Connacht 2016/17

[Ruckedtobits]

Good signing by Connacht of James Cannon, 6'8" second row from Wasps - ex Northampton and English Under 20's - but Irish qualified.

Lam has a really shrewd eye in recruitment and if he thinks this guy is worth signing, its a great bit of business. When he grabbed Muldowney from Exeter, it just looked like he was filling a gap caused by Mike Mc going to Leinster, but Muldowney improved and prospered, even though he had been with an excellent coach in Exetere, Rob Baxter.

Good work Connacht. Now, heads down and get back to winning, by doing the basics and taking your chances. That's the big difference so far this year.

[simonokeeffe]

Yup they badly needed a tall lock

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Just sped through that game. The conditions may have been awful but I thought Connacht were really really poor.

I could forgive some dropped balls because of the weather but they were really stupid at times when they fired balls at each other and were technically very poor. There were a few times when the ball was on the ground and the Connacht players tried to be flashy about picking the ball up when they just needed to dive on it and make sure they were facing backwards or put it out of touch.

The kicking strategy was a mess. I could almost understand them kicking so much because of their poor handling and the conditions, but it didn't work and they didn't seem to put any thought into it. At one stage they had an attacking scrum and put a cross field kick up for Niyi to catch, but Liam Williams was the guy he was up against and caught it brilliantly. Liam Williams is one of the best fielders of a ball in world rugby, if you see that he's covering the kick then you don't put it into his arms.

Thought their fitness was really bad as well. You could see that players were struggling to get back in the line but if they managed to do that then they didn't have anything left in the tank to do anything positive after it. The defensive line was a shambles too. So many guys shooting out at bizarre times, especially given that the conditions were poor so it wasn't like they were going to get caught out by quick hands in the second half.

Scarlets first try was a cracker, brilliant hands and then nicely finished by Liam Williams.

I'd be worried about Connacht after watching that.

[sunshiner1]

Just saw the signing now and very happy with it. To be frank didn't expect another one but the Connacht branch have always said that recruitment wasn't over. I wonder if it is now? As for the Scarlets game I think Andre Bell is being seriously missed, as are leaders in that team. McGinty was a serious game manager, as was Muldowney in the pack. Some guys there need to step up.

[simonokeeffe]

Hopefully Boschoff can make a difference, four games in though theyve no excuse for rustiness, think its morale & confidence

Putting 2 + 2 together Cannon may be a replacement for Marshall

[sunshiner1]

Maybe. That said everyone I knew was convinced that Nathan White was going to retire last season and that proved to be rubbish. The thing about Marshall though is he always seems to be injured. That guy spends more time in the rehab room than he ever does on the pitch.

[simonokeeffe]

Maybe. That said everyone I knew was convinced that Nathan White was going to retire last season and that proved to be rubbish. The thing about Marshall though is he always seems to be injured. That guy spends more time in the rehab room than he ever does on the pitch.

Marshall had various injuries, White has had a few concussions and thats a cumulative/degenerative injury not helped by age either

not to go too Joe Duffy on it but front row too probably the worst position in that regard, all the repeated upper body impacts from scrums

[hugonaut]

Good signing by Connacht of James Cannon, 6'8" second row from Wasps - ex Northampton and English Under 20's - but Irish qualified.

Lam has a really shrewd eye in recruitment and if he thinks this guy is worth signing, its a great bit of business. When he grabbed Muldowney from Exeter, it just looked like he was filling a gap caused by Mike Mc going to Leinster, but Muldowney improved and prospered, even though he had been with an excellent coach in Exetere, Rob Baxter.

Good work Connacht. Now, heads down and get back to winning, by doing the basics and taking your chances. That's the big difference so far this year.

I'll be interested to see how this signing works out. Lams last two signings [Ili after Rnd 2 and now Cannon after Rnd 4] have been curiously timed.

Why were neither of these players signed in time to allow them a proper bedding-in period with Connacht? It's not as though either is particularly in demand.

A pre-season with the team would have allowed them to learn the strategies and tactics that they'd be working off for the season, the management styles, standards and personalities of the coaching side, the personal and technical tics of their team mates, allow them to become familiar with their new work environment and indeed make themselves comfortable in their new homes. Instead they have been parachuted into a team in the middle of a fairly significant losing streak with no preparation.

From the outside looking in, and coupled with the collapse of their pre-season friendly schedule, it seems like bad organisation from everyone on the management side of things in Connacht. This is in stark contrast to the way they have conducted business over the last couple of years. I wonder what the story is?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Given how they've started it might be a good thing that they missed pre season and the first few weeks of the season

[offshorerules]

Nathan White forced to retire due to concussion.

[simonokeeffe]

Given how they've started it might be a good thing that they missed pre season and the first few weeks of the season

Nathan White forced to retire due to concussion.

Sad but was coming, think partially answers Hugos question,they were waiting to see if Marshall, White, maybe not McSharry were going to make it back

[johng]

Sad. I always liked him as a player. I hope he suffers no ill effects and has a good "rest of his life"

I know he probably only had a season or 2 left anyway but it's nice to go out on your own terms like Eoin Redan

[sunshiner1]

Maybe. That said everyone I knew was convinced that Nathan White was going to retire last season and that proved to be rubbish. The thing about Marshall though is he always seems to be injured. That guy spends more time in the rehab room than he ever does on the pitch.

I wish I wasn't right here. The same guy who said White was going to retire was the one who mentioned Marshall.

P.S. Rumours going around about Daragh Leader as well. He's had 4 operations on his hand and they are hoping the last one takes. If not...

That's McSharry and White who have had to retire with Leader and Marshall as uncertains in the future. Adding to that they lost coach Andre Bell as well as McGinty, Muldowney and Henshaw to transfers.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Sad news about White but he had a long career and hope he's still relatively healthy. Considering the circumstances in which he came over, he turned into a surprisingly good signing for Irish rugby. Wish him all the best.

[Ruckedtobits]

Nathan was a gentleman in Leinster and his "extra value" and leadership in both Leinster and Connacht was immense. He made a huge contribution to scrum work of young props in both Provinces, particularly Jack McGrath in Leinster and Finlay Bealham in Connacht. When he was in Leinster, the main focus was on Tight-head development. He contributed ideas and strategy with Greg Feek and in the live scrum sessions, Jack McGrath was a major benefiary as one of his direct opponents. (Heinke Van de Merwe had also contributed hugely in the development of Mike Ross and our other front-rows).

Although Nathan had come as a Project player and not a NIQ, there is no doubt that the benefit of Nathan and Heinke, coupled with Feek's presence was one of thekey factors in the rapid improvement of Leinster and Irish scrum work. This is precisely the unquantifiable value of top class overseas players within a Province Squad.

Copy D Nucifora

[simonokeeffe]

Ywould be gutted for but not surprised about Leader, really talented guy who was first choice despite his age when fit

[sunshiner1]

You would be gutted for but not surprised about Leader, really talented guy who was first choice despite his age when fit

Yeah he'd just begun to make the training squads under Schmidt when he got injured. Hope it works out for him.

[simonokeeffe]

Connacht: Tiernan O'Halloran, Niyi Adeolokun, Bundee Aki, Peter Robb, Matt Healy, Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion; Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Conor Carey, Quinn Roux, Ultan Dillane, Eoin McKeon, Jake Heenan, John Muldoon (capt).

Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Ronan Loughney, Finlay Bealham, Lewis Stevenson, James Connolly, Caolin Blade, Shane O'Leary, Cian Kelleher.

no Edinburgh team yet but theyll be missing Weir, Bryce (prop), Manu, Tovey, Burleigh, Dickinson, Bresler, Helu and one or two more so basically all their tightheads and

15. Glenn Bryce
14. Damien Hoyland
13. Chris Dean
12. Solomoni Rasolea
11. Michael Allen
10. Jason Tovey
9. Sean Kennedy

1. Rory Sutherland
2. Ross Ford
3. WP Nel
4. Ben Toolis
5. Grant Gilchrist CAPTAIN
6. Magnus Bradbury
7. John Hardie
8. Cornell Du Preez

Substitutes

16. Stuart McInally
17. Jack Cosgrove
18. Allan Dell
19. Lewis Carmichael
20. Hamish Watson
21. Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
22. Sasa Tofilau
23. Blair Kinghorn

bench v weak at prop and lock, strong starting pack but Connacht easily their match in the backs

[sunshiner1]

Robb and Aki together is the future for Connacht. Griffin has being mediocre at best for Connacht since returning.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Only a few minutes in but Connacht just going side to side, need a plan B.