Connacht Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

Son of Stupido

Any news on an upgrade of the Sportsgrounds?

Webbs

evil_seed wrote: »

you can check my post a few pages back. i was talking to George himself on Friday night after the game. I think after a few truth juices he let it slip to me that he could hardly turn down half a million. i think he said something along the lines of "what would you do for half a million?" to me. so as far as 4500000 being wrong, it's not far off being right at all

Just a thought but as he is a NZer could it have been half a million NZ dollars? Which would equate to about 275,000euro? That would seem nearer the mark for a player of his level in Japan wouldnt it?

evil_seed

Regardless of what currencey Georges contract is in, half a mill is a lot.

Team to play Ulster:
G Duffy; B Tuohy, N Ta’auso, A Wynne, F Carr; I Keatley, F Murphy; R Loughney, S Cronin, J Hagan; M McCarthy, B Upton; J Muldoon (capt), M McComish, G Naoupu.
Replacements: A Flavin, R Morris, A Browne, J O’Connor, C O’Loughlin, M Nikora, T Nathan.

All we need is 66 points

Zzippy

evil_seed wrote: »

Regardless of what currencey Georges contract is in, half a mill is a lot.

Team to play Ulster:
G Duffy; B Tuohy, N Ta’auso, A Wynne, F Carr; I Keatley, F Murphy; R Loughney, S Cronin, J Hagan; M McCarthy, B Upton; J Muldoon (capt), M McComish, G Naoupu.
Replacements: A Flavin, R Morris, A Browne, J O’Connor, C O’Loughlin, M Nikora, T Nathan.

All we need is 66 points

Good to see Loughney get a start, I thought the scrum really improved after he came on last week so he deserves a chance. Is Swifty injured? He was immense before he had to go off and has been in great form lately.

Dave Joyce

Yea Zzippy, he's injured as far as I know.

thomond2006

IIRC Swifty walked off gingerly.

TheTMO

Well just saw in another thread that Connacht have their first confirmed signing.

Darragh Fanning

Position : Winger

Club : St.Marys

2nd top try scorer in AIL this season with 8 tries in 5 appearances.

Connacht fans will get a chance to see him in action tomorrow on RTE 2 in the AIL div 1 final.

LFC5Times

TheTMO wrote: »

Well just saw in another thread that Connacht have their first confirmed signing.

Darragh Fanning

Position : Winger

Club : St.Marys

2nd top try scorer in AIL this season with 8 tries in 5 appearances.

Connacht fans will get a chance to see him in action tomorrow on RTE 2 in the AIL div 1 final.

Fange in fairness for the last couple of seasons has been scoring a rake of tries for Marys. Over the last few seasons, I have noticed that players who are constantly on form in the AIL week in/week out have done well when stepped up to provincial level.

He is quick, fast, strong, good hand off. Have only seen him play a few times but they are the main attributes I noticed with him.

Good luck to him

profitius

Zzippy wrote: »

Good to see Loughney get a start, I thought the scrum really improved after he came on last week so he deserves a chance. Is Swifty injured? He was immense before he had to go off and has been in great form lately.

There was a big improvement when he came on.

Robbo

At long last, a backs coach has been appointed and there appears to be 29 of the existing squad retained for next season. As expected, no sign of Naopou but it appears he got an offer he couldn't refuse in Japan.

I can't remember a summer where there was less of an exodus from Connacht and I think we were the only team in the Magner's league these days without a dedicated backs coach (although I may be corrected on this one).

Zzippy

Robbo wrote: »

At long last, a backs coach has been appointed and there appears to be 29 of the existing squad retained for next season. As expected, no sign of Naopou but it appears he got an offer he couldn't refuse in Japan.

I can't remember a summer where there was less of an exodus from Connacht and I think we were the only team in the Magner's league these days without a dedicated backs coach (although I may be corrected on this one).

The settled squad we had this year certainly helped with the improvement in form, I think Duffy was quoted saying this was the first year he didn't have to get to know a load of new faces, and that helped a lot with team spirit. Hopefully we'll be able to say the same again next year. Could still do with strengthening the team in a few areas. Is Campbell retired? Heard Paul O'Donohue might be heading here...

irishbucsfan

Robbo wrote: »

I think we were the only team in the Magner's league these days without a dedicated backs coach (although I may be corrected on this one).

Well Leinster won't have one next year.

Robbo

Zzippy wrote: »

The settled squad we had this year certainly helped with the improvement in form, I think Duffy was quoted saying this was the first year he didn't have to get to know a load of new faces, and that helped a lot with team spirit. Hopefully we'll be able to say the same again next year. Could still do with strengthening the team in a few areas. Is Campbell retired? Heard Paul O'Donohue might be heading here...

Campbell's retiring all right. He's been coaching at Wegians for the last while so I assume he'll be coaching full time from now on.

Paul O'Donoghue's been mentioned a few times, Fanning looks very likely and there's been some chatter about maybe Tonetti but that could be a load of balls.

Exiled2NY

Connacht are in the process of finalising their squad for the 2010/11 season when they will hope to build on the progress made on the season just finished.
Eric Elwood will take over from Michael Bradley as Director of Rugby and the bulk of the squad which did duty in the season just finished have been signed up for the new campaign.
A number of positions will be filled over the coming weeks as Connacht look forward to the start of the new season.
With this in mind — and with two Italian teams joining the Magners league — Connacht Rugby is pleased to announce that season tickets will remain at the same price for the new campaign.
This will mean that a ground ticket, which costs just €225, will cover eleven Magners League games at the Sportsground and the three pool games in the Amlin Challenge Cup. A season ticket for the enclosed stand will cost just €275, family tickets are €375, concessions €150 and juniors just €60 for the new campaign.



BACKS:
Liam Bibo
Fionn Carr
Gavin Duffy
Eoin Griffin
Ian Keatley
Keith Matthews
Frank Murphy
Troy Nathan
Miah Nikora
Tiernan O’Halloran
Conor O’Loughlin
Niva Ta’auso
Brian Tuohy
Aidan Wynne


FORWARDS
Andrew Browne
Sean Cronin
Adrian Flavin
Jamie Hagan
Ronan Loughney
Mike McCarthy
Mike McComish
Robbie Morris
John Muldoon
David Nolan
Johnny O’Connor
Ray Ofisa
Michael Swift
Bernie Upton
Brett Wilkinson

Exiled2NY

From that squad I think it needs at least

1 Prop; Preferably a tighthead to cover morris. How about Andress, not sure what his contract situation is. Or else try the academy players from other provinces, macklin or mcalister from ulster would be good additions but i doubt it would happen

2 Backrows; Id prefer to keep Mike Mac and Browne in the 2nd row. Neil McMillan?, prob be a decent signing if available. Id look at the academys for a squad player option. Need 1 top class signing here

1 Scrumhalf; Rumours of POD, would be a good signing. Willis or marshal from ulster if either leaving. failing that maybe conor murray munster 4th choice on season loan.

1 Fullback; Ian Madigan, can cover outhalf too, Does Michael Keating play full back too?

Other good options; Kyle Tonnetti, Trevor Hogan

How many NIQ players are teams allowed now?

Borders no.2

There was also rumours of O'Donohue going to Harlequins which seemed to have more basis than the Connacht links.

d-gal

who has left the squad besides naoupu? See Dermot Murphy isn't there but don't know if he was fully contracted.

thomond2006

The season tickets are brilliant value.

Exiled2NY

d-gal wrote: »

who has left the squad besides naoupu? See Dermot Murphy isn't there but don't know if he was fully contracted.

Campbell is retiring anyway
I assume Higgins was always on a development contract
That young fijian(kiwi?) winger, never made an impression and I cant remember his name

Is that it?

thomond2006

If Connacht wish to take Denis Fogarty off us, I will gladly pay the taxi fare.

Exiled2NY

thomond2006 wrote: »

If Connacht wish to take Denis Fogarty off us, I will gladly pay the taxi fare.

Wouldnt be suprised if hes off somewhere or even had something signed. Didnt see anywhere that hes injured and Sherry was subbing at the weekend. Varley deserved his shot though in fairness

PhatPiggins

thomond2006 wrote: »

If Connacht wish to take Denis Fogarty off us, I will gladly pay the taxi fare.

I'll drive him there myself though in fairness Connacht have been the savour of many a hookers career.

Zzippy

PhatPiggins wrote: »

I'll drive him there myself though in fairness Connacht have been the savour of many a hookers career.

We prefer them younger and with a bit more raw talent, thanks very much!

Robbo

Exiled2NY wrote: »

That young fijian(kiwi?) winger, never made an impression and I cant remember his name

Thomas Timani. He played a few games for Corinthians but I heard the contract was terminated by mutual consent and he went back to NZ.

thomond2006

Robbo wrote: »

Thomas Timani. He played a few games for Corinthians but I heard the contract was terminated by mutual consent and he went back to NZ.

Was he signed for this season?

PhatPiggins

Zzippy wrote: »

We prefer them younger and with a bit more raw talent, thanks very much!

Well he's fairly raw alright

seanin4711

I am so looking forward on hopefully building on the momentum from the last season(scarlets and ulster aside).
The crux of the team are there for a big season in 2010/11.
The peoples choice of coach is there :shop local!!!
The flippin backs coach is there(what?:eek:)
yes a backs coach!the irfu will probably take our forwards coach to make up for it!:rolleyes:
anyhu!
I really hope that we target ulster home and away(instead of them always targetting us, or any away match for that matter) and get some bonus points away from home so we can eek our way up the table once and for all!
All positive and couple of signings in key positions in order to have a strongest possible bench as we can have(our major issue).
Gwan ERIC
GWAN CONNACHT
GWAN PEOPLE OF CONNACHT AND GET BEHIND YOUR TEAM!!!!
slan
j

Borders no.2

Cillian Willis a target according to today's Irish independent.

thomond2006

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Cillian Willis a target according to today's Irish independent.

He broke his leg recently.

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=65059676&postcount=91

ki

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Cillian Willis a target according to today's Irish independent.

The Indo Link

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/elwood-bidding-to-fill-gap-left-by-kiwi-ace-naoupu-2174995.html