Connacht Team Talk Thread V - The Friend Zone

Burkie1203

Mul, it's over

Wegians89 wrote: »

If that was the team I’ll be on the train up to Dublin with a few beers on hand. A team Connacht could beat.

Or lose by 25

troyzer

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Wegians89 wrote: »

If that was the team I’ll be on the train up to Dublin with a few beers on hand. A team Connacht could beat.

Or lose by 25

Yeah, I wouldn't be confident at all as a Connacht fan playing that.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Or lose by 25

Can’t see that much being in it. Especially if the likes of Sexton, ringrose furlong and vdf aren’t included.

troyzer

Wegians89 wrote: »

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Or lose by 25

Can’t see that much being in it. Especially if the likes of Sexton, ringrose furlong and vdf aren’t included.

I can't see Connacht sending a team up locked and loaded though. Their chances of winning in the RDS aren't great and they might be better off prioritising the other inter pros.

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Or lose by 25

The last time there was a huge margin in a Connacht Leinster fixture it wasn't Leinster who were on the winning side

troyzer

Bazzo wrote: »

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Or lose by 25

The last time there was a huge margin in a Connacht Leinster fixture it wasn't Leinster who were on the winning side

Was that the year we won the double and Connacht didn't even qualify for Europe?

Seriously though, Connacht have two home interpros over Christmas. They'd be mad to risk their full team on a game to the RDS.

Burkie1203

Mul, it's over

Bazzo wrote: »

The last time there was a huge margin in a Connacht Leinster fixture it wasn't Leinster who were on the winning side

Connacht 0-47 Leinster *

That was in September














* It was the women tho

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

troyzer wrote: »

I can't see Connacht sending a team up locked and loaded though. Their chances of winning in the RDS aren't great and they might be better off prioritising the other inter pros.

I’d expect Connacht to send the best team available up. Most Connacht big guns have had a week or two off over the last few weeks. And there has been some brilliant squad building done where 3/4 changes each week won’t effect the quality of the teams preformance. Something like:
1 Buckley
2 heffernan
3 bealham
4 dillane/ thornbury
5 roux
6 sob
7 butler
8 Boyle
9 blade
10 carty
11 healy
12 bundee
13 Godwin/ Farrell
14 kelleher/ leader
15 toh
16 McCartney/ delahunt
17 McCabe
18 Carey
19 thornbury/dillane
20 faingaa
21 Mitchell
22 Horwitz
23 leader/ Godwin/ kelleher

troyzer

Wegians89 wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

I can't see Connacht sending a team up locked and loaded though. Their chances of winning in the RDS aren't great and they might be better off prioritising the other inter pros.

I’d expect Connacht to send the best team available up. Most Connacht big guns have had a week or two off over the last few weeks. And there has been some brilliant squad building done where 3/4 changes each week won’t effect the quality of the teams preformance. Something like:
1 Buckley
2 heffernan
3 bealham
4 dillane/ thornbury
5 roux
6 sob
7 butler
8 Boyle
9 blade
10 carty
11 healy
12 bundee
13 Godwin/ Farrell
14 kelleher/ leader
15 toh
16 McCartney/ delahunt
17 McCabe
18 Carey
19 thornbury/dillane
20 faingaa
21 Mitchell
22 Horwitz
23 leader/ Godwin/ kelleher

I wouldn't fancy that team against the Leinster one I named, in the RDS, in prime time.

I might stick Lowe in actually. He hasn't played a lot and he's such an arsehole to play against.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

troyzer wrote: »

I wouldn't fancy that team against the Leinster one I named, in the RDS, in prime time.

I might stick Lowe in actually. He hasn't played a lot and he's such an arsehole to play against.

Lowe would make a considerable difference. Out of curiosity have you watched much of Connacht this season? Don’t think many have but there’s a lot of good work being done

troyzer

Wegians89 wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

I wouldn't fancy that team against the Leinster one I named, in the RDS, in prime time.

I might stick Lowe in actually. He hasn't played a lot and he's such an arsehole to play against.

Lowe would make a considerable difference. Out of curiosity have you watched much of Connacht this season? Don’t think many have but there’s a lot of good work being done

Not really. I was at the Leinster game and I watched the Glasgow, Edinburgh, Ulster and Cheetahs game.

I'm not afraid of what I've seen to be honest although they have substantially kicked on since last year. It's just that Leinster are too good. Even the kids are ripping teams apart.

Bridge93

Surely home to potentially a weakened ulster would be a better target than away in Dublin? And given munster are a pool rival that should pretty obviously take priority. Or do people see Connacht going flat out in 3 games?

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

troyzer wrote: »

Not really. I was at the Leinster game and I watched the Glasgow, Edinburgh, Ulster and Cheetahs game.

I'm not afraid of what I've seen to be honest although they have substantially kicked on since last year. It's just that Leinster are too good. Even the kids are ripping teams apart.

I actually think Leinster are a good bit off last year. Although teams are probably upping their game a good bit when playing Leinster because of them being the double winners. I think beating a 3rd string ospreys team and a dragons team that have been muck all year with a few kids has been blown up a small bit. It is impressive but opposition were beaten before taking the pitch.

troyzer

Bridge93 wrote: »

Surely home to potentially a weakened ulster would be a better target than away in Dublin? And given munster are a pool rival that should pretty obviously take priority. Or do people see Connacht going flat out in 3 games?

This is what I'm trying to say. From a strategic perspective, it doesn't really make sense coming to Dublin loaded.

Connacht's priority should be getting into the playoffs and Europe, everything else is subordinate. Including the chance to have a swipe at a weakened Leinster in Dublin.

Prioritising the playoffs and Europe means targeting TBP wins at home and maybe writing off Leinster in the RDS.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Bridge93 wrote: »

Surely home to potentially a weakened ulster would be a better target than away in Dublin? And given munster are a pool rival that should pretty obviously take priority. Or do people see Connacht going flat out in 3 games?

I’d see flat out in all three yeah. Tiny bit of rotation for each but nothing to much. The key players have had tests over the last few weeks. If Connacht could get three results in the interpros you’d be fault confident of finishing in the top three of the conference, would even be in second place. Could then rotate a bit in challenge cup as has been done all season

troyzer

Wegians89 wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

Not really. I was at the Leinster game and I watched the Glasgow, Edinburgh, Ulster and Cheetahs game.

I'm not afraid of what I've seen to be honest although they have substantially kicked on since last year. It's just that Leinster are too good. Even the kids are ripping teams apart.

I actually think Leinster are a good bit off last year. Although teams are probably upping their game a good bit when playing Leinster because of them being the double winners. I think beating a 3rd string ospreys team and a dragons team that have been muck all year with a few kids has been blown up a small bit. It is impressive but opposition were beaten before taking the pitch.

I agree that Leinster haven't reached the peaks of last year......yet.

But even last year they only reached beast mode towards the end of the year. I can see that happening again.

Ospreys were missing their internationals but other than that it was basically a full team with quite a few seconds obviously, same with Dragons. They certainly weren't holding back and playing their reserves in those games, they knew Leinster would be severely understrength and selected a team to win.

I can see Connacht suffering a similar, demoralising defeat.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

troyzer wrote: »

I agree that Leinster haven't reached the peaks of last year......yet.

But even last year they only reached beast mode towards the end of the year. I can see that happening again.

Ospreys were missing their internationals but other than that it was basically a full team with quite a few seconds obviously, same with Dragons. They certainly weren't holding back and playing their reserves in those games, they knew Leinster would be severely understrength and selected a team to win.

I can see Connacht suffering a similar, demoralising defeat.

Look I’ll admit if Connacht are 5% off mentally going into the match there’s every chance Leinster will win by a big margin no matter what team lines up for either side. I just can’t see this Connacht team on the run they’re on not being 110 percent Ready for it both physically and mentally. I think it’ll be a very close match and think Connacht could do it

connachta

3 games in a row, what squad can we use for all these 200 + minutes?

Those who were rested for Europe:

-Buckley
-Dillane
-Boyle
-Butler
-Farrell
-TOH
- I'd add Blade, Godwin, and Carty even if they play 20 over these 2 last week-ends

Those who were rested in South Africa

-Roux
-Bealham

Mix of both

-Aki (3 rest games coud play 3 now!)

Those who played but still can because they are just back from injury

-Thornbury
- SOB
- Masterson

Those who are quite preserved by rotation

-The 3 hookers
- Fainga'a

So I think we can enlist 13-14 of our main players over the 3 games, which is very important, good squad management from the staff!

Only 2 issues :

Cian Kelleher : played 809 minutes this season

Matt Healy : played 720 minutes this season

Those two won't play every Interpro minutes.

Leader should start 1 game as 14 for Kell. But we're a bit stuck to rest Healy. De Buitlear fitness and abalities in such big game is a question. We might choose Godwin as 11, a bet too...

connachta

It means

LH : Buckley starts 3 matches, McCabe 17 for the 3 games
TH : Bealham starts 3 matches, Carey 17 for the 3 games (don't think McCoy did enough to move him yet)
n°2 : No idea what the picking order is, I'd give each of them 1 start 1 sub position!
4) Dillane starts 2, Thornbury starts 1
5) Roux starts 2, Thornbury starts 1
6) SOB starts 2, Masterson starts 1
7) Butler starts 2, Fainga'a starts 1
n°8 Boyle starts 2, Copeland starts 1


9) Blade starts 3 matches, Mitchell 21 for the 3 games
10) Carty starts 3 matches, Horwitz 22 for the 3 games (still more versatile and experienced compared to Fitz)
11) Healy starts 2, Godwin starts 1 on the wing
12) Aki starts 3
13) Farrell starts 2, Godwin starts 1 as 13
14) Kelleher starts 2, Leader starts 1
15) TOH starts 3

19) Thornbury/Dillane/Roux 1 bench each
20) Fainga'a twice on the bench, the most impressive of Masterson/Connolly/Copeland for the last bench spot

23) Godwin 1, Leader 1 or 2, C.Joyce or T. Daly maybe once if coming.

stephen_n

Connacht will come and throw everything they’ve got at Leinster. Thing is I wouldn’t be surprised to see Leinster put out a stronger team than Troyzer’s as they will then have a two week break. I think Sexton and Ringrose will start and possibly Healy and Furlong too. JGP May drop out too, as we haven’t got a lot of cover on the wings.

troyzer

stephen_n wrote: »

Connacht will come and throw everything they’ve got at Leinster. Thing is I wouldn’t be surprised to see Leinster put out a stronger team than Troyzer’s as they will then have a two week break. I think Sexton and Ringrose will start and possibly Healy and Furlong too. JGP May drop out too, as we haven’t got a lot of cover on the wings.

I would be flabbergasted if Sexton and Ringrose played. Both have had a lot of minutes and Sexton needs his rest, he's an old man.

I might have gone with Healy and Furlong but both looked a bit banged up after Bath.

Zzippy

Leinster will pick a strong enough team, they will certainly not risk being overturned at home. Away to Munster is when players will get a rest.

KBurke85

The Friend Zone

https://connachttribune.ie/plans-lodged-for-e30m-connacht-rugby-stadium-030/

Timeline for stadium expansion

Zzippy

Wow, this is the last season of rugby on grass so. 4G from next summer...

MarinersBlues

Mul, it's over

Powers have gone up with a 18 point handicap at the weekend!

I will be waiting for squad updates/team naming but that seems rather excessive.

I would have it around 12 points to Leinster at the moment.
And that is if it is dry.

Evil_g

Mul, it's over

Zzippy wrote: »

Wow, this is the last season of rugby on grass so. 4G from next summer...

The pitch is probably the only element of the entire set up that's already top quality. Suppose they need it to train on whilst the back pitch is done.

Who's paying for all this anyway? Or has that little wrinkle yet to be ironed out?

Zzippy

Evil_g wrote: »

The pitch is probably the only element of the entire set up that's already top quality. Suppose they need it to train on whilst the back pitch is done.

Who's paying for all this anyway? Or has that little wrinkle yet to be ironed out?

I hear connemara man won the Euromillions and is doing a JP McManus on it. Jerseys will carry the Sporting Conamara logo and he will fly in by helicopter from the Aran Islands, where he has bought out the rights to the Craggy Island podcast and is actually broadcasting from Craggy Island.

That or they've been given a sign from government that a grant is forthcoming...

typhoony

The sportsground is one of the best grounds in the league as far as drainage, not a great fan of 4g pitches.

Redo91

You've got a Friend in me

They had to go with a 4G or hybrid pitch as they are losing the training pitch with the expansion. Good and all as the pitch is it obviously wouldn’t hold up to being used 5/6 days a week between training and matches.

Utopia Parkway

typhoony wrote: »

The sportsground is one of the best grounds in the league as far as drainage

One of the advantages of being on top of a hill.