Connacht 2021/22

[berliner]

Rumours that Conor Carey who was with Northampton could be going to Connacht.

That would be a little underwhelming, given he left Connacht in 2019.

I guess it's indicative of the limited resources available for recruitment, but I find it ironic that John Ryan has been let go by Munster and leaves for Wasps when he could have remained in the Irish system with a move west. Of course, he might fancy a go at the Premiership, what do I know...

[wixfjord]

Would imagine Ryan is on a fair bit more coin than Carey though.

[sunshiner1]

Carey is IQ and available and wouldn't be on a lot of cash. Also I imagine he would be a squad player not a first teamer but yes under-whelming if they sign him.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Robertson McCoy is now staying despite it being announced that he was leaving.

[berliner]

Robertson McCoy is now staying despite it being announced that he was leaving.

Sounds pretty shambolic.

Prior to this extension the squad size had been cut with ten out to six in, and we've lost two senior international locks (Roux, Dillane) in consecutive years which have not been replaced like for like. The prop situation was already tough over the last year. Burke stood up and enabled us to cope with Buckley's long injury, but TH became a big problem and DRMC was clearly perceived as something of a liability in the set piece (although decent in the loose though) so it wasn't a surprise when he was released. Meanwhile Munster dump Ryan and Ulster sign Jeff Toomaga-Allen... a sharp reminder where we are in the pecking order.

I know Connacht fans can come across as whiners sometimes, but I do feel it's a bit rough that we have to swallow the knife on this one. Best we can hope for at this stage is that Leinster decide to release a TH next year who wants to stay in the Irish system, as was obviously the case with Dooley.

[Ruckedtobits]

Robertson McCoy is now staying despite it being announced that he was leaving.

Sounds pretty shambolic.

Prior to this extension the squad size had been cut with ten out to six in, and we've lost two senior international locks (Roux, Dillane) in consecutive years which have not been replaced like for like. The prop situation was already tough over the last year. Burke stood up and enabled us to cope with Buckley's long injury, but TH became a big problem and DRMC was clearly perceived as something of a liability in the set piece (although decent in the loose though) so it wasn't a surprise when he was released. Meanwhile Munster dump Ryan and Ulster sign Jeff Toomaga-Allen... a sharp reminder where we are in the pecking order.

I know Connacht fans can come across as whiners sometimes, but I do feel it's a bit rough that we have to swallow the knife on this one. Best we can hope for at this stage is that Leinster decide to release a TH next year who wants to stay in the Irish system, as was obviously the case with Dooley.

Pardon my ignorance on this matter, but was Robertson McCoy acknowledged as Irish-qualified previously?

[neill_m]

Robertson McCoy is now staying despite it being announced that he was leaving.

Sounds pretty shambolic.

Prior to this extension the squad size had been cut with ten out to six in, and we've lost two senior international locks (Roux, Dillane) in consecutive years which have not been replaced like for like. The prop situation was already tough over the last year. Burke stood up and enabled us to cope with Buckley's long injury, but TH became a big problem and DRMC was clearly perceived as something of a liability in the set piece (although decent in the loose though) so it wasn't a surprise when he was released. Meanwhile Munster dump Ryan and Ulster sign Jeff Toomaga-Allen... a sharp reminder where we are in the pecking order.

I know Connacht fans can come across as whiners sometimes, but I do feel it's a bit rough that we have to swallow the knife on this one. Best we can hope for at this stage is that Leinster decide to release a TH next year who wants to stay in the Irish system, as was obviously the case with Dooley.

Pardon my ignorance on this matter, but was Robertson McCoy acknowledged as Irish-qualified previously?

Irish Qualified via a grandad from County Armagh according to Wikipedia.

[ronk]

Robertson McCoy is now staying despite it being announced that he was leaving.

Sounds pretty shambolic.

Prior to this extension the squad size had been cut with ten out to six in, and we've lost two senior international locks (Roux, Dillane) in consecutive years which have not been replaced like for like. The prop situation was already tough over the last year. Burke stood up and enabled us to cope with Buckley's long injury, but TH became a big problem and DRMC was clearly perceived as something of a liability in the set piece (although decent in the loose though) so it wasn't a surprise when he was released. Meanwhile Munster dump Ryan and Ulster sign Jeff Toomaga-Allen... a sharp reminder where we are in the pecking order.

I know Connacht fans can come across as whiners sometimes, but I do feel it's a bit rough that we have to swallow the knife on this one. Best we can hope for at this stage is that Leinster decide to release a TH next year who wants to stay in the Irish system, as was obviously the case with Dooley.

Ya already got Aungier and Illo. With Munster taking Salanoa too we've had our pipeline cleared out at tighthead, for a while anyway. Murphy will be a fine lock at URC level if he's used there.

Munster cutting Ryan is still a reminder that they made painful cuts too.

Connacht didn't make the Heineken Cup next year so they don't need as big a squad.

There isn't going to be much sympathy right now from Leinster fans over the Connacht tighthead situation after poaching Illo. It's not even that bad anyway.

[berliner]

Robertson McCoy is now staying despite it being announced that he was leaving.

Sounds pretty shambolic.

Prior to this extension the squad size had been cut with ten out to six in, and we've lost two senior international locks (Roux, Dillane) in consecutive years which have not been replaced like for like. The prop situation was already tough over the last year. Burke stood up and enabled us to cope with Buckley's long injury, but TH became a big problem and DRMC was clearly perceived as something of a liability in the set piece (although decent in the loose though) so it wasn't a surprise when he was released. Meanwhile Munster dump Ryan and Ulster sign Jeff Toomaga-Allen... a sharp reminder where we are in the pecking order.

I know Connacht fans can come across as whiners sometimes, but I do feel it's a bit rough that we have to swallow the knife on this one. Best we can hope for at this stage is that Leinster decide to release a TH next year who wants to stay in the Irish system, as was obviously the case with Dooley.

Ya already got Aungier and Illo. With Munster taking Salanoa too we've had our pipeline cleared out at tighthead, for a while anyway. Murphy will be a fine lock at URC level if he's used there.

Munster cutting Ryan is still a reminder that they made painful cuts too.

Connacht didn't make the Heineken Cup next year so they don't need as big a squad.

There isn't going to be much sympathy right now from Leinster fans over the Connacht tighthead situation after poaching Illo. It's not even that bad anyway.

That's a fair point about Aungier. I realise that Leinster are operating with the minimum required TH stock currently and wasn't claiming they 'owed' Connacht anything (which would be absurd, considering how we're benefiting already from the arrival of Murphy et al).

As regards Illo, I was unhappy that he wasn't deployed more given that he was brought in on a senior contract, but presumably it wasn't felt appropriate in terms of his development. The fixture list will make it easier to cope with a smaller squad, but we have to expect that Bealham will be managed with international needs in mind, that leaves us very exposed to injuries. For months now there's been talk of reinforcement, it's objectively not ideal that to fill the gap Connacht must repent on their decision to release DRMC or consider bringing back Conor Carey who left/was let go in 2019.

[sunshiner1]

Supposedly Delahunt's injury might see him retiring. Bad news for Connacht if he has too.

[ronk]

Meh, I don't forget where Henshaw came from. At least with Connacht it's both ways. You gain a few, you lose a few.

Aungier moving was a fair move at the time. Salanoa wasn't. Illo was a reach, but it doesn't suit any of us to see him fail. First year was always going to be a wash.

Bealham should be available a lot. He's not going to threaten Furlong for starts, O'Toole is the development priority. There's cover if he goes down.

[sunshiner1]

by ronk

Bealham should be available a lot. He's not going to threaten Furlong for starts, O'Toole is the development priority. There's cover if he goes down.

Farrell likes Bealham who had proven to be a able lieutenant for Furlong. Unless injured he will be there or thereabouts the international 23.

[Dave Cahill]

Yeah Bealham is nailed on now as our no.2 tighthead. Connacht will see him about as much as we see Furlong.