Who will be selected at the game against Ospreys?
Given his performances in the World Cup, I hope the irfu extend Bundee’s contract without delay, notwithstanding his age
That said, he could also have made himself more attractive to clubs in France, Japan etc
A lions tour could help convince him to stay around.
He won’t get it now but he’s been my player of the tournament.
Not sure on injuries but I’d guess something like:
Buckley Heff Aungier
N Murray Joyce
SHL Prendy Oliver
Blade Carty
Forde Farrell
Smith Porch Kilgallen
DTM Dooley Illo dowling Boyle Reilly JJ Ralston
Thank you very much. I cannot wait the first match.
And one more question. Can someone who currently lives and plays rugby abroad and has very excellent achievement for Ireland will be selected Lionstour member? Now Bundie's youngest brother(maybe 20 years old and from NZ) live in Japan and is a rugby player at university (Kantougakuin) in Yokohama city. I'm not sure what or how he is thinking, but・・・. (In many japanese opinion, Japan is worst for child-life and education especially for foreigners.)
Now I was in Edinburgh for that big day in 2016. But I have to say Sexton that day was incredible. Sexton you will be sadly missed by all rugby fans
more than likely Tiernan will be full back. Porch is not a full back.
3-4 weeks before we see the Irish lads involved according to Wilkins
https://www.unitedrugby.com/latest/news/meritocracy-qualification-will-make-urc-stronger
Hopefully the Macron kit is up to the season ahead. Just noticed last weekend that Wales have Macron as well and their jersies looked like they were falling apart during the game against Argentina.
Explain how that is meritocracy
Explain how it isn't?
So something like the following this weekend?
(15-9, 1-8): O'Halloran, Ralston, Farrell, Daly/Forde/Hawkshaw, Porch, Carty, Blade, Buckley, Tierney-Martin, Aungier, N Murray/Thornbury, Joyce, Hurley-Langton, Oliver, Prendergast
Reps: McElroy/de Buitlear, Dooley, Illo, N Murray/Thornbury, Butler, Reilly, Daly/Forde/Hanrahan/Hawkshaw, Kilgallen/Smith
:)
The 18 round season is not a meritocracy. You have two very strong groups of 4 and two very weak groups of 4 who play each other twice in the 18 round system. A meritocracy would be if each team played each other once or twice ( clearly twice is not possible within the timeframe). Weak teams playing off against each other for easy points has nothing meritorious about it
I get you - and I agree (I just didn't understand what you were getting at in your previous post). I think the fact there's playoffs helps. If it was a straight league format we'd definitely be feeling more hard done by. Us playing the other Irish provinces more often costs us points for sure, but it also makes us better.
Completely off topic and I have my doubts we will be able to keep him this long, but SHL would be Irish qualified by the next World Cup? He would only be 27 years old
I think so, he didn't play Mitre 10 in 2022 so I assume was with us from June/July? He played his first game against Castres on 24/08/2022. Will be interesting to see if we can keep him beyond this season.
Would lead to being available for the rwc warm ups.
I’d expect him to receive big money offers from France and possibly a super rugby offer.
Hopefully the fact he actually is a little Irish, keeps him here. If he signed another two year deal. You’d imagine he’d stick it out for the fifth year then too
It would be worth it just to listen to the people complaining about us using "foreign" players while giving out about a man named Shamus Hurley-Langton
It is interesting, that as a new year begins, there is proper optimism. And I have to give credit to Andy Friend. He rebuilt this team and took all the critism in the process. What we have this year is Andy Friends legacy and I believe we should be thankful. I believe Connacht rugby future has never been more optimistic
100% agree with this. Devine was probably the most complete 9 at Irish u20s level for the last few years.
CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY 23 VS OSPREYS
15:00, Saturday 21st October 2023 @ The Sportsground
15. Andrew Smith *
14. Diarmuid Kilgallen (16)
13. Tom Farrell (99)
12. Cathal Forde (13)
11. Byron Ralston (15)
10. JJ Hanrahan *
9. Caolin Blade (170) (C)
1. Denis Buckley (228)
2. Dylan Tierney-Martin (24)
3. Jack Aungier 50)
4. Oisín Dowling (44)
5. Joe Joyce *
6. Cian Prendergast (47)
7. Shamus Hurley-Langton (20)
8. Jarrad Butler (114)
16. Tadgh McElroy *
17. Peter Dooley (18)
18. Dominic Robertson-McCoy (79)
19. Niall Murray (56)
20. Seán O’Brien *
21. Colm Reilly (17)
22. Jack Carty (195)
23. Liam McNamara *
It's a really interesting team selection. Not what most would have expected but to be honest I find it a very exciting selection. If it works it really could be a sign of what is to come for the rest of the year. I simply like this a lot.
Oliver and Porch miss out throughout injury.
Hanrahan picked based on performances in training
Interesting that. Thought JJ would be putting pressure on Jack this year but didn’t expect it so soon. Presume it’s similarly why Dowling is ahead of Murray.
Good for Jack overall to know he has to perform or he will be on the bench. Competion focuses the mind
No Boyle! He's in danger of falling off a cliff. Very strange. He was playing great a couple of years back.
Injur
injured per the squad update during the week
https://www.connachtrugby.ie/news/squad-update/bp2735/
Good to see Thornbury starting for blackrock this weekend
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