Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

connachta

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpUEi9sdmpY

Papali'i 2.0 if you want images

theVersatile

Older brother of All Black Vaea Fifita.

ClanofLams

Doesn’t seem to be the same calibre as Roux but I guess that was always going to be difficult/impossible to get.

ClanofLams

He’s a cousin of Mata fifita who spent a few seasons here, came as a centre but Lam converted him into back row after his arrival. Didn’t make many appearances as far as I recall.

Would have worked with new forwards coach at Grenoble so presumably his recommendation.

Lost Ormond

So 99% of the attendees at Galwegians special general meeting tonight voted for the sale of Crowley Park to GMIT.

Big news for the club, rugby in Galway city with this happening.

The club will finally have the facilities to properly manage their membership numbers, visiting teams etc....

salmocab

Lost Ormond wrote: »

So 99% of the attendees at Galwegians special general meeting tonight voted for the sale of Crowley Park to GMIT.

Big news for the club, rugby in Galway city with this happening.

The club will finally have the facilities to properly manage their membership numbers, visiting teams etc....

For an outsider could you explain what’s happening there?

Strand1970

I think they are selling their ground and moving out west of the city

Strand1970

22 acre site, so alot more playing pitches

Lost Ormond

salmocab wrote: »

For an outsider could you explain what’s happening there?

Galwegians have outgrown their grounds/facilities on the Dublin road, and their facilities are very outdated and have been for some time. They have tried on a few occasions to sell the ground but sale fell through.
Theyve now got an agreement to sell the grounds to GMIT and are looking for a new grounds. They will stay in Crowley Park until they find a new grounds. some rumours are that they are looking to the west of the city for a new grounds

Bazzo

ClanofLams wrote: »

He’s a cousin of Mata fifita who spent a few seasons here, came as a centre but Lam converted him into back row after his arrival. Didn’t make many appearances as far as I recall.

Got stuck behind him watching a match in the clan stand one evening. Barely saw a ****ing thing :pac:

Strand1970

This would also suit gmit perfect. Currently they have no space to expand. They will be part of a new university in 2022. Sligo and Letterkenny are expanding all the time so gmit don't want to be left behind

Zeugnis

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.

It says he's leaving Grenoble a year before the end of his contract. I wonder does that mean that they are picking up part of his wages? Jackman explained on the 42 podcast a few weeks ago that this sometimes happens when things aren't working out for either side.

connachta

Zeugnis wrote: »

It says he's leaving Grenoble a year before the end of his contract. I wonder does that mean that they are picking up part of his wages? Jackman explained on the 42 podcast a few weeks ago that this sometimes happens when things aren't working out for either side.

Doubt it, he was a key player starting 15 games, it's more a thing of a guy celling higher.
He was targetted in England last year, can't leave, and this season he had a clause to go to a top-team.
It's how it is described on Grenoble forum

connachta

Not a rumour, confirmed on French newspaper

Zeugnis

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.

The last meeting in Treviso was very high tempo. Three of the four tries happened five minutes either side of halftime while Delahunt was on a yellow. Both teams were good defensively, I remember being surprised by how cohesive Treviso were.

I'd start Delahunt and Boyle. Bring Papall'il on at fifty minutes. Downling was good last time and I'm a bit disappointed we haven't seen more of him. I'm a huge fan of Jack's but he needs to win the jersey back, Conor F. put in a good performance against Munster and should keep his place.

McNulty needs more game time, not sure if now is the moment. It depends on the attitude towards the tournament. Unimportant as it is, we know Connacht really need to string together a series of wins and exit the insane inconsistency of recent months. So I don't think it's warranted to simply treat this as a development opportunity.

realhorrorshow

ClanofLams wrote: »

He’s a cousin of Mata fifita who spent a few seasons here, came as a centre but Lam converted him into back row after his arrival. Didn’t make many appearances as far as I recall.

Would have worked with new forwards coach at Grenoble so presumably his recommendation.

He was playing j2 for Tuam at one stage a few years back.

Strand1970

Mata played for Sligo for a few years. I remember Mata playing for Sligo then within 1-2 weeks he was called into the connacht team due to injuries and played against harlequins in a European game, it was surreal.

Wegians89

Can’t see too many more signings coming in after fifita. Possibly a loosehead and maybe a few academy lads from other provinces

evil_seed

ClanofLams wrote: »

He’s a cousin of Mata fifita who spent a few seasons here, came as a centre but Lam converted him into back row after his arrival. Didn’t make many appearances as far as I recall.

We signed him from Sligo on a 1 yr contract. He got sent off in his 1st appearance IIRC

theVersatile

evil_seed wrote: »

We signed him from Sligo on a 1 yr contract. He got sent off in his 1st appearance IIRC

You can take a South Sea Islander out of the South Sea Islands... Etc etc

KBurke85

Strong team named

CONNACHT MATCHDAY 23 VS BENETTON RUGBY
Saturday 29th May, Stadio di Monigo, kick-off 5.15pm Irish time / 6.15pm local time

Name/Number/Caps
15. John Porch (39)
14. Peter Sullivan (15)
13. Bundee Aki (109)
12. Tom Daly (47)
11. Alex Wootton (20)
10. Conor Fitzgerald (35)
9. Kieran Marmion (185)
1. Denis Buckley (199)
2. Shane Delahunt (98)
3. Finlay Bealham (158)
4. Niall Murray (16)
5. Ultan Dillane (112)
6. Cian Prendergast (8)
7. Jarrad Butler (71) (C)
8. Paul Boyle (56)

Replacements
16. Dave Heffernan (143)
17. Paddy McAllister (17)
18. Dominic Robertson-McCoy (66)
19. Oisin Dowling (5)
20. Abraham Papali’i (13)
21. Caolin Blade (130)
22. Jack Carty (157)
23. Sammy Arnold (14)

freyners

KBurke85 wrote: »

Strong team named

CONNACHT MATCHDAY 23 VS BENETTON RUGBY
Saturday 29th May, Stadio di Monigo, kick-off 5.15pm Irish time / 6.15pm local time

Name/Number/Caps
15. John Porch (39)
14. Peter Sullivan (15)
13. Bundee Aki (109)
12. Tom Daly (47)
11. Alex Wootton (20)
10. Conor Fitzgerald (35)
9. Kieran Marmion (185)
1. Denis Buckley (199)
2. Shane Delahunt (98)
3. Finlay Bealham (158)
4. Niall Murray (16)
5. Ultan Dillane (112)
6. Cian Prendergast (8)
7. Jarrad Butler (71) (C)
8. Paul Boyle (56)

Replacements
16. Dave Heffernan (143)
17. Paddy McAllister (17)
18. Dominic Robertson-McCoy (66)
19. Oisin Dowling (5)
20. Abraham Papali’i (13)
21. Caolin Blade (130)
22. Jack Carty (157)
23. Sammy Arnold (14)

Didn't realise prendergast had already made 8 appearances.

Not a fan of Bundee at 13 generally but Daly is playing so well it makes sense. Happy to see Fitz start. Well earned

Wegians89

freyners wrote: »

Didn't realise prendergast had already made 8 appearances.

Not a fan of Bundee at 13 generally but Daly is playing so well it makes sense. Happy to see Fitz start. Well earned

Out of Daly and Bundee, I’d actually prefer Bundee at 13. Can’t sit to see him back in green

https://www.sportsnewsireland.com/rugby/rugby_irish/tongan-international-leva-fifita-set-to-sign-for-connacht-rugby/

connachta

Kelleher signed for Ealing

Tommybojangles

connachta wrote: »

Kelleher signed for Ealing

I never thought he was good enough for Leinster and I wasn't too bothered about losing him, but Ealing seems like a massive step down

Tommybojangles

Tommybojangles wrote: »

I never thought he was good enough for Leinster and I wasn't too bothered about losing him, but Ealing seems like a massive step down

not good under the high ball,

Zeugnis

Tommybojangles wrote: »

I never thought he was good enough for Leinster and I wasn't too bothered about losing him, but Ealing seems like a massive step down

Ealing have a wealthy owner who has been ploughing in money has serious premiership ambitions. They currently top the championship but will have to play off against Saracens for promotion. There's a moratorium on relegation form the Premiership this year and talk in the past about ring-fencing it completely, so the outlook is uncertain there.

Kelleher may well be on better money at Ealing than he was in Connacht.

Zeugnis

realhorrorshow wrote: »

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.

I want to feel more positive about this, but I'm failing. Are there particular performances that come to mind with Robb and Arnold that inspired your confidence? My recollection is direct physicality (and, as you say, Robb being out forever with injury).

Exeter are no fools, they are a tight outfit with an excellent coach and the achievements to prove it. O'Brien does three years in the Academy and then straight off to a top team in the Prem for his first full professional contract? Is that what we have an Academy for? I think Connacht are having their pocket picked.


Maybe my scepticism will prove unfounded. But I wish him luck, if this is an error it's on management.

PTH2009

From a Munster man

Ye **** us over but please do the same to Benetton