Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

arsebiscuits1

Mick Kearney finished up at Zebre.

Reckon Connacht would go after him?

Obviously he's not in the same conversation as Roux but he's a good solid pro whose only just 30.

FACECUTTR

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

Mick Kearney finished up at Zebre.

Reckon Connacht would go after him?

Obviously he's not in the same conversation as Roux but he's a good solid pro whose only just 30.

He's more of a 4 than a 5 and there are lots of those in the squad. You never know though.

FACECUTTR

Hoping for a positive injury update today. Bundee is due back this weekend too I believe and hopefully there is good work being done on a 2nd row. Looking forward to the game.

lenny4545

https://www.devonlive.com/sport/rugby/rugby-news/exeter-chiefs-sign-sean-obrien-5454375

Exeter after SOB!

realhorrorshow

The mullet earlier this year must have caught their attention. Fair play to him, wasn't on anyone's radar at the start of the season but he has made the most of the game time he's gotten. I'd obviously rather he stayed, but we have 5 good centres and hopefully Jennings to cover in case of another injury crisis, so we should be okay.

KBurke85

Could be a good move for him. Great place to go and develop as a player and in two years time we can look at bringing him back when Bundee's contract is up

SqueakyKneecap

Best of luck to him if he goes. It's too short a career to turn down what surely would be very good money over at Exeter. He's done very well when needed this season.

Zeugnis

FFS, that's all we needed now. At least it's Exeter, a great club with a good culture, where he will continue to grow. But this is bad for the province. Based on this year's performances, I see just three effective centres: Aki. Daly, Farrell. Robb and Arnold just haven't convinced me.

I wonder if Exeter came knocking or if this situation results from Connacht not making an offer and his agent getting his name out in the market? Tp put iytt another way, had Friend been smarter about this, could they have kept him?

arsebiscuits1

It's brand new information to me that he's Conor O'Briens younger brother

realhorrorshow

Zeugnis wrote: »

FFS, that's all we needed now. At least it's Exeter, a great club with a good culture, where he will continue to grow. But this is bad for the province. Based on this year's performances, I see just three effective centres: Aki. Daly, Farrell. Robb and Arnold just haven't convinced me.

I wonder if Exeter came knocking or if this situation results from Connacht not making an offer and his agent getting his name out in the market? Tp put iytt another way, had Friend been smarter about this, could they have kept him?

Robb was one of of our better players at the start of last season, coincidentally the only time in his career he got a run of games under his belt. Problem is he's never fit. Arnold is at the very least good enough to be our second choice 13, his injury was very unfortunate, if he had gotten consistent starts week in week out with a solid centre partner like O'Brien did he would likely to have impressed too.

Any agent worth their salt is going to shop their clients around regardless, even just as a negotiating tool.

ShineyShiney

5 contracted centres, what ya going to do!!
It's not like we are Munster😉

connachta

Aki back, he'd go straight to 13 with Daly kept to 12 and Arnold 14 IMO
Wootton/Porch again, but BOD 23 instead of Sullivan

Dillane/Thornbury, Murray 19
Boyle/Papa/Butler our most physical backrow + Prendergast impact player

Marms again, slighly faster, useful vs Treviso, Blade 21

Buck/Heff/Finlay, Carty of course

Where's Aungier, would be welcomed And Duggan?

ionadnapokot

Buckley deserved at least 1 cap!
Stalwart and underrated.
https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2021/0526/1223961-buckleys-journey-from-mascot-to-double-centurion/

salmocab

ionadnapokot wrote: »

Buckley deserved at least 1 cap!
Stalwart and underrated.
https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2021/0526/1223961-buckleys-journey-from-mascot-to-double-centurion/

Surprised he never picked one up on a summer tour or an autumn international.

freyners

The year we won the pro12 he was in line to be selected for the squad for either the November internationals or six Nations and he got one if the most Ill times injuries imaginable. I remember Schmidt at the time specifically named dropped him as someone who had missed out. He then go injured again that season in the run up to the final and missed being in the window for the sa tour and that coincided with Healy returning to form around then after a drop and Ireland having two genuine world class LHS in McGrath and Healy at that time for the next two years

Some achievement by the lad. 30/31 is young in propping terms so he could easily see 250 and beyond. Remarkable how much better our scrum was when he and Finlay came on. There's still an outside shot of a cap for him.

connachta

He hasn't had his best season, and has very very few chance to be in for RWC squad.
I'm honest on an Ireland POV it's not wise to give him a cap for the symbol

Daly (ahead of McCloskey), Thornbury (instead of Roux), Boyle (for O'Mahony/Conan), there, have an outside chance for 2023, and should be tried, rather than Denis.. As much as I like him, really

SqueakyKneecap

I think Buckley himself would tell ya he's been off form for a couple of years in all honesty. A fantastic servant but 2016 was his peak opportunity for a cap and never got a look in after.

ClanofLams

I thought Buckley had his best 40 minutes all year against Munster, solidified the scrum obviously but also won crucial penalty when Munster were yards from the line.

Sorry to see Sean O’Brien moving, had a good few months, five centres sounds sufficient but when you factor in how little Aki will be available between Lions & Ireland, the injury issues other players have, it leaves Connacht really short. Hopefully Jennings is ready because very likely to need him.


Fair play to Luke Carty being included in USA 41 man squad for summer tests. Haven’t seen much of him over there but saw some highlights where he was coming on for Matt Giteau. Playing with Giteau and Ashley Cooper, living in Los Angeles, only lost once so far all season & now possibly en route to becoming international, not a bad way to bounce back from being released from academy!

Wegians89

Something like this for the weekend?

Buckley Heff Bealham
Thornbury Murray
Prendergast papalii Butler
Blade Carty
Bundee Arnold
Wootton mcnulty Sullivan

DTM McAllister McCoy Dillane Boyle Reilly Fitz Bod

If Boyle isn’t fit go with one of the mastersons on the bench. Daly’s be porch could do with a week off.

freyners

Wegians89 wrote: »

Something like this for the weekend?

Buckley Heff Bealham
Thornbury Murray
Prendergast papalii Butler
Blade Carty
Bundee Arnold
Wootton mcnulty Sullivan

DTM McAllister McCoy Dillane Boyle Reilly Fitz Bod

If Boyle isn’t fit go with one of the mastersons on the bench. Daly’s be porch could do with a week off.

We still have an outside shot of qualifying for the final so I would start Daly and Porch, there's been enough of a break in these games I wouldn't be overly worried about minutes unless they are carrying knocks.

Also call me mad but I would start Fitz over Carty, hes well on form (although the gap between the two when both are in form is still pretty wide on my viewing) and also he seems to play better in games he starts rather than as a sub.

RonnieL

freyners wrote: »

We still have an outside shot of qualifying for the final so I would start Daly and Porch, there's been enough of a break in these games I wouldn't be overly worried about minutes unless they are carrying knocks.

Also call me mad but I would start Fitz over Carty, hes well on form (although the gap between the two when both are in form is still pretty wide on my viewing) and also he seems to play better in games he starts rather than as a sub.

Agree with all of this. The fact we won glossed over a pretty poor showing from Jack when he came on for Conor against Munster, who, while far from flawless, had a good game.

Congrats to Denis on the 200th cap - some man.

realhorrorshow

Connacht players involved in the wider Ireland u20 squad for this weekend's game against Leinster A:

Eoin de Buitléar - hooker
Donnacha Byrne - back row
Diarmuid McCormack - back row
Oisin McCormack - back row
Cathal Forde - out half/centre
Shane Jenning - centre
Hubert Gilvarry - wing

All bar D McCormack and Gilvarry are already in the academy. Notable absentees are Darragh Murray and Hubert Costello.

Bazzo

realhorrorshow wrote: »

Connacht players involved in the wider Ireland u20 squad for this weekend's game against Leinster A:

Eoin de Buitléar - hooker
Donnacha Byrne - back row
Diarmuid McCormack - back row
Oisin McCormack - back row
Cathal Forde - out half/centre
Shane Jenning - centre
Hubert Gilvarry - wing

All bar D McCormack and Gilvarry are already in the academy. Notable absentees are Darragh Murray and Hubert Costello.

Is Murray injured? He came off very early in a game for the Eagles not that long ago.

realhorrorshow

Bazzo wrote: »

Is Murray injured? He came off very early in a game for the Eagles not that long ago.

I'd imagine so, pretty certain he would be involved if fit.

Neil3030

wtf, there are TWO young men in Connacht called 'Hubert'?

connemara man

Neil3030 wrote: »

wtf, there are TWO young men in Connacht called 'Hubert'?

Its the new Sean O'Brien

connachta

Breaking News :
Fifita to sign in 2nd Row from Grenoble!

Senekal-effect, probably!

Evil_g

Is this your source Connachta?

https://twitter.com/RaffutAlpin/status/1397975450891259911

Looks the part anyway. No highlights on Youtube though, which is a little odd.

connachta

Tongian international, 32 next season, 120 kg,
He's the expected profile like-for-like with Roux

connachta

Evil_g wrote: »

Is this your source Connachta?

https://twitter.com/RaffutAlpin/status/1397975450891259911

Looks the part anyway. No highlights on Youtube though, which is a little odd.

Yes but confirmed on Grenoble forum