Connacht 2018-19

[Dave Cahill]

In fairness, they'd only been The Beatles less than six months at that stage!

[scentofgunpowder]

Last weekend I wondered about the improvement in the Connacht scrum against Leinster. They never quite dominated us but Bealham caused Cian some inconvenience and Buckley appears to do the same on the tight-head side without any direct result.

Tonight's performance against a much more callow pair of props, albeit with king Rory in the middle, was a clear demonstration as to just how much improved is that Green scrum.

If Jimmy Duffy is the main reason behind that improvement, Ireland may well have found Greg Feek's home-grown successor. Furthermore, Bealham has now demonstrated that he is clearly the best tight-head outside Leinster and Buckley the best loose-head outside our Province.

However, overall, the technical excellence of the Connacht scrum and maul will serve them very well in their Pro14 Season.

Finally, what about Timoney's speed in the 80th minutes of a fast intense game. There's no other Irish back-row who could run away from Bundee Aki and Adyoluken whilst in possession and being hunted down. Very impressive.

Our scrum has been very good for quite some time now. I’m no expert but Roux seems to be very important to its success also.

[johng]

Are we all a absolutely sure that connacht's last win was 1960? I know they said it repeatedly on the george melly but....

Connacht won 13 3 in both 1963 and 1964. Surely one of those had to be away?

[sunshiner1]

https://www.connachtrugby.ie/connacht-r ... rtsground/

Connacht trying to rustle up excitement for a new ground.

[Peg Leg]

https://www.connachtrugby.ie/connacht-r ... rtsground/

Connacht trying to rustle up excitement for a new ground.

That looks great, IGB and Connacht making progress.
The IGB has money to spend on this so a win win for everyone.

[blockhead]

That just leaves little oul Leinster looking for an upgrade.

[sunshiner1]

That looks great, IGB and Connacht making progress.
The IGB has money to spend on this so a win win for everyone.

At this stage I'll believe it when I see it. To be honest i'd rather they moved ground and be done with the bloody greyhounds but it's a great location so I can understand why they want to keep it.

[tomthefan]

Some dreadful stuff by connacht tonight.

[cormac]

Some dreadful stuff by connacht tonight.

Had the game at their mercy with a few minutes left and possession in the Ospreys 22. Carty went for the drop goal too early. Then gifts the Ospreys good field position by kicking out on the full with 30 seconds to go. Can't see what the Connacht players were complaining about for the last TMO decision. Looked pretty clear-cut try to the Ospreys to me.

[Ruckedtobits]

Some dreadful stuff by connacht tonight.

Had the game at their mercy with a few minutes left and possession in the Ospreys 22. Carty went for the drop goal too early. Then gifts the Ospreys good field position by kicking out on the full with 30 seconds to go. Can't see what the Connacht players were complaining about for the last TMO decision. Looked pretty clear-cut try to the Ospreys to me.

Disagree with that @cormac. I thought there was a clear double movement followed by a possible knock-on. However, although I have sympathy with Connacht on the final score award, they really were the architects of their own downfall. They owned the second half, in possession and territory and yet mistakes at critical times cost them this game.

Carty, whom I admire for his gradual improvement over the past 18 months, missed crucial touches from open-play and penalties on four occassions in the second half. Coupled with one kicked dead and another out on the full, these small mistakes deprived Connacht of the continuity of pressure which would probably have produced the winning score.

For the neutral, this was a cracking game. An "old-fashioned" display with superb kicking from Ospreys. Their full-back and out-half ran the Connacht back-three ragged in the first-half and, ultimately, resisted the Connacht dominance of the second half and turned the tide back in favour of the home team.

One or two crucial mistakes by the referee, notably when Blade was pulled into a ruck and lost his jersey a metre from the Osprey's line, but overall, Connacht should have had a points victory, not a moral one.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

It didn't look like a double movement or a knock on to me, actually thought the ball went backwards anyway no matter who it came off.

It's funny, at times during the game I thought that Carty was playing really well, but he's just so inconsistent, even within an 80 minutes. He really had a nightmare towards the end but he wasn't the only one, Connacht made tonnes of mistakes throughout the game. The opening ten minutes was a horror show, there was a blocked kick, Marmion knocking on at the back of the maul, and Kelleher taking the ball back over his line. They missed so many simple tackles as well.

It was a good contest but the quality was really poor. The fact that the Ospreys were going to play in Bridgend had totally passed me by but hope they keep doing it because it made for a much better atmosphere. It's not ideal for TV coverage but I'd take that over the soulless shell.

[sunshiner1]

It was easily the worst Connacht performance this year. Carty shows again that when he good he's pretty good but when he's bad he's utterly dire. TOH didn't have a great one either. Seems his confidence is affected by not making the Irish Squad.

[sunshiner1]

Rumours that Keatley has being made an offer to come back to Connacht to finish his career. I'd file it in the wishful thinking category but who knows.

[sunshiner1]

Rory Scholes has left Connacht with immediate effect to join Brive. Hope it goes well for him.

[Oldschool]

Second great win in SA against Cheetahs today.

[TerenureJim]

Is anyone covering their match this weekend or did BT buy all the rights just so they could block others from showing games in the challenge cup which has totally fallen off the radar

[Laighin Break]

Is anyone covering their match this weekend or did BT buy all the rights just so they could block others from showing games in the challenge cup which has totally fallen off the radar

Going by the Ultimate Rugby app, no

[neill_m]

Is anyone covering their match this weekend or did BT buy all the rights just so they could block others from showing games in the challenge cup which has totally fallen off the radar

BT hold the tv rights, but so far have shown zero interest in showing any Challenge Cup games live.

[Ruckedtobits]

Is anyone covering their match this weekend or did BT buy all the rights just so they could block others from showing games in the challenge cup which has totally fallen off the radar

BT hold the tv rights, but so far have shown zero interest in showing any Challenge Cup games live.

Whilst you're correct @neill_m re scheduled coverage, every game must have TV coverage to conform with TMO requirements. Therefore BT will have the game "in the can" somewhere and its a case of whether some other broadcaster can do a deal with BT. Looks highly unlikely at this point.

[TerenureJim]

How did the EPRC allow this to happen, I appreciate that the prem brexiteers put us all in this mess, but there surely should have been something in the contract re a requirement that a certain number of games be broadcast. Supposed to grow the game yet we have a position where there are less games in the main tournament yet no additional coverage of the 2nd tier.

Thats before we get into the new better magic sponsorship deals which are so magic we have the same sponsors as the old tournament but at less money.

What a f%~k up.