I didn't think he was 6'9 on video of the game vs Wales that's why I re-assessed (not that much taller than Irish n°4, but if the latter is already on 2m, maybe...)
If so, at 18 only he's simply about to be the tallest rugby player in the world on a par with du Preez
Connacht have confirmed Adam Byrne, Leva Fifita, Conor Fitzgerald, Seán Masterson & Ciaran Booth will be leaving the club along with Alex Wooton, Kieran Marmion & Shane Delahunt.
https://www.connachtrugby.ie/news/connacht-rugby-confirm-departing-players/bp2533/
Confirmed that the following will depart. Think most were announced
Booth
Byrne
Delahunt
Fifita
Fitz
Marmion
Masterson
Wooten
Hopefully they pick up decent contracts elsewhere. Think Conor Fitz could be a good player if he finds a team that backs him week in, week out. Played some good stuff after the WC but once Jack took his spot back he never really got a good crack at it.
Leaves Bundee and the year 3 academy lads as the only loose ends as far as I can tell.
50/50 t'morrow calls
Dooley vs just back Buckley
Murphy vs never disappointing Dowling
SHL vs good but penaly conceeding Oliver
Butler vs Boyle our best 8 but out of rythm
Killgallen vs Jennings vs Bolton
TOH vs NcNulty vs Byrne
AND above all
Forde vs Aki (we're blessed either way)
Think it pretty much confirms Bundee is staying more than anything
Agreed - kind of puzzled on his release.
Is 23 year old Jake Flannery a much better player than 25 year old Conor Fitzgerald, to the point that the former has just gotten a 3 year deal (having barely played this season) and the latter has been released?
Any chance Conor Fitz rocks up down in UL again?
Fascinated to see the team for Saturday - listening to the most recent craggy podcast, they said Bundee has only played 3 times for us this season, is that right? None of them good performances, including a red card, and a terrible display against Ulster. I think I'd pick Forde personally, but I can see why they'd give Bundee another crack.
He was pretty good in the URC game at home to treviso
He's played 6 times for Connacht so far this year compared to his 7 Connacht apps last year. Considering he's a year older, is managed by Ireland and had an 8 week ban I'd say that's about where we could have hoped for this year.
No real surprises in that exit list.
I'm happy to see the branch find a one year deal for TOH. When fully fit he's still been our best fullback and we could do with another experienced head around the squad next year.
I hope Conor Fitz has a chance to find his game again. I had hopes for him when he first started playing for us but he's lost confidence in his game and it's been very clear that the coaches have lost confidence in him.
Any idea where Byrne is going? I think its unlikely he will play for an Irish province again.
Some talk that he is heading over to play in America not sure how true it is
You’d have to feel for the guy, had unbelievable talent, might have amassed a lot of caps but injury after injury just kept him out almost constantly
He announced his retirement
Loosehead
Denis Buckley (33) - Signed 2 + 1 year contract in 2023
Matthew Burke (26) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Peter Dooley (29) - Signed contract in 2022
Jordan Duggan (25) - Signed 1 year contract in 2023
Oisin Michel (21) - Academy year 1
Charlie Ward (23) - Academy year 3
Tighthead
Jack Aungier (24) - Signed contract in 2022
Finlay Bealham (31) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Sam Illo (22) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023
Dominic Robertson-McCoy (29) - Signed 1 year contract in 2023
Hooker
Eoin De Buitléar (21) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023
Dave Heffernan (32) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023
Dylan Tierney-Martin (24) - Signed 3 year contract in 2023
Lock
Oisin Dowling (26) - Signed contract in 2022
Joe Joyce (29) - Signed contract in 2023
Josh Murphy (28) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Darragh Murray (22) - Signed contract in 2022
Niall Murray (23) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023
Gavin Thornbury (29) - Signed 1 year contract in 2023
Back row
Paul Boyle (26) - Signed 1 year contract in 2023
Jarrad Butler (32) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Shamus Hurley-Langton (23) - Signed contract in 2022
Sean Jansen (24) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023
Oisin McCormack (22) - Signed contract in 2022
Sean O'Brien (23) - Signed contract in 2023
Conor Oliver (27) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Cian Prendergast (23) - Signed 3 year contract in 2022
Donnacha Byrne (22) - Academy year 3
John Forde (20) - Academy year 1
Scrumhalf
Caolin Blade (29) - Signed 3 year contract in 2023
Colm Reilly (24) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023
Matthew Devine (21) - Academy year 1
Will Reilly (22) - Academy year 2
Outhalf
Jack Carty (31) - Signed 3 year contract in 2022
Harry West (20) - Academy year 1
Centre
Bundee Aki (33) - Signed 3 year central contract in 2020
Shayne Bolton (23) - Signed 1 year contract in 2023
Tom Daly (30) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Tom Farrell (29) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Cathal Forde (21) - Signed contract in 2022
David Hawkshaw (24) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023
Byron Ralston (23) - Signed contract in 2022
John Devine (19) - Academy year 1
Daniel Hawkshaw (21) - Academy year 1
Back 3
Santiago Cordero (29) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023
Mack Hansen (25) - Signed 3 year contract in 2022
Shane Jennings (22) - Signed contract in 2022
Diarmuid Kilgallen (23) - Signed contract in 2022
Liam McNamara (26) - Signed contract in 2023
Oran McNulty (23) - Signed 2 year contract in 2022
Tiernan O'Halloran (32) - Signed 1 year contract in 2022
John Porch (29) - Signed 2 year contract in 2023
Andrew Smith (23) - Signed contract in 2023
Hugh Gavin (19) - Academy year 1
Shane Mallon (21) - Academy year 1
Chay Mullins (21) - Academy year 1
Josh O'Connor (22) - Academy year 2
*ages as at 01/09/2023
IN: Eoin De Buitléar (hooker, academy), Joe Joyce (lock, Bristol Bears), Sean Jansen (back row, Leicester Tigers), Sean O'Brien (back row, Leinster), Santiago Cordero (back 3, Bordeaux Bègles), Liam McNamara (back 3, Ireland Sevens), Andrew Smith (back 3, Leinster)
OUT: Shane Delahunt (hooker, retiring), Grant Stewart (hooker, TBC), Leva Fifita (lock, TBC), Ciaran Booth (back row, TBC), Sean Masterson (back row, TBC), Kieran Marmion (scrumhalf, Bristol Bears), Conor Fitzgerald (outhalf, TBC), Adam Byrne (back 3, TBC), Alex Wootton (back 3, retiring)
Loosehead: no change
Tighthead: no change
Hooker: 2 out, 1 in
Lock: 1 out, 1 in
Back row: 2 out, 2 in
Scrumhalf: 1 out, 0 in
Outhalf: 1 out, 0 in
Centre: no change
Back 3: 2 out, 3 in
Stronger year on year at tighthead (no change but good Aungier and Illo have gotten decent minutes), lock, back row, and back 3. Will have to see if we make any more signings at 2, 9, or 10, but definitely looking weaker in those positions as is currently.
10 we won't, Carty/Hawkshaw, Forde is ok back-up, McNamara recruited for that too, West coming
9 we shouldn't Devine Reilly both need to be trusted now, an Academy signing might come
2 we should. Neither of our 3 hookers are perfect. So it's Declan Moore, Galwayman Dylan Donneelan, or NIQ
as after we only have Cordero, Porch and SHL (project player) in the category (Leva leaving)
Moneyball Pacifican n°2 are easy to find IMO
Treviso is not a good example. We were not competitive in that game. Everything folded in that game. So he really had no say in the game whatsoever.
I was talking about the URC game before Christmas that Connacht won. Bundee and Boyle linked up particularly well
Absolutely do need short term experience at 9. Blade is fourth choice with Ireland and on form should travel ahead of Casey to France (not likely).
If he goes to France or gets injured you only have Reilly who barely has an experience. Bring someone in for a year, the younger lads will still get plenty of game time
RWC definites:
Mack
Finlay
RWC likely:
Bundee
Cordero (not sure if he’s still getting call ups)
RWC hopefuls:
Prendergast
Blade
Longshots:
Heff would be fifth choice it seems but Kelleher and Sheehan haven’t the best records. Forde would be my long long short bolter. If he was with Leinster he’d be in similar conversations to Frawley and Osbourne.
Niall Murray has 14 lineout steals in the URC this season so far. 6 more than any other player. Phenomenal talent.
Logged on expecting to see plenty of commentary around the selection for tomorrow, but nothing. Am I sensing a lack of interest for what is a pretty big game? They went for Bundee, which is fair enough - pressure on them all to perform, but him especially you'd have to say. Feel for Cathal Forde, but he has a long career ahead of him for us you'd hope.
CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY 23 VS CARDIFF RUGBY
Saturday 15th April, 19:35 Irish time @ The Sportsground
Number/Name/Caps
15. Tiernan O’Halloran (218)
14. Diarmuid Kilgallen (15)
13. Tom Farrell (95)
12. Bundee Aki (124)
11. Mack Hansen (25)
10. Jack Carty (191) (C)
9. Caolin Blade (166)
1. Denis Buckley (224)
2. Dylan Tierney-Martin (20)
3. Finlay Bealham (185)
4. Josh Murphy (14)
5. Niall Murray (52)
6. Cian Prendergast (43)
7. Conor Oliver (59)
8. Jarrad Butler (111)
16. Eoin de Buitléar (1)
17. Peter Dooley (16)
18. Dominic Robertson-McCoy (78)
19. Oisín Dowling (40)
20. Shamus Hurley-Langton (16)
21. Kieran Marmion (226)
22. Tom Daly (74)
23. Shane Jennings (3)
Sharks Vs Benetton at half 5 this evening is a big game for us also. Gave myself a headache thinking about the permutations but I think we want a Benetton win?
Yeah Treviso win with no bonus and no sharks bonus would be most ideal result
Very interesting to see how Friend decided to chose experience over youth for that game. Hold nerves may have been the word.
ALL and every 50/50 calls went to the lad with more time under his belt
Buckley ahead of Dooley
Murphy ahead of Dowling
Dowling ahead of D.Murray
Oliver ahead of SHL
Butler ahead of Boyle
Kilgallen ahead of Jennings/Bolton
Aki ahead of Forde
Daly ahead of Hawkshaw
Marmion ahead of Reilly
McCoy ahead of Augier/Illo
And you can suspect Thornbury and Heff may have been prefered to DTM and Murray if fit (though I do think Murray would have been retained and Murphy dropped)
Only Prendergast and Hansen are "too good to be wasted"
I see he has signed for Munster.
That's a little disappointing.
Would love to have seen him come home.
Scarlets 9-5 up in Glasgow with just under half an hour to go. Could really do with Glasgow pulling it out here. Think they were twenty point favourites before game so would hope they will still win but not the score line expected after fifty odd minutes.
12-9
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