Connacht Team Talk Thread V - The Friend Zone

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

What's the story with Rory Burke? Is he injured?

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Bazzo wrote: »

What's the story with Rory Burke? Is he injured?

Think he’s just behind Kenny in the pecking order

Richie_Rich89

Mul, it's over

If it wasn't forced by budgetary constraints it's pretty strange that all of Cannon, McCabe and O'Donnell were let go, especially with Carey departing as well. Options really are looking pretty thin at prop and lock.

Josh Wycherley and Sean O'Connor (if he's not going to be swapped in to Munster's Euro squad when Holloway leaves) might be worth going after as medical jokers.

tobdom

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

The doc had far too many pointless talking heads like your man from the Indo and not enough of the interesting stuff like the behind the scenes footage.

Agreed.... nice to have it all the same and some interesting insights & stuff, but it definitely did have the feel of being partly a promo for OTB, because so much of it was just clips of their coverage of Connnacht from throughout the year. But still, as I said, nice to have it and I enjoyed it!

Henry Ford III

The Friend Zone

I was really surprised at how off the pace Connacht were last weekend.

The game was effectively over at half time

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I was really surprised at how off the pace Connacht were last weekend.

The game was effectively over at half time

Considering they were with out arguably the first choice 1,3,4,5 and 19 from what the third minute of the match it’s not too surprising. The depth just isn’t as strong as Leinsters

FACECUTTR

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I was really surprised at how off the pace Connacht were last weekend.

The game was effectively over at half time

Really off the pace. Second row and front row were under serious pressure. Even if we could field a full strength team Leinster would have been out of sight. They remind me of when Schmit was in charge.

RobbieRuns

FACECUTTR wrote: »

Really off the pace. Second row and front row were under serious pressure. Even if we could field a full strength team Leinster would have been out of sight. They remind me of when Schmit was in charge.

Huge difference in strength of depth of squads. Huge.

Dubinusa

Some Like It TOH

The depth level is quite large. I wonder if Connacht would look to take a loaner 2nd row.
I don't know the status of Dillane, Thornbury or Roux, but maybe getting Oisin Dowling from Leinster or Jack Regan or Matt Dalton from Ulster for a 3 month loan, would really help. Maybe Sean O Connor from Munster.
The prospect of Montpelier is already daunting with so many injuries.
A young hungry developing lad could really help.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Dubinusa wrote: »

The depth level is quite large. I wonder if Connacht would look to take a loaner 2nd row.
I don't know the status of Dillane, Thornbury or Roux, but maybe getting Oisin Dowling from Leinster or Jack Regan or Matt Dalton from Ulster for a 3 month loan, would really help. Maybe Sean O Connor from Munster.
The prospect of Montpelier is already daunting with so many injuries.
A young hungry developing lad could really help.

Apparently they’ve looked for a loan deal but there’s wasn’t anyone available, think it was on the craggy rugby Patreon podcast.

The second rows you’ve named would all do the job if Connacht could get them though. Would kind of be a joke if Connacht could get in a Munster lock on loan after they had to sign Holloway as cover.

KBurke85

The Friend Zone

Peter McCabe back training with Connacht

kingofthekong

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

If it wasn't forced by budgetary constraints it's pretty strange that all of Cannon, McCabe and O'Donnell were let go, especially with Carey departing as well. Options really are looking pretty thin at prop and lock.

Josh Wycherley and Sean O'Connor (if he's not going to be swapped in to Munster's Euro squad when Holloway leaves) might be worth going after as medical jokers.

Should look at some of Leinsters locks Like Dunne or Ryan might be too early for Ryan

MarinersBlues

Mul, it's over

KBurke85 wrote: »

Peter McCabe back training with Connacht

It was ridiculous that he was let go.

KBurke85

KBurke85 wrote: »

Peter McCabe back training with Connacht

Saw that alright. Copeland posted it on Instagram if anyone is interested

Another interesting thing I spotted.
Bundee looks to have updated his profile pic on Instagram.
He now has an animated picture of himself in an Ireland jersey.
The conspiracist within me, thinks that this might be a good sign.

Positive, he has signed a Central Contract with Ireland

Negative, it could be with another province

Realistic, the IRFU have given him a central contract to stay with Connacht. I really do believe that the IRFU want us to have a player on a Central contract. The tried with Henshaw. I believe he was only offered a central contract if he stayed with Connacht

RobbieRuns

Crazy when you think of it that Connacht as a province who have qualified for the HC have only one centrally contracted player. Mad.

KBurke85

The Friend Zone

RobbieRuns wrote: »

Crazy when you think of it that Connacht as a province who have qualified for the HC have only one centrally contracted player. Mad.

To be fair we currently have none and qualified with none

RobbieRuns

KBurke85 wrote: »

To be fair we currently have none and qualified with none

Bundee not on a central contract?

KBurke85

The Friend Zone

RobbieRuns wrote: »

Bundee not on a central contract?

Nope hopefully if he renews he will be. When he signed his last contract it was just a standard one

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Tbh kinda surprised at how long it took to get McCabe back involved, McAllister has been injured since the dragons game

RobbieRuns

KBurke85 wrote: »

Nope hopefully if he renews he will be. When he signed his last contract it was just a standard one

I would beg to differ

Squidgy Black

RobbieRuns wrote: »

I would beg to differ

I had heard it was a significant contract, but not a central contract directly with the IRFU instead with the IRFU giving Connacht an additional budget to allow it.

siltirocker

Deleted User wrote: »

Realistic, the IRFU have given him a central contract to stay with Connacht. I really do believe that the IRFU want us to have a player on a Central contract. The tried with Henshaw. I believe he was only offered a central contract if he stayed with Connacht

Vice versa there I believe. Henshaw was offered a central contract. . . but not at Connacht. When Henshaw went to Leinster it was on a central contract.
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/connacht-confirm-robbie-henshaw-will-leave-the-province-1.2534458?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fsport%2Frugby%2Fconnacht-confirm-robbie-henshaw-will-leave-the-province-1.2534458

Utopia Parkway

Deleted User wrote: »

Saw that alright. Copeland posted it on Instagram if anyone is interested

Another interesting thing I spotted.
Bundee looks to have updated his profile pic on Instagram.
He now has an animated picture of himself in an Ireland jersey.
The conspiracist within me, thinks that this might be a good sign.

Positive, he has signed a Central Contract with Ireland

Negative, it could be with another province

Can't see them moving Bundee to either Leinster or Munster. Leinster already have more than enough. Munster will have De Allende next season. Ulster possibly but if he stays in Ireland I imagine he will be staying at Connacht.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Can't see them moving Bundee to either Leinster or Munster. Leinster already have more than enough. Munster will have De Allende next season. Ulster possibly but if he stays in Ireland I imagine he will be staying at Connacht.

Yeah I don’t think there’s a fear of him going to another province. The fans love him here, seen by the reaction to him coming on last Friday and I think he loves the fans back

Squidgy Black

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Can't see them moving Bundee to either Leinster or Munster. Leinster already have more than enough. Munster will have De Allende next season. Ulster possibly but if he stays in Ireland I imagine he will be staying at Connacht.

Can't imagine he'd be going to Munster considering all the noise about them signed De Allende. Ulster would be an unlikely landing spot too considering they've always been fairly loaded at centre but who knows.

b.gud

Bundee may leave Connacht when his contract is up but I reckon the chance of him going to another province are pretty close to 0

Richie_Rich89

Mul, it's over

kingofthekong wrote: »

Should look at some of Leinsters locks Like Dunne or Ryan might be too early for Ryan

Ryan's just come off the U20s. Wouldn't Connacht have their own guy at about that stage of development in Murray? Is he fit?

Dunne is injured, I believe. Ryan and Dunne are well placed to ultimately be important players for Leinster when Toner and Fardy are no longer around, so they probably wouldn't want to disrupt that anyway. Oisin Dowling might be a possibility, as Dubinusa suggests. Hard to see where the minutes are going to come from for him at Leinster.

I suggested O'Connor because he's a bit more developed and seems on the outer a bit at Munster, so more chance of it being made permanent if it works out well.

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

I know Copeland played a bit in 2nd row for Munster, anyone know how many games and how he went there? I think it was only a handful of games but might be mistaken.

Dubinusa

Some Like It TOH

I forgot that Munster signed a medical joker. Bizarre really as they have O Connor, O Shea Holland and Wycherly.
Anyhow Dowling getting a run out at Connacht would be good for both Leinster and Connacht.
Who knows, he may turn out as a signing too. He also covers 6.
So far this season, Robb has been the player that has impressed me the most. He's like a tank, seems to get over the gainline every time. Hope he stays injury free.

connemara man

The Friend Zone

TBH all the names mentioned might be decent player's in the future but Connacht are down 3 international standard Locks.

If Leinster were down Fardy, Toner and Ryan
Munster down Bierne, Kleyn, and Holland
Ulster down Henderson, Treadwell and Alan O'Connor at the same time other teams third choice or academy player's wouldn't be in the conversation as replacements

And that's not to begrudge the quality of player they might get in an injury crisis but it wouldn't be a someone that isn't ready for the European stage.