Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Papa, Tietie, Butler (IQ), O'Donnell (off likely)

Only Hurley coming as NIQ, I'm 100% confident we have a marquee 2nd Row signing for Dillane in the making

+ maybe a moneyball n°8 (who can tackle this time) if Masterson(s) is/are leaving

And jackman hinted that signing would be a tight head

I would be very surprised, he is doing well at Canterbury with hopes of playing some day for the all blacks. I read a while ago he is also engaged to a local.

There's been a few posts - by recognised absolute nutjobs - in this thread regarding Sexton and Hansen, all agreeing with each other that somehow Sexton is threatened by Hansen. They were the same that two weeks ago were saying Sexton was threatened by Carty. How'd that turn out?

Did Sexton kick your puppy? Was he mean to you?

Or are you just completely incapable of acknowledging the contribution the man has made to Irish Rugby over the last 15 odd years? Instagram, picking fights in the tunnel? Grow the **** up lads.

No doubt there’s some wild stuff in this thread frequently (a lot of which doesn’t even come from Connacht fans) but there wasn’t anything bad said about Sexton.

Instagram is what Sexton mentioned to Hansen per the Leinster fans forum & the suggestion after by posters was that they were very different personalities. I’d say that was an over analysis and it was probably just your run of the mill game confrontation but who knows.

I don’t care about the incident to be honest but your post seems like a massive overreaction.

On a broader note, this thread has gone downhill in a big way over the last year or so from my view. Used to be a enjoyable read, now it’s a skim through and try to find the odd good post.

A big part of that I think is other provincial fans piling in at any ‘bad’ suggestion and to be honest it is usually Leinster supporters. The most recent example being that one infrequent poster suggested a draft or something for young players as Leinster have too much talent (according to the poster).

I don’t agree with the theory but fifteen Leinster supporters piling in, days later in some cases, to repeat the same valid points does not make for an interesting thread.

Then there is the outright trolling that is just ignored/tolerated. I don’t really read much of boards bar this and the Galway GAA thread so maybe it’s reflective of a wider issue.

Kind of surprised McGrath has gotten an extension, hasn't really had much of a chance to impress with limited minutes and switching between both sides of the scrum. Must be doing something right. I can see at least two props departing if we are bringing in a tighthead, most likely Tuinauga and DRM.

Glad Fifita is staying, started slowly but has been excellent once he settled in.

Murphy must be a great trainer or mentor, we've given him multiple contracts but seem to generally avoid playing him if we can.

Based on the above article:

Definitely out of contract

Dominic Robertson McCoy (Tighthead)

Peter Robb (Centre)

Matt Healy (Back 3)

Tiernan O'Halloran (Back 3)

Likely out of contract

Tietie Tuimauga (Tighthead)

Ben O'Donnell (Back 3)

Possibly out of contract

Shane Delahunt (Hooker)

Eoghan Masterson (Back row)

Sean Masterson (Back row)

Colm Reilly (Scrum half)

Peter Sullivan (Back 3)

Burke renewed his contract for a further two years in March.

Of course! Edited, thank you.

Delahunt should be signed, imo. He's going to be a big loss if not. Illo is a strange situation. He could be a good player and have a positive contribution. Perhaps, he's just feeling his way and will be used more next season.

Eoghan Masterson leaving would be a shame. I hope he gets a contract elsewhere. I really thought he could have pushed on into the national squad but for that injury.

TOH is slowing down and is not the player he was a few years ago. I would assume an extension will only be for a year.

Josh Murphy has shown he's a good player. Connacht are getting a physical abrasive player, in him. He can spell Prendergast and fill in the 2nd row and you lose little. Hawkshaw will also benifit from this move. He's got a lot of potential and I can see him filling a variety of positions. Adam Byrne unfortunately has been hindered by injury after injury and I think he's going to struggle to make the 23. I'd have kept Sullivan.

It will be interesting to see the academy intake this year. I assume Devine is certainly making the cut but, who else will Connacht sign? There could be a couple from this year's u20's available.

Tietie to Colomiers confirmed unfortunately.

Pity. Given the role he's played this season and the personnel available to us, I doubt that letting him go will prove to be a good decision.