Kudos to Jarad Butler for his impact with Wegians at the weekend
The more I look at the draw, the more hopeful I am of an exciting run to the final - we should really be able to beat Cardiff at home. Then maybe Racing 92, followed by Lyon? It wouldn't matter who we got in a final, because it would be a day out, and we're undefeated in finals :-)
Loosehead
Denis Buckley (35) 2025+1
Peter Dooley (31) 2025+1
Jordan Duggan (27) 2026
Billy Bohan (19) Year 1
Tighthead
Jack Aungier (26) 2026
Finlay Bealham (33) 2026
Sam Illo (24) 2027
Temi Lasisi (24) 2025?
Fiachna Barrett (22) Year 2
Hooker
Eoin De Buitléar (23) 2025
Dave Heffernan (34) 2025
Adam McBurney (28) 2025?
Dylan Tierney-Martin (26) 2026
Matthew Victory (22) Year 2
Lock
Oisin Dowling (28) 2026
Joe Joyce (31) 2025?
Josh Murphy (30) 2025
Darragh Murray (24) 2026
Niall Murray (25) 2027
David O'Connor (30) 2025?
Back row
Paul Boyle (28) 2027
Shamus Hurley-Langton (25) 2026
Sean Jansen (26) 2027
Oisin McCormack (24) 2025?
Sean O'Brien (25) 2025?
Conor Oliver (29) 2025
Cian Prendergast (25) 2028
Max Flynn (20) Year 1
Eanna McCarthy (20) Year 1
Scrumhalf
Caolin Blade (31) 2026
Matthew Devine (23) 2026?
Ben Murphy (24) 2026
Colm Reilly (26) 2025
Tomas Farthing (20) Year 1
Outhalf
Jack Carty (33) 2025
JJ Hanrahan (33) 2025?
Josh Ioane (30) 2025
Sean Naughton (21) Year 2
Harry West (22) - Year 3
Centre
Bundee Aki (35) 2026
Cathal Forde (23) 2026
Hugh Gavin (21) 2026?
David Hawkshaw (26) 2025
Piers O'Conor (30) 2026?
John Devine (21) Year 3
Daniel Hawkshaw (23) Year 3
Back 3
Shayne Bolton (25) 2026
Santiago Cordero (31) 2025
Mack Hansen (27) 2025
Shane Jennings (24) 2026+1
Chay Mullins (23) - 2026?
John Porch (31) 2025
Byron Ralston (25) 2026
Andrew Smith (25) 2025
Shane Mallon (23) Year 3
James Nicholson (22) Year 2
Finn Treacy (21) Year 2
*ages as at 01/09/2025
Lots of business to be done still - Josh Murphy, Joyce, and Hansen would be my priorities.
I'd be very happy to meet French sides because the top 14 is far more important to them than the challenge cup.
Dave Heffernan and David Hawkshaw too: plus getting Ciaran Frawley or Ben Healy in as a 10.
or Brett Connon if Newacastle are relegated
How long in the de-contamination showers until the Healy becomes IQ again?
According to the below link his last outing for Scotland was July last, but he also played for Scotland A against Chile. Assuming he gets no other caps in the next 3 years then he would be eligible in 2027 either August or December, which month depends on whether or not the A game is a fully capped game
Having said that I think it would be risky on the part of the IRFU to bring him back because Scotland could run into a run of injuries and call him up at any stage and your screwed then. If the IRFU were to push any exiled OH towards Connacht you'd imagine it would be Harry Byrne as eligibility wouldn't be an issue
https://all.rugby/player/ben-healy
Connacht host Cardiff at 8pm on April 5th.
Anyone heard any concrete rumours about players Connacht might be after?
Ulster already announced an excellent signing and Munster being linked to a lot of promising players..... not a dicky bird about us.
Would like to see a depth chart of something like the below next season:
Loosehead: A.N. Other, Dooley, Buckley, Duggan; Bohan
Hooker: Heffernan, A.N. Other, Tierney-Martin, de Buitlear; Victory
Tighthead: Bealham, Aungier, Illo, Barrett; Watchorn
Lock: J Murphy, Joyce, D Murray, N Murray, Dowling, O'Connor/Dunne/A.N. Other; Ronan
Back row: Prendergast, Hurley-Langton, Boyle, A.N. Other, Jansen, O'Brien, Oliver; Flynn, McCarthy, Power
Scrumhalf: Murphy, Blade, M Devine; Farthing
Outhalf: Byrne/Frawley/A.N. Other, Carty; Naughton
Centre: Aki, Gavin, Forde, David Hawkshaw, J Devine; Walsh
Back 3: Hansen, O'Conor, Bolton, Jennings, Ralston, Mullins, Smith; Nicholson, Treacy, Farrell
42 senior players, down from 44 currently. Barrett and John Devine on dev contracts.
Did you overlook Lasisi or exclude him intentionally?
Excluded as we don't seem to have a plan for him and I think it's time to accelerate Barrett's development, but I'd be happy to see him stay (preferably as a loosehead).
Due to weather conditions the game against Warriors has been moved to Sunday 26th at 3:30
Just saw that. Travelling over but flight home is at 6pm from Edinburgh so missing the game now. Gutted. No issue with the game being rescheduled but what was preventing them from fixing it for Saturday or Sunday early afternoon. Must have known there would be a decent travelling support going over and most would be going back the Sunday.
Was just about to post it was unlikely to go ahead. Thanks
Maybe Want to move to best opportunity to be played and to still allow game be shown on tv
Yes probably something to do with TV alright but still don’t see what would have stopped them televising an early Sunday kick off. Would hardly be clashing with anything.
I think Carty is gone. Out of all the tens here, I’d say JJ would be the most likely to stay around.
The master of none podcast have also said that Cordero would be happy to take a pay cut to stay for another contract. He’s starting to pick up a bit of form, personally wouldn’t be against it.
You could be right on the 10s. I would prefer Carty as I think he's a better player with a better injury profile, and homegrown also. On the other hand JJ provides more of the steadying influence you'd want from an older 10, and is already coaching several of our academy backs for Corinthians. If either is to stay I would only want it to be as backup and a mentor to Naughton, who I think is a proper prospect.
I assumed we wouldn't be able to renew Cordero but if the finances were right I wouldn't be opposed. He hasn't set the world alight but plays a lot of minutes and and is improving, seems like a good guy to have around the squad too.
I'd like to see Cordero back too.
As regards the out-half I'd prefer Carty as a ten minute man.
any confirmation if the rescheduled game is going to be on tv? tG4 appear to be showing the Galway game
It's on tg4 player and app only
CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY 23 VS GLASGOW WARRIORS 15:30, Sunday 26th January 2025 @ Scotstoun Stadium
Number/Name/Caps
15. Santiago Cordero (15) 14. Chay Mullins (4) 13. Piers O’Conor (11) 12. David Hakwshaw (39) 11. Byron Ralston (35) 10. JJ Hanrahan (20) 9. Caolin Blade (203) 1. Peter Dooley (46) 2. Dave Heffernan (209) 3. Jack Aungier (77) 4. David O'Connor (5) 5. Joe Joyce (29) 6. Josh Murphy (28) 7. Shamus Hurley-Langton (48) 8. Sean Jansen (16)
16. Dylan Tierney-Martin (47) 17. Jordan Duggan (55) 18. Sam Illo (26) 19. Oisin Dowling (68) 20. Paul Boyle (105) 21. Matthew Devine (9) 22. Jack Carty (217) 23. Finn Treacy*
So no Aki, Ioane, Blade, Murphy, Bealham, Prendergast or Oliver with Boyle on the bench. Is Forde injured?
I like it.
I believe Forde is in Ireland camp in Portugal.
blade?
Aki, Bealham, Prendergast, Mack, Murphy and Forde are in Portugal with the Irish team. It was well known they wouldn't be involved this weekend.
Blade is joining up with the squad after the game as well the Leinster pair of James Lowe and Dan Sheehan
Ioane's wife is after having a baby so he's been given the week off.
I missed that he was in the team.
Blade is playing might have been a better post by you.
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