tomsauce2000 wrote:

mareegoo wrote: tomsauce you have to leave loyalties aside!!


swifty and muls give us no go forward etc far far too predictable they are easy video analysis for the opposing team - if we pick and go and maul etc with them then we can grind out a few results but no way do they suit a fast running game....horses for courses etc

duffy cannot line break... simple as.... compare him to henshaw runnig from deep again he's better playing the tight game with muls and swifty

its heartbreaking but we have to have forwards who can adapt they can't

Give me an example from a game in which Henshaw made a line break.

He made at least 3 against Zebre

He made the initial incision against Cardiff that led to Healy's try

mareegoo wrote: tomsauce you have to leave loyalties aside!!


swifty and muls give us no go forward etc far far too predictable they are easy video analysis for the opposing team - if we pick and go and maul etc with them then we can grind out a few results but no way do they suit a fast running game....horses for courses etc

duffy cannot line break... simple as.... compare him to henshaw runnig from deep again he's better playing the tight game with muls and swifty

its heartbreaking but we have to have forwards who can adapt they can't

Give me an example from a game in which Henshaw made a line break.

Robbo wrote: Was anyone else pleasantly surprised that Rodney did OK in the scrum when he came on? There seemed to be a lot of attention paid by Lacey to the binds and I think this helped Rodders.

There was refreshingly little nonsense at scrumtime, I'd imagine the ref had told both teams beforehand it would not be tolerated.

However there is a world of difference between Jones/Hibbard/Jones and Lutton/Annett/The Holiday Lion.

Yep also thought he was good in the scrum but did not even want to say it because he is so inconsistent that its hard to believe he's turned a corner. Ospreys are kings of illegal scrummaging so Rodney (and the whole pack really) will be under immense pressure this week. If he can hold his own this week then maybe there is hope.

Was anyone else pleasantly surprised that Rodney did OK in the scrum when he came on? There seemed to be a lot of attention paid by Lacey to the binds and I think this helped Rodders.

rossie wrote: I can't open that but I'm not sure what I said against wilko. I opted for Buckley because IMO we are missing his energy and dynamism in the loose. He carrys with urgency, dives and retrieves loose ball, hits trucks aggressively and generally holds his own in scrum.

No idea why that won't open. Anyway, I was basically saying Wilkinson is a guaranteed starter.

Connacht had 47 rucks in possession in the first half, and Wilkinson hit 10 of them. Only Clarke hit more (15). However, in reference to carrying in the Wilkinson/Buckley debate, Wilkinson carried only once, and then only because the ball was dropped backwards in his general vicinity, so Buckley definitely has the edge there.

I can't open that but I'm not sure what I said against wilko. I opted for Buckley because IMO we are missing his energy and dynamism in the loose. He carrys with urgency, dives and retrieves loose ball, hits trucks aggressively and generally holds his own in scrum.

Rossie's right about (lack of) go-forward being a bigger problem than the breakdown difficulties, and about Swift and Duffy not being starters anymore, but wrong about Brett Wilkinson.

Did up some figures on how we protected possession (or didn't) in the first half, here:

honconnacht.wordpress.com/2013/09/23/bea...-myths-deconstructed

The reality is that swifty only gas 30 min per game left in him. He was excellent for those 30 min the last day but died out after that. It means that if you have him on bench George has to play or bench because swifty can't be used any earlier than the 50th min and you have to guard against early injury.
Muldoon is a fine player but IMO Browne matches him in performance, offers more ball carrying and is a lineout option.
Henshaw offers more in attack at fb than Duffy which is why gav was on bench or wing last season after injury and Robbie remained at fb.

it's not dismissing them by not picking them in the team or in any way lessen their contribution to connacht over the years, both Duffy and Muldoon will be picked for most games anyway but Duffy may not get a starting spot when we get our 2 injured centres back playing, with Swifty it's a different case as he's an ageing player who probably knows that this is his last season, we have good options for 2nd row and we need to pick our best team regardless of who the club captains are.

I find the idea of getting rid of our best players nonsensical. Everyone on here, as far as I can see, what rid of Swift, Muldoon and Duffy from the starting 15. The idea is farcical. Firstly they ARE OUR CAPTAINS! The idea of dropping our main leaders is ridiculous. Muldoon and Swift were both good the last night. Duffy is still our best back. Henshaw has loads of potential and I hope he becomes a star but he has scored 1 try and I don't think I've ever seen him make a clean line break. I don't know what he was doing beside Heaslip and O'Connell at the Irish press conference today. Duffy may not have the ability Henshaw will show soon but he has been our most consistent player for years.

Muldoon has been very unlucky with the timing if injuries in his career. He should have more Ireland caps. The man is still class and not that old. McKeon, Heenan, Browne etc have done well but class, leadership and Muldoon's talent should not be so easily dismissed.

Ultimately regardless of what anyone says on here, the 3 of them won't be dropped anyway because THEY ARE OUR CLUB CAPTAINS

and he catches lineout balls more than Swifty

he was highly rated at both Glasgow and Exeter and i beleive another high profile club was also interested in signing him this year but we got him. We need a more mobile pack and 2nd row and that's what he offers, he's got to be given a start in place of Swifty this weekend. It's too soon to judge him coming off the bench in 2 games. and the Ospreys have 2 serious lineout jumpers

me too

looked very average

I think that Muldowney was poor in contact to be honest. It's a pity because I was expecting more from him.

I thought that Buckley was in the sin bin and IMO had served his time but if he's injured then fair enough. That brings wilko back at loose head and (based only on ulster match ) Rodney to bench. I prefer cooney but lam doesn't so Rodney it is. Again wasn't aware of mckeons injury. I thought he started preseason late due to study for exams. I'd put mul to 8 in that case with George on bench.
The pack has to keep the defence going backwards in order to create space for the 10 to do his stuff. Our pack have failed to do this so far this season. Going wide in any other circumstance leads to turnovers and/ or penalties