Connacht need to bring in a Defence coach, Mike Forshaw has joined Sale Sharks and helped them to a mid table finish. Everything starts on a good defence and kicking game, the top teams in Europe play that way.
When Connacht beat Toulouse, Toulouse were trying to run the ball from everywhere in the pitch and a good defence from Connacht got the turnovers and punished Toulouse for their mistakes.

We are still missing a 10 that is going to control the game and make his kicks at goal

rossie wrote: I think there is a fruedian slip in there connachta! The expansive game is indeed expensive. Every team is built on defence or to use a gaa/soccer term from the back. For some reason connacht have regressed from an already average base level of defence. Its too easy imo to say there is no defence coach in situ. Its a pro rugby team so someone must have responsibility for D. Ditto goalkicking.

Right of course but WHY??? I think we should not imagine defence as an isolated and monolithic stuff

1) we are able to stop deployed assault very well indeed, when defender have time to place themselves on line

2) backs and forwards are smashed in head-to head contact (lack of physicality is obvious) example Griff on Ospreys 1st try
3) as our game is more aggressive, we've more difficult to restore a continuous line, example Mc Sharry totally alone for Ospreys 4th try
4) nearly half of the tries conceded are conter attacks (intercepted, turnovers, knocked-on etc).
So the more we control our own possession the less we are in danger

phatguerilla wrote: a tactic to improve ball retention ahead of making more metres?

That's my point Connacht players litteraly "throw themself" instead of waiting for support/offloads. No contraction in setting more phases : 0 meter/ than 1 meter/ than creating a gap in defence rather than 2 meters and get turnovered... This only problem is always the same : we need more physicality to afford to be patient

connachta wrote: The plus side is the transformation from restrictive to expensive rugby, good to bring crowd and to improve on the long term I think. 27 tries 2012, 32 in 2013, and 42 in 2014!!! Lam settled the harder basis, the ability to create. Next year will be about closing holes and fueling constant support

I think there is a fruedian slip in there connachta! The expansive game is indeed expensive. Every team is built on defence or to use a gaa/soccer term from the back. For some reason connacht have regressed from an already average base level of defence. Its too easy imo to say there is no defence coach in situ. Its a pro rugby team so someone must have responsibility for D. Ditto goalkicking.

This is true but I read that as a tactic to improve ball retention ahead of making more metres? I agree it is very annoying at times and needs to be mixed with the ability to stay upright and still retain the ball.

It's not only about ball carryin but also about staying up to their feet. Connacht players tend to go to the ground, to dive in order to gain 1 or 2 meters. They'd do better if they try to gain one ou 2 seconds for the support, by resisting to the tackle

I wrote on my blog recently why I don't think we'll actually sign a 6/8, although it got a bit garbled. But I do agree that things are a bit light in the back five, or those players that aren't light don't have the explosive power to carry well. Its bad combo. Muldowney has been making some decent carries lately (about time) but he looks more like a lanky 6 than a lock.

Easier said than done but we need George to bounce back next year, put in 22+ games and be a big carrier along with Rodney, McCartney, Loughney and to a somewhat lesser extent Buckley (who sometimes makes good breaks but can't be use as a primary ball carrying option).

Eta: dementedmole did a really good piece about Ryan Caldwell before, could be an interesting player to look at if he is out of contract but his wiki gives no indications either way. According to DM Caldwell was/is a mentaller but age may have mellowed him slightly....

dementedmole.com/2012/11/05/our-friends-...-he-could-teach-you/

also feels to me we have had a pretty serious run of injures this year?

i genuinely feel though the pack back 5 is just not big enough and strong enough to carry ball.

the backline are showing they can score tries which is good and will improve next year, but packs win games...

The plus side is the transformation from restrictive to expensive rugby, good to bring crowd and to improve on the long term I think. 27 tries 2012, 32 in 2013, and 42 in 2014!!! Lam settled the harder basis, the ability to create. Next year will be about closing holes and fueling constant support

Another defeat and another handy bonus point for the opposition to end a disappointing season in 10th. 35 points, our lowest total since the league added the Italians and at -138 our worst scoring difference of the last four seasons also.

If you are fishing for positives, there have been 4 try bonus points but take those few games out during and just after the 6 nations and its been a grim league season. The last 5 games have killed any notion that we are making any tangible progress. The below is the number of tries conceded during those games. Pretty horrific figures.

Ospreys 6
Cardiff 3
Munster 4
Ulster 8
Scarlets 4

For all the razzmatazz of the signing of Mils Muliaina, serious work needs to be done to make Connacht difficult to break down. Under Eric it could be grim at times but we were viewed as a game to get a hard fought win out of, very few viewed us as a strong possibility of a 5 pointer, now any team worth their salt target us as a 5 pointer like in the Bradley era. That has to stop.

Connacht team vs Ospreys

D Leader
D Poolman
E Griffin
D McSharry
M Healy
M Nikora
K Marmion

D Buckley
D Heffernan
R Loughney
A Muldowney
M Kearney
A Browne
C Gilsenan
J Muldoon (capt).

Replacements: J Dinneen, F Bealham, R Ah You, M Swift, E McKeon, C Blade, D Parks, R Henshaw.


Blade and Dineen on the bench. Will be my first look at Blade hope he does well.

Rabo Direct Pro 12 Round 22
Ospreys v Connacht @ The Liberty Stadium, Swansea
Saturday 10th May 2014 Kick Off 18:30

Connacht and Ospreys meet in the final round of the Rabo Direct Pro 12 on Saturday. Neither side will be overly pleased with their league season but will hope to sign off their season on a high. Ospreys can't make the play offs but will hope to surpass their league points tally for last season.

Ospreys Stats
Founded: 2003
Ground: Liberty Stadium
Capacity: 20,750
Captain: Alun-Wyn Jones
Coach: Steve Tandy

Rabo Direct Pro12 League Position 2013/14: P:21 Position:5th Points:61
Rabo Direct Pro12 League Position 2012/13: 5th Points:62
Heineken Cup 2013/14: 4th in Pool 1 Points: 5
Heineken Cup 2012/13: 3rd in Pool 2 Points: 12
Anglo Welsh Cup 2013/14: 2nd in Pool 3 Points:6
Anglo Welsh Cup 2012/13: 3rd in Pool 4 Points:6

Previous Results
Zebre 30-27 Ospreys
Dragons 10-20 Ospreys
Ospreys 25-19 Leinster

Heineken Cup (Pool 1)(Final Standings)
Leinster 22
Northampton 17
Castres 9
Ospreys 5

Achievements
Celtic League/Magners League/Pro12: Winners: 2004–05, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2011–12

Anglo-Welsh Cup Winners:2007–08

Previous Meetings

Saturday 28th September 2013 Rabo Direct Pro 12 Connacht 26-43 Ospreys

www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/12958.php

Friday 15th February 2013 Rabo Direct Pro 12 Connacht 22-10 Ospreys

www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/12341.php

Friday 27th October 2012 Rabo Direct Pro 12 Ospeys 26-9 Connacht

www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/2326.php

Saturday 26th November 2011 Rabo Direct Pro 12 Connacht 6-17 Ospreys

www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/2370.php

So based on my reading of the table, two points are needed on Saturday to guarantee staying ahead of Dragons. That would also draw us level with Edinburgh if they get nothing in the RDS but they'd be ahead of us on games won.
So an unlikely 4 points or an even less likely 3 points are required for eighth.
10th is staring us in the face.

Yep, confirmed via tiwtter also.

On BBC Wales (Scrum V) lads

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03bldyq/broadcasts/upcoming

We don't actually know. Scrum V (BBC Wales) is showing 'matches', Irish channels are showing the other provinces. The info might well be buried on the BBC site somewhere, but if it is I can't see it.

I've sent em on a tweet, tho.