Connacht Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

Zzippy

Right Toomevara, here it is!

Seeing as Munster and Leinster have their own threads, let's get a Connacht one in ahead of Ulster (just like in the Magners league hopefully! )

All talk Connacht-related in this thread, whether its transfer news, slagging off Bradley, slagging off the Branch, talking about players you would like to see come to Connacht, where to go drinking after the match (O'Connells of course!) and anything else Connacht-related.

Please keep match-related talk to specific match threads.

toomevara

Much better!!!

thomond2006

Any ideas on who is coming to Connacht next season? Any youngsters?

ScrubsfanChris

Gavin Duffy was talking on the Last Word with Matt Cooper last night and he said that the Sportgrounds was being upgraded to 8'000 for the big Toulon game next week. With a trip to the Biaritz game a bit too expensive for most, you might see afew Munster fans showing up at the game.

C'mon Connacht Heineken Cup rugby awaits thee

outwest

george is leaving us after the season.

i think toh and greffen should be giving more game time next year. 2 for the future

Zzippy

outwest wrote: »

george is leaving us after the season.

i think toh and greffen should be giving more game time next year. 2 for the future

Both starting on Sunday, with McKeon on the bench. I know its probably only because of depleted resources, but would be great to see them perform well and put their hands up for a more regular place next season.

fatguy2k1

outwest wrote: »

george is leaving us after the season.

REALLY?

i wouldn't be so sure on that....

Zzippy

fatguy2k1 wrote: »

REALLY?

i wouldn't be so sure on that....

Rumoured to be going to the Japanese league. Muldoon said in an interview this week that its a pity he'll be leaving, which would indicate to me the decision is already made. Will be a big loss, for a man some on here considered a journeyman when he arrived, he's made some impact. Himself and Heaslip have been the top no. 8s on form over the last few weeks.

PhatPiggins

Zzippy wrote: »

Rumoured to be going to the Japanese league. Muldoon said in an interview this week that its a pity he'll be leaving, which would indicate to me the decision is already made. Will be a big loss, for a man some on here considered a journeyman when he arrived, he's made some impact. Himself and Heaslip have been the top no. 8s on form over the last few weeks.

I'd go as far as to say he's been better then Heaslip. Although Williams did put him in his place a few times on sunday.

Borders no.2

fatguy2k1 wrote: »

REALLY?

i wouldn't be so sure on that....

This sounds positive as you seem to be in know with regards to whats going on up there. I know you can't reveal too much but could you reveal more concrete detail as to why he mightn't be leaving please.:D

fatguy2k1

Zzippy - that was the word.



Not hinting at anything there....

evil_seed

if that was the word, what has changed?

thomond2006

Zzippy wrote: »

Rumoured to be going to the Japanese league. Muldoon said in an interview this week that its a pity he'll be leaving, which would indicate to me the decision is already made. Will be a big loss, for a man some on here considered a journeyman when he arrived, he's made some impact. Himself and Heaslip have been the top no. 8s on form over the last few weeks.

/Holds hand up in disgrace.

He's been excellent for Connacht, hopefully an Irish player can step up and replace him.

Dave Joyce

/Holds hand up in disgrace.

Unfortunately, I have to do the same. Did accuse George of that after that first disasterous game against Munster.

TheTMO

thomond2006 wrote: »

Any ideas on who is coming to Connacht next season? Any youngsters?

Connacht are currently trying to sign Daragh Fanning the St. Marys winger, hes an incredible player.

outwest

i think connacht should'nt sign a winger. toh should be giving a chance. we need to develop our young palyers.

TheTMO

outwest wrote: »

i think connacht should'nt sign a winger. toh should be giving a chance. we need to develop our young palyers.

It would be risky to expect O'Halloran to be relied upon in his first ever pro season at such a young age. I think it could turn out to be an excellent signing the guy is cutting up defences in the AIL for fun.
What I don't understand is why Robin Copeland has never featured for any province? Anyone who watches AIL will know just how good he is, hes a second row and hes one of the leading try scorers in div 1!

Anyway, I'm just happy to see Connacht actually picking up players from the AIL rather than ignoring it completely. Munster and Leinster seem to have a policy of completely ignoring AIL players that weren't in their academies.

outwest

if you look at the squad for the scarlets game.

L Bibo; T O’Halloran, E Griffin, T Nathan, B Tuohy; I Keatley, C O’Loughlin; R Loughney, A Flavin, R Morris, D Nolan, B Upton, A Browne, R Ofisa, M McComish. Replacements : D Murphy, C Higgins, E McKeown, J O’Connor, K Campbell, M Nikora, A Wynne.

all of these are from galway, and with if you leave out joc nealry all under 23.

connacht need to build on this

TheTMO

By all means but at the same time putting too much trust in such a young squad will be to the detriment of Connacht. A few injuries to some older players and Connacht would essentially be fielding a bunch of kids against teams and losing. Developing young players means easing them into a settled squad and if you were to go and throw a bunch of young potential together and send them out against somone like Munster you are going to destroy the confidence of the players, lose and do Connacht no favours.

To expect Tiernan O'Halloran at 18 years old to be relied upon to such a degree in his first pro season would be suicidal.

profitius

There has to be plenty of talent on the AIL. Just because some didn't get into academys it doesn't mean the academy players are better. Some players are late developers.

Amazotheamazing

TheTMO wrote: »

It would be risky to expect O'Halloran to be relied upon in his first ever pro season at such a young age. I think it could turn out to be an excellent signing the guy is cutting up defences in the AIL for fun.
What I don't understand is why Robin Copeland has never featured for any province? Anyone who watches AIL will know just how good he is, hes a second row and hes one of the leading try scorers in div 1!

Anyway, I'm just happy to see Connacht actually picking up players from the AIL rather than ignoring it completely. Munster and Leinster seem to have a policy of completely ignoring AIL players that weren't in their academies.

Can't speak for Leinster, but Munster have picked up guys like Dowling, Coughlan and now Cusack from the AIL, none went to an Academy, afaik. There's a good few AIL players in the Munster A team today, though I think a lot of them are in the sub-Academy.

Amazotheamazing

outwest wrote: »

if you look at the squad for the scarlets game.

L Bibo; T O’Halloran, E Griffin, T Nathan, B Tuohy; I Keatley, C O’Loughlin; R Loughney, A Flavin, R Morris, D Nolan, B Upton, A Browne, R Ofisa, M McComish. Replacements : D Murphy, C Higgins, E McKeown, J O’Connor, K Campbell, M Nikora, A Wynne.

all of these are from galway, and with if you leave out joc nealry all under 23.

connacht need to build on this

O'Halloran is from Offaly, no?

TheTMO

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Can't speak for Leinster, but Munster have picked up guys like Dowling, Coughlan and now Cusack from the AIL, none went to an Academy, afaik. There's a good few AIL players in the Munster A team today, though I think a lot of them are in the sub-Academy.

I thought Dowling was in the Leinster academy? Cusack was in Munster's academy. It seems Coughlan is the exception and was plucked directly from the AIL.

TheTMO

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

O'Halloran is from Offaly, no?

Hes a Leinster man. He has pictures up on his facebook of him kitted out in full Leinster gear!

outwest

he from connemara. went to school in roscrea

Panda Moanium

Toulon have beaten Brive in the final game of the Top 14 regular season today which I think is bad news for us as they are now straight into the semi-finals and don't have to worry about a quarter final the week after next.

So expect we will see their number one side in the Sportsground.

Borders no.2

TheTMO wrote: »

Connacht are currently trying to sign Daragh Fanning the St. Marys winger, hes an incredible player.

Interesting, think he started the A game for us against Ulster a few weeks back, definitely an area we need reinforcements. Tiernan O'Halloran will hopefully get more of a chance next season but we need some depth on the wing. Troy Nathan has played a bit there with mixed results, Tuohy has done fairly well recently but still has a lot to do to convince, Bibo has had his share of injuries and our other signing left, after that you're putting players out of position.

Amazotheamazing

TheTMO wrote: »

I thought Dowling was in the Leinster academy? Cusack was in Munster's academy. It seems Coughlan is the exception and was plucked directly from the AIL.

Nope, Dowling went straight to UL from Kilkenny, never darkened the door of either Munster or Leinster's academy, afaik. Cusack wasn't in the Munster Academy.

seanin4711

I suppose in hind sight i get what bradley is at!
he is putting all his eggs in one basket for both the ML and the ECC,by hopefully putting o0ut full strength against Toulon and Ulster and this game might suffer(unfortunate as it think if we threw a few more starters at this we could be going to ravenhill 4 up on ulster and make them sweat even more!
Is it a wise move?only time will tell!
Our squad is stretched to capacity so i really hope for a losing bonus point if not more in the valleys this afternoon!
They would want to play very well!!!
slan

gally74

in fairness to bradley and elwood, they have to rotate players given the number of games,


Some info on toulon......


KNOWN AS Rugby Club Toulonnaise
FOUNDED 1908
STADIUM (capacity) Stade Félix Mayol 17,000
POSITION LAST YEAR 9th. Full results
BUDGET FOR 2009/10 €16.5m (up €2.5m from 2008/9)
COLOURS Red and black
HONOURS Championship winners 1931, 1987, 1992
Championship runners-up 1946, 1968, 1971, 1985
Challenge Yves du Manoir, winners 1934, 1970
Challenge Yves du Manoir, runners-up 1939, 1954, 1983
Coup de L’Esperance, winners
Coupe Andre Moga, winners
Division 2 champions 2005, 2008
Div2 runners-up 2000
PRESIDENT Mourad Boudjellal
COACH Philippe Saint-André, Tana Umaga, Aubin Hueber
TRIVIA The Stade Félix Mayol is named after the locally born concert singer Félix Mayol. President Mourad Boudjellal made his fortune in comic strips.
MAJOR SIGNINGS Jonny Wilkinson (England fly-half)
Sébastien Bruno (France hooker)
Pierre Mignoni (France scrum-half)
Felipe Contepomi (Argentina fly-half)
Jamie Robinson (Wales centre)
Rory Lamont (Scottish full-back)
Juan Martin Lobbe (Argentina flanker/No 8)
Timmy Ryan (Irish prop)
Christian Loamanu (Tonga-born Japan winger)
Tonga Lea'aetoa (Tonga prop)
Tom May (England centre)
CURRENT PLAYERS View Current Players & Player Profiles
MAJOR PLAYERS Sonny Bill Williams (controversial NZ-born rugby league convert)
Luke Rooney (Australian rugby league convert, playing centre or wing)
Santiago Dellape (Italy second row)
Esteban Lozada (Argentine lock)
Joe van Niekerk (Springbok back row, club captain)

TheTMO

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Nope, Dowling went straight to UL from Kilkenny, never darkened the door of either Munster or Leinster's academy, afaik. Cusack wasn't in the Munster Academy.

Nope Cusack was in the academy.
http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/7357.php