Connacht Team Talk Thread V - The Friend Zone

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

Evil_g wrote: »

Eh. Why didn't Munster just ask for 20 mil off the government?

Pretty sure Munster applied and received funding from the exact same sports infrastructure fund as Connacht are? Leinster have also applied for 20m for the redevelopment of the RDS.

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

Couple positive stats from the season that I haven't seen mentioned: 3rd overall in the league for turnovers. A lot of people have been critical of our breakdown work(myself included) but obviously it's our offensive breakdown work that needs looking at. We seem to be turning over a very healthy amount of ball when defending.

Tackle success at 88.3% for the season. Second only to Leinster in teams that made the knockouts.

Both of those are things that people would have said in the past needed to be improved. Steps are being made in the right direction clearly.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Bazzo wrote: »

Couple positive stats from the season that I haven't seen mentioned: 3rd overall in the league for turnovers. A lot of people have been critical of our breakdown work(myself included) but obviously it's our offensive breakdown work that needs looking at. We seem to be turning over a very healthy amount of ball when defending.

Tackle success at 88.3% for the season. Second only to Leinster in teams that made the knockouts.

Both of those are things that people would have said in the past needed to be improved. Steps are being made in the right direction clearly.

Very interesting stats, didn’t get the feel Connacht were that high watching the games live.

On a side note Murray kinsella on the 42s podcast mentioned u20 hooker Declan adamson was joining connachts academy next season. He did travel with the eagles to Boston

Former Former

You've got a Friend in me

Evil_g wrote: »

Eh. Why didn't Munster just ask for 20 mil off the government?

??

Because the fund has only just been set up

Zzippy

Former Former wrote: »

??

Because the fund has only just been set up

Pretty sure Munster got a sports capital grant from the National Lottery at the time, which would be a similar State funding mechanism. Not sure how much they got though.

troyzer

Zzippy wrote: »

Former Former wrote: »

??

Because the fund has only just been set up

Pretty sure Munster got a sports capital grant from the National Lottery at the time, which would be a similar State funding mechanism. Not sure how much they got though.

I definitely remember the grant. Same as yourself though, I'm not sure how much they got.

tobdom

Bazzo wrote: »

Couple positive stats from the season that I haven't seen mentioned: 3rd overall in the league for turnovers. A lot of people have been critical of our breakdown work(myself included) but obviously it's our offensive breakdown work that needs looking at. We seem to be turning over a very healthy amount of ball when defending.

Have to say I was very surprised reading that stat about our turnover success..... But I would be interested to see the reverse stat in terms of how much we coughed up, as we seem to have been turned over far too easily far too often all season. A very positive session overall however

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Heard a rumour yesterday that Connacht are in for Bill Johnston. Media coverage made it seem like Ulster was done deal so not sure how accurate but the guy who said it to me wouldn’t be a spoofer.

PCeeeee

Mul, it's over

ClanofLams wrote: »

Heard a rumour yesterday that Connacht are in for Bill Johnston. Media coverage made it seem like Ulster was done deal so not sure how accurate but the guy who said it to me wouldn’t be a spoofer.

How does that work then? I think I rem hearing that the provinces can't outbid each other so it's basically up to the individual. Is that correct?

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

ClanofLams wrote: »

Heard a rumour yesterday that Connacht are in for Bill Johnston. Media coverage made it seem like Ulster was done deal so not sure how accurate but the guy who said it to me wouldn’t be a spoofer.

Would make sense as a third IQ signing. Ulster would probably need him more long term but Connacht could say he’s first choice while cartys gone to World Cup. Also a lot easier to travel up and down from limerick to Galway

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

PCeeeee wrote: »

How does that work then? I think I rem hearing that the provinces can't outbid each other so it's basically up to the individual. Is that correct?

Yeah would be his choice if both provinces are in for him as far as I know.

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Wegians89 wrote: »

Would make sense as a third IQ signing. Ulster would probably need him more long term but Connacht could say he’s first choice while cartys gone to World Cup. Also a lot easier to travel up and down from limerick to Galway

Yeah and he would already know a few in the Connacht dressing room fairly well. Lloyd, the two Fitzgeralds. Nigel Carolan coached him at u-20s too

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Bill Johnston officially signed for ulster today

Mr Tickle

Wegians89 wrote: »

Bill Johnston officially signed for ulster today

That's a pity. Thought Connacht would be the easier sell.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Mr Tickle wrote: »

That's a pity. Thought Connacht would be the easier sell.

Yeah it is a pity, better career move for him though, easier to become first choice in ulster, who also have recruited a lot better

Lebute

Wegians89 wrote: »

Yeah it is a pity, better career move for him though, easier to become first choice in ulster, who also have recruited a lot better

Bill johnston to Ulster confirmed.

https://www.ulsterrugby.com/2019/05/bill-johnston-to-join-ulster/

thomond2006

Some Like It TOH

Mr Tickle wrote: »

That's a pity. Thought Connacht would be the easier sell.

Carty would seem more nailed down as the starting 10 with his province than Billy Burns at Ulster.

Mr Tickle

thomond2006 wrote: »

Carty would seem more nailed down as the starting 10 with his province than Billy Burns at Ulster.

Yeah you're probably right. Might just have been wishful thinking. I'm a split Munster/Connacht fan so my view is skewed.

Lebute

Mr Tickle wrote: »

Yeah you're probably right. Might just have been wishful thinking. I'm a split Munster/Connacht fan so my view is skewed.

Johnny McPhillips to Connacht supposedly.

RobbieRuns

Lebute wrote: »

Johnny McPhillips to Connacht supposedly.

Can't see that as a good move

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

No offense to mcphillips but apart from a bit more experience at senior level he doesn’t offer much more than Fitzgerald/ dean. Johnston has a higher potential than all of them so that made some sense.

Lebute

Wegians89 wrote: »

No offense to mcphillips but apart from a bit more experience at senior level he doesn’t offer much more than Fitzgerald/ dean. Johnston has a higher potential than all of them so that made some sense.

Agree 100% with Horwitz , Fitzgerald and Deane he is not adding anything.

Diabhal Beag

Would a stupid signing. Horwitz is gonna get a few starts if Carty is gone WC with one of the other two as replacements.

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

I think it'd be no harm to be honest. McPhillips has looked good in bits at senior level, out of his depth at others. He was pretty good at underage level and I doubt he'd be expensive. Let them all scrap it out and whoever is the best prospect will surely come out on top.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Could see a scenario, where if cartys is gone to the World Cup, mcphillips was signed on a short term/ loan deal. If he impresses then could be signed on permanently.

evil_seed

The Friend Zone

A few weeks ago we're crying out at the lack of depth at 10. Now we're lining up a 10 to add depth and we're crying still. Some people are never feckin happy

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

evil_seed wrote: »

A few weeks ago we're crying out at the lack of depth at 10. Now we're lining up a 10 to add depth and we're crying still. Some people are never feckin happy

While depth is needed, it is someone who could come in with the quality to challenge carty similar to blade/ marmion. There’s three talented young 10s in Fitzgerald, dean and Luke carty, don’t think need to add another.

Saying that there’s no Irish qualified 10 of a good enough standard available at the minute.

Diabhal Beag

evil_seed wrote: »

A few weeks ago we're crying out at the lack of depth at 10. Now we're lining up a 10 to add depth and we're crying still. Some people are never feckin happy

I think it shows a lack of faith in Horwitz/Dean/Fitzgerald/Luke Carty tbh. These are lads that have deals that would at least run through end of next season and they want to throw in a very inconsistent Ulster backup into that mixer for what would likely be just a 6 week stretch.

There's savvy signings and then there's signing just for the sake of it.

troyzer

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

evil_seed wrote: »

A few weeks ago we're crying out at the lack of depth at 10. Now we're lining up a 10 to add depth and we're crying still. Some people are never feckin happy

I think it shows a lack of faith in Horwitz/Dean/Fitzgerald/Luke Carty tbh. These are lads that have deals that would at least run through end of next season and they want to throw in a very inconsistent Ulster backup into that mixer for what would likely be just a 6 week stretch.

There's savvy signings and then there's signing just for the sake of it.

It could be a Nucifora special. Johnston and McPhillips moving at the same time smacks of co-ordination.

Ulster need a better option at backup and a challenger to Burns, Connacht need some depth. And Munster could afford to shed Johnston in the first place because they have their player of the future in Carbery.

The likes of Carbery and McGrath get the headlines but Nucifora doesn't just sit around the rest of the year, this is exactly the sort of thing he was brought in for. Allocating our limited resources more intelligently across the island to counter the trucks of cash and player pools across the water.

thomond2006

Some Like It TOH

Maybe a change of scenery will be good for McPhillips.