Sam Larner on X commenting on French ProD2 players that would be a good fit for English premiership teams, good read and even if these guys don’t make it, it’s still an interesting thought process of which players are needed at different clubs. Think Connacht could do with a player like this
Pick 10: Bath Rugby
Gabin Lorre (23, Fullback) - Not many holes Bath need to fill so in place of need they go for want. Lorre is super prolific; 16 tries this season, 14 last, and he can kick - 258pts last two season. He'll take over kicking when Russell is away.
Dunne could be a good signing, and God knows we need some oomph in the second row.
I read somewhere that Jack Dunne and Eoin O'Connor are being let go by Exeter. They didn't feature much for them, but they might be a bit better than being cut suggests, given Exeter's need to slash spending.
A lot of Connacht fans seem to highlight the lack of oomph in the engine room. Dunne is 6'8'' and 120kg and pretty athletic with it.
I'm fairly optimistic about this group of players generally.
I am a bit disappointed that it looks like we have very few new additions coming in especially in light of Porch, JJ, Cordero, O Connor all supposed to be leaving. Surely their collective wages would allow at least one medium quality addition in a key role?
Irfu always record a loss in RWC years due to no Autumn Internationals. It's not unusual.
Not to single you out SqueakyKneecap. Lots of us fans are down on the team right now, but I'm going to try to be optimistic
"What a depressing couple of years it's been"
Since 2021, we've had
Go back 10 years, and all of that would be a pipe dream
I know you mentioned "couple of years" and I've gone back 4 years, but it's good to probably put some perspective on what we're going through
Unfortunately, our biggest issues have come down to coaching/attitude of the players
Fans (well, me at least) are frustrated, as the players dont seem to play anywhere near their potential when playing for us.
We need a restructure of our approach from top down. Hopefully that will come with the appointment of Millard. We need all the coaches having the same goals, and understanding of how we can get there. There is no point in one coach wanting players who play a physical, tight game, where as an other wants the ball thrown around, and our players relying on fitness.
We look disjointed these days, but hopefully we're near the end of a dark period, and there is light approaching
Yes both have. Ulster have that big Saffa backrow coming in from Northampton and Munster have announced Milne, Barron and Dan Kelly (pretty sure that's official). Not a huge amount maybe but all more than the 0 we've announced with still question marks over a few renewals.
Ignoring Leinster for a minute, but have any of the other Irish teams announced new signings for next season?
I wonder are we seeing the impact of the 2023 World Cup? The IRFU admitted that we lost money that season. Maybe the coffers are a little empty right now, and we need to persist with what we have currently.
Usually there would have been multiple signings announced at this stage
Hopefully the Devine rumours are just rumours. Once Connacht start losing the good young local players they produce to any of the other provinces they may as well knock down that big stand they are in the middle of constructing. It's a fast track to irrelevance.
I was only adding academy guys I thought might get some minutes this year. Eg, if we dont add a 2, 9 and a prop we might need a few of those guys.
Few academy players missing. Billy Bohan and Eanna McCarthy. Sean Walsh (confirmed on an instagram post), Diarmuid O'Connell and Bobby Power look like they will be also in Year 1 next year.
Mullins is not academy - Was promoted to first team squad last year. I would say Treacy gets a professional contract but Naughton stays on academy contract. Not sure if year 3 lads get a professional contract. Maybe they get an additional academy year?
Flynn and Farthing announced as part of academy intake May bank holiday weekend last year…..
Squad Update 25/26 : please correct me where I'm wrong.
Prop: Denis Buckley, Peter Dooley, Jordan Duggan, Finlay Bealham, Jack Aungier, Illo Academy: Barrett Unknown: Lasisi
Hooker: Heffernan, Dylan Tierney Martin, De Butlair Academy: Victory
Lock: Josh Murphy, Darragh Murray, Niall Murray, Oisin Dowling, Academy: None Unknown: Joe Joyce, David o Connor
Back Row: Cian Prendergast, Sean o Brien, Paul, Boyle, SHL, McCormack, Jansen Academy: Max Flynn, Unknown: Oliver
Scrum Half: Devine, Murphy, Blade Academy: Farthing Unknown: Reilly
Out Half: Ioane Academy: Naughton, Unknown: Carty
Centre: Forde, Gavin, Ralston, Aki, Hawkshaw Academy: Devine, Hawkshaw Unknown: O Connor
Back 3: Hansen, Jennings, Bolton, Mullins Academy: Tracey, West, Nicholson, Unknown: Smith, Cordero
My guess is that Naughton and Tracey will move on to senior contracts and Jack will resign as rumoured.
Couldn't agree more and symptomatic of the lack of direction from the top and Ruane. Tucker is itching to go to Munster, Fardy, Wilkins, and Sexton are gone. There's talk of Jack Carty being offered another year on his contract FFS for the want of persuading decent kicking 10's like Callum Sheedy or Ciaran Frawley to join us. There's talk of Matty Devine going to Ulster. A sorry mess indeed. What the fu@k is going on at HQ?
I'm surprised there hasn't been more of an effort by the PR team to generate some positive feeling around the province. Since the Wilkins announcement there hasn't been a single news item posted to the website other than team announcements. We're on a losing streak, our slim chance in each competition has been extinguished, we have no head coach, there are question marks over the status of several players, and we haven't announced a single signing for next year. It's a grim time to be a Connacht fan.
It's down to Willie Ruane to tie down Matty Devine on contract. Ruane needs to start earning the money he's on.
Absolutley. I think it would be a disgrace if he was allowed to leave.
On the scrum-half situation. If I could only keep one it'd be Devine. He's a fascinating prospect.
Thanks 👍
The URC takes a break this weekend for the S/Fs in both the Champions & Challenge Cups
Last home game this weekend. Looks like 33 players confirmed for next season. It would be very unusual if we didn't have a few details of players leaving for a send off. I haven't heard anything on the following players.
Joyce, Oliver, Lassisi, Reilly, David O Connor, Cordero.
Also clarity on Piers O Connor and Smyth and I would assume some announcements about Academy like Tracey and Naughton moving up.
Any word on the academy year 3 cohort? Devine, Hawkshaw, West, and Mallon.
Would keep Murphy and Devine and seriously would let Sexton take Blade to Ulster. He is what they need now… They need a guy who is senior to help lead that team. Matt Devine is still finding his path and might struggle to grasp this team…
Devine or Murphy are goingto be number one pick for Ireland in next few years. Casey doesn't have their speed, not even close, his legs move fast but he does get the yards. Lot of heart and strong but modern SH have winger speed.
Ciaran Donaghue, If we went, IRFU should stump the cash… Ulster would be all over it too… 22yrs of age no International underage and leading Bath… Bath aint giving him away but this is about Ireland having a stable of Out halves.
If I was Ulster, I would go for Blade…
He is more senior and can give them more leadership… Leinster won't rob you when they… He has a few years left and gives you time to develop a SH in his mold… Blade is more of a French Petite General which Ulster like… He would thrive there as I knew Cooney did…
BTW, Marmion has still high minutes racked this season in Bristol. Won't see him in Green again but he bled Connacht and loves Galway.
Not fair on Devine.. I am as Connacht as the next, we were the ones that gave him that coaching ticket. We selected Murphy when we knew Ulster had to come to us, Gunne not leaving Leinster he is leading the heir apparent, Munster are loosing Murray and hanging on to what they got…
This was definately coming, now or when JGP retires and Leinster will be sniffing like around with cheque book in hand…
I would have kept Devine because Murphy could be in Leinster at the end of it all…. In few years time, JGP goes, Murphy and Devine are going to be the bells of the ball unless Gunne shoots serious from the line..
Ulster needs a Scrum Half with Cooney going…
Connacht have 2 of the best up and coming… This is not suprising and to be honest with out coaching set up do we really think this doesn't happen. Matt deserves every chance he can get, I see him going through the Ulster stable of Scrum Halves like butter. Doak is just not fast enough to play the kind of Rugby Sexton will want, wasting .5 to 1 sec per break down is not on…
Connacht need a Full Back and Our Half… Getting light on wingers if Andrew Smith goes but great work with Treacy…
Need weight in pack especially when Finlay is not there… 14th in League, No point giving out to Tucker for being 16th in Scrums when he playing with empty chambers in the gun… Easier said than done. I think we might been covering up a lot cracks with Buckley's scrummaging for years…
Murphy is the top dog at 9 for me by a considerable distance and I'm concerned that we have a 1 year deal.
In typical Connacht fashion we will probably lose Devine to Ulster, piss blade off so he's on the move next season and fail to resign Murphy due to a big money offer from the UK.
In an ideal scenario we would agree an extended deal with Murphy and Devine both on 2+1 that recognizes their value.
Oue incoming 10 Ciaran Donaghue scored a cracker yesterday on his prem debut. ( Wishful thinking).
Given the potential of our players this has been the most disappointing season in the last 15yrs. A clueless coaching team with Wilkins as Head Coach and Fardy totally out of their depth. Ludicrous selection decisions week after week resulting in shot players like Cordero being continually selected. Ridiculously lop-sided recruitment resulting in us having a surplus of wingers (but no natural full back), poor quality out-halves and no grizzled ball-carrying forward. Someone above mentioned Ulster at home being the worst performance of the season. I thought that was the narrow home win over the Dragons where the second worst team in the league just about beat the worst team in the league.
Re the scrum halves: we won't have Blade, Murphy, and Devine on the books next term. One of them has to leave in order for them all to get good game time. My preference would be to keep Murphy and Devine.
Why should he select a other country, like any IQ player here, he would have ambitions to play for Ireland. Leaving kills that
Devine leaving would be an absolute disaster. Murphy has signed one year deals twice in a row. He's clearly keeping his options open, be that a return to Leinster as JGP and McGrath age out, or joining his father and brother up north.
I am very worried about the contract of Devine. Ulster which released John Cooney want good SH. Absolutely Connacht must not lose this gifted ( and Co Galway native) player. Did you watch his try saving tackle? That was the play of Antoine Dupont level ( that happened 4th quarter when Lions aimed BP try) in high humidity and altitude. He will become one of the star-players at the new stadium. Ben Murphy seems a very skilfull precocious player to my eye. If Devine want to leave Connacht, he should select other country.
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