[2018-19 Guinness Pro 14] Round 18 (22-23/03/2019)

[bushytop]

38-0... and a better kicking display you would struggle to find. Anscombe is like Frano Botica back in the day right now!

 

[General Melchett]

Barclay starting for Edinburgh for the first time after a lengthy lay off. Anyone watching who can comment on how he's playing? What a back row with him, Hamish & Mata.

 

[Tooting Carmen]

Wayne Pivac was very silly to rest JD2 and put the other Grand Slammers on the bench. Had he started with a first XV, it could have been very different.

 

[Bluemoon]

Wayne Pivac was very silly to rest JD2 and put the other Grand Slammers on the bench. Had he started with a first XV, it could have been very different.

30 points different? I'm not so sure. It'd be closer but the way Cardiff camemout of the blocks the scarlets defence just fell apart. What a man Rob Evans is. He's massively come on over the last couple of years.

Owen Lane is playing some great rugby at the moment. Reminds me of what Cuthbert was like for Cardiff when he was breaking all sorts of records. He can play 13 as well so it'll be interesting to see what happens when Adams and Amos arrive next season. Cardiff need a little more depth in the pack and they are looking good.

 

[Amiga500]

Got most of the Connacht match, but missed the last 10 mins.

Some beautiful offloading from Connacht during the game - really high skilled stuff - but Treviso were like a dog with a bone.


Apparently I missed most of the Jack Carty show - he looked mighty handy from what I seen of him when he came on, great kick to the corner, brilliant penalty from near half way and moving the backline around.


Joe, Joe, Joe - you needed to give your sub halfbacks more gametime in the 6N - they might have even surprised you.

 

[munstermuffin]

Got most of the Connacht match, but missed the last 10 mins.

Some beautiful offloading from Connacht during the game - really high skilled stuff - but Treviso were like a dog with a bone.


Apparently I missed most of the Jack Carty show - he looked mighty handy from what I seen of him when he came on, great kick to the corner, brilliant penalty from near half way and moving the backline around.


Joe, Joe, Joe - you needed to give your sub halfbacks more gametime in the 6N - they might have even surprised you.

Really Carty is kicking on and is deservedly Irelands 3rd choice 10. Connacht were professional against a good Treviso team

 

[truthteller]

Scarlets fans arrived in their thousands for the sell out derby at the arms park and they are apoplectic with rage at the worst scarlets display in the professional era

38-0 down at half time?

Lot of fans blaming pivac and co for not starting about 7 grand slam players.....4 on the bench came on in a mini second half comeback and the others were allowed a week off...fans also claiming the coaching trio of pivac stephen jones and byron hayward who will all be the welsh coaches within 7 or 8 months have their minds on wales job and not the scarlets ?

The problems seem deeper rooted as the scarlets the year before made the pro 14 final and european cup semi final and the year before that they won the league

It seems scarlets for whatever reason have let go off a load of fantastic players in the last few seasons and have replaced them with poorer players and failed to sign the likes of george north

scarlets somehow lost liam williams, scott williams DTH van der merwe, aled davies, taighe beirne, john barclay josh adams and jordan williams was a talent
aaron shingler out massive blow..let josh turnbull go to cardiff strange?

Then recruit cassiem , clayton, hidalgo clyne, ed kennedy ? wheres he disappeared to?
phil price ? angus obrien? blade thompson hasnt played since ummm october was it?
fonotia has been ok

not so many coming through the academy lately either? 10 days ago they had signed to merge with their immortal enemies the ospreys? now that fiasco is off again? what a mess....strange times down west

the national supporters meanwhile are casting a worried glance as its this trio replacing the world class trio of gatland edwards and howley? lets hope they can turn things around

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Kings have just got a yellow and a red card from incidents that happened literally a second apart. Mental.

 

[Amiga500]

Kings have just got a yellow and a red card from incidents that happened literally a second apart. Mental.

Yeah, happened right in front of us - I can see why the red was given - disagreed with the yellow.

 

[Amiga500]

Really Carty is kicking on and is deservedly Irelands 3rd choice 10. Connacht were professional against a good Treviso team

3rd choice?

Best Irish 10 at the moment dude.

Just not 1st choice cause it aint fashionable.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

3rd choice?

Best Irish 10 at the moment dude.

Just not 1st choice cause it aint fashionable.

I'm not disagreeing that Jack Carty is in excellent form. Are 19 games for Connacht this season when he's looked really good enough to erase around 100 games previous to this season when he looked below provincial standard? While I hope his current form continues, I'd err on the side of Joe Schmidt in this instance. Five years of past evidence trumps the last 6 months in my view. Keep it up into next season and in the European Cup and Carty has a stronger case.

Munster are in trouble against Zebre by the look of things.

 

[Amiga500]

I'm not disagreeing that Jack Carty is in excellent form. Are 19 games for Connacht this season when he's looked really good enough to erase around 100 games previous to this season when he looked below provincial standard?

The Westies have been saying he's been in this form (albeit without the kicking game he's now developed) last season - it just kinda flew under the radar with Keane pulling him off and the team going on to lose repeatedly.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Last season he was, at best, he was the third best 10 in the country, and I saw a lot of Connacht.

In fairness he's had a lot more good games at 10 than Carbery over the last few years.

I'd be wanting more evidence at a level higher than Pro14 though to be honest though, Champions Cup is a standard much closer to internationals than the dross the Pro14 serves up most weeks.

 

[Groundhog]

Carty has been outstanding this season. I was not a fan of him in the last at all and you can find multiple quotes on this forum arresting to that but he's come on hugely and honestly I think a lot of it has come from Connacht playing a slightly more streetwise game. Connacht in the past few years were always very intent on running the game to a fault because their ability to play field position cost them so many winnable games. I think their game plan these days Carty out of hand is an absolutely great kicker and he's showed it this year.

I've just finished Munster game. I watched the first half before having to go on a sex date and was very frustrated but never believed we'd lose it either. Full credit to Zebre they came to play and their high risk style is absolutely the way to play it when you're outgunned away from home. They have a few players who could definitely shine in a better side. For us I thought O'Donoghue was our best player which is great news. Alby in my opinion should start next week he's very physical gets to rucks quickly and bosses things well. It's still very clear to me though that when our pack is against it a bit our back line has very little imagination and our passing is neither accurate enough or fast enough especially when Joey isn't there. We're still not a European champion side and I think coaching does have to be addressed eventually.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Barclay starting for Edinburgh for the first time after a lengthy lay off. Anyone watching who can comment on how he's playing? What a back row with him, Hamish & Mata.

Didn't see it, but MotM and much praise for him. His curtailed season could actually do him a favour come RWC time.

History slipping through Benettons fingers, although it was always going to be a tough ask.

 

[munstermuffin]

Carty has been outstanding this season. I was not a fan of him in the last at all and you can find multiple quotes on this forum arresting to that but he's come on hugely and honestly I think a lot of it has come from Connacht playing a slightly more streetwise game. Connacht in the past few years were always very intent on running the game to a fault because their ability to play field position cost them so many winnable games. I think their game plan these days Carty out of hand is an absolutely great kicker and he's showed it this year.

I've just finished Munster game. I watched the first half before having to go on a sex date and was very frustrated but never believed we'd lose it either. Full credit to Zebre they came to play and their high risk style is absolutely the way to play it when you're outgunned away from home. They have a few players who could definitely shine in a better side. For us I thought O'Donoghue was our best player which is great news. Alby in my opinion should start next week he's very physical gets to rucks quickly and bosses things well. It's still very clear to me though that when our pack is against it a bit our back line has very little imagination and our passing is neither accurate enough or fast enough especially when Joey isn't there. We're still not a European champion side and I think coaching does have to be addressed eventually.

We were totally different team when Tyler was at 10. JJ was very poor. Got the win and BP despite being down loads. Skills dip when 10 isn't on form and Chris Farrell was also very good on return. Jacko finding form and Alby is like a coach on field just watch when he was substituted he still went to every lad telling them their role before leaving.

@Amiga500 on form he is the best 10 I agree but was basing it on Schmidts thinking.

 

[Leinster Fan]

We were totally different team when Tyler was at 10. JJ was very poor. Got the win and BP despite being down loads. Skills dip when 10 isn't on form and Chris Farrell was also very good on return. Jacko finding form and Alby is like a coach on field just watch when he was substituted he still went to every lad telling them their role before leaving.

@Amiga500 on form he is the best 10 I agree but was basing it on Schmidts thinking.

Who should start next week if Joey is out?

 

[munstermuffin]

Who should start next week if Joey is out?

Tyler 100% but Joey did a session yesterday and is looking like he will make it

 

[Tooting Carmen]

Dan Evans rescued the Ospreys from humiliation yesterday. The 6N period has killed the Ospreys' season - without their best players they're hopeless, and even now they shall be without AWJ, North and Scott Williams.