columoc wrote:

Darragh507 wrote:

sligsup wrote: Darragh507 if your going to come on here and critique the team and players at least have the manners and respect for them and address them by there names using derogatory terms in the case of Rodney - who has come a long way since joining connacht so much so that he is a regular in Ireland camps now is a sad reflection of you as a person and maybe your standard of education!

are you being serious? what age are you?!!!!!!!

No, sligsup is correct. This forum is fine to discuss the attributes or deficiencies of players, but giving them derogatory nicknames befitting of a tabloid sub editor is neither good manners nor effective as it diverts attention away from the point being made, and ultimately cheapens the discussion. Please be respectful about players and forum members. And before you ask, yes I am serious and pretty grown up.

I fully agree, manners and respect cost nothing therefore I would view it as a minimum requirement of any contribution. You can be a wrong as you like, but do try to maintain some semblance of dignity while doing so. Rodney Ah You is an effective scrummager and ball carrier, he may need to up his work-rate in other areas but I doubt the best way to encourage this is by using pejorative nicknames.

1st time it's becoming tense on the forum as far as I remember. Guess it's the inevitable consequence of a club turning attractive and "passionating". Hope we manage to keep the relaxed atmosphere and smart analysis in here....

Darragh507 wrote:

sligsup wrote: Darragh507 if your going to come on here and critique the team and players at least have the manners and respect for them and address them by there names using derogatory terms in the case of Rodney - who has come a long way since joining connacht so much so that he is a regular in Ireland camps now is a sad reflection of you as a person and maybe your standard of education!

are you being serious? what age are you?!!!!!!!

No, sligsup is correct. This forum is fine to discuss the attributes or deficiencies of players, but giving them derogatory nicknames befitting of a tabloid sub editor is neither good manners nor effective as it diverts attention away from the point being made, and ultimately cheapens the discussion. Please be respectful about players and forum members. And before you ask, yes I am serious and pretty grown up.

I still have my issues with Rodney, I'd agree about his fitness, until he improves it so that he can be a 60+ minutes player he won't progress. Whether he'll ever be able to do that is open to debate but at his level of fitness it would be inconceivable to put him out against a top international side for more than a handful of minutes.

However while I was giving out stink about him a couple of years ago, he has come on a lot in terms of scrummaging and has made some good carries on occasion, he still has a lot to work on but Dan McFarland backed him when everyone was saying wtf are you doing and I trust his judgement.

Also, even though Ireland hadn't many tight head options for November, there was still the likes of Stephen Archer, Jamie Hagan, Michael Bent, Ronan Loughney, Declan Fitzpatrick etc. so there were alternatives available. Rodney is unlikely to be Ireland's future tight head when Mike Ross calls it a day but I think he'll pick up a few more caps in the years to come.

Schmidt wasn't going to put him into a tight match which suggest he knows that he's not at international level at present but he sees something or he wouldn't call him up for the sake of it.

Old enough to know to know how to have a little respect for the players I support week in week out by not using insulting terms in relation to their name - as a said more of a reflection of yourself - I hope Rodney continues to improve and prove the likes of you wrong!

Let me state Rodney is not useless !!! As I said he can scrummage and carry as someone said the main requirements of a TH !!
I just feel he needs to improve his fitness and work ethic !! I like rodders I just think he can be so much better !!!

sligsup wrote: Darragh507 if your going to come on here and critique the team and players at least have the manners and respect for them and address them by there names using derogatory terms in the case of Rodney - who has come a long way since joining connacht so much so that he is a regular in Ireland camps now is a sad reflection of you as a person and maybe your standard of education!

are you being serious? what age are you?!!!!!!!

Darragh507 if your going to come on here and critique the team and players at least have the manners and respect for them and address them by there names using derogatory terms in the case of Rodney - who has come a long way since joining connacht so much so that he is a regular in Ireland camps now is a sad reflection of you as a person and maybe your standard of education!

Led by 10 to nil (should have been 10), I'm happy with the win. LBP denied wouldn't have been deserved, we're very weak to clean the rucks until the end. We didn't break their line many times. Work to do, much work

connachta wrote: Mmmh worrying about two who's gone off yesterday.... Roux is THE Connacht player about who nobody talks, but who has really stepped up in the last few games...

Rodney had a bit of a limp on him, but Roux looked to be in real pain. Injury was to his left ankle. Hopefully he'll only be out a few weeks.

I do think the team deserve credit for coming back into the game and closing it out, but I think to be quite realistic, that was a very poor scarlets team and if this team have serious aspirations of top 6/ top 4 in time, then I would be concerned about quite a few things.

Restarts
Ball protection
Ruck defence
Handling skills

were just some of the callouts that were, at times, very very poor.

Also given the complete dominance in the second half, to allow scarlets a losing bonus point was a gross mistake. No real killer instinct.

It's funny in a way because I now think we have more talented pool of backs than forwards and not sure i would ever have said that before!!

If people on here think Ah You does his job sufficiently, I am very concerned. Watch back the tapes. He has a very poor work ethic and imho does nothing but hide. Doesn't look to make an impact ...to make an impression in any way, just jogs about ruck to ruck. If someone runs into him, he will tackle them. If someone presents the ball to him, he will run with it, but he won't go looking for those things.....In my view, the investment in him has been a waste of time. And I think team ireland feel exactly the same way. he is our Mr Bent. Bealham looked good and pro-active when he came on. Ah You looked like he wanted to be in bed.

I am also convinced now that next year's priorities will need to be a European level 10 like getting Ian Madigan to play in galway (he has to go somewhere i feel) or Gareth Steenson. We really do and will need someone that realistically are 2 or three levels above what we have currently. Carty has some ability, but he is a long way from being a European level general and points machine.

And finally, I think we will need another Craig Clarke type of signing in the pack, whether in the second or back rows. I honestly thought in the first half our front five were awful and i really do fear will get found out in next few games.

There is much to be excited about, but much to be concerned about also. And no matter what back line we end up putting out if we don't win or protect ball, we will get destroyed by much better teams or away from home.

NewGuy wrote: I am going to be a bit critical on Rodney a little bit cause if your the worst or best player In the world you can still do it !!
For me his work rate is so bad !! He walks back defending rucks and he doesn't commit to the rucks soon enough !
I just think its so frustrating cause he can scrum and he can carry ball !! And he suppose to be a full international

thats near enough to the job description of a TH

I am going to be a bit critical on Rodney a little bit cause if your the worst or best player In the world you can still do it !!
For me his work rate is so bad !! He walks back defending rucks and he doesn't commit to the rucks soon enough !
I just think its so frustrating cause he can scrum and he can carry ball !! And he suppose to be a full international

I know it was Andrew Browne's first start in some time, but jesus he was poor. With Roux due to go back to Leinster after Christmas, we've got problems now in the second row as we can't pick Kearney and Muldowney (even if both fit) all the time. Also wonder if we can play Roux in the game vs Leinster on the 19th? Unlikely.
Muliaina was class tonight. Always seems to have time, is a very calming influence, and invariably does the right thing. Healy was excellent too. Linked well with Poolman in the second half to clear a Llanelli hoof up field that nearly had us in trouble, and a great try. Others who showed very well were McSharry, Aki, George, and McCartney.

just watched it backed there and I have no real compliants on the referreeing ok it was bad but both teams suffered equally from poor decisions. I really don't know what to make of Carty's performance, i think he's our best out-half but he just needs to be more consistent and controlled during the game and less panicky. The Browne experiment at lock didn't work yestearday and won't work for the big games, if he was brought in for better defence at the breakdown I didn't see him do a whole lot, anyway lineout is better with Kearney or Muldowney, Roux offers a bit more going forward than the others although Kearney made some hard yards when he came on. I'd be happy enough with the centre pairing, I don't know how Lam is going to drop either and promote Henshaw. at least for the next 2 games he can rotate and rest players. oh and another good performamce by Buckley in the loose and held his own in the scrum.

Mmmh worrying about two who's gone off yesterday.... Roux is THE Connacht player about who nobody talks, but who has really stepped up in the last few games...And without Rodney White and Cooney, Bealham will have to be starter and substitute??
Hope they have both minor issues