There's been times over the past few years where our maul has been really good, was it last year we scored 3 tries off mauls at home to the Scarlets?

Yeah I have noticed that as well, about the Maul
I just put it down to the fact we cannot be guaranteed our own ball, and the confidence in our line out is at a low level.

I do not have the facts on this.
Have we lost a lot of weight in the tight 5 in white and muldowney?

A quote from RoadRunnerR1

'Have to agree. In attack you constantly have 5 or 6 players (Backs & Forwards) standing still looking around for someone to pass to rather than trying to take on responsibility themselves to break the line and make something positive happen.
I understand and agree with Pat's mantra that it's better to find a way round rather than run into but the fact is that everybody in the Pro12 has figured out last year's game plan and how to counter it and Connacht have simply stood still and failed to adapt their attack to counter the rush defence.
There is not enough work done in the midfield to make the hard yards and suck in defenders and the ball is going wide too quickly where defenses are aligned giving the wingers absolutely no space to work in. The ball goes from side to side with little or no ground gained until it's spilled or lost in the breakdown and it's backs to the wall defending more often than not with the defensive line not properly set and highly vulnerable.
I'm not a fan of cliche's but two that have always stood the test of time are 1) In rugby you earn the right to go wide and 2)Tactically, if you just standing still you're going backwards.
Just an opinion but I see this as a complete failure in the coaching structure and singling out individual players for blame is just not right. I for one cannot wait for this season to finish and believe that KK and whatever new players and coaches he adds will bring us a long way back to the kind of rugby we were playing last year.'

Response: Getting a fatal error response when I try and quote said response. Is it really a fatal error or a fatal understanding?

I see this as such a valid point. Thornbury looks like the type of guy we need for both our lineouts and our mauls. We simply do not maul at Connacht anymore. Has anybody noticed that recently or am I on my own on this? And yes I am all for exciting play, but I think the maul is a means of dragging in opposition players and allowing our other players more space. I find we are running around like headless chickens these days. As RoadRunner suggests the hard yards have to be made. And I feel we have forgotten this. So we are left dependant on our backs playing out of their skin.

salmson wrote:

dobby wrote: That's a fine North Western Mayo accent he has. Strikes as the type of lad who as a youngster rowed around Clare Island each morning in a Currach before eating a full sheep for breakfast

Ah I know plenty of people from Westport who sound like that

You, outside, now!

No word on length I'd assume it's 2 years as a standard contract.

Hope Leader can stay fit and get a good run of games next season, himself and Tiernan in the backline together will be a nightmare for teams.

Mad to think McKeown is only 25 he feels like a leader in the dressing room at this stage.

Just another 18 more players out of contract at the end of the season is it?

McKeon and Leader signed up!

www.connachtrugby.ie/mckeon-leader-sign-...future/#ConnachtNews

dobby wrote: That's a fine North Western Mayo accent he has. Strikes as the type of lad who as a youngster rowed around Clare Island each morning in a Currach before eating a full sheep for breakfast

Ah I know plenty of people from Westport who sound like that

That's a fine North Western Mayo accent he has. Strikes as the type of lad who as a youngster rowed around Clare Island each morning in a Currach before eating a full sheep for breakfast

Finally something to be positive about. You'd expect some movement this week on ins and outs hopefully.

Much needed boost in the 2nd row department particularly at lineout time. We've already lost Ben Marshall during the season (replaced by James Cannon I guess), Danny Qualter is heading to Nottingham. Cian Romaine to New Zealand. Will Lewis Stevenson be kept on? Cillian Gallagher is probably going to be in the reckoning for promotion.

Could really do with a positive week. We've had a lot tougher times in the past but relatively speaking the last few weeks in particular has been very demoralising.

pinky wrote: It's nearly May and the squad page has finally got a "Players in for 2017-2018" section added to it ... :woohoo:

Should we start a new topic?

It's nearly May and the squad page has finally got a "Players in for 2017-2018" section added to it ... :woohoo:

He better bring that catchy song with him

A video about Thornburys time in NZ. Highly thought of there it seems, and can fairly shift for a big unit. Could be a very shrewd bit of business. Hopefully first of a few.....hopefully KK is shopping as we speak

Fantastic news, I think this guy has all the tools to be a top player for Connacht over the next few years. It took a while for the first signing but I don't think there are any better choices of IQ locks available. Hopefully just the start and we don't have to wait too long for the next signing.

Westie85 wrote: I don't think we will, We have Thornbury, Dillane, Roux, Browne, Cannon, and Sean O'Brien can cover 2nd row also

Hopefully we see a bit of one or both of Gallagher and Claffey too

I don't think we will, We have Thornbury, Dillane, Roux, Browne, Cannon, and Sean O'Brien can cover 2nd row also