Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

its_phil

molloyjh wrote: »

Ah yeah, I def made out like he tried to kill him. That's absolutely what I was saying. Yeah.

Aki did not go low. He did clock Billy V on the chin. And that may have caused a concussion. And concussions do, have and will cause very, very serious damage. There was nothing in my post that isnt well known by all and sundry and nothing to suggest Aki tried to do anything at all other than make a poor tackle.

The fire of paragraph one defused using petrol from the last line.

molloyjh

Former Coach wrote: »

Don’t really know why you are persisting with this rot!
Bundee clearly dipped as he attempted the tackle. Problem was that Vunipola also dipped as he braced himself for contact. There was contact with the head and a red card was inevitable but to suggest that it was deliberate is just nonsense.

I would really love to know where I ever said it was deliberabte on Akis part. I didn't. It wasn't.

molloyjh

Zzippy wrote: »

[/B]

He tried to make a poor tackle? Come on man, this is getting ridiculous.

Okay so that was badly phrased. My point is that he wasn't deliberately hitting high and certainly wasn't trying to kill him. But I do love how my poor phrasing is ridiculous and your claims of me saying he was trying to kill Billy V wasn't....

realhorrorshow

Moving on.. What 23 do we want to see for the Leicester game? My shout:

1. Denis Buckley
2. Shane Delahunt
3. Finlay Bealham
4. Ultan Dillane
5. Gavin Thornbury
6. Eoghan Masterson
7. Conor Oliver
8. Paul Boyle
9. Caolin Blade
10. Jack Carty
11. Matt Healy
12. Tom Daly
13. Sean O'Brien
14. Alex Wootton
15. John Porch
16. Dave Heffernan
17. Jordan Duggan
18. Jack Aungier
19. Niall Murray
20. Abraham Papali'i
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Conor Fitzgerald
23. Tiernan O'Halloran

Bazzo

If Aungier is fit I'd start him after Monday tbh.

connachta

realhorrorshow wrote: »

Moving on.. What 23 do we want to see for the Leicester game? My shout:

1. Denis Buckley
2. Shane Delahunt
3. Finlay Bealham
4. Ultan Dillane
5. Gavin Thornbury
6. Eoghan Masterson
7. Conor Oliver
8. Paul Boyle
9. Caolin Blade
10. Jack Carty
11. Matt Healy
12. Tom Daly
13. Sean O'Brien
14. Alex Wootton
15. John Porch
16. Dave Heffernan
17. Jordan Duggan
18. Jack Aungier
19. Niall Murray
20. Abraham Papali'i
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Conor Fitzgerald
23. Tiernan O'Halloran

OK with 22, I'd trust BOD instead of TOH to impact and cover 13/14

Why did Aungier not play in Wales?
Hope he's available

Zzippy

connachta wrote: »

OK with 22, I'd trust BOD instead of TOH to impact and cover 13/14

Why did Aungier not play in Wales?
Hope he's available

Aungier had a trapped nerve after training on Sunday.

realhorrorshow

Would have no problem with Aungier starting. O'Donnell I'd be less keen on, he seems well short of match sharpness/form and a quarter final is not the time to find it. Thought he was very poor on Monday tbh.

RonnieL

Yeah, the jury is still very much out for me on BOD. I'd give Finlay a pass for his performance on Monday because of the circumstances of his late call up. The centre partnership picks itself, but what cover do we have if there's an injury?

connachta

RonnieL wrote: »

Yeah, the jury is still very much out for me on BOD. I'd give Finlay a pass for his performance on Monday because of the circumstances of his late call up. The centre partnership picks itself, but what cover do we have if there's an injury?

Either BOD or Sullivan, that's a reason why I would not have TOH at 23

connachta

Cathal Forde (out half) & Oisin McCormack (back row) have been added to Connacht challenge cup squad.

It's because Dean and Butler are out, but good sign for McCormack!

backcamslua

connachta wrote: »

Cathal Forde (out half) & Oisin McCormack (back row) have been added to Connacht challenge cup squad.

It's because Dean and Butler are out, but good sign for McCormack!

Lads were on 30+ extended panel submitted ahead of the Champions Cup -don't expect that there would be any changes when it moves to Challenge Cup??

Lucas44

realhorrorshow wrote: »

Not overly surprising. Have you heard anything about the other academy players?

SOB released along with de buitleir & Dean. Although SOB may earn a dev deal after his last few games

bayern

https://www.rugby-transferts.com/carcassonne-sinteresse-a-un-joueur-du-connacht-177934/

French press reporting that Caracassone are signing Abraham Papali'i

Wegians89

bayern wrote: »

https://www.rugby-transferts.com/carcassonne-sinteresse-a-un-joueur-du-connacht-177934/

French press reporting that Caracassone are signing Abraham Papali'i

Really thought they’d give him another year, has all the attributes to make a decent player, just needed time and effort. Hope that means there’s another 8 coming in

FACECUTTR

Wegians89 wrote: »

Really thought they’d give him another year, has all the attributes to make a decent player, just needed time and effort. Hope that means there’s another 8 coming in

I would love to see Jack Conan arrive but with Doris suffering with recurrent concussion issues I doubt it.

Wegians89

FACECUTTR wrote: »

I would love to see Jack Conan arrive but with Doris suffering with recurrent concussion issues I doubt it.

Was thinking that myself, either him or deegan could have been on the move but Doris doesn’t look great atm

ShineyShiney

FACECUTTR wrote: »

I would love to see Jack Conan arrive but with Doris suffering with recurrent concussion issues I doubt it.

So would I but really why would any of the Leinster players pick Connacht? Conan, ruddock, leavey, penny, vdf, Connors deegan could have their pick of teams to play for with lots more € than we could offer.

If we are shopping at Leinster it's guys who don't make it from their academy or who don't get into the academy. We have had plenty of success with that.

Martin Maloney, Sean o Brien or soroka

Are we heading for a team of Sean O Brien's

ShineyShiney

I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't add a back row.

Wegians89

ShineyShiney wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't add a back row.

Neither would I with the amount in the academy. But don’t think any of them are ready to jump in next season.

SqueakyKneecap

He showed us exactly what we needed in a ball carrier but in very limited energetic bursts. Wishing him the best of luck in France.

FACECUTTR

We have lots of 6s 1 out and out 7 and no real 8 after Papalii leaves. Masterson Sr has the skillset and size but has lost the power after his knee injury. Boyle is fantastic but I think 6 suits him better.

connachta

Masterson Jn is heavy, he could well be moved back to n°8. Butler can too, sometimes, when Oliver/McCormack will play at openside

I do think Donnacha Byrne may be highly enough seen for the future, so Papa has been released, and it's a transition year for n°8...

lenny4545

https://www.connachtrugby.ie/attack-coach-nigel-carolan-to-leave-connacht-at-end-of-season/

Carolan leaving Connacht!

randomname2005

On the whole Aki thing I agree it was a red card, but what frustrates me, and somebody alluded to it earlier, is the inconsistency.

In the Wales France match there was a leading elbow to the face of the French 10 from the Welsh 12 which resulted in a HIA, which was failed. The 12, granted is swerving to avoid the tackle, but his arm comes away from his body and makes contact with the head. Accidental, almost certainly, but the elbow has separated from the body and makes a hit to the head that should have been punished in my opinion. I have a screenshot of the video but can't upload it. At 34:30 ish you will see the incident in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlA7IGVasmg&ab_channel=EnglandRugbyNation

Sticking with Wales (not deliberately picking on them, just the most memorable incidents!), the tackle on Ringrose going unpunished, around
39.50 in this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUphPqPYbiQ&ab_channel=NZRugbyVidz

He has gone in high, head hits head and not even penalised. I would need to see more angles before jumping on the red card band wagon, but I think it was worth a look by the TMO.

For me it is hard to see how what lies on the spectrum between these incidents and the Sexton/Genge incident which are not even penalties or looked at by the Refs and TMOs during the games, to a red card and multi week ban for Aki.

Squidgy Black

lenny4545 wrote: »

https://www.connachtrugby.ie/attack-coach-nigel-carolan-to-leave-connacht-at-end-of-season/

Carolan leaving Connacht!

Has Wilkins been re-signed?

Carolan will be a big loss, but an opportunity to change things up with a new coaching ticket under Friend wouldn't do much harm.

realhorrorshow

lenny4545 wrote: »

https://www.connachtrugby.ie/attack-coach-nigel-carolan-to-leave-connacht-at-end-of-season/

Carolan leaving Connacht!

Big loss. It will be good for him to get experience elsewhere, and hopefully come back as head coach some day.

ClanofLams

Big loss to Connacht - he’s been involved with province since there was 200 going to games. Great apprenticeship for head coach role, transformed academy, led Ireland 20s to World Cup final, three years involved with senior set up now. Expect he will take senior role elsewhere and excel. Very best of luck to him - one of the absolute key figures in Connachts growth over the last fifteen years and a gent too.

SqueakyKneecap

It would break my heart is Wilkins is kept on.

Wish Nigel the best in whatever lies ahead. Very disappointed to see he's going.

Zzippy

Letting the wrong coach go. Defence is where we need change.