green13 wrote: Griffin's time with LI was blighted by injury. When he did manage to get a run of starts it was as part of a team in a flat spin out of the Premiership. There was no game plan and FA leadership both on and off the pitch so very harsh to judge him on that.

That's a fair comment Green13. I also think its very hard to replace one part of an Aki/Henshaw partnership. We all have looked at the Pro12 final countless times and Robbie simply saved his best til last. Always thought he was a better 13 than 12 and in that game he was sublime. So its very hard for anybody to live up to the standard set in that game. Its a pity Joe continues to use him as a battering ram at 12 when he has proved how good he is as an outside centre. But back to today. And today we have Aki playing inside or outside centre dependent on who is available. And that in itself says something. If its Ronaldson then Aki is outside centre, if its Farrell or Griffin then he is inside centre. As for Peter Robb (the man is enormous), well Peter has to be an inside centre. So Aki is simply rotating positions to accommodate strengths and weaknesses.I think Aki's position is by nature inside centre and if he playing then we select an outside centre to play with him. So that kills the Ronaldson/Aki combination which folks consider as the primary centre combination based on Ronaldson's kicking ability. But that is based on kicking duties.

So Jack's kicking is simply not good enough. Game by game his overall can be good or bad but overall it doesn't go above average. So I thought Crosbie looked a decent kicker. With a new coach, a new season I have no massive expectation. So rather than the same ole, same ole I wouldn't mind seeing Crosbie given a chance. He looked decent any chance he was given last year. So then its a matter of who you put at outside centre. And this is why I was so disappointed we let Rory Parata go. I thought he looked the real deal.

Anyway its one fan to the next on this. If I were to look to the near future, things look hugely positive. SOB2, Tom, Aki, Heenan certainly should be under consideration for international duty. In the long term, that's a bit more concerning, very few youngsters coming through from Connacht at U-20 level

Betty Swallocks wrote: Disappointing. Refuse to believe Carty will be our starting 10 this year. Maybe Ronaldson?

Watching a U20 game with Thornbury and Crosbie in it.
The latter played the exact same brand of rugby we saw in Edinburgh last season.
Won't improve our interception rate, but his line-breaks and straight line passes are really exciting. He should have developped this style further in N-Z.
24, not 20 anymore, why not give him a chance to start à la McGinty?

Might be different, his lawyer seemed confident in April... The simple fact we only signed McCabe means there's room for a 2nd choice LH behind Buckley.. Except if we have greater hope in O'Donnell despite he didn't play at all last season...

connachta wrote: BTW I wouldn't completely rule out Coulson signing, the other 2 players under investigation have both a new deal for this season, elsewhere in Top14

Different unions, look at the 2 in Ulster

BTW I wouldn't completely rule out Coulson signing, the other 2 players under investigation have both a new deal for this season, elsewhere in Top14

And most comment about him on LI forum in 2015 were positive, about his passing etc.
He was Emerging Irish too. A talent for sure, if for once he stays injury-free.
A bit weak-tackler to be a 13, a bit light offensively to be a 12, but a worthy 23 at least.

Griffin's time with LI was blighted by injury. When he did manage to get a run of starts it was as part of a team in a flat spin out of the Premiership. There was no game plan and FA leadership both on and off the pitch so very harsh to judge him on that.

Dobby I thought Eoin was pretty good before he left for LI, he put in some solid games for us in both attack and defense. Robbie effectively taking over his position was a death knell for him and he had to go for himself.

I didnt see him play for LI but he didnt seem to be pulling up trees there by what ive read.

Since his return he hasnt sparked , not helped by a string of injuries. If he got back to where he was 4 seasons or so ago I would be delighted.

Tom seems to be an exciting player, breaks the line and seems to be able to beat a man, hes only young and will get better with experience.

Scoreline a bit harsh on the Chiefs.

I can relax and stop hating Chiefs.
Next week, here comes Kieran Keane

dobby wrote:

Bazzo wrote: To be fair to Griffin he seemed to be starting a good run of form before my all time favourite Welsh totally-not-a-scumbag player decided to stone cold Steve Austin stunner him.

No

Well thought out reply as per usual Dobser.

Bazzo wrote: To be fair to Griffin he seemed to be starting a good run of form before my all time favourite Welsh totally-not-a-scumbag player decided to stone cold Steve Austin stunner him.

No

To be fair to Griffin he seemed to be starting a good run of form before my all time favourite Welsh totally-not-a-scumbag player decided to stone cold Steve Austin stunner him.

Agree about Farrell but only 22 can only progress in defence and has the pure talent in attack
You're harsh on Griffin ok he was not up to it but missed ALL his 2nd second with London Irish and more than half with us. Not his real level

I'm not sure what the consensus is about whether all must be positive in this forum or not. But I am not enthralled with Tom. He is fantastic going forward but in a defensive capacity I wouldn't be so sure. I think Eoin has offered little as a centre option after a disappointing time at London Irish. And since his return nothing has changed my mind. I think letting young Rory Parata go was a huge mistake. As for the signing Scholes, well we need to sort a basic problem. If everybody is up in the line, with nobody sitting back and changing the angle of attack, then it really doesn't matter who the winger is. Is it left for Tiernan to invent something or is it, more appropriately, up to the outhalf to change the angle of attack.

I appreciate we were destroyed last year as teams forced the line. But if you watched Ali and AJ, they simply switched the point of attack. It simply went back in the pocket and the ball was moved in the opposite direction. So the sweeping offence from the opposing team was nullified. What I saw from last year was none of this.[/quote]

I agree with you 100%

I'm not sure what the consensus is about whether all must be positive in this forum or not. But I am not enthralled with Tom. He is fantastic going forward but in a defensive capacity I wouldn't be so sure. I think Eoin has offered little as a centre option after a disappointing time at London Irish. And since his return nothing has changed my mind. I think letting young Rory Parata go was a huge mistake. As for the signing Scholes, well we need to sort a basic problem. If everybody is up in the line, with nobody sitting back and changing the angle of attack, then it really doesn't matter who the winger is. Is it left for Tiernan to invent something or is it, more appropriately, up to the outhalf to change the angle of attack.

I appreciate we were destroyed last year as teams forced the line. But if you watched Ali and AJ, they simply switched the point of attack. It simply went back in the pocket and the ball was moved in the opposite direction. So the sweeping offence from the opposing team was nullified. What I saw from last year was none of this.[/quote]

I agree with you 100%