Connacht Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread - Part II

connachta

Ronaldson and Carty both improved (costly) this year!
A 2nd row is more needed with Kearney and Swift out next season
Sheriff Flanagan or Brian Hayes IMO

ouncer

connachta wrote: »

Ronaldson and Carty both improved (costly) this year!
A 2nd row is more needed with Kearney and Swift out next season
Sheriff Flanagan or Brian Hayes IMO

Hope u don't mean Brian Hayes the politician. Wouldn't be much use in second row :-)

connachta

ouncer wrote: »

Hope u don't mean Brian Hayes the politician. Wouldn't be much use in second row :-)

Nope, ex Munster and current Aurillac player
I was more expecting a reaction from you about Carty improving:D

connachta

Squad for next year ATM
Green International level IMO
Orange good pro12 level
Red low pro12 level
Black "A" Eagles level


Jason Harris-Wright Hooker
Tom McCartney Hooker/Prop
Dave Heffernan Hooker/Flanker
Finlay Bealham Prop
Rodney Ah You Prop
Denis Buckley Prop
JP Cooney Prop
Ronan Loughney Prop
Nathan White Prop
Aly Muldowney Lock
Danny Qualter Lock
Quinn Roux Lock
Andrew Browne Lock/Flanker
Jake Heenan Flanker
John Muldoon Flanker/ No 8
George Naoupu Number 8 both ageing
Eoin McKeon Number 8
Kieran Marmion Scrum-half
Ian Porter Scrum-half
John Cooney Scrum-half
Craig Ronaldson Out-half
Jack Carty Out-half
Shane O'Leary Out-half/Centre
Dave McSharry Centre
Bundee Aki Centre
Danie Poolman Centre/Wing
Conor Finn Centre/Wing
Fionn Carr Wing
Matt Healy Wing
Tiernan O'Halloran Wing
Niyi Adeolokun Wing
Robbie Henshaw Centre/Fullback
Darragh Leader Fullback



+ Players in for 2015-2016

Ultan Dillane Lock
Eoghan Masterson Flanker
Caolin Blade Scrum-half
Shane Delahunt Hooker
Nepia Fox-Matamua Flanker

CatFromHue

Orange and red are too similar, try it with green/yellow, and blue.

connachta

CatFromHue wrote: »

Orange and red are too similar, try it with green/yellow, and blue.

Yellow was my 1st solution, but unseeable...

CatFromHue

you think Heenan is good enough for Ireland?

He's competing with Henry, TOD, and SOB. I dunno is he good enough to be mixing it with them?

connachta

4 great players
15 good ones
11 average
2 squad back-ups
+ 5 new prospects

connachta

CatFromHue wrote: »

you think Heenan is good enough for Ireland?

He's competing with Henry, TOD, and SOB. I dunno is he good enough to be mixing it with them?

If he's free of injuries, I think he is.... Never disappointed me

connachta

connachta wrote: »

4 great players
15 good ones
11 average
2 squad back-ups
+ 5 new prospects

36-37 players, I think we can expect 4 more guys..
an outhalf
a lock/blindside
an ambidextrous prop
a utility back

CatFromHue

He's still a bit of an unknown for me.

5 caps this season, 18 the season before, hard to really get a gauge on someone who's played so little. I mean you do see some guys play absolute great stuff one season but then fall off form wise from then on.

connachta

CatFromHue wrote: »

He's still a bit of an unknown for me.

5 caps this season, 18 the season before, hard to really get a gauge on someone who's played so little. I mean you do see some guys play absolute great stuff one season but then fall off form wise from then on.

The point is he didn't play "on fire", he played smart, wise positioning, handling qualities... I think it's natural and he should reproduce it easily. His health, especially shoulder, is my main concern...

ouncer

CatFromHue wrote: »

you think Heenan is good enough for Ireland?

He's competing with Henry, TOD, and SOB. I dunno is he good enough to be mixing it with them?

If you were looking at positions with least competition for on an Ireland level you would say full back, centre and that's it

connachta

ouncer wrote: »

If you were looking at positions with least competition for on an Ireland level you would say full back, centre and that's it

I wasn't talking about Ireland per se, just about overall international qualities. Heenan has them IMO even if he never plays with the shamrock on him because of unluckily talented competition..

ouncer

connachta wrote: »

I wasn't talking about Ireland per se, just about overall international qualities. Heenan has them IMO even if he never plays with the shamrock on him because of unluckily talented competition..

Excuse my rudeness but what else would you be talking about per se. At the end of the day we measure our players against irish international players. On current form and availability I would suggest only player today I saw who measured was muldowney. And while credit goes to Robbie being in the Irish squad, muldowney has been the anchor of the Connacht team this year. I really like mat but at times he can be very poor defensively. Denis is an obvious but of late he seems simply tired (understandable). Tiernan is probably playing better than any full back in the country at the moment. Kieran has regressed to the point of he is very lucky to hold a place on the field or indeed on the bench. So who would you like to rate against our peers? At the end of the day that's what it comes down to

its_phil

ouncer wrote: »

Excuse my rudeness but what else would you be talking about per se. At the end of the day we measure our players against irish international players. On current form and availability I would suggest only player today I saw who measured was muldowney. And while credit goes to Robbie being in the Irish squad, muldowney has been the anchor of the Connacht team this year. I really like mat but at times he can be very poor defensively. Denis is an obvious but of late he seems simply tired. Tiernan is probably playing better than any full back in the country. Kieran has regressed to the point of he is very lucky to hold a place on the field or indeed on the bench. So who would you like to rate against our peers? At the end of the day that's what it comes down to

Another loss, another waffle post by Ouncer. Such crap about Buckley and Kieran. To say Kieran doesn't deserve a place on bench is hyperbolic nonsense and you really don't have a clue with your continued picking on young players.

connachta

ouncer wrote: »

Excuse my rudeness but what else would you be talking about per se. At the end of the day we measure our players against irish international players. On current form and availability I would suggest only player today I saw who measured was muldowney. And while credit goes to Robbie being in the Irish squad, muldowney has been the anchor of the Connacht team this year. I really like mat but at times he can be very poor defensively. Denis is an obvious but of late he seems simply tired. Tiernan is probably playing better than any full back in the country. Kieran has regressed to the point of he is very lucky to hold a place on the field or indeed on the bench. So who would you like to rate against our peers? At the end of the day that's what it comes down to

There are other nations like France or Italy which would like to have Heenan in contention. SOB is a special one, and you can underestimate Jake just because he is kept out by one of the 3 best openside flankers in the world...

connachta

its_phil wrote: »

Another loss, another waffle post by Ouncer. Such crap about Buckley and Kieran. To say Kieran doesn't deserve a place on bench is hyperbolic nonsense and you really don't have a clue with your continued picking on young players.

But he might be right about Kieran a bit weaker at the moment and Denis having played a lot. Hope they'll be back to their best in 8 days...

ouncer

Oh I don't get it. I must have switched off and watched the Leinster Edinburgh on my phone instead. Really sorry. Any time I looked up from my phone marmion was killing us. Must remember to stay looking at my phone :-). And this time, probably for the first time on boards.is I get defensive. Marmion was utter crap. I wanted cooney in after 3 minutes. This constant whinging, this constant wanting the ball on a plate, well I absolutely sick of it. Denis has played every game this year and is showing signs. If you don't respect my opinion then it really doesn't bother me but you have got me narked at the moment

CatFromHue

connachta wrote: »

The point is he didn't play "on fire", he played smart, wise positioning, handling qualities... I think it's natural and he should reproduce it easily. His health, especially shoulder, is my main concern...

I'm looking forward to next season already :pac:

connachta

Yes! And with Nepia Fox-Matamua to compete with him, I guess we should bring Masterson back to his original n°8 position!

ouncer

Be aware I am moving my focus to boards.ie tennis forum next year. Analysis much easier :-)

connachta

ouncer wrote: »

Be aware I am moving my focus to boards.ie tennis forum next year. Analysis much easier :-)

I partly agree with you, be happy, that's huge improvement for you in here:D
Ps : you want to limit the debate to Irish international players, on tennis you won't go far except maybe James McGee:rolleyes:

its_phil

ouncer wrote: »

Oh I don't get it. I must have switched off and watched the Leinster Edinburgh on my phone instead. Really sorry. Any time I looked up from my phone marmion was killing us. Must remember to stay looking at my phone :-). And this time, probably for the first time on boards.is I get defensive. Marmion was utter crap. I wanted cooney in after 3 minutes. This constant whinging, this constant wanting the ball on a plate, well I absolutely sick of it. Denis has played every game this year and is showing signs. If you don't respect my opinion then it really doesn't bother me but you have got me narked at the moment

He played 20 f***ing minutes. You'd swear he threw three intercepts in 20 minutes. And Cooney was no better in those next 20 minutes than Marmion was.

Delighted I have you "narked" because your posts on young players are sad, pathetic and full of useless information with no insight.

Good luck on the tennis forum, no doubt you'll be focusing on junior Wimbeldon and criticising them.

ouncer

All marmion did was hand away the first 10 points of the game before he left. Do have a look at TV highlights to confirm. Scrums coming up and kieran still wants ball on plate. Muffin

ouncer

connachta wrote: »

I partly agree with you, be happy, that's huge improvement for you in here:D
Ps : you want to limit the debate to Irish international players, on tennis you won't go far except maybe James McGee:rolleyes:

Be interested to know what you partly disagreed with. As you should know by now I don't get my kicks from people agreeing. However I do find its-phils constant diatribe boring. If he doesn't agree that marmion was ****e and Buckley looks tired then maybe an example to the opposite would be good other than taking a direct hit at me. If things keep up this way it won't be marmion I will be calling the muffin :-). Folks don't feel pressured into thanking this post :-)

oneofakind32

Does anyone know the situation is with TV coverage for the playoffs?

b.gud

oneofakind32 wrote: »

Does anyone know the situation is with TV coverage for the playoffs?

Its on BT next Sunday

connachta

ouncer wrote: »

Be interested to know what you partly disagreed with. As you should know by now I don't get my kicks from people agreeing. However I do find its-phils constant diatribe boring. If he doesn't agree that marmion was ****e and Buckley looks tired then maybe an example to the opposite would be good other than taking a direct hit at me. If things keep up this way it won't be marmion I will be calling the muffin :-). Folks don't feel pressured into thanking this post :-)

I know you'd rather like provocation:D
So yes IMO Marmion hasn't been good for 2 months. Yes he's too much accostumed to play behind a very dominant scrum, and seemed unable to adapt. He hasn't got many box-kicks in his tool box. Yes, if Joe Schimdt prefered old Boss rather than him, there are good reasons. But nobody will agree with you to say he's "****". His passing game is still better than Cooney's, he feels the game, create and/or follow a line-break (he did that last week), knows how to tackle. I won't burry him so fast. He's not responsible for the global lack of power/speed of the attacking line. He was just unable recently to overcome it all by himself, like he did exceptionally well for the last 2 years
You want some part of disagreement? He already played a lot of European high-presure rugby, Cooney/Porter/Blade didn't, so I think he should start next week (if 100% healthy). Now, release your anger about that:P

connachta

connachta wrote: »

Ronaldson and Carty both improved (costly) this year!
A 2nd row is more needed with Kearney and Swift out next season
Sheriff Flanagan or Brian Hayes IMO

With Qualter not really convincing we may really run out of locks. Only Muldowney Roux and Dillane, with Browne as back-up, that's not enough at all.
Flanagan unexceptedly prefered to sign for Bedford Blues:mad:
Sherrif to London Irish
Only Brian Hayes left, out of contract for Aurillac for now...
Ben Marshall too, maybe?

wp_rathead

Maybe Cian Romaine and a fit SOB2.0 may help our second row options - but they likely to be playing Eagles

connachta

wp_rathead wrote: »

Maybe Cian Romaine and a fit SOB2.0 may help our second row options - but they likely to be playing Eagles

Of course they're good prospects, but you can't compete with 2 and a half senior players, and 3 Eagles!

connachta

For the moment let's focus on Glouce : The real decider in the end

I was worried about physical freshness. But when you look closely to the stats, Afoa Hibbard and Savage played the same amount of minutes, if not more, as Buckley McCartney and Muldowney did..

The real make or break could depend on Poolman Loughney and Ronaldson availability. Those 3 should bring a clear added value.
Does any of you know something about them and their recovery?

connachta

Hagz wrote: »

Lads, why is it Gloucester? They finished 9th.

'Cause they won Challenge Cup

WallyGUFC

I know it was explained a few weeks ago but I saw somewhere today that it's a three-way league style playoff. That's not right is it? Winner of the match vs Gloucester plays the French team and loser is out, isn't it?

franglan

Anyone hear anything from the branch regarding Gloucester tickets?

its_phil

WallyGUFC wrote: »

I know it was explained a few weeks ago but I saw somewhere today that it's a three-way league style playoff. That's not right is it? Winner of the match vs Gloucester plays the French team and loser is out, isn't it?

Winner of Connacht and Gloucester plays 7th Top 14 side at home for the 20th spot in Champions Cup.

Game is next Sunday on BT Sport at 3:30.

its_phil

Poite to ref the Gloucester game.

freyners

its_phil wrote: »

Poite to ref the Gloucester game.

If we could sort out or scrum and get some dominance over them again it could bode well

its_phil

freyners wrote: »

If we could sort out or scrum and get some dominance over them again it could bode well

Got it the last time against them, it was up and down against Ospreys alright but the protection and streetsmarts by the eight has to be better

ouncer

connachta wrote: »

For the moment let's focus on Glouce : The real decider in the end

I was worried about physical freshness. But when you look closely to the stats, Afoa Hibbard and Savage played the same amount of minutes, if not more, as Buckley McCartney and Muldowney did..

The real make or break could depend on Poolman Loughney and Ronaldson availability. Those 3 should bring a clear added value.
Does any of you know something about them and their recovery?

I agree, particularly when it comes to ronaldson. The problem I see is that if jack starts then the pack will be used ad nauseum. The pack have being doing this for much of the year. Yes, the Gloucester pack maybe have played similar amounts of minutes. The difference is they haven't been used as hard as our guys. I think if we play jack at 10 this weekend we will lose as the pack no longer have the gas in the tank. This was obvious against zebre as well. On the other hand you have bundee fresh back from injury, Robbie having his break via player welfare, tiernan having half the season to body build. So we need an out half who can use the backline, not one that is going to clobber the pack

connachta

ouncer wrote: »

I agree, particularly when it comes to ronaldson. The problem I see is that if jack starts then the pack will be used ad nauseum. The pack have being doing this for much of the year. Yes, the Gloucester pack maybe have played similar amounts of minutes. The difference is they haven't been used as hard as our guys. I think if we play jack at 10 this weekend we will lose as the pack no longer have the gas in the tank. This was obvious against zebre as well. On the other hand you have bundee fresh back from injury, Robbie having his break via player welfare, tiernan having half the season to body build. So we need an out half who can use the backline, not one that is going to clobber the pack

You're perfectly right this time. After saying this, just going to kill myself as I'll be hated for life on this forum:D

its_phil

ouncer wrote: »

I agree, particularly when it comes to ronaldson. The problem I see is that if jack starts then the pack will be used ad nauseum. The pack have being doing this for much of the year. Yes, the Gloucester pack maybe have played similar amounts of minutes. The difference is they haven't been used as hard as our guys. I think if we play jack at 10 this weekend we will lose as the pack no longer have the gas in the tank. This was obvious against zebre as well. On the other hand you have bundee fresh back from injury, Robbie having his break via player welfare, tiernan having half the season to body build. So we need an out half who can use the backline, not one that is going to clobber the pack

We didn't play Zebre or the Ospreys up front. Our pack was all over Zebre in every department excusing the scrum. The Gloucester pack has had two more games than us in the previous few weeks (few rested last week) and it's already been proven we can get the better of them, so there is no real proof to say we can manage the Ospreys but struggle against Gloucester. We're as effective as any other team at delivering quick ruck ball and Matt Kvesic being out is massive.

Saying our 10 is going to clobber our pack, especially after two of his better performances, this week is as silly as saying our 10 is the reason our 14 was bad last week.

ouncer

its_phil wrote: »

We didn't play Zebre or the Ospreys up front. Our pack was all over Zebre in every department excusing the scrum. The Gloucester pack has had two more games than us in the previous few weeks (few rested last week) and it's already been proven we can get the better of them, so there is no real proof to say we can manage the Ospreys but struggle against Gloucester. We're as effective as any other team at delivering quick ruck ball and Matt Kvesic being out is massive.

Saying our 10 is going to clobber our pack, especially after two of his better performances, this week is as silly as saying our 10 is the reason our 14 was bad last week.

its_Phil I have no further comments on your posts.

ouncer

wp_rathead wrote: »

Maybe Cian Romaine and a fit SOB2.0 may help our second row options - but they likely to be playing Eagles

When is sob back on the scene. He is a fine talent.

b.gud

Shane Layden is the only Connacht representative in the new 7s squad, good to see that he still has some involvement in Irish rugby and hopefully he might get a bit of form and make a return to Connacht at some stage

franglan

Yeah great to see, he's had awful lucky with injuries so good luck to him.

Robbo

A good Connacht representation in the Emerging Ireland squad heading to Georgia next month.

Buckley, Bealham, John Cooney, Healy, Heffernan, Masterson, McKeown and O'Halloran all travelling.

freyners

Griffin called up too.

Delighted for bealham and heff

Zzippy

Buckley to tear up trees and give Joe a real headache come August...