Connacht 2019/20/21

[mildlyinterested]

Isn't he a smaller but similar player to Kleyn?

Physical at rucks and scrums but not a great level at handling/avoiding contact if possible.

so a typical south african

maybe he is headed to Munster?

[sunshiner1]

Maybe. He would be a massive blow to Connacht if he left. He's an amazing scrummager and a big asset there. Connacht are slipping down the rankings as it is and with all the investment done in him it would be a shame to see it go to waste.

[blockhead]

ANDY FRIEND HAS hailed Connacht’s signing of Mack Hansen from Super Rugby side the Brumbies as “a real coup” for the province.
Hansen, who is Irish-qualified through his Cork mother, will arrive at the Sportsground this summer on a two-year deal.
The 23-year-old play across the back three or as out-half, and was ever present in the Brumbies’ shortened Super Rugby AU campaign this season, scoring three tries in eight games.

Interesting

[Keith]

Connacht have done some really good buinsess the last couple of seasons, hopefully things start to come together for them.

[elephantman]

Saw Mack Hansen playing for the Brumbies a couple of times this year. Looks a good signing. Had no idea he was Irish qualified.

[blockhead]

Saw Mack Hansen playing for the Brumbies a couple of times this year. Looks a good signing. Had no idea he was Irish qualified.

He's not. He's Cork qualified. A very different thing.

[sunshiner1]

Glad for Connacht and I am sure he is the business but I'd be happier if they signed a quality forward.

[Ruckedtobits]

Well done Connacht. Kept going, despite the odds, for the full 85 minutes. Great win for bald-headed never say die attitude. Great performances all over the pitch and some genuine prospects emerging. A couple of new names for National Depth Charts.

[sunshiner1]

by Ruckedtobits

Well done Connacht. Kept going, despite the odds, for the full 85 minutes. Great win for bald-headed never say die attitude. Great performances all over the pitch and some genuine prospects emerging. A couple of new names for National Depth Charts.

Didn't get to see the game. Who stood out for you?

[betty swallocks]

Daly excellent again at 12. I hope Farrell was watching Blade who had a great game. Dillane is at the top of his game, and Oliver at 7 had his best game of the season. On the debit side Duggan missed countless tackles and Carty was once again very poor.

[Ruckedtobits]

by Ruckedtobits

Well done Connacht. Kept going, despite the odds, for the full 85 minutes. Great win for bald-headed never say die attitude. Great performances all over the pitch and some genuine prospects emerging. A couple of new names for National Depth Charts.

Didn't get to see the game. Who stood out for you?

Blade, Heffernan, Dillane, Thornbury, O'brien and Sullivan were all good and created energy & go-forward whenever they were carrying or tackling. Oliver was superb in defence and overall the Connacht D won the game over the 80 minutes.

[cormac]

Connacht's blitz defence seemed to unsettle Ulster although some of the tackles that Connacht players slipped off in the first half undermined it a bit. Substituting the likes of Henderson, Cooney, Burns and Stockdale early in the second half suggests that Ulster were probably a little less focused on the game than Connacht. Was still an excellent comeback from Connacht from a less than promising position.

[sunshiner1]

by betty swallocks

On the debit side Duggan missed countless tackles

This is a worry of mine everytime I see Connacht play. I don't rate Duggan at all. Connacht really need a quality LH to compete against Buckley or be his back-up. The players they have there just aren't good enough.

[king]

I'd disagree on Duggan, excellent in scrum and significantly better than Buckley at maul defence and carrying, doesn't give away the stupid penalties. I see your concern around tackling his lateral movement isn't great and he struggles to get his body moving but that's not unique to big props, defensive adjustment needed by the player outside him in the line. He's regularly at pillar in defence and tackles well to ruck side but a player running at pace at his outside shoulder has a good chance.

He missed two tackles of thus nature in the first 10 mins and early in the second half it looked like he missed a third but in fact he was covering for a heffernan and Masterson ( I think) miss and didn't quite get there. He was left flailing which is never a good look but wasn't his man.
Young prop lots of potential I wouldn't be rushing to write him off.

[betty swallocks]

Agree King he is a reliable scrummager (it was obvious Connacht had problems in the scrum once he was replaced) and maybe it was just an off-day in the tackle stakes. Friend must see something in Duggan given he's letting McAllister go and is backing him as the competition to Buckley for the starting No1 shirt.

[sunshiner1]

Glad to hear you guys rate him. I'll have to keep a closer eye on him next time I get to see him play.

[hugonaut]

I'd disagree on Duggan, excellent in scrum and significantly better than Buckley at maul defence and carrying, doesn't give away the stupid penalties. I see your concern around tackling his lateral movement isn't great and he struggles to get his body moving but that's not unique to big props, defensive adjustment needed by the player outside him in the line. He's regularly at pillar in defence and tackles well to ruck side but a player running at pace at his outside shoulder has a good chance.

He missed two tackles of thus nature in the first 10 mins and early in the second half it looked like he missed a third but in fact he was covering for a heffernan and Masterson ( I think) miss and didn't quite get there. He was left flailing which is never a good look but wasn't his man.
Young prop lots of potential I wouldn't be rushing to write him off.

Yeah, I think that he has the makings of a good pro: he's strong, fit, competitive and a good worker. He reminds me of Emmet Byrne, actually. He's not a naturally massive galoot, but he has built up pretty good size for the position through hard-headedness and diligence. He was a good age-grade prop - 14 [12+2] Irish U20 caps over three tournaments.

That sort of body of work at U20 level would normally be enough to get you into the Leinster Academy, but at the time we had lots of young props on the books [Porter obviously, but also Jerry Loughman and Oisin Heffernan]. Good piece of recruitment for Connacht and he should be a long-term player for them.

[mildlyinterested]

[Oldschoolsocks]

controversial enough, anyone know the background?

[jimbobjoe]

Must've crossed paths in Grenoble judging by their wiki pages. No additional context though.