Connacht Team Talk Thread V - The Friend Zone

Eod100

Guaranteed 3rd so play-offs and Champions Cup next season, great stuff

thomond2006

Some Like It TOH

How on earth was that try not awarded for Cardiff? The still pictures are pretty clear.

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

That'll do

BrokenMan

I can't believe it's not Butler

Definitely looks like we came out the right side of some decisions but will take it. Thought the second half performance was damn impressive.

Utopia Parkway

BrokenMan wrote: »

Definitely looks like we came out the right side of some decisions but will take it. Thought the second half performance was damn impressive.

The Cardiff try in the corner definitely. Didn't think there was anything wrong with Helay's try. Pretty sure it was knocked back by a Cardiff hand. Bit of luck alright.

Cosmo Kramer

The Cardiff support online is especially bitter tonight, even by their usual standards of bitterness. No question the breaks went our way today but I've seen as bad and worse many times from Welsh TMOs in games involving Irish and Welsh teams.

OldRio

Don't look at the comments. Just enjoy the win and what it means.

freyners

The Friend Zone

Worth pointing out that copeland has had really good spells from the bench for the last three games. Earning his place the squad with the turnover and then forcing the error on the restart.

Going to be very hard to pick 4/5 between him Mckeon Boyle butler and fai'angaa. All in form

typhoony

so it's Ulster in the play-off I assume, the munster match will be a bit meaningless at least for Connacht and also for munster if Glasgow win their game earlier in the afternoon

Cosmo Kramer

typhoony wrote: »

so it's Ulster in the play-off I assume, the munster match will be a bit meaningless at least for Connacht and also for munster if Glasgow win their game earlier in the afternoon

The two games kick off at the same time AFAIK. So Munster will be going for it. It seems like there is little incentive for us going to Thomond. I would be happy for us to make 11 or 12 changes and keep our front liners back for the quarter final. We'd probably ship a heavy defeat but it doesn't really matter.

Tigerandahalf

With Connacht in the CC I presume a couple of big signings will be made. They probably need both a LH and a TH and a quality winger.

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

With Connacht in the CC I presume a couple of big signings will be made. They probably need both a LH and a TH and a quality winger.

Pretty sure Paddy McAllister was the big loosehead signing. 100% will be a tighthead coming though it's difficult to know how high profile, big name tightheads command some of the largest salaries in the game so they may well be looking for a younger or moneyball type signing. The Reece signing fell through so you'd imagine there'll be a back 3 coming in but then again Fitzgerald has been signed and de Buitléar has done well when called on, might be bumped to a senior contract.

Tommybojangles

Mul, it's over

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

With Connacht in the CC I presume a couple of big signings will be made. They probably need both a LH and a TH and a quality winger.

Liking this out of pure excitement rather than any belief it's TRUE ðŸ˜ðŸ˜

Great day

Cosmo Kramer

Need a tighthead, a winger and another decent 10 I would say. A back up second row is needed as well, will probably be Mick Kearney. Hopefully we might have one or two big names lined up.

Wouldn't be surprised if we take another squad player or two from Leinster, as ever they have massive strength in depth, hopefully there are lads there that are not happy just playing the lesser pro 14 games and want a crack at the champions cup.

freyners

The Friend Zone

Bazzo wrote: »

Pretty sure Paddy McAllister was the big loosehead signing. 100% will be a tighthead coming though it's difficult to know how high profile, big name tightheads command some of the largest salaries in the game so they may well be looking for a younger or moneyball type signing. The Reece signing fell through so you'd imagine there'll be a back 3 coming in but then again Fitzgerald has been signed and de Buitléar has done well when called on, might be bumped to a senior contract.

Fitzgerald is a good signing but I feel we need someone who brings something a bit different in the back 3 still. All our wingers are more pacy than powerful and it would do no harm to have an option akin to what Lowe is for leinster

Th is needed with Carey leaving. He had another good game today. Sorry to see him go.

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

freyners wrote: »

Fitzgerald is a good signing but I feel we need someone who brings something a bit different in the back 3 still. All our wingers are more pacy than powerful and it would do no harm to have an option akin to what Lowe is for leinster

Th is needed with Carey leaving. He had another good game today. Sorry to see him go.

I don't disagree, Leader is our only back 3 who's closer to power than pace(though he has both), I just don't know if management will look at the numbers we have there and go looking for another signing.

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

It's gonna be the (well deserved) Jack Carty appreciation evening tonight. Man of the match in the pivotal match of the season, supporters player of the year after the match, just picked up the try of the year award and would imagine there'll be more to come.

KBurke85

The Friend Zone

Bazzo wrote: »

It's gonna be the (well deserved) Jack Carty appreciation evening tonight. Man of the match in the pivotal match of the season, supporters player of the year after the match, just picked up the try of the year award and would imagine there'll be more to come.

Blade has won supporters player of the year and Colby has won players player of the year

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

KBurke85 wrote: »

Blade has won supporters player of the year and Colby has won players player of the year

Yeah I guess I should have been clearer, he won the Clan player of the year which is the supporters club player of the year obviously.

Bit surprised he didn't pick up either of those two but Fainga'a and Blade are well deserving winners all the same.

connachta

freyners wrote: »

Fitzgerald is a good signing but I feel we need someone who brings something a bit different in the back 3 still. All our wingers are more pacy than powerful and it would do no harm to have an option akin to what Lowe is for leinster.

That's why I'm calling for. Physical winger among our "road-runners". Nadolo-style!

connachta

I don't know if we'll get another 10
And all in all we don't need a new backrow. We tend to forget SOB will be there

Butler/Faing'aa/Boyle
McKeon/Masterson/Copeland
SOB
+ Gallagher to cover 6

That would mean 4 injuries at the same time to have an Academy guy, on the bench. We shouldn't waste money on a senior contract for very few minutes of Rugby.

Big amount should be all put on high-standard NIQs TH and heavy winger.

connachta

We're in Champions Cup yay or nay?

Mr Tickle

Bazzo wrote: »

The Reece signing fell through so you'd imagine there'll be a back 3 coming in but then again Fitzgerald has been signed and de Buitléar has done well when called on, might be bumped to a senior contract.

Kelleher is gone too so I'd see Fitzgerald as his replacement. Still space for another.


Hopefully Horwitz will get have a run of fitness next year and take some of the load off Jack. He hasn't been great value this year but I he's a young guy in a new club. Copeland has only started hitting his stride now and he's had a much smaller move.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Mr Tickle wrote: »

Kelleher is gone too so I'd see Fitzgerald as his replacement. Still space for another.


Hopefully Horwitz will get have a run of fitness next year and take some of the load off Jack. He hasn't been great value this year but I he's a young guy in a new club. Copeland has only started hitting his stride now and he's had a much smaller move.

Scholes also left leaving possibly space for a de buitlear coming through or signing a fringe player from another province

Mr Tickle

Wegians89 wrote: »

Scholes also left leaving possibly space for a de buitlear coming through or signing a fringe player from another province

Forgot about him. He seemed like a loss when he left Ulster. did he even get 5 games for Connacht?

Lebute

A poster on the 42 saying 2 munster forwards signing for Connacht for next season . How accurate I don't know.

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Lebute wrote: »

A poster on the 42 saying 2 munster forwards signing for Connacht for next season . How accurate I don't know.

Had a look there, wouldn’t put too much faith in those comments. Don’t know if there will be many forwards leaving Munster who can add to Connacht anyway.

Lebute

ClanofLams wrote: »

Had a look there, wouldn’t put too much faith in those comments. Don’t know if there will be many forwards leaving Munster who can add to Connacht anyway.

Agree totally with you.

Mr Tickle

Lebute wrote: »

A poster on the 42 saying 2 munster forwards signing for Connacht for next season . How accurate I don't know.

You'll pry Stephen Archer from my cold dead hands!!!

connachta

I've called for a Nadolo style winger. Here he is. His brother Rumoured released by Montpellier (unused medical joker)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbCap_PWghU