Connacht Team Talk Thread V - The Friend Zone

molloyjh

ClanofLams wrote: »

How are Leinster full of NIQs? Gibson Park is about to be IQ. Lowe will be in just over 12 months? Tomane is the only NIQ back they have.

Save yourself the hassle and dont bother there. Hes a hard-on for BS claims re Leinster. Apparently Munster are developing more players for Ireland than Leinster.

realhorrorshow

realhorrorshow wrote: »

Paul Boyle is probably the only one, although we’ve developed a couple of unheralded players from elsewhere like Farrell, Thornbury, and Robertson-McCoy.

We definitely could be doing a lot better, in and leading up to the 2016 season we brought through Bealham, Delahunt, Dillane, O’Brien, Masterson, Blade, Adeolokun, Leader, and probably one or two others I’m forgetting.

I do remember a conversation I had with someone close to Nigel Carolan about 3 or 4 years ago. Connacht had just swept an underage set of interpros down in Thomand (?)
Anyway, the key take away from that conversation was that there was going to be a barren spell of young lads coming through for a few years. There would be 2 or 3 years where unfortunately, the academy would probably not produce many senior players

We were basically at the end of a boom bust cycle, and that group you mentioned that came through around 2016 was the end of the boom

mark_way

molloyjh wrote: »

Save yourself the hassle and dont bother there. Hes a hard-on for BS claims re Leinster. Apparently Munster are developing more players for Ireland than Leinster.

Jesus Christ! Take off the blue-tinted glasses, will ya? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that after November when Munster have two NIQs and Leinster have three, Munster will be doing more to develop IQ talent.

mark_way

realhorrorshow wrote: »

Paul Boyle is probably the only one, although we’ve developed a couple of unheralded players from elsewhere like Farrell, Thornbury, and Robertson-McCoy.

We definitely could be doing a lot better, in and leading up to the 2016 season we brought through Bealham, Delahunt, Dillane, O’Brien, Masterson, Blade, Adeolokun, Leader, and probably one or two others I’m forgetting.

Yeah, lately it seems getting in players who've been through another academy has been a more fruitful road to go down - the likes of Stephen Fitzgerald, Peter McCabe from Munster. Also unheralded players like Gavin Thornbury from New Zealand club rugby and Tom Farrell from the Championship in England.

A fair few promising players have been in the Connacht academy and then sunk almost without trace - Conan O'Donnell, Stephen Kerins, Peter Claffey (I know he's had a lot of injury trouble), that wing from the U20 team that made the JRWC final in 2016.

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

mark_way wrote: »

Yeah, lately it seems getting in players who've been through another academy has been a more fruitful road to go down - the likes of Stephen Fitzgerald, Peter McCabe from Munster. Also unheralded players like Gavin Thornbury from New Zealand club rugby and Tom Farrell from the Championship in England.

A fair few promising players have been in the Connacht academy and then sunk almost without trace - Conan O'Donnell, Stephen Kerins, Peter Claffey (I know he's had a lot of injury trouble), that wing from the U20 team that made the JRWC final in 2016.

More player movement in general these days. Munster are going fairly well themselves out of it with Conway, Carbery, Chris Farrell, Dan Goggin, Tadgh Beirne, etc

Kieran Keane was fairly reluctant to give young players a chance but certainly not the case with Andy Friend.

On the subject of academies, I don’t think Munster have anything to be talking themselves up in that regard. If you look at the Munster and Connacht teams that started against Leinster and Ulster in the last games of the season, Munster had 7 academy graduates starting whilst Connacht had 8.

macslash

Mul, it's over

Naulia Dawai signed on with New England Freejacks. As has Conor Kindregan and Tadhg Leader.

Former Coach

Mul, it's over

Prolific former Ireland U20 wing Sullivan earns trial with Connacht

The 21-year-old scored 15 tries for Lansdowne in Division 1A of the AIL last season.

2 hours ago 4,335 Views 2 Comments Share1 Tweet Email
LANSDOWNE’S PROLIFIC WING Peter Sullivan has linked up with Andy Friend’s Connacht on a trial basis following his exploits in the All-Ireland League last season.
Former Ireland U20 international Sullivan scored 15 tries for Lansdowne in their 2018/19 campaign in Division 1A of the AIL, helping them into the semi-finals and underlining his rich potential.
Peter Sullivan scores his second trySullivan was lethal for Lansdowne last season.
Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO
The 21-year-old also made his debut for the Ireland 7s team in May in London, then scored four tries at the Paris 7s a week later.
Sullivan’s impressive form convinced Connacht to invite the former St. Andrew’s College student to join them on a trial basis during this pre-season and into the 2019/20 campaign.
The 6ft 2ins wing is likely to feature for the western province in the Celtic Cup – which starts later this month – and will hope to earn a permanent contract by picking up where he left off last season.
Sullivan played for the Ireland U20s in the 2018 Six Nations, starting the opening two games before a knee injury ended his campaign and saw him miss out on being selected for the World Rugby U20 Championship.
However, further injuries in the Ireland squad did see Sullivan receive a late call-up to that tournament but he re-injured his knee and was forced to return home from France soon after arriving.

Peter Sullivan Sullivan in action for the Ireland U20s.
Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
Having missed out on a place in Leinster’s academy last season and after dropping out of the province’s sub-academy programme, Sullivan did manage to return to full fitness at the start of the AIL campaign and soon began to shine for Lansdowne.
Capped by Leinster through the underage grades, as well as impressing for Ireland at U19 level with a hat-trick against Japan in 2017, Sullivan remains an excellent prospect.
His impressive form for Lansdowne has now helped to earn him a shot with Connacht, where he will hope to do enough to secure a professional contract.

testtech05

Some Like It TOH

Conan O'Donnell has signed for Counties Manuka for the Mitre 12 also.

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Seems Sullivan is on trial for a professional contract rather than an academy one

stellenbosch

macslash wrote: »

Naulia Dawai signed on with New England Freejacks. As has Conor Kindregan and Tadhg Leader.

....and John Poland UCC scrum half and Sean McNulty hooker

macslash

Mul, it's over

stellenbosch wrote: »

....and John Poland UCC scrum half and Sean McNulty hooker

Ah ya but they weren't involved with Connacht in the past

Utopia Parkway

Dillane released back to Connacht from Ireland duty. Looks like his World Cup chances are gone barring injuries. Good for Connacht though.

MattressRick

Mul, it's over

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Dillane released back to Connacht from Ireland duty. Looks like his World Cup chances are gone barring injuries. Good for Connacht though.

Was he a sub during the six Nations due to injuries to others? Can't recall exactly. I was surprised to see that this morning when he was a used sub in a few six Nations games

Wegians89

The Friend Zone

Gutted for Ultan, he’s gone through a very tough time since he broke onto the scene. He got back to his best last season. A lot of talent in the second row but thought he deserved a few warm up games at least. Hopefully he smashes it with Connacht this season

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Wegians89 wrote: »

Gutted for Ultan, he’s gone through a very tough time since he broke onto the scene. He got back to his best last season. A lot of talent in the second row but thought he deserved a few warm up games at least. Hopefully he smashes it with Connacht this season

Yeah he’s still very young for a second row at 25 and for all players who don’t make RWC squad at least there is a new head coach who may see things differently.

He really came back into form last season but think he still has plenty of room for further development, hopefully he gets a clear run at the next couple of seasons.

Utopia Parkway

Wegians89 wrote: »

Gutted for Ultan, he’s gone through a very tough time since he broke onto the scene. He got back to his best last season. A lot of talent in the second row but thought he deserved a few warm up games at least. Hopefully he smashes it with Connacht this season

Since Kleyn has become eligible it looks like he's leapfrogged both Roux and Dillane.

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Shocking that Donal Lenihan Luke Fitzgerald etc haven’t thrown a hissy fit about Kleyn being retained ahead of Dillane. When Aki was included and Zebo left out Lenihan said international rugby was warped.

Former Former

You've got a Friend in me

ClanofLams wrote: »

Shocking that Donal Lenihan Luke Fitzgerald etc haven’t thrown a hissy fit about Kleyn being retained ahead of Dillane. When Aki was included and Zebo left out Lenihan said international rugby was warped.

The announcement only came out a few hours ago. There hasn't been a newspaper published or a podcast recorded. Relax the cacks a little.

In fairness, Dillane wasn't competing with Kleyn anyway, Beirne was his more likely rival. If anyone lost out to Kleyn it was Roux.

Squidgy Black

Former Former wrote: »

The announcement only came out a few hours ago. There hasn't been a newspaper published or a podcast recorded. Relax the cacks a little.

In fairness, Dillane wasn't competing with Kleyn anyway, Beirne was his more likely rival. If anyone lost out to Kleyn it was Roux.

Bank holiday Monday as well. I don't think we should really be paying any attention to that kind of thing these days, there'll always be a cohort of people in the media banging that drum, the more people who talk about it (be it negative or positive), the more they'll try peddle it for a reaction.

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

Former Former wrote: »

The announcement only came out a few hours ago. There hasn't been a newspaper published or a podcast recorded. Relax the cacks a little.

In fairness, Dillane wasn't competing with Kleyn anyway, Beirne was his more likely rival. If anyone lost out to Kleyn it was Roux.

And Aki was competing with Zebo?

Diabhal Beag

I have a funny feeling that some of the more vocal critics of recent IQ players might lose their tongues on the issue after this announcement.

Dillane is unlucky to not at least feature in the warm-ups whereas Roux has been dropped earlier this year so would've been a surprising inclusion and thus a fair exclusion.

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Former Former wrote: »

The announcement only came out a few hours ago. There hasn't been a newspaper published or a podcast recorded. Relax the cacks a little.

In fairness, Dillane wasn't competing with Kleyn anyway, Beirne was his more likely rival. If anyone lost out to Kleyn it was Roux.

Aki wasn’t competing against Zebo either, it was an idiotic criticism. Kleyn was included in the squad a few weeks ago so plenty of time for criticism.

Fitzgerald in fairness seems to be anti all project players which is a more reasonable position but I doubt he will be as vocal about James Lowe as he was about Aki who he banged on about for a month in a ridiculous personalised fashion that was completely unfair.

Former Former

You've got a Friend in me

Bazzo wrote: »

And Aki was competing with Zebo?

Ah look, nothing good ever came of bringing Zebo into any conversation on boards.ie.

Just making the point that it's a little early to be accusing the meeja of anti-Connacht bias when the announcement only came out today.

But more importantly, it's NOT Kleyn who kept Dillane out. They don't really play the same position.

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Former Former wrote: »

Ah look, nothing good ever came of bringing Zebo into any conversation on boards.ie.

Just making the point that it's a little early to be accusing the meeja of anti-Connacht bias when the announcement only came out today.

But more importantly, it's NOT Kleyn who kept Dillane out. They don't really play the same position.

Just for the sake of clarity, I have no problem with Kleyn being in the squad and am not accusing the media of anti Connacht bias.

I was just noting the stupidity of the criticism of Aki’s selection, in particular from Lenihan who had never raised it before but decided to pile on as Zebo was left out but Fitzgerald was shameless in media whoring himself about it which I doubt he will replicate when James Lowe qualifies.

Zzippy

ClanofLams wrote: »

Just for the sake of clarity, I have no problem with Kleyn being in the squad and am not accusing the media of anti Connacht bias.

I was just noting the stupidity of the criticism of Aki’s selection, in particular from Lenihan who had never raised it before but decided to pile on as Zebo was left out but Fitzgerald was shameless in media whoring himself about it which I doubt he will replicate when James Lowe qualifies.

Is LF just bitter about project players because he couldn't get near the 15 jersey once Payne qualified?

connemara man

The Friend Zone

Zzippy wrote: »

Is LF just bitter about project players because he couldn't get near the 15 jersey once Payne qualified?

Payne or pain??? All those injuries kept him from a jersey,

Mr Tickle

Zzippy wrote: »

Is LF just bitter about project players because he couldn't get near the 15 jersey once Payne qualified?

He dd complain at one point about how hard it was, as a native(not sure how he phrased all this), to be kept out of a squad by a project player.

Payne is the only back who was knocking around in his time.

Bazzo

Mul, it's over

Conán O'Donnell making his mitre 10 debut tomorrow at loosehead.

Lebute

Bazzo wrote: »

Conán O'Donnell making his mitre 10 debut tomorrow at loosehead.

In the same team as Sonny Bill Williams :eek:

Diabhal Beag

He scored a try on his debut too