Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Great great news about LH prop!

Seems like a big list already. Good opportunity for Murray and Dowling and the Academy sh,s.

Training must be hot and heavy.

Loosehead

Denis Buckley (31) - Signed contract in 2021

Matthew Burke (24) - Signed contract in 2021

Jordan Duggan (23) - Signed contract in 2021

Charlie Ward (21) - Academy year 2

Tighthead

Jack Aungier (22) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Finlay Bealham (30) - Signed contract in 2021

Sam Illo (20) - Signed 2 year contract in 2021

Greg McGrath (24) - Signed contract in 2021

Dominic Robertson-McCoy (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Hooker

Shane Delahunt (27) - Signed contract in 2021

Dave Heffernan (30) - Signed contract in 2021

Jonny Murphy (29) - Signed contract in 2021

Dylan Tierney-Martin (22) - Signed contract in 2021

Declan Adamson (22) - Academy year 3

Eoin De Buitléar (19) - Academy year 2

Lock

Ultan Dillane (27) - Signed contract in 2021

Oisin Dowling (24) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Leva Fifita (32) - Signed contract in 2021

Niall Murray (21) - Signed contract in 2021

Gavin Thornbury (27) - Signed contract in 2021

Darragh Murray (20) - Academy year 2

Back row

Paul Boyle (24) - Signed contract in 2021

Jarrad Butler (30) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Eoghan Masterson (28) - Signed contract in 2021

Sean Masterson (23) - Signed contract in 2021

Conor Oliver (25) - Signed contract in 2021

Abraham Papali’i (28) - Signed contract in 2021

Cian Prendergast (21) - Signed contract in 2021

Ciaran Booth (21) - Academy year 2

Donnacha Byrne (20) - Academy year 2

Oisin McCormack (20) - Academy year 3

Scrumhalf

Caolin Blade (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Kieran Marmion (29) - Signed 3 year contract in 2020

Colm Reilly (22) - Signed contract in 2021

Will Reilly (u21) - Academy year 1

Outhalf

Jack Carty (29) - Signed contract in 2021

Conor Fitzgerald (23) - Signed contract in 2021

Cathal Forde (19) - Academy year 2

Centre

Bundee Aki (31) - Signed 3 year central contract in 2020

Sammy Arnold (25) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Shayne Bolton (21) - Signed contract in 2021

Tom Daly (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Tom Farrell (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Peter Robb (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Shane Jennings (20) - Academy year 3

Back 3

Mack Hansen (23) - Signed 2 year contract in 2021

Matt Healy (32) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

Oran McNulty (21) - Signed contract in 2021

Ben O'Donnell (26) - Signed contract in 2020

Tiernan O'Halloran (30) - Signed 2 year contract in 2020

John Porch (27) - Signed contract in 2021

Peter Sullivan (23) - Signed contract in 2021

Alex Wootton (27) - Signed contract in 2021

Diarmuid Kilgallen (21) - Academy year 2

Josh O'Connor (20) - Academy year 1

Seems a powerful runner but I thought he was caught out quite badly in defence a couple of times vs Irish.

I don't really understand why loosehead signing took so long, but hopefully it's a very experienced player. I see media reporting that Butler will be "club" captain but may not always captain the team when playing as they want to develop younger leaders, seems unusual.

Squad looks shallow enough already even with loosehead incoming, will likely need academy players to step up very often this season.

Kind of excited for this season, think it’ll go better than most expect. Oisin McCormack could be one to surprise a few this year

looks like Forde is being lined up as a 12, he’d have a much easier path at 10

https://www.connachtrugby.ie/aviva-stadium-to-host-urc-interpro-between-connacht-and-ulster/

I think I agree with you to be honest, it wont suit me to travel to it due to family commitments and I am not sure would I have made it had the game been left in Galway but there was a better chance.

Obviously its great for any fans outside the province but essentially losing a home game in what looks like being a tough season is a big risk.

Hopefully we get a win and make loads of money :)

Seem to be aiming for 20/30k at game so seems like a numbers game. Wonder are are expecting a fair few neutrals in that figure. Talk of a change in kick off time but seems to be the same as far as I can see?

Connacht fans have proven more than capable of making any neutral ground their own in the past. Also let's not forget the result the last time the two met in the aviva...

Have to laugh at everyone dying to see Connacht play again, but not if they have to travel a wee bit up the road to do it. Put your big boy pants on, hop in the car/bus/train and go turn the Aviva green...

If it helps the province shore up the coffers after a long period of severely reduced income, all the better.

Also let’s not forget that the last time we played them in the Aviva there were no fans so that result is irrelevant. Ulster fans will significantly outnumber Connacht fans. This has more than halved their journey for the match when most Connacht are having to travel 2 and a half hours.

Plus it’s not as simple as just telling people to head up to Dublin and get over it. I have family visiting from abroad that weekend and we all planned to go to the game. We won’t be now as going to it would take up so much of their time when they are back. They are expecting people from Connacht to travel to Dublin in the middle of a bank holiday weekend for what was supposed to be a home game.

I think this decision actually shows a serious lack of ambition too. We are giving up home advantage and therefore reducing our chances of reaching the play-offs. Why would you do that if you have aspirations to get there?

Finally, I think the financial benefit of this is being over estimated. I don’t think there will be more than 20k at this. Possibly closer to 15k. They could have sold out the SG at 8k. Is the difference really worth it?

The reaction to this has been more negative than positive so I know I am not the only one that feels this way.