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

former total

Utter madness to turn down that kick at the posts. Just crazy.

Robbo

Billysays no wrote: »

while i am a bit miffed at this result i am more miffed with carr. yes he breaks a line and carries. but he is not a team player. he simply runs his own lines. so i wish him the best but he's not for me. its how he always played rugby and he always looks good. he just needs to understand there are another 14 players on the field who are working for a team

Disagree entirely. Carr of 4 years ago would have tried to take a couple of those breaks on entirely on his own and probably coughed up possession long before the cavalry arrived.

What's been notable in him recently is when he realises the 60 meter try isn't on, he'll adjust himself for where the second wave will arrive. I actually think it's a mistake not giving him a new deal.

b.gud

The team really lacked cohesiveness which is understandable given the amount of changes.
Even allowing for Treviso coming back after the 1st 2 tries we should have still won that easily. We had tons of possession in their 22 but couldn't keep our composure at the crucial moment.

Still the most important thing and one that shouldn't be overlooked is that for the first time ever we have qualified for the play offs, and we are the only team that never left the top 4 this season

ClanofLams

London Irish should snap Carr up, he'd be absolute quality in the championship.

Bazzo

So annoyed, I thought performances like that were a thing of the past, I'm really praying it was just a blip.

If they don't get a serious root up the hole during the week Glasgow will absolutely rip them to shreds next weekend.

Get all the grannies lighting candles for Nathan White's speedy recovery please...

Billysays no

Robbo wrote: »

Disagree entirely. Carr of 4 years ago would have tried to take a couple of those breaks on entirely on his own and probably coughed up possession long before the cavalry arrived.

What's been notable in him recently is when he realises the 60 meter try isn't on, he'll adjust himself for where the second wave will arrive. I actually think it's a mistake not giving him a new deal.

its an opinion. Never mind my opinion that said team presented was an insult to Treviso

barry rainey

glasgow 70 zebre 10 with 5 mins to go

connachta

ClanofLams wrote: »

connachta wrote: »

Again Bazoo, said it... It was very possible to happen, Injuries+rotations meant we were too far from our usual starting team

Not being smart connachta but you tend to make negative predictions constantly including that connacht might only win 1 of the last 8 league fixtures and be caught by Cardiff Blues or something so ya know I wouldn't start calling yourself Nostradamus just yet.

Cardiff make a good end of season and play great rugby I'm not ashamed of that, and Nostradamus can tell you they should qualify for ChampionsCup at worse next season

barry rainey

ft warriors 70 zebre 10

ClanofLams

connachta wrote: »

Cardiff make a good end of season and play great rugby I'm not ashamed of that, and Nostradamus can tell you they should qualify for ChampionsCup at worse next season

Fair enough although they are by no means certain to qualify. They certainly wont be catching Connacht either who won a lot more than 1 from 8.

connachta

ClanofLams wrote: »

connachta wrote: »

Cardiff make a good end of season and play great rugby I'm not ashamed of that, and Nostradamus can tell you they should qualify for ChampionsCup at worse next season

Fair enough although they are by no means certain to qualify. They certainly wont be catching Connacht either who won a lot more than 1 from 8.

At worse next season if not this season is what i meant

Billysays no

thomond2006 wrote: »

there ya go thomond. it was a crap team and deserved the result. at least we learnt a bloody good lesson tonight. So we play glasgow next week. it wont be fionn, it wont be parata, it wont be robb, it wont be jack, it wont be cooney, it wont be browne, it wont be roux, it wont be rodney. pat this was not your finest moment

Cosmo Kramer

Zebre must hate us at this point. I think they've lost every game they've ever played against us in the league and the Heineken Cup, and now we've cost them a Champions Cup place next season.

Robbo

Billysays no wrote: »

there ya go thomond. it was a crap team and deserved the result. at least we learnt a bloody good lesson tonight. So we play glasgow next week. it wont be fionn, it wont be parata, it wont be robb, it wont be jack, it wont be cooney, it wont be browne, it wont be roux, it wont be rodney. pat this was not your finest moment

Ah here. Browne's having an absolute renaissance this season. Cooney was also as sharp as you'd expect.

Parata will bench next week and Jack will be sharper.

connachta

Win without BP or lose was pretty much the same
not bad evening all in all except that our scrum is weak without scrummager-offloader-ruck machine-player of the season Buckley
No apparent injury!!!!!! + Carr and Parata ok, Robb great

ClanofLams

Ah FFS time to hit unsubscribe for a few days. Can't be reading pure negativity on the weekend Connacht reached the semis for the first time and have a home semi in their control. One bad game and everyone is crap. No allowances for injuries, guys returning, new partnerships etc.

Nonsense.

pickarooney

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

Zebre must hate us at this point. I think they've lost every game they've ever played against us in the league and the Heineken Cup, and now we've cost them a Champions Cup place next season.

What would be the point of them in the CC anyway?

b.gud

pickarooney wrote: »

What would be the point of them in the CC anyway?

About the same as the point of Treviso being in the CC

connachta

If I had to pick the backline based on talent I'd go next week with

9) Marmion
10) Carty
11) Healy
12) Robb
13) Aki
14) TOH
15) Henshaw

21) Cooney
22) McGinty
23) Parata

Probably won't happen, but REALLY REALLY think it would work damn good

Cosmo Kramer

pickarooney wrote: »

What would be the point of them in the CC anyway?

Well, to finish above Treviso/qualify for the CC is the only thing they have to play for in the Pro 12 really, so presumably having beaten Treviso twice this season meant 11th place and a CC place would have been the target. Not going to happen now.

Billysays no

ClanofLams wrote: »

Ah FFS time to hit unsubscribe for a few days. Can't be reading pure negativity on the weekend Connacht reached the semis for the first time and have a home semi in their control. One bad game and everyone is crap. No allowances for injuries, guys returning, new partnerships etc.

Nonsense.

team selected was not what was available. that said lesson has been learnt. so glasgow we can hit with our full team. i did say that and we payed the price. it was the weakest team we fielded all season by our own choice.

connachta

ClanofLams wrote: »

Ah FFS time to hit unsubscribe for a few days. Can't be reading pure negativity on the weekend Connacht reached the semis for the first time and have a home semi in their control. One bad game and everyone is crap. No allowances for injuries, guys returning, new partnerships etc.

Nonsense.

That's what I meant, sorry if it wasn't clear...

connachta wrote: »

Win without BP or lose was pretty much the same
not bad evening all in all except that our scrum is weak without scrummager-offloader-ruck machine-player of the season Buckley
No apparent injury!!!!!! + Carr and Parata ok, Robb great

BrokenMan

ClanofLams wrote: »

Ah FFS time to hit unsubscribe for a few days. Can't be reading pure negativity on the weekend Connacht reached the semis for the first time and have a home semi in their control. One bad game and everyone is crap. No allowances for injuries, guys returning, new partnerships etc.

Nonsense.

To be fair I think everyone is acknowledging it's a great season and the team has done fantastic.
I think we are entitled to be disappointed by a poor result. No one is writing the team off over this game.

former total

ClanofLams wrote: »

Ah FFS time to hit unsubscribe for a few days. Can't be reading pure negativity on the weekend Connacht reached the semis for the first time and have a home semi in their control. One bad game and everyone is crap. No allowances for injuries, guys returning, new partnerships etc.

Nonsense.

I agree that this place tends to swing from one extreme to another, but the frustrating thing about tonight is that even with all the changes, that should have been a win handy enough.

Billysays no

BrokenMan wrote: »

To be fair I think everyone is acknowledging it's a great season and the team has done fantastic.
I think we are entitled to be disappointed by a poor result. No one is writing the team off over this game.

How can you write off a team which you wouldnt select EVER no matter your injuries

ClanofLams

BrokenMan wrote: »

To be fair I think everyone is acknowledging it's a great season and the team has done fantastic.
I think we are entitled to be disappointed by a poor result. No one is writing the team off over this game.

My post was directed at Billy, who dismissed about six guys who have contributed massively this season in one post. Should have made that clearer.

As for the game itself it was like a game Connacht would have won 8/9 years ago imo. Superior team rocks up having made a heap of changes and catch them on an off day, I celebrated many similar days in the Sportsground. Not excusing the performance by any means which was poor to say the least.

BrokenMan

Billysays no wrote: »

How can you write off a team which you wouldnt select EVER no matter your injuries

I'm not writing them off.
I genuinely think they will beat Glasgow.

BrokenMan

ClanofLams wrote: »

As for the game itself it was like a game Connacht would have won 8/9 years ago imo. Superior team rocks up having made a heap of changes and catch them on an off day, I celebrated many similar days in the Sportsground. Not excusing the performance by any means which was poor to say the least.

Makes a change to be on the other side of the shock result I guess.

maroondog

ClanofLams wrote: »

Ah FFS time to hit unsubscribe for a few days. Can't be reading pure negativity on the weekend Connacht reached the semis for the first time and have a home semi in their control. One bad game and everyone is crap. No allowances for injuries, guys returning, new partnerships etc.

Nonsense.

Bad result tonight but its a Semi Final appearance for 1st time ever. As expected tonights result didnt really matter, losing bonus point was all that was needed. Resting front line players tonight will hopefully benefit the team next weekend when a performance is a must v Glasgow.

Hoping for positive news on Aki and White for next week, if those 2 can start it will be massive boost for Connacht.

Billysays no

i know im awfully critical. i find nathan hugely slow. i have adjusted to finlay and denis. they are like full backs the way they move the ball. i do love watching tiernan and how he distributes. i was hugely hopeful of robb and parata but would rather henshaw and aki. the opportunity was given to the young hopefuls but the experience matters more. So all change for glasgow. has to be experience over youth.

connachta

I've Done the math again. 4 points would have been useless. Leinster will get 5 points home in their last home game. A LBP defeat against Glasgow wouldn't have been enough, the "magic blues" would have been ahead of us by number of matches won. Even with 0 point t'morrow.

Connaht made the right choice. Now it's the expected battle for the home semi-final next week.
Whoever we meet, including Ulster, it will be similar high level.
Sportsground advantage is the key

Billysays no

why do folks call it math when it is maths. that was what i was learnt

BrokenMan

The permutations at the moment are just endless with 1 and a half rounds still to go. From what I can see, and I'm probably missing something we could potentially have
Home semi against
Glasgow
Ulster
Munster
Scarlets
Ulster
Away semi against
Leinster
Glasgow
Ulster

connachta

BrokenMan wrote: »

The permutations at the moment are just endless with 1 and a half rounds still to go. From what I can see, and I'm probably missing something we could potentially have
Home semi against
Glasgow
Ulster
Munster
Scarlets
Ulster
Away semi against
Leinster
Glasgow
Ulster

I can't see how this could end to an away game in Ravenhill, except if Leinster lose against Treviso in the RDS. odds are soooooo high for that to happen. Treviso have targetted us as I said, because they were home. Even if they are still in danger if Zebre get one point against Dragons, I just can't imagine them winning in Dublin, with a home semi at stake for the Blues.

Billysays no

strangely the result tonight was the best result we could have hoped for. if we had taken 4/5 points it would have left us in a conundrum with glasgow. maybe losing bonus point, maybe draw. now we just have to win. it takes all the scenarios out of it. so in truth it was the perfect result to focus the mind

BrokenMan

connachta wrote: »

I can't see how this could end to an away game in Ravenhill, except if Leinster lose against Treviso in the RDS. odds are soooooo high for that to happen. Treviso have targetted us as I said, because they were home. Even if they are still in danger if Zebre get one point against Dragons, I just can't imagine them winning in Dublin.

I know I'm just saying what's possible. Most likely is either home or away to Glasgow.

connachta

BrokenMan wrote: »

connachta wrote: »

I can't see how this could end to an away game in Ravenhill, except if Leinster lose against Treviso in the RDS. odds are soooooo high for that to happen. Treviso have targetted us as I said, because they were home. Even if they are still in danger if Zebre get one point against Dragons, I just can't imagine them winning in Dublin.

I know I'm just saying what's possible. Most likely is either home or away to Glasgow.

Indeed, but the other 3 likely possibilities are Leinster home and away, and Ulster home.
And what I meant was I don't think there's any kind of gap between Glasgow Ulster and Leinster. No preference, really. The only aim is to face one of them in Galway at Home. Eddie the Eagle makes big difference!

Billysays no

we are coming to get you glasgow. feel worried.

connachta

VS



The real head-to-head

Redo91

This one is on Pat. It was always risky making so many changes. He should have started with our strongest team and taken the likes of Henshaw and Muldoon off around the 50 minute mark when the job was done instead of having to bring them on to rescue the game. If we'd won with a BP we'd only need a losing BP against Glasgow next week to secure a home semi. Now we need to win. He took a risk and it backfired big time.

ClanofLams

Redo91 wrote: »

If we'd won with a BP we'd only need a losing BP against Glasgow next week to secure a home semi. Now we need to win. He took a risk and it backfired big time.

We wouldn't have. We would be two points ahead of Glasgow with a bp win tonight. It removes the draw option and that's it, which are so rare as to almost be a non factor.

Billysays no

exactly, so no confusion next weekend

vienne86

Only saw some of the match last night. Really disappointing finish. But that choice of team was always going to be risky. Big big game next week.

Buer

Billysays no wrote:

strangely the result tonight was the best result we could have hoped for. if we had taken 4/5 points it would have left us in a conundrum with glasgow. maybe losing bonus point, maybe draw. now we just have to win. it takes all the scenarios out of it. so in truth it was the perfect result to focus the mind

Eh, no. Losing to Treviso most certainly wasn't the best result you could have hoped for under any mental gymnastics.

If Connacht had won with the expected BP last night there was a genuine chance of a home semi final even if they lost to Glasgow. That's gone now. It's now even mathematically possible to beat Glasgow next week and still not get a home semi final.

molloyjh

Buer wrote: »

Eh, no. Losing to Treviso most certainly wasn't the best result you could have hoped for under any mental gymnastics.

If Connacht had won with the expected BP last night there was a genuine chance of a home semi final even if they lost to Glasgow. That's gone now. It's now even mathematically possible to beat Glasgow next week and still not get a home semi final.

Are you sure about that last bit? If Connacht win next week they go to 73 (74 with a TBP). The most Glasgow can get from that game then is 2 points leaving them on 73 as well. Both sides have 14 wins currently so a Connacht win would see them at least equal Glasgows points total but move ahead of them on games won.

If Connacht win next weekend they will guarantee a home semi. From a Leinster point of view as well a Connacht win is the best option. That would mean if we get 6 from the last 2 games (which we should be able to do) we'll top the league. Connacht would then have to play Glasgow at home again in the semis while we'll have whoever makes 4th. Which at this point could be Scarlets, Ulster or Munster.

Buer

Sorry, you're correct, I didn't account for the games won total.

The more likely scenario stands though, Connacht can no longer earn a LBP and potentially get the home semi.

former total

molloyjh wrote: »

Are you sure about that last bit? If Connacht win next week they go to 73 (74 with a TBP). The most Glasgow can get from that game then is 2 points leaving them on 73 as well. Both sides have 14 wins currently so a Connacht win would see them at least equal Glasgows points total but move ahead of them on games won.

If Connacht win next weekend they will guarantee a home semi. From a Leinster point of view as well a Connacht win is the best option. That would mean if we get 6 from the last 2 games (which we should be able to do) we'll top the league. Connacht would then have to play Glasgow at home again in the semis while we'll have whoever makes 4th. Which at this point could be Scarlets, Ulster or Munster.

Correct.

The worrying thing is that while a depleted Connacht were losing in Treviso, a depleted Glasgow scored ten tries against Zebre.

If Nathan White isn't back, then the most likely outcome is that Connacht will be coming to the RDS for their semi.

molloyjh

former total wrote: »

Correct.

The worrying thing is that while a depleted Connacht were losing in Treviso, a depleted Glasgow scored ten tries against Zebre.

If Nathan White isn't back, then the most likely outcome is that Connacht will be coming to the RDS for their semi.

True. And no offence to Connacht who've been great all season, but that wouldn't bother me as a Leinster fan that much. We nilled them in the RDS the last time and in Galway with a depleted side came very close to snatching a win despite a very disjointed performance. I'd back a full strength Leinster side at home against anyone except Glasgow at this stage.

Connacht have a few things to learn from this season, mainly that ambition needs to be somewhat tempered by pragmatism. The game last night and the Grenoble game are two examples of where a bit more practicality would have probably changed the outcome. It's all well and good being a great attacking side for the majority of the season, but if it's that approach that costs you in the end then it's as much a hindrance as a help. I don't doubt those learnings will be taken on board but as it stands that lack of pragmatism is what stands out as their Achilles heal now.

connachta

I think Connacht was build by Lam on a "win or die" mentality. Tend to follow Billy on that one, we're not really able to control a LBP, and it could be more costly in the scoreboard to play with retention against Glasgow. Now it's clear, Sportsgroud game = Sportsground win = Sportsground semi-final

Adbrowne

connachta wrote: »

I think Connacht was build by Lam on a "win or die" mentality. Tend to follow Billy on that one, we're not really able to control a LBP, and it could be more costly in the scoreboard to play with retention against Glasgow. Now it's clear, Sportsgroud game = Sportsground win = Sportsground semi-final

to lose out on a home semi final at this stage because of a result of a loss to treviso raises questions. Would the buzz about Connacht be so good if they were playing the same way but losing more then winning and floating around mid table?


Is the new 10 from SA being signed because he is more of a kicking 10?