Connacht Rugby Thread - Part III - The Violence of the Lams

freyners

wp_rathead wrote: »

100%
He actually started of this season really well but then got injured
Hopefully he finds a club in England or France (hell even one of the two Italian sides)

He almost scored at the death but for a tap tackle in the Grenoble game so he looks sharp.

For the toulouse away game alone he will always be a legend in my book, not to mention his heroics before that

connachta

thomond2006 wrote: »

connachta wrote: »

Well I'm puzzeled by Lam's team. It could cost us the win. Treviso spent the last two months preparing this. Can't wait to see Robb/Parata and THAT back-row in action though

It's not puzzling to me. The current form of both sides means the BP will probably be wrapped up after 50 minutes. I don't buy the 'two months preparing for this' argument, you don't go out to get deliberately hammered in three games straight. There's also a lot of starters in that injury list. It cannot cost a win as there is a very strong bench to come to save the day if needs be. The full team will play against Glasgow and then get a rest before (hopefully!) two playoff games.

Think you overestimate the gap between us and the Italians. I remember we were in serious danger after 60 minutes in Parma (Zebre).
I'm not confident about our scrum (AhYou/Loughney) our half-backs (Carty-Cooney), our lineout without Dillane/Aly, and our wingers for the defensive duties (Carr/Niyi). the point is it should be a high-scoring game, and if it bounces the wrong way, with a few more handling errors and soft tries conceeded, the bench could come in too late

connachta

freyners wrote: »

wp_rathead wrote: »

100%
He actually started of this season really well but then got injured
Hopefully he finds a club in England or France (hell even one of the two Italian sides)

He almost scored at the death but for a tap tackle in the Grenoble game so he looks sharp.

For the toulouse away game alone he will always be a legend in my book, not to mention his heroics before that

Yeah was in the stadium, the game would have been horribly different if he hadn't saved our line after barely 4 minutes played

connachta

freyners wrote: »

wp_rathead wrote: »

100%
He actually started of this season really well but then got injured
Hopefully he finds a club in England or France (hell even one of the two Italian sides)

He almost scored at the death but for a tap tackle in the Grenoble game so he looks sharp.

For the toulouse away game alone he will always be a legend in my book, not to mention his heroics before that

Yeah was in the stadium, the game would have been horribly different if he hadn't saved our line after barely 4 minutes played

thomond2006

connachta wrote: »

Think you overestimate the gap between us and the Italians. I remember we were in serious danger after 60 minutes in Parma (Zebre).
I'm not confident about our scrum (AhYou/Loughney) our half-backs (Carty-Cooney), our lineout without Dillane/Aly, and our wingers for the defensive duties (Carr/Niyi). the point is it should be a high-scoring game, and if it bounces the wrong way, with a few more handling errors and soft tries conceeded, the bench could come in too late

I know you like to be a glass half-empty poster on here but Treviso haven't a prayer in this. Connacht will put at least 40 on them. Now if Connacht also rested the players from the bench then maybe there would be a cause for concern.

KBurke85

connachta wrote: »

Think you overestimate the gap between us and the Italians. I remember we were in serious danger after 60 minutes in Parma (Zebre).
I'm not confident about our scrum (AhYou/Loughney) our half-backs (Carty-Cooney), our lineout without Dillane/Aly, and our wingers for the defensive duties (Carr/Niyi). the point is it should be a high-scoring game, and if it bounces the wrong way, with a few more handling errors and soft tries conceeded, the bench could come in too late

You sir are the most negative connacht fan I have ever come across

connachta

KBurke85 wrote: »

connachta wrote: »

Think you overestimate the gap between us and the Italians. I remember we were in serious danger after 60 minutes in Parma (Zebre).
I'm not confident about our scrum (AhYou/Loughney) our half-backs (Carty-Cooney), our lineout without Dillane/Aly, and our wingers for the defensive duties (Carr/Niyi). the point is it should be a high-scoring game, and if it bounces the wrong way, with a few more handling errors and soft tries conceeded, the bench could come in too late

You sir are the most negative connacht fan I have ever come across

But it makes me much happier than anyone when we win

Zzippy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_disorder

connachta

Zzippy wrote: »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_disorder

Noooooo Highly logical, I expect the worse, so I'm happily surprised when anything else happens. So, you can guess how extatic I am this season

former total

If anyone seriously believes that Treviso have a chance, they can more than quadruple their money with Paddy Power. Treviso are 9/2, in a two-horse race.

I don't think anyone really believes they have a chance though.

its_phil

connachta wrote: »

Noooooo Highly logical, I expect the worse, so I'm happily surprised when anything else happens. So, you can guess how extatic I am this season

Nothing logical about claiming Treviso have been targetting us for two months.

wp_rathead

KBurke85 wrote: »

You sir are the most negative connacht fan I have ever come across

That's a big claim

Zzippy

its_phil wrote: »

Nothing logical about claiming Treviso have been targetting us for two months.

They're waiting in the long grass, don't ya know...

connachta

former total wrote: »

If anyone seriously believes that Treviso have a chance, they can more than quadruple their money with Paddy Power. Treviso are 9/2, in a two-horse race.

I don't think anyone really believes they have a chance though.

If there was "a Treviso in the lead after 50 min" possibility, I could go for it...
Hope we'll be safe before this of course...

BrokenMan

connachta wrote: »

If there was "a Treviso in the lead after 50 min" possibility, I could go for it...
Hope we'll be safe before this of course...

Treviso to lead at half time and Connacht to win is 11/2. Quadruple your money

Bazzo

Lol the odds on try scorers tomorrow are ridiculous. Rodney Ah You to score in 80 mins 5/1?!?

Billysays no

If we fielded that team against Munster I would expect us to be trounced. The fact that zebo so easily caught jack shows he's not fully fit and cooney just back from injury as well. I would have preferred to see marmion on the bench just in case.

BrokenMan

To be fair Zebo is very quick and was covering at a good angle.
I'd agree about having marmion on the bench but I'm sure Pat has seen enough in training to feel Cooney is back sharp and Blade has never let the team down.

galwaylad14

Billysays no wrote: »

If we fielded that team against Munster I would expect us to be trounced. The fact that zebo so easily caught jack shows he's not fully fit and cooney just back from injury as well. I would have preferred to see marmion on the bench just in case.

Well even if he wasn't fully fit then that was 2 weeks ago so I presume that Jack's fitness has picked up a lot since then. Also it's not as if we have no one on the bench that can replace Jack if he runs out of steam, we have a (IMO at least) better out half on the bench ready to come in.

Also I don't think the fact Zebo caught Jack tells us anything other than Zebo is a lot faster than Carty which we probably could have worked out anyway. That run doesn't tell us anything about Carty's fitness or lack of it. Do you really think had he not been injured he would have scorched home for the try?

Billysays no

galwaylad14 wrote: »

Well even if he wasn't fully fit then that was 2 weeks ago so I presume that Jack's fitness has picked up a lot since then. Also it's not as if we have no one on the bench that can replace Jack if he runs out of steam, we have a (IMO at least) better out half on the bench ready to come in.

Also I don't think the fact Zebo caught Jack tells us anything other than Zebo is a lot faster than Carty which we probably could have worked out anyway. That run doesn't tell us anything about Carty's fitness or lack of it. Do you really think had he not been injured he would have scorched home for the try?

What you say is true. Even if Jack was fully fit he wouldnt have got home. It was just the ease with which Zebo made up the ground I thought was a bit of a worry. Treviso may be no great shakes but neither are they a total walkover. It is reassuring that there is a strong bench so if things do go a bit belly-up we should be able to correct it quickly. However I can see Treviso potentially leading the game at half-time. Its not a matter of cup half empty. Its a centre partnership that has never played together (though I have to admit being excited to see how it goes as I believe both players have huge potential) a front row and second row that is far from our strongest and the fitness questions over our 9 and 10. I don't see this game being the forgone conclusion it should be, thats all.

its_phil

Fans player of the year poll here:


https://poll.fbapp.io/daikvs?from=user_link&ref_id=

Could barely decide between Muldoon and Aki, even Buckley. Went for Bundee just because of that superstar quality now in the team.

b.gud

its_phil wrote: »

Fans player of the year poll here:


https://poll.fbapp.io/daikvs?from=user_link&ref_id=

Could barely decide between Muldoon and Aki, even Buckley. Went for Bundee just because of that superstar quality now in the team.

Muldowney too, and Healy def deserves some plaudits for the season he's had. It's a great dilemma to have

connemara man

b.gud wrote: »

Muldowney too, and Healy def deserves some plaudits for the season he's had. It's a great dilemma to have

Muldoon all the way looks like a player reinvigorated and reinvented. Bundee will win plenty of them

Bazzo

All very deserving nominees. I voted for Buckley but there was a hair between himself and Aki for me with Muldoon very close on their heels.

b.gud

Insert your Rodney Ah You fitness jokes here

Bazzo

"****, they have the cameras out. Hold it together Rodney, you can do this. Do. Not. Collapse."

Dog Botherer

"Just 5 more minutes, I can do this. Think happy thoughts, that's the job. Mmm, Supermacs..."

connachta

Ok a positive point about tonight game for once
the selected players will be very motivated :

AhYou/Loughney/Cooney fighting for the bench behind Bealham/White
Roux/Browne fighting for the bench behind Dillane/Muldowney
Carty/MacGinty fighting for the starting n 10
Parata/Niyi/Carr/Robb fighting for n 11 and n 23 behind Healy Henshaw and Aki (and to keep Poolman out of the mix if he comes back)

Billysays no

I have my money down and Heenan and toh to touchdown tonight. Gave the 5/1 on Rodney a miss

Robbo

Right, here we go. Cula4 if you have it, TG4 player if you don't.

English commentary on GBFM.

Peter Fitzgibbon is our ref and he's looking like Pierluigi Collina has been on the same fitness regine as Rodney.

wp_rathead

great break by Robb but ARGHHH just pop it to Parata

wp_rathead

oh Fitzgibbon that looked like it was a maul to me

Diabhal Beag

Just saw a Niyi hand off

Robbo

Browne's pass about 4 phases before that try. Tekkers.

wp_rathead

great try, but I still think that all came from Fitzgibbon giving us a pen when it looked a trademark maul/choke tackle

Bazzo

Good man Parata, fair play.

Cooney kicking instead of Carty? Interesting.

wp_rathead

ha the fields going in Treviso, lads been on the sauce all day

great lil kick by Jack and finish by Carr, he has started very well

Dog Botherer

50 burger could be on the cards. Treviso are muck.

connachta

That's my Connacht!

Bazzo

Fair play to Carr, looks like he's up for it today.

connachta

What a great way to say goodbye for Fionn,:D

wp_rathead

oh, looks like we gonna have ourselves a repeat of the Zebre v Connacht game where it is a Gung-ho tryfest

Robbo

Jesus that was some miscue from Hayward.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZTiRdcURuI

Robbo

Concentration lads.

wp_rathead

Go low Tiernan!

MayoForSam

The cavalry may well be needed later on.

Diabhal Beag

DJ Otzi's "Hey Baby" blaring surely a sign that these Italians mean business

Utopia Parkway

Really should have been put in touch there. He was right on the touchline.

Dog Botherer

Feckin' hell, spoke too soon.

Looked easy at 14-0.... Looks a 50:50 game since and worrying.