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

connachta

Evil_g wrote: »

connachta wrote: »

Oh come on don't be upset. No point to spread fake rumour from me.
I just hope we can keep him. That's it.

What the hell are you talking about? Fake rumour? Are you saying that you just made it up?

No on the contrary I thought you supected that and I will never do that. Why would I spread such a thing? Really, NO

former total

It was in the Indo today. Make of it what you will. Probably nothing to it. No English team is going to break the bank so Connacht should be able to keep him.

RobbieRuns

connachta wrote: »

Agree but as good as he is Healy/Killicoyne are prefered by Joe

True, Jack McGrath as well. He is down the pecking order for sure, you also have the likes of Dooley and Porter coming through. That is what worries me, Joe does fancy others ahead of him.

I think it is unbelievable that he is not capped. He is a class act but at his age and with the relentless nature of the sport with injuries high risk, if he was not part of Joe's plans (which I don't think he is), I personally would not blame him for seeking out pastures new. Hope that he stays, but would not be surprised if he left.

Evil_g

connachta wrote: »

No on the contrary I thought you supected that and I will never do that. Why would I spread such a thing? Really, NO

Well then where did you hear these rumours? At the moment I am only aware of one person spreading rumours and it's you.

RobbieRuns

former total wrote: »

It was in the Indo today. Make of it what you will. Probably nothing to it. No English team is going to break the bank so Connacht should be able to keep him.

What would you class as "break the bank"?

Evil_g

For crying out loud, will one of ye link to that flippin' article in that rag please?

FACECUTTR

Its contract renewal season lads. There's always crap floating around. The Independent is a rag and will print anything so don't get too excited. Agents will always put out rumours to get a better deal.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Evil_g wrote: »

Tell me the source of these rumours so that I might judge the likelihood of them being true.

Because in 24 hours I'm going to be reading this in the comments section in the42, by the weekend it'll be on Pundit Arena, then in a week or two Ruadhri O'Connor will declare that Sale are "preparing a sensational swoop".

All based on your post on Boards.

I don't think you're actually "in the know", so if you read it on another message board, tell us where.

If you're not willing to do that, don't bother posting.

Its in the national media, dont jump down his throat.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/international-rugby/mumm-clear-to-face-england-as-coaches-engage-in-war-of-words-35255917.html

wp_rathead

Evil_g wrote: »

For crying out loud, will one of ye link to that flippin' article in that rag please?

Bottom of this article
http://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/international-rugby/mumm-clear-to-face-england-as-coaches-engage-in-war-of-words-35255917.html

Evil_g

In the absence of any useful information from the person spreading rumours on here, I found a tweet from Cian Tracey from nine hours ago saying

Jamie Heaslip & Devin Toner set to sign new deals while a couple of English clubs are interested in Denis Buckley.

The tweet linked to this article: The IRFU are understood to be close to agreeing contract extensions with Jamie Heaslip and Devin Toner.

Which makes no mention of Buckley whatsoever, though the Independent have been known to edit online articles after publication.

Evil_g

wp_rathead wrote: »

Bottom of this article
http://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/international-rugby/mumm-clear-to-face-england-as-coaches-engage-in-war-of-words-35255917.html

Thank you.

Bazzo

He's a quality player out of contract at the end of the season. There are always gonna be rumours like this in those circumstances. If management could hold on to Aki and Dillane I'm confident they'll be able to persuade Buckley to stick with his native province.

b.gud

Makes sense for Denis to go to England what with Bundee taking that big money deal abroad and Ultan going back to Munster the team won't be the same.

connachta

Bazzo wrote: »

He's a quality player out of contract at the end of the season. There are always gonna be rumours like this in those circumstances. If management could hold on to Aki and Dillane I'm confident they'll be able to persuade Buckley to stick with his native province.

The big difference was : Irish selection was an incentive for the other two...
Buckley knows Healy will only be 32 for RWC, and Joe even prefered Killer(coyne) in green. His chances are slim, which is so unlucky. Had he been a TH, he'd have been 1st choice...

Bazzo

connachta wrote: »

The big difference was : Irish selection was an incentive for the other two...
Buckley knows Healy will only be 32 for RWC, and Joe even prefered Killer(coyne) in green. His chances are slim, which is so unlucky. Had he been a TH, he'd have been 1st choice...

Schmidt name checked him as being unavailable due to injury at the start of the SA tour, he's also said on multiple occasions that he's been spoken to by the Irish coaching ticket about things to work on so I'd say it's safe to say he's not as completely out of the international picture as you seem to think.

connachta

Bazzo wrote: »

connachta wrote: »

The big difference was : Irish selection was an incentive for the other two...
Buckley knows Healy will only be 32 for RWC, and Joe even prefered Killer(coyne) in green. His chances are slim, which is so unlucky. Had he been a TH, he'd have been 1st choice...

Schmidt name checked him as being unavailable due to injury at the start of the SA tour, he's also said on multiple occasions that he's been spoken to by the Irish coaching ticket about things to work on so I'd say it's safe to say he's not as completely out of the international picture as you seem to think.

I've said slim chances, not completely out

Dog Botherer

Literally the only reason Buckley hasn't been capped is because he's had atrocious luck with getting injured around international windows. Realistically, Buckley is only an injury or two away from benching in the 6 Nations, and might even get a start against Italy. He'll definitely, 100% get capped in Japan if he stays injury free.

connachta

Dog Botherer wrote: »

Literally the only reason Buckley hasn't been capped is because he's had atrocious luck with getting injured around international windows. Realistically, Buckley is only an injury or two away from benching in the 6 Nations, and might even get a start against Italy. He'll definitely, 100% get capped in Japan if he stays injury free.

2 injuries away, and a cap against Japan? Great incentive for a guy who could destroy 90% of the props in England on higher money.

Dog Botherer

connachta wrote: »

2 injuries away, and a cap against Japan? Great incentive for a guy who could destroy 90% of the props in England on higher money.

I know you pulled that stat from nowhere but honestly any international prop should be able to destroy 90% of English props. Hell, even Fiji had their scrum in trouble the last two times they played. Coles, Vunipola, and Marler are all pretty good props but hardly the stuff of front row legends.

Buckley is very unfortunate that two of the best props in the world are already established in the squad ahead of him. But personally I think if he gets any kind of a showing in an Irish jersey he'll leapfrog Kilcoyne very quickly, and while Healy has shown spectacular form in the past, on current showings an in-form Buckley could put him under serious pressure.

ClanofLams

He's young for a prop, John Ryan making his debut a couple of years older this season. Leaving now would likely rule him out of 2019 rwc and Connacht are on a high (not in the league this season yet obviously).

Would think he'll stick around.

b.gud

So just doing a bit of maths there and if John Muldoon plays in all but 1 game between no and then he will get his 300th Connacht cap on the 14th of April in the Sportsground against Leinster.

That would be a brilliant time for him to win it

connachta

b.gud wrote: »

So just doing a bit of maths there and if John Muldoon plays in all but 1 game between no and then he will get his 300th Connacht cap on the 14th of April in the Sportsground against Leinster.

That would be a brilliant time for him to win it

I'll be so relieved and happy if he can celebrate this before the end of the season. Qualifying for Champions Cup QF would add a game (+Zebre replay)... Anyway playing 15 games, missing 1 or 2 in a 6-month-time is not that unlikely if he stays injury-free...
Happy birthday to him one day later BTW

connachta

Well we've found in Wasps a more deplated team on the injury front at the moment,
But bad news those we had knocks (Eastwood, Symons, Gopperth, Myall) will be back for us at worse, in theory
Mitigated news : Hughes (cap with England) De Luca, Wade, Lundberg and Beale may or may not play one or both games against us
Good news : Haskell "two or three weeks to full training" after 5 months so definitely out for both games!

Zzippy

Why are you so obsessed with Wasps injury list? We'll play whoever they put in front of us, let's focus on our own team and our own strengths, not hope for weakness on their behalf. Smacks of total inferiority complex to be worrying so much about the opposition.
Let's worry about beating Treviso first then focus on who WE have available for Wasps.

Zzippy

Zzippy wrote: »

Why are you so obsessed with Wasps injury list? We'll play whoever they put in front of us, let's focus on our own team and our own strengths, not hope for weakness on their behalf. Smacks of total inferiority complex to be worrying so much about the opposition.
Let's worry about beating Treviso first then focus on who WE have available for Wasps.

Totally agree Zzippy.

Do Treviso have many injuries at the moment?

Zzippy

Deleted User wrote: »

Totally agree Zzippy.

Do Treviso have many injuries at the moment?

God I hope so! I'm really worried about their scrum... :pac:

former total

Zzippy wrote: »

Let's worry about beating Treviso first then focus on who WE have available for Wasps.

Treviso at home. I'll bet you haven't slept all week.

connachta

You can have fun but yes injuries matters, and yes our chances (slim ones) improve without Haskell and Daly. And yes I hope more weakened opposition. I want us to win, not to lose with honour, it's just the massivest games of our season. We struggle(d) with injuries, why not talking about the team we'll face

Zzippy

James Cannon on the FB live chat today so looks like he's starting tomorrow...

b.gud

Connacht team to face Benetton Treviso
Saturday December 3rd, kick off 15:00, the Sportsground

(Connacht caps in brackets)

15 Tiernan O’Halloran (110)
14 Cian Kelleher (9)
13 Bundee Aki (50)
12 Stacey Ili (6)
11 Matt Healy (77)
10 Marnitz Boshoff (1)
9 John Cooney (27)

1 Denis Buckley (100)
2 Tom McCartney (48)
3 Conor Carey (7)
4 Quinn Roux (39)
5 James Cannon (3)
6 Nepia Fox-Matamua (10)
7 Jake Heenan (42)
8 John Muldoon (captain) (285)

Replacements:

16 Dave Heffernan (67)
17 JP Cooney (37)
18 Dominic Robertson-McCoy (3)
19 Sean O’Brien (23)
20 Eoin McKeon (95)
21 Caolin Blade (30)
22 Jack Carty (64)
23 Rory Parata (18)

Injured: Ronan Loughney, Ivan Soroka, Conan O’Donnell, Saba Meunargia, Ben Marshall, Andrew Browne, Eoghan Masterson, Eoin Griffin, Shane O’Leary, Craig Ronaldson, Josh Rowland, Darragh Leader.

Rested following November Test Series: Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Kieran Marmion, and Niyi Adeolokun.

connachta

HAPPY ! just as I'd have liked
Parata in
McCoy in (I wonder why not as LH though?)
SOB in for lock instead of Stevenson/Qualter
Heenan AND  Nepia both in the back-rox
Can hardly be more satisfied:angel:

freyners

Ili aki is strange one. Would have though cian or Parata outside aki would be more natural. Still strong enough that we should be dealing comfortably

Diabhal Beag

Stacey at centre is an interesting choice

wp_rathead

I love that team, bit ify about Ili at 12

Glad to see Parata back involved but Jaysus, once again poor Poolman

Looking forward seeing Boshoff start, Healy back and SOB covering second row

connachta

Wasps Injuries  ( green : pretty good for us ; violet : wait and see)
Forwards:
· Jake Cooper-Woolley (knee, Jake is back in training)
· James Haskell (toe - expected back in full training towards the end of December)
· Tom Cruse (has undergone an operation on his ankle and is expected to be out for around 12 weeks)
· Matt Symons (foot, is expected to be out for 3-4 weeks)
· Simon McIntyre (is progressing well following an ankle operation and is expected to return to training in the New Year)
· Sam Jones (broken leg & damaged ankle ligaments – expected to return to training towards end of February)
· Alex Lundberg (unfortunately suffered a new injury as he returned to training, breaking his leg.)

Backs:
· Christian Wade (foot, hoping to return to training next week)
· Jimmy Gopperth (knee, expected to return to training next week)
· Kyle Eastmond (chest – hoping to return in a couple of weeks)
· Nick De Luca (following concussion protocols)
· Kurtley Beale (knee, is back in training)

d-gal

connachta wrote: »

Wasps Injuries  ( green : pretty good for us ; violet : wait and see)
Forwards:
· Jake Cooper-Woolley (knee, Jake is back in training)
· James Haskell (toe - expected back in full training towards the end of December)
· Tom Cruse (has undergone an operation on his ankle and is expected to be out for around 12 weeks)
· Matt Symons (foot, is expected to be out for 3-4 weeks)
· Simon McIntyre (is progressing well following an ankle operation and is expected to return to training in the New Year)
· Sam Jones (broken leg & damaged ankle ligaments – expected to return to training towards end of February)
· Alex Lundberg (unfortunately suffered a new injury as he returned to training, breaking his leg.)

Backs:
· Christian Wade (foot, hoping to return to training next week)
· Jimmy Gopperth (knee, expected to return to training next week)
· Kyle Eastmond (chest – hoping to return in a couple of weeks)
· Nick De Luca (following concussion protocols)
· Kurtley Beale (knee, is back in training)

Please stop, nobody cares about this game yet

connachta

That's the official update and a lot of people care about that game. Everybody should think about it

irishbucsfan

You can never by too hyped for a game!

connachta

The only important thing about t'morrow is to prepare next week

But if you insist for talking about Treviso, Good to see McKinley back in Ireland as starting 10.

testtech05

connachta wrote: »

The only important thing about t'morrow is to prepare next week

But if you insist for talking about Treviso, Good to see McKinley back in Ireland as starting 10.

I would say tomorrows game is hugely important if we want to try and quality for the champions cup again next season. Gotta take care of this first then hopefully after a solid 5 point win all eyes can turn to wasps!

connachta

testtech05 wrote: »

connachta wrote: »

The only important thing about t'morrow is to prepare next week

But if you insist for talking about Treviso, Good to see McKinley back in Ireland as starting 10.

I would say tomorrows game is hugely important if we want to try and quality for the champions cup again next season. Gotta take care of this first then hopefully after a solid 5 point win all eyes can turn to wasps!

My opinion is it's over for 6th, so as I said earlier Pro12 is now about pleasing the fans and preparing the players, as it doesn't matter to finish either 7th or 8th for play-off. Just my opinion

Bazzo

connachta wrote: »

My opinion is it's over for 6th, so as I said earlier Pro12 is now about pleasing the fans and preparing the players, as it doesn't matter to finish either 7th or 8th for play-off. Just my opinion

Terrible attitude to take towards the league which is our bread & butter TBH.

connachta

Bazzo wrote: »

connachta wrote: »

My opinion is it's over for 6th, so as I said earlier Pro12 is now about pleasing the fans and preparing the players, as it doesn't matter to finish either 7th or 8th for play-off. Just my opinion

Terrible attitude to take towards the league which is our bread & butter TBH.

Not toward the league per se, toward the 8-point gap separating us from Ulster and 11 point-gap from Glasgow.
If you like to dream, just do

freyners

connachta wrote: »

My opinion is it's over for 6th, so as I said earlier Pro12 is now about pleasing the fans and preparing the players, as it doesn't matter to finish either 7th or 8th for play-off. Just my opinion

There is 8 points in between us and 6th, and have just over 1/3rd ofgames played. On what sane measure is it over

ClanofLams

Connacht need 45 points from 14 games for top six. It's a tough ask but were they to get 18 - 20 v the Italians (failed to do last season obviously) it's more than doable.

Madness to suggest giving up in November.

b.gud

freyners wrote: »

There is 8 points in between us and 6th, and have just over 1/3rd ofgames played. On what sane measure is it over

Plus we have a game against Zebre in hand

EDIT: actually just after I wrote that I realised Ulster also have a game in hand against Zebre

wp_rathead

You are saying we should throw the towel in on the league? It's not even Xmas o_0

connachta

b.gud wrote: »

freyners wrote: »

There is 8 points in between us and 6th, and have just over 1/3rd ofgames played. On what sane measure is it over

Plus we have a game against Zebre in hand

EDIT: actually just after I wrote that I realised Ulster also have a game in hand against Zebre

Yeah equals there, and it's Ulster not an AIL team, we won't catch 8 points in all likelihood. But as I said, my opinion

connachta

wp_rathead wrote: »

You are saying we should throw the towel in on the league? It's not even Xmas o_0

not throwing away,  giving our best for the fans but thinking about the 6-7 games which matter
4 ChampionsCup pool games
1 Qf of this CC I dare hope
the Play-off game away in France or England

wp_rathead

connachta wrote: »

not throwing away,  giving our best for the fans but thinking about the 6-7 games which matter
4 ChampionsCup pool games
1 Qf of this CC I dare hope
the Play-off game away in France or England

OK Micheal Bradley