Connacht Vs Zebre Jan 11 15.40

sea_point wrote:

connachtcl wrote: Can't understand this myth that George offers more better ball carrying and helps the scrum. McKeon is a much better ball carrier and controls the ball better at the base of the scrum. You only have to look at today as an example, George cost us dear in the second half, by not controlling the ball properly in the scrum. Love what he has done for Connacht but I'm afraid he's past it now and doesn't even warrant a place on the bench!

Very unhappy with today. Zebre are really awful and we didn't put the m to the sword at all. So many missed opportunities that we may end up regretting after next week. Am I right in saying that if Sarries get a losing BP tomorrow we have to beat them by more than 7 points to come second next week?

What Myth, have you ever actually played in the pack before or specifically at eight? You're measuring Georges performance on 15mins and one unstable scrum which made the channel ball rubbish for him.

He's three three inches taller and two stone heavier than McKeon, so with best will in the world (and everything else being equal) there is no way that he is worse at locking the scrum than Eoin or taking ball on and we know what he offers at lineout time.

A lot is expected of George and to in all honesty this evening he certainly was no worse than McKeown who was pretty anonymous despite us dominating much of the game possession wise...

I can have an opinion without having played in the pack. Also, I'm not judging him on one performance, I'm judging him on the whole year. He has had a problem all year controlling the ball at scrumtime. I'd agree that McKeon had a poor game, as did most of the team yesterday. However, we get noticeably worse when George comes on due to the issues and the scrum and he regularly loses yards when ball carrying.

Good to see that Toulose did us a favour today. It was a nice physical game as well so the six day turnaround for them should help us nicely! Thought they were really poor to be honest and we know they are there for the taking from the first fixture.

phatguerilla wrote:

The Outlaw wrote:
Lack of capable ball carrying forwards in the back 5 of the pack is our single limiting factor in my view. Mc Keon is just too small to be an 8 at this level for me. Just over 16 stone. George North is a winger and he's bigger then that.

I agree weight is a factor but not the biggest one, Heenan is probably the lightest forward, certainly lightest backrower and still carries effectively. One issue for too long has been forwards taking the ball static/carrying from too deep. I'd like to see McKeon bulk up in the next year but that won't necessarily change how he carries by itself.

I think Mc Keon is a 6 and would make a very good one.

He's not an 8 in my opinion and its as much a power issue as weight. Bulk is not as important at 7.

We don't have a big man in the pack who is good at trucking up slow ball either. We won't always be on the front foot.

I think you're probably right and if it wasn't for two good sixes ahead of him and only one aging 8, he probably would be a 6.
I think bulk does have a big impact on how a player stays over a ball carrier on the ground and prevents the opposition rucking the ball back. Its not the be all and end all but its a factor.

Also I think someone said that McKeon was hanging out in the backs for this game? Heenan did the same in the first half of the Toulouse game at home, and JHW/Muldoon can often be found on the wing these days. Its a Lam tactic similar to Penney's imo but not been pointed out in the media at every moment like they did to Penney last year. Unfortunately as mentioned there's no one in the pack punching holes in the defensive line so it doesn't appear to be very effective.

The only good thing you can say about that game is that they didn't lose. When I first saw all the young backs named in the side I thought just maybe they would cut loose and score a bucketload of tries but that was never going to happen with them as static as they were and with all the poor passing. Some of the decision making as to when to pass or go on their own was comical. Even though they still have a chance to move on, I'm not looking forward to Saturday's game. The only hope Connacht have is if on the basis of that performance Saracens take them too lightly. Can't see that happening with a quarterfinal place on the line.

Boooooooooooo