merchantdon wrote: Where did the "O'Halloran was carrying an injury" come from? What's the source? If he was then fair enough, he should have been replaced. its of no benefit to the team or the player himself to leave him on the field. TOH is a fantastic player and he has no bigger fan than me but what i seen yesterday looked like complete disinterest in being there. I hope this was a once off as he is key to us stepping up.

The fact that he was down a few times receiving treatment would suggest so. He was down for a few minutes early on and never looked right after that

Where did the "O'Halloran was carrying an injury" come from? What's the source? If he was then fair enough, he should have been replaced. its of no benefit to the team or the player himself to leave him on the field. TOH is a fantastic player and he has no bigger fan than me but what i seen yesterday looked like complete disinterest in being there. I hope this was a once off as he is key to us stepping up.

Funk It wrote:

salmson wrote:
From a personnel POV, I don't like the "hang Fetu" thing but a marker has to be set down for what happens when performance is unacceptable.

I think that everyone knows what a dangerous player Fetu is, in the same sense that we knew what an outstanding player Fionn Carr was when his defense used to get called into question (rightly or wrongly). As mentioned, I didn't see the game and I don't think for one second that an under par performance came down to one player.

Just to be clear: I have no problem with players screwing up. There was mention in this thread of Muldoon knocking on 4 catches in a row a few years back, and while Duffy caught everything yesterday he did nothing with it - ran three times leading to one accidental offside, one knockon, one penalty for holding on in contact. And that's before we talk about his kicking (read the post again, I already have). I'm certainly not playing favourites - I'm a fan of Fetu and think he got unwarranted abuse last year.

What is unacceptable is that after a few knockons he stopped jumping for the ball and repeatedly allowed it to bounce.

As for "under par performance came down to one player", you may have pulled that out of your backside but I didn't say it. I named 3 players in relation to kicking, called out Macca and the lineout - the lineout cost us the game, not Fetu, but there is a difference between honest incompetence and going awol - and said the back row didn't pull up any trees.

clan clover wrote:

rossie wrote: It gave them field position without earnin it at a time when we were on top. Field position which they turned into 10 pts against the run of play. Yes others were also accountable but if fetu did the basics right there wouldnt have been the opportunity.
Its not the first time hes been shown up. Last season i highlighted this weakness.and was shot down. Its abasic but vital skill that he is missing and he will be targetted by teams now. The dropping was bad enogh but not even contesting for it is very poor. He left one ball bounce and that in itself means he should be dropped.

If they drop anyone it should be O Halloran, he made no effort in the whole 80 minutes, apologies he did make one effort at a tackle and was sent back three yards on his arse for his troubles, it's a good job the other winger was not running at him at the time or he would have landed in Bohermore.

Borders no2 , i agree the mistakes had there starting points at Fetu's knock on's ,but they should never have led to any points as they were both in harmless enough areas and there were a hell of a lot more guys culpable . They were certainly not opportunities for Cardiff but the team our team turned them into opportunities all by themselves. Your right though only a few held there hands up.

The same O Halloran who was our top scorer last season and is in his 2nd season of professional rugby, and who was clearly carrying an injury from early on which limited him

Fetu'u has history with the knock ons under a high ball and having brainfarts.

Look, I know I'm rounding on Fetu'u, but he had a big reputation coming here, he's on good money and it's time he earned it with some substantial performances. We may only be Connacht, be there's certain standards the players must meet, alot didn't meet them yesterday, and Fetu'u has been in that category too often. Time for him to stand up and be counted

I didn't see the game as I managed to do my back in. That said I heard the Cariff Blues were apparently targeting Vainikolo on purpose as he is know for his weakness under the high ball (Cardiff video analyst take you bow). That leads us to the problem which is other teams seeing how effective this tactic is Vainikolo he is going to be targeted in every game after. So one of three things has to happen.

1. He needs to be dropped and never heard from again.

2. EE needs to realise this is a massive weakness and get the fullback or someone to cover him aerially.

3. He needs individual training with someone who will drill him relentlessly on high balls until he becomes proficient at it.

Glad to hear the scrum did well but this is a game we should have won and the guys will know it as well. Hoping for a big performance next week.

rossie wrote: It gave them field position without earnin it at a time when we were on top. Field position which they turned into 10 pts against the run of play. Yes others were also accountable but if fetu did the basics right there wouldnt have been the opportunity.
Its not the first time hes been shown up. Last season i highlighted this weakness.and was shot down. Its abasic but vital skill that he is missing and he will be targetted by teams now. The dropping was bad enogh but not even contesting for it is very poor. He left one ball bounce and that in itself means he should be dropped.

If they drop anyone it should be O Halloran, he made no effort in the whole 80 minutes, apologies he did make one effort at a tackle and was sent back three yards on his arse for his troubles, it's a good job the other winger was not running at him at the time or he would have landed in Bohermore.

Borders no2 , i agree the mistakes had there starting points at Fetu's knock on's ,but they should never have led to any points as they were both in harmless enough areas and there were a hell of a lot more guys culpable . They were certainly not opportunities for Cardiff but the team our team turned them into opportunities all by themselves. Your right though only a few held there hands up.

By the way for those fellow anoraks out there we knocked on 14 times in first half . Guy keepin track left before end so didnt get final total.

It gave them field position without earnin it at a time when we were on top. Field position which they turned into 10 pts against the run of play. Yes others were also accountable but if fetu did the basics right there wouldnt have been the opportunity.
Its not the first time hes been shown up. Last season i highlighted this weakness.and was shot down. Its abasic but vital skill that he is missing and he will be targetted by teams now. The dropping was bad enogh but not even contesting for it is very poor. He left one ball bounce and that in itself means he should be dropped.

While directly he didn't cost us 10 points, and you are right to highlight the other sloppy mistakes made in the lead up to the penalty and the extremely sloppy try (where 3 or 4 players should be helping with enquiries), Cardiffs attacks that lead to scores ultimately had their starting point with the mistakes from Vainikolo giving them the field position to launch their attacks.

However, I'm not going to row for the sake of it, only a handful of players performed to anything approaching an acceptable level yesterday while the display doesn't reflect too well on our management either.

Big improvement required from everyone in Italy next week or we'll come home with our tails between our legs.

Borders no.2 wrote:

clan clover wrote:

Funk It wrote:

Porterbelly wrote: Vainikolo under the high ball is a disgrace

Didn't witness todays performance, but was it as bad as the match down in Thomand? Can still remember the Munster giggles by his mistakes (especially their try) that evening. Was really hoping that he turned a corner (end of last season and Exeter), but as Borders mentioned, he is a dry weather player... is that the excuse?

"dry weather player", what a load of short sighted bollocks. Fetu is by far our best back, power pace and huge eagerness to get involved.

I was trying to make some excuse for him (when there is none) but to me I don't mind if a player makes mistakes if he's willing to keep going and putting himself in position to rectify the mistakes but by not trying to catch the 2nd of his 3 missed catches, allowing the ball to bounce he put us at sixes and sevens which led to the scrum which half a minute later lead to the try. If he had committed himself to the catch, he mightn't have got it but once you make no effort to catch and allow the ball to bounce you are in trouble. I
don't care how talented a player is, if your winger isn't prepared to commit to doing what is part of his bread and butter he is no use to you.

There is no excuse for him missing the high balls, it shouldn't happen but it does no matter who you are or what position you play in, you will make a mistake.Hopefully he will put in the effort in to make sure we do not see it happen again. The rest of his work rate was excellent, the other winger should have stayed in the dressing room.
As for Rossie saying Fetu'smistake cost us ten points how do you figure that out, they caused a few scrums that is all, did he throw the line out no, did he fail to catch the throw in at the line out no, did he fail to dive on the ball no. If this what we are going on, I blame Niall O Connor because if he had not left us he would have played and the first penalty would have hit the post and fell into Muldoons arms and he would have scored under the posts.

The guys work rate and all round play was excellent, he made mistakes at least he tried unlike some of the others, Griffin looked like he was carrying an injury the new centre knocked on more times in one game then most people do in a season, the line out was a shambles, decision making a shambles the weather was crap. Some positives, Buckley looking much more like an all round player, Rodney was storming, O Connor and Faloon excellent.

Every game has its basic skill sets or minimum requirements and catching the high ball is one of them. Fetus inability to do this led to 10 pts yesterday. People are right to be annoyed and yes there were other poor performances but you have to do the basics right. Fetu didnt yesterday and accountability has to come into play.

Every game has its basic skill sets or minimum requirements and catching the high ball is one of them. Fetus inability to do this led to 10 pts yesterday. People are right to be annoyed and yes there were other poor performances but you have to do the basics right. Fetu didnt yesterday and accountability has to come into play.

An u10 player would be berated for what Fets did. It was inexcusable, if we're not going to set standards then we're going nowhere. He's a winger, wingers need to be able to catch a high ball or at least make a decent attempt. He had 2 chances with nobody within a square mile of him and both times it hopped off his chest, dreadful technique. The 3rd time he saw a Cardiff player coming and cowardly backed out of it and let it bounce. That ball could have gone anywhere.

He cost us any chance in Thomond last year when he made an absolute howler from an innocuous kick. I was there that day, had to listen to Munster fans pissing themselves while I cried into my pint

He made another howler when brought on against Gloucester when he had acres of room to claim a high ball with open space in front of him when we needed a score and he dropped it. It just isn't good enough

I'm a big fan of Fetu'u, I've met him before he's a nice lad, he's eager to do well this season but he has to sort it out. He is electric on the ball, has pace to burn and is deceptively strong in contact. However, he has now become a liability because every team is going to bomb garryowens on top of him and we're going to be in big trouble if he doesn't pull the finger out

Fets did indeed have a howler of a game but at least he tried, TOH was anonymous for virtually all the game, didn't really chase anything. its said a lot in the 2nd half when the only person chasing a garryowen was Denis Buckley even thought he started from the same pitch position as all the Connacht back line were standing.

There is a lot of love for Nikora on this site but i quiet frankly can't see why, he was dire last night, aimless kicks into the Cardiff half which put them straight on the attack again, overall his decision making was very poor. First time i have ever heard people in the clan stand shouting for a Connacht player to be taken off, which i don't think is right but it does sum up Nikora's performance.

The positives of the night were Denis Buckley, he was fantastic, Brett will have a job on his hands getting back in the team. Loughney also played well & Rodney is looking fitter than i have ever seen him. our scrum is one area where we look to have strength in depth.

Mata, for a first ever Pro12 game did well, he is a tank of a man, huge strength and was a major factor in us winning 3 turnovers from choke tackles in the first half.

Impressed by the young guys attitude through out the team, some of the older heads could learn from them.

clan clover wrote:

Funk It wrote:

Porterbelly wrote: Vainikolo under the high ball is a disgrace

Didn't witness todays performance, but was it as bad as the match down in Thomand? Can still remember the Munster giggles by his mistakes (especially their try) that evening. Was really hoping that he turned a corner (end of last season and Exeter), but as Borders mentioned, he is a dry weather player... is that the excuse?

"dry weather player", what a load of short sighted bollocks. Fetu is by far our best back, power pace and huge eagerness to get involved.

I was trying to make some excuse for him (when there is none) but to me I don't mind if a player makes mistakes if he's willing to keep going and putting himself in position to rectify the mistakes but by not trying to catch the 2nd of his 3 missed catches, allowing the ball to bounce he put us at sixes and sevens which led to the scrum which half a minute later lead to the try. If he had committed himself to the catch, he mightn't have got it but once you make no effort to catch and allow the ball to bounce you are in trouble. I don't care how talented a player is, if your winger isn't prepared to commit to doing what is part of his bread and butter he is no use to you.

salmson wrote:
From a personnel POV, I don't like the "hang Fetu" thing but a marker has to be set down for what happens when performance is unacceptable.

I think that everyone knows what a dangerous player Fetu is, in the same sense that we knew what an outstanding player Fionn Carr was when his defense used to get called into question (rightly or wrongly). As mentioned, I didn't see the game and I don't think for one second that an under par performance came down to one player.