Everyone's desperate at this stage.

TOH had a howler of a drop and tried too hard to make up for it. He also had a shocking pass on their try line intercepted and stopped passing after that, trying to do everything himself.

Edna scored against Leinster but had white line fever last week because he obviously felt what the team needed was someone to pull the finger out and he needed to score. When that happens you get 15 individuals busting their guts, but no cohesion.

It was plain this was a game the team expected to win and were as shocked with Aironis response as Leinster were with ours the week before. The main difference was composure. Once we lost ours, and we lost it very early, there was no coming back.

Diom wrote: <strong> NOTE </strong> Please keep it civil lads. I see that you have it under control, but please remember that this forum is open to Connacht fans of <em>all</em> ages.

Anyhow. I agree is some respects with the original post, in that I think that there are problems at the coaching level. However I personally think it is a lack of a clear game-plan rather than a lack of basic skills.
At the start of the season we were getting high praise for our skill levels, but I think that the lack of a gameplan is leading to confusion and breakdown under pressure. See POD passing to an isolated blind-side player (George) last week in the Aironi match.... crazy, but that is not a skill issue, it is a poor decision made by a player, a bad decision that should be coached out of him.

Sorry, I thought the swear filter would replace it with a few ####.

Diom, or you could pick Vianikola chip ahead from inside his own half, beautiful chip, perfect height and weight only thing wrong was the three defenders he kicked it to. Great skill, poor decision, probably made because he is so desperate to put some marks in the credit column.

Playing toulouse next maybe a good thing, no one expects us to win so the pressure is off. Be just like us to give them a scare.

Diom wrote: please remember that this forum is open to Connacht fans of all ages.

Both physical and mental!

NOTE Please keep it civil lads. I see that you have it under control, but please remember that this forum is open to Connacht fans of all ages.

Anyhow. I agree is some respects with the original post, in that I think that there are problems at the coaching level. However I personally think it is a lack of a clear game-plan rather than a lack of basic skills.
At the start of the season we were getting high praise for our skill levels, but I think that the lack of a gameplan is leading to confusion and breakdown under pressure. See POD passing to an isolated blind-side player (George) last week in the Aironi match.... crazy, but that is not a skill issue, it is a poor decision made by a player, a bad decision that should be coached out of him.

Read an NFL book a while back by John Madden (he of PS3 game fame) and he had a good story about kicking under pressure, which is the one thing missing from practice.

One team used to finish training, then line up their kicker with a difficult kick. He only got one shot and if he made it, training was over. If he missed, the whole team stayed on and had to do reps of whatever it was that everyone hated doing.

We should bring that in. It'll either improve overall fitness, or it'll improve pressure kicking!

I agree to an extent but the best guys will always put in more. A friend of mine used to know Jerry Flannery when he was with Connacht and he said the amount of training he did by himself just picking small points on a wall and working on accuracy was insane. Johnny Wilkinson trains in kicking for an hour a day every day except on the day of matches. NOC, Jarvis and Nikora should be doing the same amount if their serious about getting on and moving up to the next level not just doing it a few sessions a week.

Yes a bit off calling it bs, sorry about that.

I dont disagree with much of the ailments you highlight, except Cronin, but I do disagree with your remedy.I see talent shortage, you see lack of specific skills coaching. Paul o donaghue is not as talented as Paul Marshall or stringer if he was he'd be still at Leinster. That doesn't mean he can't be a valuable player for us.

Agree re Duffy.

On Cronin I consider his issue to be completly a mental one, nearly all his lineout misses for us were in our 22 or the opposition 22 just when the pressure came on. He didn't miss as many as people think but he did miss important ones. Now I expect that he will develop as a player in a competitive environment, because he is competitive and he may change many aspects of his game. Eg he is being asked to carry much closer to the ruck than he was at Connacht. He is well able to throw, a physc coach more like what is required.

He still was a better lineout thrower than either of the two internationals ahead of him, what was missing was experience of the pressure and intensity of high level rugby. He will be a great asset at international level when he finds his feet, hope he can sort the mental side. Him and streass will have a right ding dong.

My overall issue with your post was that it put all the issues of connacht players into one remedy, skills coaching.(absolving the coaches we have by extention) I would love if we had a skills coach and many of our players would benefit but it's just too simplistic to lay the blame for our deficiencies in this area alone. Our forwards coach for
Example should be capable of organizing a few decent rumbles instead of one up moves.

ummm, wrote: Welcome to the board, columoc.

Re Cronin he did badly at international level, but for Connacht his throwing was (while never perfect) usually good.

While we're criticising the coaching at Connacht (and the stuff in this thread and others about place kicking, booting away posession, lack of quality at 9 & 10, players getting the ball static and/or isolated and so on is bang on the money), let's think about the fact that Cronin came to Connacht as an AIL player and after 3 years under McFarland's tutelage he left as an established international.

So Leinster ironed out the one remaining wrinkle in his game? Whoop-dee-doo!

Just in relation to something else mentioned here, I don't think Cronin will push Best this year for Ireland, Best was the best hooker at the world cup by a country mile.

It's more important that Cronin dislodges Strauss before Strauss becomes Ireland qualified; if he doesn't he could fall out of international contention altogether if Best, Strauss and Varley are first choice for their provinces.

Welcome to the board, columoc.

Re Cronin he did badly at international level, but for Connacht his throwing was (while never perfect) usually good. I put that down to practice with players he knows. Our lineout with Cronin, Macca and Swifty was never something I worried about, but it was clear when Cronin played for Ireland he wasn't in synch with POC and DOC. This has been overblown I think. His throwing for us might have dipped towards the end of last year, but to be honest I think his confidence took a knock a little after his experiences with Ireland.

In general there might be a skills gap, but we're not alone. I have Ulster friends who bemoan the lack of basic skills of Ulster players, sometimes it's hard to tell where a valid moan ends and an unsupported one begins.

@simpleton

Comments accepted.

On Duffy. Fully agree he has been excellent under high ball. Not recently though, he missed balls vs. Aironi and Leinster. I note that he is involved all over the pitch, as captain, as penalty kicker from hand, and really stepped up vs Gloucester and Toulouse. My feeling is that he is probably taking responsibility for others around him and his own game is suffering. So yes, maybe mental fatigue for him is an issue. Disagree with your point on Tiernan, He needs to work on his defence, particularly the ball over his head; he still catches with his hands up and his kick is still a gaelic kick, bent knee, low trajectory, no spiral. Can be fixed, but needs work. He still tackles too high and with his hands not shoulders on 121s, Great potential, great talent but much coaching needed.

McCarthy is a great workhorse, he is over 30 (so what), and he could have been a regular international; but he's not! Look closely at Cullen, not as dynamic or as athletic as McCarthy, but no long carries, 2 yards here, 3 yards there, aways drawing in the cover, and perfect ball placement for scrum half, he makes Leinster tick, he can keep the ball though 20+ phases, eventually wearing his opponents down I only wish MMC was doing this, he is stronger more vibrant but his basics let him down, and more sadly he is not a specialist but a utility forward and can play anywhere in back 5 and to his credit, he does, but to the detriment for his development as a player.

On passing 9 to 10. Both have a responsibility. 10 needs to move, 9 needs to hit him. If 10 expects a slow ball he stays still. If he expects a fast ball he can move. O'Donoghue takes an age; he stands over the ball, takes a step, then passes with a slow vertical spin. If you ever see him warming up behind the goal, count his pick time, you'll get to two. Murphy is better, but still takes one or two horizontal steps; watch Stringer or Marshall in Ulster, no step, pick & pass, fast and horizontal spin; the No 10 expects this, can run on and have time and space to react. Speed of pass allows the backs make yards, not force him to run horizontally and pop pass to 12, or deep pass to 15 who has to cover 15 meters to hit the gain line.

I'm sorry Simpleton, but Cronin has not thrown consistently until this year. I watched him maybe 6-7 times per year for past 3 years. He rarely under-threw, normally over-threw or crooked, and usually under pressure he did this numerous times last year. Flavin is steady as is Ethienne. But Cronin has improved, maybe Leinster have the resources to help him, but even George Hook (God bless us) could see Cronin held the ball wrong pre throw, and his grip has changed. He will challenge Best all the way this year. And on a technical note, both Flavin and Ethienne can hit the same locks this year that Cronin couldn't last year.

I don't think my post was a necessarily a BS one, It may be wrong or misjudged and is open to scrutiny, but I first saw Connacht in Sportsground in 1969 when they lost to Ulster 20 something to 6. The feeling is the same now as I felt as an 8 year old then....pass the ball properly for God's sake, its a basic.

BS post.

If there is no talent discrepancies between Leinster and Connacht then Leinster are wasting about 5 mill a year on salaries. Gavin Duffy is excellent under the high ball as is Toh. One poor showing supports the mental fatigue argument not a skills coaching issue.

Mike mcarthy is 30 and has carried effectively all his career with an upright running style, rarely loses the ball in contact, nearly always gains yards. He is on the verge of international recognition and is our most consistent performer. I wouldn't swap him for any second row at Leinster, Cullen included.

You use passing to a static runner as an example of skills deficit ?? Where's the skill missing, is it the passer, should he wait for ye static to become mobile or should he pass it to where he would like the static runner to have been. Perhaps fitness Is an issue but blaming all our woes on skills coaching is simplistic in the extreme.

Cronin was well able to throw to line out when he played for us, far more consistent than either best or Flannery and didn't have the benefit of international locks to aim at, it's just lazy believing reporters who never saw him play before he made international appearances.

Welcome to the board columoc, really well written post.

I agree with the essence of what you are saying and think Poterbelly has sumed it up well in that we need specialist coaches, but I have to say your point about skills being neither valued or coached in Connacht is a bit over the top.

I take your point about Cronin but I would contend that it is more down to the additional resources Leinster have at their disposal as oppossed to an ignorance to the value of skills at Connacht. Also how do you explain Adrian Flavin being one of the best dart throwers in the league? Cronin was getting the most specialist coaching available as well don't forget with his involvement with the Irish set up while he was here. I just think there are many factors at play here Sean just getting that bit older and wiser and playing with better players has equally contributed to his maturing as a player.

The point about TOH is this really valid? Ok he had a shocker on Saturday but he has been blinding under the high ball since he has broken into the first team. I remember watching the U20's WC last summer and he really displayed a talent for taking the high ball under immense presure and I don't see that he has lost this ability. I think Saturday was a case of fatigue and I wonder had the display not been so bad would people really be talking about replacing Elwood or the devaluement of skills in Connacht.

That said though the point about the kicking technique of both NOC and Jarvis is 100% right, I can't understand how NOC is being allowed to kick in that way on a windy night in the SG. I would even ask him to keep it low if I was playing on the pitch never mind if I was the coach but I have to be honest I am putting all my faith in Elwood on this one and just really hope his expertise is seeing something right my amateur eyes don't have the capacity to see.

columoc wrote: I am a Connacht supporter and season ticket holder who lives in Dublin; and I am also a Leinster Season ticket holder. In 6-7 weeks I noted how Sean Cronin's throw has clearly improved. This apparently is due to the intensive skills coaching he gets at Leinster and constant practice on his throw. He is now doing something he could not in his 3 years at Connacht, throw accurately on a regular basis. He still has room to improve, but he is as good as anyone in the Irish set up now.

Golfers and tennis players use skills coaches and then practice the basics forever so that in a match the subconcious mind can work these basic skills allowing them to plan and think their next move in the knowledge that their skill techniques will not let them down.

I believe there is a skills gap in Connacht, not necessarily a talent gap. Players have a natural talent but can only hone that talent with coaching and practice. There is no evidence from our matches this year that players are coached intensively in skills; infact there is reasonable evidence to suggest they are not, as the basic skills continually desert them under pressure.

For example look at our passing, often slow and regularly to a static receiver (especially 9 to 10). At Aironi, there were high passes,low passes, passes behind, absurd looped basketball passes, forcing the receiver to adjust. This was also evident against Leinster. Look at the amount of dropped passes in the past few games, especially at pace.
Consider the fielding of the back 3, Tiernan has great potential, but he was a better fielder when he was playing schools rugby in Roscrea (I know I watched him), Aironi knew this and kept kicking the ball at him in the first half. Vainikolo dropped easy catches against Gloucester in Sportsground.Even the great reliable, Gavin Duffy is dropping catches he used to do for fun.

Much of our ball carrying is demonstrates poor skill set, especially in the forwards. Paul O'Connell runs low in traffic, with the ball in both hands so he can use a squeeze ball in a ruck, Connacht players, epscially Naoupu, Muldoon and McCarthy tend to run high, ball in one hand, hand off in the other and often lose the ball in contact. Its a skill set they need to be coached on and to work on.

Jarvis will never be a reliable kicker if he kicks it like a soccer player, short run up and moving the ball in the air. Niall O'Connor ditto, as he kicks the ball way too high (in Sportsground!). These players have talent but they need a kicking coach to help them like a golfer adjusts their swing, and then practice practice practice a la Johnny Wilkinson.

I contend that skills are not valued, coached or practiced sufficiently in Connacht. In a match this costs you time and territory and in many cases injuries as players are desperate to redeem a situation. Sadly there is no quick fix, but if players are properly coached in basic skills passing, catching, kicking and carrying and practice the basics ad nauseum like golf or tennis players, there will be some hope.

But it is not just about skills, Eric Elwood blamed the Leinster loss on his kickers. Fair enough, but they are easy to blame. Not for the first time, Johnny O'Connor gave lip to the referee and cost us 13m and 3 points for Nacewa's third penalty (he was warned by the ref in the first 5 minutes). Nothing has been said about that. Once again at Aironi, Connacht players did not heed the ref and were penalised. This indiscipline is rife and that is always a sign of poorly coached team. The standards are not clarified, the behavior is not deemed unacceptable as so it is repeated and repeated. There is a coaching problem in Connacht, this team is in decline, and is not just about resources; its about how we use what we've got. The players know this and this is why the good ones have left, even if they only get a few outings, they will improve faster as players in the other provinces.

Fronting up is all very well, but any team can do that. In the end its player skills and good coaching that make the difference. The Connacht management set up simply must improve in this area.

Excellent post - welcome to the board!

Coaching is a big issue

We need quality specialist coaches

excellent posting and i agree wit everything you have said. eric came out and said they had a couple of good kicking sessions during week| makes u wonder what they are doing the rest of the time

I am a Connacht supporter and season ticket holder who lives in Dublin; and I am also a Leinster Season ticket holder. In 6-7 weeks I noted how Sean Cronin's throw has clearly improved. This apparently is due to the intensive skills coaching he gets at Leinster and constant practice on his throw. He is now doing something he could not in his 3 years at Connacht, throw accurately on a regular basis. He still has room to improve, but he is as good as anyone in the Irish set up now.

Golfers and tennis players use skills coaches and then practice the basics forever so that in a match the subconcious mind can work these basic skills allowing them to plan and think their next move in the knowledge that their skill techniques will not let them down.

I believe there is a skills gap in Connacht, not necessarily a talent gap. Players have a natural talent but can only hone that talent with coaching and practice. There is no evidence from our matches this year that players are coached intensively in skills; infact there is reasonable evidence to suggest they are not, as the basic skills continually desert them under pressure.

For example look at our passing, often slow and regularly to a static receiver (especially 9 to 10). At Aironi, there were high passes,low passes, passes behind, absurd looped basketball passes, forcing the receiver to adjust. This was also evident against Leinster. Look at the amount of dropped passes in the past few games, especially at pace.
Consider the fielding of the back 3, Tiernan has great potential, but he was a better fielder when he was playing schools rugby in Roscrea (I know I watched him), Aironi knew this and kept kicking the ball at him in the first half. Vainikolo dropped easy catches against Gloucester in Sportsground.Even the great reliable, Gavin Duffy is dropping catches he used to do for fun.

Much of our ball carrying is demonstrates poor skill set, especially in the forwards. Paul O'Connell runs low in traffic, with the ball in both hands so he can use a squeeze ball in a ruck, Connacht players, epscially Naoupu, Muldoon and McCarthy tend to run high, ball in one hand, hand off in the other and often lose the ball in contact. Its a skill set they need to be coached on and to work on.

Jarvis will never be a reliable kicker if he kicks it like a soccer player, short run up and moving the ball in the air. Niall O'Connor ditto, as he kicks the ball way too high (in Sportsground!). These players have talent but they need a kicking coach to help them like a golfer adjusts their swing, and then practice practice practice a la Johnny Wilkinson.

I contend that skills are not valued, coached or practiced sufficiently in Connacht. In a match this costs you time and territory and in many cases injuries as players are desperate to redeem a situation. Sadly there is no quick fix, but if players are properly coached in basic skills passing, catching, kicking and carrying and practice the basics ad nauseum like golf or tennis players, there will be some hope.

But it is not just about skills, Eric Elwood blamed the Leinster loss on his kickers. Fair enough, but they are easy to blame. Not for the first time, Johnny O'Connor gave lip to the referee and cost us 13m and 3 points for Nacewa's third penalty (he was warned by the ref in the first 5 minutes). Nothing has been said about that. Once again at Aironi, Connacht players did not heed the ref and were penalised. This indiscipline is rife and that is always a sign of poorly coached team. The standards are not clarified, the behavior is not deemed unacceptable as so it is repeated and repeated. There is a coaching problem in Connacht, this team is in decline, and is not just about resources; its about how we use what we've got. The players know this and this is why the good ones have left, even if they only get a few outings, they will improve faster as players in the other provinces.

Fronting up is all very well, but any team can do that. In the end its player skills and good coaching that make the difference. The Connacht management set up simply must improve in this area.