Porterbelly wrote: Tadhg Beirne, the 2nd row at the Scarlets would be a very astute signing for us. He's been brilliant for them this season, not sure what his contract situation is though.

Think he re-signed with the scarlets....?

It would indeed. I take it Stevenson won't be kept and Qualter is not pushing for a spot on the bench.

Tadhg Beirne, the 2nd row at the Scarlets would be a very astute signing for us. He's been brilliant for them this season, not sure what his contract situation is though.

depends how Masterson comes back. Heenan can still go back to his old promises too
I hope for SOB/Masterson/Heenan as our main back-row, Dawai 20 as impact player, Muldoon as player-coach cover, Connolly/McKeon just in case of rotation

EvoGeo wrote: "It's not this guy, it's just I'd much rather one Boshoff/Aki/Heenan type signing than signing 3 players like Ili/Dawai/McCoy/Pewhairangi."

@ Mostyn, minor issue but it is a bit early to put Dawai down as an unsuccessful signing. He's hardly here a wet week. It took AJ four months or so to settle and learn the tactics and he's from this country. I still hope he and some of the signings from last summer will prove themselves.

Dawai at 8 perhaps and see how he goes?

What do people think of Heenan now? I know he has had a few injuries but I had hoped he would be making much more of an impact and pushing for test honours.

I think he is behind quite a few players now.

yeah i'm following the news about him too, still rookie compared to Lepa though

Don't know too much about him but bringing young lock Gavin Thornbury back home from NZ might not be a bad idea. Right age profile, IQ and if you're to believe what's been written in the media in the past he has the makings of a very good player. But some of you will probably know a lot more about him and his potential.

www.the42.ie/gavin-thornbury-leinster-wa...and-3048186-Oct2016/

www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/connacht-...e-west-35477460.html

I felt bad for Steve Crosbie at the end of the Dragons match. He was all ready to go but never made it on to the pitch. looked gutted heading back in!

Didn't made the team this week, hopefully he get a chance to show what he can do before too long. Ruthless business sometimes.

EvoGeo wrote: "It's not this guy, it's just I'd much rather one Boshoff/Aki/Heenan type signing than signing 3 players like Ili/Dawai/McCoy/Pewhairangi."

@ Mostyn, minor issue but it is a bit early to put Dawai down as an unsuccessful signing. He's hardly here a wet week. It took AJ four months or so to settle and learn the tactics and he's from this country. I still hope he and some of the signings from last summer will prove themselves.

I don't think he's the problem I just think it was a hasty and strange signing when we have SOB, McKeown, Fox, and Connolly to play 6, and he's older than all of them and taking up an NIQ place.

connachta wrote: .I think he's promising enough to be 5th choice lock and 3rd choice n°8 in the begining. Only 25, could develop nice and quick
I'd spend more of our limited money on marquee LH and winger (we need a heavier one, Niyi/Healy should alternate with a big powerful guy like Vandell, Nakaitaci Etc...)

I agree NIQ spots should be used wisely, but if Nepia or Ili leaves, we have 3 guys who could come from abroad
we haven't the money to pay for 3 high-profile players
I think we should focus on a LH and a big winger, and bet on a decent young guy to play 5/8 times to times covering for the quality guys we already have there (Cannon, Dillane, Roux, Masterson, SOB, Muldoon still there ...)

Devils own wrote:

Bazzo wrote:

Devils own wrote: If we can get him on a totally normal level deal then he is good player can easily slot into 12 and 15 and we could release any below par back ups to Boshoff. Having him and Boshoff in same team is easy and would give options he would be like another Ronaldson only an international level place kicker

To be honest I think Ronaldson could well be a international standard place kicker but for some reason is rarely given the kicking duties from the beginning of a match.

I wouldn't agree fully with that I have no confidence in any of current place kickers Boshoff excluded as haven't seen him really, but Cooney is currently probably the most reliable best of a very suspect group and that has cost us dearly on many occasions but I do like 10/12 player at inside centre for our style of play opens up games better and links play well but I'd worry about Madigans physical presence in that area. Ronaldson gets injured a hell of a lot too.

Sorry, bit delayed getting back to you on this. Ronaldson's kicking %s for is 73%, that's not far off as good as you'll get from anybody doing the majority of their place kicking in the sportsground.

"It's not this guy, it's just I'd much rather one Boshoff/Aki/Heenan type signing than signing 3 players like Ili/Dawai/McCoy/Pewhairangi."

@ Mostyn, minor issue but it is a bit early to put Dawai down as an unsuccessful signing. He's hardly here a wet week. It took AJ four months or so to settle and learn the tactics and he's from this country. I still hope he and some of the signings from last summer will prove themselves.

Darragh wrote: I think we need better quality/ marquee signings to lift on.

We need to aim higher.

High profile NIQ signings over the past 4 years:

Aki
McCartney
Muliaina
Boshoff
Clarke
Heenan

So long as we avoid signing aging legends, I would trust any high profile signing we make to be excellent.

Low profile/bargain NIQ (including IQ SH lads):

Fox Matamua
Pewhairangi
AJ MacGinty
Robertson-McCoy
Ili
Dawai
So'oialo

Not so consistent. I'd say our success rate with these types of signing is very similar to our success rate with AIL players/IQ players in the Championship and other leagues (like Muldowney,Carey etc)

Sorry I'm completely rambling, but the point I'm trying to make is I'd like us to save our limited NIQ places for top level starting players, and to sign IQ options rather than taking chances on provincial level NIQs

.I think he's promising enough to be 5th choice lock and 3rd choice n°8 in the begining. Only 25, could develop nice and quick
I'd spend more of our limited money on marquee LH and winger (we need a heavier one, Niyi/Healy should alternate with a big powerful guy like Vandell, Nakaitaci Etc...)

I think we need better quality/ marquee signings to lift on.

We need to aim higher.