Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Utopia Parkway

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119747216#Comment_119747216

I dread seeing Murphy reffing Connacht games as generally I don't think he does us any favours at all despite being a former player. Maybe subconsciously trying to appear unbiased. That said I thought he was fairly even handed with his bad decisions last night.

Shelflife

I was at the game last night, I have to say that its simply embarrassing the amount of shite that is thrown at the refs by the "supporters".

Constantly whinging and I mean constantly whinging all night about the offside line, shouting at the ARs to move further up or down depending on who's lineout it was, looking for non existent high tackles and then at the end even when they clearly showed on the big screen that Blade had lifted the ball and an onside Doris caught Blade by the arm causing him to drop the ball for JVdF to pick and go on his break, what did they do ? Roared abuse at Frank calling him a cheat and a prick.

We had plenty of possession and opportunity to win the game last night, we didn't simply because we didn't take our chances, we simply weren't at the races in attack and offered little.

But instead we attack the officials, call for non existent fouls and seriously show up their total ignorance of the basic laws of the game.

It was really poor last night, we had improved over the years but it seemed to be back again.

Yes I'm a ref , I'm not a big fan of Frank, but he was grand last night, the abuse he got from the clan stand simply wasn't acceptable.

ClanofLams

We could still be playing and I don’t think we would have scored.

Pack fronted up well, lineout was mainly good, defence good but no cohesion in attack at all.

Niall Murray is a serious player, he has the ability to win a lot of caps for Ireland if he can keep progressing.

Not convinced by the centre partnership at all. Having said that Carty didn’t play well which obviously impacts them, he’s had a fair while out, expect him to get better fairly sharpish now after two games but he needs to.

I suppose the optimistic outlook is that it’s a lot better than after three games when all aspects were a shambles. Looking forward to Tierney Martin & Prendergast coming back in.

The crowd was a bit disappointing, 6900 odd was announced I think. Tickets are too expensive for one off games, had a look earlier, for any game cheapest is €32 behind the goals where every chance you will get drenched, €20 for terrace in Thomond, €25 for stand in RDS. I can see very small attendances later on in the season. Even next week hard to see many non season ticket holders paying €32.

Dubinusa

I thought Connacht played fairly well. There is the bones of a good team there.

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119738404#Comment_119738404

John Ryan might be going cheap. If his salary isn't being paid and teams bound by salary caps don't have cap space for him.

If there is any budget room at all I think he should be offered a contract. The offer might be something he shouldn't accept but it might still sign him.

connachta

I'd be way more on signing Willis we (and Ireland) would make long-term use at n°8 than knackered Ryan

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119747216#Comment_119747216

There is no 10 of any worth at Connacht. Fitz did fine at full back as he has done at 10. But he's just a bang average player. Hawkshaw is a very decent centre but a very ordinary 10. Tom Daly had the potential but his recent injury return has seen him providing little to offer in the centre never mind putting him at 10. And Jack, the long-standing experiment, has never really cut it. So it's kinda hard for a team to ever get results in such a situation. I feel really sorry for the rest of the team as they put their bodies on the line

I'm very disappointed with some of our crowd. The best part of 20 years as a season ticket holder and I hate being in the Clan on nights like this.

Frank Murphy is a mediocre ref who doesn't get the right type of control on games but he's not setting out to be biassed. He doesn't deserve an entire half of Connacht fans roaring "you blind c£&t", "you useless pr£&k", and various other abuse at him after every single decision regardless of whether it's correct or not. He does hear some of this and it won't help us with him or any other ref.

I wouldn't want abuse like that at a soccer match, I wouldn't want it at a GAA match, and I definitely don't want it at Connacht matches. If every game was like that I'd be retiring in my season ticket and watching on TV.

We lost that game because we were inept with the ball in hand, couldn't straighten our attacking line, and kept making errors in good positions. The stats will back that up.

ShineyShiney

Disappointed to lose, even more disappointed to not get a losing bp in such a tight game.

We are improving, I'm happy with that. Next week is a big game in the context of the season, we will either be the whipping boys or we start getting a few points now.

connachta

Davidson would start a new era coming next season

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119750929#Comment_119750929

The scoreboard suggested a close game. The game suggested Connacht had every right to believe they should have potentially won the game. The fact that they couldn't mount a worthwhile attack with all their possession does not suggest improvement. It suggests the pack are doing their job well and being let down elsewhere

ShineyShiney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119752388#Comment_119752388

I usually use the scoreboard to decide if a game was close or not.

eastcoastclan

Much improved performance on Friday thought we really put it up to them in the pack. Worried about our attack though not only do we not look like scoring we look very prone to an intercept or dropped ball resulting in conceding a try like we did against the Bulls. Lots needs to be worked on there. Must win against Scarlets now, will really see what we're made of then.

Zeugnis

This Friday is a big game for us. Everyone knew the opening five fixtures would be difficult, now it's Scarlets. We won this game in Wales last season, and it's imperative we do so again at home. The 42 reports that Dooley may be out with a hamstring, which is unfortunate but would hopefully mean a first game of the season for Matthew Burke who was good last year and may feel a bit aggrieved at his lack of minutes so far this year. But at a higher level, the question is can our attack show real penetration, something which has not been the case so far. Despite the pessimism among Connacht fans, I thought the performance of the pack last week provided some grounds for optimism.

Dubinusa

Connacht at home should be enough to win.

serfboard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119759540#Comment_119759540

You make an interesting point about the pessimism among Connacht fans. I think that it's possibly more frustration that the game against Leinster was there for the taking. To take the optimistic view, we have improved massively against Leinster. It wasn't that long ago I was at the Sportsground to see Leinster wrap up a bonus point win in under half an hour.

And Ronan O'Gara acknowledged that the way Connacht played Leinster last year in the Sportsground showed him how Leinster could be beaten. "The Connacht game in Galway and the Leicester game gave me enough ammunition to work with."

So, we've played five hard matches, and come away with only one win. Hopefully, we can start to put some more wins on the board now.

Digifriendly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119760281#Comment_119760281

Don't fully disagree but problem at this stage of season is momentum and to some extent confidence with just 1 win. League table does not look good for Connacht and a defeat against Scarlets would really be a bit of a disaster even at this stage of the season.

eastcoastclan

Frank Murphy referee again on Friday. I don't think a referee should ref the same team 2 weeks in a row.

b.gud

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119765968#Comment_119765968

Furlo on twitter, who is usually spot on with these things, says it's Marius Van Der Westhuizen

Conor15th

!!

eastcoastclan

Ah I fell for a joke it seems. Delighted with that !

Wegians89

Seems like the Irish management really want a look at blade, not surprisingly really. Probably the closest thing to JGP there is.

Zeugnis

Team against Scarlets

15. Tiernan O’Halloran (207)

14. John Porch (64)

13. Byron Ralston (5)

12. David Hawkshaw (5)

11. Mack Hansen (18)

10. Jack Carty (182) (C)

9. Kieran Marmion (213)

1. Denis Buckley (213)

2. Dave Heffernan (170)

3. Finlay Bealham (178)

4. Niall Murray (39)

5. Leva Fifita (17)

6. Cian Prendergast (32)

7. Conor Oliver (45)

8. Paul Boyle (77)

16. Dylan Tierney-Martin (8)

17. Jordan Duggan (28)

18. Jack Aungier (36)

19. Oisín Dowling (29)

20. Jarrad Butler (98)

21. Colm Reilly (12)

22. Cathal Forde (2)

23. Alex Wootton (35)

Good to see Wootton back, but what is going on with Adam Byrne?

Dubinusa

Hawkshaw getting a run! He's going to be quality, imo. Boyle looks like he's flying. That's just what Connacht need!

KBurke85

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119770332#Comment_119770332

Byrne was injured and just back in training the past few weeks

eastcoastclan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119770332#Comment_119770332

Byrne was playing AIL last week as he returned from injury, so probably still working his way back to full fitness.

connachta

Forde as the only rookie in this squad.

Interesting to see, now Hawkshaw(s) seems nailed as 12, if Forde is considered to be outhalf!

realhorrorshow

I don't get why we have rotated Thornbury out again. It's a short season with few easy games, pick your best players week in week out.

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119771327#Comment_119771327

Tbh I’m not against it. Fafita was decent towards the back end of last year and having a big squad with everyone firing and rested Is important. Fifita also will be looking for family bragging rights even though his brother isn’t in the 23