Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

lawrencesummers

Lowry badly caught there, great score.

crisco10

To say that try is deserved is an understatement

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118063517#Comment_118063517

Id be interested in the replay. Looked no arms to me

accensi0n

He went for that intercept with one hand, should be called back.. =P

Absolutely great performance on the back of the narrow loss last week.

MayoForSam

Great result, maybe we should play all games up here in the Aviva, better then the wind and rain in Galway anyhow.

connachta

Just to say, Hansen is IQ, remember..

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118063253#Comment_118063253

Thomond, if you can't see how bad Brace was then that is your issue. In terms of a Connacht performance that rates up there. They got so fed up with a shocking referee that they actually got mad. And it was a wonderous thing to see. I like the p!ssed off Connacht.

connachta

Let's not get carried away

pack was good today because Ulster's was fragile, too. We lost to Dragons and Munster in front.

Scrum isn't as dominated as feared, but not dominant as it was in the past

Lineout stilll is a mess

Dillane Fifita'a Masterson Butler are solid experienced players but not decisive

Prendergast/Murray are raw diamond, in the making

Oliver and Dowling play out of their skins (wow) but too light to be internationals

Only Boyle and Bealham are (maybe Thorn if is he was uninjured). 3rd choices for Ireland. And it's fair IMO

Farrell is not fair about the back-line though.

I ponderate my words, we have the best in Ireland

Blade/Marmion are ignored

Carty/Fitz, though inconsistant, are brillant in open play

Daly/Aki/Farrell is the best central trio on a par with Leinster's

Hansen and Wootton crazy finishers, Porch rock solid talent, BOD/TOH luxury back-ups

shinana abu

Spot on, especially with ref. to Murray and Prendergast. 2 future internationals with normal progress

..

ElisaAtWar

It was the best performance for a long time. Huge desire all across the team. And while Carbury may be called up (for no particular reason) jack proved again why he isn't. Frawley could be the answer. He is a solid kicker and a good 10

freyners

Worth pointing out that's two games Conor Fitz has come on out of position and been really comfortable playing there. Seems to have out on some timber this year as well which will benefit him if done cautiously. Benefited from Hansen drawing two defenders but did really well for porches try all the same.

Speaking of porch. Seen a few people here saying he should have yellowed. Thought that myself but to his benefit he was looking around himself for the ball when he caught Hume and didn't look at him on the slow mo. Don't doubt at all he was aware of player behind him but does that explain how the tmo didn't intervene?

SqueakyKneecap

Unreal craic with the Ulster fans. Genuinely might be the classiest fans in the country.

Was very worried we'd be well beat missing some huge names but a monster performance. I had lads with me that haven't been to a game since 2019 play-off that were bewildered by Hansen. He's real deal good.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118064474#Comment_118064474

Not really, it's as stonewall a yellow and PT as you'll ever see. Tripped a player off the ball when on the deck when a try was almost certainly going to be scored.

That said in the end it had no material impact on the result. Connacht humped Ulster, it was an annihilation. A team taken apart piece by piece. I thought Brace absolutely rode Ulster in the first half but there is no excuse for the overall result. Better team, by a huge margin, won comfortably in the end. Connacht played some really great rugby and ate the Ulster pack for dinner.

shinana abu

Murray a real prospect but no mention of him from our rugby " experts"

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118065647#Comment_118065647

He is producing some great moments from time to time, he would be a good backup to Baird in my opinion.

connachta

Same weight same height same age same talant.

Murray/Baird is the competition for RWC 2027, the last one won't have just a "back-up".

Jump_In_Jack

If Baird picked up an injury tomorrow and dropped out of the Irish squad, they could do worse than calling up Murray to replace him.

Similar attributes, plenty of talent. Murray perhaps better in the lineout.

Bazzo

Plenty of mistake in that performance, but it's easy to forgive mistakes when there's that much physicality and aggression either side of the ball. Coming away with the win obviously helps.

Captaincy really suits Carty, two big back to back performances from him against his provincial rivals. Hopefully Connacht can offer him the money he wants to stay without the possibility of international honours because we'll never replace him with anyone as good. Having such a talented native playing for Connacht can only be good for growing the game.

Niall Murray is an unreal prospect. So comfortable at every aspect of the game already.

Haven't had the chance to forensically analyse the footage frame by frame to find out why Porch didn't deserve a yellow and a PT against yet but I'll get to it later in the week. 😉

Wegians89

In terms of the Baird-Murray comparisons, I think Baird is far more explosive and dynamic, where as Murray is probably better at the second row fundamentals.

I firmly believe and have said this in the past, if Murray was at Leinster he’d have been capped by now.

i personally believe he’s also a better second row at the minute than ahern in Munster and am shocked he wasn’t even called up in the apprentice role.

While I think Murray could go on to be a world class second row of he keeps developing at the rate he is, I’d also have dowling ahead of him in the Connacht pecking order at the minute. Dowling seems to have more of that physical presence missing from Roux.

connemara man

Dowling's lineout and maul defence is far beyond his years

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118072746#Comment_118072746

I see Baird as a 6 at international level to be honest

Murray looks a big prospect. Looking forward to watching him develop this season.

connachta

Murray is 110kg

if he develops as 116-17 (no more to keep his mobility), which is still possible before 25, he'll be international no question about it

Zzippy

Season ticket renewed at last. Can't wait to get back to the Sportsground, missed the recent home games with family commitments, so it's been a long time...

Great win on Saturday. Real hunger for the ball and the tackle, and great attacking moves. Hopefully the attendance was enough to make the move worthwhile. I see even Gary Neville was watching...

ionadnapokot

When Murray was running over for that try he didn't move like a 6'7" beanpole.

Website has him down at 198cm, which is practically 6'6".

This is going to sound weird but he looks to have big hips and a big arse! Which is great for rugby. He moves more like a 6'5" man.

I haven't seen enough of Murray but my initial reaction is that Baird has a higher level of athletic potential. Baird is the only player in Irish rugby I've seen with that Stephen Ferris level of size, power and pace.  

Dubinusa

Murray could be top class! Very good player

ClanofLams

Brive announced Sam Arnold joining them on three year deal after this season.

Sorry to see him go but I guess the number of centres was unsustainable, especially with Cathal Forde & Shane Jennings hopefully coming through in the short term.

Bazzo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118089790#Comment_118089790

Shame to see him go but as you said, was always going to be tough to hold on to everyone.

Dubinusa

Good move for him. A 3 yr contract also!