Connacht v Leinster. 1/1/2012, 5:00 p.m.

Borders no.2 wrote: Glad we at least thought of the dg in the end unlike the Treviso game but there was no composure shown, we were making ground through the phases against 14 men, there was no need to take a desperation pot shot, in fairness it went close but thats beside the point.

This thought crossed my mind as well, but we have been crying out for them to take more DGs. We would have been calling for blood if they had gone on two more phases and knocked the ball on without even an attempt being made. Yeah I would have liked to see them continue the phases and maybe earn a penalty, but with their propensity to knock on this season, IMO they got the timing right.

Heard Johnny O Connor fractured his jaw. Not good, Loughney, Griffin also nursing injuries and Tuohy will be out for the season I'd say, double fracture in his leg

Oh that's crap luck . Desperate for Brian and joc.
Felt it was a bit too far out for the drop goal but he was close in the end.
Connacht deserved to win and should have been leading at halftime . Would have been great to have ended the long run of losses.
But we're playing some great rugby rather than the keep it tight take your points efforts of the past.
We're just missing a good playmaker at 10 and a faster 9. Jarvis played ok with ball in hand but that routine for kicking is worse that the keatley countdown.
Great atmosphere at the game and a good laugh.

Really feel for the guys, again another deserved win slipped away. Jarvis plays like a quarter back, with laser sighted passes, he really gets the backs moving, need to keep him on the field. Nikoras drop goal was too far out alright, he knows it, we know it, and in less windy conditions, I'm sure that he has nailed them from further but we just need to be that bit cuter in the future. It was a great performance from the pack, we were 9-3 down before leinster got near our 22 after we had several failed chances down their end.

Not just for the fans, but the lads who put it all on the line week in, week out on the pitch deserve a win, keep the faith folks.

Didn't know how to react after the match, they are giving 100%, all we can do is stick together and keep supporting, it is obvious we need a reliable kicker but who? might a point be that with the huge turnover of players that they are taking "this season" to gel and the time to judge is next season?

Have to agree with you, hard to take in 14 new players, lose 4 starters and hit the ground running, plus we are on an awful run of injuries at the moment. Lets not forget that we are the same points as we were this time last year more or less plus we are competing in the H Cup and holding or own. Good times are ahead.

Edward Eagle wrote: Didn't know how to react after the match, they are giving 100%, all we can do is stick together and keep supporting, it is obvious we need a reliable kicker but who? might a point be that with the huge turnover of players that they are taking "this season" to gel and the time to judge is next season?

I mentioned in another thread but could we try Gav. I remember him kicking for Galwegians when he first joined them. He was also an Irish Schools out half. If we had Jarvis ability with ball in hand on the field in ten then Gav could take responsibility for kicks.

Just an idea

_nobody_ wrote:

Edward Eagle wrote: Didn't know how to react after the match, they are giving 100%, all we can do is stick together and keep supporting, it is obvious we need a reliable kicker but who? might a point be that with the huge turnover of players that they are taking "this season" to gel and the time to judge is next season?

I mentioned in another thread but could we try Gav. I remember him kicking for Galwegians when he first joined them. He was also an Irish Schools out half. If we had Jarvis ability with ball in hand on the field in ten then Gav could take responsibility for kicks.

Just an idea

was thinking that myself, as captain he could really step up to the plate, he probably wants to let the younger outhalfs do the kicking and focus on his own game. Can remember him doing kicking coaching at U20's level a good few years back. Tom Homer is a great example at the moment of a kicker outside of 10 making the kicks and winning needed games

eastcoastconnacht wrote: ...we are competing in the H Cup and holding or own.

That's certainly debatable...

Diom wrote: In fairness Breifne, in the HEC we are playing well. Only the Toulouse game seemed to get on top of the lads. We are just not able to finish games out.

Well, that's why I used the term "debatable." My definition of "holding one's own" would include winning at least one out of six games. I know we have two games left, but neither one of those looks winnable at this point. And yes, I know we're new at the whole HEC thing, but that just goes back to "holding our own." I just wouldn't use that language to describe our performance thus far. I'd say more like "showing glimpses," or something like that.

Just a difference of opinion on terminology, I suppose.

in fairness breifne we lost two games to gloucester because of our failure to convert penos snd dg opps. Actually that has been the main prob n most games along with conceding penos at scrum time mainly when rodney is on. Even away to gloucester noc missed a few vital ones which wud have seen us home. We are a consistant kicker away from being a decent team. loughs at th backed up by rodgers, jarvis at 10 and someone else to kick goals.

Diom can tonetti goalkick? if he can give 12 jersey and let him at it. played well the other night anyway.

Yeah...I keep hearing a lot of "ifs"...if this, if that, etc. I hear what you're saying, but there's no use sugar-coating a 12-game losing skid, guys. In my experience, decent teams find a way to win at least SOME of these games.

We're just really, really bad at this point. We're all hoping that will change sooner rather than later, but I just don't see a lot of use in denying reality. I doubt anyone here will stop supporting this team, but the occasional win sure would be nice.

Just my thoughts.

I agree with Breifne a half decent team would have won some of those games. We started to lose these tight games when we started messing with the team, at Leinster we subbed to many guys to early and lost all control of the game. We then decided to play guys out of position, its not that we were short of players, we would play an 8 in the second row, a second row at 6 and a 6 at 7 why would you do that its like sending your team out with one hand tied behind its back. The Gloucester game away was lost with bad management, at 73 mins we were winning we had the ball and we kicked it up in the air and did not bother our arse to chase it. No right minded coach would request such a tactic to be employed with such a slender lead, the opposition cannot score from there half especially if they don't have the ball, its all game management and its not that we have to make it up Leinster and Munster have been doing it for years. We shipped to many players in the summer, Niva, McComish were two guys we could have and should have held onto. But we have what we have, we don't use what we have but the players are there at the SG and they give 110% they are badly led and badly managed but the heart is there for all us to see. And I for one would like them to take control themselves as a team as mates and run the game the way see it developing and that means you need a voice in the pack and in the backs and feck the negative one dimensional tactics from the chaps on the sidelines.

clan clover wrote: I agree with Breifne a half decent team would have won some of those games. We started to lose these tight games when we started messing with the team, at Leinster we subbed to many guys to early and lost all control of the game. We then decided to play guys out of position, its not that we were short of players, we would play an 8 in the second row, a second row at 6 and a 6 at 7 why would you do that its like sending your team out with one hand tied behind its back. The Gloucester game away was lost with bad management, at 73 mins we were winning we had the ball and we kicked it up in the air and did not bother our arse to chase it. No right minded coach would request such a tactic to be employed with such a slender lead, the opposition cannot score from there half especially if they don't have the ball, its all game management and its not that we have to make it up Leinster and Munster have been doing it for years. We shipped to many players in the summer, Niva, McComish were two guys we could have and should have held onto. But we have what we have, we don't use what we have but the players are there at the SG and they give 110% they are badly led and badly managed but the heart is there for all us to see. And I for one would like them to take control themselves as a team as mates and run the game the way see it developing and that means you need a voice in the pack and in the backs and feck the negative one dimensional tactics from the chaps on the sidelines.

There is some amount of sh1t posted on this message board, but that takes the biscuit
"no right minded coach would request such a tactic..." The coach isn't on live-link to the outhalf FFS

[quote="Packie" post=4242There is some amount of sh1t posted on this message board, but that takes the biscuit
"no right minded coach would request such a tactic..." The coach isn't on live-link to the outhalf FFS[/quote]

Your are entitled to your opinion as I am, and I take exception to your tone and use of the word Shit. You will of course remember the kicking the ball up in the air was a favourite tactic of EE in his playing days, you will also I am sure remember two seasons ago when we used the same tactic in away games where we used to kick away up to 70% of our own ball aimlessly up in the air off the first or second pass. You will I am sure have seen NOC play for Ulster and Ireland A where this was NOT a tactic he used on a regular basis or even an irregular basis. But you know all this already.