Connacht Team Talk Thread V - The Friend Zone

JohnFalstaff

Great news for Connacht

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2019/11/29/ireland-and-connacht-star-bundee-aki-extends-irfu-contract-to-2023/

evil_seed

The Friend Zone

Bundee on instagram

Verified
It was never in doubt where I wanted to be. I am truly grateful for the opportunity I have been given to represent both Connacht and Ireland and am delighted to extend my IRFU contract. From the start of my Debut in the Irish jersey me and my family have had great support and are very grateful to everyone❤ My club Connacht have been incredibly supportive in my journey so far and I’m excited about our next challenge @irishrugby @connachtrugby #shoulderToShoulder #grassrootstogreenshirts

Squidgy Black

Great news

Diabhal Beag

Bundee always bought in to Connacht from day one. No better reward.

Also a big signal of intent from the IRFU that he's gonna remain a big part of the international setup.

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

Excellent news. He transforms the Connacht team by presence alone. Had he played in Toulouse think it would have been losing bonus at worst. What a signing.

Tommybojangles

Mul, it's over

I was always fairly sure it was coming but woohoo none the less

b.gud

FACECUTTR

Fantastic news.

thomond2006

Some Like It TOH

Happy Christmas Westies.

I don't think this was in doubt, particularly as he's an Irish international.

Utopia Parkway

Great news that Bundee is staying. Should also free up funds for Connacht to bring in a player or two next Summer.

realhorrorshow

Loosehead

Denis Buckley (29) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Matthew Burke (22) - Signed contract in 2019
Paddy McAllister (30) - Signed contract in 2019
Peter McCabe (27) - Signed short term contract in 2019

Jordan Duggan (21) - Academy year 2

Tighthead

Finlay Bealham (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Rory Burke (25) - Signed contract in 2019
Conor Kenny (23) - Signed contract in 2019
Dominic Robertson-McCoy (25) - Signed contract in 2018

Hooker

Shane Delahunt (25) - Signed contract in 2019
Dave Heffernan (28) - Signed contract in 2019
Tom McCartney (33) - Signed 3 year contract in 2017
Jonny Murphy (27) - Signed contract in 2018

Declan Adamson (20) - Academy year 1
Dylan Tierney-Martin (20) - Academy year 2

Lock

Ultan Dillane (25) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Cillian Gallagher (22) - Signed contract in 2018
Joe Maksymiw (23) - Signed contract in 2018
Quinn Roux (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Gavin Thornbury (25) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019

Niall Murray (19) - Academy year 2

Back row

Paul Boyle (22) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Jarrad Butler (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
Robin Copeland (31) - Signed 2 year contract in 2018
Colby Fainga'a (28) - Signed contract in 2018
Eoghan Masterson (26) - Signed 2 year contract in 2018
Eoin McKeon (28) - Signed contract in 2019
Sean O'Brien (24) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Joshua Dunne (19) - Academy year 2
Sean Masterson (21) - Academy year 3
Oisin McCormack (18) - Academy year 1
Mikey Wilson (22) - Academy year 2

Scrumhalf

Caolin Blade (25) - Signed contract in 2018
Stephen Kerins (23) - Signed contract in 2019
Angus Lloyd (26) - Signed contract in 2019
Kieran Marmion (27) - Signed 3 year contract in 2020

Colm Reilly (20) - Academy year 2

Outhalf

Jack Carty (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Conor Fitzgerald (21) - Signed contract in 2019
Dave Horwitz (24) - Signed contract in 2018

Luke Carty (21) - Academy year 3
Conor Dean (21) - Academy year 2

Centre

Bundee Aki (28) - Signed 3 year central contract in 2020
Tom Daly (26) - Signed contract in 2019
Tom Farrell (25) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
Kyle Godwin (27) - Signed contract in 2018
Peter Robb (25) - Signed contract in 2019

Shane Jennings (18) - Academy year 1
Sean O'Brien (21) - Academy year 2

Back 3

Niyi Adeolokun (28) - Signed contract in 2019
Stephen Fitzgerald (23) - Signed contract in 2019
Will Goddard (20) - Signed short term contract in 2019
Matt Healy (30) - Signed 2 year contract in 2018
Darragh Leader (26) - Signed contract in 2018
Tiernan O'Halloran (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
John Porch (25) - Signed contract in 2019
Peter Sullivan (21) - Signed short term contract in 2019

Colm de Buitléar (21) - Academy year 3
Hugh Lane (20) - Academy year 1
Oran McNulty (19) - Academy year 2

BeardySi

You've got a Friend in me

I'm probably being thick and missing some subtext here, but I haven't seen the words central contract mentioned in any of the press releases. I'd have thought, given that Bundee would be the first, that someone would have mentioned it...

Am very much open to correction here

b.gud

BeardySi wrote: »

I'm probably being thick and missing some subtext here, but I haven't seen the words central contract mentioned in any of the press releases. I'd have thought, given that Bundee would be the first, that someone would have mentioned it...

Am very much open to correction here

The IRFU don't really confirm who does and doesn't have a central contract. But I've seen lots of journalists reporting that it is Connachts first ever central contract.


That plus the fact that recently Andy Friend has talked about Bundees contract negotiations all being in the hands of the IRFU would make it look very much like it is a central contract

BeardySi

You've got a Friend in me

b.gud wrote: »

The IRFU don't really confirm who does and doesn't have a central contract. But I've seen lots of journalists reporting that it is Connachts first ever central contract.


That plus the fact that recently Andy Friend has talked about Bundees contract negotiations all being in the hands of the IRFU would make it look very much like it is a central contract

Aye, thought all that myself. Perhaps I'm just getting cynical after Connacht being consistently shafted over the years

ClanofLams

Mul, it's over

It seems the IRFU have actually confirmed it’s a central contract in this case, presumably because of historic nature of it.

https://twitter.com/murray_kinsella/status/1200399812685959169?s=21

Mul, it's over

Terrific news and suggests to me that Farrell is a big Aki fan.

Former Former

You've got a Friend in me

BeardySi wrote: »

I'm probably being thick and missing some subtext here, but I haven't seen the words central contract mentioned in any of the press releases. I'd have thought, given that Bundee would be the first, that someone would have mentioned it...

Am very much open to correction here

The IRFU never use the words "central contract".

But the fact that it was IRFU who announced, it's phrased as "The IRFU and Connacht Rugby are delighted..." and it's Nucifora rather than Friend commenting, all these mean that it's a central contract.

randomrb

I'm delighted for Aki, he is a true servant of Irish rugby and Connacht. I think his impact particularly in Connacht is underrated. I would argue that no other foreign player has had a bigger influence on a province. Players like Howlet, Elsom and Nacewa had huge impacts but if your took them out you still would have had great teams.
Aki on the otherhand took Connacht by the scruff of the neck and dragged them through at times with his huge moments and magical plays. And because of that you have a generation of Connacht players now hungry for glory.

macslash

Mul, it's over

Anyone else think it's strange that Goddard isn't in the 23? Would have thought he would at least have been named on the bench. I suppose they wanted to give lads game time before the Gloucester double header, especially Niyi. But then you run the risk of injury or aggravating an injury, and they can't play Goddard next week then. Was looking forward to having a look at him.

Super news on Bundee. I hope that's a decent wedge cleared for some big name signing next year now.

BakeMeACake

randomrb wrote:

I'm delighted for Aki, he is a true servant of Irish rugby and Connacht. I think his impact particularly in Connacht is underrated. I would argue that no other foreign player has had a bigger influence on a province. Players like Howlet, Elsom and Nacewa had huge impacts but if your took them out you still would have had great teams. Aki on the otherhand took Connacht by the scruff of the neck and dragged them through at times with his huge moments and magical plays. And because of that you have a generation of Connacht players now hungry for glory.

Binder adds fun to the proceedings and folks gather around and enjoy fun. So he definitely is an important element of the Connacht rugby

Evil_g

Mul, it's over

He did what Robbie Henshaw could have, and fu*king should have, done.

Let's build a stadium around Bundee (and Jack, and Blade, and Tierney-Martin) instead.

kingofthekong

Evil_g wrote: »

He did what Robbie Henshaw could have, and fu*king should have, done.

Let's build a stadium around Bundee (and Jack, and Blade, and Tierney-Martin) instead.

You cant really blame Robbies decision given the success hes had with Leinster and the lack of success that Connacht have had, lad wanted to win trophies and consistently play at the highest level...and he has

Evil_g

Mul, it's over

kingofthekong wrote: »

You cant really blame Robbies decision given the success hes had with Leinster and the lack of success that Connacht have had, lad wanted to win trophies and consistently play at the highest level...and he has

That's not a sentence.

gally74

The Friend Zone

kingofthekong wrote: »

You cant really blame Robbies decision given the success hes had with Leinster and the lack of success that Connacht have had, lad wanted to win trophies and consistently play at the highest level...and he has

Has he really played since he left us, his body seems broke.....

connachta

realhorrorshow wrote: »

Loosehead

Denis Buckley (29) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Matthew Burke (22) - Signed contract in 2019
Paddy McAllister (30) - Signed contract in 2019
Peter McCabe (27) - Signed short term contract in 2019

Jordan Duggan (21) - Academy year 2

Tighthead

Finlay Bealham (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Rory Burke (25) - Signed contract in 2019
Conor Kenny (23) - Signed contract in 2019
Dominic Robertson-McCoy (25) - Signed contract in 2018

Hooker

Shane Delahunt (25) - Signed contract in 2019
Dave Heffernan (28) - Signed contract in 2019
Tom McCartney (33) - Signed 3 year contract in 2017
Jonny Murphy (27) - Signed contract in 2018

Declan Adamson (20) - Academy year 1
Dylan Tierney-Martin (20) - Academy year 2

Lock

Ultan Dillane (25) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Cillian Gallagher (22) - Signed contract in 2018
Joe Maksymiw (23) - Signed contract in 2018
Quinn Roux (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Gavin Thornbury (25) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019

Niall Murray (19) - Academy year 2

Back row

Paul Boyle (22) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Jarrad Butler (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
Robin Copeland (31) - Signed 2 year contract in 2018
Colby Fainga'a (28) - Signed contract in 2018
Eoghan Masterson (26) - Signed 2 year contract in 2018
Eoin McKeon (28) - Signed contract in 2019
Sean O'Brien (24) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Joshua Dunne (19) - Academy year 2
Sean Masterson (21) - Academy year 3
Oisin McCormack (18) - Academy year 1
Mikey Wilson (22) - Academy year 2

Scrumhalf

Caolin Blade (25) - Signed contract in 2018
Stephen Kerins (23) - Signed contract in 2019
Angus Lloyd (26) - Signed contract in 2019
Kieran Marmion (27) - Signed 3 year contract in 2020

Colm Reilly (20) - Academy year 2

Outhalf

Jack Carty (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Conor Fitzgerald (21) - Signed contract in 2019
Dave Horwitz (24) - Signed contract in 2018

Luke Carty (21) - Academy year 3
Conor Dean (21) - Academy year 2

Centre

Bundee Aki (28) - Signed 3 year central contract in 2020
Tom Daly (26) - Signed contract in 2019
Tom Farrell (25) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
Kyle Godwin (27) - Signed contract in 2018
Peter Robb (25) - Signed contract in 2019

Shane Jennings (18) - Academy year 1
Sean O'Brien (21) - Academy year 2

Back 3

Niyi Adeolokun (28) - Signed contract in 2019
Stephen Fitzgerald (23) - Signed contract in 2019
Will Goddard (20) - Signed short term contract in 2019
Matt Healy (30) - Signed 2 year contract in 2018
Darragh Leader (26) - Signed contract in 2018
Tiernan O'Halloran (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
John Porch (25) - Signed contract in 2019
Peter Sullivan (21) - Signed short term contract in 2019

Colm de Buitléar (21) - Academy year 3
Hugh Lane (20) - Academy year 1
Oran McNulty (19) - Academy year 2

McCoy, Fainga'a and Masterson are the 3 I absolutely wanna re-sign.
I'd be waiting for 2 great NIQ/Project players too (Butler IQ this summer and Godwin said he wanted to get back in Australia..)

Zzippy

realhorrorshow wrote: »

Tiernan O'Halloran (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Fair play to Tiernan, travelling forward in time to sign a new contract. Now that's real commitment!

realhorrorshow

Zzippy wrote: »

Fair play to Tiernan, travelling forward in time to sign a new contract. Now that's real commitment!

I’ve said too much.

MarinersBlues

Mul, it's over

All good results for us in conference B.

Bp win today puts us roght back in the hunt for a home semi.

Tommybojangles

Mul, it's over

MarinersBlues wrote: »

All good results for us in conference B.

Bp win today puts us roght back in the hunt for a home semi.

I see what you mean but I'd be more of the opinion we'd be better off if Munster hammered everyone and we might sneak second cant see us topping the conference

connachta

MarinersBlues wrote: »

All good results for us in conference B.

Bp win today puts us roght back in the hunt for a home semi.

Disagree I'm really affraid we're in a battle for 3rd with Scarlets


Hope we've a home Champions Cup play-off at least, this competition is so great for us