Connacht Vs Ulster build up thread ( insert smart joke about both provinces here)

Burkie1203

connachta wrote: »

That's exactly what I've been trying to say for 10 days.


And the gap, way thinner than most think, may be null or the reverse tomorrow. If you add SOB and Butler, Connacht may have the better back-row. Same was said against Leavy/Doris/Ruddock. Same will be said vs any Munster combo, except the best alltogether (TOD/POM/Stander)


And it's about back-row, not overall "green-glasses". As I pointed, Delahunt throws and Leader under high-balls may cost Connacht the game, with more likelihood..

On the one hand you big up the Connacht players. On the other you see finishing mid table as a target. Doesn't stack up

troyzer

Burkie1203 wrote: »

connachta wrote: »

That's exactly what I've been trying to say for 10 days.


And the gap, way thinner than most think, may be null or the reverse tomorrow. If you add SOB and Butler, Connacht may have the better back-row. Same was said against Leavy/Doris/Ruddock. Same will be said vs any Munster combo, except the best alltogether (TOD/POM/Stander)


And it's about back-row, not overall "green-glasses". As I pointed, Delahunt throws and Leader under high-balls may cost Connacht the game, with more likelihood..

On the one hand you big up the Connacht players. On the other you see finishing mid table as a target. Doesn't stack up

Absolutely wrecked.

connachta

Burkie1203 wrote: »

On the one hand you big up the Connacht players. On the other you see finishing mid table as a target. Doesn't stack up

Absolutely no contradiction


Connacht main team is a middle table team, on a par with Ulster, other middle table team.
And on a par with Munster or Leinster "A+" teams.
That's good enough to qualify for European Cup.

Back-row is probably one of the strongest position where Connacht matches other big clubs. Scrumhalf and Centre too. It doesn't mean the rest is the exact same.

Former Former

Wegians89 wrote: »

Butler has 61 super rugby appearances
Faingaa has 101 super rugby appearances
I’m sure they played some high level stuff.

I think Coetzee is the best individual backrow starting and Murphy is probably the second. I do think butler and faingaa are underrated by other provinces fan basis, as Leinster found out last week.

We didn't underrate them, we all know/knew Butler is a quality operator and that Fainga'a is a perfectly serviceable pro. Nothing that happened last week changed that. They are not as good as Leavy and Ruddock and not as good as Coetzee and Murphy.

Zzippy

troyzer wrote: »

They should let you lads play at half time actually, like the minis.

troyzer wrote: »

Absolutely wrecked.

troyzer wrote: »

If I'm one of those posters, I do apologise.

I've been a bit of a **** lately.

Yes, yes you have. Build up threads are for friendly banter, not trolling and winding people up. See the charter particularly the bit re "Don't be a dick" and post more constructively in future.

Wegians89

connachta wrote: »

Absolutely no contradiction


Connacht main team is a middle table team, on a par with Ulster, other middle table team.
And on a par with Munster or Leinster "A+" teams.
That's good enough to qualify for European Cup.

Back-row is probably one of the strongest position where Connacht matches other big clubs. Scrumhalf and Centre too. It doesn't mean the rest is the exact same.

Connachts aim should be 2nd in the conference this season they’re good enough to do it. Munster are nothing special.

connachta

Wegians89 wrote: »

Connachts aim should be 2nd in the conference this season they’re good enough to do it. Munster are nothing special.

I know you're more ambitious than I am.
If we get 16 points in our 4 next home games (including 2 interpros and our rival Ospreys), than I think 3rd qualifying spot, or at least home European play-off, will be nailed on.
There I could dream higher. After March the 2nd, certainly not now

Dubinusa

The Leinster back row grew into the match last week. After 80 mins, Ruddock was the top dog. Rewatch the match, you'll see Leavy, Ruddock and Deegan take control.

Connacht couldn't contain the pressure.

On another note, if Coetzee was Irish qualified and healthy, Stander would be the back up imo.

stephen_n

Dubinusa wrote: »

The Leinster back row grew into the match last week. After 80 mins, Ruddock was the top dog. Rewatch the match, you'll see Leavy, Ruddock and Deegan take control.

Connacht couldn't contain the pressure.

On another note, if Coetzee was Irish qualified and healthy, Stander would be the back up imo.

That’s a fair assessment, but Connacht’s back row was totally dominant for the first 50 mins of the game.

Bazzo

Clegg wrote: »

Godwin on the wing again is a ballsy call. It's not his best position. He got a proper doing over from Adam Byrne last week.

It was either that or start Stephen Fitzgerald having been with the team for about 5 mins.

connachta

Bealham rested as said in the papers, or injured?
No injury update is fuc*** annoying for fans..
Does someone possess inner informations about Finlay?

evil_seed

connachta wrote: »

Bealham rested as said in the papers, or injured?
No injury update is fuc*** annoying for fans..
Does someone possess inner informations about Finlay?

We don't need to know about injuries though. And after the whole Heaslip and Murray debacles, players are more guarded over what's put out about them

Dubinusa

They were really up for it and in fairness the entire Leinster side looked off. As the match wore on the Leinster back row took over. Ruddock in particular.
That said it was some match. This weeks fare may not be as good.

Dubinusa

I thought Bealham was poor last week. I think Dooley was well able for him.
I think Fitzgerald would be fine on the wing. Godwin is a ballsy call.

bilston

evil_seed wrote: »

We don't need to know about injuries though. And after the whole Heaslip and Murray debacles, players are more guarded over what's put out about them

Where does the money come from to pay the wages of the players? Does it come from supporters who pay for match tickets, TV subscriptions and pay for products that sponsor these guys?

I'd say we at least have a right to know how long someone will be unavailable for...even if we don't necessarily need to know exactly what is wrong with an individual.

ClanofLams

Agree that there is a balance to be struck between full disclosure and zero information. It doesn’t even need to be precise, even if updates just clarified whether injuries were short (less than one month)/ medium (one to three months) or long term. Something along those lines would work.

Former Former

bilston wrote: »

Where does the money come from to pay the wages of the players? Does it come from supporters who pay for match tickets, TV subscriptions and pay for products that sponsor these guys?

I'd say we at least have a right to know how long someone will be unavailable for...even if we don't necessarily need to know exactly what is wrong with an individual.

I'll save someone the bother of pointing out that we don't have a "right" to anyone's personal information... But yes, totally agree, you can't ask the fans to be the 16th man when it suits and tell them to mind their own beeswax when it doesn't.

connachta

And rumours are worst than reality, most of the time

thomond2006

This Christmas I asked Santa to scrap that Kavanagh's of Charleville ad from Eir Sport.

Useless prick.

Buer

Poor from Leader. Had a front rower and lock in front of him and ran into them upright. Easy choke tackle.

wp_rathead

Buer wrote: »

Poor from Leader. Had a front rower and lock in front of him and ran into them upright. Easy choke tackle.

Ulster will be happy enough with their start

wp_rathead

Blade seems to really be annoying Mitrea

stephen_n

Lot of silly errors from both sides so far

stephen_n

Surprisingly soft defence from Ulster

Buer

Very easy. Could well have been sooner. Ulster not going to be in their European games in good form at this rate.

mangobob

Tremendous start from Connacht.

mangobob

mangobob wrote: »

Tremendous start from Connacht.

Zzippy

thomond2006 wrote: »

This Christmas I asked Santa to scrap that Kavanagh's of Charleville ad from Eir Sport.

Useless prick.

I asked him to give EOS laryngitis. Also bitterly disappointed here...

bilston

Buer wrote: »

Very easy. Could well have been sooner. Ulster not going to be in their European games in good form at this rate.

We've won 4 in a row up to now.

cameramonkey

SBB roaring like a bull.

stephen_n

Did Connacht water the pitch before the game or something the amount of handling errors is unbelievable.

mangobob

stephen_n wrote: »

Did Connacht water the pitch before the game or something the amount of handling errors is unbelievable.

Its raining, no?

Buer

McPhillips isn't in the same bracket as Burns. I think he should be getting more pitch time than he has but he looks far less assured. I think we tend to see the best of him when he's come into games where there's no reason not to just throw caution to the wind and the opposition has switched off.

Buer

Cian Kelleher, the equal of Henry Speight!

mangobob

That was gas.

A second terrible kick though.

wp_rathead

What on earth was kelleher doing...

Roux lucky not to get binned for collapsing the maul

Bazzo

Wasn't it Kelleher who did something similar against Sale? Needs to get cracking having someone dropping high balls on him in training

Buer

mangobob wrote: »

That was gas.

A second terrible kick though.

I genuinely would fancy myself to put those kicks across the field more accurately. Wasn't a sniff of a contest in either.

Buer

wp_rathead wrote: »

What on earth was kelleher doing...

Roux lucky not to get binned for collapsing the maul

Yup, was as deliberate and blatant as possible on first watch. Just threw himself down. Possibly fortunate they scored or referee might have dealt with it.

Bazzo

Buer wrote: »

Yup, was as deliberate and blatant as possible on first watch. Just threw himself down. Possibly fortunate they scored or referee might have dealt with it.

Mitrea told him next time he's off after the try was scored

bilston

Buer wrote: »

McPhillips isn't in the same bracket as Burns. I think he should be getting more pitch time than he has but he looks far less assured. I think we tend to see the best of him when he's come into games where there's no reason not to just throw caution to the wind and the opposition has switched off.

Based on this yes. I've wondered why he hasn't been getting more opportunities as he has always done well previously, but tonight might be the answer...so far...even the crossfield kick for the try was hardly on the money.

Zzippy

Buer wrote: »

Yup, was as deliberate and blatant as possible on first watch. Just threw himself down. Possibly fortunate they scored or referee might have dealt with it.

Ref was very vocal after the try - "Next time you're off"

Kelleher is great going forward but a complete liability under the high ball

stephen_n

mangobob wrote: »

Its raining, no?

I don’t think so? Think a mist came in as the half wore on but EOS said early on it’s about as perfect as it gets in Galway.

Buer

Connacht will be disappointed after the opening 20 minutes. Game nicely poised for the neutral though.

I can see the Connacht bench having a bigger impact although McCloskey will surely be on before long. If he was on the field, Aki isn't scoring that try.

Entertaining enough despite the error count. I returned from the west today. It was damp but not raining. Is it just that horrible mist or actually raining now?

its_phil

stephen_n wrote: »

mangobob wrote: »

Its raining, no?

I don’t think so? Think a mist came in as the half wore on but EOS said early on it’s about as perfect as it gets in Galway.

Very greasy here and drizzling

mangobob

stephen_n wrote: »

I don’t think so? Think a mist came in as the half wore on but EOS said early on it’s about as perfect as it gets in Galway.

Fair enough. Its just that I thought I saw a steady rain in the glare of the floodlights a few times.

But sure its the Sportsground. Even when its dry up there its still wet :P

stephen_n

mangobob wrote: »

Fair enough. Its just that I thought I saw a steady rain in the glare of the floodlights a few times.

But sure its the Sportsground. Even when its dry up there its still wet :P

Seemingly so :pac:

Zzippy

It's December. Even on a dry day in the west the humidity means a heavy dew once it gets dark, and a greasy ball

eezipc

Not the worst weather but it's a weird sideways mist. Ball is slippy but Kelleher should throw on a couple of gaa gloves.

evil_seed

I reckon that's Kelleher off the radar again