True enough he is only 6'1" or so, not much of an option in a lineout. He's as heavy as muldoon though so power wouldn't be an issue.

Ps he's not much shorter than stander either.

I do have concerns in the lineout already though with muldowney heading off so adding to them probably wouldn't be top of the agenda. My main concerns with the masterson news is can we afford to rely on muldoon week in week out again and is mckeon good/big enough to cover there? Maybe SOB is the future?

Fox is surely too small to be an option at 8? I know we've mainly seen Connolly at 7 but many on here have said he's really a six.

Good update connachta.

Can nepia play 8? With heenan, connolly and now moloney being upgraded we are stacked at 7.

connachta wrote: 1) Buckley, JP Cooney, Loughney (O'Donnell)
2) McCartney, Heff, Delahunt, (Dineen/O'Toole)
3) Bealham, White or another NIQ TH, Carey (JP Cooney)
4) Roux, Another strong ball-carrier , (Qualter)
5) Dillane, Marshall, Browne, (Gallagher)
6) McKeon, SOB 2.0, Muldoon, (Connolly)
7) Heenan, Nepia, McKeon, (Moloney)
8 ) Masterson, McKeon, Muldoon (SOB 2.0)
9) Marmion, Blade, Cooney, (Kerrins/Lowndes)
10) Boshoff, Carty, Ronaldson, (O'Leary)
11) Healy, TOH, Kelleher, (O'Keefe)
12) Aki, Ronaldson, Robb, McSharry (Brennan)
13) Griffin, Parata, Aki (Kelleher)
14) Poolman, Leader, Niyi, (Gaffney)
15) TOH, Leader, Healy, (Gaffney)

That's some list Connachta, fair play to you.
Hope Masterson comes back from his injury ok, he tweeted 2 weeks ago that second surgery had gone well and another 6 months before he's back. What can we say about McShazz, no luck at all for ages with injuries and concussions, he's due a dinger of a season in 16/17.

1) Buckley, JP Cooney, Loughney (O'Donnell)
2) McCartney, Heff, Delahunt, (Dineen/O'Toole)
3) Bealham, White or another NIQ TH, Carey (JP Cooney)
4) Roux, Another strong ball-carrier , (Qualter)
5) Dillane, Marshall, Browne, (Gallagher)
6) McKeon, SOB 2.0, Muldoon, (Connolly)
7) Heenan, Nepia, McKeon, (Moloney)
8 ) Masterson, McKeon, Muldoon (SOB 2.0)
9) Marmion, Blade, Cooney, (Kerrins/Lowndes)
10) Boshoff, Carty, Ronaldson, (O'Leary)
11) Healy, TOH, Kelleher, (O'Keefe)
12) Aki, Ronaldson, Robb, McSharry (Brennan)
13) Griffin, Parata, Aki (Kelleher)
14) Poolman, Leader, Niyi, (Gaffney)
15) TOH, Leader, Healy, (Gaffney)

Good additions
Worrying for Saba though, maybe a development contract?
Good to know the "ongoing part" I still think we need mainly 1 TH prop, and one lock.
2 good signings better than 3 average ones (We're ok for backrow IMO)

wp_rathead wrote:

green13 wrote: I'm willing to bet he tried the same for Aly but the IRFU weren't for moving.

Were we only allowed offer him a 1-Year deal due to his age?

That's what I heard too WP, sickening that he's lost to us on that basis. Very blinkered by the IRFU to have a blanket ban on contracts/extensions for proven performers due to age.

green13 wrote: I'm willing to bet he tried the same for Aly but the IRFU weren't for moving.

Were we only allowed offer him a 1-Year deal due to his age?

sligsup wrote: www.connachtrugby.ie/four-more-players-c...-squad/#ConnachtNews

Congratulations to the 4 players on their new contracts, onwards and upwards for them all.
Interesting that Pat states that recruitment is ongoing. Hopefully we'll get another name or two over the next few weeks. I'm still gutted that Aly and AJ are going, we know from that article in the 42.ie that Pat did his best to retain AJ, I'm willing to bet he tried the same for Aly but the IRFU weren't for moving.

www.connachtrugby.ie/four-more-players-c...-squad/#ConnachtNews

connachta wrote: Realistic only if you count 9 Academy boys as reserved, added to a 42-men senior squad (with a lock and TH to be signed)

I'd meant realistic as needed to compete on 2 fronts, but dobby's probably right that there won't be a big drain during international windows, until Connacht are the only ones to get out of their pool of course :evil:

Siob wrote: It'd be good to have someone to rotate with Buckley too, if he is recognised for Ireland as well he's going to have 6+ Heineken 2.0 matches plus however many internationals. The current ankle injury is the second this season, being able to rest him if he has any twinge in it next year would be invaluable.

What about fullback? When O'Halloran and Healy are away with Ireland I assume Darragh Leader will be back at fb or wing (how mch more bad luck with injuries could he have?), but in the last two years Henshaw's been the only other one picked regularly at fb.

Hopefully Eoghan Masterson can get back to the form he was in before breaking his leg.

Realistically, how big a squad do Connacht need for next year? 46 players used this year including academy, but there should be more call-ups to the Ireland squad next year.
Front row + Back-up for injury/call-ups/rest + bench back up + reserves = 12
locks + Back-up + bench back-up + reserve = 7
Back row + Back-up + bench back-up + reserve = 9
scrum-half + Back-up + bench back-up + reserve = 4
Fly-half + Back-up + bench back-up + reserve = 4
Centres + Back-up + bench back-up + reserve = 6
Back three + Back-up + bench back-up + reserve = 9
Total = 51
I realise I've put a level of redundancy into that breakdown with the reserves, but Shane O'Leary was 4th choice fly-half for this season. With some of the backs playing multiple positions a run of injuries in one position can be covered and the reserves for some positions would be the top academy players. Avoiding an injury run like last Winter would help too.

knowing the conservative nature of joe I consider it unlikely that either matt or tiernan will don a green shirt during the SA tests. I am open for correction but I suspect we will not need worry about Matt or Tiernan on international duty. I do hope I am wrong.

Realistic only if you count 9 Academy boys as reserved, added to a 42-men senior squad (with a lock and TH to be signed)

It'd be good to have someone to rotate with Buckley too, if he is recognised for Ireland as well he's going to have 6+ Heineken 2.0 matches plus however many internationals. The current ankle injury is the second this season, being able to rest him if he has any twinge in it next year would be invaluable.

What about fullback? When O'Halloran and Healy are away with Ireland I assume Darragh Leader will be back at fb or wing (how mch more bad luck with injuries could he have?), but in the last two years Henshaw's been the only other one picked regularly at fb.

Hopefully Eoghan Masterson can get back to the form he was in before breaking his leg.

Realistically, how big a squad do Connacht need for next year? 46 players used this year including academy, but there should be more call-ups to the Ireland squad next year.
Front row + Back-up for injury/call-ups/rest + bench back up + reserves = 12
locks + Back-up + bench back-up + reserve = 7
Back row + Back-up + bench back-up + reserve = 9
scrum-half + Back-up + bench back-up + reserve = 4
Fly-half + Back-up + bench back-up + reserve = 4
Centres + Back-up + bench back-up + reserve = 6
Back three + Back-up + bench back-up + reserve = 9
Total = 51
I realise I've put a level of redundancy into that breakdown with the reserves, but Shane O'Leary was 4th choice fly-half for this season. With some of the backs playing multiple positions a run of injuries in one position can be covered and the reserves for some positions would be the top academy players. Avoiding an injury run like last Winter would help too.

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)

connachta wrote: No, Guys, just NO
You can't face ChampionsCup teams with 25 y.o Bealham and a 22 y.o academy Saba, adding just a 20 y.o puppy prop O'Donnel. Good enough = old enough is a principle with limits, especially for TH props. Even Finlay isn't a finished article yet

O'Donell is from Sligo though that's got to count for something...