remember back to the years when opposition intercepted a pass and ran the length of the field. These days it's Connacht are doing it to their opposition.

    Agreed, I think Andy Friend has been consistent in rewarding form throughout his tenure. Only outlier is SOB coming in for Masterson, but he has enough credit in the bank to deserve a shot plus maybe Masterson is injured or fatigued.

    I do think Connacht fans are right to be wary, we are becoming almost Francophilic in our inconsistency - "you never know which Connacht team will show up." For every big performance over the past few years there has been an equally grim outing against a Welsh or English side.

    As for this weekend, I'm more concerned about the quality of performance than the result. Even if we only earn an LBP, it would be encouraging to deliver accurate, disciplined displays in consecutive interpros. Before these three games I probably would have been happy with 6-7 points.


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    #73
    ElisaAtWar
    Registered Users Posts: 1,004 ✭✭✭ElisaAtWar


    realhorrorshow wrote: »
    Agreed, I think Andy Friend has been consistent in rewarding form throughout his tenure. Only outlier is SOB coming in for Masterson, but he has enough credit in the bank to deserve a shot plus maybe Masterson is injured or fatigued.

    I do think Connacht fans are right to be wary, we are becoming almost Francophilic in our inconsistency - "you never know which Connacht team will show up." For every big performance over the past few years there has been an equally grim outing against a Welsh or English side.

    As for this weekend, I'm more concerned about the quality of performance than the result. Even if we only earn an LBP, it would be encouraging to deliver accurate, disciplined displays in consecutive interpros. Before these three games I probably would have been happy with 6-7 points.



    You look at Leinster and you see consistent play, consistent methodology, and consistent results. Nothing too amazing and mainly brute force. And I am not knocking that style of game because it provides consistent results.

    And I suppose you could call that boring. But there are times you wished Connacht were boring and predictable. Instead it's a matter of what is going to happen this weekend. Will they be brilliant or dreadful. Its head scratching stuff


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    #74
    ElisaAtWar
    Registered Users Posts: 1,004 ✭✭✭ElisaAtWar


    Looking at the Ulster Leinster game. How is Denis Bucket not ahead of Cian healy


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    #75
    freyners
    Registered Users Posts: 4,298 ✭✭✭freyners


    Interestingly from the Leinster Ulster game. Coetzee has gotten a yellow card for high tackle and Andrew Brace has said the change in direction is a mitigating factor. It's not the same level of contact as what happen with papalli but it's interesting to see how different refs view it


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    #76
    freyners
    Registered Users Posts: 4,298 ✭✭✭freyners


    ElisaAtWar wrote: »
    Looking at the Ulster Leinster game. How is Denis Bucket not ahead of Cian healy

    It's beyond the pail....


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    #77
    Former Former Former
    Registered Users Posts: 5,446 ✭✭✭Former Former Former


    ElisaAtWar wrote: »
    Looking at the Ulster Leinster game. How is Denis Bucket not ahead of Cian healy

    Because he's not good enough.


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    #78
    gally74
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,997 ✭✭✭gally74


    Former Former Former wrote: »
    Because he's not good enough.

    no your wrong their


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    #79
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 40,981 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    ElisaAtWar wrote: »
    Looking at the Ulster Leinster game. How is Denis Bucket not ahead of Cian healy

    Reminds me of last week where toland bigs him up and questions why he's never had more Ireland caps... And Buckley follows that up by giving away a free kick for early engagement followed by a penalty for collapsing.

    He's just never been good enough


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    #80
    Zzippy
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,166 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    freyners wrote: »
    Interestingly from the Leinster Ulster game. Coetzee has gotten a yellow card for high tackle and Andrew Brace has said the change in direction is a mitigating factor. It's not the same level of contact as what happen with papalli but it's interesting to see how different refs view it

    Very little difference in the two incidents for me. Only difference is a ref looking for a mitigating factor to avoid giving a red


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    #81
    Former Former Former
    Registered Users Posts: 5,446 ✭✭✭Former Former Former


    gally74 wrote: »
    no your wrong their

    No, he's not good enough.

    In the last few years, we've seen McGrath, Kilcoyne, J Cronin, Ed Byrne, Bealham and EOS all capped at LH. They're all behind Healy, and Buckley is behind all of them.


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    #82
    Bazzo
    Registered Users Posts: 7,047 ✭✭✭Bazzo


    Former Former Former wrote: »
    No, he's not good enough.

    In the last few years, we've seen McGrath, Kilcoyne, J Cronin, Ed Byrne, Bealham and EOS all capped at LH. They're all behind Healy, and Buckley is behind all of them.

    Bit simplistic.

    He was unfortunate not to be capped as an up and comer because Healy and McGrath were in their full pomp.

    In 2016 Schmidt name checked him as missing from the south Africa tour due to injury.

    He's probably just a bit too old now to bring into the squad as an uncapped player.

    He may not be a world beater but he's unfortunate not to be capped.
    sydthebeat wrote: »
    Reminds me of last week where toland bigs him up and questions why he's never had more Ireland caps... And Buckley follows that up by giving away a free kick for early engagement followed by a penalty for collapsing.

    He's just never been good enough

    ... and he went on to have an excellent game?


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    #83
    ClanofLams
    Registered Users Posts: 4,210 ✭✭✭ClanofLams


    Former Former Former wrote: »
    No, he's not good enough.

    In the last few years, we've seen McGrath, Kilcoyne, J Cronin, Ed Byrne, Bealham and EOS all capped at LH. They're all behind Healy, and Buckley is behind all of them.

    Not suggesting he is better than Healy but certainly wouldn't swap Buckley for the majority of those above.


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    #84
    connachta
    Registered Users Posts: 7,963 ✭✭✭connachta


    Well again worried for 16, 17 and 22, but otherwise a damned good team, who may match Ireland A (Munster full-strenght)


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    #85
    freyners
    Registered Users Posts: 4,298 ✭✭✭freyners


    Zzippy wrote: »
    Very little difference in the two incidents for me. Only difference is a ref looking for a mitigating factor to avoid giving a red

    Ah the contact and height of the hit was more for me. But some posters who were here saying it was nothing but a red and there was no mitigation should take note. Different refs and people will see different things


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    #86
    freyners
    Registered Users Posts: 4,298 ✭✭✭freyners


    Former Former Former wrote: »
    No, he's not good enough.

    In the last few years, we've seen McGrath, Kilcoyne, J Cronin, Ed Byrne, Bealham and EOS all capped at LH. They're all behind Healy, and Buckley is behind all of them.

    There's arguing he's not good enough and then there's this hyperbolic nonsense. Buckley has been the most consistent performing LH across all provinces ( bar healy and perhaps kilcoyne) for a number of years. Whether it merited caps you can argue. Feel free to ignore some v ill times injuries that likely would have seen him capped if not for
    their occurrence judging by schmidt's comments then.


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    #87
    Wegians89
    Registered Users Posts: 3,440 ✭✭✭Wegians89


    connachta wrote: »
    Well again worried for 16, 17 and 22, but otherwise a damned good team, who may match Ireland A (Munster full-strenght)

    Worried about heff?


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    #88
    connachta
    Registered Users Posts: 7,963 ✭✭✭connachta


    Wegians89 wrote: »
    Worried about heff?




    Oh gosh sorry, was sure it was Murphy again, who seems light in contact (last try last week, last phase in Montpellier a year ago)..
    Burke is 24 now, might be ok.

    Our y.1 Academy winger is then the only potential weakness in our 23
    And god I think SOB will be very welcomed
    That's a balenced back-row!


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    #89
    ElisaAtWar
    Registered Users Posts: 1,004 ✭✭✭ElisaAtWar


    ClanofLams wrote: »
    Not suggesting he is better than Healy but certainly wouldn't swap Buckley for the majority of those above.

    If you were look back the Leinster game and so many games before that Denis has the perfect build for his position. And then you look at one game and the next game and either the referees are pulling the piss or Denis is going down in the scrum first. And in recent times i have watched this really closely.

    I have seen opposition with knees on the ground and no call from the sideline. There are so many things that are not fair in rugby, but if you don't call the basics correctly then the game is in neither teams control


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    #90
    Burkie1203
    Registered Users Posts: 11,123 ✭✭✭✭Burkie1203


    Zzippy wrote: »
    Very little difference in the two incidents for me. Only difference is a ref looking for a mitigating factor to avoid giving a red

    Papaili was driving head first up and into the Zebre player coetzee wasn't .

    Coetzee was a lot more upright then leaning forward and his feet are pretty much planted on the ground with his right foot barely leaving the ground on impact.

    They are not comparable.


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    #91
    Zzippy
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,166 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    Burkie1203 wrote: »
    Papaili was driving head first up and into the Zebre player coetzee wasn't .

    Coetzee was a lot more upright then leaning forward and his feet are pretty much planted on the ground with his right foot barely leaving the ground on impact.

    They are not comparable.

    Coetzee leads with his head. There is forward motion, even the commentator noted he seemed to drive upwards at the time. Both players were wrongfooted by a late change in direction. Coetzee was lucky Brace saw that as mitigation. They are absolutely comparable.


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