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

Billysays no

Bazzo wrote: »

Marmion and Cooney for a place

Assume u mistyped and meant marmion or blade. Also acceptable would be blade or marmion ☺. Glad toh replaced. He did his usual good game, nice passes to Healy for both his tries, but cud do with a rest. Great to see danie play well and Robbie was really good. Does prove that a break helps.

Negatives, mental play, kicking duties. Watched les kiss prior to ulster game. Very good coach. All he said he needed a bonus point and the pack would supply the platform for that to happen. What he says is spot on. What Connacht do is this exciting back line stuff that ends up totally messy. Job done but no structure. Pat really needs to sort this out. We cannot keep leaking tries, being outmauled, and expect to go places

BrokenMan

Marmion motm can't complain he ok played well. Can't single anyone out in particular. Good solid team performance. No injuries.
AJ played ok in open play kept the defenders guessing. The difference when jack came I was clear as day. Just moved the ball along the line.
Kicking remains a serious issue. 3 out of 9 just isn't good enough. Not even close. Even in the warm up neither looked confident.

Bazzo

Billysays no wrote: »

Assume u mistyped and meant marmion or blade. Also acceptable would be blade or marmion ☺.

I'll wait until I hear something about Cooney's contract before I amend that

How did Blade do today?

Zzippy

sydthebeat wrote: »

Just checked the scores on ultimate rugby

Connacht have an aversion to kicking conversions???

I see what you did there...

It's not lies, we prefer to score tries.

Borders no.2

To be fair on the conversions, 1 or 2 of them the wind caught that would go over another day. Again though there were 2 or 3 left out there that should have been got. Didn't matter today but place kicking could be the difference in the 4 or 5 upcoming league games.

Zzippy

Borders no.2 wrote: »

To be fair on the conversions, 1 or 2 of them the wind caught that would go over another day. Again though there were 2 or 3 left out there that should have been got. Didn't matter today but place kicking could be the difference in the 4 or 5 upcoming league games.

We were pretty much in line with 2 or 3 of McGinty's kicks. They weren't that difficult. He pulled one badly and pushed the other badly, his kicking was all over the place. Some of the others were tougher kicks alright, but also missed a fairly simple one after Robbie's try. Pat Lam should be asking serious questions of the kicking coach (do we have one?).

Billysays no

Bazzo wrote: »

I'll wait until I hear something about Cooney's contract before I amend that

How did Blade do today?

I'm a blade biased individual but he did my bias proud ☺

funtime93

Connacht guaranteed to be ranked 5th therefore will play the 4th ranked team away which will be the winner of Grenoble vs Edinburgh on tonight.

Evil_g

Zzippy wrote: »

Pat Lam should be asking serious questions of the kicking coach (do we have one?).

No. We don't have one. You should be asking serious questions of yourself.

Borders no.2

Zzippy wrote: »

We were pretty much in line with 2 or 3 of McGinty's kicks. They weren't that difficult. He pulled one badly and pushed the other badly, his kicking was all over the place. Some of the others were tougher kicks alright, but also missed a fairly simple one after Robbie's try. Pat Lam should be asking serious questions of the kicking coach (do we have one?).

During the World Cup McGinty missed a few you'd expect a good place kicker to get and didn't look too confident kicking at goal in any game I saw. He was always just signed to pad out the squad and see could he make the step up which in itself was worth a punt. However, to me he hasn't done enough in the chances he's got especially as he'll take up an non-Irish qualified spot if we were to hold on to him. A longer term solution is required if we want to take the next step imo.

connemara man

Just once this year I'd like to see
Marmion
Ronaldson
Healy
Ake
Henshaw
Poolman
O halloran

By far our best back line.

Bazzo

Borders no.2 wrote: »

During the World Cup McGinty missed a few you'd expect a good place kicker to get and didn't look too confident kicking at goal in any game I saw. He was always just signed to pad out the squad and see could he make the step up which in itself was worth a punt. However, to me he hasn't done enough in the chances he's got especially as he'll take up an non-Irish qualified spot if we were to hold on to him. A longer term solution is required if we want to take the next step imo.

At the moment the non-Irish qualified rules don't really apply to Connacht. Maybe/probably won't last if we continue on the way we are though.

BrokenMan

connemara man wrote: »

Just once this year I'd like to see
Marmion
Ronaldson
Healy
Ake
Henshaw
Poolman
O halloran

By far our best back line.

I'd ronaldson is fit he has to start next week so a good chance we will see it. Otherwise it will be Robbie to FB and Tiernan losing out which would be very harsh.

Billysays no

connemara man wrote: »

Just once this year I'd like to see
Marmion
Ronaldson
Healy
Ake
Henshaw
Poolman
O halloran

By far our best back line.

I can't see anybody disagreeing with that back line. And yes they ripped eni sei apart today. But I think you miss the problem. The pack have to do the job. Tom's lineouts are dreadful, the maul is constantly under pressure, the scrum is normally going backwards these days. Very hard for a back line to function with that type of support. I'm at a loss to understand why we are being bullied so badly. On an individual basis our 1 to 8 are really solid. Yet our scrum is not working, tom is fecking up the lineout, and our breakdown play is offering penalty after penalty. I know john had a good game versus brive but he ain't quick enough. Another issue is the offloads are so bloody slow. Compound this with marmions slow play and you get the gist as to no matter what back line we have they will be ultimately ineffective.. Its all fine and good taking a ball into contact, Connacht's Achilles heel is the dreadfully slow recycle

Bazzo

Billysays no wrote: »

I can't see anybody disagreeing with that back line. And yes they ripped eni sei apart today. But I think you miss the problem. The pack have to do the job. Tom's lineouts are dreadful, the maul is constantly under pressure, the scrum is normally going backwards these days. Very hard for a back line to function with that type of support. I'm at a loss to understand why we are being bullied so badly. On an individual basis our 1 to 8 are really solid. Yet our scrum is not working, tom is fecking up the lineout, and our breakdown play is offering penalty after penalty. I know john had a good game versus brive but he ain't quick enough. Another issue is the offloads are so bloody slow. Compound this with marmions slow play and you get the gist as to no matter what back line we have they will be ultimately ineffective.. Its all fine and good taking a ball into contact, Connacht's Achilles heel is the dreadfully slow recycle

Bit OTT here. Our scrum is normally going backwards? News to me, I'd argue we have one of the better scrums in the league. Have our lineouts been so awful? I seem to remember a stat popping up in a match a while back putting Connacht's lineout as the most successful in the league(92% at the time of I recall).

We can struggle with mauls occasionally, that's true. A lot of teams seem to in fact.

b.gud

connemara man wrote: »

Just once this year I'd like to see
Marmion
Ronaldson
Healy
Ake
Henshaw
Poolman
O halloran

By far our best back line.

I think we all would, and maybe even Pat would like to see that back line too but he hasn't been able to put it out because of injuries. Today was only the 4th game Henshaw played for us and in all of those 4 games at least 1 other player you mentioned was unavailable

RonnieL

The Grenoble vs Edinburgh game is available on the france4 website (http://www.france4.fr/direct) for anyone living in France

connachta

connemara man wrote: »

Just once this year I'd like to see
Marmion
Ronaldson
Healy
Ake
Henshaw
Poolman
O halloran

By far our best back line.

100% agree

BrokenMan

RonnieL wrote: »

The Grenoble vs Edinburgh game is available on the france4 website (http://www.france4.fr/direct) for anyone living in France

Edinburgh 7 0 up

connachta

7-6 quality game so far

Billysays no

Bazzo wrote: »

Bit OTT here. Our scrum is normally going backwards? News to me, I'd argue we have one of the better scrums in the league. Have our lineouts been so awful? I seem to remember a stat popping up in a match a while back putting Connacht's lineout as the most successful in the league(92% at the time of I recall).

We can struggle with mauls occasionally, that's true. A lot of teams seem to in fact.

If you were to take toms lineouts then our percentages are brutal. If you want positives tom is an animal going forward but a huge weakness when attacked. His lines normally open up spaces for opposing wingers to walk through. McGinty was the right choice today. He does what he does well. He opens up the back line. It is what he does best. For this game he was the perfect choice (let's forget about kicking stats). It was the game pat wanted to play but more importantly that game will not work next week. So plaudits to aj today but he simply did what was expected. As for scarlets next week, that's a totally different ballgame. If we cannot dominate from 1 to 8 then 10 to 15 becomes irrelevant. As I have said I am a huge blade fan. It was easy for marmion today against an awfully moderate side. When the pressure is on marmion is (was going to say pants) so slow he negates Connacht and their style of play. Go blade

Borders no.2

Really enjoyed that game. It was a massive collapse from Edinburgh in the end. They not only lost out on winning the group and the home quarter final but lost out on the runners up spot with the botched catch at the end.

Grenoble play at a real good tempo. It leaves them open to being caught. Our discipline will have to be good against them but looking forward to it. Playing Edinburgh would have been a bit of an anti-climax. This should be a good one. Lots to do in the league before then.

Borders no.2

Really enjoyed that game. It was a massive collapse from Edinburgh in the end. They not only lost out on winning the group and the home quarter final but lost out on the runners up spot with the botched catch at the end.

Grenoble play at a real good tempo. It leaves them open to being caught. Our discipline will have to be good against them but looking forward to it. Playing Edinburgh would have been a bit of an anti-climax. This should be a good one. Lots to do in the league before then.

Borders no.2

Billysays no wrote: »

If you were to take toms lineouts then our percentages are brutal. If you want positives tom is an animal going forward but a huge weakness when attacked. His lines normally open up spaces for opposing wingers to walk through. McGinty was the right choice today. He does what he does well. He opens up the back line. It is what he does best. For this game he was the perfect choice (let's forget about kicking stats). It was the game pat wanted to play but more importantly that game will not work next week. So plaudits to aj today but he simply did what was expected. As for scarlets next week, that's a totally different ballgame. If we cannot dominate from 1 to 8 then 10 to 15 becomes irrelevant. As I have said I am a huge blade fan. It was easy for marmion today against an awfully moderate side. When the pressure is on marmion is (was going to say pants) so slow he negates Connacht and their style of play. Go blade

I like Blade too but my question about him starting a big game would be whether physically he can handle himself at this stage.

macslash

Anyone know if the Dragons game on Thursday the 11th of Feb will be televised? No tv channel listed on Ultimate Rugby App..

The Lost Sheep

wp_rathead wrote: »

tad off topic but over heard two OAP's talking about match today on a city bus, they both said they were going to listen to the game on Galway Bay as they unable to stand at the game due to one having a bad knee and the other said he has a bad hip so "not able to go to the games anymore"
I have an uncle who has bad hip - last time he came to match he loved it but he was in pain for few days after it
Sportsground really needs to get a seated area
..and yes i was ease dropping

Sportsground does need seated area but where? Very hard to do it when ground isn't owned by Connacht and you cant affect dogs.

CatFromHue wrote: »

It's not just the elderly who'd be better off with more seats but the amount of families and, this is going to sound sexist, but women who go to games in the RDS v Donnybrook is huge. Granted we're much more successful than we were when we where in Donnybrook so will catch the eye of new fans.

The success is much bigger role in getting people to go. The features of stadium can help keep them going.

Robbo wrote: »

Same thing stops my ould fella from coming along as well. He can't do 2 hours on his feet.

The plans that exist for the expanded Clan Terrace have the upper tier as a seated section, don't they? Shows that the demand is there and it would also mean more revenue from the Clan Bar and food concessions.

I believe the Eagles match is on S4C now but can't for the life of me find a means of viewing it.

There is planning permission for a seated tier on top of Clan Terrace but it will depend on financing it..

macslash wrote: »

Anyone know if the Dragons game on Thursday the 11th of Feb will be televised? No tv channel listed on Ultimate Rugby App..

Its not on tv

macslash

That is a real pity. Thanks

wp_rathead

Dates and times for Quarter Final out end of next week
Cannot wait, Grenoble should be some laugh

Also congrats to Exeter - their fans are brilliant
Wish them all the best against Wasps

Edit: I didn't realise that the Dragons game wasn't on the box- what the feck point of it being on Thursday then?!

wp_rathead

Good lord, the people writing the match reports don't even know the rules
this is from: http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/32415.php

Brive looked to have clinched top spot in Pool 1 and with it a place in the last eight after a tremendous comeback.

The former European champions came from 22-3 behind to lead 23-22 on 74 minutes only for Hammersley to crush their hopes as Connacht progressed instead as pool leaders.

Had it finished 23-22 to Brive, Connacht would still have topped the pool
Both teams be on 19 points but:

b) If two clubs in the same pool are equal on match points at the end of the pool stage, their ranking will be determined by the results of the two matches played between the relevant clubs as follows:
(i) the club with the greater number of match points from those matches; or
(ii) if equal, the club with the best aggregate points difference from those matches: or
(iii) if equal, the club that scored the most tries in those matches.

Both have 5 Match Points - 1 Win and 1 LBP
Connacht had 39 (21+18) and Brive had 38 (17+21) - Connacht better aggregate
Connacht also had 6 Tries (3+3) compared to Brives 3 Tries (3+0)

Billysays no

suspect tv fixtures for the dragons hame not yet set in stone so I wouldnt give up on that yet. As for howlers, what was para thinking. last minute of the game and he runs the ball when clermont would have topped the group if they kicked the penalty. instead they didnt qualify for the quarters. mad stuff

b.gud

No time yet but game against Grenoble is scheduled for Friday 8th of April

wp_rathead

b.gud wrote: »

No time yet but game against Grenoble is scheduled for Friday 8th of April

if it is the Ultimate Rugby app that you saw this - Friday is the Default Day they use when matches aren't scheduled yet..
..but if you saw it somewhere else brilliant

Billysays no

qualified for the knockout stages. all good. leinster, munster, ulster hmmmm. in truth i think its a terrible shame. ulster missed out, leinster are going through a progression, munster are going through misery. and connacht are going through uncertainty????

wp_rathead

Connacht highlights on TG4 player
The build up to Russian sinbin had a brilliant bit of play: Dillane to Poolman back to Dillane to Henshaw with an offload to Marmion

b.gud

wp_rathead wrote: »

if it is the Ultimate Rugby app that you saw this - Friday is the Default Day they use when matches aren't scheduled yet..
..but if you saw it somewhere else brilliant

Saw a tweet by the Connacht clan which looks to be a screenshot from Ultimate rugby, which I thought was confirmation of the date. Didn't realise they default to a Friday. Hope no one both flights based on my post :eek:
I did wonder why all the games were listed for the same day but just figured it was cos the epcr don't give a sh!t about the challenge cup :rolleyes:

wp_rathead wrote: »

Connacht highlights on TG4 player
The build up to Russian sinbin had a brilliant bit of play: Dillane to Poolman back to Dillane to Henshaw with an offload to Marmion

That was beautiful alright shame Marmion came up just short would have been one of our best tries

b.gud

Also for anyone who saw the tg4 highlights programme it was great to see that they gave more time to the Connacht game than the Leinster one given that Leinster game was essentially meaningless and the result of the Connacht games actually mattered

irishgrover

anyone else having a problem with the tg4 Player? All videos except for rugby seem to be working...

S12b

Marty Moore ruled out for 6 Nations so Nathan White will definitely be gone.

What's the expectation re availability for this weekend? Do fringe players, like Marmion and Dillane, normally get released? Henshaw would benefit hugely from another good hard games before the 6 Nations, you could see him growing into the game as it went on Saturday....any chance he will be released for this reason? Surely 1 game in 8 weeks isn't adequate going into a 6 Nations campaign.

ClanofLams

S12b wrote: »

Marty Moore ruled out for 6 Nations so Nathan White will definitely be gone.

What's the expectation re availability for this weekend? Do fringe players, like Marmion and Dillane, normally get released? Henshaw would benefit hugely from another good hard games before the 6 Nations, you could see him growing into the game as it went on Saturday....any chance he will be released for this reason? Surely 1 game in 8 weeks isn't adequate going into a 6 Nations campaign.

Yes I would expect all of them to be available this weekend, definitely White Dillane and Marmion. As you point out Henshaw needs minutes so can't envisage him not being released either.

b.gud

ClanofLams wrote: »

Yes I would expect all of them to be available this weekend.

I don't think they'll release White now that Moore is injured. Henshaw I reckon, hope, could get a game alright. Dillane I reckon will, Marmion is probably 50:50

ClanofLams

b.gud wrote: »

I don't think they'll release White now that Moore is injured. Henshaw I reckon, hope, could get a game alright. Dillane I reckon will, Marmion is probably 50:50

I would be hopeful that Schmidt will appreciate the importance of the game. With Ross and Furlong we are still well stocked at tight head.

former total

ClanofLams wrote: »

I would be hopeful that Schmidt will appreciate the importance of the game. With Ross and Furlong we are still well stocked at tight head.

Ross is out injured too. White will not be released.

Dillane and Marmion are better chances for release.

ClanofLams

former total wrote: »

Ross is out injured too. White will not be released.

Dillane and Marmion are better chances for release.

Ah I thought Ross was back. Henshaw should be released too, can't be throwing him against Wales with only 80 mins of rugby against Enisei in two months.

S12b

former total wrote: »

Ross is out injured too. White will not be released.

Dillane and Marmion are better chances for release.

Agree, White is now our likely starter for Wales and he has played lots over the last few months so I don't see him being released.

We only have two fit locks, including Dillane, so surely he must be released.

Henshaw badly needs another 80 minutes so hopefully we'll have him.

Very hard to know with Marmion....guess it will all depend on whether or not he can get ahead of Reddan. If he's still 3rd choice, we'll probably have him.

ClanofLams

Bealham called up to replace Moore, fair play. He should be released back I hope!

former total

ClanofLams wrote: »

Bealham called up to replace Moore, fair play. He should be released back I hope!

For Ireland? Where did you read that?

wp_rathead

former total wrote: »

For Ireland? Where did you read that?

http://www.connachtrugby.ie/bealham-called-up-to-ireland-squad/#ConnachtNews

Robbo

Been too long since we've seen this mullet / Ireland jersey combo.

former total

wp_rathead wrote: »

http://www.connachtrugby.ie/bealham-called-up-to-ireland-squad/#ConnachtNews

Jaysus:
a) Fair play
b) Slap in the chops for Rodders

freyners

former total wrote: »

Jaysus:
a) Fair play
b) Slap in the chops for Rodders

Weirds as Rodney has been good this season. Bealham is one for the future and with Ross abck for england could be just get him in the camp