Connacht Rugby Thread - Part III - The Violence of the Lams

Quintis

porterbelly wrote: »

It's a done deal.

Silly imo, with Carty, Ronaldson, O'Leary and Boshoff to come in Barrett will never get a game

porterbelly

connachta wrote: »

NIQ or Munster lock to come the other way?

I wouldn't bank on it, we lost Muldowney and ended up with Lewis Stevenson, lost Henshaw and ended up with Stacey Ili. Something not quite adding up

connachta

porterbelly wrote: »

connachta wrote: »

NIQ or Munster lock to come the other way?

I wouldn't bank on it, we lost Muldowney and ended up with Lewis Stevenson, lost Henshaw and ended up with Stacey Ili. Something not quite adding up

IRFU will be in our back, this time

porterbelly

connachta wrote: »

porterbelly wrote: »

connachta wrote: »

NIQ or Munster lock to come the other way?

I wouldn't bank on it, we lost Muldowney and ended up with Lewis Stevenson, lost Henshaw and ended up with Stacey Ili. Something not quite adding up

IRFU will be in our back, this time

Wouldn't count on it

macslash

porterbelly wrote: »

It's a done deal.

How sure are you?

connachta

Connacht poached XV :
NB: By poached, I don't imply they're born in the West, I mean raw meterial when they came to Connacht, close (Emerging at least) to international level when they left (not necessarily still now)
1) Hagan
2) Cronin
3) Ah You
4) McCarthy
5) Kearney
6) Dillane
7) Heenan was close to go south
8) Muldowney
9) Marmion back in Wales if he hasn't enough gametime with Ireland
10) Keatley
11) Carr
12) Henshaw
13) Griffin
14) Vainikolo
15) ? nobody for now, but surely TOH is next

Adbrowne

15 Gavin Duffy?

connachta

Adbrowne wrote: »

15 Gavin Duffy?

You mean when he went to England? was he at his best?

connachta

connachta wrote: »

Connacht poached XV :
NB: By poached, I don't imply they're born in the West, I mean raw meterial when they came to Connacht, close (Emerging at least) to international level when they left (not necessarily still now)
1) Hagan IRE
2) Cronin IRE
3) Ah You IRE
4) McCarthy IRE
5) Kearney IRE
6) Dillane
7) Heenan was close to go south
8) Muldowney
9) Marmion back in Wales if he hasn't enough gametime with Ireland
10) Keatley IRE
11) Carr IRE
12) Henshaw IRE
13) Griffin
14) Vainikolo
15) ? nobody for now, but surely TOH is next

You have 3 'maybes' on the list! Unnecessary padding imo. Stick Damien Browne at 5 and move Kearney to 6 if you're desperate. Always interesting to see who made a provincial move and who went outside of Ireland too.

Adbrowne

connachta wrote: »

You mean when he went to England? was he at his best?

Cant recall much about him. Just remember him being capped by EoS while at Harlequins.

MarinersBlues

I suppose one positive is that the way our academy is churning them out we could probably fill any vacancies the other provinces have still fill ours.

Seriously though, losing Henshaw because he was looking to play a higher standard of rugby over loyalty to his province was a hard one to swallow.
Now potentially Dillane because of loyalty to his province instead of the standard we are playing. Alongside the fact that Connacht provided the opportunities for him when Munster had no faith in him.

We had some pretty important contract extensions in the last few months. I am delighted with the academy grads that have signed on. Healy, TOH, Niyi, Bealham but this still pisses me off.
I suppose we were going to lose one of him or Quinn Roux. I hope it's not both.

List I want to be kept at the end of the year:

Pat Lam, (What is Carolan's contract like?)
Buckley,
McCartney,
one of Roux/Dillane (we will probably lose the other to Munster)
one of Blade/Cooney (we will probably lose the other to Ulster),
Carty,
Aki,
Leader (We need him if TOH progresses with Ireland)

I am worried about Pat's line over the last few weeks that people leaving is a compliment and that they have built something sustainable.
I am encouraged to see his son doing so well at 'wegians.

ClanofLams

Lams contract goes till 2018. Haven't seen wegians play this year, does the soon look like he could progress to professional? Think I heard he's only around 20?

ClanofLams

Also wouldn't give up on Dillane yet. Maybe he'll go but these rumours always circulate, last season it was Heenan to Munster, recall Marmion was linked elsewhere too and Henshaw had been meant to move before he did last year.

NiallBoo

ClanofLams wrote: »

Heenan to Munster

That would have been a better signing for them than anything mentioned.

I can't think of the last time Munster had a genuine open-side.

porterbelly

porterbelly wrote: »

It's a done deal.

Like Heenan to Munster or like the NZ born 2nd row we signed during the summer?

slingerz

you'd never guess contracts were up for negotiation!!

Dillane's Tralee roots does make a Munster return sound more plausible though. Aki will go to the highest bidder. He's dead right to do that too, he has to look after himself first & foremost. No province can outbid Connacht for a player but much like Henshaw, they may be able to offer him other opportunities that wouldn't be so readily available to him in Connacht.

slingerz

flogthebog wrote: »

munster has been spending an incredible amount of money for a club that's broke and are not seeing footfall at the turnstiles. they can't afford repayments on their grounds yet manage to build a state of the art set of facilities and are spending on new players and management with abandon. it doesn't make sense to me anyway

UL paid for the training centre iirc

Raisins

Just wondering am I entitled to offer tickets to the match this weekend at under face value to a boardsie in this forum? Some friends pulled out of going. I know there's obviously a ban on ticket touting etc but not sure if that's banned also and I can only place on adverts. Thanks

MugMugs

If a player can secure a bigger pay cheque from a different club then you can't blame them for jumping. If I was offered the same job with a different company for more, I'd be gone tomorrow.

Loyalty to a province is a bizarre thing to say. These lads are trying to make a living

Adbrowne

flogthebog wrote: »

munster has been spending an incredible amount of money for a club that's broke and are not seeing footfall at the turnstiles. they can't afford repayments on their grounds yet manage to build a state of the art set of facilities and are spending on new players and management with abandon. it doesn't make sense to me anyway

I think Munster will be losing a few high earners and I expect Erasmus to cut adrift some dead wood in the squad too. Saili probably [he is on just a 2 year deal?] and Chisholm [definitely] wont be there next season

connemara man

Raisins wrote: »

Just wondering am I entitled to offer tickets to the match this weekend at under face value to a boardsie in this forum? Some friends pulled out of going. I know there's obviously a ban on ticket touting etc but not sure if that's banned also and I can only place on adverts. Thanks

If you can't here you can on the Connacht clan forum.

Redo91

porterbelly wrote: »

It's a done deal.

What is?

MarinersBlues

MugMugs wrote: »

If a player can secure a bigger pay cheque from a different club then you can't blame them for jumping. If I was offered the same job with a different company for more, I'd be gone tomorrow.

Loyalty to a province is a bizarre thing to say. These lads are trying to make a living

Provinces aren't meant to be allowed outbid each other. My whole argument is based on the fact that the paycheck would be the same. (I realise that may be naive)
Even if they was more money - career progression, job satisfaction, and, yes, loyalty to a team and wanting to see out a project would be and have been influencing factor in my career decisions.

Being close to home can also be an influencing factor, and I accept that.

slingerz

MarinersBlues wrote: »

Provinces aren't meant to be allowed outbid each other. My whole argument is based on the fact that the paycheck would be the same. (I realise that may be naive)
Even if they was more money - career progression, job satisfaction, and, yes, loyalty to a team and wanting to see out a project would be and have been influencing factor in my career decisions.

Being close to home can also be an influencing factor, and I accept that.

The paycheck will be the same with the provinces but some provinces are better placed to offer further opportunities

flogthebog

Tony Ward says the natural order of the provinces restored in the indo today :-).

connemara man

flogthebog wrote: »

Tony Ward says the natural order of the provinces restored in the indo today :-).

Ah now I read what you're on about and you're being very select in what your quoting from him.
Here's the full quote on the order of the province's

"They say a league table never lies, so with Ulster and Leinster sharing top spot, Munster fifth and Connacht eighth, you would assume that's the pecking order of the provinces heading into European action.

Not so. On the evidence of the first games of consequence last weekend, I'd rate them Connacht, Leinster, Ulster and Munster."

flogthebog

ok, it was a tad selective :-). or should I say that I just slightly, slightly skewed his meaning :-). Indeed it was ever so slightly I'm surprised you noticed :-)

Bazzo

Injury update is out, not great reading I'm afraid...

SOB back, Griffin and Parata due to get back training and fingers crossed Marmion back training. Quinn Roux picked up a concussion in training last week which I didn't know...

Ahead of Saturday’s Champions Cup opener to Toulouse at the Sportsground, the Connacht Rugby medical team have provided the following update.

Tom McCartney will remain out of action until the end of November following the hamstring injury sustained v Edinburgh.

Denis Buckley will be unavailable until November with the knee injury he sustained v Edinburgh.

Matt Healy has undergone surgery for the hand injury he sustained v Edinburgh and will be unavailable until the end of November.



Quinn Roux is recovering from a concussion sustained in training last week and continues to go through the Return-To-Play protocols.

Sean O’Brien has recovered from the ankle injury sustained in pre-season and has been reintegrated to full training.

Eoin McKeon is recovering well from the chest injury that resulted in him coming off against Ulster at the weekend.

Kieran Marmion is recovering from the calf injury he sustained v Edinburgh and hopes to be available to train this week.

Peter Robb sustained a hip injury in training last week and is undergoing rehabilitation with the medical and fitness staff.

Eoin Griffin (hamstring) and Rory Parata (knee) are due to integrate into team training this week after recovering from their respective injuries.

http://www.connachtrugby.ie/10586/#ConnachtNews

b.gud

Bazzo wrote: »

Quinn Roux picked up a concussion in training last week which I didn't know...

Think that was they knock they mentioned he picked up in the Ireland camp

Adbrowne

b.gud wrote: »

Think that was they knock they mentioned he picked up in the Ireland camp

I hope Joe isnt following Eddie Jones' techniques .....

oneofakind32

I really hope he can make it back. We could really do with Roux's power and size against a big Toulouse pack.

connachta

oneofakind32 wrote: »

I really hope he can make it back. We could really do with Roux's power and size against a big Toulouse pack.

100% agree

maoriincork

Bazzo wrote: »

Injury update is out, not great reading I'm afraid...

SOB back, Griffin and Parata due to get back training and fingers crossed Marmion back training. Quinn Roux picked up a concussion in training last week which I didn't know...



http://www.connachtrugby.ie/10586/#ConnachtNews

Rory is hoping to at least get a run with the Eagles on Sunday and then away in the cup to Zebra the following week.

Evil_g

maoriincork wrote: »

Rory is hoping to at least get a run with the Eagles on Sunday and then away in the cup to Zebra the following week.

I'm dreading that Zebre game.

Robbo

Evil_g wrote: »

I'm dreading that Zebre game.

Scoreline suggests they put in a lively performance against Glasgow last weekend. I'd be very happy with the snakiest of snakey wins.

Bazzo

http://www.the42.ie/munster-chris-farrell-centre-next-season-3020251-Oct2016/

A clear indication that Bundee is staying put, no worries lads.

connemara man

Robbo wrote: »

Scoreline suggests they put in a lively performance against Glasgow last weekend. I'd be very happy with the snakiest of snakey wins.

Glasgow fielded a weakened team aswell. As long as we treat Zebre with some respect and not field a second string against them I wouldn't be worried

MarinersBlues

Bazzo wrote: »

http://www.the42.ie/munster-chris-farrell-centre-next-season-3020251-Oct2016/

A clear indication that Bundee is staying put, no worries lads.

Great move for Irish rugby.
There are a few more players knocking around in France and England that should be brought home before the provinces start fighting over project players and NIQs.

ClanofLams

Connacht have signed Fijian international back row Naulia Dawai from Otago.

http://www.connachtrugby.ie/dawai/

Granite Head

Wrong link

Granite Head

Sorry wrong link above;

http://www.connachtrugby.ie/dawai/#ConnachtNews

Too late pipped by CoL

Robbo

Didn't expect any more signings and the back row is somewhere I felt we were reasonably well stocked despite injuries.

Zzippy

ClanofLams wrote: »

Connacht have signed Fijian international back row Naulia Dawai from Otago.

http://www.connachtrugby.ie/dawai/

Did we need a backrow, or is this succession planning - Muldoon can't go on for ever, or could we be losing someone?

connemara man

Nice signing a bit of competition never goes amiss imo

I didn't think we were that bare. Unless there's an injury that is worse than feared or someone leaving.

wp_rathead

12 tries in 33 games (13 starts) sounds pretty daycent

Robbo

The Archives of Pain, Week 7. My apologies for missing last week.

Player|Injury|Date of Injury|Expected Return
Tom McCartney|Hamstring|Edinburgh (H)|End of November
Denis Buckley|Knee|Edinburgh (H)|November
Matt Healy|Broken Hand|Edinburgh (H)|End of November
Quinn Roux|Concussion|Training/Pre-Ulster (H)|Protocols
Kieran Marmion|Calf|Edinburgh (H)|Training Soon
Eoin McKeon|Chest|Ulster (H)|Soon
Peter Robb|Hip|Training/Pre-Ulster (H)|Rehab
Dominic Robertson-McCoy|Arm|Training - Mid-Sept|6-8 Weeks
Ivan Soroka|Foot|AIL|Unknown
Josh Rowland|Ankle - Surgery|Unknown|Mid-Late October
Ben Marshall|Concussion|Last Season|Unknown
Nepia Fox-Matamua|Hamstring|Glasgow (H)|November
Eoghan Masterson|Knee|Last Season|December
John Cooney|Shoulder|Glorious Pro12 Final|Partial Training
Conor Lowndes|Unknown|Unknown|Unknown
Marnitz Boshoff|SA|Currently Fit|November
Darragh Leader|Hand|Pre-Season|February
Ciaran Gaffney|Unknown|Unknown|Unknown


Returning to Training: Eoin Griffin, Rory Parata
Full Training: Sean O'Brien

That's still 18 players unavailable although I suspect McKeon is grand. Saw him last Sunday in Galway and he didn't seem in any discomfort.

ki

Bazzo wrote: »

http://www.the42.ie/munster-chris-farrell-centre-next-season-3020251-Oct2016/

A clear indication that Bundee is staying put, no worries lads.

"Munster currently have Francis Saili, Rory Scannell, Sam Arnold, Cian Bohane, David Johnston, Colm O’Shea and Jaco Taute in their senior squad as centre options. However, All Black Saili’s contract expires next summer, while Taute and O’Shea are on short-term deals." - The42.ie

2 out and 1 in - still leaves a spot free - doubt it will be Aki, if he stays in Ireland it has to be at Connacht.

What I'm more worried about Munster need second rows more than another centre - Keep your hands off our Dillane!

roundymac

ki wrote: »

"Munster currently have Francis Saili, Rory Scannell, Sam Arnold, Cian Bohane, David Johnston, Colm O’Shea and Jaco Taute in their senior squad as centre options. However, All Black Saili’s contract expires next summer, while Taute and O’Shea are on short-term deals." - The42.ie

2 out and 1 in - still leaves a spot free - doubt it will be Aki, if he stays in Ireland it has to be at Connacht.

What I'm more worried about Munster need second rows more than another centre - Keep your hands off our Dillane!

No.:D

Bazzo

ki wrote: »

"Munster currently have Francis Saili, Rory Scannell, Sam Arnold, Cian Bohane, David Johnston, Colm O’Shea and Jaco Taute in their senior squad as centre options. However, All Black Saili’s contract expires next summer, while Taute and O’Shea are on short-term deals." - The42.ie

2 out and 1 in - still leaves a spot free - doubt it will be Aki, if he stays in Ireland it has to be at Connacht.

What I'm more worried about Munster need second rows more than another centre - Keep your hands off our Dillane!

I was being ever so slightly facetious
Quality signings are always good but another signing for the back row is a bit puzzling. Muldoon, SOB, Heenan, Fox-Matamua, Conolly, McKeon, Masterson are all quality players so we have every position covered twice really.

McKeon, Masterson, Fox-Matamua and Muldoon are all out of contract at the end of this year so I wonder if somebody is leaving? I'd hope not, I rate them all.

connachta

Zzippy wrote: »

ClanofLams wrote: »

Connacht have signed Fijian international back row Naulia Dawai from Otago.

http://www.connachtrugby.ie/dawai/

Did we need a backrow, or is this succession planning - Muldoon can't go on for ever, or could we be losing someone?

Muldoon is 34, and Marshall is (maybe was, hope not) probably considered as n 6 too... Wise "Naoupu style" signing