Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

ElisaAtWar · 23-03-2026 08:34PM

Have to say 5 points v Ospreys, 5 points v Munster and 5 points v Edinburgh are highly likely plus whatever points gained in SA. Suspect top 4 easily

testtech05 · 24-03-2026 02:35PM

Jack Carty has confirmed he is retiring at the end of the season. A great servant best of luck to him with everything in the future

RonnieL · 24-03-2026 03:22PM

No surprise - hopefully he can go out on a high. A sound man.

realhorrorshow · 24-03-2026 03:23PM

Jack's still playing good rugby but it's probably a good time for him to retire, seems he's quite busy outside of rugby.

Hopefully the Ioane to Ulster rumours are more Jackman bullshit, we need him for another season, after which we will hopefully have a depth chart something like:

Frawley, Naughton, O'Shaughnessy

I believe that we have 33 senior players confirmed for next season, with question marks over the following 11:

Buckley, Dooley, Lasisi, Aungier, Bealham, Dowling, Hurley-Langton, McCormack, Hawkshaw, Mullins, West

Plus I'd imagine Billy Bohan graduates from the academy a year early.

Tommybojangles · 24-03-2026 03:27PM

I've certainly criticised Carty a lot on here probably more than he deserved but maybe that comes with being the lighting rod of first choice 10 for your team.

A fantastic servant and top top player on his day. Made us all so proud to see a Connacht 10 linign out for Ireland in he 6 nations and World Cup for the first time since elwood. His form in those days was unbelieveable and he was cutting teasm open for fun in the URC. Best memory of him will always be that gamne winning kick against Wasps in the Heineken Cup, back when the pool stage of that competition meant something. Some pints were drank that night

realhorrorshow · 24-03-2026 03:38PM

2026 senior squad (ages at 01/09/2026), italics yet to be confirmed.

LHP

Jordan Duggan (28)

Francois van Wyk (35)

Denis Buckley (36)

Peter Dooley (32)

Temi Lasisi (25)

HK

Eoin de Buitléar (24)

Dave Heffernan (35)

Dylan Tierney-Martin (27)

Matthew Victory (23)

THP

Fiachna Barrett (23)

Sam Illo (25)

Jack Aungier (27)

Finlay Bealham (34)

LK

Darragh Murray (25)

Niall Murray (26)

David O'Connor (31)

Oisin Dowling (29)

BR

Paul Boyle (29)

Will Connors (30)

Sean Jansen (27)

Josh Murphy (31)

Sean O'Brien (26)

Cian Prendergast (26)

Shamus Hurley-Langton (26)

Oisin McCormack (25)

SH

Caolin Blade (32)

Ben Murphy (25)

Colm Reilly (27)

OH

Ciaran Frawley (28)

Josh Ioane (31)

CT

Bundee Aki (36)

John Devine (22)

Cathal Forde (24)

Hugh Gavin (22)

Byron Ralston (26)

David Hawkshaw (27)

B3

Shayne Bolton (26)

Sam Gilbert (27)

Mack Hansen (28)

Shane Jennings (25)

Sean Naughton (21)

Finn Treacy (22)

Chay Mullins (24)

Harry West (23)

CuriousCucumber · 24-03-2026 05:26PM

Not Jacks biggest fan, but he was a wonderful servant for Connacht, and had some magic moments.

Can't remember who it was against, but he did an amazing cross field banana kick out to Matt Healy in front of the main stand. Pretty sure it was a European game.

When things clicked for him, he was brilliant. He scored a cracker of a try in the RDS back in the day too.

Unfairly criticized for the Ireland loss against Japan in 2019.

The winning kick against Wasps was like a dream.

Wish him all the best in his retirement. From all accounts, he was due to retire last season, but got talked into one more year. Has played fine this year, and was worth his contract.

SqueakyKneecap · 24-03-2026 05:52PM

When he was at his best he was sensational but outhalf is a very tough position at the highest level. Still had plenty of good days and can be pretty happy with his career all being told. Best of luck to him in his new ventures.

ElisaAtWar · 24-03-2026 05:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124337291#Comment_124337291

I was at that Wasps game. And yes that was a highlight. In the long run it wasn't Jacks fault that Connacht laboured for years. There was just no other option to Jack. So I have mixed emotions on Jacks retirement. I know I was highly critical of him but Connacht rugby never provided a viable alternative.

These days we have Naughton and Gilbert who are excellent kickers, we have Ioane who really can break the gain line. But Jack has his qualities also which is why I was happy to see him start v Ulster.

Its hard to say what I feel about Jack retiring so I will just say thanks.

ShineyShiney · 24-03-2026 07:03PM

Big Jack Carty fan. There were seasons where himself and Farrell carried our attack kicking and screaming. Never gave anything less than 100% and like all players sometimes that was enough to get the wins and sometimes it wasn't. Thanks

accensi0n · 24-03-2026 10:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124337743#Comment_124337743

Thought you were gone from the forum?

ElisaAtWar · 24-03-2026 10:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124338341#Comment_124338341

Gone from Leinster thread. My bad

accensi0n · 24-03-2026 11:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124338378#Comment_124338378

And Ireland though right?

You said Leinster and Ireland.

Otherwise it's an obvious and complete backtrack.

ElisaAtWar · 24-03-2026 11:09PM

Jack is such an interesting case. I met many players prior and post Connacht games and of all of them Jack was different. I was at many games where the abuse hurled from the sidelines towards Jack was beyond offensive. And I know I did post negative stuff about Jack over the years but it was always about what was best for Connacht.

Any time I came across Jack at the dressing rooms when heading out to the pitch he never acknowledged anyone while most players would just be thankful that you came along as a fan.

He was a strange kid. You kind of felt a bit sorry for him as he never really embraced what he had but instead struggled all those years. And 15 years is a lot of your life to be struggling particularly when those are your best years

Lost Ormond · 24-03-2026 11:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124338449#Comment_124338449

MOD get back on topic. theyre perfectly entitled to back track and post in any thread they are allowed to post in. this ends here

sydthebeat · 25-03-2026 09:46AM

So Lancaster is bringing in two new coaches next season (forward and back)

One more signing is to be announced

Ioane is staying for next season.

b.gud · 25-03-2026 12:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124338960#Comment_124338960

Thanks for the info, out of curiosity is this an online rumor or some other source?

realhorrorshow · 25-03-2026 12:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124339429#Comment_124339429

It's from a Reddit post about a season ticket holder Q&A.

Zeugnis · 25-03-2026 01:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124338960#Comment_124338960

Presumably the signing will be a lock.

Good news on Ioane, gives us another season to develop at 10, and he has teammates who can compensate for limitations.

Redo91 · 25-03-2026 02:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124338960#Comment_124338960

Jimmy Duffy must be in the mix for forwards coach given he has just left Ulster to be closer to family in Galway.

ShineyShiney · 25-03-2026 03:33PM

With

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124337281#Comment_124337281

33 confirmed as signed.

1 new signing, Ioane and Bohan from the academy leave us at 36.

West and Bealham almost certain to remain i'd say gives us 38.

Is there hope we might retain SHL and Aungier.

I'd be happy!

realhorrorshow · 25-03-2026 04:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124339941#Comment_124339941

33 includes Ioane, he's always been contracted but there was chatter around him nonetheless. I listed them out a couple of posts after that one.

sydthebeat · 25-03-2026 04:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124339429#Comment_124339429

From a whatsapp group, but directly from an attendee of the Q+A.

some interesting tidbits from prendergast boyle and moose that the toughest session they had all year was yesterday (so no let up after a great win)

Defensive sessions as 12 v 15 as well

b.gud · 25-03-2026 04:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124340083#Comment_124340083

Thanks.

Yeah I thought that it was interesting listening to Lancasters press conference yesterday where he was positive about the match but also pointed out a number of areas where he thought they didn't do as well as they could. So great to see that he is really driving standards in the group

eagle eye · 25-03-2026 05:53PM

The thing about Connacht and Stu is that he came in

eagle eye · 25-03-2026 06:00PM

The thing about Stu and Connacht which is different to anywhere is that he came in here and was given the keys and he makes all the decisions.

He never had that anywhere else, people get in your way and disagree with you strongly enough to affect things.

It took a bit of time to get things right but we are seeing massive improvement already, much earlier than I expected.

I'm really excited about next season. Another offseason to improve things, players coming in that he wants.

I'm really excited about Frawley. We need a number 10, he knows him very well. I always said he never got a fair shot at the position with Leinster. I wasn't sure about him at the position but I'm very hopeful with him being brought here by a man that knows him well that he might be better than we all think.

lavrenti · 25-03-2026 06:42PM

With the Etienne Oosthuizen signing from the Lions now seemingly dead, does anyone have any idea who we're going with to replace Joyce?

ElisaAtWar · 25-03-2026 08:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124340083#Comment_124340083

I liked Lancaster's press conference after the Ulster game where he said we reset to zero. For me we pick Ioane to start v Ospreys, Munster and Edinburgh as all of them have suspect defenses. Jack would not offer value off the bench in these 3 instances so I figure he won't be used.

That said I think Jack in SA is going to be a different matter. I think his ability to just get the ball away when you have big lads bearing down on you will be important.

Jack has a role to play yet in how our season goes

ElisaAtWar · 26-03-2026 03:11AM

Connacht at 15/8 for a +15 victory is odds I certainly will take

StevenToast · 26-03-2026 10:05AM

Where is the best place to park for the sportsground...can you still park at the Huntsman?

Connacht Team Talk Thread VI - Some like it TOH

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