Don't know much about Sheridan but on the face of it he looks like he could be a good signing. Size wise he resembles Jamie Roberts & if he was even half as effective as Roberts at smashing holes through the midfield he'd be a very effective weapon at negating the fast up press defence that's been killing us all season and creating space for the effective strike runners like Tiernan, Healy, Ade, Aki ect.

Ya I suppose that could be part of it, but we usually are up towards the top of that table, interestingly Bundee's ban wasn't included as ill discipline against us

MulMan wrote: We were crowned winners of the fair play league tonight at the Pro12 awards, which with it brings €10,000 for youth development, so hopefully this can be used to help the academy

Very good
Would I be cynical, I'd say when you don't tackle and ruck, you avoid yellow cards...
But still, good.

We were crowned winners of the fair play league tonight at the Pro12 awards, which with it brings €10,000 for youth development, so hopefully this can be used to help the academy

A lot of IQs abroad have re-signed,
But I'd try to pursue Eamonn Sheridan, out of contract with Oyonnax, now an experienced player.
We can specialize Griffin/Farrell as 13, even give Aki gametime there to benefit from more spaces.
Ronaldson/Sheridan/(Aki)/Robb for 12 should be ok, now McSharry retired

And he might want to finish his carreer/Prepare his next one as a coach in Ireland....
I'd add he would still be 4th choice and 1 injury away from Japan , tongue in cheek, but not far from reality, there are not many international talents behind Murray/Marmion/McGrath

was just thinking the same myself earlier today when I heard the news, but he might be offered a better financial deal somewhere else, but from a sporting view he couldn't do better, here's to hoping

Cooney's leaving, Blade/McKeon need a player-coach to reach a pro level
www.the42.ie/peter-stringer-sale-3372625...ource=facebook_short
So why not a 1 year deal?

It's great to see so many club and academy lads getting a chance on an international stage, it will stand to them confidence wise if and when they get a chance for Connacht seniors

Looks like O'Keeffe is still with the academy:

community.connachtrugby.ie/ireland-mens-...ing-squad-confirmed/

Also, this list (from Connacht) doesn't list Conroy as signed, but I'd be very surprised if he's not. Last year Rowland's signing by Connacht was also inadvertently revealed in an IRFU 7s squad bulletin.

Bazzo wrote:
My bad, I thought he was only 20ish for some reason.

He's still in AIT so you could be forgiven for assuming that. Kids these days, staying in college forever!

salmson wrote: Conroy is 23 already or else turns 23 later this year. If he's coming in late from the AIL I'd expect him to be in the senior squad on a development contract as per Niyi, Matt & Craig when they first joined, not in the academy.

My bad, I thought he was only 20ish for some reason.

mollz265 wrote: Conor Lowndes is on the squad too!

So he is! Missing from Murray Kinsella's list on Twitter but on the IRFU press release. Six and one old boy from a squad of 31 is pretty good going.

Conor Lowndes is on the squad too!

Conroy is 23 already or else turns 23 later this year. If he's coming in late from the AIL I'd expect him to be in the senior squad on a development contract as per Niyi, Matt & Craig when they first joined, not in the academy.

salmson wrote: Good Connacht representation in the 7s training squad:

Jordan Conroy & Shane Layden from Buccs; Adam Leavy, Josh Rowland & Ed O'Keeffe from Wegians; Fionn Carr, once-of-this-parish.

I note that Conroy is listed as Buccaneers/Connacht, as per Leavy (Wegians/Connacht) who has just finished year 1 of the academy; the others are just listed by club. We know Layden left a year or two ago, and Rowland is leaving, anyone heard if O'Keeffe has left the academy and if Conroy has been signed, as these listings might suggest?

Yeah I was just gonna comment the exact same thing about Conroy. Looks like we might know at least 1 incoming player for the academy anyway!

As for O'Keefe, I have no idea.