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

Riders Of Rohan

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

Surprised to see Connacht as far back as 10/1 6th favourites to repeat the trick next year, behind all the other Irish provinces, Glasgow and Scarlets. Not saying we'll definitely go back to back but I would give us as good a chance as anyone in the Pro 12 next year.

Well taking into account the lack of a world cup and the likely hood that they could well have a few more lads called up for 6 nations/ autumn internationals its not to surprising

Utopia Parkway

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

How many players are Connacht losing and how many are they bringing in?

I would have thought Henshaw would be a big loss but they played the majority of this season without him so maybe not.

I think Muldowney is a much bigger loss actually. They had gotten pretty used to playing without Henshaw over the past 18 months due to international camps and injury.

freyners

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

How many players are Connacht losing and how many are they bringing in?

I would have thought Henshaw would be a big loss but they played the majority of this season without him so maybe not.

Confirmed so far carey griffin Kelleher and boshoff

Henshaw isn't really a loss from a season long perspective but he showed how much if a big game player he is yesterday (and how different his game is between ire and con)

wp_rathead

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

How many players are Connacht losing and how many are they bringing in?

I would have thought Henshaw would be a big loss but they played the majority of this season without him so maybe not.

Aly Muldowney - Grenoble
Robbie Henshaw - Leinster
AJ MacGinty - Sale Sharks
Rodney Ah You - Ulster
George Naoupu and Carr are not being offered contracts

We are getting :
Boshoff - Golden Lions
Griffin - London Irish
Kelleher - Leinster
Carey - Rotherham

I get what you are saying about Henshaw, have heard alot of people say similar - but will most certainly be a loss. We need players of his calibre for Champions Cup

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

^Of course, I didn't mean to imply he wouldn't be missed at all, just that they have managed without him for a lot of this season so it's not going to be a massive change to have to play without him.

Was just reading there that Connacht used 46 players in total this season. That's 2 full match day squads and yet I'm sure there was one match where they couldn't even produce a full match day 23. Crazy stuff.

b.gud

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

^Of course, I didn't mean to imply he wouldn't be missed at all, just that they have managed without him for a lot of this season so it's not going to be a massive change to have to play without him.

Was just reading there that Connacht used 46 players in total this season. That's 2 full match day squads and yet I'm sure there was one match where they couldn't even produce a full match day 23. Crazy stuff.

Yeah the Newcastle away match before Xmas. We could have fielded a 23rd man, Ciaran Gaffney, but he wasn't registered for Europe. Lam tried to get him registered but we had already done all the re-registraions that we were allowed.

dropping_bombs

Does anyone know when the LifeStyle Sports sponorship contract runs out? It seems like a perfect time to get a bigger sponsor in with deeper pockets than LifeStyle. The exposure over the last month or so has been huge.

wp_rathead

...damn onions

Bazzo

I see it's mentioned in an article in the times today that ST sales are already in excess of 4,000. That seems huge to me, that's over 50% of capacity with the temporary stands. Anyone got any idea what the numbers have been like in previous years?

connemara man

dropping_bombs wrote: »

Does anyone know when the LifeStyle Sports sponorship contract runs out? It seems like a perfect time to get a bigger sponsor in with deeper pockets than LifeStyle. The exposure over the last month or so has been huge.

They're gone this year that's why they have been unloading all the gear really cheap

gazump123

Just read this story on the42.ie

http://www.the42.ie/connacht-academy-players-squad-unity-2794888-May2016/

Great act from all the Connacht players.

Bazzo

I've been a prime suspect for giving Loughney a hard time(mostly because he's not Denis) but he completed 17 tackles on Saturday. Fair play to the big man, talk about stepping up when it matters.

Cosmo Kramer

Riders Of Rohan wrote: »

Well taking into account the lack of a world cup and the likely hood that they could well have a few more lads called up for 6 nations/ autumn internationals its not to surprising

Longer odds to win the Pro 12 than Scarlets and Munster though? On all known form that makes no sense whatsoever. There still seems to be a 'sure it's only Connacht' element factored into that pricing, I thought Saturday would have well and truly knocked that notion on the head.

Cosmo Kramer

Bazzo wrote: »

I've been a prime suspect for giving Loughney a hard time(mostly because he's not Denis) but he completed 17 tackles on Saturday. Fair play to the big man, talk about stepping up when it matters.

Ya, fair play to him, he had a very good game outside of the scrums, which were always going to be a weak point with both our first choice props out injured, and even then the situation was managed as well as it could have been.

Looking at our squad for next year, the main thing now has to be to find a replacement for Muldowney in the second row. I suppose that could come from within if someone like Marshall or Qualter can step up, but it's more likely that we will need to make a signing. There was talk of a Kiwi second row coming in but it's all gone quiet recently. Hopefully there was something in that rumour.

The Lost Sheep

connemara man wrote: »

They're gone this year that's why they have been unloading all the gear really cheap

Being replaced with Elverys I heard...

Bazzo

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Being replaced with Elverys I heard...

Anything will be an improvement on

LIFE
STYLE
SPORTS

Cosmo Kramer

Wouldn't have thought Elvery's would be a particularly big money deal though. Elvery's have had fairly recent financial problems.

mansize

Intersport?

connachta

Some talks about Kiwi locks one month ago.. Any persistent rumours about one of them to come for Muldowney?
Dillane/Browne/Roux/Marshall is a bit thin IMO
SOB 2.0 has to cover N 8/6 until Masterson is back (December, he confirmed)

Billysays no

Joe Schmidt must have looked on in horror as his worst nightmare unfolded in Edinburgh on Saturday

irishgrover

Billysays no wrote: »

Joe Schmidt must have looked on in horror as his worst nightmare unfolded in Edinburgh on Saturday

I don't think so.... basically it may have called into question his decision making last week, but in the longer term, it must have added a few very capable players to his increasing pool of potential players...

ClanofLams

Lifestyle deal isn't up. 4 year contract started in 2014.

sydthebeat

ClanofLams wrote: »

Lifestyle deal isn't up. 4 year contract started in 2014.

elverys taking over next year, heard it from the horses mouth on saturday night.....

its_phil

ClanofLams wrote: »

Lifestyle deal isn't up. 4 year contract started in 2014.

It's finished

Utopia Parkway

Presume there's a new kit on the way this Summer? Would make sense to cash in from a business perspective anyway. Think we've had the current one for the past 2 seasons.

irishgrover

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Presume there's a new kit on the way this Summer? Would make sense to cash in from a business perspective anyway. Think we've had the current one for the past 2 seasons.

Whilst I would be happy enough if they produced a new kit, I think there should be a moratorium put in place until a replacement is found for the destroyer of any design

LIFE
STYLE
SPORTS

......just look at our current strip and imagine how much nicer it would be with the main log replaced by the Mazda logo, or even the Murray Timber logo would probably look better as the M is in green...

wp_rathead

irishgrover wrote: »

LIFE
STYLE
SPORTS

Careful, they will sue for copyright infringement

ClanofLams

Everyone was brilliant Sat but thought Henshaw had his best game in a long time. Playing him as a bosh merchant at 12 does a real disservice to him, hopefully he doesn't end up as that.

BrokenMan

Rumors that Healey might be getting a call up to the Ireland squad instead of Fitzgerald. He picked up an injury Saturday

Billysays no

BrokenMan wrote: »

Rumors that Healey might be getting a call up to the Ireland squad instead of Fitzgerald. He picked up an injury Saturday

Not rumours. Joe has said either matt or tiernan will get the call. See the42 for more.

Buer

Billysays no wrote: »

Not rumours. Joe has said either matt or tiernan will get the call. See the42 for more.

He didn't. He said they're in the frame and name checked both of them.

“The back three were outstanding at the weekend. Between Matt and Tiernan, they had a super game and that immediately put pressure on their opponents.

“Unfortunately Luke Fitzgerald picked up a knee injury in the game and he will be replaced and one of the Connacht players is right in the frame to be his replacement. We’ve got that information, there are other guys we’re waiting on information for and we’ll firm things up after that.

“Matt would certainly be one of the guys. One of the advantages with him is he’s a left-footed left winger; like for like with Luke Fitzgerald and he’d be certainly a guy who’s in contention.”

I'd be surprised if it wasn't Healy given he was previously called into camp in the spring but he has committed to nobody yet.

irishbucsfan

Buer wrote: »

He didn't. He said they're in the frame and name checked both of them.



I'd be surprised if it wasn't Healy given he was previously called into camp in the spring but he has committed to nobody yet.

Also given the IRFU have already tweeted that it's Healy before deleting the tweet.

According to the42 it's because they're at Toner's father's funeral which is completely understandable.

connachta

Well Rob K is the shadow of himself TOH is a better long-term solution for joe (29 y.o for RWC 2019, PERFECT!)

connachta

"The question, however, beckons not so much who is Coetzee's first choice - which given his recent return will in all likelihood be the 50-test capped Lambie - but who will be the backup playmaker? Sharks incumbent Garth April, Bulls' Francois Brummer or will the Lions Currie Cup number 10, Marnitz Boshoff, get a surprise inclusion when Coetzee names his squad on Saturday. "

Zzippy

Well lads, what can you say? There simply are no superlatives for what happened on Saturday. Vini, vidi, vici. We came, we saw, we conquered. And we celebrated. What a game. What an atmosphere. It was so worth the effort to get to Edinburgh. I know everyone can't travel, but I would have been kicking myself to have missed that, and it was great to see travelling support in such numbers. All the way over on the ferry, road, train and tram the craic was brilliant, we were nervous but excited.
I was apprehensive about our chances, but if we were going to lose I would have been happy for the lads to go down swinging. We did more than that. There was no sign of nerves. Leinster owned the ball for the first few minutes and tested us with kicks and moving the ball at pace. The lads coped magnificently.
Once we got some possession and it was clear the lads were going to play as they have been able to all year, the next 20 minutes were a celebration of the style of rugby Pat Lam has brought us. It was absolutely magic! The scenes in the stands were unbelievable, we were going mental, the neutral fans around us were loving it and really getting behind the team. Even the two Glasgow Rangers fans behind us who found it impossible to support a team in green were cheering on Niyi every time he got the ball!
From there there was only going to be one winner. There was no way Leinster were going to be allowed back into this game, not that they looked capable for a long spell. They looked shell shocked! The forward pass decision was lucky, the try they got when we were a man down was deserved, but in truth Connacht were far the better team and totally deserved it.
I'm so happy for John Muldoon, if any player deserved a bit of success it's him. What a warrior! Aly and Ultan were immense as well, I would have given MOTM to one of them, but in fairness it was unfair to single out anyone, from 1-15 I couldn't fault a single player on the day. Our back 3 completely owned Leinster's too. Niyi was sensational - there was a palpable sense of excitement among the neutral fans around us when he got the ball. Matt was electric as well - his run up the middle for TOH's try showed he has a great eye for a gap as well as being a finisher.
My one gripe - the bloody music in the stadium that blared during every break in play and killed any attempt at getting chants or songs going. Apart from that a brilliant occasion and well-run. The atmosphere in the stands was just brilliant, and it was a fantastic game of rugby to showcase the Pro12. Looking forward to sitting down and watching the match back, after I sleep for a week! Got home at 2am last night after a second night at Springsteen, it was a looong weekend and I'm absolutely shattered now...

its_phil

connachta wrote: »

"The question, however, beckons not so much who is Coetzee's first choice - which given his recent return will in all likelihood be the 50-test capped Lambie - but who will be the backup playmaker? Sharks incumbent Garth April, Bulls' Francois Brummer or will the Lions Currie Cup number 10, Marnitz Boshoff, get a surprise inclusion when Coetzee names his squad on Saturday. "

It was already announced and Boshoff wasn't picked.

Zzippy

WarZ wrote: »

Last time you were in Edinburgh you weren't facing Leinster. Connacht will struggle to win let alone run in a load of tries!

Has anyone seen WarZ since Saturday? I'm concerned for his well being...



Yeah right...

freyners

Agree with everything said above be by Zzippy. Although I had no issues with the music our section was so noisy

civis_liberalis

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Being replaced with Elverys I heard...

Out of the frying pan...

ClanofLams

Craggy Rugby Pod final day is up and it's a great one! Includes audio from dressing room of the team singing the fields of Athenry and Bundle chant.

Diabhal Beag

The Craggy Island lads are fantastic. Made this season much more enjoyable. Rob Murphy commentating in particular really keeps up the GBFM "Do or Die" commentary.

b.gud

Why you shouldn't try to tackle Bundee

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGCYAaehU6V/

Seriously though it's good to see that he's back to health and has got home

irishbucsfan

Wow that's a hell of a bruise. Thank god he's a pro because you wouldn't fancy trying to explain that one to an employer...

Zzippy

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Wow that's a hell of a bruise. Thank god he's a pro because you wouldn't fancy trying to explain that one to an employer...

Have you never had to explain a shiner from an amateur game to an employer? I'd say it happens on a weekly basis!

gally74

b.gud wrote: »

Why you shouldn't try to tackle Bundee

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGCYAaehU6V/

Seriously though it's good to see that he's back to health and has got home

It was a freak accident, it's tough on Finn,

its_phil

Big fan of Finn, key to anything Scotland will do good in the future

connemara man

Zzippy wrote: »

Have you never had to explain a shiner from an amateur game to an employer? I'd say it happens on a weekly basis!

It's worse ringing in on a Monday saying uh hi I won't be in for two months I broke my leg

irishbucsfan

Zzippy wrote: »

Have you never had to explain a shiner from an amateur game to an employer? I'd say it happens on a weekly basis!

Yeah that's my point, I've never had to go as far as to explain why my eye looks like an arse out of a picasso painting!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Did he actually collide with Bundee? It was hard to tell what happened, I thought himself and the other Glasgow lad collided with each other.

Cosmo Kramer

They both slipped off Bundee in the tackle and Russell clattered into Fagerson.