Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

Ioane is contracted until the end of the 26/27 season. He could be bought out etc but his younger child was just born a year ago - if I was him, I wouldn't want to leave ahead of schedule.

Yes, Gavin has been the plan for 13, and has done pretty well so far, but he is being transitioned from 12 and it may take some more time. In terms of defensive reads, Ioane's outhalf eyes should help him read an opposition's attack.

I think it's important that we commit to Frawley at 10 but Ioane has been so good with ball in hand that we should think about how he could be redeployed.

Jackman talking again about Devine to Ulster or maybe France. When Connacht go on so much about grass roots to green shirts and developing their own home grown players it seems like madness to allow a situation to develop where a 23 year old scrum half is let go while we keep a 31 year old scrum half. No offence to Blade who's been a great servant but if you are keeping one surely it's the player who is 8 years younger. Or even keep Blade and move Murphy on. Keeping all three seems unsustainable as they all want to play.

The problem with retaining Devine over either Murphy or Blade is that he can't box kick to save his life. He's an absolute livewire in other aspects of his game and is a reasonable passer, but if he can't improve his box kicking under coaching here then he may well be the one to cut. Green shoots/shirts or none.

Frawley confirmed on a 2 year deal. Not entirely show how to best use him but improving the quality of the squad can only be a good thing surely. The more player turnover the better from my perspective.

Frawley strikes me as a guy with a winner's mentality, which we seem to need more of.

Super signing! Huge asset for Connacht.

He is the fastest SH we have…

I don't seem to remeber his box kicking being that bad… Murphy has the odd bad one, like every SH..

I think if we had one to go it should be Blade… Great servant but youth is more important… He would be very good in Ulster, kinda suits them…

If it became between Murphy and Devine, I would probably swing towards Devine… Murphy in fairness has a home in Leinster or Ulster…

I think we need a couple front five signings for next season also. We are obviously quite light in the front five. We have smallish props who are also now getting on in years. Barrett is a big lump in fairness but inexperienced. A good solid prop and a big powerful second row would probably do wonders for this team. Just to add a bit of thump up front.

I honestly think it would be criminal to let Devine go, he has more X factor in terms of speed and alertness than Murphy even if both look a bit physically light for today’s game. We probably can’t keep both and satisfy their need for first team minutes (I’d love it, if we could) but I’d happily settle for Devine with Blade as backup. Bringing in Frawley and playing him at 10 with Devine alongside at 9, Cathal Forde and Gavin at centres would be great to see.
I think Bundee is on the wane and even if he can still raise his game for Irish camps, he’s just not offering anything like consistent performances at URC level. I’d like to see us say thanks for everything you’ve done and move on.
Not sure where we get the front row replacements we need, but worrying when DTM replaced Heffernan the lineout wobbled so badly that we resorted to choosing a scrum instead of a lineout.

I completely agree we need decent players in @ 1, 2 and lock. Squad players are not needed. Frawley is a great signing but the backline is decent.

Agreed on those 2. We need back up to Heff as neither DTM or de Buitlear are good enough. McKee or Gus McCarthy from Leinster or Lancaster to go back to Racing for their hooker we had here for pre-season training might work. We have to hope Lasisi can come through to back up Dooley as Bucks will surely retire at the end of this season and Duggan doesn't look URC standard. At lock could we persuade Roux to finish his career here? If not then O'Tighnearaigh from Leinster or Jack Dunne back from Japan. Joyce and Dave O'Connor likely to be on their way at the end of the season. Great to get Frawley in to start at 10 next season and if we could get Larmour in too that would be a result.

SHL out until March after shoulder surgery last week. I thought he was on his way back.

Loose head prop or tight head lock.

Agreed. Loosehead is probably more realistic, they tend to command lesser salaries. Tighthead locks are hugely in demand and tend to be top earners, particularly in France. Our best bet is surely Quinn Roux, as he'd get sportsperson relief if he retires here and apparently has a house in Galway, which would make relocation simpler than in France. I've seen Jack Dunne mentioned but tbh I don't think he'd be an upgrade on Dave O'Connor. If he had significant potential I think he would have realised it at either Leinster or Exeter.