You would hope he is expected to honour his contract which I would assume runs to the end of the season.

overstrander wrote: There is no starting date that on that page but on his new Blues profiles, it says starting coaching role in 2017 so might be for start of next season?

Unfortunately I don't think so, super rugby kicks off in Febuary so I'm guessing he'll be gone before Xmas to be there for preseason

There is no starting date that on that page but on his new Blues profiles, it says starting coaching role in 2017 so might be for start of next season?

This is surprising, I knew he was on the way out but assumed it would be at the end if the season.

On the plus side Ben Ryan is available, has expressed an interest in working in the Pro 12 rather than the Premiership, would fit the role, and would provide us with an obvious successor to Pat when he moves on.

We'll see now if our CEO's expertise extends beyond presentations and interviews.

Quite the filleting we have experienced since winning the league last season.

I expect change, but we do need to recruit to the same standard.

Can't help but feel we have fallen short with recruiting and succession planning over the summer.

ah feck.

Another blow and big shoes to fill - still believe we are missing Andre Bell . I hope pat has identified an equally good replacement .
theblues.co.nz/respected-coach-lead-skills/

Champion's Cup squad is up.

No real surprises.

No room for Soroka, Leader, Masterson, Roland or (worryingly) Ben Marshal.

Boshoff and Cannon both included. Conan and Cormac Brennan made it from the Academy.


www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/connacht.php?section=3

Finlay Bealham
Denis Buckley
JP Cooney
Ronan Loughney
Dominic Robertson McCoy
Conor Carey
Dave Heffernan
Tom McCartney
Shane Delahunt
Quinn Roux
Lewis Stevenson
Ultan Dillane
James Cannon
Danny Qualter
Andrew Brown
Rory Moloney
Sean O'Brien
Jake Heenan
Eoin McKeon
Nepia Fox-Matamua
John Muldoon
James Connolly
John Cooney
Caolin Blade
Kieran Marmion
Jack Carty
Marnitz Boshoff
Craig Ronaldson
Bundee Aki
Shane O'Leary
Rory Parata
Peter Robb
Danie Poolman
Eoin Griffin
Matt Healy
Niyi Adeolokun
Tiernan O'Halloran
Cian Kelleher
Stacey Ili
Conan O'Donnell
Cormac Brennan

sligsup wrote: Great to see these guys committing - with Blade getting a contract and supposedly the progression of Kerins I could see Cooney moving to Ulster. I think Robb should be our starting 12 his hands seem to have improved since last season.

For me Griffin at 13 and bundee 12 is our best partnership from an attacking perspective but we need to be better at retaining possession for it to work properly.
If we are kicking away possession as carty (this was his best game in a long time tbf) and blade were the last day then robb and bundee 12/13 is probably better from a defensive pov.

I would hope we can get back to our possession based tactics of last season though and there was some great signs of it the last day with some excellent handling from the forwards.

Have to agree re difference between Marmion & Blade at the moment - perhaps he will improve with experience.

Blade plays with great energy and is quite fearless in his approach (great high ball take v Edniburgh) however tactically he needs to learn a lot - witness 3 horrible wasteful box kicks last Friday.

I would hold on to Cooney!

sligsup wrote: Great to see these guys committing - with Blade getting a contract and supposedly the progression of Kerins I could see Cooney moving to Ulster . I think Robb should be our starting 12 his hands seem to have improved since last season.

I think the drop off from Marmion to Blade is unfortunately pretty stark at moment (I'm sure Blade will continue to improve mind) so losing Cooney would be big blow, we're missing him at present

Great to see these guys committing - with Blade getting a contract and supposedly the progression of Kerins I could see Cooney moving to Ulster. I think Robb should be our starting 12 his hands seem to have improved since last season.

connemara man wrote: www.connachtrugby.ie/five-young-connacht...-sign-on-for-future/

Nice names committing to Connacht

Great news today!

www.connachtrugby.ie/five-young-connacht...-sign-on-for-future/

Nice names committing to Connacht

Didn't realise how young they are if they continue their upward trend they will be serious players. And they are good players as is

That's why I'm puzzeled he didn't even start in AIL

I would have thought Delahunt would be applying an awful lot more pressure on Heffernan than he seems to be doing.

The bit I saw of him, I felt he has tremendous potential.