fluffychickens wrote: If it is a development squad then nikora and parks gone, ronaldson and carty in. If henshaw is to be future Irish 13 then griffin needs to find a new club as he is huge talent and will make a name for himself elsewhere. Healy is doing fine at 11 but toh has to move. It is either griffin at 13 and henshaw at 15 or henshaw at 13 and toh at 15. Make the goddam choice. Fionn is going nowhere and will be a capable replacement when required. Poolman owns the 14 shirt and toh can replace him when necessary (injury).

You're making it sound like we should have one player in each position and damn the squad depth. Our injury list alone this season should make you realise the folly of suggesting Griffen and TOH move on.

fluffychickens wrote: Have a lot of time for Andy Goode. Fine player. So I did mention Toby flood as a joke. Connacht have to get real. Is it a development squad or is it not. To say it is a development squad is not a slander. If it is a development squad then nikora and parks gone, ronaldson and carty in. If henshaw is to be future Irish 13 then griffin needs to find a new club as he is huge talent and will make a name for himself elsewhere. Healy is doing fine at 11 but toh has to move. It is either griffin at 13 and henshaw at 15 or henshaw at 13 and toh at 15. Make the goddam choice. Fionn is going nowhere and will be a capable replacement when required. Poolman owns the 14 shirt and toh can replace him when necessary (injury).

At the moment Connacht is nothing. Who are they developing. Dan? Poolman? Griffin? Toh? Healy? They are developing nothing. And the sign of it that we have henshaw (and no disrespect to Robbie) who simply you could not in your best intentions place on an international team against new Zealand.

Next week against Toulouse we have maybe one change where wilko comes in. Wtf. Huge developments there

The "development" tag is dead and has been for a couple years. We are a full province now. You want to tear up trees and yet have no room for rotation.

Not many would have any qualms with our backline selections last week excusing perhaps Parks but Ronaldson didn't set the world alight the previous week against Scarlets either. I'm indifferent to who plays on Sunday. Griffin is progressing nicely here and anyone who knew anything about him before he was a professional would tell you that his defence was the chink in his armour. It is probably the strongest aspect of his game now, that's bringing a player along. If someone wants to make a shout on whether Robbie is a 13 or a 15 please do, because no one seems to know so I'm happy to continue rotating.

Your final paragraph is just sad. You link the term "development" to team selection which hasn't even been made. WTF does that mean? It won't be the same team that plays again and I'm more than willing to place a wager on that.

Connacht might be playing like s*** right now, but is worth a hell of a lot more than "nothing".

Hibbard confirmed leaving Ospreys to join up with Afoa next season.

I know Scarlets have managed to secure Regan King's signature for next season but the quality left in the Welsh regions next year is going to be extremely shallow.

Have a lot of time for Andy Goode. Fine player. So I did mention Toby flood as a joke. Connacht have to get real. Is it a development squad or is it not. To say it is a development squad is not a slander. If it is a development squad then nikora and parks gone, ronaldson and carty in. If henshaw is to be future Irish 13 then griffin needs to find a new club as he is huge talent and will make a name for himself elsewhere. Healy is doing fine at 11 but toh has to move. It is either griffin at 13 and henshaw at 15 or henshaw at 13 and toh at 15. Make the goddam choice. Fionn is going nowhere and will be a capable replacement when required. Poolman owns the 14 shirt and toh can replace him when necessary (injury).

At the moment Connacht is nothing. Who are they developing. Dan? Poolman? Griffin? Toh? Healy? They are developing nothing. And the sign of it that we have henshaw (and no disrespect to Robbie) who simply you could not in your best intentions place on an international team against new Zealand.

Next week against Toulouse we have maybe one change where wilko comes in. Wtf. Huge developments there

I see where your coming from but we need more stability than a 1 yr deal for a 10.
Why not go for a young kiwi or saffer and do the project thing. Get them cheap and get them iq and get them playing instead of getting players who are only setting up for retirement.

ya flood is giving up on england and going to france by the looks of it.

a little more reastic, (here goes) anyone watch highlights of the premiership weekly? one of the best outhalfs playing is andy goode. if you havent seen him, dont judge him. im sure he's only on a 1 year deal at wasps. he is playing amazing stuff and winnning games single handed for wasps from the boot. down side is he'll be 34 in april but 100% worth 1 year deal

Toby Flood is talks with Toulon as for Afoa I'm surprised one of the reasons he is leaving Ulster is that the family couldn't settle in Northern Ireland. How will England be that much different? Last I heard he was in talks with a French team and you'd imagine with the weather there it would suit the Kiwi lifestyle more. It's an odd turn of events.

Toby flood out of contract. Now that's a signing Connacht could do with

John afoa leaving ulster for premiership on longterm deal. Club details not released yet.

He probably is feeling the strains of playing over there. Doesent seem to be playing the full 80 minutes anymore for Clermont. Maybe playing with the Dragons he might get an extra year rather than burning out in france

Good point.

He probably is feeling the strains of playing over there. Doesent seem to be playing the full 80 minutes anymore for Clermont. Maybe playing with the Dragons he might get an extra year rather than burning out in france

Adding to that Mike Phillips to Racing Metro and that's basically the whole Weish team to France or England. Surprised that Lee Byrne is coming back he's 32/33? So the chances of him making the wales team again are slim. Good signing for Dragons though.

Strong rumours from Wales today that Warburton has signed for Northampton and halfpenny for Toulon. Adam jones is reportedly joining glouxester. Lee Byrne is also rumoured to have signed for the dragons. Dragons are 50% owned by WRU. Iwwonder is that reason that they are the only club making progress in Wales?

Good to know the player quotas only apply to everyone else

Leinster looking to sign southern hemisphere hooker on short term contract. Due to be announced within next week. Apparently saffer or kiwi. Also looking to extend Lote Tuqiri's contract which is due to finish at end of month.

swift4prez wrote: denis buckley to ulster???? anychance that can happen?

I doubt it, he's contracted to 2015. Unless I'm mistaken there are currently no foreign looseheads in the frontline 23s in the provinces - Healy, McGrath, Kilcoyne, Cronin, Wilkinson, Cooney, Court, Clark - so maybe Ulster will get a foreign loosehead to make up somewhat for the loss of Afoa?