Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Absolutely brutal.

Not got off the bus

Edit: Ospreys 9 looks a tidy player

Connacht deserve to lose for the state of that barnet alone.

Looking better now! Great runs by Farrell and Hawkshaw for our second try.

Some very bad stuff to go down 12-0 obviously but massive defence off the 50-22 to avoid Ospreys being nearly out of sight.

Byrne, Porch & Wootton can hopefully click and cause some damage, lot of pace there

impressive is not the word

so light, again

poor game

A win is a win vs Ospreys A

Hawkshaw is the real find the summer, unexpected leadership

While there are quite a lot of obvious work ons overall.

Once we went 12-0 down so early that is a game we would definitely have capitulated in previously and ended up losing quite badly.

What are you on about. Jack played well tonight.

Fully agree on this. The early errors could have resulted in them dropping their heads and succumbing to demoralisation, we saw a bit of that last season. While it was a pity not to get the bonus point, it was almost more satisfying seeing them grind out the tight win. Our mental strength just received a major boost. I love how vocal Hawkshaw is, behaves like a captain :)

Darragh Murray had a good debut, the argument for Fifita as a NIQ lock is weak now that we have such strength in the row. Considering who we've lost (Ultan and Quin), and the injury crisis we had there just a couple of seasons ago, that's pleasing. Illo's was industrious when he came on. And congrats to Byrne on his debut, will definitely be an asset.

With Joe Joyce coming in too, you’d imagine Fifita will be gone in the summer

Jack should really be retired at this stage. This experiment has gone on far too long.

Awful start but a win.

Thought 1 of their tries was short and I thought Aungier had a good shout for a try, neither reviewed.

Pity to give Ospreys a lbp and pity not to get the BP ourselves but a wins a win. Thought jack played very well,

Not the prettiest of wins and the BP would have been nice but that's one we would have lost the last couple of seasons. A good way to end this block of games and keep building some momentum. Before the block started I think we would have all been happy with 3 wins and a BP especially after the first 3 games.

Defense is massively improved not withstanding the occasional mistake, lineout both on out ball and opposition is really showing the work being put in.

Attack still a worry but with the emphasis being put on defense in training I guess that's to be expected.

All in all pretty happy going into the international break.

Watched it in company so didn’t see it as closely as normally would but from what I saw bar an early penalty and a harsh late penalty when Connacht scrum was driving forward well on top, the scrum was very solid and the line out was good throughout. Don’t think we were turned over at too many rucks either and had some big turnovers on them.

Wasn’t porch badly at fault for the third try? He’s had a very solid start to season regardless