Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Fascinated to see the team for Saturday - listening to the most recent craggy podcast, they said Bundee has only played 3 times for us this season, is that right? None of them good performances, including a red card, and a terrible display against Ulster. I think I'd pick Forde personally, but I can see why they'd give Bundee another crack.

He's played 6 times for Connacht so far this year compared to his 7 Connacht apps last year. Considering he's a year older, is managed by Ireland and had an 8 week ban I'd say that's about where we could have hoped for this year.

Any idea where Byrne is going? I think its unlikely he will play for an Irish province again.

You’d have to feel for the guy, had unbelievable talent, might have amassed a lot of caps but injury after injury just kept him out almost constantly

Loosehead

Denis Buckley (33) - Signed 2 + 1 year contract in 2023

Matthew Burke (26) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022

Peter Dooley (29) - Signed contract in 2022

Jordan Duggan (25) - Signed 1 year contract in 2023

Oisin Michel (21) - Academy year 1

Charlie Ward (23) - Academy year 3

Tighthead

Jack Aungier (24) - Signed contract in 2022

Finlay Bealham (31) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022

Sam Illo (22) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023

Dominic Robertson-McCoy (29) - Signed 1 year contract in 2023

Hooker

Eoin De Buitléar (21) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023

Dave Heffernan (32) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023

Dylan Tierney-Martin (24) - Signed 3 year contract in 2023

Lock

Oisin Dowling (26) - Signed contract in 2022

Joe Joyce (29) - Signed contract in 2023

Josh Murphy (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022

Darragh Murray (22) - Signed contract in 2022

Niall Murray (23) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023

Gavin Thornbury (29) - Signed 1 year contract in 2023

Back row

Paul Boyle (26) - Signed 1 year contract in 2023

Jarrad Butler (32) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022

Shamus Hurley-Langton (23) - Signed contract in 2022

Sean Jansen (24) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023

Oisin McCormack (22) - Signed contract in 2022

Sean O'Brien (23) - Signed contract in 2023

Conor Oliver (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022

Cian Prendergast (23) - Signed 3 year contract in 2022

Donnacha Byrne (22) - Academy year 3

John Forde (20) - Academy year 1

Scrumhalf

Caolin Blade (29) - Signed 3 year contract in 2023

Colm Reilly (24) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023

Matthew Devine (21) - Academy year 1

Will Reilly (22) - Academy year 2

Outhalf

Jack Carty (31) - Signed 3 year contract in 2022

Harry West (20) - Academy year 1

Centre

Bundee Aki (33) - Signed 3 year central contract in 2020

Shayne Bolton (23) - Signed 1 year contract in 2023

Tom Daly (30) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022

Tom Farrell (29) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022

Cathal Forde (21) - Signed contract in 2022

David Hawkshaw (24) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023

Byron Ralston (23) - Signed contract in 2022

John Devine (19) - Academy year 1

Daniel Hawkshaw (21) - Academy year 1

Back 3

Santiago Cordero (29) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023

Mack Hansen (25) - Signed 3 year contract in 2022

Shane Jennings (22) - Signed contract in 2022

Diarmuid Kilgallen (23) - Signed contract in 2022

Liam McNamara (26) - Signed contract in 2023

Oran McNulty (23) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022

Tiernan O'Halloran (32) - Signed 1 year contract in 2022

John Porch (29) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023

Andrew Smith (23) - Signed contract in 2023

Hugh Gavin (19) - Academy year 1

Shane Mallon (21) - Academy year 1

Chay Mullins (21) - Academy year 1

Josh O'Connor (22) - Academy year 2

*ages as at 01/09/2023

IN: Eoin De Buitléar (hooker, academy), Joe Joyce (lock, Bristol Bears), Sean Jansen (back row, Leicester Tigers), Sean O'Brien (back row, Leinster), Santiago Cordero (back 3, Bordeaux Bègles), Liam McNamara (back 3, Ireland Sevens), Andrew Smith (back 3, Leinster)

OUT: Shane Delahunt (hooker, retiring), Grant Stewart (hooker, TBC), Leva Fifita (lock, TBC), Ciaran Booth (back row, TBC), Sean Masterson (back row, TBC), Kieran Marmion (scrumhalf, Bristol Bears), Conor Fitzgerald (outhalf, TBC), Adam Byrne (back 3, TBC), Alex Wootton (back 3, retiring)

10 we won't, Carty/Hawkshaw, Forde is ok back-up, McNamara recruited for that too, West coming

9 we shouldn't Devine Reilly both need to be trusted now, an Academy signing might come

2 we should. Neither of our 3 hookers are perfect. So it's Declan Moore, Galwayman Dylan Donneelan, or NIQ

as after we only have Cordero, Porch and SHL (project player) in the category (Leva leaving)

Moneyball Pacifican n°2 are easy to find IMO

I was talking about the URC game before Christmas that Connacht won. Bundee and Boyle linked up particularly well

RWC definites:

Mack

Finlay

RWC likely:

Bundee

Cordero (not sure if he’s still getting call ups)

RWC hopefuls:

Prendergast

Blade

Longshots:

Heff would be fifth choice it seems but Kelleher and Sheehan haven’t the best records. Forde would be my long long short bolter. If he was with Leinster he’d be in similar conversations to Frawley and Osbourne.

Logged on expecting to see plenty of commentary around the selection for tomorrow, but nothing. Am I sensing a lack of interest for what is a pretty big game? They went for Bundee, which is fair enough - pressure on them all to perform, but him especially you'd have to say. Feel for Cathal Forde, but he has a long career ahead of him for us you'd hope.

CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY 23 VS CARDIFF RUGBY

Saturday 15th April, 19:35 Irish time @ The Sportsground

Number/Name/Caps

15. Tiernan O’Halloran (218)

14. Diarmuid Kilgallen (15)

13. Tom Farrell (95)

12. Bundee Aki (124)

11. Mack Hansen (25)

10. Jack Carty (191) (C)

9. Caolin Blade (166)

1. Denis Buckley (224)

2. Dylan Tierney-Martin (20)

3. Finlay Bealham (185)

4. Josh Murphy (14)

5. Niall Murray (52)

6. Cian Prendergast (43)

7. Conor Oliver (59)

8. Jarrad Butler (111)

16. Eoin de Buitléar (1)

17. Peter Dooley (16)

18. Dominic Robertson-McCoy (78)

19. Oisín Dowling (40)

20. Shamus Hurley-Langton (16)

21. Kieran Marmion (226)

22. Tom Daly (74)

23. Shane Jennings (3)

Yeah Treviso win with no bonus and no sharks bonus would be most ideal result

I see he has signed for Munster.

That's a little disappointing.

Would love to have seen him come home.

12-9

Both teams played second stringish teams. Hard to figure what exactly Glasgow will put out next week but with the challenge cup semi final away to scarlets the following week seems unlikely they go full strength.

Only really matters if Connacht win tomorrow of course.

Glasgow have absolutely NOTHING to play for they will finish 3rd in the table whatever. It would be insanely silly not to put a mickey mouse team next week.

+ Sharks are still behind in point difference after today!

So if Sharks win large Munster are out

if they win close and the worst case 5-2 scenario happens, Sharks won't take more than + 7 difference

Assuming we win by 10 tomorrow it means we are 7th just by taking a double BP vs Glasgow A next week

I get we can scr** even that, like we did in Newcastle.

But now it's fair. If we are unable to win quite easily at home with a full-squad, and have 2 points vs a second team rotating 15 players at least, we would not deserve Champions Cup

Must go by head to head with Munster ?

Glasgow could still be chasing 3rd place but it's unlikely. They are 99% in 4th so.