It's amazing the way the Stockholm syndrome set in again for Connacht fans this year.

Let me say this once more, while reasons for our win include Connacht players having once in a lifetime seasons, poor coaching setups at all the other Irish provinces, and some of our opponents not taking us seriously til it was too late, the world cup had nothing - not a damn thing - to do with our winning the league.

Of the 7 games affected by the RWC, 6 were against teams in the bottom half. We lost the other one.

5 of these games were at home, meaning we'd have to face the top teams away when they were back to full strength.

Finally, after these games we were at the top of the table with Munster and Scarlets. If the RWC had such a positive effect for us, how did we outstrip them over the rest of the season after they got their internationals back?

Rant over...

Bazzo wrote:
I don't know why you think we wouldn't be able to finish in the top 4, we won it last year?

We won it with a much different team and we had quality like Henshaw in the big games when we really needed him too.
The likes of AJ at 10 was huge and muldowney of course with Muldoon having a bit of an Indian summer with his best season ever (no crticism intended but I'm not sure he has been as effective this year).
We had the element of surprise too with teams taking us lightly at times and also when they took us seriously they didn't quite have the defensive tactics to beat us (this season teams are keeping the ball much more against us making us defend more, while also putting at least one extra back in thr defensive line as they know we wont kick to the backfield. We've been found wanting in the defensive department imo).

This squad will do extremely well to get top 6 next season imo and a run at top 4 would be an outstanding season.

Bazzo wrote:

clanman wrote: at least there's now the acceptance that we are not getting the quality coming through from the Academy, I think we got a bit excited when we had good few involved in the Ireland u20's in one year. If I'm brutally honest it will be 6 or 7 years before we start to see the fruits of the work being done at underage level and the knockon effect of us winning the pro12. till then we have to continue to get the best we can from our available NIQ spots and hope a few players come here from Leinster that have not been given the chance their talents deserve.

until then we won't be in the top 4 of the pro12 unless other teams decline

There was plenty of talent in the academy that has since graduated(and many graduated early as they were good enough). I'm sure there will be again.

I don't know why you think we wouldn't be able to finish in the top 4, we won it last year?

world cup year was a major reason for us doing well and then we punched above our weight at the end of the season.

clanman wrote: at least there's now the acceptance that we are not getting the quality coming through from the Academy, I think we got a bit excited when we had good few involved in the Ireland u20's in one year. If I'm brutally honest it will be 6 or 7 years before we start to see the fruits of the work being done at underage level and the knockon effect of us winning the pro12. till then we have to continue to get the best we can from our available NIQ spots and hope a few players come here from Leinster that have not been given the chance their talents deserve.

until then we won't be in the top 4 of the pro12 unless other teams decline

There was plenty of talent in the academy that has since graduated(and many graduated early as they were good enough). I'm sure there will be again.

I don't know why you think we wouldn't be able to finish in the top 4, we won it last year?

at least there's now the acceptance that we are not getting the quality coming through from the Academy, I think we got a bit excited when we had good few involved in the Ireland u20's in one year. If I'm brutally honest it will be 6 or 7 years before we start to see the fruits of the work being done at underage level and the knockon effect of us winning the pro12. till then we have to continue to get the best we can from our available NIQ spots and hope a few players come here from Leinster that have not been given the chance their talents deserve.

until then we won't be in the top 4 of the pro12 unless other teams decline

The signings committee was Ruane, Allnutt & Lam until Lam handed in his notice, at which point he was removed from it. I've no idea if Keane was added to it - that might be problematical as he's still not employed by Connacht - but being realistic once he agreed to join they would hardly sign, re-sign or release players without Keane's say-so, and if he doesn't know a player the same game footage is available to him as to the lads in Galway.

Mark Mostyn wrote: No point in keeping Moloney and O'Leary around when they're both clearly not on the radar for first team gametime at all.

This would make a lot of sense and I have been thinking about this in regards to Poolman, but since there's going to be so many coaching changes how do we know this going forward? I'm going to assume the CB management made the decision as how much knowledge could Keane have about such players. I wish all the departing players well.

Think Sean Masterson and Luke Carry are almost definites for academy contracts. And not because they both have brothers in the senior squad which I just now realised...

Speaking of, I think it's a bit strange that Eoghan Masterson hasn't been able to force his way back into the squad yet but I suppose just goes to show how much back row depth we have when nobody is injured.

salmson wrote:

Mark Mostyn wrote:
It strikes me as odd to let three lads leave the academy a year early, has this happened before? I wonder what the reasoning is?

Recently some players have explicitly been signed to two year academy contracts - Masterson is an example - and about this time last year the IRFU announced that academy contracts would be year-to-year from now on with players released early if it was felt they weren't candidates for pro contracts.

Ah yes I knew that Leinster had moved to year-to-year academy contracts but it didn't register with me that it applied across all provinces. Of course it's still possible the lads decided to leave themselves. So as the stands the academy next year will be:

Year 3
Conor Kyne - Prop
Conan O'Donnell - Prop
Pat O'Toole - Hooker
Ed O'Keefe - Back 3
Cormac Brennan - Back 3

Year 2
Conor Kenny - Prop
Peter Claffey - Lock
Cillian Gallagher - Lock
Stephen Kerins - Scrum half
Matthew Byrne - Back 3
Adam Leavy - Back 3

Not entirely familiar with the sub-academy but I'd imagine academy prospects include Matthew Burke, Sean Masterson, Luke Carty, Morgan Codyre, Colm de Buitlear, Josh Pim, Ryan Feehily, Simon Meagher, Shane O'Hehir

I know that Connacht have been very good at keeping business under wraps this year with Keane and his crew, but I'm definitely worried there's only been one rumour of a new arrival.
With a good bit of squad depth going our starting team can't get injured next season.

Like even to get people buying season tickets, generate some excitement for people who are in the fence about renewing or encouraging new people to sign up. Because sadly the on pitch fair hasn't done enough. And the playoffs are heavily weighted against the pro 12 teams.

There's also a worry about the academy for me, there's only 2 possible third years in the academy that can get a professional contract now. Hopefully they​ make the step up. And the new crop push on

I don't think there is any harm in these young lads moving for experience but maybe we should try and tie up some sort of club relationships with new Zealand, Australian, South African and maybe even Argentinean clubs so that they can go and develop but with an eye on returning better players?

Keeping our finger on the pulse of development players in these countries would also help with future recruitment.

Mark Mostyn wrote:
It strikes me as odd to let three lads leave the academy a year early, has this happened before? I wonder what the reasoning is?

Recently some players have explicitly been signed to two year academy contracts - Masterson is an example - and about this time last year the IRFU announced that academy contracts would be year-to-year from now on with players released early if it was felt they weren't candidates for pro contracts.

No point in keeping Moloney and O'Leary around when they're both clearly not on the radar for first team gametime at all.

Fair play to the lads for pushing themselves to go play in New Zealand, I wonder will this be something we see more and more from young Irish players, with Oliver Jager making the Crusaders squad this year and guys like Thornbury and Crosbie heading down as well.

I wonder does Dineen being let go mean Delahunt has signed on.

It strikes me as odd to let three lads leave the academy a year early, has this happened before? I wonder what the reasoning is?

"That situation could change given the legal difficulties being encountered by former Irish U-20 Denis Coulson in France, who had been expected to join from Grenoble in the summer; it remains to be seen if that move goes ahead." - I would be extremely disappointed if Allnut and Ruane weren't being proactive looking for alternatives to Coulson, rather than waiting for a situation completely out of their control to resolve itself.

This is my favourite quote from the article " Connacht have managed to hold on to most of their frontline players for next season but there will be a significant shift in personnel at the Sportsground for the start of the Kieran Keane era in the summer." leads me to believe there are a number of new signings lined up or ready to be announced.

Does that mean the unaccounted for year threes - Dever and Kelly - are staying?

Very surprised along with molony aswell, Carolyn must have a few u20s lined up. Thought Conor lowndes would've been worth keeping ahead of Conor mckeon.