Ex Players in the News...

Would I be right in saying that Parata, Dever, and gaffney are projects in their new countries? Ie have been in them since before Jan 1st gone?

connachta wrote: Hope they replace Kings and Zebre in the next 5 years...

Zebre have beaten us twice in two years now. 3 if you count the hammering they were giving us before the gods intervened.

That's why it's better to have them out

More seriously, they're poor. We just manage sometimes to be poorer against poorest team (Zebre/Dragons). I hate their gamestyle (there's no style at all).
Yes they're slightly improving. So Slowly that I think ProXX would be better off with US team in 5 years. And Italy better off to focus with 1 quality franchise, just like Argentina, Japan, Fidji ...

I really think this American pro tournament will be the one that works so dreams of an American pro 14 team should be forgotten!

Italian rugby need a second team. If not more, with the population they have they should be producing more top players but their not, and the Conor O Shea project might change that

connachta wrote: And Italy better off to focus with 1 quality franchise, just like Argentina, Japan, Fidji ...

One franchise is a recipe for disaster - look at how Argentina have gone backwards since they went down that route. The lads who start for the Jaguares every week are more or less guaranteed to start for Argentina and there's no competition for places at all, to the point where they're thinking of letting foreign-based players back into the international fold. Meanwhile the Japanese franchise is a joke and Fiji don't have one - they have a semi-pro team in the Aussie NPC, which is about AIL standard but only goes on for 3 months.

2 is better but not sufficient - both Italy and Scotland need foreign-based players, with the lack of control that brings. You need a minimum of 4 feeder teams for an international set-up. That's the only reason Connacht Rugby still exists.

connemara man wrote: Would I be right in saying that Parata, Dever, and gaffney are projects in their new countries? Ie have been in them since before Jan 1st gone?

Dever might have an American passport, if not yes he could represent the U.S. in three years. I can see a lot of young Irish lads who miss out on academy places having their heads turned by the chance of earning 30-40k in the U.S.

salmson wrote:

connachta wrote: And Italy better off to focus with 1 quality franchise, just like Argentina, Japan, Fidji ...

One franchise is a recipe for disaster - look at how Argentina have gone backwards since they went down that route. The lads who start for the Jaguares every week are more or less guaranteed to start for Argentina and there's no competition for places at all, to the point where they're thinking of letting foreign-based players back into the international fold. Meanwhile the Japanese franchise is a joke and Fiji don't have one - they have a semi-pro team in the Aussie NPC, which is about AIL standard but only goes on for 3 months.

2 is better but not sufficient - both Italy and Scotland need foreign-based players, with the lack of control that brings. You need a minimum of 4 feeder teams for an international set-up. That's the only reason Connacht Rugby still exists.

Argentina does not that bad, look at the game vs Ireland.
Fidjian Drua play in a competition which is above AIL standard
Japanese will progress because of their franchise.

Ireland is a top team with a base of players (around 100K) and good coachings.
I doubt small base of club rugby can allow themselves more than one competitive team, to develop.

If anyone has been wondering where all the academy players released last year have ended up..

Jamie Dever - Houston Sabercats
Jack Dineen - Lansdowne
Ciaran Gaffney - Zebre
Marc Kelly - Young Munster
Saba Meunargia - Chambery
Conor Lowndes - Young Munster
Stephen McVeigh - UCD
Ed O’Keefe - Viadana
Cian Romaine - Buccaneers

Didn't know about Saba Meunargia. Thanks

www.the42.ie/tadhg-leader-major-league-r...ego-3795956-Jan2018/

Heenan and Muldowney announced on Bristol's twitter

BleedGreen wrote: Heenan and Muldowney announced on Bristol's twitter

He said he would not go after Connacht players.
I'm on about Jake.
I hope that is the last of it.

We love you Pat.... But stop nicking our players.
Bad enough Ulster, Leinster, Munster doing it.
But now Bristol!

I like Jake, but given his injury profile you'd have to wonder how hard Connacht fought to keep him Hope he makes a success of it in Bristol - he deserves better luck

Tall Paul wrote:

BleedGreen wrote: Heenan and Muldowney announced on Bristol's twitter

He said he would not go after Connacht players.
I'm on about Jake.
I hope that is the last of it.

We love you Pat.... But stop nicking our players.
Bad enough Ulster, Leinster, Munster doing it.
But now Bristol!

From what I’m led to believe Jake wasn’t offered a contract by Connacht so your point is redundant factoring in it’s the only player he has signed from Connacht!
I can understand also why he wasn’t offered one but I hope his luck with injuries improves and he has a successful time in Bristol and beyond .

Being realistic this is a good deal for everyone, Jake gets (I presume) more money and we free up space in our budget for a player who isn't constantly injured.

It's a shame because I think if it weren't for all the injuries he could have been a Connacht legend and an Ireland international. Good luck to him.