Connacht Squad 2017-2018

Mark Mostyn wrote:

Bazzo wrote: I think it's unlikely. Duffy is the only unchanged member of coaching staff remaining at the minute and if KK wanted change there surely he'd bring in Neil Barnes who is the current forwards coach at Chiefs and likely departing at the end of the season along with Strawbridge and KK.

I don't think it's beyond imagination that we end up with two forwards coaches in Barnes and Duffy in the end anyway, but 3?

He was originally hired at Grenoble as "skills and forwards coach." We will hopefully be hiring a new skills coach...

Andrew Strawbridge, Chiefs current skills coach, is also departing at the end of the season.

FACECUTTR wrote: Bernard Jackman gone from Grenoble. Would he be worth a punt in some position for us ? Would definitely help the transition process if he was available now to come in and prepare for Keane. Would Keane want him ?

I can't see it happening because (1) Birch underperformed relative to budget, a no-no for anyone wanting to coach at Connacht (2) KK probably doesn't know him & will want to bring his own men (3) when KK does find out about him he's hardly likely to appoint someone who put himself forward for the head coach at Connacht and has a history of supplanting his head coach (4) Duffy's staying and finally (5) is he actually any good?

On who KK brings in, it's highly unlikely to be anyone from the current Chiefs coaching staff, as Ruane stated that all the other coaches (Duffy, and presumably a skills coach and defence coach, if KK does attack) will be in place for the start of pre-season.

salmson wrote:

FACECUTTR wrote: Bernard Jackman gone from Grenoble. Would he be worth a punt in some position for us ? Would definitely help the transition process if he was available now to come in and prepare for Keane. Would Keane want him ?

I can't see it happening because (1) Birch underperformed relative to budget, a no-no for anyone wanting to coach at Connacht (2) KK probably doesn't know him & will want to bring his own men (3) when KK does find out about him he's hardly likely to appoint someone who put himself forward for the head coach at Connacht and has a history of supplanting his head coach (4) Duffy's staying and finally (5) is he actually any good?

On who KK brings in, it's highly unlikely to be anyone from the current Chiefs coaching staff, as Ruane stated that all the other coaches (Duffy, and presumably a skills coach and defence coach, if KK does attack) will be in place for the start of pre-season.

I'd love to see us bring in a top quality defence coach after seeing the impact McQuilkin had at Leinster last year

[quote
I'd love to see us bring in a top quality defence coach after seeing the impact McQuilkin had at Leinster last year[/quote]

er...Rog?

sea_point wrote:

columoc wrote: [quote
I'd love to see us bring in a top quality defence coach after seeing the impact McQuilkin had at Leinster last year

er...Rog?

Good one....

Can just imagine the first session...

So Coach, talk us through this one...


or this



He's a kicking coach really, I would never put him or Racing down as a top defensive unit in France; let alone Europe..
Over the last four seasons their average points conceded per game has grown from 17 per game to 22.5.
Meanwhile over the same period we've gone from 23 to 18.5...

So for the money involved, I'd take a pass personally...[/quote]

Professional rugby players don't need to be taught how to tackle they need to be taught a system that puts them in the right place to make tackles.

Jaysus the Chiefs are tearing up trees in super rugby at the moment, 4 wins from 4 with 3 BP. If they maintain any consistency we won't being seeing KK et al. til mid-August. On the plus side they're playing lovely rugby

Well spring is coming, and still no signings, despite of ticket renewal period.

Coulson isn't playing for Grenoble, hope it's a good sign (little shoulder injury and not in their plan for next season because of us) rather than bad sign

Anyway every IQs are re-signig abroad bit by bit (Heaney, Cusack, Sean McCarthy etc), I don't like that, we're late....

You might want to remove the bits in brackets in case they be misconstrued.

Just an idea regarding what could potentially be a great signing for us at lock for next season. How about Mark Flanagan from Saracens. I know he's contracted to Saracens for another year but barring injury Itoje and Kruis will be their starting 4 & 5 for the foreseeable future and given the rise of Nick Isiekwe & Jack Nay for a very impressive England U20 side along with guys like Jim Hamilton & Michael Rhodes and whoever else their vast resources brings in for next season his chances of getting regular game time are probably very slim.
Saracens might not be too against letting him out of his contract early to return and fight for international rugby. Also worth noting that he now also qualifies for England on residency rules and given his potential the IRFU should be prepared to be very supportive to getting him back and into contention pre WC 2019. Could be a win win win.

www.the42.ie/mark-flanagan-saracens-tran...ter-2748008-May2016/

salmson wrote: You might want to remove the bits in brackets in case they be misconstrued.

All right, done, just mean I hope we have a confirmation Coulson comes whatever happens in Stade Français, Bordeaux or Grenoble.

RoadRunnerR1 wrote: Just an idea regarding what could potentially be a great signing for us at lock for next season. How about Mark Flanagan from Saracens. I know he's contracted to Saracens for another year but barring injury Itoje and Kruis will be their starting 4 & 5 for the foreseeable future and given the rise of Nick Isiekwe & Jack Nay for a very impressive England U20 side along with guys like Jim Hamilton & Michael Rhodes and whoever else their vast resources brings in for next season his chances of getting regular game time are probably very slim.
Saracens might not be too against letting him out of his contract early to return and fight for international rugby. Also worth noting that he now also qualifies for England on residency rules and given his potential the IRFU should be prepared to be very supportive to getting him back and into contention pre WC 2019. Could be a win win win.

www.the42.ie/mark-flanagan-saracens-tran...ter-2748008-May2016/

There are a few IQ locks available. I'd be disappointed if we weren't making eyes at Jordi Murphy

Edit: Out of contract is probably a better way of putting it

Quality player but do we need another backrow ? Could be looking for a big wage too.

We absolutely don't need an openside, Murphy and D;Ryan should go north or abroad..
we need 1 or 2 locks, a LH, maybe a 9 and 10, a centre/back-3 would be luxury. But certainly not a 7

Alan O'Connor out of contract too.
M;Keaney
Thornbury
Nagle
J.Sexton
D.Foley (rumoured to Pau)
T.Beirne

I've no doubt we can enlist at least one of these 7 guys to be our 5th senior lock, which may be enough with our 3 Academy guys pushing behind.