Sat 9th April 9th Connacht V Grenoble - European Glory

its_phil

mansize wrote: »

That's it for Henshaw in Green in Europe

This actually adds nothing. Just salt in the wound.

Stay classy mansize.

Utopia Parkway

Jesus what a sickener. Carr almost broke the last tackle to go in for a try at the death. Should have worked a drop goal attempt from that position at least.

mansize

Stheno wrote: »

What happened? Did connacht lose?

33-32

Grenoble got late DG

Borders no.2

Ref hadn't the balls to call the penalty for Grenoble off their feet at the end but in all honesty we threw that away twice from a commanding position. Thankfully Harlequins beat London Irish. Bad as it is the thought of having blown a semi-final at home to London Irish would be difficult to stomach.

mansize

its_phil wrote: »

This actually adds nothing.

Sorry

PancakeJOE

No shame in losing to a european powerhouse... :-P Really though connacht have won irish rugby this year,They have put themselves into THE limelight and have advanced in a way the italians and the other defunct teams couldnt. Bravo Connacht you have replaced munster as my second team.

irishbucsfan

Ah hard luck Connacht. Really lacked shape in attack there at the end, but that's probably down to the guys they're missing more than anything else.

salmocab

The yellow card was the losing of that really.
good game though.

Bazzo

I think we deserved a win there, if we any one of the other 3 out halves available that was a win...

Gutted, but oh well, put Munster in the sights now.

pickarooney

If he hadn't slipped Carr might have been in

PancakeJOE

No shame in losing to a european powerhouse... :-P Really though connacht have won irish rugby this year,They have put themselves into the limelight and have advanced in a way the italians and the other defunct teams couldnt. Bravo Connacht you have replaced munster as my second team.

Dave_The_Sheep

Synode wrote: »

Unlucky for Connacht. Thought they were the better team

I don't think luck had much to do with it, sadly. Connacht were in winning positions in both halves and managed to throw it away.

Bazzo

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Jesus what a sickener. Carr almost broke the last tackle to go in for a try at the death. Should have worked a drop goal attempt from that position at least.

No kicker on the field to take a drop goal. Cooney(who isn't a kicker) took the previous penalty.

Utopia Parkway

pickarooney wrote: »

If he hadn't slipped Carr might have been in

He was definitely in had he kept his footing.

neelia11

Synode wrote: »

Unlucky for Connacht. Thought they were the better team

defence is a big issue for them. Averaging 20 points against per game in the pro 12. The offence game is great to watch but exit strategies are non existant. Its perfectly alright to do the boring stuff sometimes because when you do get that balance right you win things.

mansize

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5DhIxplKQ4

Legalfarmer89

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Jesus what a sickener. Carr almost broke the last tackle to go in for a try at the death. Should have worked a drop goal attempt from that position at least.

I thought so too but with this Connacht team I bet they were thinking we have momentum, try-time.

I also thought that Grenoble were very quick off there line/offside for the last few phases but fair dues to there kicker Wisniewski who was deadly.

We really should have put Grenoble away though after being 19-3 up!

typhoony

surely one of the other players could of taken a drop-goal, without all our injuries we would have won that, also missed Aly's strength in possesion, if he was;nt injured then not having him at least on the bench was a major oversight

cailinardthair

I feel like crying

Buer

Trying to be impartial, Connacht were the more exciting side just about but Grenoble probably did deserve the win after controlling territory and possession far more.

The outhalves were the difference in the result, overall, though. O'Leary showed some nice touches but was far, far too aggressive in his play at times despite not having the ability to deliver those moments. Some terrible kicking from hand killed his side.

Twice Connacht got well ahead (19-3 in the first half and then were 29-16 up after 53 minutes) but yielded control far too easily. On both occasions, they completely retreated into themselves.

This is only their first season reaching such levels though and they'll be better for the experience. They're missing important players and have a solid outhalf on the way. Hopefully, they'll more than close that sort of fixture out next season when they're in the Champions Cup playing where they now deserve.

typhoony

was very impressed with their out-half, he'll be snapped up by one of their top teams

vienne86

Gutted for Connacht - should have won that, but injuries left gaps and defense wasn't up to the job. Very entertaining game. Healy deserved MOTM - who got it?

irishbucsfan

typhoony wrote: »

was very impressed with their out-half, he'll be snapped up by one of their top teams

Jonathan Wisniewski?

He came from a top team, Racing let him go. He's a very well known entity.

Buer

typhoony wrote: »

was very impressed with their out-half, he'll be snapped up by one of their top teams

Wisniewski? He's been around years. Has to be in his thirties at this point. Played for most of his life at Racing but lacks real top level quality. Very underrated though given some of the dross that has been capped by France over the last decade.

As I described him earlier in the thread, he's a French Jimmy Gopperth.

Bazzo

vienne86 wrote: »

Gutted for Connacht - should have won that, but injuries left gaps and defense wasn't up to the job. Very entertaining game. Healy deserved MOTM - who got it?

Vis... Wis... the Grenoble out half.

Buer

vienne86 wrote: »

Gutted for Connacht - should have won that, but injuries left gaps and defense wasn't up to the job. Very entertaining game. Healy deserved MOTM - who got it?

Thought it had to be Wisniewski, for me. That conversion, the ice cool drop, the try to get them back into the game as well as his general play.

Healy was excellent too but Wisniewski was the difference between the teams.

pickarooney

Who have Connacht lined up to play OH next year?

Legalfarmer89

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Jonathan Wisniewski?

He came from a top team, Racing let him go. He's a very well known entity.

The French National team could do worse than him! At the beginning of the match the commentators on BT indicated that hes a very good player and he lived up to the hype!

Buer

pickarooney wrote: »

Who have Connacht lined up to play OH next year?

Marnitz Boshoff. Once capped South African.

irishbucsfan

Buer wrote: »

Marnitz Boshoff. Once capped South African.

Nickname prediction: Bosco

CMOTDibbler

Buer wrote: »

Wisniewski? He's been around years. Has to be in his thirties at this point. Played for most of his life at Racing but lacks real top level quality. Very underrated though given some of the dross that has been capped by France over the last decade.

As I described him earlier in the thread, he's a French Jimmy Gopperth.

Yep. He's 30 now. Jackman thinks a lot of him and he's been helpful in getting players for Grenoble apparently. He was behind Sexton at Racing and saw the writing on the wall with Carter coming.

pickarooney

Buer wrote: »

Marnitz Boshoff. Once capped South African.

Ooh nice, he's a fantastic kicker.

Nickname prediction: Boss Hogg

Bazzo

I mentioned it during the match and I think one or two others did too but the BT commentary wrt Connacht during that match was pretty abysmal. "Muldoon is heading to Grenoble next year" Well ****e, somebody better tell him that. "Buckley is clearly uncomfortable playing scrum half" oh, I see this is the first time you've watched Denis Buckley play.

They could have put in a few hours research ffs...

Sky do a much better job of it.

.ak

Feel terrible for Connacht, thought they played the most exciting rugby, some lovely stuff from Healy who must've been in contention for motm but I can't help but feel Connacht thought it was a kick about and in the end they did their best to lose it.

CMOTDibbler

Bazzo wrote: »

I mentioned it during the match and I think one or two others did too but the BT commentary wrt Connacht during that match was pretty abysmal. "Muldoon is heading to Grenoble next year" Well ****e, somebody better tell him that. "Buckley is clearly uncomfortable playing scrum half" oh, I see this is the first time you've watched Denis Buckley play.

They could have put in a few hours research ffs...

Sky do a much better job of it.

Agree. BT are good with the bells and whistles, but there's very little depth. I wouldn't pay for it.

Bazzo

I think people need to remember that O'Leary is the 4th choice out half. I'm not 100% sure on how many caps he has but I'd wager less than 10 for the seniors over the course of 2 years, and most of them off the bench.

Then when he came off at 65 mins Henshaw, who's not and has never been an out half, slotted in at 10. There were definitely things that could have been done better but any team down to their 4th choice out half and then playing 15 mins with a centre/full back at out half is going to look ridiculously unstructured and struggle to make headway.

CMOTDibbler

Bazzo wrote: »

I think people need to remember that O'Leary is the 4th choice out half. I'm not 100% sure on how many caps he has but I'd wager less than 10 for the seniors over the course of 2 years, and most of them off the bench.

Then when he came off at 65 mins Henshaw, who's not and has never been an out half slotted in at 10. There were definitely things that could have been done better but any team down to their 4th choice out half and then playing 15 mins with a centre/full back at out half is going to look ridiculously unstructured and struggle to make headway.

Yeah, too many injuries and that puts pressure on a squad that hasn't really got the depth for two caompaigns over a season.

neelia11

Bazzo wrote: »

I think people need to remember that O'Leary is the 4th choice out half. I'm not 100% sure on how many caps he has but I'd wager less than 10 for the seniors over the course of 2 years, and most of them off the bench.

Then when he came off at 65 mins Henshaw, who's not and has never been an out half, slotted in at 10. There were definitely things that could have been done better but any team down to their 4th choice out half and then playing 15 mins with a centre/full back at out half is going to look ridiculously unstructured and struggle to make headway.

when the game went 19-3 I thought connacht were too slack and playing in their own 22 when they needed to just get out of 22. There is enough seniority in the side to have made that call to consolidate the lead and give nothing away, but by half time they had given away another 13 points cheaply.

S12b

This promised to be a brilliant night.....then both Connacht and McIlroy went full retard.....and now I'm sitting here depressed!!

neelia11

S12b wrote: »

This promised to be a brilliant night.....then both Connacht and McIlroy went full retard.....and now I'm sitting here depressed!!

cashed out on rory earlier. 10 ew cashed out on 35.

Billysays no

as things go most happy with this result. focus is where it should be

wp_rathead

Fffffuuuuuuucccccckkkkk

typhoony

who'd a thought a waterslide in dubai would have cost us a semi-final

Billysays no

not unhappy to see connacht lose this one

Rightwing

Big problem here.

Players like Henshaw have no respect for Connacht and will leave at the first sight of a $. 1 season wonder with no silverware, and yes, you can bookmark this if you must.

omerin

Unlucky tonight, injuries played a part but is lamb that much better then Foley? He is better, no question, but too often Connacht fail to close out games and a lot of blame should fall on him. I would love if Munster played like Connacht but without the headless chicken stuff, and by the way is the 10 available next season, fancy a trade? :pac:

Teferi

Rightwing wrote: »

Big problem here.

Players like Henshaw have no respect for Connacht and will leave at the first sight of a $. 1 season wonder with no silverware, and yes, you can bookmark this if you must.

Provinces aren't allowed outbid each other.

Scarleh for ye.

ClanofLams

Rightwing wrote: »

1 season wonder with no silverware

Maybe so but they are a 'wonder' whilst you're posting on boards.ie about them

Rightwing

omerin wrote: »

Unlucky tonight, injuries played a part but is lamb that much better then Foley? He is better, no question, but too often Connacht fail to close out games and a lot of blame should fall on him. I would love if Munster played like Connacht but without the headless chicken stuff, and by the way is the 10 available next season, fancy a trade? :pac:

Lam is better than Foley, but the Connacht players don't care for the jersey, it's a mere stepping stone, led by their so called marque players. Sad reality of it.

Billysays no

Rightwing wrote: »

Lam is better than Foley, but the Connacht players don't care for the jersey, it's a mere stepping stone, led by their so called marque players. Sad reality of bit.

And I thought my opinion was unwelcome. What an utterly daft and untrue statement