Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Wegians89

Champion’s Cup rugby and URC semi final is undoubtedly a successful season. Friend will be missed but there’s a lot to be optimistic for next season. Some young lads who look like they can be real stars are getting game time and there’s genuine depth in lots of areas.

But a ten needs to be signed. A good ten. A ten that could walk in and take the first choice spot. I have defended Carty for ages but he needs a genuine challenger. Someone who will push him to be better. And if Carty can’t be better, we need someone who can be.

Rugbymad2020

no Connacht fan can be upset with that season considering where u were a couple months ago to still get to a semi final.now just need to build on that for next season

Digifriendly

Well done Connacht from an Ulster supporter. Pushed Stormers all the way and final scoreline was not a reflection of the game. I do agree re OH. A more consistent 10 would yield even better results.

Cannot understand comment re Stormers stadium. Looked like great atmosphere.

AccidentallyOnside

Cam confirm the atmosphere was brilliant in the stadium. That we were in there competing at all is a huge testament to the whole organisation.

Couldn't doubt our effort and endeavour at all but the Stormers had too many game breakers. Thought we played well but they always had us at arms length.

Plenty to look forward to next year.

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120594827#Comment_120594827

Think the issue is more with the pitch than the atmosphere? Pitch looked dreadful for a semi final.

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120595052#Comment_120595052

Fair assessment. The better team won. Simple as that. The boys worked their socks off and for all the possession Stormers made sure any yards gained were hard yards. So funnily enough I'm not overly disappointed. Stormers didn't win this competition last year by a fluke. They are a serious outfit and even though the scoreline may not reflect it we pushed them harder than many other teams. So roll on next year. Much to look forward to. Congrats to the team on a very good year.

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120595175#Comment_120595175

They need to move the Currie Cup team out of the stadium to a smaller venue imo.

2 rugby teams and the soccer team using the stadium at once is too much.

A few years back Currie cup started when the super rugby finished. It was much better then.

Rugbymad2020

It’s a football pitch,but been replaced by a hybrid pitch for next season

Wegians89

Think there was a monster truck thing on in the stadium in April that tore up the pitch. Kind of a mad decision to hold something like that on a pitch if true

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120591838#Comment_120591838

Mod: Attack the post, not the poster.

RonnieL

It's probably fair to say the better team won, but I found that game incredibly frustrating to watch - literally nothing that would benefit Connacht was replayed on TV, or seemingly looked at by the TMO. It was laughable at times - two of their tries included forward passes in the build up, so the director only showed replays from the camera directly behind the goals.

Some of our play didn't help the frustration levels obviously, but I think a lot of that was down to the physical pressure the stormers were able to apply - our lads were being stopped dead in the tackle and driven backwards - half backs always struggle under those circumstances. In the build up I heard the stormers management saying that when it's windy there, it really swirls in the stadium, so I think Jack should probably get a bit of slack for the missed kicks to touch. Having said that, I've been praying for a decent 10 to be signed for quite a while. Jack really needs someone to pressure him (and share the burden too).

SqueakyKneecap

I've been a big proponent of Carty for years because he can deliver magic like that float pass to Hansen but he's arguably in his worst patch of form since he became a regular starter. The absolute nuts and bolts basics are letting him down with far more regularity than previous. Whether that's down to complacency with Fitzy never really competing with Carty who knows, but competition is an absolute must. I know some folks have suggested young Tector from Leinster but we already have a decent prospect in Harry West that's a similar age profile. A lad like Rhys Patchell might be worth a punt for a year imo but that's not realistic more than likely.

b.gud

https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/connacht-rugby/mark-sexton-set-for-connacht-attack-coach-role-as-province-completes-backroom-team-for-next-season/a52440773.html

Indo are reporting that Mark Sexton will be promoted to a Senior coach from next season assisting with attack

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120598800#Comment_120598800

Interesting that, obviously not first choice as Jackman said they missed out on a big name last week. Sexton had a good rep with the u20s

tobdom

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120592521#Comment_120592521

Likewise, I am and have been a big Carty fan for a long time, and always have given him the benefit of the doubt. However, given how things are shaping up for us to have a very exciting and promising 23/24 season, I do fear that there is a risk that Jack holds us back.

When he's good, he can be very very good. But the problem is the % of time he's good isn't enough, and he has wild swings in form to the extent of being pretty terrible at times. Its the mistakes that he repeats that are the real killer. Definitely need someone to come in and provide real competition, if not take the 10 jersey outright for a while before Jack could hopefully/potentially win it back.

A successful season overall and a lot to look forward to next season. Connacht abú!

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120598800#Comment_120598800

Confirmed now

realhorrorshow

Minutes played by players aged 23 and under at the start of the season:

These players accounted for over 31% of the minutes available.

Standouts for me were Aungier, Forde, Hurley-Langton, Niall Murray, and Tierney-Martin, with encouraging signs shown by plenty more. Disappointments for me were Bolton, McCormack, McNulty, and Reilly. Bolton was unlucky with injury and the fact that we are probably a bit overloaded with outside backs. Shame not to see more of McCormack, we definitely carried too many back rows, as evidenced by the fact that we paid three senior players (Booth, Masterson, McCormack) to play 157 minutes of rugby between them. Not sure where Eoin's opportunities are going to come from, with Hurley-Langton taking his chance in a major way and Sean O'Brien coming in next season, he is likely to start 23/24 as fifth choice openside. Not sure what to make of McNulty, he's never impressed hugely but also has never been given a consistent run of games. Can't help but feel we'd be better off backing Jennings. Reilly's development has stalled due to the ever presence of two excellent players in his position. He'll be in a straight shootout with Michael McDonald for gametime next season and if he loses out, he could struggle to progress.

Zeugnis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120599153#Comment_120599153

25 matches this season, right? Did anyone else start a game at 10 outside of Carty and Hawkshaw?

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600640#Comment_120600640

Carty started 16.

Hawkshaw started 6.

Conor Fitzgerald started 3.

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120599033#Comment_120599033

Maybe if you looked at the 9 looking left then looking right then looking left then just looking around you might get an understanding of what a tool it makes the 10 look like. And while I was a bit naieve in this, it is so clear to be seen when you look at it. So I give Jack a break on this.

Its all fun and games playing the lesser teams, but when it matters Caolin is the biggest issue. His distribution is so slow and his decision making is truthfully dreadful.

SqueakyKneecap

I forgot Blade made Carty forget how the wind works in a massive match. I think you're giving Carty a free pass over some fairly bad mistakes just to say Blade is the bigger issue. Blade absolutely has flaws, particularly with his touch finders, but even the most pro-Carty people in the world wouldn't defend his 22/23 campaign.

Blade is a big reason why we've got Heineken Cup rugby in the first place. He had a very good season to the point that I'm hearing Munster fans and neutrals feel that he should be third choice for France. It's not often a Connacht player has such good form that provincial bias is superseded.

ElisaAtWar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120601723#Comment_120601723

I believe there will a lot of analysis by our coach this Summer. It's very clear where the weaknesses lie. If fans have an issue I think the coach can see it also.

CuriousCucumber

I think you're all underestimating how difficult it is to find a quality 10.

Apart from periods in 2018 and 2019, Jack has never really been the answer. But who is?

We tried going big name with Dan Parks, and he wasn't really any better than Jack.

We tried going big boot, with Boshchoff, and that failed.

Look at Ulster and Munster, they struggle to find consistent out halves as well.

I'd 100% support giving Hawkshaw the spot, and force Jack to win it back. I think he'd struggle. At the moment, it's the other way around, it's Jack's spot, until someone can take it from him, and without regular minutes, that's difficult to do.

SqueakyKneecap

Boschoff never gave Connacht a real chance due to injury and personal reasons so it's not really fair to compare him to a lad like Parks who had more gametime.

I do agree with you that Hawshaw should be given more starts at outhalf. He showed plenty of glimpses of class so far and I think Forde is a better 12 so back Hawkshaw at 10.

freyners

Jack's not had a good season compared to the standards he set 4 years ago and I'm sure with the WC coming up no-one is more disappointed than him. It is not helped that we are frequently up against a more physical team, he gets blitzed very frequently (which is why his trademark multi skip pass often works as it gets to the outside but he does not overuse/force it). Not an attack against our pack which have been brilliant this year, but looking forward to seeing the impact Joyce and Jansen have.

I agree that he needs competition, Hawkshaw seems the obvious pick, I would like to see West get some time if deemed good enough. What would be excellent is if we got someone like AJ in 2016 who can put genuine pressure on him. I think Jack would rise to it personally.

RonnieL

Anyone else struggling with the thought of waiting until the end of October for our next competitive game?

Wegians89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120601886#Comment_120601886

Only thing with Hawkshaw is, he’s training every day with them and they’re picking Daly in the 22 shirt. Not exactly and endorsement of Hawkshaws ability at 10.

Will be interesting to see what Mark Sexton sees with the squad. He has worked with West with the 20s so he could be a potential bolter

Zeugnis

We might want to consider Mack at 10. He's such a natural footballer, and such a threat, and has shown an ability to learn. We can find other options in the back three if required (Cordero, Kilgallen, Porch?).

Hawkshaw didn't have a good game against Treviso and has been out of favour since then, which doesn't seem right to me. He's a young player, and sometimes overreaches, but has a lot of potential. I'm not sure where the Daly experiment is going, he didn't make a positive impact against the Stormers but it's absurd giving him ten minutes here and there.

Otherwise, Carberry to Connacht (even if it'll never happen).

CuriousCucumber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120602643#Comment_120602643

Carberry? No thanks. He's done very little during his time in Munster to make me think he would improve Connacht as a team.

Mack at 10? Well it's a different idea. Hope I never see it happen personally

Zeugnis

My view is that Carberry has lots of ability but hasd been jerked around and needs a fresh start. He can play 10 and 15, both positions where we could do with additional reinforcement. I don't believe Connacht will be able to recruit a non IQ outhalf, so in my view that leaves Tector or Carberry. Or solve the problem internally (which is usually the way things go at Connacht).