tomsauce2000 wrote:
Anyone know what the story with the singers was? Where were the 2 lads that sing The West's Awake?

I believe the other lad was poached by Leinster. He said he hoped the move would allow him to fulfill his ambition to sing Ireland's call at the Aviva but we all know he's bawling out Molly Malone at the RDS for the money.

I agree the criticism of Carty is over the top. He didn't play well but I think the bigger problem was at scrum-half. Carty was under a lot of pressure when he received the ball. He put in a few good hits too.

The whole performance reeked of second season syndrome to me. I am worried about the season ahead.

Anyone know what the story with the singers was? Where were the 2 lads that sing The West's Awake?

Criticism of Carty in particular is over the top. I know sports are about the highs and lows but still!

I think we were in the game for the first half although they were killing us at the breakdown, last season we would have come out of the dressing room with a plan to deal with an issue like that and things would have been put right. But this time it was plain to see from around 50 minutes the starters had nothing in the tank - the scrum had been blitzing theirs for the first 20 minutes before levelling out to parity in the second half, another indicator that it was pure fitness that was an issue, as apart from Qualter that was a first choice pack.

It reminded me a lot of the game in Glasgow last season were we lost our composure and started chasing high passes in the air rather than keeping calm, marking the man and tackling once they had the ball. Once we lost our defensive shape it was easy for Glasgow to score after 2-3 phases or dummy runners opened up space for the tryscorer.

Marmion came on and added a little bit of tempo and authority for a few minutes but the players around him were gassed by then or very soon afterwards and any attacking threat fizzled out.

My main concerns during the game were the lineout, where Gray stole a few of our balls fairly handily, and the defensive structure, which has to be the bedrock of any team. It worries me because it should be possible to drill both of these facets to game level without preseason games.

Also last year (maybe I'm mis-remembering) but I think there was a firsts v seconds type of hit out before the season which was described as very high tempo and physical and a good start for the season but I've not heard any mention of one this year? Maybe that's just the sort of language you use regardless but if you've no other preseason options one of those couldn't hurt, unless there was a fear that the injury figures were already so high that Connacht couldn't afford to reschedule some extra preseason games for fear of any more injuries?

I did expect a loss yesterday as I think Glasgow had a point to prove. Also I expect a loss next weekend but hopefully not as bad.
Everyone is gunning for Connacht this season and it's going to be a tough one so be prepared.
After this result, It may be easier for folk to get their regular spots in the clan next weekend.

salmson wrote: opprobrium

opprobrium
əˈprəʊbrɪəm/
noun
noun: opprobrium

harsh criticism or censure.
"the critical opprobrium generated by his films"
synonyms: vilification, abuse, vituperation, condemnation, criticism, censure, castigation, denunciation, defamation, denigration, disparagement, obloquy, derogation, slander, revilement, reviling, calumny, calumniation, execration, excoriation, lambasting, upbraiding, bad press, character assassination, attack, invective, libel, insults, aspersions; More
informalflak, mud-slinging, bad-mouthing, tongue-lashing;
informalstick, verbal, slagging off;
archaiccontumely;
rareanimadversion, objurgation
"the government endured months of opprobrium"
antonyms: praise
public disgrace arising from shameful conduct.
"the opprobrium of being closely associated with gangsters"
synonyms: disgrace, shame, dishonour, discredit, stigma, humiliation, loss of face, ignominy, odium, obloquy, disfavour, disrepute, ill repute, infamy, notoriety, scandal, stain; raredisesteem
"the opprobrium of being associated with gangsters and thugs"
antonyms: honour
archaic
an occasion or cause of reproach or disgrace.
plural noun: opprobriums


I plan to use vituperation which I noted in the list above at some point during the season . On the off-chance that the season doesn't meet up to expectations I think my post provides all the necessary words for those who would wish to vituperate

Thought Carty was notably better than the entire back line, Niyi excepted of course.

It amuses me that we single out the flyhalf for opprobrium when he does reasonably well shovelling shit served to him by his backrow and scrumhalf. Let's be clear from numbers 6 to 9 we got absolutely taken to the cleaners today. First clean turnover won after 61 minutes. Blade flinging any decent ball we got over lads' heads.

The halfbacks and Niyi at least defended well but Matt and Kelleher were in trouble from the off and Bundee and Griffin were really poor for the Hogg try after halftime that killed us off.

Given that this was the final they never had for Glasgow, and our shorter and disrupted pre-season, maybe we should have seen defeat coming, but to put this in perspective there are only two worse home defeats in Connacht's entire history - a five try 40 nil humping by Pontypridd in 2002, and losing 40 - 6 and 8 tries to nil against the All Blacks in 1989.

There was a lot of comment in the ground and on social media that Connacht looked half fit. I'd like to think there'll be a reaction next week but there are massive steps in execution and just the ability to play at an acceptable pace to be made in 7 days.

Jesus wept
AJ a loss I'll agree though

Carty has always been woeful. Makes big mistakes over and over. Losing AJ was big. The sooner Boshoff comes the better imho.

What was the second half? 28-0? A lot more wrong than just rustiness there. No pride. The team ran for cover at half time and our bench showed what it is, too weak for this level.

wp_rathead wrote:

sligsup wrote:
In summary Kelleher has potential, Griffin looks good great hands, Carty just isn't up to it , Qualter is what he is , but we have strength and potential and we played like we played last year but everything we tried tonight was either knocked on or turned over and that's down to sharpness.... You don't turn into a bad team overnight.. These are a good team and will be a good season !

Harsh. Actually thought "defensively" Carty had pretty good game - made some big hits

Therein lies the problem. If you don't want to see it then thats fine. There is nothing going forward, there is no vision, there is no use of players, there is no use of the cureent play, its simply blind stuff. Its soul destroying to watch. Jeez I refuse to spend another season checking to see if Jack is really as crap as everybody makes him out to be. He simply is. It has been proved again, again, again and again. When does this stop.

sligsup wrote:
In summary Kelleher has potential, Griffin looks good great hands, Carty just isn't up to it , Qualter is what he is , but we have strength and potential and we played like we played last year but everything we tried tonight was either knocked on or turned over and that's down to sharpness.... You don't turn into a bad team overnight.. These are a good team and will be a good season !

Harsh. Actually thought defensively Carty had pretty good game (well as good in comparison to rest of performances) - made some big hits
Obviously two big errors (chip to nothing in first half and then that dead ball kick for the pen was big momentum swing) but he has shown he is more than capable of "being up to it" at this level.

Agree in sentiment don't turn into bad team overnight - no need to panic yet.

I think tonight's result is a blessing in disguise. 1. Puts closure on last year. 2. Makes guys aware where they are compared to last year. 3. Makes new guys aware of where they need to get to. 4. We can only go one direction.

In summary Kelleher has potential, Griffin looks good great hands, Carty just isn't up to it , Qualter is what he is , but we have strength and potential and we played like we played last year but everything we tried tonight was either knocked on or turned over and that's down to sharpness.... You don't turn into a bad team overnight.. These are a good team and will be a good season !

well allmigty Toulon lost home too. Against Brive. And mountains of booing on the final whisle whereas we had none in the Sportsground. Smth to be proud of!

The tackling was disappointing, too many times the Glasgow players were able to roll and get back up, last year opposition players trying that usually wound up hopping with a Connacht player wrapped around the other foot. Were there any turnovers for Connacht? The support players ready to go for a steal last year just weren't there. Looked like their heads just weren't in the right place, hopefully this match serves as the wake-up that last year's loss to Treviso was, if there's no deeper problem than too long with too few matches it should.

I think a lot can be sorted with game time, Bundee Aki went to ground with the ball more in that match than he normally would in a month, I expect him to be back to normal with some game time. Caolin Blade can pass much quicker than he did today, he did last year, his hesitation at the back of the ruck is down to the time to make a decision, not his abilty to get the pass out, more game, quicker decision making. Kelleher got thrown in the deep end, if not for injuries/international rest, he'd have had more time to get used to new structures and what his teammates were going to do.

I'm not trying to single out those three for anything heinous, just that Aki is one of the team leaders who set the tone of the match, while Blade and Kelleher had very big boots to fill.

There's not much time to pull things back together though, Ospreys are going to have their internationals back and last year was probably their worst since they were formed.

Some of these players just are not up to the level required.

Would expect a big performance next week, otherwise it may be a long season ahead.

There was a real hesitancy at times from Blade with what direction to pop the pass and the Warrior line was immediately up. Glasgow's defence was excellent but our knock ons and waste in their 22 made it easy. Thought Carty before the late hit was really good and it seemed to hamper him the rest of the game. Wasn't happening for Aki and Griffin was caught cold a few times too many. Think the consensus was that we badly needed another game or two under the belt before tonight.

Honestly a very rusty performance that can't be replicated if we have any hope of Top 4 finishes.

wp_rathead wrote: As Dillane said "Don't panic lads - It's all Fixable"

Also Robb was standing in the dressing room so not as bad as first feared
Thought he was brilliant when he came on and hopefully he has a speedy recovery

So pride was the only injury today.