Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Ah here, that's putting words in my mouth. As tvpc said we never fully replaced White, and obviously there isn't an abundance of th props going around but if we could sign a solid prop even for a couple of seasons while continuing to develop Aungier and Illo I think we'd be well stocked there then. Aungier has shown some huge potential at times but obviously has some development to do yet.

Pitch being replaced over the summer, the next phase will be to build the new training centre only after that I think the ground development will happen

Sam Illo was offered a full academy place by Leinster.

Connacht offered him a senior deal

I notice you don't mention any of the new signings and I've great hope that a lot of them will work out. I'm a huge fan of David Hawkshaw since his u-20 days. I think he has the potential to be a great out-half. He can also play centre to a high level.

Adam Byrne just couldn't break through at Leinster on the wing but he'll get opportunities in Connacht, he's very talented.

Josh Murphy is another talented player who was left in a difficult position being behind Conan, Doris, Van Der Flier, Penny and Ruddock for starts. There's no shame in that and he could be a great one getting plenty of starts.

I like the signing of Ralston who has looked really good in the matches where I've concentrated on him since he was signed by Connacht. He's playing for a poor team who have fought hard to make the QF's of the Super Rugby season. He's down as a winger for Connacht but has played at outside centre for the Force.

Tbh I think the new signings would all have gotten decent game time regardless of being in challenge cup or champions cup, where as the decent crop of youngesters coming though might benefit more in the short term from being in the challenge cup.

Competely forgot about Dooley, fully agree with you.

What is Aungier like? Does he have the potential to be a first choice tighthead, or more of a squad player?

Really useful chart. Could really do with a hooker, particularly if Heff remains part of the wider Irish squad or Delahunt forces his way ahead, in addition to the rumoured TH.

Also we really are 1 Carty injury from a disaster, Fond of Fitz but has not been given a lot of gametime at ten this season and Hawkshaw/Forde are works in progress

Of course he's the perfect medical joker if one of Dooley/Buckley gets injured

Utterly bolloxed up the quoting on the mobile site, so apologies eagle eye

Re Hawkshaw, 100% acknowledge it. However it's very easy to look good behind a Leinster pack. What makes carty brilliant for us is his ability to play to his level when on the backfoot. Hawkshaw, who I really really hope makes the steps here, has to prove he can do that. While the recruitment this year has looked very smart (both Murphy and Langton look like they will add a lot), even at our best we have struggled for power at times.

I'm not sure why people keep mentioning Pearse stadium; it's a genuinely awful stadium in the middle of a housing estate. It's a soulless bowl that is a mess to get to/from.

It's a staged development plan so connacht won't move out of the sg at any point of the development, though capacity will be curtailed at times.