New Signings.

Godwin never played 15 in Aus or Ire, AFAC...

www.the42.ie/izack-rodda-quit-queensland...lia-5105187-May2020/

Two Giant Locks and a Fullback. Would probably face stiff competition for Rodda from clubs with bigger budgets due to him being a 21 Cap Aus Int. but there must ba a reasonable chance that Friend could tempt Hockings and or lucas to come west.

To add fuel

rugbynews.net.au/australian-boys-sevens-...-world-championship/

Look who's the coach and who's in the squad!

Hockings (and even more likely Lucas) would be wonderful, but with us looking to have to let Godwin go, and with Dowling confirmed inbound and us pretty well-resourced at second row: it's still likely to be Wootton and/or Adam Byrne joining in the back three. If Leader leaves we'll need both!

Two young IQ prospect released from Jersey , Stapley (Wing, 24) and James Newey (22), Centre/Wing who's great talent.
Godwin 2.0

Angus Lloyd also leaving, so looks like the full list of those going is (should there be 11 leaving):
Adeolokun, Rory Burke, Copeland, Fainga'a, Godwin, Horwitz, Leader, Lloyd, McCartney, McKeon, Maksymiw.

That leaves the squad looking like:

Back 3:
S. Fitzgerald, Healy, O'Halloran, Porch.
(+ de Buitlear & Wootton ?)

Centre:
Aki, Arnold, Daly, Farrell, Robb.

Outhalf:
Carty, C. Fitzgerald.

Scrumhalf:
Blade, Kerins, Marmion.

Loosehead:
Buckley, Burke, McAllister, McCabe.

Hooker:
Delahunt, Heffernan, Murphy.
(+ Tierney-Martin ?)

Tighthead:
Aungier, Bealham, Kenny, Robertson-McCoy.

Lock:
Dillane, Roux, Thornbury.
(+ Murray ?)

Lock/Flanker:
Dowling, Gallagher.

Backrow:
Boyle, Butler, E. Masterson, S. Masterson, O'Brien, Oliver.
(+ Wiese ?)

If all the rumoured arrivals happen we're still short a 9 and a 10, who could be Reilly and one of Luke Carty or Dean. Happy enough with the look of that squad to be honest.

As I pointed, a NIQ 2nd row and 10, are possible in my opinion, maybe a project player back-3 like the young Aussie Friends coached 3 years ago

Really doubt McCabe was more than a short-term contract
7 props (with Bealham covering both sides) is ok..

connachta wrote: Really doubt McCabe was more than a short-term contract
7 props (with Bealham covering both sides) is ok..

McCabe was on a short term contract in early October but was obviously retained for longer (Matt Burke had a long term injury) as he was mentioned as returning for the match after the South African trip. He may be on his way if we're going with 11 front rows like last year, but 7 props wasn't enough last year. For the record, Leinster and Connacht went with 7 senior props last year, Munster with 8, and Ulster with 9.

I think we could keep going with 7, Bigger holes elsewhere

In the 2nd/backrow we need 7 on each teamsheet (2+1 locks, 3+1 back-rows)

we have

only 3 pure locks (Dillane, Roux Thornbury)
4 can play 6 or 5 (Gallagher, Dowling, E.Masterson, SOB)
4 pure back-rows (NIQ Wiese, Oliver, Boyle, Butler)

That's 11 for 7 spots
Even if we add 2 "seasoned-Academy guys" Murray, and S.Masterson,

We're short for 1 name IMO (a lock rather than a back-row, as the mixed profiles are lees 5 than 6 except Gallagher)

Craggy Rugby's latest podcast saying we ere in for Wiese but the deal is dead. They say Sullivan is joining from Lansdowne and called out Tierney-Martin, Dean, and de Buitlear as the most likely for promotion from the academy.

If, and only if, we can't sign a NIQ, and Leinster Connors keeps refusing the move, or Doris

As far as I know Liam was renewed, but not the big n°8 Gavin
Coombes!

(two years deal in October 2018)

So if we're not being allowed to sign Wiese and have been told to offload Godwin while the underperformers down the road are allowed to bring in Snyman and de Allende then we're back to the same old hind tit shit as before. Development province days are here again. I thought these were gone. Let's hope I'm wrong, but we'd need to have some kind of announcement this week please.

Craggy lads seemed to imply the Wiese deal was dead from the South African end, nothing to do with the IRFU.

Don't know about his contract situation but Elrigh Louw at Southern Kings would make an excellent alternative No. 8 if Wiese isn't going to happen.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elrigh_Louw

Six graduates from the academy to the senior team:

www.connachtrugby.ie/six-connacht-academ...first-pro-contracts/

Dean, Masterson, Murray, Reilly & Sullivan were flagged well in advance. Prop Duggan is a slight surprise, but great to see us carrying 4 props on either side.

Great to see the numbers graduating from the academy, and great to see all of last year's crop staying on too.

No de Buitlear, which I'd assume is injury related.

No Tierney-Martin, which was flagged to me by someone in the know months ago - and which I immediately dismissed as gossip given his performances for the u20s

So still in the market for a hooker, a back row, and maybe a back 3 player.