Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Stormers back 3 have done virtually nothing but practice fielding high ball all warmup.

Not sure exactly what that means but don't expect us to win many contestables

Looking very much like we could finish 11th now, i.e. last of the somewhat half decent teams in the league.

Ralston has been very poor the last 2 games

Worst lineout of the year goes to...

(Surprisingly, not the team with Dweba on it)

If you can get it Jamie Lyall on Premier/Viaplay is one of the best in the business.

Plenty of effort and industry on show, but precious little quality. Defence was good but attack extremely blunt, only managed to score from close range off the back of Stormers ill discipline. The final passage summed it up, no deception, no incision, no questions asked of the defence. Would urge anyone who has the stomach to watch the first five minutes of the second half to see some of the worst set piece attack you'll find anywhere. Even when we got a good initial carry from Aki or Jansen, we completely failed to capitalise on the subsequent phases. Looking forward to the season being over now.

Brok Harris is some unit to be fair to him, what an effort at 39 years old.

Agree with us being average but if they could even cut down the number of very basic errors (knock ons and terrible lineouts) deep in opposition territory it would be a big help..... So many times again today when they made some decent territory there was a very basic error usually compounded by another one leading to a big loss of territory.

On a seperate note considering he's obviously so highly rated by the coaches I thought Ralston was very poor again today.

Morale and confidence throughout the squad are at an extremely low ebb, sending a bunch of kids to get 50+ points put on them is not going to help. Leinster will be playing for a home semi, I imagine their team will be closer to the one that played yesterday than a third XV.

A better approach would be to pick one or two of the above in a first choice team. Gavin is an obvious pick. While it would be a tough place to make his debut, I could see the logic to picking Naughton on the bench. We really need to establish our depth chart beyond Carty for next season, Forde and Hawkshaw are not the answer imo.

Firstly the best of luck to the guys leaving, in particular I think JB has been a warrior everytime he took to the field and we will miss his leadership. TOH bow's out as our starting FB, great to see such a servant to the club finishing on his own terms. But best of luck to them all.

Yesterday's game, we tried very hard and we got what we deserved ....beaten at home without a sweat. If that wasn't proof of the misguided Tactics and coaching then I don't know what will be.

https://www.balls.ie/rugby/sam-prendergast-leinster-connacht-rumours-598531

I'll believe it when I see it. I also stand by my earlier comment that I'm not sure it's a good deal for Connacht

as you know b.gud I am a huge TOH fan. As such you know I will give you an honest answer. I thought Cordero was small for a full back. So that's the negative. On the positives he is a lively fecker. And his passing was really good. First impressions is I really like this guy. To be fair to Tiernan, both Porch and Ralston were brutal. Why Tiernan was replaced for Cordero was the usual Wilkins mystery

I tend to agree. It just looks like they are trying fill a gap with an article about nothing.

Was talking to JB after the game. All he said was he had no new rugby home and he was wondering how long his legs would last. A super signing for Connacht

"Connacht have made enquiries about signing Sam Prendergast on loan for next season but with Leinster reluctant to acquiesce a decision now rests with the IRFU and the player."

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2024/05/21/connacht-look-to-sign-sam-prendergast-on-loan-from-leinster/

Thornley reporting it means this could be real.

Normally, i'd say a loan deal at this stage of his career is simply a bad deal for connacht as its more of a dev stage than a production stage. However, with his family connection, maybe a year to convince him could work.

Especially, if next year is the last year of his current deal. No one outside leinster, the player, his agent and the irfu would know that though.

I'm very much for this. As they say in the movies: let's see what the kid has

I think the move would suit everyone, most of all him, but will believe it when I see it. He'll certainly learn how tough pro rugby can be playing with us!

One thing I noted from the weekend; Stormers can be very pleased with how they conducted themselves both on and off the pitch. Loads of them stayed around to clap off the leaving players and Manie Libbock, in particular, was happy to have pictures and chats with anyone who wanted it and I've seen plenty of lesser players being too big time to act the same way, plenty of them irish too.

It basically depends on his contract status. If next year is his last year, you get an entire year to pitch him on in staying at comnacht. If its not, yea i'd pass.