Connacht Team Talk Thread V - The Friend Zone

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

When is the craggy podcast back?

craggyrugby

Wegians89 wrote: »

When is the craggy podcast back?

The podcast is back this Thursday, just in time for the Scarlets match.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

craggyrugby wrote: »

The podcast is back this Thursday, just in time for the Scarlets match.

Brilliant missed it

FACECUTTR

craggyrugby wrote: »

The podcast is back this Thursday, just in time for the Scarlets match.

Fantastic podcast guys.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Anyone know anything about heffernan, delahunt or Murphy’s injury status? wouldn't like to think they’re injured but Tierney Martin getting a debut would be very exciting.

KBurke85

The Friend Zone

Wegians89 wrote: »

Anyone know anything about heffernan, delahunt or Murphy’s injury status? wouldn't like to think they’re injured but Tierney Martin getting a debut would be very exciting.

Delahunt in the training pics from this morning

connachta

https://inpho.ie/cache/inpho/38/ef/7f/a6b77669adb2e1b6df59d5324acde3aff208b13242/INPHO_01610300.jpg

Both here today but Dave wearing a sweater,

McCartney to start, Delahunt on the bench would be likely..

connachta

My team of choice

1) Buckely
2) McCartney
3) Bealham
4) Dillane
5) Thornbury
6) Boyle
7) Fainga'a
8) Butler
9) Marmion (point to prove)
10) C.Fitzgerald
11) Healy
12) Farrell
13) Godwin (covering 10 if Robb slots in)
14) S.Fitzgerald
15) Leader

16) Delahunt
17) McAlister
18) McCoy
19) Roux (not thrown straight in a full-game after a long-term injury)
20) E.Masterson
21) Marmion
22) Robb
23) TOH

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Tierney Martin also in training pics. Good to see Heffernan and Delahunt are fit or nearly there but given they haven’t played at all in warmups, wouldn’t rule out Tierney Martin being on bench if they think he’s ready.

Expect Blade will start given Marmion has only been involved last ten days but great to have both and whoever comes on should make big impact. Can definitely see logic in Godwin covering ten and having two bench players who can come on and make a bigger impact than Conor Dean can at this stage in his development but at same time not really a big fan of having Godwin cover different positions. He played everywhere last season from 10 out bar fullback and thought he suffered a bit for it.

Guys coming from Super Rugby are often significantly better in second season, Aki was iirc. Think Godwin could be contender for player of season, would prefer he was let focus on centre.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Would like to see Godwin given a proper run in a single position. Think his contract is up after this season and I expect it’ll be hard to keep him. Dean set up Robb’s try very nicely against Munster and has been on fire for the eagles apparently. He’ll be needed in a few weeks so might as well stick him on the bench. Is Horwitz injured?

craggyrugby

Wegians89 wrote: »

Anyone know anything about heffernan, delahunt or Murphy’s injury status? wouldn't like to think they’re injured but Tierney Martin getting a debut would be very exciting.

Murphy is following Return to Play protocols following HIA against Munster.
Heff has a calf muscle and is due to return in October.
Delahunt back in full training.

Full Injury report will be in the podcast on Thursday.

Redo91

You've got a Friend in me

Wegians89 wrote: »

Would like to see Godwin given a proper run in a single position. Think his contract is up after this season and I expect it’ll be hard to keep him. Dean set up Robb’s try very nicely against Munster and has been on fire for the eagles apparently. He’ll be needed in a few weeks so might as well stick him on the bench. Is Horwitz injured?

Jesus are himself and Fainga’a out of contract at the end of season? Might be tough to keep both. Can imagine there will be plenty of interest.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Redo91 wrote: »

Jesus are himself and Fainga’a out of contract at the end of season? Might be tough to keep both. Can imagine there will be plenty of interest.

Not sure how long faingaa’s contract is but godwins was definitely was only 2 years and he had talked about going back and getting more international caps.

connachta

Fainga'a is probably the best recruit we've had since Bundee. Very underrated but does everything right. IQ just before RWC 2023, I can imagine a destiny as Kleyn one, if IRFU sees the potential in him. 32 y.o will still be ok.
Of course I know there are VdF and Leavy, but he's virtually 3rd choice already IMO (sorry for J.Murphy)

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Y

connachta wrote: »

Fainga'a is probably the best recruit we've had since Bundee. Very underrated but does everything right. IQ just before RWC 2023, I can imagine a destiny as Kleyn one, if IRFU sees the potential in him. 32 y.o will still be ok.
Of course I know there's VdF and Leavy, but he's virtually 3rd choice already IMO

Yeah he’s become vital, hope they move heaven and earth to keep him. Godwin could be replaced but faingaa would be a huge loss

connachta

I even do think he'll make me forget about Heenan this season, which was smth unlikely, as Jake was a huge loss.
But Colby is proving to be as good, and less injury-prone, so Hurrah for the recruting staff..

MattressRick

Mul, it's over

connachta wrote: »

Fainga'a is probably the best recruit we've had since Bundee. Very underrated but does everything right. IQ just before RWC 2023, I can imagine a destiny as Kleyn one, if IRFU sees the potential in him. 32 y.o will still be ok.
Of course I know there are VdF and Leavy, but he's virtually 3rd choice already IMO (sorry for J.Murphy)

It just struck me reading that, where do we stop with trying to get as many non Irish players onto the Irish team as possible? I'm not stirring, but there's talk of James Lowe qualifying soon. I'd prefer to see an Irish system that can produce international quality players through the academies, but I feel this current model if it continues will just push younger players abroad much younger than they would've thought.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Dno if it means anything butter following back line was pictured in bibs in training:

Blade
Fitzgerald
Healy
Daly
Godwin
Fitzgerald
TOH

Could easily be the back line for the weekend. Forwards wearing bibs doesn’t seem to suggest much though

connachta

Wegians89 wrote: »

Dno if it means anything butter following back line was pictured in bibs in training:

Blade
Fitzgerald
Healy
Daly
Godwin
Fitzgerald
TOH

Could easily be the back line for the weekend. Forwards wearing bibs doesn’t seem to suggest much though

I highly doubt Farell will be omited. Highly

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

connachta wrote: »

I highly doubt Farell will be omited. Highly

I highly doubt it too, but the rest of the back line is what I’d be expecting. Could be a knock or something although Farrell was training

Zzippy

connachta wrote: »

I even do think he'll make me forget about Heenan this season, which was smth unlikely, as Jake was a huge loss.
But Colby is proving to be as good, and less injury-prone, so Hurrah for the recruting staff..

Much and all as I liked Heenan, and he was a great player, he was perpetually injured, so he wasn't a huge loss. Fainga'a would be a much bigger loss to the team.

realhorrorshow

Fainga’a was named in the Pro14 team of the season and is a fan favourite in Connacht so I don’t think he’s underrated really. The length of his contract was never disclosed but if it does expire this season he’ll have a lot of interest from elsewhere, especially France.

freyners

The Friend Zone

Apologies if I am late to the party here. Documentary talking with rodney and his mental health. Worth your 15 mins

https://youtu.be/zlMVu9CXgqk

connachta

realhorrorshow wrote: »

Fainga’a was named in the Pro14 team of the season and is a fan favourite in Connacht so I don’t think he’s underrated really. The length of his contract was never disclosed but if it does expire this season he’ll have a lot of interest from elsewhere, especially France.

Underrated in an all-Ireland POV. I was not even listened when I said before the Ulster playoff he's matching J.Murphy. I think he does. I am a big fan of Leavy/VdF and I honestly admit they're nailed on for Ireland but Colby is virtually 3rd choice

Burkie1203

Mul, it's over

connachta wrote: »

Underrated in an all-Ireland POV. I was not even listened when I said before the Ulster playoff he's matching J.Murphy. I think he does. I am a big fan of Leavy/VdF and I honestly admit they're nailed on for Ireland but Colby is virtually 3rd choice

No he isn't. Not even close

connachta

Burkie1203 wrote: »

No he isn't. Not even close

Discuss. Murphy's good, but not better. Fainga'a does everything right, constantly. Not brillant, so good

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

connachta wrote: »

Discuss. Murphy's good, but not better. Fainga'a does everything right, constantly. Not brillant, so good

I’d agree that as an out and out 7 faingaa is as good if not better than Murphy. Murphy is probably the better player though given his versatility.

Burkie1203

Mul, it's over

connachta wrote: »

Discuss. Murphy's good, but not better. Fainga'a does everything right, constantly. Not brillant, so good

Track record. Murphy has done it at the very highest level

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Track record. Murphy has done it at the very highest level

Faingaa has over 100 super rugby caps. Something people forget. That’s a high standard

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Agree Colby underrated. No one outside Connacht is going to say he is on par with Murphy because Murphy has performed at higher levels than him, delivering for Ireland. Fainga’a is a serious operator though, players player of the year last season and at Melbourne in super rugby previously, Australian u20s captain etc.

Champions cup rugby will give him a chance to prove his abilities at higher level, for the vast majority who don’t follow Super rugby.

Connacht recruitment last season was unbelievably good. Fainga’a Godwin and Reece, incredible. Wonder how much was down to Kieran Keane. Pity it couldn’t have ended on good terms, seems like he would be an excellent Southern Hemisphere scout.

Edit - Actually think Fainga’a was a friend signing? So Keane didn’t have anything to do with that.