Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

By all accounts he wanted to stay but only on a 2 year deal.

In the final 20

A the post (my new best friend)

B other missed drop-goal

C missed pen

D Bolton -who was good- might have been red

E Oliver may have been penalised in front of the posts

F Blade -who wasn't good- saved our asses holding player beyond the tryline

G Illo did well to be serious in very dangerous well-placed scrums

H Same for Murray in lineouts

I O'Brien crossfield kick when they have momentum...

J Forde so important, no missed tackles, little "Robb" in carries but with hands, long kicks... We wouldn't have won without this level

10 reasons we should have (as usual) f**** up in this kind of away games

After yesterday it's very hard to feel optimism. I know it's very hard to take positives. But there are positives. We won the game. A lot of the players played really well. Some players played poorly. Once you address that it's not such a supposed disaster. But we do need to address weaknesses. And we need to do it SOON

Aungier was also good until he was withdrawn and Illo continues to grow into his role. These are positives in a position which looked like an Achilles heel. Hawkshaw should stick to 12 (could he be tried out at 15?) but give Forde or Daly a try at 10 (unlikely tle latter will work out but worth a try). TOH was excellent under the high ball, after a dodgy start to the season, he has really shown his value in the last couple of months. So I'll eat crow on that one.

it's easy to forget that we were extremely unlucky to miss out on two tries

The really frustrating thing about that performance, was that in attack in the first half. Connacht looked really good, they were making meters for fun through the center. Then Dragons lose one of their centres and instead of carrying on the way they were playing. They decided to go tight and keep it in close. I know Dragons also lost a second row but why change what was working. All Connacht had to do, was keep doing what they had been doing. Then they seemed to panic and there was a real lack of leadership. Blade playing so poorly and having a 12 at 10 doesn’t really help I’m sure.

Willie Ruane or someone similar needs to speak with coaches and tell them Marmion has to be considered for selection for remaining games at least until they are meaningless. Freezing him out is a terrible way to treat one of the greatest players in Connacht history who is more or less leaving due to Connacht's decision. Can't be good to inspire loyalty either, certainly if I was a non native in the Connacht dressing room, I would be thinking if this is how they treat a guy with 200+ caps, league winner, 30 Irish caps, I better prioritise myself. Particularly with news leaking of this "locals first" policy whatever the hell that is.

More importantly, it's bad for the team, had Sam Davies slotted that drop goal late on Saturday, the decision to go without Marmion would have played a significant part in effectively ending Connacht's interest in the league. One would think this lesson had been learned with Newcastle away, had Connacht treated that game properly, they would have secured at least one home European knockout and likely more than one, income that would have more than covered Marmion's contract and others.

This is professional sport. Connacht need to be focused on getting the absolute max out of every season. Absolute shambolic management on multiple occasions this season.

On the other hand, if we know that Marmion is gone next year, then when do you get a 'safer' game to give Reilly some minutes than against the Dragons?

(that's now how it panned, of course)

I mean they weren’t willing to give him minutes. That suggests they had a mindset of sure we will be fifteen or twenty up and give Reilly twenty minutes. A mindset that frankly would go a long way towards explaining Connacht’s consistent struggles in similar games.

Connacht aren’t Leinster talent wise, every opponent needs to be treated with respect. Of course there’s a time to give younger players an opportunity but crucial European and league games aren’t that.

Edit - On “safer” games I certainly wouldn’t be picking an away game during an international period when Edinburgh seconds have put 40/50 plus on Connacht teams twice in the previous two seasons in this exact scenario. That’s in addition to losing games in Wales against second string teams during international periods.

There’s pre season fixtures, home European games, home league games against weaker teams, I even wouldn’t mind throwing a younger player in somewhere where you aren’t expected to get anything. But must win league games away where Connacht are favourites, a type Connacht have struggled badly in for years, have to go with the absolute strongest 23. It’s mind boggling and genuinely worrying that Connacht’s coaching staff were unable to reach that conclusion.

Wasn't expecting this .

The very best of luck to him.

Carty and Hackshaw are not the answer. How many more years of Carty. It has been a disaster from start to end. If Jack is continued I will cry outright

You are only thinking about this from a now perspective, you have to consider the future.

If you continue to play Marmion then Blade goes into next season lacking confidence.

It's important to keep the future in mind. This has happened at multiple teams over the years and it's the right move.

It's a difficult juggling act between on field performance and getting the right infrastructure in place but sometimes you have to dig deeper into the costs of running the organisation.

I'd be looking at the non playing side of things cost wise. Not to get rid of lots of people or anything but to look at all expenses incurred.

I think it's not too harsh to say that there's a lot of costs that could be looked at and there's a not insignificant amount of money that could be saved by tightening up a few things. I'm sure anyone who has been a supporter of Connacht over the years sees the inefficiencies in many aspects of the organisation.