Westie85 wrote:
The following are not traveling

Nathan White, Quin roux, Ben Marshall, Andrew Browne, James Connolly, Rory Moloney. Eoin Masterson, John Cooney, Craig Ronaldson, Dave McSharry, Darragh Leader

Nathan and Dave a worry.
Quinn, Andrew and Ben? How do Aly and Ultan do it week in week out but the others seem forever on the injury list?
Darragh, John and Eoin are accounted for and understood.
Whats the story with Craig, James and Rory?

If I remember Pat was quoted as saying that CVs were coming across his desk bigtime as the season drew to a close. Did I also not remember that the IRFU were to fund an extra million to each province. So yes some would have gone towards bundee (boshoff was already signed at that stage) so surely there was some money available for a large signing..

Very strange. Anyway looking forward to seeing SOB in the second row. Think he will be the Aly replacement.

Or has Pat given everybody a pay increase. which would be just feckin great. enda kenny, i hold you responsible for this shite

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES I've said it (not a surprise, I looked for any IQ lock for 2 months)
4th of June

connachta wrote: So your opinion about getting Stevenson? (if the NIQ spot is reserved for a TH)
Apparently released from Exeter.
He's the only NIQ available with Jerry Sexton. I'd be happy with any of them, to compete with Roux/Browne/Marshall
4 in contention for 1 starting spot and 1 bench spot is what we need, behind our leader Dillane
Qualter in reserve in case of multiple injuries/international caps (he was needed once against Ospreys this season, so it proved we need this number of locks)

Delighted.
Squad completed

recruitement wasn't over in the end, even in August was it? :side:
Experienced player, good to play 10 games mostly on the bench, low money. Lam has got his team
Relief and dare I say reasonable optimism!

The man has good experience. Just what we need on those shitty miserable days in the Pro 12 when nobody gives much of a shit for it.

Muldowney hardly had a super reputation when he came.

Is it just me or do Ben Marshall and Andrew Browne appear to be nearly permanently unavailable for most of the time?

Crazy really.

sligsup wrote: Lewis Stevenson named in the forwards - is that Ulsters Lewis Stevenson who I thought was gone to Exeter?

Yep you'll see the link to his signing announcement on the previous page.

Lewis Stevenson named in the forwards - is that Ulsters Lewis Stevenson who I thought was gone to Exeter?

t.co/H30gfLlM3t

Squad named for training camp in France.

39 players traveling. Sean O'Brien listed with the second rows.

We have some amount of props at the minute.

Quite a few not traveling. I assume due to injuries or recovery plans.

The following are not traveling

Nathan White, Quin roux, Ben Marshall, Andrew Browne, James Connolly, Rory Moloney. Eoin Masterson, John Cooney, Craig Ronaldson, Dave McSharry, Darragh Leader

Not too excited about signing him but we mustnt have had many options. Sean O'Brien's has been told his future is in the second row.

Not who I was expecting, but an experienced lock is not a bad thing. They still haven't said recruitment is finished so maybe someone else is coming in, highly unlikely it's a second row though.

Can't say that I'm excited, but it's a bit more squad depth, which is never a bad thing.
I presume that they've been trying to sign a new lock all summer, but due to other teams with deeper pockets, and the lack of availability, they haven't been able to find what they are looking for.

I suppose we haven't considered that the new contracts signed last year would have likely eaten into the budget too.
I think though having heard the rumours that maybe something bigger was scuppered at some point.

I have a feeling something bigger must have been in the pipeline but they couldn't pull it off as otherwise this signing could have been done months ago.

If it means keeping bundee then fair enough but I was expecting a higher profile signing considering the players and wages that have been moved off the books as well as all the extra money flowing into the club now through commercial and gates.

If it means there is money being set aside to keep Bundee in situ then there can be no complaints. I know which I prefer.

I'm happy with that signing. Not the big NIQ we expected but decent enough. Won't have cost a huge amount either.

Initial reaction disappointment, but big welcome to Lewis.

Lock Lewis Stevenson signs for new season

Connacht Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to announce the recruitment of lock Lewis Stevenson for the 2016/17 season.

The 32-year-old from Co. Antrim joins Pat Lam’s squad on the back of his second stint with Exeter Chiefs having played with the Premiership side in the 2008-09 season before a two-year spell with Harlequins.

Having come through the Ulster Academy, Stevenson returned to his home province in 2011 and made 89 appearances over almost five seasons.

In 2013, he was capped for both the Ireland Wolfhounds and Emerging Ireland sides.

Lewis joined up with the Connacht squad in Dublin last night prior to today’s departure for France. Pat Lam’s men will spend five days in the South of France as part of a training camp that includes a pre-season clash with Top 14 side Montpellier.

Commenting on the latest signing, head coach Pat Lam said:

“It’s great to have someone of Lewis’ experience joining our squad. Having played in the Premiership as well as the PRO12, he will bring something different and greatly boost our second row options. With our international locks coming in later to pre-season and other injuries affecting us in that area, it’s great to have Lewis with us in France this week ready to train and play.”

“From meeting with Lewis, I have no doubt that he will fit in well to our environment. He has a lot to catch up on in a short space of time but he’s excited by the challenge.