Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

ElisaAtWar · 02-01-2023 1:03am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120053970#Comment_120053970

Didn't see any of that

ElisaAtWar · 02-01-2023 1:55am

I'm a bit lost that a coach who has witnessed what fans have witnessed persists in these team selections. It completely fry's my head.

Ernie McCracken · 02-01-2023 4:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120054519#Comment_120054519

He’s mixing experience with home grown players and new recruits. He also has to balance not overplaying players.

What should he do? I’ve only seen you suggest Daly being played at outhalf. He has limited resources and is doing a grand job with what he has.

Some people on here have said he needs variation in attacking plays and it’s all too one dimensional. I believe it’s a more rest and conditioning problem with Connacht. Along with simple error count.

Hopefully he doesn’t overplay the Murrays to get the home players on the pitch as he has a fine choice of competent second rows. Outhalf is another conundrum.

Lucas44 · 02-01-2023 9:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120042325#Comment_120042325

jennings should be very frustrated not to be seeing gametime at 15 imo especially with how poor TOH has been. Much better or an athlete than mcnulty so would back him long term.. west is similar to carty in that he’s confidence based but still a good bit away from being ready for pro rugby, John devine the standout back at the age

CowboyTed · 03-01-2023 2:33am

The way I looked at it.

We were never winning this one... Leinster had way too much firepower on the field.

Jack plays a lot better with Marmion generally... His penalty kicking has been poor this season and would love if we had someone on the field that could help with that... The Number 10 doesn't have to be the kicker.

Saying that we have got through an extremely tough first half of the season. We have injuries and some are going to be severely missed.

It is easy blame Jack on nights like that, the Leinster backrow were running riot... We did well in the first half by keeping it tight but as the game opeed up Leinster just took us apart...

If we can get on a run we could get ourselves in a position to compete... Injuries are key and we now need some players to get a run of form.

SqueakyKneecap · 03-01-2023 3:25am

I've little time for Wilkins (I've zero doubt Friend is just doing a handover at this stage) but this season was always going to be about blooding in new names. In fairness I think they've done a decent job of throwing in the youngsters and some lads like Darragh Murray have taken to pro rugby like a duck to water (those two brothers are either gonna be capped internationals or making good money abroad in 3 years). You're always going to get hammerings when you put out experimental sides against a team like Leinster/South African sides away.

That being said Carty is in horrific form by his standards and even if it's only Fitz/Forde they need to be given a start if fit. Hawkshaw's injury looked very bad so I'd assume he's out for at least a few weeks best case scenario otherwise I'd chance him at OH. My fear is that we stick it out like Butler a couple of years back at 8 (who in fairness is in better form this year) and TOH instead of seeing sense.

This season is already close to a write off as it stands so take a chance on young lads. They'll make mistakes but I saw Bealham, Roux, Bundee, Marmion etc make plenty in their first couple of years here/

kita99 · 03-01-2023 2:16pm

I think Illo was very strong especially scrum time.

He won against andrew porter 2or 3 times.I hope to give him more game time.So,IMO he'll succeser to Finley.

connachta · 03-01-2023 3:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120059605#Comment_120059605

he did amanzingly in scrum vs Porter who's in the Top5 of the world, he's not 22 yet!!

huge margin of progression, tackling technique, mobility

but he'll be ready when Finlay retires/falls as 2nd choice i.e mid-2024

Illo will have, before the deadline, gametime during/around 6 nations and RWC (10 to 15 games), I'm not worried about that

Barrett will provide competion, Aungier isn't bad, and McCoy proved to be the best 4th choice you can dream based on the last 3 games (only 29 y.o, 3 seasons still in him)

stephen_n · 03-01-2023 4:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120059605#Comment_120059605

Illo was never straight once. It was a very generous interpretation from the ref. Not one he would get often. The very first scrum after he came on he buckled in and popped straight up and the scrum got reset. It was a penalty against him all day long.

kita99 · 03-01-2023 6:49pm

Yes,he is too young and inmature,but has an ability of good hitting,so he needs good coach and rivals.

I think he has gotten some skills and self-confidences ince he went to South Africa as one of member of Ireland A.

ElisaAtWar · 03-01-2023 7:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120057543#Comment_120057543

Strangely TOH was anything but poor before being replaced. And on another matter when Tom went to 10 with Jacks yellow card Connacht held Leinster scoreless for that 10 minutes. So if you want to be fair about it and if you want to identify the right choices Ralston should have been brought in at centre, TOH should have been left at fullback and Tom Daly should have been left at out half. The whole game went to pants when Jack came back on again. And he was so bad before yellow carded there really was no justification for bringing him back on again. But once he was brought back on again everything went downhill very fast. So if folks didn't see that well I'm unsure what they were watching

Lucas44 · 04-01-2023 12:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120061047#Comment_120061047

Not sure what game you were watching TOH was awful, has been the last two years. Look at the try jack falls over for, TOH misses two tackles in the space of 10 seconds. Not to mention he’s on about 150-200k.. anyway I was simply replying to comments regarding some prospects not carty or TOH

eagle eye · 04-01-2023 3:33am

As regards outhalf, I don't know what the situation is with South African players coming over here but there's some talent at the position out there.

You've got Boeta Chamberlain and Curwin Bosch with the Sharks, the Bulls have Steyn, Smith and Goosen who are all excellent and at the Stormers there's Libbock, Willemse and Mngomezulu.

Surely you could pick up one of them. There's more young players out there as well with more talent than anyone you could realistically get in Europe.

FACECUTTR · 04-01-2023 1:22pm

I don't doubt your info and that's a ridiculous wage for someone who hasn't performed at URC level for the past 2 or 3 years.

Zeugnis · 04-01-2023 2:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120062739#Comment_120062739

If that figure is correct, I'm genuinely shocked. And it was outrageous what Larmour did to him in that sequence, even if he does have a wicked step.

realhorrorshow · 04-01-2023 2:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120057543#Comment_120057543

I see Oran's brother Finn moved across this summer just gone and has scored a bag full of tries. U20 this year, assume he's in the sub academy.

Hard to see what the delay getting Jennings involved, I'm hoping he was being given time to transition back to 15 at AIL level and will get some minutes in the latter half of the season.

Dubinusa · 04-01-2023 2:30pm

With Hawkshaw out, Forde should be looked at. Carty is just not a good 10. Connacht won't do well with him steering the bus.

I think Marmion could move on this year. He's behind Blade and his contract is up.

AccidentallyOnside · 04-01-2023 2:47pm

Healy to Edinburgh confirmed so he won't be coming to us.

Zeugnis · 04-01-2023 2:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120064366#Comment_120064366

If you're right about Carty, why was he selected for the six nations squad this time last year? Yes, he got all of ninety seconds playtime, but is AF so clueless that he picks someone who is 'just not a good 10'? His form is poor, but like Elisaatwar, you are slipping into hyperbole. Jack will be back, but Connacht do need someone to compete with him at 10. Hawkshaw could have been that player but even before his injury, he was looking much better at 12. Fitzgerald in my opinion is a perfect utility back and ideal 23. So it seems Connacht may need to look elsewhere (although the Forde option is still alive).

Marmion and Blade have had an identical number of starts this season, and KM has played more games overall. And Blade's contract is also up end of season, he signed a one year deal last January. It's at an Irish level that Blade is getting attention and opportunities.

Dubinusa · 04-01-2023 5:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120064531#Comment_120064531

Jack was never really there. He's not been a standout! He was in the mix with a gaggle of average oh's. He's not an answer as he's never improved over being average. If he was selected, it would be because Sexton, Carberry and Crowley are out injured.

serfboard · 05-01-2023 1:51pm

Such a pity about Hawkshaw being out because I think that, as shown in the Leinster match, Carty along with Hawkshaw & Farell were a good 10/12/13 combination. It would be great if that combination could be repeated, with Hawkshaw taking the penalties - at least until Jack gets his scoring boots back.

Rugbymad2020 · 05-01-2023 3:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120060020#Comment_120060020

Did u really just say Porter is in the top 5 in the world for scrumming?not even close

BrokenMan · 05-01-2023 4:27pm

Sharks sending a weakened team by the looks of it. Currie Cup team basically according to reports.

connemara man · 05-01-2023 4:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120069544#Comment_120069544

Won't be needing the bigger boat so

Wegians89 · 05-01-2023 4:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120068694#Comment_120068694

Wonder if Forde could get a look in at 12 over the next two challenge cup matches. Potentially similar profile to hawkshaw and a handy place kicker

ElisaAtWar · 05-01-2023 8:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120062739#Comment_120062739

That's an interesting take on what actually happened. Yes Larmour is fast and he made a fool of Porch early in the second and Porch is no slouch. What TOH did was channel Larmour back into contact first before Larmour broke free of that contact. Then TOH channelled him out towards the sideline before he passed to Jimmy O'Brien. And then TOH made the tackle on O'Brien perfectly. If Jack hadn't fallen on his arse it would have been a simple clearance and job done TOH.

So that's a really harsh call on what TOH did.

That said the second Larmour try TOH was very guilty. It was clear Larmour was going to get over the line with his forward momentum. The only way to stop that try was for TOH to hold him up. And he had every opportunity to do so but his technique was muck.

So agree TOH didn't have his finest day considering such a basic defensive error even though he broke the Leinster line each and every time on his runs.

On other matters Illo was excellent. Was a bit confused about the sub replacement strategy by Connacht. Second row did great but needed refreshing. Marmion came on too late and I think the team just suffered from being tired as Leinster made wholesale changes to freshen things up.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 05-01-2023 10:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120069544#Comment_120069544

Makes sense. Most of Sharks trips north are two match tours. This is one week north then playing at home the next week.

Its a tough and disrupting journey and they don't want to have to do it twice (coming up and going back) for a single game.

Utopia Parkway · 05-01-2023 11:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120069544#Comment_120069544

Must have seen the forecast for Galway on Saturday.

Zeugnis · 06-01-2023 12:59pm

Team V Sharks:

15. Tiernan O’Halloran (213)

14. John Porch (70)

13. Tom Farrell (88)

12. Cathal Forde (4)

11. Mack Hansen (21)

10. Jack Carty (188) (C)

9. Kieran Marmion (220)

1. Denis Buckley (220)

2. Shane Delahunt (122)

3. Finlay Bealham (182)

4. Oisín Dowling (36)

5. Darragh Murray (3)

6. Josh Murphy (8)

7. Conor Oliver (51)

8. Shamus Hurley-Langton (10)Replacements

16. Dylan Tierney-Martin (12)

17. Jordan Duggan (31)

18. Dominic Robertson-McCoy (75)

19. Leva Fifita (19)

20. Cian Prendergast (37)

21. Caolin Blade (159)

22. Conor Fitzgerald (60)

23. Byron Ralston (9)

realhorrorshow · 06-01-2023 1:32pm

Like that squad, although maybe a bit light in the back 5 of the pack and would like to see us explore our options at 15. Delighted to see Forde in. He's very similar to Hawkshaw imo, both are playmakers who are comfortable at 10 but also very tenacious on both sides of the ball. Ultimately I think both are best at 12 but we shall see.

Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

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