Jake to leave at end of the season www.connachtrugby.ie/jake-heenan-to-leav...nd-of-201718-season/

Schmidt called out Kieran's performance; difficult for him as we did not control the rucks. He played poorly in the first 20 but then improved. I was surprised Joe did not bring on McGrath earlier, and I would expect he will put McGrath on bench this week as he needs game time. Two good players.

Ultan was ok, but I think Quinn offers more in scrum and in the hard yards area. I would not be surprised that with a good run over Christmas, that he would be back in contention.

Only way Connacht guys will get on squad is by winning. We saw it in 2016, but we lost consistency. A strong league campaign and at least semis in Challenge Cup and we will see more opportunities. We can complain all we like Leinster are consistently there or thereabouts every year

Playing adequately at tighthead at international level after only playing the position for 8 months or so is incredibly impressive. Never mind the fact it’s only his second pro season.

It was notable too last Saturday that Kieran's and Ultan's performances came in for more critical scrutiny than other underperformers such as Rhys Ruddock, Jordi Murphy, and Chris Farrell. I'm not saying Kieran or Ultan pulled up trees, but they were far from the worst of the park. Also Porter was only adequate. Let's now wait for the Brian O'Driscoll led chorus of acclamation if Luke McGrath lands a decent box kick off the bench next Saturday, and calls for his immediate installment as understudy to Murray.
Predictable and very annoying.

McCartney is already qualified. I would say Best and Scannell are out in front as the two best hookers and there’s not much between Herring, Heffernan, McCartney, Cronin, and Tracy at the moment.

I think Finlay and Quinn, are really unlucky.
Finlay is way ahead of the other props.
Quinn is the most awkward second row Ireland has, which opposition hate.
He has the grit we need. I love seeing him play.

Denis has not been at his best, mostly due to injury last season.
He is coming back to form this season. If he stays injury free he should put pressure on.
I think his height will go against him for international Rugby and I think this why he's not being selected. As they want height for the lineout. Hopefully this will also put off foreign coaches so we can keep him. Hopefully I'm wrong

TOH and the full back 3 (and subs) need to work on defence to make it into Joe squad.
Going forward they are at the top of the league.
Defending they are very poor.
TOH gave a try to the cheetah's, by not missing a tackle, if they all work on it they will be knocking on Joe door.
(This is the only weakness he has, unfortunately Joe wants it to be a strength)

Saying that Niyi defence has really improved, and it's obvious he is working on it.

When is Tom qualified?
If he gets his arrows right, he should be 2nd choice hooker.

Betty Swallocks wrote: I would be concerned with Schmidt's continued insistence in selecting Leinster fringe squad members, journeymen, and Blackrock alumni such as Adam Byrne, Daverage Kearney, Andrew Porter, and "Killer" Kilcoyne in front of TOH, Denis, and Finlay then they may well be tempted if good offers come in from France or England.

And you couldn't blame them there are cases where 3rd choice Leinster is valued more than 1st choice other provinces. I don't doubt porter is a talent and the future but he has a handful of games ( low level games for Leicester yet makes the squad ahead on Finlay, Not saying Finlay is ripping it up but surely would have being equally as good / better than porter against Fiji. The Tiernan one is hard to fathom best FB in country for last 3 seasons and rarely selected and makes me ask the question if RK was fit would he have being on the summer tour at all?

I would be concerned with Schmidt's continued insistence in selecting Leinster fringe squad members, journeymen, and Blackrock alumni such as Adam Byrne, Daverage Kearney, Andrew Porter, and "Killer" Kilcoyne in front of TOH, Denis, and Finlay then they may well be tempted if good offers come in from France or England.

Ahki might be missing for a short while after the challenge cup games, I see he has an important day looming back in NZ

Shelflife wrote: We could have a problem with Denis.

Hes out of favour with Ireland and unless theres a spate of loose head injuries hes not going to be capped (unfairly IMO).

So the lure of International rugby is effectively gone for him, so whats to keep him at Connacht ?

Obviously there is the fact that hes Connacht through and through but you would have to imagine that there would be a number of teams lining up for him waving money in his face. The IRFU wont be interested in spending cash on a player that they (INT) dont need.

Really hope he stays but id be worried.

Yeah it's a worry, that's why I'd like to see us bring in Dooley to back him up for a year and hopefully be ready to step up to a starting role if necessary.

BleedGreen O'Halloran and Heenan are probably the two in that boat this summer.

Shelflife wrote: We could have a problem with Denis.

Hes out of favour with Ireland and unless theres a spate of loose head injuries hes not going to be capped (unfairly IMO).

So the lure of International rugby is effectively gone for him, so whats to keep him at Connacht ?

Obviously there is the fact that hes Connacht through and through but you would have to imagine that there would be a number of teams lining up for him waving money in his face. The IRFU wont be interested in spending cash on a player that they (INT) dont need.

Really hope he stays but id be worried.

Worried about this with a few players this year. Our lads not getting much of a look in interntaionally has to be getting to some of them and alot of contracts up this year

We could have a problem with Denis.

Hes out of favour with Ireland and unless theres a spate of loose head injuries hes not going to be capped (unfairly IMO).

So the lure of International rugby is effectively gone for him, so whats to keep him at Connacht ?

Obviously there is the fact that hes Connacht through and through but you would have to imagine that there would be a number of teams lining up for him waving money in his face. The IRFU wont be interested in spending cash on a player that they (INT) dont need.

Really hope he stays but id be worried.

Denis is our only contracted loosehead for next season (although maybe Coulson is as well), who would people like to see us retain? Peter Dooley is out of contract at Leinster..

I would like to see Buckley as first choice with Dooley backing him up. Coulson if he is willing to stay and fight for his place, if not McCabe or O’Donnell as 3rd choice with Cooney backing up on both sides of the scrum.

salmson wrote:

Enda wrote: But it does not make sense as he just joined the Leinster academy.

The answer might be in that link you found: when Doris agreed to join the Leinster academy Max Deegan had just been passed over for promotion to the senior squad (when Carbery, Ryan etc. were promoted). Subsequent to that he was elevated to the senior ranks - presumably because of Heaslip's ongoing misfortune.

Academy deals are only year-by-year now (rather than 2 or 3 year), and Connacht have history of offering development contracts to players in year one of other provinces' academies e.g. Mick Kearney. May come to nothing - with Mul, McKeon, Masterson, Dawai, Butler & Fox we're hardly short of players who can play 8 - but I wouldn't say it makes no sense.

Butler is the only one of those who's contracted beyond this year and he's our starting 7 so really we have no 8s. We probably to sign two specialist as well as a couple of flankers who can cover. Whether we retain guys, promote from the academy, or bring in players from outside I don't know. Doris is clearly one of the biggest prospects in the country, I'd just be worried about the risk that we spend 3 years developing him to an international standard then he goes back to Leinster at 23.

Anyway, he's rejected us before afaik and is rated very highly at Leinster so there's no way they're gonna let him go without a fight. I guess Heaslip's fitness might be a factor.

Enda wrote: But it does not make sense as he just joined the Leinster academy.

The answer might be in that link you found: when Doris agreed to join the Leinster academy Max Deegan had just been passed over for promotion to the senior squad (when Carbery, Ryan etc. were promoted). Subsequent to that he was elevated to the senior ranks - presumably because of Heaslip's ongoing misfortune.

Academy deals are only year-by-year now (rather than 2 or 3 year), and Connacht have history of offering development contracts to players in year one of other provinces' academies e.g. Mick Kearney. May come to nothing - with Mul, McKeon, Masterson, Dawai, Butler & Fox we're hardly short of players who can play 8 - but I wouldn't say it makes no sense.

Aren't all academy contracts now just 1 year, and then renewed?
Could make sense if Connacht offered a senior one against Leinsters Year 2 Academy
Exciting prospect though