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Normally mild-mannered pundit rips into Connacht amid Galway flop
Usually mild-mannered Irish rugby pundit Donncha O’Callaghan unleashed a scathing critique of Connacht during their dismal performance against Bordeaux-Begles in Galway in the opening round of the Investec Champions Cup.
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The TNT Sports pundit didn’t mince his words as he lambasted Connacht for their humiliating 41-5 thrashing at the hands of the French club in Galway. O’Callaghan, known for his measured analyses, expressed his disappointment with Connacht’s lacklustre display at the Sports Ground.
Despite an early try from flanker Shamus Hurley-Langton, Connacht struggled to contain Bordeaux, with Damian Penaud, Romain Buros, and Pablo Uberti wreaking havoc. The defeat marked Connacht’s heaviest home loss in top-flight European competition, prompting O’Callaghan to deliver a rare and impassioned criticism of the team’s performance on the TNT Sports broadcast.
“We’ve got exactly what we expected from Bordeaux, offloading in the tackle, some incredible players doing some incredible stuff,” the former Munster lock told Sarra Elgan. “But from an Irish point of view, Connacht have been so disappointing. Pete Wilkins is a lovely man but he needs to lose it inside that dressing room.
This offload from Ben Tameifuna though ?#InvestecChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/WAvpn02BI3
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 9, 2023
“Small little things at the moment, throwing the ball into touch, not looking after the ball, losing lineouts. I came here hoping that Connacht were starved of European rugby. They’re top table now and you would not think it. I promise you Sarah, some of the performances, the likes of Buccaneers and Galwegians tomorrow would have greater desire than what we’ve seen out of Connacht. I don’t like to be harsh on them, but sometimes we leave them off. That first half was not acceptable.”
He wasn’t done, tearing further into the Westerners, whose return to Europe’s top tier left a lot to be desired.
“You can use the excuses, Mack Hansen going off injured, the bigger men, but they’re excuses for this team. The individual errors are not good enough for Connacht at the moment. Their set piece is a joke. The line out they can’t get any return of it, and it’s really hurting them.
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“I know I’m blinkered, looking at it with with Irish eyes and I don’t want to take anything away from Bordeaux but they’re thinking we can really open it out in this second half.”
Comments on RugbyPass
What a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
2 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
40 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
41 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
41 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
41 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
40 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
2 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to comments