Think there's a few others in order of probability:
Murray, Blade, Marmion
Oliver, Boyle (the back row is possibly the toughest position from the pov of competition)
A long shot would be Aungier, TH is a position where there is a hunt for depth and he's going to get a lot of minutes. Marty Moore has injury issues, Ryan is gone from Munster, that leaves Knox, Clarkson, Salanoa and Abdeladze, and the latter two has been regularly injured. JA will need to make giant steps, but the opportunity is there.
A year ago, I would have had Daly and Farrell on the list, but midfield looks pretty locked down, and they both had a season strewn with serious defensive errors.
Completely forgot about Murray, I’d add him in too.
feel Oliver and boyle have too big of a challenge to get in, with the competition in the back row.
Aungier is a far way off. He’s a penalty machine
I basically agree regarding Aungier, but with the obvious concerns about Moore's health, there are no stand outs below O'Toole. If this year won't motivate him to address his issues, nothing will.
In the back row, Ireland have crazy depth. But Oliver had a really fantastic season, and could get significantly better. JVDF has demonstrated that it's possible to make major improvements to your game even as you mature. Oliver could sharpen his work as receiver and take it up a gear - just like JVDF has. He's good on the ground and I love the controlled fight in him.
It's pretty academic, but how far ahead of him do you think Timoney is? Then there's JOD in Munster where Kendellen and Hodnett are coming through at 7 as well.
Timoney is probably a fair bit a head of him, especially as he can cover 6 and 8. He’s an absolute unit too.
Oliver lack the size necessary to cover 6 and 8 and puts Him at a disadvantage to making squads. As an out and out 7 Oliver wouldn’t be far off if not already better than timoney but over all it’d be very hard to break in with out the versatility
Fair points.
A player I forgot about at 7 is Scott Penny, similar size to Oliver .
I imagine Oliver is quite a bit off Timoney in Andy Farrell's eyes. Obviously I have no clue what he's thinking but I think it's pretty clear that Farrell will pick bigger, dynamic forwards where possible (see Loughman over O'Sullivan/Wycherly, Heffernan over Scannell, O'Toole over Moore, Treadwell over Molony, etc.).
I think that Oliver has been the form openside in Ireland outside of the squad that went to NZ, but tbh Connors would probably leapfrog him if fit. I could even imagine Farrell preferring Penny, despite being a similar size he is extremely powerful
Connors would absolutely leap frog him if fit; people forget just how good Connors' stint was in a green shirt prior to his injury. Connors brings elite size to a back row as well at c. 6ft 4.5 or so.
Any idea as to how Connors' recovery is progressing? He's played very little rugby the last two seasons.
I’m starting to get very excited for next season now. Some serious players brought in. Some very decent performances not not backed up by results last year made things look worse than they were.
If you’d come away with home and away Wins against Leicester you’d forgive the hammering Edinburgh dished out a lot easier.
Some exciting young talent coming through too. All looking good
New S&C coach too tight? Our points difference was in the last 20 mins was among the worst in the league last year. If we can improve that, along with our discipline, and the natural development of the young players we've given game time too, we should have the foundations of a decent season in place.
Yeah former limerick hurling s and c, limerick have stood out in s and c Over the last few seasons. Different sports but he’s had a year with ulster (they were decent last year too)
Any idea when European fixtures will be announced ? Eager to start planning an away trip.
Connacht academy 22-23
Year 1
Matthew Devine – Scrum-Half
John Devine – Centre
Daniel Hawkshaw – Centre
Shane Mallon – Centre
Oisin Michel – Prop
Harry West – Out-Half
Year 2
Hubert Gilvarry – Scrum-Half
Josh O’Connor – Back Three
Will Reilly – Scrum-Half
Bart Vermeulen – Prop
Year 3
Eoin de Buitléar – Hooker
Donnacha Byrne – Back Row
Charlie Ward – Prop
The relevant weekends are listed here:
https://twitter.com/connachtrugby/status/1550178833512398848
Loosehead
Denis Buckley (32) - Signed contract in 2021
Matthew Burke (25) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Peter Dooley (28) - Signed contract in 2022
Jordan Duggan (24) - Signed contract in 2021
Oisin Michel (20) - Academy year 1
Bart Vermeulen (?) - Academy year 2
Charlie Ward (22) - Academy year 3
Tighthead
Jack Aungier (23) - Signed contract in 2022
Finlay Bealham (31) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Sam Illo (21) - Signed 2 year contract in 2021
Dominic Robertson-McCoy (28) - Signed 1 year contract in 2022
Hooker
Shane Delahunt (28) - Signed contract in 2021
Dave Heffernan (31) - Signed contract in 2021
Dylan Tierney-Martin (23) - Signed 1 year contract in 2022
Eoin De Buitléar (20) - Academy year 3
Lock
Oisin Dowling (25) - Signed contract in 2022
Leva Fifita (33) - Signed contract in 2021
Darragh Murray (21) - Signed contract in 2022
Niall Murray (22) - Signed contract in 2021
Gavin Thornbury (28) - Signed contract in 2021
Back row
Ciaran Booth (22) - Signed contract in 2022
Paul Boyle (25) - Signed contract in 2021
Jarrad Butler (31) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Shamus Hurley-Langton (22) - Signed contract in 2022
Sean Masterson (24) - Signed contract in 2021
Oisin McCormack (21) - Signed contract in 2022
Josh Murphy (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Conor Oliver (26) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Cian Prendergast (22) - Signed 3 year contract in 2022
Donnacha Byrne (21) - Academy year 3
Scrumhalf
Caolin Blade (28) - Signed 1 year contract in 2022
Kieran Marmion (30) - Signed 3 year contract in 2020
Colm Reilly (23) - Signed contract in 2021
Matthew Devine (20) - Academy year 1
Hubert Gilvarry (u22) - Academy year 2
Will Reilly (u22) - Academy year 2
Outhalf
Jack Carty (30) - Signed 3 year contract in 2022
Conor Fitzgerald (24) - Signed contract in 2021
Cathal Forde (20) - Signed contract in 2022
Harry West (u20) - Academy year 1
Centre
Bundee Aki (32) - Signed 3 year central contract in 2020
Shayne Bolton (22) - Signed contract in 2021
Tom Daly (29) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Tom Farrell (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
David Hawkshaw (23) - Signed contract in 2022
Shane Jennings (21) - Signed contract in 2022
John Devine (u20) - Academy year 1
Daniel Hawkshaw (20) - Academy year 1
Back 3
Adam Byrne (27) - Signed contract in 2022
Mack Hansen (24) - Signed 3 year contract in 2022
Diarmuid Kilgallen (22) - Signed contract in 2022
Oran McNulty (22) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Tiernan O'Halloran (31) - Signed 1 year contract in 2022
John Porch (28) - Signed 1 year contract in 2022
Byron Ralston (22) - Signed contract in 2022
Alex Wootton (28) - Signed contract in 2021
Shane Mallon (20) - Academy year 1
Josh O'Connor (21) - Academy year 2
*ages as at 01/09/2022
Quinn Roux has moved to Bath
https://twitter.com/BathRugby/status/1552322940116602883
Absolutely brutal first five fixtures.
Awful fixture list
Arguably the 5 strongest teams in the URC, our points total wont be pretty after that start I would fear.
Ulster A
Stormers A
Bulls A
Munster H
Leinster H
OUCH! Potential for a very nasty start to the season and suddenly you are playing catch up from the very beginning.
All interpos done by the end if the year as well. That's brutal.
Maybe the stats say otherwise but I always think when Connacht start a season well they usually have a decent season but a bad start can be a real killer. Just hard to play catch up with no momentum from early wins. Potential is really there for a 0-5 start. Hopefully they can nick a win or two from somewhere.
Scottish hooker Grant Stewart signed on a 6 month deal for injury cover
https://www.connachtrugby.ie/connacht-sign-scottish-hooker-grant-stewart/
Good bit of business
So yes, the openers are tough but some of those games are winnable - Ulster and Bulls (Away, and tougher) and Munster (Home). In 2021 we won two from our first five, with victories against Ulster (Aviva) and the Bulls (Home).
But the real damage last year were the defeats by the Welsh and Scottish sides (the latter performances were among our worst all season). These teams are our competitors for the last eight, and our ability to put away teams like the Dragons and Cardiff will be a good yardstick of our progress.
That's a decent bit bit of business. I wonder was Carolan contacted to sound it out.
https://www.westmeathindependent.ie/2022/08/03/company-founded-by-athlone-man-sold-for-reported-e200-million/
A great success story from a former player.
R Ah You finishing his career from no gametime in Ulster, Newcastle, no more in prod2, to french 5th division..
Didn't see it at the time but huge respect to him for his openness regarding his struggles with his mental health:
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/ulster-rugby/i-didnt-care-if-i-died-at-21-former-ulster-prop-rodney-ah-you-opens-up-on-depression-in-emotional-video-38534519.html
So, we'll be stripped close to normal gamesheets without many extra numbers for friendlies, Academy included, as no one will play both Castres and Sale 2 days after
I'd have Heffernan and Bealham involved on the bench at home, as they had very few gametime in N-Z, but none of Hansen, Aki and Prendergast
Delahunt is the only injury case I'm aware of
France stage is making bounds so I'd send newcomers and players needing a fresh start after a mixed season
so 28 men
1) Dooley
2) Stewart
3) Illo
4) Thornbury
5) Murphy
6) Booth
7) McCormack
8) Hurley-Langton
9) Marmion
10) Fitz
12) Forde/Hawkshaw
13) Bolton
14) Ralston
11) O'Connor
15) Byrne
16) De Buitlear
17) Duggan
18) Aungier
19) N.Murray
20) S.Masterson
21) C.Reilly
22) Hawkshaw/Forde
23) McNulty
Reserves :
Ward or Michel
Vermulen
(props)
D.Byrne (row)
Gilvarry (SH)
J.Devine (back)
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://wa.vanillicon.com/v2/ad289898c0c6dda7e667bf900ae26d0c.svg)
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://wd.vanillicon.com/v2/ddb508ca3281bbcc5001177dc26332a1.svg)
