Connacht Team Talk Thread V - The Friend Zone

Wegians89 · 22-12-2018 10:46pm

The Friend Zone

I hope injures to Horwitz, toh, bealham and Buckley aren’t serious. I feel Connacht have the ability to get ten points from the next two matches but they’ll need everyone fit and firing. Sob and Healy were huge loses today.

Utopia Parkway · 22-12-2018 10:49pm

Kelleher missing touch was sadly the big one towards the end there.

tobdom · 22-12-2018 10:54pm

Wegians89 wrote: »

I hope injures to Horwitz, toh, bealham and Buckley aren’t serious. I feel Connacht have the ability to get ten points from the next two matches but they’ll need everyone fit and firing. Sob and Healy were huge loses today.

I'd take 8 and be very happy with it! Especially after getting 2 tonight, where (before the teams were named) I would have been satisfied with 1...... Obviously not after how the match turned out tonight, but you know what I mean! 8 points from these 3 matches would be a good return

Diabhal Beag · 22-12-2018 10:57pm

I was there for All Blacks in 2013 and this was much worse. Sickening to be there in person at the end.

ClanofLams · 22-12-2018 11:04pm

Mul, it's over

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

I was there for All Blacks in 2013 and this was much worse. Sickening to be there in person at the end.

Just said the same thing. Wasn’t at all blacks match but this is definitely more sick

Buer · 22-12-2018 11:11pm

Not trying to be condescending but 2 match points is 2 more than most teams leave the RDS with. Connacht can leave with a lot more than a brave defeat today. They close the gap on Munster slighty despite having the tougher fixture this weekend.

A lot of positives to take from a sickening result. The Connacht back row was excellent on the night. Really able to mix it up with some good players and looked equal to the likes of Leavy and Ruddock. Blade is quietly impressing this season too. For a small lad, he has a solid level of physicality.

troyzer · 22-12-2018 11:12pm

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Sick. 17 points up with 12 minutes to go. Have to close that out.

Somebody missed a tackle out on the wing on the near side there in the final phase that proved very costly. Leinster were going backwards and suddenly they made 20 yards from that missed tackle alone.

So many players flying off their feet during that last phase it was ridiculous but Clancy was never going to end the match on one of those up in Dublin. You could see Bundee saying numerous times to Clancy that they are going off their feet.

Ah come on. Connacht players were miles offside and wrestling for the ball well off their feet.

Those last minute try line phases always have loads of fouls from both sides. A referee in general will never end a game like that on a penalty unless it's blatant, it doesn't matter that it was in the RDS.

ClanofLams · 22-12-2018 11:16pm

Mul, it's over

Buer wrote: »

Not trying to be condescending but 2 match points is 2 more than most teams leave the RDS with. Connacht can leave with a lot more than a brave defeat today. They close the gap on Munster slighty despite having the tougher fixture this weekend.

A lot of positives to take from a sickening result. The Connacht back row was excellent on the night. Really able to mix it up with some good players and looked equal to the likes of Leavy and Ruddock. Blade is quietly impressing this season too. For a small lad, he has a solid level of physicality.

True. But 17 up with 14/15 to go, gotta win from there.

Blade been playing well all season. Was it him who kicked ball away before second last try? I’m not sure if Mitchell was on at that stage. Whoever kicked it away was a very poor decision, just keep ball and kill another couple of minutes.

connachta · 22-12-2018 11:21pm

Buckley was really injured?

Hope TOH and Bealham are precautionary

Burkie1203 · 22-12-2018 11:26pm

Mul, it's over

connachta wrote: »

Buckley was really injured?

Hop TOH and Bealham are precautionary

Buckley looked to be limping and also holding his ribs when getting treatment shortly before he went off

ToH had an ice pack on his calf judging by clip of him in dressing room before the game

connachta · 22-12-2018 11:51pm

Wegians89 wrote: »

Angus Lloyd signs on loan for the season

https://www.the42.ie/angus-lloyd-connacht-4412079-Dec2018/

We're safe here. Hope he does well vs Sale!

Wegians89 · 23-12-2018 12:10am

The Friend Zone

connachta wrote: »

https://www.the42.ie/angus-lloyd-connacht-4412079-Dec2018/

We're safe here. Hope he does well vs Sale!

Can they even register a player for Europe now? They already used kerins. Feel there was someone else too? Can only make three changes and one has to be a front row I think. It’ll be tough to pick between Daly or Lloyd.

Wegians89 · 23-12-2018 12:20am

The Friend Zone

tobdom wrote: »

I'd take 8 and be very happy with it! Especially after getting 2 tonight, where (before the teams were named) I would have been satisfied with 1...... Obviously not after how the match turned out tonight, but you know what I mean! 8 points from these 3 matches would be a good return

I’d take the 8 too just think the ability is there to get ten. Defense has come on leaps and bounds this season and there’s some very nice attacking moves coming into play lately. I really feel Connacht can end the interpros comfortably as the second best team in Ireland.

Taking it back to the conference. Munster managed to pick up a losing bonus point While both Cardiff and ospreys won they’re matches. Injury’s permitting I’d expect Connacht to win next week and Munster to lose again which could leave Connacht second in the conference before facing Munster in Galway potentially putting a few points between the sides.

Glasgow lost but I think they’re a little out of out reach atm

tobdom · 23-12-2018 12:39am

Yea defence has come on a lot since last year, but still not where it needs to be. Think v Ulster could be another high scoring game, not so much against Munster, but if they lose again to Leinster, then they'll be gunning for a result.

nice_guy80 · 23-12-2018 12:50am

Kicking skills were poor, apart frtim Cartys try.

Get the fecking ball out of touch!

Wegians89 · 23-12-2018 1:44am

The Friend Zone

nice_guy80 wrote: »

Kicking skills were poor, apart frtim Cartys try.

Get the fecking ball out of touch!

Carty has a brilliant game and game it his all but I felt a change at ten could have been done with 60/65 minutes gone. Fitzgerald is talented and has a bright future but I think he was too “raw” to throw into that scenario. If Horwitz had been fit I think he would have brought a different element and tempo just as things were going a bit wrong j

simongurnick · 23-12-2018 1:51am

Connacht stick it up their jumper in the last three minutes they win that game. Swinging it out the liNE was kamikaze

ClanofLams · 23-12-2018 1:44pm

Mul, it's over

TOH and Horwitz getting injured really had an impact I reckon. Connacht should have won anyway and can only blame themselves but being able to bring on Horwitz and Aki with twenty to go would have been a big help.

Dubinusa · 23-12-2018 4:41pm

Some Like It TOH

Ulster most likely will send a much changed side. Some of them are running on fumes.
Certainly, Connacht have a deeper squad and they should win imo.

Wegians89 · 23-12-2018 6:47pm

The Friend Zone

I’d love to see what Schmidt and Farrell could do with kellehers defence. His defence has come on recently but he’s still a bit off.

MarinersBlues · 23-12-2018 8:58pm

Mul, it's over

Wegians89 · 23-12-2018 9:02pm

The Friend Zone

MarinersBlues wrote: »

Probably should include Munster in this, but for the time being

Connacht 32| Ospreys 32| Cardiff 27
Ulster (H)4| Dragons (A)5 |Scarlets (A)0
Munster (H)4| Cardiff (H) 4|Ospreys (A)0
Cardiff (A)4| Glasgow (A) 0|Connacht (H)1
Cheetahs (H)5| Ulster (H) 4|Glasgow (H)0
Glasgow (A)0| Munster (H) 1|Edinburgh (A)1
Ospreys (H)4| Connacht (A) 1|Kings (H)5
Treviso (H)4| Dragons (H) 5|Scarlets (H)1
Zebre (A)5| Cheetahs (A) 5|Munster (A)0
Cardiff (H)4| Kings (A) 5|Connacht (A)1
Munster (A)0| Cardiff (A) 4|Ospreys (H)1

Connacht 66
Ospreys 66
Cardiff 37

Note - it has already been argued that I may be overestimating Ospreys, particularly in the two South African games

Hopefully ulster could beat them too

ClanofLams · 23-12-2018 9:55pm

Mul, it's over

Would expect Connacht to get something out of Glasgow away. It’s during the 6N so Glasgow will be without half their squad

troyzer · 24-12-2018 12:35am

ClanofLams wrote: »

Would expect Connacht to get something out of Glasgow away. It’s during the 6N so Glasgow will be without half their squad

Thankfully that's never a problem for Connacht.

ClanofLams · 24-12-2018 12:57am

Mul, it's over

troyzer wrote: »

Thankfully that's never a problem for Connacht.

Jeez, you're sharp.

connachta · 24-12-2018 11:05am

troyzer wrote: »

Thankfully that's never a problem for Connacht.

They got something in Dublin, 2 good points, I'd get that without any hesitation in Glasgow

59 points is my personal target for a home european play-off vs Edinburgh

Burkie1203 · 24-12-2018 1:17pm

Mul, it's over

connachta wrote: »

They got something in Dublin, 2 good points, I'd get that without any hesitation in Glasgow

59 points is my personal target for a home european play-off vs Edinburgh

I thought there was no euro playoff?

ClanofLams · 24-12-2018 1:18pm

Mul, it's over

Forget the 4th place playoff. Second in the conference for a home playoff should be the aim.

its_phil · 24-12-2018 1:35pm

Mul, it's over

troyzer wrote: »

ClanofLams wrote: »

Would expect Connacht to get something out of Glasgow away. It’s during the 6N so Glasgow will be without half their squad

Thankfully that's never a problem for Connacht.

Stay classy

Wegians89 · 24-12-2018 1:39pm

The Friend Zone

ClanofLams wrote: »

Forget the 4th place playoff. Second in the conference for a home playoff should be the aim.

Exactly how this should be the aim and is very possible

Connacht Team Talk Thread V - The Friend Zone

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