Just regarding Marmion and Henshaw: I think it is hard to compare the two given their positions. Robbie has been played at full-back for most of his games this season and so has seen far less of the ball. Personally I think that if we had the ability to set him loose more often then we would be seeing this award flipped on its head.
Marmion had been by far the most influential player in Connacht this season (given some notable absentees) and so he definitely deserves the award. I just think that the direct comparison is difficult.

phatguerilla wrote: That's an important point, but considering the Lenihan story that Connacht outbid the other provinces for Aki (and assuming its true) perhaps Munster and Leinster do not feel the holes in their midfield will be hard to fill?

If they think those aren't holes, or that they're easily filled, they're idiots. [Note: they're not idiots.]

Assuming Lenihan wasn't talking out his behind, and assuming there was no exaggeration, that Connacht outbid Leinster & Munster by 40K is just the difference between 80K (what Madigan was on until last summer, and less than the accepted average first team/non-international wage of 100K) and 120K.

This is probably down to the other provinces chancing their arm wages wise, or to us having so many of our higher earners - Duffy, Wilkinson, probably Clarke - on their way and freeing up budget, or both.

That's an important point, but considering the Lenihan story that Connacht outbid the other provinces for Aki (and assuming its true) perhaps Munster and Leinster do not feel the holes in their midfield will be hard to fill?

You're kind of ignoring the fact that Leinster, Munster, and Ulster have 2, 1 and 2 internationally capped scrumhalves on their respective books. Yeah Marmion is tearing it up for Connacht more than Henshaw, but if you look at the massive BOD shaped hole Leinster have to fill or the fact that Munster's outside centre & fullback options (Lualala, Hurley, Jones, and out-of-position Earls) are either leaving, not up to the required standard, or both, and you can see why the press was talking up a Henshaw move.

there was talk in the papers of IRFU wanting to move robbie henshaw on to Leinster, in the end it was all talk from the journo's, In reality comparing Marmion to Henshaw and the relative strengths at scrumhalf at the other Provinces especially at Leinster I have to say that they would all take Marmion without a doubt. On the pitch Marmion has been our best player in many of our games, Henshaw has had some great moments in games but hasn't done enough for me to warrant all the hype. Marmion for me is the real deal already whereas Henshaw is still work in progess.

Hopefully both players will continue to be fulfilled playing for Connacht, if we don't improve over the next 2 seasons one or both of these guys will leave.

Sorry lads it makes a lot of sense to me. We as Connacht supporters see the way that Kieran has been treated in terms of his ability and the Senior Ireland set up. The IRFU see Robbie as a young standout player for ireland, but yet they have people like Isac Boss and Eoin Reddan a head of Kieran in the pecking order after Murray.
And this year it has been hard to go past Kieran especially in the way that he has played.
But dont get me wrong I do think that Kieran should be ahead of Robbie on the Ireland list, as good as Robbie is.

ummm, wrote: Just to add to the "it makes no sense" part of the rant. Marmion is Connacht player of the year, back of the year and also the Clan's joint player and young player of the year. It really makes no sense that Robbie, as much as I love him, is on the IRFU young player of the year list ahead of him.

Fully agree. If he is not on the plane to Argentina....it will be Zeboesque

Just to add to the "it makes no sense" part of the rant. Marmion is Connacht player of the year, back of the year and also the Clan's joint player and young player of the year. It really makes no sense that Robbie, as much as I love him, is on the IRFU young player of the year list ahead of him.

winners

And the winner is....
28th April 2014

Connacht celebrated the past year of rugby at the annual Awards Dinner in the Bailey Allen Hall at NUI Galway on Saturday night.

Nearly 300 people attended the event which saw awards presented to players, coaches, referees and volunteers across a range of categories.

The cream of Connacht’s underage talent kicked off the ceremony followed by awards for junior and senior clubs and the women’s game.

The final award of the night was kept for the Players’ Player of the Year. This was the first year the senior squad were asked to vote for their player of the year. Recognised by his fellow peers and colleagues, scrum half Kieran Marmion received the highest accolade.

21-year-old Marmion has been involved in every single Connacht game, starting in all but two, since his debut last season. In addition, the young back holds the record of top try scorer of this season, getting over for that crucial score against Toulouse in France.

Marmion was also presented with the Back of the Year award while club captain John Muldoon scooped the Forward of the Year honour.

Connacht stalwart Ronan Loughney was recognised as the Connacht Rugby Team Man of the Year. Throughout the year, the Irish-capped prop has demonstrated exceptional commitment to the game both on and off field. He continues to match his playing and training with team support, work, charity, as well as community involvement.

21-year-old local talent Jack Carty was named the Academy Player of the Year after a stand out season for the outhalf. The Athlone youngster has graduated from the Connacht Academy to a professional contract next season. After captaining the Connacht Eagles in the British & Irish Cup, he went on to earn a handful of senior caps under Pat Lam. Carty earned his first start against Leinster in early January. A week later, he played his first Heineken Cup game against Italian side Zebre.

Dr. John O’Driscoll was inducted into the Connacht Rugby Hall of Fame for his extraordinary contribution to rugby within Connacht and Ireland and with the British & Irish Lions. John played for Connacht in the 1970’s and toured South Africa (1980) and New Zealand (1983) with the British and Irish Lions, playing in six of the eight tests on those tours.

O’Driscoll, uncle of Brian, was first capped at senior level against Scotland at Lansdowne Road in 1978, his 26-cap international career finished against the same opposition at the same venue eight years later. In 1982, he helped steer Ireland to a first Triple Crown success in over 13 years. Playing alongside Fergus Slattery and Willie Duggan, he formed the most effective backrow unit in the history of Irish rugby.

He has remained actively involved with the IRFU to this day and represents the interests of the Exiles based in the UK looking to make their way on to the representative scene in Ireland.

Full list of winners from the 2013/14 Connacht Awards Ceremony:

CONNACHT U18 SCHOOL PLAYER OF THE YEAR sponsored by DNG Maxwell Heaslip & Leonard
Conan O’Donnell, Summerhill College, Sligo

CONNACHT U18 CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR sponsored by O2
Matthew Cosgrove, Sligo RFC

CONNACHT U19 PLAYER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Deep RiverRock
Rory Moloney

CONNACHT U20 PLAYER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Dubarry
Sean O’Brien

CONNACHT SENIOR WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport
Claire Raftery

CONNACHT WOMEN’S CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR sponsored by DNG Maxwell Heaslip & Leonard
Ruth O’Reilly, Galwegians RFC

CONNACHT CLUB OF THE YEAR sponsored by Boston Scientific
Galwegians RFC

CONNACHT COACH OF THE YEAR sponsored by RDJ Glynn
Chris Davies, St Geralds College, Castlebar

CONNACHT VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Mazda
Geraldine McNally, Loughrea RFC

CONNACHT REFEREE OF THE YEAR sponsored by Golden Eye Security
Daniel Collins

CONNACHT JUNIOR CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Keller Travel
John Hayes, Ballinasloe RFC


CONNACHT SENIOR CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Inpho Photography
Mark Dolan, Buccaneers RFC

CONNACHT RUGBY ACADEMY PLAYER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Murray Timber
Jack Carty

CONNACHT RUGBY FORWARD OF THE YEAR sponsored by Heineken
John Muldoon

CONNACHT RUGBY BACK OF THE YEAR sponsored by the Connacht Hotel
Kieran Marmion

CONNACHT RUGBY TEAM MAN OF THE YEAR sponsored by the G Hotel
Ronan Loughney

CONNACHT RUGBY PLAYERS’ PLAYER OF THE YEAR sponsored by Castleprint
Kieran Marmion

CONNACHT RUGBY HALL OF FAME
Dr. John O’Driscoll

RockSalt wrote: A storm in a pint cup. If this proposed 'session' was the night before a game I might have some sympathy. However, if there's any fella - in any job in the world (including astronauts) - who wasn't fit and able for his work a full week after a piss up, I'd like to meet him.

I would have retired at 17.

A storm in a pint cup. If this proposed 'session' was the night before a game I might have some sympathy. However, if there's any fella - in any job in the world (including astronauts) - who wasn't fit and able for his work a full week after a piss up, I'd like to meet him.

It isn't ideal, an end of season party should be as it says on the tin, but you'd hope the players physically and mentally will be professional enough to not let their focus dip.

The Cardiff game in particular could be very important in determining our final position and points tally. There was a bit of a drink culture at Connacht for a long time, if that has been reined in its a significant step in the right direction.

rossie wrote: Wasn't last seasons total 38pts ?

They are 6pts away from breaking 40pts in a season for the first time.

Yup, and that would certainly be an achievement, but even if they take 5 off Glasgow where's the other point going to come from (that would leave us with one win and one draw less this year too)?

In my dreams we get a lbp at Ravenhill, edge out a Munster team having their traditional shambolic dress rehearsal for a great HEC performance, smash Cardiff for 5 points and finish off with a victory at a disinterested Ospreys team with nothing to play for in the last game.

But we both know the first option's more likely

Wasn't last seasons total 38pts ?

They are 6pts away from breaking 40pts in a season for the first time.

ConnachtCows wrote: there is a different mentality towards drink this season from the players.

To play fair with Swifty, while there is no evidence that boozing/holidays makes us any worse on final day than we are normally, there's not much evidence the not boozing has helped much this season - we'd need a miraculous set of results in the last 4 to best last year's record.

swift4prez wrote: 08/09 glasgow 30 - connacht 9..... glasgow finished 7th out of 10.
09/10 ulster 41 - connacht 10..... ulster finished 8th out of 10, there was only 5points between us before kickoff.
10/11 munster 22 - connacht 6
11/12 glasgow 24 - connacht 3
12/13 connacht 3 - glasgow 20

we averaged 6 points a game. average 27 against.

to me that spells a team 'game mode' off

08/09 glasgow 30 - connacht 9 Lost by 21. Average away loss that season (we lost every single away game) was by 26 points. Median loss was 21 (this game). So an expected result all round.

09/10 ulster 41 - connacht 10 Lost by 31 at Ravenhill. Average away loss 23 points, median 14. Certainly a bit of an away blowout (one of 4 in the league that year i.e. we got tarred and feathered almost every second away game), but this was Ravenhill the week after our Toulon Amlin semi. This match was Bradley's last in charge. Legend has it he traveled to the game separately to the team.

10/11 Away to Munster who finished top on 83 points and went on to win the whole thing.

11/12 Away to Glasgow, who needed to win to secure 4th, and who had a chance of sneaking 3rd and avoiding Leinster in the semis (they didn't).

12/13 Home to Glasgow, who needed to win well as they had a chance of sneaking a home semi (they didn't).

To summarise:

(1) Last 3 seasons we had horrible final fixtures, and before that we were really really really really really really shite.

(2) If we put it up to Ulster and beat Munster and THEN roll over against Cardiff, you'll have something to give out about, and then some.

(3) But until that day arrives (let's hope it doesn't) there is less than nothing to suggest our end of season bash has made a blind bit of difference to our results.