15. Tiernan O’Halloran (232) 14. Diarmuid Kilgallen (22) 13. David Hawkshaw (25) 12. Cathal Forde (24) 11. Andrew Smith (10) 10. Jack Carty (207) (C) 9. Michael McDonald (7) 1. Jordan Duggan (44) 2. Dave Heffernan (192) 3. Jack Aungier (63) 4. Niall Murray (69) 5. Joe Joyce (13) 6. Cian Prendergast (62) 7. Shamus Hurley-Langton (33) 8. Paul Boyle (88)
16. Eoin de Buitléar (5) 17. Denis Buckley (243) 18. Sam Illo (17) 19. Darragh Murray (20) 20. Jarrad Butler (123) 21. Colm Reilly (24) 22. Shane Jennings (7) 23. Shayne Bolton (11)
Lot of changes again, maybe we will hit on a winning combination yet.
I think that we’re well stocked at 12 for the next few years. However, we’re very light at 10, 13 and at 15 (hopefully Santiago can do the business there). We really need to recruit at 10 and 13 urgently.
I suppose when Bundee is back, Forde could get a run at 13 for the rest of the season.
Carty will likely start 10 vs Benetton and Hawkshaw should be 22 with Farrell selected at 13. The coaching team must choose the strongest side this Saturday.
Clearly there are coaching issues that need to be resolved. But the 10 issue is killing us. We know the pros and cons of our two current 10s and to be honest the cons are winning these days
Agreed. Would love to see Cathal playing 10. We have lots of talent at centre to cover his absence
From a weight profile Hugh is already a stone heavier and 2 years younger....
https://all.rugby/player/cathal-forde
Hard to know the accuracy on thise figures..
Think Cathal is probably a 13 under that profile.... I still would love to try him at 10... He seems to have all the skills for the position
As an outside center, Hawkshaw is not in the same league as Tom... Hawkshaw is a great squad player who can fill so many holes in a pinch (wouldn't been a loss at out half last Saturday)...
Seemingly his partner had a baby in the past week, so bondage, sorry bonding, comes first.
Ditto...
Main thing is he is defence which seems to be good...
Obviously from 7s he is a glorious open field runner..
I think he is one to watch, he's improving..
Perhaps the other provinces are not interested in A games. Their players are playing at much higher levels of the AIL, they may be happy with that as their primary pathway, and not want to pull players from their clubs. Overseas A competitions are probably not financially viable unfortunately.
It's a tough situation for the academy lads, especially the less obvious prospects. How does someone like Charlie Ward earn a new contract?
Yeah I tend to agree, just wanted to mention him as he's said his preferred position is 13 and I think he tends to fly under the radar a tad when we are discussing the next generation of Connacht outside backs.
The Sean O'Brien situation was unfortunate, from what I remember he found form very late in the 20/21 season, long after contract decisions would have been made. He wasn't really on anyone's radar before then. At the time we had Tom Farrell and Sammy Arnold at 13 with Tom Daly covering occasionally, I think it was a justifiable decision. He would certainly fill a gap now though.
I'd love to see someone ask Wilkins about the lack of Eagles/A games. It just seems so obvious, especially given the fact that a lot of our academy players are playing in the lower reaches of the AIL.
yeah think Connacht are really missing a trick with the lack of A games / friendlies in comparison to the other provinces.
So the assumption seems to be that Farrell is gone. Sean O'Brien was a good 13, we let him go after he'd been with the province for what, five years? Next year he'll be playing inside Kilgallen at Munster, it's insanity.
Hawkshaw was good at 12 and if Forde is out this weekend, he'll be back there. Otherwise we can try him at 15 or have another go at 10. If we had an Eagles schedule these things could be tried out.
Personally think Treacy will make it as a winger. I know he’s played at 13 underage but he just looked like a mixture between Ralston and Bolton on the wing. Serious work ethic, defensively solid and sharp in attack.
Liam Turner is only Irish 13 I can see that could be signed, apart from that it’d need to be an niq
I think there's no reason Gavin can't be our long term 13 but next season is too soon. Even Garry Ringrose spent a season playing wing after u20s to ease into senior rugby, and he's always been an out-and-out 13. Finn Treacy is a lot more likely to be a 13 at pro level than Devine imo, he and Gavin played in the centres together a few times for Wegians this season.
Yeah I think the long term partnership will be Forde and Gavin. Forde has a couple of games at 13 but think Gavin is better suited. Gavin played 13 for Galwegians and the Eagles I think.
Jennings looks to have been converted to a back three player. John Devine was playing at 13 outside Forde for Corinthians I believe a couple of years back.
Gavin at 13 - ok, he played there last summer but I don't recall him being as impressive there as at 12.Shane Jennings played 13, don't known if John Devine has ever been tried.
But, and I'm repeating myself here, when are Connacht going to give the youngsters a chance? Leinster had six lads from that year of U20s on the pitch against Zebre on Saturday, we have five from the same team in the academy and none of them have been capped...
Anyway, you're persuaded that Tom F is gone?
Think there’s a lot of expectation on Gavin making it. Would love to see a move for Liam Turner made
Thank f*. That's the troubling bit of the signing season mostly over for me.
Based on what we've seen with alternatives at 13, I'd like to see Tom Farrell renewed as well, don't think Ralston or Hawkshaw have demonstrated any ability to bring what he does to the position.
thats great news hes been doing really well for us and gives us 2 really strong options with Finlay aswell.
That's an epic re-sign. I'm sure there was plenty of interest in him.
Looking more likely that Farrell is off with not getting into the team at all lately.
https://www.connachtrugby.ie/news/jack-aungier-signs-twoyear-contract/bp2950/
I think he has massive potential. More gametime will benefit him hugely. Looks for work, has good skills and has a great attitude.
He has impressed me. I thought he was the only back who put in a creditable performance at the weekend. Sometimes goes too lateral but has good footwork and great hunger for a turnover.
Work in progress. Clear talent and great mentality but needs to fine tune a few things. Probably the best tries not given highlight reel in Ireland.
Thoughts on Andrew Smith so far?
I think he is already gone realhorrorshow. If you were Tom Farrell would you not already be gone
Can understand Bundee but Finlay only had some minutes off the bench and missed one game altogether. No reason he shouldn’t be back.
enclosure, main stand, behind goals open today, clan terrace open on 15th
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://wa.vanillicon.com/v2/ad289898c0c6dda7e667bf900ae26d0c.svg)
