Great to listen to. When news broke about our new defence coach I admittedly was a little underwhelmed but after the improvements I can see along with listening to him talk he seems like a great signing. Video analyst, skills coach and defence coach.
If Harley Fox can sort out his injury profile I think we may have a potential beast on purr hands.

Great find, really interesting
Didn't realise Harley Fox was a potential Ben Morgan/Tom Waldrom size number 8?

Intresting interviews with Jarrad Butler, Harley Fox and Pete Wilkins.
battlercominggood.libsyn.com/014-connach...ley-fox-pete-wilkins

Would we get a good back row prospect on loan from one of the other provinces or are they afraid to lose talent?
Dawai went well in the second half last night with some big hits and carries which went some way to filling the Aki sized hole in our team.
The style of game is different with Dawai compared to our other back row options. Are we using him as a Finisher ala Eddie Jones philosophy, or is he more of a Nakawara player who other players can run a line off in order to get an offload?
I don't know if Connacht are a better team with him playing as he rarely comes into an otherwise unchanged side, usually being one of multiple substitutions.
He is likely to start in Cardiff and Parma so we should have a better idea by the next round of Challange cup games.

Sorry just watched it on tv now and realise that Finlay was in the second row. Dawai switched flank on the scrum but I am open to the criticism that I'd be the last to know what just happened in a scrum.

theCulk wrote:

Mark Mostyn wrote: Signing Dawai was pointless, we had no need for a 6/8. I think NIQs should be at the very least guaranteed starters and preferably up there with the best players in the squad. I look forward to him breaking through but at the moment is Deegan doing anything Tomas Quinlan couldn't do?

With no Dawai we're pulling lads from the academy to bench for us. The back row positions are the most attritional in the team, always high injury turnover. He is badly needed from a cover and benching standpoint.

I mean you've just illustrated my point for me. I don't think we should be bringing in NIQs for "cover and benching" when we could look at loaning in someone like Peadar Timmins or another IQ options.

Mark Mostyn wrote: Signing Dawai was pointless, we had no need for a 6/8. I think NIQs should be at the very least guaranteed starters and preferably up there with the best players in the squad. I look forward to him breaking through but at the moment is Deegan doing anything Tomas Quinlan couldn't do?

With no Dawai we're pulling lads from the academy to bench for us. The back row positions are the most attritional in the team, always high injury turnover. He is badly needed from a cover and benching standpoint.

Signing Dawai was pointless, we had no need for a 6/8. I think NIQs should be at the very least guaranteed starters and preferably up there with the best players in the squad. I look forward to him breaking through but at the moment is Deegan doing anything Tomas Quinlan couldn't do?

That's why I think it's now or never to test him properly and find out his worth, when Heenan/Butler are out. K.K chose not to

About NIE I get your point, and you're not alone to keep an eye on Gilsenan and Dougall

theCulk wrote:

connachta wrote: I'd really like to know :

1) what you make of McKeon being too slow behind a defensive scrum to play openside (most difficult spot to "protect" the line).
2) what exactly the problem is with Dawai (always exciting anytime I saw him IMO...)

Exciting = ball in hand? His defensive awareness is suspect I think

Jury is out for Dawai because he's only started two games for Connacht. You need to be getting regular extended game time in a fixed position in a fairly settled back row to be at your best. Last season (with all that was going on) was a basket case, and I wouldn't write him off because of that. Injury has put him behind other options this season, feel we do need to seem in action for extended period if he's going to stay after this summer. There are loads of IQ options floating around that could fill the squad place otherwise....

connachta wrote: what exactly the problem is with Dawai (always exciting anytime I saw him IMO...)

The thing is we haven't seen much of him at all:
He's here nearly a year and has two starts & less than 400 minutes first team football (Muldoon, Masterson & McKeon has all exceeded 400 minutes in the first 2 months of the year).
Lack of availability isn't an issue: for six months of last season but couldn't force his way into the team (11 sub appearance).

Also, he takes up a valuable NIE/NIQ spot; you expect those guys to be tearing the place up & clearly, for whatever reason, he hasn't. He's third choice at best at 6, 7, or 8.

If it were an interpro this w/e there'd be no question of him starting. But it isn't & the other lads are overplayed, so he'll surely be at 7.

connachta wrote: I'd really like to know :

1) what you make of McKeon being too slow behind a defensive scrum to play openside (most difficult spot to "protect" the line).
2) what exactly the problem is with Dawai (always exciting anytime I saw him IMO...)

Exciting = ball in hand? His defensive awareness is suspect I think

I'd really like to know :

1) what you make of McKeon being too slow behind a defensive scrum to play openside (most difficult spot to "protect" the line).
2) what exactly the problem is with Dawai (always exciting anytime I saw him IMO...)

McKeon had his best ever game for Connacht at 7 against Leinster in 15-16 but he is definitely more of a 8/6.

I think Dawai is an example of the difference between signing Super Rugby standard players (Butler, Aki, McCartney, Heenan) and Mitre 10 level players (Dawai, Ili, McCoy).

I'm not exactly sure how Dawaii can earn a start when he's not played yet this year....unless you have access to squad training that I don't.

In other news: anyone know when Akhi is due to arrive? From twitter he doesn't seem to have left the land of the long whit cloud yet

I don't think Dawai has earned a start. As an international and someone who's taking up a NIQ/NIE spot, he should be tearing up trees after almost a year in situ.

But Mul has over 500 minutes and McKeon & Masterson have over 400 already, and he's the only other senior back row available, so it makes sense to give him 80 at 7 in both the next two games, and manage the minutes of the other 3.

Dillane, although he's busy with Ireland, can play 6 too...

The real issue is openside but there are only 2 rounds before Heenan comes back in theory
Dawai is under-rated IMO, I'd love to see him having a start in a home game (never happened)
I think McKeon as 7 would be a mistake, remember how outsped he was in the scotstoun behind the scrum


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