Swift you're not leaving much room for new signings with all those renewals you'd offer

3 out half's is enough for a season
Ronaldson is here till 2016
Mckeon has great potential
Our 3rd outhalf! Would you be happy if carty made up our number 10s
I wouldn't, he has had 10 games so far and the next 8 games aren't any easier. He doesn't kick, he doesn't break the line, he isn't the best kicker out of hand.
I would like someone who is proven to be able to be first choice, with Ronaldson on bench and mentor to mckeon

Don't rule out dan Carter. Pat lam has done wonders
Under 20 all black captain
100 cap all black
Double super 15 winning captain
Eric signing, but all time top scorer in league, dan parks

swift4prez wrote: Carty, probably let go. McKeon playing great for club

I'm not sure what makes you think Carty will/should get let go. He's seen off Ronaldson and Nikora, so even if we sign Dan Carter after the WC and McKeon is the second coming of ROG I'd expect he'll be kept on.

White, 2years
Loughney, 2years
Poolman, 2
george, 2
harris wright, little injury prone 2?
Heffernan 2
mckeon, 2
kearney, 3
Carr, maybe 1 year to prove himself
Henry, injury prone. 2?
J p Cooney, little unsure. 1?
Browne, 2
McSharry, 2
Carty, probably let go. McKeon playing great for club
Nikora, lucky to get last contact
Finn, maybe 1
Quarter,0
Bealham, 1year
O' Leary, maybe 1
Swift 5year deal
, Fifita 0. Time for maloney and sob
Mils we'll wait and see
Layden 1
Roux 2year

that's 3 down, a good few more need to be signed up too

Only 2 years tho

Buckley and Leader have signed new 2year contracts
Delighted, especially for Buckley

www.connachtrugby.ie/#ConnachtNews

Homegrown talents sign new Connacht contracts
27th November 2014

Connacht Rugby and the IRFU are delighted to announce the two-year contract extensions of Darragh Leader and Denis Buckley.

Galway-born Leader and Buckley from Roscommon are both graduates of the Connacht Academy and have worked their way up to regular starters in the senior team. Indeed both are in a group of only five squad members to have played in all ten games of the season to date, the duo each starting in all but two clashes.

21-year-old Leader, from Castlegar in Co. Galway, was this month included in Joe Schmidt’s 37-man Ireland training squad for the first time. Although uncapped, the full back was named as 24th man in the test match with Georgia and undoubtedly earned invaluable experience in the international set up at a young age.

Leader has been starting for Connacht at full back this season but has also shown his versatility by switching to centre at different times. His goal kicking abilities, especially from long-range, have also been called upon.

He earned his first Connacht cap in October 2012 when he started at 15 against the Ospreys at Liberty Stadium. Having attended St. Joseph’s College, Galway, Leader played all his club rugby with Galwegians RFC and went on to represent Ireland at U19 and U20 level.

Front row forward Buckley will be joining Leader at Connacht until at least the summer of 2017. The 24-year-old made his senior debut in September 2011 in the province’s 11-9 win away to Benetton Treviso. The loosehead prop, who played his club rugby with Creggs RFC, has since notched up 58 appearances in the Connacht jersey. Buckley has made a big impact from the front of a powerful pack this season and his impressive work rate was rewarded with a Man of the Match medal in the opening round of the PRO12 as well as the Player of the Month award for September.

Commenting on the latest deals, Connacht CEO Willie Ruane said:

“The biggest part of our vision at Connacht Rugby is growing the game in the province from grassroots right up to the Ireland team. It’s fantastic that these two local lads who have played their rugby in the province and come through our Academy system will remain an integral part of our continued progress going forward, including our role in providing players for the international team.

“Our squad recruitment and retention programme is ongoing and on the back of three player contracts announced this week we look forward to confirming more signings in the coming weeks and months.”

Head Coach Pat Lam added:

“From a rugby perspective, these contract extensions are a huge boost to the club. Both Darragh and Denis are key members of the senior squad here at Connacht and both have the potential to play at the highest level of the game. Darragh’s development was rewarded this month with a place in the Ireland squad and I have no doubt that if Denis continues working on his development here that he will reach his goals.

“When we go out to the clubs and schools around the province, it is the local guys like Denis, Jack Carty, Eoin McKeon, John Muldoon that the young children see as their heroes. They’ve come through Connacht’s systems and age grade structures and are now playing week in week out for their home province. These kids can then see Robbie Henshaw and Darragh involved with Ireland and that helps us to grow the game in the region which is one of our main responsibilities at Connacht Rugby.”

connachta wrote:

clanman wrote: McCartney is now invaluable to us with his ability to cover positions across the front row. I had a bad feeling about the knock JHW took in the game, he should never have played on.

Does someone think the 5 minutes he played after his injury were really detrimental on the recovery lenght?

Again not talking about this with any real knowledge but it was evident at the time that Harris-Wright should have come off much earlier especially given his past injury problems. He most definitely wasn't fit to continue. Whether it exacerbated the problem I don't know and to me its beside the point but I'd be asking questions of the physio letting him continue initially.

I think its a good deal. I'm happy with what I've seen of him and I'm very happy with his attitude. He's far from the finished article but he has scope for improvement. There's no real point putting in the work with him this year if we let him go and brought someone new in again. If he bulks up and gets the proper coaching he has a good future at Connacht.

Poolman and Healy are our first choice wings for me but he's definitely number 3.

To me Fionn Carr and Tiernan O'Halloran are lucky to be contracted until next year otherwise they'd have to be looking over their shoulder.

Dont they usually start announcing them in bunches. Hopefully we start seeing a few a week, for the next few weeks

Delighted for Niyi who clearly has massive potential but I'm most happy that the branch have started sorting out contracts already. Hopefully there'll be plenty more announcements like this soon.

connachta wrote: ACL injury... Same as Henry.. once again, bad luck or lack of physical training/prevention?
Anyway Henry's return to the fields is forseen in 4 months now... If one of McCartney/Heffernan gets injured, do you think we can trust Delahunt without hindering our Hcup dreams? If not what about a three month loan for Fogarty? He's not a starter anymore for Agen, I think player and club would agree

I have to take issue here, Henry's injury was a freak occurrence, you'll rarely if ever see that sort of acl injury again. Plus if you want to be hyper critical it was possibly carr's lack of support in the flanker position that caused it, not s&c.

Also, the acl is not connected to any muscle but consists of two tiny ligaments that connect the lower knee joint to the upper. It's very difficult to strengthen it to any real degree. When people carry out rehab training they're more strengthening the rest of the knee tendons and ligaments rather than bringing the acl back to normal.

clanman wrote: Niyi is knowhere near the standard shown by Healy and Poolman, he's raw and I'm fine with him getting a contract as long as he improves. but a 2 yr contract is generous. can he do a job on the wing of course he can, but he's not an equal replacement for our 2 very good wingers.

The question is, three months into his time with us... Has he shown he could be?
Categorically yes, the raw ingredients are excellent; as is his attitude to learning.

The timing of the contract is perfect in terms of keeping costs down for us.
If he continues to perform at current level (and improve) for the rest of the season; he could easily generate interest elsewhere pushing up his cost to us..

no reason to compare him with our 1st choices, the question is : could he bring something better than one of Carr/TOH? Lam thinks so, I do too

Niyi is knowhere near the standard shown by Healy and Poolman, he's raw and I'm fine with him getting a contract as long as he improves. but a 2 yr contract is generous. can he do a job on the wing of course he can, but he's not an equal replacement for our 2 very good wingers.

*edited

Not worth my time

ACL injury... Same as Henry.. once again, bad luck or lack of physical training/prevention?
Anyway Henry's return to the fields is forseen in 4 months now... If one of McCartney/Heffernan gets injured, do you think we can trust Delahunt without hindering our Hcup dreams? If not what about a three month loan for Fogarty? He's not a starter anymore for Agen, I think player and club would agree