connachta wrote: Yeah not unhappy at all.
Just wonder what it means for Leader/Kelleher/Conroy.
Anyway definitely not much room for Ili in the back 3, he has to compete with Farrell/Griffin/Brennan for the 13 spot too if he wants some gametime

12. Aki/Ronaldson/Robb
13. Griffin/Farrell/Brennan
11. Healy/Ili/Conroy
14. Niyi/Kelleher/Byrne or Leavy
15. TOH//Scholes/Leader

With the caveat that Scholes will be primarily a fullback:

Leader will have to prove his form, he (very understandably) struggled when he came back last season.

For me Kelleher was much better for us on the wing, he'll get a lot of gametime there if he can stay fit, and will have established himself as first choice by the end of the season IMO.

We don't even know if we're planning on signing Conroy. Even if we don't he'll be stepping up a division with Buccaneers and playing top class sevens so his career will still be progressing.

sportsnewsireland.com/rugby/rugby_irish/...-half-andrew-deegan/

Big Brother is watching us! Nice that they think we are fairly knowledgeable at least

salmson wrote: Assuming Conroy is on board we now have 9 back three players - Adeolokun, Brennan, Conroy, Healy, Ili, Kelleher, Leader, O’Halloran, Scholes - and only 5 centres - Aki, Farrell, Griffin, Robb, Ronaldson.

The plus side of this is Ronaldson will continue as a centre (where he's very good) and not as a ten (where he isn't). The down side of this is that as Connachta pointed out we might see Ili (or Kelleher!) at centre, which would be worrying based on how he defended for the few games he played their last year.

Ronaldson definitely can play ten, he was recruited form Clontarf as one.
But he filled a temporary gap in the centres so due to injuries, and then was sort of pigeon-holed by Pat only getting opportunities when Jack was injured.
If he had a run of games at ten he'd be fine, he just never got that under Pat. Different beast to Jack, would add more punch closer in and more impact defensively in 9-10 channel.

Same applies to Illi, these guys are asked to fill gaps for a game or two where the relationship with the players inside and outside them is absolutely critical.If you're playing mainly on the wing, you're dealing with a lot less information/communication, lines of running and style of defending are very different and it takes time to adjust...

But back to Scholes, a very decent player.
Hope he appreciates the opportunity he's landed, if there's kinks in his game KK could be just the man to iron them out...

If only those Rey Lee-Lo rumours are true and he ends up in Green. Then I'd say Connacht are all set for the new season as far as the backs are concerned.

Wow calm down you hooligans, everybody posted in the same time

salmson wrote: Assuming Conroy is on board we now have 9 back three players - Adeolokun, Brennan, Conroy, Healy, Ili, Kelleher, Leader, O’Halloran, Scholes - and only 5 centres - Aki, Farrell, Griffin, Robb, Ronaldson.

The plus side of this is Ronaldson will continue as a centre (where he's very good) and not as a ten (where he isn't). The down side of this is that as Connachta pointed out we might see Ili (or Kelleher!) at centre, which would be worrying based on how he defended for the few games he played their last year.

Crosbie was seen as a 12 when he was in the Leinster academy.

salmson wrote: Assuming Conroy is on board we now have 9 back three players - Adeolokun, Brennan, Conroy, Healy, Ili, Kelleher, Leader, O’Halloran, Scholes - and only 5 centres - Aki, Farrell, Griffin, Robb, Ronaldson.

The plus side of this is Ronaldson will continue as a centre (where he's very good) and not as a ten (where he isn't). The down side of this is that as Connachta pointed out we might see Ili (or Kelleher!) at centre, which would be worrying based on how he defended for the few games he played their last year.

So if we look from first choice you will have

15: Tiernan : Darragh : Cormac
14: Niyi : Rory : Conroy
11: Matt : Cian : Stacey

From what I saw of Scholes at Ulster he's a better winger than Stacey.

Yeah not unhappy at all.
Just wonder what it means for Leader/Kelleher/Conroy.
Anyway definitely not much room for Ili in the back 3, he has to compete with Farrell/Griffin/Brennan for the 13 spot too if he wants some gametime

12. Aki/Ronaldson/Robb
13. Griffin/Farrell/Brennan
11. Healy/Ili/Conroy
14. Niyi/Kelleher/Byrne or Leavy
15. TOH//Scholes/Leader

Assuming Conroy is on board we now have 9 back three players - Adeolokun, Brennan, Conroy, Healy, Ili, Kelleher, Leader, O’Halloran, Scholes - and only 5 centres - Aki, Farrell, Griffin, Robb, Ronaldson.

The plus side of this is Ronaldson will continue as a centre (where he's very good) and not as a ten (where he isn't). The down side of this is that as Connachta pointed out we might see Ili (or Kelleher!) at centre, which would be worrying based on how he defended for the few games he played their last year.

ThisYearWillBeDifferent wrote: www.connachtrugby.ie/connacht-rugby-sign-winger-rory-scholes/

Think Connachta called this a while ago. I always like him when he was with Ulster, interestingly he said at the start of his time with Edinburgh that he wants to play 15 www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/rory-...-15-jersey-1-4199763

I think we definitely needed a fullback, given that Tiernan will (hopefully) miss a few games due to Ireland duty and none of us really have any idea how Darragh Leader will do after his injury nightmare.

ThisYearWillBeDifferent wrote: www.connachtrugby.ie/connacht-rugby-sign-winger-rory-scholes/

Props to Connachta.

www.connachtrugby.ie/connacht-rugby-sign-winger-rory-scholes/

When is the Academy intake being announcement? We are less than a month till the opening game like.

sea_point wrote: Guys with my Mod's cap on..

Please don't speculate on players salaries or post privileged info here, even if you think you have the inside track.
What they do or do not earn is a private matter between them and Connacht / IRFU.

I certainly wouldn't like my salary discussed on a public forum.(mainly because it's pitifully low)...
I think we all know roughly what Rugby players earn, and for my money (unexpected injuries aside) they're good value, certainly compared to soccerball players...

Thanks
S_p

Any chance sligusup can write in normal font while we are giving out about something?

sea_point wrote: Guys with my Mod's cap on..

Please don't speculate on players salaries or post privileged info here, even if you think you have the inside track.
What they do or do not earn is a private matter between them and Connacht / IRFU.

I certainly wouldn't like my salary discussed on a public forum.(mainly because it's pitifully low)...
I think we all know roughly what Rugby players earn, and for my money (unexpected injuries aside) they're good value, certainly compared to soccerball players...

Thanks
S_p

Duly Noted S_p

Guys with my Mod's cap on..

Please don't speculate on players salaries or post privileged info here, even if you think you have the inside track.
What they do or do not earn is a private matter between them and Connacht / IRFU.

I certainly wouldn't like my salary discussed on a public forum.(mainly because it's pitifully low)...
I think we all know roughly what Rugby players earn, and for my money (unexpected injuries aside) they're good value, certainly compared to soccerball players...

Thanks
S_p