Yeah, the one year deals are the only drawback to this flurry of activity.
We only have 4 players contracted beyond next season, and while I expect a couple more two year deals, I think we can expect all of the renewals for non first-teamers to be unspecified length (read: one season).
There are a good few squad players in there for whom a one year extension would be mutually beneficial - no sense in them leaving a team on the up, and no sense in Connacht tying themselves into anything longer.
So come September, we'll be straight back into "holy feck, we have no squad for next season" mode, and the fun and games will begin again ...

That's a brilliant renewal right there

For me he's the third best SH in Ireland, really excellent player. I'd just sort of resigned myself to him leaving as I thought "he's too good a player to sit on the bench for Connacht" so it really shows how far the team has come. With Marmion likely to be away on international duty more he will see plenty of game time, but I also think he could realistically displace Marmion as our No1 scrummy.

Pity it's only a year but I'll take that TBH.

Delighted about Cooney, super player, just disappointed its not a longer contract. Stephen Kerins has been outstanding for the Ireland U-20s this campaign so maybe there's one eye on the future here. I don't think we can praise Nigel Carolan enough. What an incredible job he has been doing with our academy.

another good one staying with us, the chosen one doesnt count as we all knew it was happening a long long time ago so only 2 leaving is not so bad, jeez we're in fine shape for next year and more positive announcements to come you'd expect bumper crowds remaining few games and lasting well into next season. onwards and upwards for Connacht rugby

Where's the consistency in the timings of these announcements?
I'm getting caught off guard. Hope they're might be another this afternoon.

The trickle is becoming a flood.
Cooney is one I thought we might lose alright. He's good enough to be first choice somewhere.
Feeling much more positive about signings now.
When you look at it, we've only two confirmed departures and seven in.

dobby wrote:

clanman wrote: well if it is just Muldowney and Rodders leaving

you have forgotten robbie that easily. shame on you

Now that the dust has settled, I don't feel too bad about him leaving. I think alot of shady shenanigans went on with Leinster & the IRFU but that's a different matter.
Also, Ronaldson & Aki have developed into a decent partnership which has softened the blow a bit.

mollz265 wrote: Well John Cooney isn't off to Ulster anyways!
www.connachtrugby.ie/cooney-commits-to-connacht/#ConnachtNews

Very good news. thought he'd be going back to Leinster to be honest.
So we have three quality scrum halves for next season

Well John Cooney isn't off to Ulster anyways!
www.connachtrugby.ie/cooney-commits-to-connacht/#ConnachtNews

All this is on the squad page.

DanIe poolman is Irish qualified.
Joined before 12/13 season, debut in October 2012

It's very significant that Jake becomes Irish qualified this summer as well.

We couldn't really complain if the IRFU started tightening up the application of the NIQ rules / guidelines on us now (so long as we are permitted to hold on to the Irish Qualified players who we want to stay here (if it is at all possible to incentivise them to stay here)).

By my reckoning, signed up for next year we have the following [strike]four[/strike] three project players:

• Tom McCartney - Contracted until 2017 - Irish Qualified October 2017
• Nepia Fox-Matamua - Contracted until 2017 - Irish Qualified June 2018
• Bundee Aki - Contracted until 2017 - Irish Qualified October 2017
• [strike]Danie Poolman - Contracted until 2017 - Irish Qualified June 2017[/strike]

Then there are two Non Irish Eligable, both of whom (I think) are out of contract this summer:

• George Naupu
• AJ MacGinty

Does anyone know what precisely the rules applied to other provinces are? Ulster are breaching these as well aren't they?

Porterbelly wrote: The Munster deal was all but done, they were sure he was coming

Lam swayed him to stay

Must've been a bit easier for Lam to do that when the national media didn't announce that it was a done deal on behalf of the player four months before any decision was made.

Gerry Thornley on Off The Ball - 25/11/16 wrote: They're definitely getting Henshaw. It's 99 percent likely and it has been for a year now. I don't understand why there's so much discussion about it. I'm sure that working with Jonny Sexton, Brian O'Driscoll and so forth in the Irish camp has only made him more determined to go and join Leinster. They could do with a 12 I think.

He'll definitely end up at Leinster and he's preparing the ground for it.

There's a danger of it becoming almost Raheem Sterling-esque in terms of the discussions.

clanman wrote: well if it is just Muldowney and Rodders leaving

you have forgotten robbie that easily. shame on you

Heenan has a starting spot here and would have had to fight hard with a top heavy back row in Munster. Stander OMahony ODonnel ODONAGHOE and Copeland and Dave OCallaghan. I'm wearing green tinted goggles but he is better off here with us. Hopefully Pat had the bargaining power of bringing in a big signing or 2 to sway him. Delighted he is staying and good to see PorterBelly back posting on here.

well if it is just Muldowney and Rodders leaving I can live with it, to be fair to Rodders he has had some very good games in the connacht shirt, i'm not going to let some recent lazy performances cloud my judgement, overall he has been as asset to the province and can remember a few barn storming performances when he didnt knockon when taking the ball at first reciever that is, His scrummaging came on a lot also. as for Muldowney he came here as a utilitly player and moulded himself into a excellent 2nd row performer, this year he has been oustanding and for a big lad has certainly adopted the Lam play the ball mentality. of course i still hold out hope that he might stay at least until we hear the official news of his departing for foreign shores