Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Mack Hansen gets a 2yr central contract. Great for him and Connacht.

Darragh Murray called up to the Irish squad. IIRC that makes ten of ours in Ireland camp at some point during the 6N.

That's now, it wasn't always that way and I doubt it will always as it is now

Henshaw has onw and for rugny purposes was in a connacht school but overall its a still not a good trend to have so few from across the country..

So by the sounds of it for next season on the coaching front. Sexton has gone to Ulster. Fardy thought to be leaving as well. Muldoon is staying.

Rod Seib is joining in some capacity. Attack coach? Head coach? DOR?

Wilkins is staying in some capacity but rumoured to be coaching the defence in place of Fardy.

I was just thinking about the future and if you look at the underage Ireland teams we have plenty of players on them.

We have six with four regular starters on the under 18 team, Leinster have five starters, I think it's two from both Ulster and Munster and a couple from IQ rugby.

We have young players coming through all the time now and they need to be introduced to senior rugby once they hit 21. They don't need to get much time at that age but they do need some experience.

We are the second best academy in the country right now behind Leinster and with a lot less players to pick from.

If we integrate our young players into the senior squad the future is very bright I think.

All our local clubs are doing a stellar job.

It's rumoured Munster are signing a tighthead from Connacht too.

Barrett or Illo.

doesnt matter, academy contracts end at the end of every season

I'd be worried more about losing Barrett than Illo in a straight shoot out.

Players of his size don't come around all that often and he looked good at U20s.

Claimed to be 130kgs in that recent Connacht vid.

Lasisi is the only senior tighthead potentially out of contract this summer. I will be apoplectic if they sign Barrett.

Edit: Pretty sure the source of this "rumour" was just speculation on another forum.

Good news. He's still playing well, and I don't think Tierney-Martin is going to take the jersey from him. Joe Joyce next please.

Dave Heffernan signed a 2 year deal