To quantify the injury, if he did tear all 3 tendons off the bone. That’s the same injury that ended POC’s career.
Positive. Retirement wasn’t off the table pre surgery… can’t imagine heff will be available for the first couple of weeks as he’s yet to get a break. At that if he is, one injury away from debuitlear and dtm hasn’t exactly impressed with any of his senior appearances
Yeah he was released. May come back to bite us
Ah right....so we are short at hooker too :(
Seems like a short term loan from one of the other provinces would be ideal as it's a short-term issue. Not sure how likely that is but would surely make sense for everyone if we get the leinster 5th choice.
TH we need someone to come in, doesn't need to be first choice but they need to be challenging.
I’d say you could see Johnny murphy come back on a short term deal, knows the systems. Still living in galway as far as I know
Wouldn’t mind seeing us get McKee from leinster or if go ail route Dylan donnellan scored 20 tries in 20 games for clontarf last season
Think Donnellan has a connection to galway? Not sure if he’s from here but was with Corinthians I believe and could have been involved with a restaurant in town?
Dad from galway and played with corinthians
Dylan did play a season when coming back from playing Pro in France with corinthians
New head of Athletic Performance
https://www.the42.ie/mikey-kiely-connacht-sc-5807144-Jul2022/
That's interesting. Wonder whats up there as Howard was there 5 years.
A change is no harm, get some new ideas in the door and a new voice for the players to listen to. The limerick hurlers are in save knick tbf so hopefully goes well.
Between donnellan Connolly two lads you’d think could be interested in a chance with Connacht. Wouldn’t cost a fortune either
I would be more than happy if Connacht spent big on athletic performance. Need to be best in class here to compete with squads with more depth
Robertson McCoy seen on porches Instagram from training today, looks as if he’s hanging about
According to Furlo on Twitter he has signed a 12 month contract extension
https://twitter.com/Furlo/status/1546520018493521928
I wonder if that means that there'll be no additional TH signing?
That's a relieving news, he has and will do the job to fight for the bench with Illo and Augier
And the best of the 3 will start about 10 games in September, November and March when Bealham is off
I was kind of wondering the same, but from the opposite direction - was he kept on because no good enough and within budget TH could be found?
What was the issue with him being picked so infrequently over the past two seasons anyway? I think he should have been getting more gametime than he did based on the quality of his displays. Is he of questionable character or something in Friend's eyes?
Jack Aungier's arrival from Leinster saw him getting selected less frequently, and while his loose play has improved a lot, he wasn't solid enough IMHO in the set piece. And he picked up an untimely injury in late winter this year when Connacht were really stuck in the front row. And then at some point the decision was made to release him, and Friend pretty much had made it a policy to not pick players who were on their way out the door, e.g. this was explicitly stated in the context of the trip to South Africa.
Finlay out injured in the warm up this morning. Hopefully a case of just protecting him for the weekend and nothing major.
Confirmed we're playing Castres in Lacaune on the 26th of August.
PM if anyone comes and needs picking in Montpellier airport, accomodation or so
Nice place for a few holidays, and seeing newcomers in the squad!!!
Shane Mallon confirmed in the academy, haven’t seen a full list published though?
Going to look something like this:
harry west - 10
john Devine - 12
fiachna barrett - prop
oisin michel - prop
daniel hawkshaw - 12/13
shane Mallon - back 3
not sure if Matthew Devine and Hubert Gilvarry are in year 2 of academy but if not add them to the the year 1 list
Barrett's conversion to prop must be going well if he's getting an academy place after not even one full season, he was playing lock/backrow for the Eagles at the start of the season iirc.
He's proping now, really?
Hope he'll keep playing lock, with Fifita/Dowling/Thornbury and Murrays only, we may even need him once on the bench when J.Murphy will be busy at 6 for Prendergast (Irish squad gatherings and rests)
No offense to Prendergast but how much involvement do you think he will have in squads? Wider gatherings maybe but he won’t be that involved in the 6N squad and maybe involved in the AI’s but that’s far from sure. This is a fairly enlarged squad for this tour.
Prendergast didn't make a case in Nz . He will ger there, I think.
Irish back row is a murders row of competition and at best his 4th choice at 6 behind Doris pom and players like beirne who cover there. I think to his credit he hasn't looked out of place in the maori games, yellow aside. On him to pick it up now if he wants to be in the next squad but he has all the raw tools to get there. Attitude seems to be spot on too
Yep, Barrett has converted to tighthead.
Big experience for the lads on your tonight and over the last few weeks. Hopefully see more move up soon
Connacht players I think could push for international squads with big season next year:
Dooley, Thornbury, prendergast (needs to push to another level), Forde And Adam Byrne.
these would all just be for extend squad spots. Think Forde could be a breakout player in Irish rugby this season. 10/12, left footed, will see plenty of game time in challenge cup
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