Connacht Squad 2014/2015

Anyone know the length of the contract (1 or 2 years)? Given that he is young and Irish qualified it could prove to be a good outside the box signing. Its a difficult environment to try and get players this year. Let's hope this punt will come off.

rumours on the Leinster forum that young outhalf Cathal Marsh is being sent to us - if true what does that say in relation to Api and Ronaldson not to mention young Conor Mckeown - has he more potential than mentioned???

That's kind of hard to credit with Leinster losing so many to the World Cup.

McKeon is only going into second year academy so he will still have plenty of time, can't see Api going straight to 10 from league so can see him playing 13 or 12 (seems small for a 12 though unless we're going with the NZ style 2nd OH at 12, but where would that leave Bundee?) and Ronaldson sees as much time at 12 as 10 so Carty is the only first teamer who can only play at outhalf.

Marsh is going to be behind Byrne in Leinster, so second choice at best during the WC and fourth after that, so I could maybe see him moving.

Edit: just realised how many "sos" I had in there - key points:
10/12/13 is still an area we could do with one/two more
Marsh probably won't see much game time and could look to move on from Leinster

top of my wish list would be a 10 and a 6 who can play 8 as well

since we don't have the talent coming through at out-half at least not in any good numbers there has to be some half-decent guys abroad that would want to make a move to Connacht for decent enough money, a decent 6/8 is a more difficult asset to buy

Not sure we need someone to play 8- we've already George and McKeon and that's Mastersons preferred position, and he's coming on in leaps and bounds and will be really pushing the two lads for the starting spot. He shouldn't be need at 7 as much (hopefully!!) with Jake back fit and this new Fox lad in.

Read on some forum that Marshall prefers 6, which is music to my ears as we've lacked size in our back row for quite a while so a lad who's big enough to play second row and mobile enough to play flanker will do nicely Means we might be a bit short in the second row with just Quinn, Aly, Qualter, Browne and Dillane, though if one of O'Brien or Romaine are ready to step up for a few games this year we might be ok.

So the Connacht website has the squad & academy listed for the coming season and it seems we only have 3 listed outhalves (Carty, Ronaldson & McKeown). I know Api played outhalf in league but I dont know if that will translate to union and its been said (can remember where) that he is being viewed as a centre. It's a worrying lack of depth in the key position.

There was an interview with him on the Connacht website and in that he made it pretty clear he was being looked at in the centre.

3 outhalfs is very short alright, you'd wonder if someone might be coming in post world cup; maybe one of the Leinster boys on loan who might see some game time early in the season but not once Johnny and Madigan are back.

I'd be against a convert playing 10, though I think Api is a union guy who went league and came back. One of our big problems last year was trying to play our way out of trouble in our own 22/half and I doubt a league OH would make that any better as possession is guaranteed there.

O'Leary can play OH aswell so he another option

I was chatting to Api briefly on Quay Street last weekend after the Kodaline gig - he confirmed that he was going to be playing in the centre. I'm pretty sure he said 13 specifically. We'll obviously be without Robbie for most of the season, so I'm guessing that's who he's here to cover. Really sound guy, and seemed happy to be in Galway.

McNamara wrote: So the Connacht website has the squad & academy listed for the coming season and it seems we only have 3 listed outhalves (Carty, Ronaldson & McKeown). I know Api played outhalf in league but I dont know if that will translate to union and its been said (can remember where) that he is being viewed as a centre. It's a worrying lack of depth in the key position.

Not sure we're really lacking depth compared to most teams, quality could be a different issue. If we're tied to developing Carty and Ronaldson then they may as well play as much as possible.

McKeown and O'Leary as reserves leaves us with more depth than a good few teams, Munster for instance got to the pro12 final with just two outhalves. Whether any of those players are good enough to get Connacht above 7th is another question that we'll perhaps be able to answer this time next year.

There's also a rumour on the Leinster forums that one of their outhalf hopefuls will be loaned to Connacht, but that's not exactly a boost as we have more than enough developing talent as it stands.

I would not be surprised to see Ross Byrne come here on loan from Leinster. They will be trying to get him game time in the Pro 12. Nigel was coaching him in the 20's this year. Marsh will stay in Dublin.

Craic Head wrote: I would not be surprised to see Ross Byrne come here on loan from Leinster. They will be trying to get him game time in the Pro 12. Nigel was coaching him in the 20's this year. Marsh will stay in Dublin.

I don't really see what the point of that would be. Why would we give a 2nd year academy player from Leinster game time ahead of our own (McKeon)? You'd also think that with both Sexton and Madigan likely missing for 8-12 games he'd have more chance of playing in Leinster?