Connacht Team Talk Thread V - The Friend Zone

Robbo

I can't believe it's not Butler

Shouldn't Niyi be back for this one?

Zzippy

Team I'd like to see:

Buckley, Delahunt/Heff, Bealham
Thornbury, Cannon,
McKeon/SOB, Fainga'a, Butler
Marmion/Blade, Carty
Farrell, Godwin,
Healy, Kelleher, TOH/Leader

evil_seed

The Friend Zone

Zzippy wrote: »

Team I'd like to see:

Buckley, Delahunt/Heff, Bealham
Thornbury, Cannon,
McKeon/SOB, Fainga'a, Butler
Marmion/Blade, Carty
Farrell, Godwin,
Healy, Kelleher, TOH/Leader

Fainga'a would be wasted at 8, but agree. I think we'll see Ultan after his cameo at the weekend

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Dillane, blade, carty, marmion and Farrell all pictured at Connacht training today. Presume all available.

Robb, niyi and Copeland also training, looks like sob isn’t.

Zzippy

evil_seed wrote: »

Fainga'a would be wasted at 8, but agree. I think we'll see Ultan after his cameo at the weekend

I meant Fainga'a at 7 and Butler at 8, sorry. I was going on numerical order but can see how it could be read the other way.

connachta

Gallagher ahead of Cannon I'd have

stephen_n

testtech05 wrote: »

Neil Francis will love that!

Franno doesn't deal in stats, or facts... or reality most of the time tbh.

Zzippy

connachta wrote: »

Gallagher ahead of Cannon I'd have

Does Thornbury call the lineout? Himself and Gallagher are quite callow in terms of experience, that's why I went with Cannon. He probably has more experience at that facet of the game.

b.gud

Buckley confirmed as signed on for another 2 years https://www.connachtrugby.ie/connacht-confirm-contract-extension-for-prop-denis-buckley/

Zzippy

Yes!!

https://twitter.com/connachtrugby/status/1095336306761097217

troyzer

Zzippy wrote: »

Yes!!

https://twitter.com/connachtrugby/status/1095336306761097217

If you listen carefully, you can hear the hopes and dreams of a thousand Ulstermen shatter.

This is great news for Connacht.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Zzippy wrote: »

Does Thornbury call the lineout? Himself and Gallagher are quite callow in terms of experience, that's why I went with Cannon. He probably has more experience at that facet of the game.

Remember reading an article before on the 42 saying roux, cannon and thornbury were working hard with Duffy on calling line outs. Don’t know if he has any in game experience.

its_phil

Mul, it's over

Zzippy wrote: »

Yes!!

https://twitter.com/connachtrugby/status/1095336306761097217

Get the Borat gif out.

Lovely news

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Excellent retention this year, really positive sign to be keeping guys who had plenty of options.

Is Thornbury fit? He missed Cardiff game with injury

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

ClanofLams wrote: »

Excellent retention this year, really positive sign to be keeping guys who had plenty of options.

Is Thornbury fit? He missed Cardiff game with injury

No sign of thornbury in the training pictures. It’ll probably be ultan and cannon starting with Gallagher on the bench. Gallagher was calling lineouts for the Irish under 20s so would be interesting to see could he push on for Connacht with that skill in his pocket

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

According to the Irish Times this morning, Friend said the bulk of next seasons recruitment and retention is complete, there will be a few more signings to announce, including replacements for Conor Carey and Cian Kelleher.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

ClanofLams wrote: »

According to the Irish Times this morning, Friend said the bulk of next seasons recruitment and retention is complete, there will be a few more signings to announce, including replacements for Conor Carey and Cian Kelleher.

Does that mean delahunt is off ?

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Wegians89 wrote: »

Does that mean delahunt is off ?

Doubt it, hopefully not anyway. Seems like a straightforward answer to a question saying yeah most of it done, bit to do. Just thought the bit confirming new tight head was interesting.

If they can get a good one and Delahunt signed up, would be a very strong front row sorted for next season.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

ClanofLams wrote: »

Doubt it, hopefully not anyway. Seems like a straightforward answer to a question saying yeah most of it done, bit to do. Just thought the bit confirming new tight head was interesting.

If they can get a good one and Delahunt signed up, would be a very strong front row sorted for next season.

Yeah that’s fair enough, really could see delahunt going though. Good enough to be playing every week but lots of competition in Connacht, might be an opening up in Leinster too.

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Wegians89 wrote: »

Yeah that’s fair enough, really could see delahunt going though. Good enough to be playing every week but lots of competition in Connacht, might be an opening up in Leinster too.

Yeah agree he’s good enough to be playing every week and it’s very tight between himself, Heffernan and McCartney.

Leinster still have Byrne and Tracy behind Cronin though? Don’t see either of them leaving, Byrne seems to be getting more game time this season. Cian Kellehers brother is coming through and meant to be highly rated too. Hopefully they’re not looking to make signings though the move wouldn’t shock me either.

Zzippy

Presumably a good few players have signed on again but they will drip feed the announcements, especially with season ticket renewals coming up. Hopefully Delahunt is one of them...

Mr Tickle

Wegians89 wrote: »

Yeah that’s fair enough, really could see delahunt going though. Good enough to be playing every week but lots of competition in Connacht, might be an opening up in Leinster too.

It's a real shame though. Hooker is such a position of depth for Connacht. There are three options, all very capable and with no clear and obvious pecking order. A nice mix of ages too.
The fact that they rotate so often has probably helped them from a player welfare point of view.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Zzippy wrote: »

Presumably a good few players have signed on again but they will drip feed the announcements, especially with season ticket renewals coming up. Hopefully Delahunt is one of them...

Hadnt tought of it that way. I could see s few academy lads getting promoted too, de buitlear, Burke and Fitzgerald could all be promoted to senior contracts.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Independent claiming that Bristol were one of the teams after Buckley

connachta

Wegians89 wrote: »

Independent claiming that Bristol were one of the teams after Buckley

Poor Pat:D

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Wegians89 wrote: »

Independent claiming that Bristol were one of the teams after Buckley

Yeah the 42 said that also, themselves and Ulster, two of his former coaches in Lam and McFarland.

Zzippy

ClanofLams wrote: »

Yeah the 42 said that also, themselves and Ulster, two of his former coaches in Lam and McFarland.

Hard to blame them, and would be surprising if they weren't!

evil_seed

The Friend Zone

That's a big vote of confidence on Buckley too IMO. Ex coaches trying to sign you like that

connachta

Delahunt should be kept. McCartney is 34, final year next season I guess, and less gametime. Murphy didn't break through either. Shane might even be 1st choice...

I'd love
1) Delahunt (work to do on throws though)
2) Heffernan (good impact player)
3) Donnellan originally from Galway! https://www.yorkshirecarnegie.com/news/article/dylan-donnellan-excited-by-yorkshire-carnegie-opportunity/
4) McCartney, cameos and player-coach as "freak"

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

connachta wrote: »

Delahunt should be kept. McCartney is 34, final year next season I guess, and less gametime. Murphy didn't break through either. Shane might even be 1st choice...

I'd love
1) Delahunt (work to do on throws though)
2) Heffernan (good impact player)
3) Donnellan originally from Galway! https://www.yorkshirecarnegie.com/news/article/dylan-donnellan-excited-by-yorkshire-carnegie-opportunity/
4) McCartney, cameos and player-coach as "freak"

Would you not think Tierney Martin will be pushing on in the next year or two ?