I know that, but we can't think with "the more we have, the better we are". I'd honnestly have prefered "only" 3 SH, and put the money for a fly-half. Don't forget Carty and Ronaldson had, until this season, mostly AIL and Eagles gametime; Such a wide Capacity/expectation Gap between 9 and 10

galway_gas wrote:

connachta wrote: I guess it's over for Porter now. Would have like to see more of him kicking, but we'll have 3 high quality SH, for the future and starting now. Glad for Cooney and Blade, who will be motivated by a lot of guaranteed gametime during RWC next season

Porter's contracted till 2016. He's been unfortunate with injury so I see no reason to write him off. Its not as if we have a lot of competent kickers around.

Lam says he wants 4 senior scrumhalves on the books. (Lack of) Injury allowing, Marmion won't play for us next season until November and will be in the matchday squad for the following 6 nations (Reddan is unlikley to continue after the WC).

connachta wrote: I guess it's over for Porter now. Would have like to see more of him kicking, but we'll have 3 high quality SH, for the future and starting now. Glad for Cooney and Blade, who will be motivated by a lot of guaranteed gametime during RWC next season

Porter's contracted till 2016. He's been unfortunate with injury so I see no reason to write him off. Its not as if we have a lot of competent kickers around.

Yeah, was thinking Porter would be the odd man out then. The only thing that might work in his favour would be if he were considered an option at outhalf so they'd let Nikora go while he would also be cover at scrum half when Marmion was away on International duty and that coincided with an injury to either Blade or Cooney. But certainly Connacht cannot keep 4 scrum halves on the books.

I guess it's over for Porter now. Would have like to see more of him kicking, but we'll have 3 high quality SH, for the future and starting now. Glad for Cooney and Blade, who will be motivated by a lot of guaranteed gametime during RWC next season

salmson wrote: I guess now we know why Matt O'Connor said there'll probably be no further loan deals: Leinster won't be happy with losing Cooney, what with Boss and Reddan in their mid-30s now.

Certainly these loans worked out better for Connacht, but if MOC is claiming Connacht poached a couple of his rising stars under the guise of a short term loan than he is being disingenuous. Certainly in Roux case Leinster saw little value in him until he started to come good at Connacht. O'Connor is just happy to have a ready made excuse for the next time another province comes calling to loan a player. "Why should we if they are just going to sign the player away from us while he is out on loan?" The IRFU should step in and say use them or lose them, it's for the good of Irish rugby that's why.

menacethedenis wrote: Yeah that's great news about Cooney, pleasantly surprised to hear it, really didn't think it was on the cards

Was about to say the same. Connacht's becoming a long-term solution?

Yeah that's great news about Cooney, pleasantly surprised to hear it, really didn't think it was on the cards

Really didnt expect Cooney to stay on, but happy that he has decided too. Thought the lack of game time would have persuaded him otherwise.
Happy that Carty is staying. He's still young, and only going to get better
Blade, I haven't seen enough of, but those who have, rave about him, so that's good enough for me

More good news

I guess now we know why Matt O'Connor said there'll probably be no further loan deals: Leinster won't be happy with losing Cooney, what with Boss and Reddan in their mid-30s now.

Half backs Jack Carty, John Cooney and Caolin Blade have become the latest players to sign new contract extensions with Connacht Rugby and the IRFU.

The Connacht born duo of Carty and Blade have put pen to paper on new two-year deals that will see them play at the Sportsground until at least the summer of 2017 while Cooney, who played at Connacht this season on loan from Leinster, has been signed on a permanent one-year contract for next season.

22-year-old local talent Jack Carty graduated from the Connacht Academy at the end of last season after making his first professional start against Leinster at the Sportsground in January 2014. Since then, the Athlone-native, who played his club rugby with Buccaneers, has started 16 games in the pivotal number 10 shirt, bringing to 24 his total number of appearances in a Connacht shirt.

Another graduate of the Connacht Academy, scrumhalf Caolin Blade will step up to the senior squad under Pat Lam next season. The Monivea man, who has represented Ireland at Under-18 and U19 level was recruited by Nigel Carolan in 2013.The 20-year-old, who made his professional debut at the end of the 2013/14 season coming off the bench away to Ospreys, now has seven senior caps to his name. Blade’s first start in the number nine shirt was in the province’s 29 – 27 win away to Bayonne in the pool stages of the Challenge Cup competition where he was the centre of much deserved praise for his brace of tries.

Scrum half John Cooney, who was initially brought to Connacht on an initial loan deal from Leinster for the 2014/15 season has opted to sign on officially with the province for 2015/16. The former Gonzaga College schoolboy, who has played for Ireland U18’s 20’s and the Emerging Ireland in the Tbilisi Cup, played 27 times for his native Leinster before coming to Galway.
While unable to register for Connacht in this season’s European Challenge Cup, 24-year-old Cooney did play five times for Pat Lam in the PRO12, starting against Ulster at Kingspan Stadium and scoring his first try in a Connacht shirt in the side’s 43 – 3 win over Zebre last November.

Commenting on the latest deals, Connacht CEO Willie Ruane said:“We’re delighted to have secured these three players for the future. The fact that Jack, John and Caolin are all Irish born half backs under the age of 24 is a huge sign of the young talent and huge potential we have here at Connacht.
“With Jack and Caolin, we have young indigenous players who have come right through the Connacht underage system from club into the Academy and then the senior team where they have already been fast tracked to gain invaluable game time at the top level. Their progress as professional athletes is there for us all to see and it’s very exciting.”

Head Coach Pat Lam added:“Again we’re very pleased to be able to announce that these guys will continue to play for Connacht. Half back is an area that is pivotal to any team and with Kieran Marmion likely to be with Ireland more and more over the coming months, it was vital that we had plans in place to ensure we have a squad comprising of four quality scrum halves. Caolin is a very exciting prospect whose talents were on show in abundance away to Bayonne in December. We’re also very pleased that John Cooney has enjoyed his loan period with us this season and sees an opportunity here with us to further his own game and career. I have no doubt that he will continue to push hard for game time in what is a very competitive position in our squad.“

Jack is making big progress in his development. The huge amount of game time for a young out half is allowing him to learn and develop. All world class 10’s need a starting point and I believe that over the coming years, both the club and Jack will continue to see huge growth in his ability as a skilled playmaker.”

connachta wrote: Not worried about Poolman yet ; there are still JHW, Browne, Carty, Finn, O'Leary, Heffernan whose contracts should be renewed... 2 list-announcements at least to come.

All decent players but Poolman is definitely number 1 priority. The rest we should be able to secure easily enough I'd imagine.

little bug here

RogueXV wrote:

connachta wrote: Not worried about Poolman yet ; there are still JHW, Browne, Carty, Finn, O'Leary, Heffernan whose contracts should be renewed... 2 list-announcements at least to come.

Connachta, I'm not sure if you are saying the others are bigger priorities that Poolman, but if you are I wouldn't completely agree. Certainly I'd want to get Harris-Wright and Browne signed as soon as possible and I'd include Poolman in that urgency level then I'd concern myself with the other four. Yes, I want to see them stay at Connacht, but outside of Heffernan I'm not sure there is a big market for them since it would be based more on potential more than anything else.

No no, said earlier he's the "Must re-sign guy".
I was implying the announcements aren't over at all, and I've still hope to see his name at the same time as all those guys.

Poolman would be my number 1 priority at the moment.

Should hopefully start to see new signings get announced in the next month or so. Depending on who they are trying to bring in, some players might become surplus to requirements

connachta wrote: Not worried about Poolman yet ; there are still JHW, Browne, Carty, Finn, O'Leary, Heffernan whose contracts should be renewed... 2 list-announcements at least to come.

Connachta, I'm not sure if you are saying the others are bigger priorities that Poolman, but if you are I wouldn't completely agree. Certainly I'd want to get Harris-Wright and Browne signed as soon as possible and I'd include Poolman in that urgency level then I'd concern myself with the other four. Yes, I want to see them stay at Connacht, but outside of Heffernan I'm not sure there is a big market for them since it would be based more on potential more than anything else.