That was a typical Connat performance, had the lead but couldn't hold onto it. Actually, we had the lead twice and they were too cowardly to hold onto it.

Seriously though, that was a disgraceful performance and everyone of them should be hung, drawn and QUARTERED inside in eyre square. I was over at the game and I've never seen a more pathetic performance in my whole life. Just to put it into context, rugby is their job, that's what they're paid to do and not one of them can pass, tackle, catch the ball or even run. There's 5 or 6 of them that really need to think about the day job, I think they could be more suited to, well, any other job you can think of.

Like Saracens scored 11 tries. That's more than Connacht have scored in 6 Heineken Cup games. But the thing that highlighted the patheticness the most was Matt Haley's attempted tackle in the second half, he got bounced back so far that he nearly landed beside me in the stand, then a few minuted later himself and Griffin nearly had to be pulled apart behind the try line after Haley made a mistake that lead to a try, I hope some of the older lads explained to the 2 of them that it would be a lot more in their line to try take out some of that aggression on a few Sarries lads instead of on each other.

Sorry if this message is a bit OTT but I'm just so frustrated with them

theCulk wrote: "Stats are for losers, the final score is for winners." - Bill Belichick.

Wise, wise words to live by

"Statistics are just like mini skirts, they give you good ideas, but hide the most important thing"

<maths pedant>
The ratios were 1 to 5 and 1 to 3. So they missed 1 in 6 and 1 in 4.
</maths pedant>

The IMF wrote:

ummm, wrote:

rossie wrote: According to the stats Connacht bad 45% possession but missed 30 tackles and only won 58% of their lineouts.

And yet we missed 32 in Toulouse...

According to ESPN tackles made / missed:

Toulouse: 149 / 32

Saracens: 91 / 30

I guess making 149 tackles affords us a bit of slack.

Missed 1 in 5 tackles in a winning performance v 1 in 3 in an embarrassing one!

"Stats are for losers, the final score is for winners." - Bill Belichick.

Wise, wise words to live by

ummm, wrote:

rossie wrote: According to the stats Connacht bad 45% possession but missed 30 tackles and only won 58% of their lineouts.

And yet we missed 32 in Toulouse...

According to ESPN tackles made / missed:

Toulouse: 149 / 32

Saracens: 91 / 30

I guess making 149 tackles affords us a bit of slack.

rossie wrote: According to the stats Connacht bad 45% possession but missed 30 tackles and only won 58% of their lineouts.

And yet we missed 32 in Toulouse...

GTTC wrote:

_nobody_ wrote: White cited for stamping and marmion for punching. Hearings set for Thursday

Marimon? The incident at the end of the first half i assume? Was a light brush to the body from what I can remember. At the time, assumed the incident was referred to the TMO for something down to him. He got very excited after the try, had assumed he was the victim.

Unless there was another incident. Any one any idea?

Regards white, could be a long one.

Apparently he hit Neil de Koch during second half. Did anybody see it?

sea_point wrote:

Fourdogs wrote:

micktreacy wrote: I doubt this is the vision that Eric had for his beloved Connacht this time last year when he decided it was time to step aside! I'm a long time supporter and I can tell you it's getting harder and harder to justify taking time off work and doing a 200km round trip to watch this crap!!

Actually make that 260km round trip!!

Totally agree and for me it is a 475km round trip for a home game

MIck I'm sure Eric probably had the stress of the 14 game losing streak in mind when he decided to step down.

But some ill-informed supporters have been putting far too much store in the result in Toulouse, like they did after we thrashed Leinster in Galway two seasons back. It was not a breakthrough result, it was another one off.

Anybody distressed by the scoreline on Saturday needs to bear in mind Leicester's near 50 point tonking by Sarries at the same venue less than a month previously... - www.espn.co.uk/premiership.../rugby/match/188799.html , the put thirty odd on Bath, forty odd put on Gloucester & Newcastle, 50 odd on Scarlets, 60 odd on Zebre all packed with International rugby players - www.saracens.com/fixtures/ in the last couple of months. Yet we're judging Connacht as equals? Really?

Sarries are a top outfit, probably top six in Europe currently and they just got everything right on the day and like good sides they were merciless as our confidence drained away. And they have proved all season long to far, far stronger teams than us, that they will annihilate any that get a couple of things wrong on the day at their home ground.

Teams resourced like Connacht will always pull off the occasional great win and the occasional horrendous loss. It is the nature of sport unfortunately, the Have's and Have-not's but it won't stop us fighting, and never will hopefully!!!

My one hope is that the lads take the scoreline personally and react accordingly in the Pro 12 for the remainder of the season

Very sensible stuff. This season is fairly typical Connacht.

According to the stats Connacht bad 45% possession but missed 30 tackles and only won 58% of their lineouts.

_nobody_ wrote: White cited for stamping and marmion for punching. Hearings set for Thursday

Marimon? The incident at the end of the first half i assume? Was a light brush to the body from what I can remember. At the time, assumed the incident was referred to the TMO for something down to him. He got very excited after the try, had assumed he was the victim.

Unless there was another incident. Any one any idea?

Regards white, could be a long one.

White cited for stamping and marmion for punching. Hearings set for Thursday

Fourdogs wrote:

micktreacy wrote: I doubt this is the vision that Eric had for his beloved Connacht this time last year when he decided it was time to step aside! I'm a long time supporter and I can tell you it's getting harder and harder to justify taking time off work and doing a 200km round trip to watch this crap!!

Actually make that 260km round trip!!

Totally agree and for me it is a 475km round trip for a home game

MIck I'm sure Eric probably had the stress of the 14 game losing streak in mind when he decided to step down.

But some ill-informed supporters have been putting far too much store in the result in Toulouse, like they did after we thrashed Leinster in Galway two seasons back. It was not a breakthrough result, it was another one off.

Anybody distressed by the scoreline on Saturday needs to bear in mind Leicester's near 50 point tonking by Sarries at the same venue less than a month previously... - www.espn.co.uk/premiership.../rugby/match/188799.html , the put thirty odd on Bath, forty odd put on Gloucester & Newcastle, 50 odd on Scarlets, 60 odd on Zebre all packed with International rugby players - www.saracens.com/fixtures/ in the last couple of months. Yet we're judging Connacht as equals? Really?

Sarries are a top outfit, probably top six in Europe currently and they just got everything right on the day and like good sides they were merciless as our confidence drained away. And they have proved all season long to far, far stronger teams than us, that they will annihilate any that get a couple of things wrong on the day at their home ground.

Teams resourced like Connacht will always pull off the occasional great win and the occasional horrendous loss. It is the nature of sport unfortunately, the Have's and Have-not's but it won't stop us fighting, and never will hopefully!!!

My one hope is that the lads take the scoreline personally and react accordingly in the Pro 12 for the remainder of the season

I spoke to Nathan White about an hour after the game had ended - he was taking a walk around the ground. I went to say 'hard luck' to him, but ended up just saying that was tough to watch - he was really embarrassed and annoyed at what happened. I left it at that, didn't want to poke the bear any more.

I would have liked them (the team) to come out after the match and acknowledge the sizable crowd at the end of what may be our last H Cup campaign for a while, but to be honest I can also completely understand the players wanting to get off the pitch after that.

I cant understand the reason for going so long without scoring. Wtf it doesnt matter the opposition. It more of a mental thing really.
Yes, I would have expected them to go to the support also but I guess they were as sick as parrots.
On the were they hammered question. ? I'd be letting them have a few after that with a break next week.
Lam, Like most coaches it takes time to get things up to speed and his not helped by the lack of coaching expertise.
I didnt go to the game but I was like a bear for the afternoon and then I was fine, The team took an awful kick in the nads. Tougher for them

That game was disgraceful. talking to fans there after, they felt the same.
realistic we were never going to win this. i thought we would put in a good battle, sarries to pull away with 20mins to go and win by 20 etc. alot of players there simply not good enough.

ive said it before, we heed to sign bigger players. if i had to choice size over quaility i would, for this i mean backs. we need heavy battering centres!

as someone said, eric stepped aside, prob thinking he cant go any further with this team. it was the right move but he was better then what we have now. he might not be the answer but i dont think lam is either.

i was surprised seeing parks and duffy starting, i thought we'd have so new game plan that nobody ever seen before, sadly not. it was a case of hope for the best.

i agree with wp_rathead, not coming over to us was not on. it was as if we werent there. there was at least 400 in that corner. okay they didnt deserve our applause for that shit but we deserved an applause for staying in our seat for the 80 mins. this is the 7 or so game THIS SEASON we've gone 50mins + without scoring in a game.
i hope they felt embarresed about that result and that they just didnt feel sorry for themself.
anyone see them around after the game? how were they? hammered?