From todays atricle in the independent quote from Pat

"Recruitment is ongoing. The biggest thing is when we had a few injuries, and also planning for Ultan (Dillane) and Quinn (Roux) as well. And with Ben Marshall still out injured."

salmson wrote: Eoghan Masterson Zebre (long term)

Not that long now, you can edit to "early December" (he confirmed it himself on twitter). He will be massive to give Muldoon a rest after potentially 12-13 games in a row at n°8

Browne & Griffin probably out; Robb, Poolman & new signing Cannon available.

www.connachtrugby.ie/squad-update-ahead-...game-6/#ConnachtNews

The Chronicles of Hurt pt. 1002 -

Carried over from last season:
Darragh Leader Cardiff (long term)
Eoghan Masterson Zebre (long term)
Ben Marshall Ospreys (unknown)
Craig Ronaldson Edinburgh (expected back "soon")
Nathan White Leinster - home (unknown)
John Cooney Leinster - final (expected back "soon")

Pre-season:
Marnitz Boshoff unavailable (early October - early November depending on Currie Cup results)
Sean O'Brien Montpellier (October)
Josh Rowland training (October)
Rory Parata club rugby (October)

This season:
Nepia Fox-Matamua Glasgow (November)
Dominic Robertson-McCoy training (November)
Ivan Soroka club rugby (scan last week, no update)
Andrew Browne training (awaiting scan)
Eoin Griffin Scarlets (awaiting assessment)

Wasps announcement -

www.wasps.co.uk/news/article/2016/09/26/...non-to-join-connacht

overstrander wrote:

Darragh wrote:
I wonder if there are concerns with Ben Marshall's recovery too?

Sounds like a good signing. Here's hoping.

A little birdie told me that Ben Marshall may have to retire. Nothing certain of course.

Terrible for the lad if true. Bloody modern game is so attritional.

Hopefully a good signing by all accounts some supporters sad to see him go

m.rugbynetwork.net/boards/read/s96.htm?98,15760236

Darragh wrote:
I wonder if there are concerns with Ben Marshall's recovery too?

Sounds like a good signing. Here's hoping.

A little birdie told me that Ben Marshall may have to retire. Nothing certain of course.

Hell yessssssss. Ready for ChampionsCup now!

In 6 seasons with Wasps his record breaks down as: Premiership - 39 starts, 23 sub appearance; 11 Amlin starts and 3 sub appearances; just 1 substitute appearance in the 14/15 Champions Cup vs. Castres; so his other 16 caps for Wasps must have been in the LV Cup.

Notable that last year he played 10 Premiership games - one Premiership game in October and then featured in 9 successive matchday squads during six nations time (29 Jan. - 27 Mar. inclusive). In 2011-12 he was also used exclusively in the 6 nations window but in the intervening three years he was used throughout the season.

Also had 2 starts and 1 sub for Northampton before signing for Wasps.

Positives - In terms of age, size, and playing experience, he's as close to a match for Aly Muldowney (when we signed him) as you could hope for.
Negatives - It took 18 months for Aly to develop into his role and fire on all cylinders; also our Champions' Cup pool opponents are willing to release him to a rival which is hardly a vote of confidence.

This guy is registered in our Euro squad but the ERC doesn't have them up yet (but of course, Lonely-Bloke-in-Neuchatel is doing this on his own, don't you know). Would love to know who isn't in there (White? Marshall?) as much as who is.

It's a one year deal according to Dave Finn on Twitter. Which seems a bit odd.

Anyway, he's more than welcome. Best of luck to him.

Strange time to sign him is it not?

Must say some of the signings and the timing of them have been a bit weird this summer.

Sounds like a big boy so he will be most welcome indeed.

Anyone know if he is any good? Stevenson has been a bit poor to date for example?

I wonder if there are concerns with Ben Marshall's recovery too?

clanman wrote: Connacht Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to announce the recruitment of second row player James Cannon from Wasps.

The Aviva Premiership side have agreed terms that free up the 28-year-old Irish qualified lock to join Connacht for the 2016/17 season.

6ft 8ins Cannon who was born in Kettering, England played 93 games in six seasons at Wasps after he began his professional career at Northampton Saints and had been part of the England Under-20s Grand Slam-winning squad of 2008.

Cannon has been included in Connacht Rugby’s European Champions Cup squad that was registered last week. He has arrived in Galway and joined up with his new team mates at the Sportsground today.

Thank God for that

should fix the lineout malfunctions and add a bit of beef to the second row, good signing by the looks of it

Connacht Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to announce the recruitment of second row player James Cannon from Wasps.

The Aviva Premiership side have agreed terms that free up the 28-year-old Irish qualified lock to join Connacht for the 2016/17 season.

6ft 8ins Cannon who was born in Kettering, England played 93 games in six seasons at Wasps after he began his professional career at Northampton Saints and had been part of the England Under-20s Grand Slam-winning squad of 2008.

Cannon has been included in Connacht Rugby’s European Champions Cup squad that was registered last week. He has arrived in Galway and joined up with his new team mates at the Sportsground today.

Was flicking through the Ospreys game program last night and saw was it 3 scrum halves in the academy and not one outhalf. Thats a worry.

Watched highlights of AJ's game yesterday. He was excellent. Wish him the best but wish more he was still at Connacht

Darragh wrote:

connachta wrote: Too much negativity here. I was clear before the season kicks off. The main objective for me this season has always been competing in ChampionsCup.
For now the bench is weak but Pat WILL have the team (fingers crossed) he needs for that achievement.

Roux and Heenan already makes us look better for their 1st appearence. They can only be better
Add, by order of importance
Ronaldson/Robb at 12 for extra physicality against agressive defences
Boshoff to kick
Cooney as 21, instead of Blade unable to get quick balls from the rucks
Browne/Marshall at 19
SOB/Masterson/Nepia to give competition to our current backrow
White/McCoy/Carey at 18
IMO those 6/7 comebacks can boost us from a team playing 40-60 minutes of average rugby to a team playing well the entire game

I hope you're right. My concerns though are the players starting already are not delivering.

I think they are. I have not much to reproach the front 5 with yesterday. Heenan for his 1st game was up to it too.
Aki/Niyi/Healy tried and had sparkles. TOH was just our MOTM

Again, fix the 10/12 axis, gather a real bench (Browne, J.Cooney, SOB), focus the training session on tackling, support and ruck
And the individual qualities will follow fast.

Edinburgh and Toulouse home must be won to build that team spirit we had last season.