Decent response phat. I'm not sure I agree with all of it (poc was made for this system even at his age imo) but nuanced is good word to describe what went on.

I do think penney was hounded unfairly and munster are seeing the benefit of bowing to fan wisdom now.

I'm not too concerned about what they do though so let the sleeping beast lie imo

Fair points all, but if they had decided to stick rather than twist they at least wouldn't have gone backwards for two seasons.

Not to defend Rog too much but the meeja has started to make it sound like Penney was a visionary who was undermined by Munster provincialism, while the truth is a little more nuanced. I think that his system could have worked but he was trying to get old players to fit into a new system, without a skills coach which I think everyone now sees as key to Lam's success.

DOC and POC were not fitted to the locks on the wing concept/cliche, nor were many connacht locks until Dillane came through this year and made it seem effortless. In addition, front row forwards like Varley and Botha were not conducive to the 2-4-2.

Like Lam dropping Parks, Penney's new system to an extent drew the curtain on ROG's Munster career which he undoubtedly resented as he was finally replaced by the younger Keatley who was more suitable.

R O'G probably only started really looking at Connacht when it became obvious they'd be in the Champions cup next year (potential competition for Racing depending on draw), his day job is coaching after all, not punditry. Ultan is pretty much always out on the wing though.

Cheers Salmson.

ROG really hasn't a clue has he?

Playing two second rows in the middle pod?

1, 3, 4 and 5 in the middle pod? if this was the case they would get decimated on the counter with all the slow coaches in the middle I reckon.

You play to the strengths of the players you have? I guess Lam took one look at Muldoon, Muldowney, Loughs, Heffernan and thought "man these guys have skills, it is like watching the Harlem globe trotters so we might as well play a fluid passing game with backs and forwards involved".

The Pro12 is nothing like test standard rugby remember no French or English teams are involved? Come on who would even think that? However the Leinster side Connacht faced in the final was an international team in all but name though and they are at least competitive at Champions Cup level. The same goes for Glasgow as I'd say the Glasgow team would beat the Scotland team.

He says he believes in what has been achieved in the west and has learnt a lot from it but I reckon he is as blind as ever.

salmson wrote: Article by ROG on Connacht:

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/columnists/r...-forever-404146.html

Some interesting things in it:

- very touchy about Penney (they really didn't like him did they?). Not like Lam. Not the same at all (see below), ok?
- claims Lam's setup is COMPLETELY different, as he plays both locks in the middle of the 2-4-2 open play forward setup, whereas Penney had both locks wide. I don't need to point out that this is wrong, Connacht lined up with Muldowney and the front row in the centre and the other lock wide; but also such subtle differences hardly make Penney Mourinho to Lam's Guardiola tactically. Surprised to see him get such basics wrong.
- mentions that Racing are in a court case with a player? Any idea who? I'd heard they were releasing Imhoff due to his Olympic ambitions, but he played and scored twice at the weekend.

Kermis is correct, its Martin Castrogiovanni. He declined to travel with Racing to their Leicester Tigers match saying he had family business to attend to in Argentina. Was then pictured partying in Las Vegas!!

salmson wrote: Article by ROG on Connacht:

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/columnists/r...-forever-404146.html

Some interesting things in it:

- very touchy about Penney (they really didn't like him did they?). Not like Lam. Not the same at all (see below), ok?
- claims Lam's setup is COMPLETELY different, as he plays both locks in the middle of the 2-4-2 open play forward setup, whereas Penney had both locks wide. I don't need to point out that this is wrong, Connacht lined up with Muldowney and the front row in the centre and the other lock wide; but also such subtle differences hardly make Penney Mourinho to Lam's Guardiola tactically. Surprised to see him get such basics wrong.
- mentions that Racing are in a court case with a player? Any idea who? I'd heard they were releasing Imhoff due to his Olympic ambitions, but he played and scored twice at the weekend.

Is the legal thing to do with Castrogovani and his Vegas trip?

Article by ROG on Connacht:

www.irishexaminer.com/sport/columnists/r...-forever-404146.html

Some interesting things in it:

- very touchy about Penney (they really didn't like him did they?). Not like Lam. Not the same at all (see below), ok?
- claims Lam's setup is COMPLETELY different, as he plays both locks in the middle of the 2-4-2 open play forward setup, whereas Penney had both locks wide. I don't need to point out that this is wrong, Connacht lined up with Muldowney and the front row in the centre and the other lock wide; but also such subtle differences hardly make Penney Mourinho to Lam's Guardiola tactically. Surprised to see him get such basics wrong.
- mentions that Racing are in a court case with a player? Any idea who? I'd heard they were releasing Imhoff due to his Olympic ambitions, but he played and scored twice at the weekend.

Great article on Ellis here, some nice footage demonstrating a skills drill too

m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/connacht-ru...l-team-34786713.html

salmson wrote: Apologies if someone thought I was sneering at our new (Scottish) fans, I was merely pointing out the irony & unexpectedness (and just plain weirdness) in Connacht being the Pumpkin-Quinoa-Summer-Ale team-du-jour. I'll attach explanatory smileys in future.

There's two reasons the Scottish (well, Glasgow) fans supported Connacht imo.

First. The clubs are similar in terms of size, playing style, progression through the league etc. We were clearly beaten in the semi by the better team (I.e. Better version of ourselves) so happy to support you in the final.

Second. (and I can't emphasise this enough) You're not Leinster!

I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed my mixture of black and blue and green kit for the day

No worries Salmson, I'd just hate for us to become all obnoxious and snobby like some of our rival fans. We're the "nice" club and I wouldn't like to lose that just because we're successful is all

Apologies if someone thought I was sneering at our new (Scottish) fans, I was merely pointing out the irony & unexpectedness (and just plain weirdness) in Connacht being the Pumpkin-Quinoa-Summer-Ale team-du-jour. I'll attach explanatory smileys in future.

Hope so too biffo but it's not the first I've heard of this. The last thing we want to be is bad winners. We were always gracious in defeat and suffered for long enough with our fans gaining a great reputation for being welcome and open.

Now that we have a little success we need to adopt the same principles and not go around getting big headed (only my opinion of course)

EvoGeo wrote: So we're good enough now to turn our nose up at new fans are we?

I'm hoping they were just joking,

So we're good enough now to turn our nose up at new fans are we?

I remember sitting in Swansea stadium with around 20 other fans some 6 or 7 years ago and wishing for more support.

I don't think we should be looking down our noses at this support now that they are showing up, we should be welcoming them so they stick around and help us build the club to where we all want it to be.

To be perfectly clear, I don't care if they know the difference between a forward and a back (can be hard to distinguish in this connacht team anyway ), if they want to pay money and get behind the club I'll welcome them all.

Evil_g wrote:

Connacht Abú wrote:


For anyone suffering withdrawal symptoms.

Too mainstream. I preferred their earlier stuff.

Was in Edinburgh Brewdog after the final when local Hipster Central Casting arrived, en masse, to a man decked out in Connacht hats and scarves. I really should have asked them if they liked us before we were good.