Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Former Former Former · 22-04-2022 2:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118960884#Comment_118960884

I'd be surprised if he was offered any contract at all tbh.

Edit; that's not a reflection on him, just on the nature of pro rugby

Zeugnis · 22-04-2022 2:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118961225#Comment_118961225

You're right of course, but the disadvantage could be leavened by building in guaranteed wage increases proportional to the meeting of the the KPIs. It just strikes me that in some cases it would be reasonable to allocate the risk differently. I think it's fair to assume that a player with greater bargaining power would simply reject such restrictive terms, but for a late bloomer, or someone who felt they were languishing below their ceiling, it might be an acceptable trade off.

Anyway, i have no problem with Tietie looking after himself. He made a good impact for us in the short time he was in Galway. Best of luck to him in Colomiers, I will follow his career there with interest.

Zeugnis · 22-04-2022 2:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118961237#Comment_118961237

What's your thinking there? Based on IRFU policy or his performance?

Yeah_Right · 22-04-2022 7:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118961236#Comment_118961236

I would have thought it would be nearer NZ$40k than €40k. Most of those guys would have jobs outside of rugby.

macslash · 22-04-2022 11:04pm

I've asked a few times before but the Chay Mullins to Connacht went fairly quiet. He'd be a serious acquisition. Wouldn't be surprised if munster went for him.

Also, anyone who watches the Eng premiership..how has Sean O'B gotten on at Exeter this year? Much gametime?

ElisaAtWar · 23-04-2022 4:13pm

Lot of mistakes by both teams. Most exciting thing so far is Lions player replacing his boots multiple times

Utopia Parkway · 23-04-2022 4:34pm

That is a pathetic try to concede. Lions 9 has to run 20 yards to take a quick tap and a number of Connacht players still have their backs turned to him as he takes the quick tap before diving over the try line. Just zero awareness or willingness to defend.

23-04-2022 4:34pm

Important kick to have slotted.

Hits going in here are ferocious.

Shehal · 23-04-2022 4:39pm

Connacht try! Hopefully this is the catalyst for Connacht to push on and get the BP, need every point they can get to stand any chance of the play offs.

Shehal · 23-04-2022 4:41pm

The penalties Connacht are conceding in this game are just plain lazy, not even trying to be legal at times, all its doing is relieving all the pressure the Lions feel.

Shehal · 23-04-2022 4:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118966097#Comment_118966097

Pfft what am I talking about, this is Connacht we are talking about! Just go and blow another big lead after managing to do that twice already this game.

23-04-2022 4:59pm

That's some win. Great game altogether.

ElisaAtWar · 23-04-2022 5:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118966178#Comment_118966178

Wasn't really a good game at all Venjur. Was it 20 penalties. Scrums taking forever. And I didn't really understand Jack going for the posts on so many occasions. The win was unimportant. The bonus point was needed. If Connacht lost they would have lost. But this wasn't about a win, the bonus point was crucial. Which is why I didn't understand this performance

23-04-2022 5:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118966206#Comment_118966206

Jaysus there is no pleasing some people. Some good tries, only the second win from a Northern Hemisphere team in 18 attempts and it was ultra physical at times that was in the balance until the final whistle.

Roxxers · 23-04-2022 5:22pm

who got motm ?

ElisaAtWar · 23-04-2022 5:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118966236#Comment_118966236

But Connacht had to get a bonus point if they were to have any chance of getting into Top 8. It's not a matter of pleasing anybody. What Jack did made absolutely no sense. A win was never enough. And if we lost in the process then the season was finished. But the win without the bonus point makes the season finished anyway. You can take away the win as a good result and be happy but it effectively relegates Connacht to the bottom 4. So why would anyone be happy about that

ElisaAtWar · 23-04-2022 5:26pm

Ensures rather than relegates Connacht to bottom 4

Dubinusa · 23-04-2022 5:30pm

Connacht got the win! That's big. They are 1 of 2 sides to win down there. Good result. As for the top 8, Connacht are not going to make it. Hopefully, they finish the season strong.

KBurke85 · 23-04-2022 5:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118966260#Comment_118966260

If we had won with a bonus point we still only had a 3% chance of the playoffs.

we hung in there in a tight game which we haven’t done a lot this year. That’s a big positive

If we kept going to the corner and lost the game you’d probably be complaining we didn’t take our kicks

Dubinusa · 23-04-2022 5:45pm

Finishing as strong as possible should be the goal.

Strand1970 · 23-04-2022 5:53pm

A win is a win. We really didn't have a chance of finishing top 8 anyway so I would not get hung up on the try bonus, we desperately needed a win and happydays we got one. Let's not forget the game was played 1700m above sea level. Highest mountain in Ireland just over 1000m for context.

Former Coach · 23-04-2022 11:13pm

I would consider it a very good result in the circumstances (altitude, away from home, heat etc). Lots of missed tackles again but we showed a bit of steel to keep them out on a couple of occasions. The only crib (minor) I had was that I felt we should have taken the points from the penalty in front of the posts when we were 14-0.

Sharks will be a tougher proposition!

SqueakyKneecap · 23-04-2022 11:34pm

I've been hugely critical of them this season but that's a fantastic win, even if hard work was made of it.

Prendergast put in an absolute monster shift again against massive opposition. Thought he might have picked up a bad stinger at one stage but still toughed it out.

freyners · 24-04-2022 1:16am

Cannot be upset with that win. Lions are extremely good at home and the effect of altitude was really apparent on some players.

What was pleasing is, barring the usual 9/10 from prendergast, this wasn't something won off a massive performance from jack, bundee or Mack who all had good but not standout games. In particular I though Aungier had a good game at scrum which we needed to see from him. DTM also had a great shift off the bench

Will need to up the performance against the sharks next week obviously but after quite a moral sapping defeat last week I'll take a win like that.

The one negative I do have is Fitz and Bolton not getting meaningful minutes. Fitz in particular has been excellent off the bench a few times this season and deserves to be trusted to come on imo

connachta · 24-04-2022 8:40am

What's good for next week in atltitude is, except Prendergast (beast who does not need it!), + Carty/Hansen, we have a fresh squad

Buckley, Thornbury, Wootton, Daly, Farrell back from injuries, Aki, Heff, Bealham not overused during 6N, Murray, Boyle, Dowling rested recently, SH wisely rotated...

connachta · 24-04-2022 8:46am

I've to admit, as I put great hope in him, Bolton 0 out of 3 tackles is the disappointement in an overall big satisfaction

Zeugnis · 24-04-2022 12:47pm

The tightest of wins. The Lions must feel aggrieved that they didn't get anything from the final scrum where they pulverized us. By my count that was only the second of the half, the first having resulted in a penalty. We can be happy that our handling exposed us to fewer opposition scrums than usual. Twelve penalties conceded today, fortunately they were even more undisciplined, conceding thirteen.

IMO qualification for Europe was effectively out of range once we capitulated to Edinburgh and Glasgow, so I don't buy the complaints about not going for the bonus point try. But the best aspect of the performance for me was the defensive phase early in the second half where we kept them from our line. It recalled to me the Trojan period against Munster earlier in the year where, despite conceding a yellow, we kept them out. If we can bottle that steel, the improvement would be transformative.

On the negative side, tackling that wasn't low enough to be effective and then not completed. and the restarts - wtf is up with that? A job for the summer.

Looking forward to the Sharks, hopefully Finlay and Thornbury will start, along with Marmion. Leinster let the Sharks get away yesterday, would be great to take them down in Durban.

tvpc · 25-04-2022 12:23am

Dooley looked better against the sharks then against Connacht, with Burke and Buckley thats good depth. The young hooker looks very promising too. That is 3 good players for next season. Connacht need a good TH for next season and they will have good depth in the front 5.

Has McCoy downed tools or injured? McGrath is improving but himself and Duggan cant scrummage. Swift is playing in France I believe. Finn Wright is playing AIL. Will both signing be announced for next season at a later date?

It was good to see Hanson encouraging McGrath as Carty lined up for the last 3 points, He also encouraged Bolton when he entered the field. Since he came back from Irish camp he has excelled as a leader. He looks a great 15.

tvpc · 25-04-2022 12:35am

Also Connacht needed top 7 as a welsh team gets the last place? Friend probably knew knock out in Europe was the best chance of something achievable this season.

freyners · 25-04-2022 2:51am

While I'd rank it unlikely to get a win over the sharks next week, particularly if they come fully loaded which they do, I do respect friends ability to make achievable targets with the first team to do have a clean sweep.

From listening to the craggy rugby podcast I was struck that we have had only 4 50% or more winning seasons, three under Friend. This season I think we can all agree has been disappointing but I think it's a marker of where we have come from.

Particularly when you listen to the usual shite on off the ball. Apparently Hansen should move to Munster to "further develop"

Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

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