Aironi v Connacht - 07/01/12

Oh Lord, turns out I'm one of the lucky ones, was out at another game today and missed this. I really feel sorry for them out there. For years upon years I have always hated the feeling of walking out of the sportsground with a lump in my throat after losing games in the last 10-15 mins (too many examples).

Any other season we would simply write this off as an "away loss", and my god were we used to them. The really sad thing is that we aren't guaranteed heineken cup next year, and by the looks of it we wont get it off our own back, which means an expected drop in season ticket holders. Also, our recruitment is going to have taken a huge hit, going to be very hard to try and get a quality player into this side on current form (ask yourself what would benson stanley say about a move now) while also not being able to offer heineken cup, how many other young players from other provinces would be considering a move west?

I'm sorry if this is a negative post, but thats the way it is. We all know that this team has lots of potential and is trying hard as a team to get some wins, and at least (bar today) we are still keeping competitive (ok, maybe rule out the game in thomand as well). Our next win, whenever it will be, is going to be so sweet, but for all the wrong reasons. We were handed a chance this season, given funding, and greater support showed up. Its tough times like this that highlights true character, and I always say to a team that is down (after a loss, or through missing players) that nobody likes to take on a wounded animal. Putting it in terms of the financial markets, Connacht are looking for their "dead cat bounce"... [and I dont mean the dublin band].

Still standing fully behind this team, it breaks my heart to see them lose, but its euphoric to see them win.

No need to hand your Season tickets in guys,or do you have short memories ?? we have not been hammered once this season by any of the Rabodirect teams, outplayed sometimes but not hammered. We used to be the whipping boys, that is no longer the case, shipping 30 or 40 points was the norm only a few seasons ago. At least we are in games till the end this season.
Having said that there are a few things that need to be addressed the first being, what the hell do we employ a forwards coach??? as we have no idea how to manage the game up front.
We were attacking under the posts with a veiw to at least get a bonus point, then why oh why did we end up being driven into to touch outside the five metre line? that comes down to one thing and one thing only, bad coaching of the forwards. The same thing happened last week when we narrowlly missed a drop goal to win the game. Why on earth did the forwards not take responsibilty and keep driving forward till we were in a better postion for the drop goal attempt????
Munster would keep the ball until it was a dead cert, even if it went five minutes into over time. It comes down to lack of cofidence in your own abilities,this is a coaching problem !!!!
There are other issues but I can't get up the enthusiasm to post further as I,m not a happy camper, as I say at the bottom of my posts, It's not easy being Green !!!

The fact that we're not getting hammered means very little to me at this point. That's 12 losses in a row now (or is it 13...I've honestly lost count). I don't care if we lost every one of those games by a single point -- you can learn how to lose just the same as you can learn how to win. We seem to be developing and honing bad habits at an alarming rate.

i would consider today, vs ulster and vs munster a hammering.
from 5 mins today we weren't going to play well same down in limerick.
vs ulster we only had the ball for about 5mins of the whole game, ONCE leaving our own half

Connacht Rugby Professional sports team 20,891 like this

Ezra Taylor - The players are all good players & can compete at a top level. They are totally capable of winning for their region. There are diseases at bay..........

3 minutes ago

Folks, this was just posted on connachts facebook page, stuck it in here before it gets chopped. This must be our Ezra from last year, if so it makes some interesting reading!

P.S think he means play rather than bay

i can 100% assure you that this is the real page of our former player.
done research from a relieable sorce

Anyone got any idea what he is talking about? Management structure or what?

another comment. i believe its from e.r's partner but im not sure

Connacht Team are great warriors, so upset seeing them with no confidence in the field when they are so good ans strong!! ***Sorry for saying this: "WE ALL KNOW WE NEED SOMETHING NEW, and that is a NEW... C**** "

liked by ezra taylor.

need something new, NEW... 5 letter word starting with C.
COME ON LADS.. IS THE SECOND LETTER O THIRD A FOURTH C LAST H

Greendragon wrote: No need to hand your Season tickets in guys,or do you have short memories ?? we have not been hammered once this season by any of the Rabodirect teams, outplayed sometimes but not hammered. We used to be the whipping boys, that is no longer the case, shipping 30 or 40 points was the norm only a few seasons ago. At least we are in games till the end this season.
quote]

Yes but look back through all the sides we've played this year in the Rabo, only only 2 or 3 occasions have we come up against a first choice or close to first choice 15. Bad as things were a few years ago I'd still have taken us to win at least 2 of the 3 games at home to Cardiff(minus internationals), Ospreys A and a weakened Treviso.

Also to become more competitive we are putting what Eric perceives as our best possible 15 out on the pitch every week. I wasn't an advocate of Bradley's approach a few years back of chucking in the towel before a ball was kicked but much talk as there is about our small squad, there has still been a number in our squad twiddling their thumbs while we flog the same 18/20 players every week.

It's one opinion, and probably one that has some merit. Having said that ET is probably not likely to be all that positive towards the coach that didn't renew his contract.

Totally gutted seeing good players trying their upmost and getting no reward, when the camera panned to EE and Allnut you could see on their faces they had not got a clue what to do, the desperation was obvious and this transmitted to the players on the pitch.

Ezra Taylors comments ring very true, Sean C and Carr have waxed lyrical about the coaching they now receive at Leinster and a few years ago players that made a similar move also made similar comments.

Which begs another question. Each coach in Ireland has the same qualifications and has followed the same courses. So why have the other teams got players wetting themselves?

Money.

Leinster players have GPS tracking during sessions and all of their movements and positioning analysed. We have players doing sit ups with logs. They have whole teams of coaches, we have a handful.

And now we have a war of words brewing with Easterbury who is trying to downplay our one trump card by telling journalists they can do more for young players and that playing time is overrated.

He also tweeted alot of the players and says something along the lines of : 'It's bull, you guys deserve better' and 'blame shouldn't be on you'.