Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

ClanofLams

https://twitter.com/connachtrugby/status/1389935813107007494?s=21

realhorrorshow

Loosehead

Denis Buckley (31) - Signed contract in 2021
Matthew Burke (24) - Signed contract in 2021
Jordan Duggan (23) - Signed contract in 2021
Paddy McAllister (32) - Signed contract in 2019

Charlie Ward (21) - Academy year 1

Tighthead

Jack Aungier (22) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
Finlay Bealham (30) - Signed contract in 2021
Conor Kenny (25) - Signed 1 year contract in 2020
Dominic Robertson-McCoy (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Hooker

Shane Delahunt (27) - Signed contract in 2021
Dave Heffernan (30) - Signed contract in 2021
Jonny Murphy (29) - Signed contract in 2021
Dylan Tierney-Martin (22) - Signed contract in 2021

Declan Adamson (22) - Academy year 2
Eoin De Buitléar (u21) - Academy year 1

Lock

Ultan Dillane (27) - Signed contract in 2021
Oisin Dowling (24) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
Cillian Gallagher (24) - Signed contract in 2018
Niall Murray (21) - Signed contract in 2021
Quinn Roux (30) - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Gavin Thornbury (27) - Signed contract in 2021

Darragh Murray (u21) - Academy year 1

Back row

Paul Boyle (24) - Signed contract in 2021
Jarrad Butler (30) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
Eoghan Masterson (28) - Signed contract in 2021
Sean Masterson (23) - Signed contract in 2021
Sean O'Brien (26) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
Conor Oliver (25) - Signed contract in 2021
Abraham Papali’i (28) - Signed contract in 2021
Cian Prendergast (21) - Signed contract in 2021

Ciaran Booth (21) - Academy year 1
Donnacha Byrne (u21) - Academy year 1
Hubert Costello (u21) - Academy year 1
Joshua Dunne (21) - Academy year 3
Oisin McCormack (20) - Academy year 2

Scrumhalf

Caolin Blade (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
Stephen Kerins (25) - Signed contract in 2019
Kieran Marmion (29) - Signed 3 year contract in 2020
Colm Reilly (22) - Signed contract in 2021

Outhalf

Jack Carty (29) - Signed contract in 2021
Conor Dean (23) - Signed contract in 2020
Conor Fitzgerald (23) - Signed contract in 2021

Cathal Forde (20) - Academy year 1

Centre

Bundee Aki (31) - Signed 3 year central contract in 2020
Sammy Arnold (25) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
Tom Daly (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
Tom Farrell (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
Peter Robb (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Shane Jennings (20) - Academy year 2
Sean O'Brien (23) - Academy year 3

Back 3

Stephen Fitzgerald (25) - Signed contract in 2019
Mack Hansen (23) - Signed 2 year contract in 2021
Matt Healy (32) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
Oran McNulty (21) - Signed contract in 2021
Ben O'Donnell (26) - Signed contract in 2020
Tiernan O'Halloran (30) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
John Porch (27) - Signed contract in 2021
Peter Sullivan (23) - Signed contract in 2021
Alex Wootton (27) - Signed contract in 2021

Colm de Buitléar (23) - Academy year 3
Diarmuid Kilgallen (21) - Academy year 1

IN: Mack Hansen (Brumbies)
OUT:

*ages as at 01/09/2021

freyners

An ex player of ours is the ref this week.


I think I can speak for most fans here by saying based on our previous experiences with this ex-player as a referee I am 100% absolutely, thoroughly delighted to hear this news

ShineyShiney

freyners wrote: »

An ex player of ours is the ref this week.


I think I can speak for most fans here by saying based on our previous experiences with this ex-player as a referee I am 100% absolutely, thoroughly delighted to hear this news

Mmmmmm yes I would mildly endorse those sentiments kind of maybe 😶

Dubinusa

Aki was born in 1990. He's 31.

realhorrorshow

My take on the expiring contracts:

Paddy McAllister - We haven't gotten a huge pile out of him over the past two years to be honest, but he is nevertheless a decent squad player. Would love to see us sign an NIQ loosehead but failing that we could do worse than giving Paddy another year.

Conor Kenny - Decent 4th choice, with no-one coming up behind I'd like to see him stay.

Cillian Gallagher - Sadly I think it's time for a change of scenery for him. Conor Oliver was plagued by injury at Munster but has gotten a clear run here, hopefully the same can happen for Gallagher. Such a shame to see a genuinely elite level indigenous talent so plagued by injuries.

Quinn Roux - Sign him up. We have some excellent locks but Quinn is still our best option on the tighthead side.

Josh Dunne - Was quite excited about him when I saw him playing underage when he first arrived here, sadly I haven't ever seen much from him in adult rugby, either for Wegians or Connacht A. Still like to think there's a decent player there, and he is still very young. Hard to see space in the senior squad for another young backrower though.

Stephen Kerins - Have no idea why he never kicked on from a really promising u20s run. Personally feel he may have been mismanaged but I am aware I do not know what goes on behind closed doors. He needs to move on for gametime because he's not going to get it at Connacht.

Conor Dean - Not sure how much potential he has to be brutally honest. Probably needs to go somewhere to get some proper games under his belt.

Sean O'Brien - Think he's done more than enough to get a deal but with 5 centres signed up already there may not be space for him. Personally would sign him up because Peter Robb is pretty much a non-factor with all the injuries unfortunately.

Stephen Fitzgerald - Would be extremely cut-throat to let him go but that's professional sport and I don't think we can justify carrying 9 senior back 3 players, especially since Sammy Arnold was playing a bit of wing when fit too.

Colm de Butiléar - See above. Hopefully he can get a deal elsewhere and work on his defence, which has been poor any time I've seen him play.

realhorrorshow

Dubinusa wrote: »

Aki was born in 1990. He's 31.

Hmm, not sure how I've managed that.

Zeugnis

realhorrorshow wrote: »

Sean O'Brien - Think he's done more than enough to get a deal but with 5 centres signed up already there may not be space for him. Personally would sign him up because Peter Robb is pretty much a non-factor with all the injuries unfortunately.

Haven't seen enough of most of the others to give an opinion, but I'd be shocked if Sean O'Brien was not offered a contract. He's been very good in his outings over the last months. There are currently three injuries at centre (Farrell, Robb, Arnold) and Aki's discipline has seen him miss a lot of games. Tom Daly must have put in some colossal minutes this year. O'Brien is needed and has put in the performances.

ShineyShiney

Zeugnis wrote: »

Haven't seen enough of most of the others to give an opinion, but I'd be shocked if Sean O'Brien was not offered a contract. He's been very good in his outings over the last months. There are currently three injuries at centre (Farrell, Robb, Arnold) and Aki's discipline has seen him miss a lot of games. Tom Daly must have put in some colossal minutes this year. O'Brien is needed and has put in the performances.

Done really well for a young fella stepping up, has improved game by game which is a good sign imo. Deserves a contract, hope the money's there.

realhorrorshow

realhorrorshow wrote: »

My take on the expiring contracts:

Paddy McAllister - We haven't gotten a huge pile out of him over the past two years to be honest, but he is nevertheless a decent squad player. Would love to see us sign an NIQ loosehead but failing that we could do worse than giving Paddy another year.

Conor Kenny - Decent 4th choice, with no-one coming up behind I'd like to see him stay.

Cillian Gallagher - Sadly I think it's time for a change of scenery for him. Conor Oliver was plagued by injury at Munster but has gotten a clear run here, hopefully the same can happen for Gallagher. Such a shame to see a genuinely elite level indigenous talent so plagued by injuries.

Quinn Roux - Sign him up. We have some excellent locks but Quinn is still our best option on the tighthead side.

Josh Dunne - Was quite excited about him when I saw him playing underage when he first arrived here, sadly I haven't ever seen much from him in adult rugby, either for Wegians or Connacht A. Still like to think there's a decent player there, and he is still very young. Hard to see space in the senior squad for another young backrower though.

Stephen Kerins - Have no idea why he never kicked on from a really promising u20s run. Personally feel he may have been mismanaged but I am aware I do not know what goes on behind closed doors. He needs to move on for gametime because he's not going to get it at Connacht.

Conor Dean - Not sure how much potential he has to be brutally honest. Probably needs to go somewhere to get some proper games under his belt.

Sean O'Brien - Think he's done more than enough to get a deal but with 5 centres signed up already there may not be space for him. Personally would sign him up because Peter Robb is pretty much a non-factor with all the injuries unfortunately.

Stephen Fitzgerald - Would be extremely cut-throat to let him go but that's professional sport and I don't think we can justify carrying 9 senior back 3 players, especially since Sammy Arnold was playing a bit of wing when fit too.

Colm de Butiléar - See above. Hopefully he can get a deal elsewhere and work on his defence, which has been poor any time I've seen him play.

Onbrien has to be kept , doubt aki will extend

KBurke85

Gianna Long Semicolon wrote: »

Onbrien has to be kept , doubt aki will extend

Aki is contracted until 2023

ionadnapokot

realhorrorshow wrote: »

Back 3

Stephen Fitzgerald (25) - Signed contract in 2019
Mack Hansen (23) - Signed 2 year contract in 2021
Matt Healy (32) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
Oran McNulty (21) - Signed contract in 2021
Ben O'Donnell (26) - Signed contract in 2020
Tiernan O'Halloran (30) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020
John Porch (27) - Signed contract in 2021
Peter Sullivan (23) - Signed contract in 2021
Alex Wootton (27) - Signed contract in 2021

Colm de Buitléar (23) - Academy year 3
Diarmuid Kilgallen (21) - Academy year 1

IN: Mack Hansen (Brumbies)
OUT:

*ages as at 01/09/2021

I missed the Mack Hansen signing.
Can play Wing, FB & apparently 10. And he's IQ. Always nice to have a footballing option at wing.

Ben O'Donnell's is contracted to 2022 i think. That doesn't look good for Fitzgerald

freyners

Bundee made the lions

KBurke85

Congrats to Bundee on being selected for the Lions

connachta

1st Connacht player since?

ClanofLams

Delighted for Bundee. Interest in this tour just went up dramatically

ClanofLams

connachta wrote: »

1st Connacht player since?

Ciaran Fitzgerald I think who was captain in 83 but open to correction

RonnieL

Can't say I saw that coming, but delighted for Bundee. First Oranmore Lion if I'm not mistaken :-)

SqueakyKneecap

Massive congrats to Bundee but was certainly not expecting it! It'd boil a serious amount of piss if himself and Henshaw started at centre against Boks :pac:

Bundee got a severe amount of unfair stick when he was first included in the Irish squad and now the man is selected for the Lions. A testament to his determination and drive.

Zeugnis

ClanofLams wrote: »

Delighted for Bundee. Interest in this tour just went up dramatically

Likewise, and for Henshaw as well. Robbie has been playing the best rugby of his career and selection is entirely deserved.

FACECUTTR

Absolutely delighted for Bundee.

RonnieL

Gatland was a big fan of Bundee's performance in the laptop retrieval of 2016. Never took a backwards step. That's what you need facing the Boks on their home turf.

ClanofLams

Not to be a killjoy on a great day for the province and recall this came up in 2017 after lions selection but Connacht shouldn’t be tweeting congrats to Henshaw. He left the province, no other province would be tweeting congrats to someone who opted to move on.

Happy for him that he’s playing well and all, but tweeting congrats to Leinster player looks a bit small time in my view.

freyners

ClanofLams wrote: »

Not to be a killjoy on a great day for the province and recall this came up in 2017 after lions selection but Connacht shouldn’t be tweeting congrats to Henshaw. He left the province, no other province would be tweeting congrats to someone who opted to move on.

Happy for him that he’s playing well and all, but tweeting congrats to Leinster player looks a bit small time in my view.

I see where your coming from but i don't agree. I'm all for clubs acknowledging their former players.

They first addressed our current player and then acknowledged a player who came through our pathway and became an international while in our system. I think it would be small time to snub it imo

ClanofLams

freyners wrote: »

I see where your coming from but i don't agree. I'm all for clubs acknowledging their former players.

They first addressed our current player and then acknowledged a player who came through our pathway and became an international while in our system. I think it would be small time to snub it imo

I can get that perspective too to be fair and it’s important for Marist Buccs etc so can see both sides. I just don’t think you would see Munster tweeting Sean Cronin or Leinster tweeting Jordi Murphy.

But not really a big deal all things considered.

backcamslua

ClanofLams wrote: »

I can get that perspective too to be fair and it’s important for Marist Buccs etc so can see both sides. I just don’t think you would see Munster tweeting Sean Cronin or Leinster tweeting Jordi Murphy.

But not really a big deal all things considered.

Added to the fact that Robbie's affiliated homeclub is Buccaneers which is still under the Connacht umbrella -well done Robbie and all at Bucs!

ClanofLams

backcamslua wrote: »

Added to the fact that Robbie's affiliated homeclub is Buccaneers which is still under the Connacht umbrella -well done Robbie and all at Bucs!

Yeah that’s fair enough. It’s still a player who opted to leave Connacht when they were at their peak and dealt a serious blow to the province in doing so. When you contrast with the loyalty the likes of Muldoon showed in far darker days (not that he was ever gonna make the Lions), tweeting out congrats wouldn’t be for me. But appreciate there are plenty of different perspectives on it.

SqueakyKneecap

ClanofLams wrote: »

I just don’t think you would see Munster tweeting Sean Cronin or Leinster tweeting Jordi Murphy.

But Munster/Leinster don't need to because they always have players in the Lion's squad. For Connacht to have one is such a big deal. No harm in acknowledging Henshaw's fantastic season too.

its_phil

ClanofLams wrote: »

Not to be a killjoy on a great day for the province and recall this came up in 2017 after lions selection but Connacht shouldn’t be tweeting congrats to Henshaw. He left the province, no other province would be tweeting congrats to someone who opted to move on.

Happy for him that he’s playing well and all, but tweeting congrats to Leinster player looks a bit small time in my view.

He was produced by Buccs and Marist, not even a product of the academy given how early he joined the senior ranks. No reason not to be proud of it and I think it’s as much of an acknowledgment of the grassroots as Robbie himself.

serfboard

its_phil wrote: »

He was produced by Buccs and Marist, not even a product of the academy given how early he joined the senior ranks. No reason not to be proud of it and I think it’s as much of an acknowledgment of the grassroots as Robbie himself.

Yeah, you could argue that in congratulating Robbie, Connacht Rugby are actually congratulating themselves - "A player, who started playing with a Connacht rugby club, and went on to play for the province, has now made the Lions. Robbie Henshaw's selection is a great achievement. This shows what young rugby players in Connacht can aspire to." Or words to that effect.