Thanks for the reminder shelflife it can be very easy to forget at times. I felt bad about my criticism of Carty's ability a while ago even though it was legitimate and not a personal attack I still don't like leaving negative comments about players.

Folks in a purely personal capacity (not as moderator) please remember that this is a public forum and that players and their families read this as well.

Its their livelihoods that we are discussing and im sure that none of us would like to come across a forum where people were discussing our performances and ability to do their jobs.

Im not saying that anyone has gone too far or overstepped any lines or even that there are lines, all im asking is that people are sensitive to the issues we are discussing.

One flaw there roadrunner, budget! Just because we have those project positions freed up doesn't mean we'll automatically fill them.

I like loughney as back up and I think his weakness in the scrum is overstated. I think we need better first choice back up for buckley alright but I'm not sure what sort of budget we have available.

I hate to say this about a Connacht local that's given such great service to the province but I have to agree re Loughney. He's always given his all whenever called upon but his weakness in the scrum is being exploited more and more by opposition TH's that more often than not are not much better than average themselves. Against Leinster at home last year, Buckley managed to turn Tadhg Furlong inside out and Mike Ross didn't fare much better when he came on,
But in the final in Edinburgh, Loughney in for the injured Buckley and the Leinster scrum murdered us, Thankfully a brilliant strategy of getting the ball in & out fast coupled with Mulls brilliant breaks off the back before Leinster were able to fully assert their advantage in the scrum negated any possible costly penalties. i.e.we got the ball in & out very quickly before their scrum could wind up and drive us all over the pitch.
Both Freak and Bundee will be Irish Qualified this june hoping above hope freak follows Bundee & signs for 3 more years and Jake Heenan is already IQ.
This presents the possibility another 3 players coming into Conacht on 3 year residency rule probably from NZ, AUS, or even SA the land of greatTH's & LH's
1st & foremost on the shopping list is top quality LH & TH to back up Buckley & Bealhan from the bench
Followed by a 12, A guy who'll be fighting hard to get & keep the jersey at one of the super 15 teams and sees his path to an all black or all Gold jersey seriously curtailed by all ahead if him.
Sooner these three players can be identififed & signed up the better

He didn't, the scrum was under severe pressure against Leinster. Not much better in open play, not dominant into contact, and remember the last minute silly pen in Park y Scarlets. I don't think Coulson/O'Connell are unable to fit in his shoes (just being decent). Plus, they'd prepare a further future

didn't Loughney fill in for Buckley towards the end of last season and did fine, not sure we'd get much better without spending big

LH : Loughney isn't up to it for long now.... I'd sign someone like Coulson (Grenoble) or O'Connell (Bristol), both threatened to be relegated. Would give competition to McCoy, still young, for the bench

Hooker : We're ok

TH : Depends on Saba. Ryan from Agen could be 3rd choice and 2nd behind Carey when Bealham is away.

lock : release both Lewis and Qualter. 1 of Romaine/Gallagher/Claffey + one of Muldowney?(Grenoble relegated)/Nolan back or a low money mitre 10 cup guy (enough as 5th choice behind Roux/Dillane/Cannon/Browne

Backrow : too many guys there...

SH : if Cooney goes, Heaney fighting with Kerrins as 3rd choice

FH : if O'Leary goes Cusack

We're ok as 12, I still trust Robb to cover for Ronaldson/Aki
lighter for 13, Griffin/Parata aren't much involved, why not Macken from... Wasps

Back-3 : Ili was on short term, if he has homesick, just someone like Scanlon/Gaston (Aurillac) to provide cover is enough. Leader and Kelleher will be maturing

So, the highest priority is RE-Signing (smth like 20 contracts expiring) all the quality elements we have...

FACECUTTR wrote: Getting near to silly season again guys. What position do we need to recruit in ? Can we afford a marquee signing or 2 ?
Who will be leaving ?

I don't see any marquee signings until IRFU take a couple off our books via central contracts, freeing up money to create depth like the other provinces have done in the past.

I think like every season depth at second row will be the main concern and unlikely to be fixed. Quality second rows are probably rarer than tightheads these days, especially now that the modern style of second row (Etzebeth, Retallick, Itoje, Dillane, cough Muldowney cough) can do a myriad of jobs around the field, its no longer good enough to have someone who's good in the lineout, scrum and unseen work any more. We're lucky that we have Dillane and Roux still has room to improve but I fancy Dillane to be in with a shout of making the lions tour which would leave him knackered for next season.

Despite results this season our squad is actually not that bad, as usual its injuries that are killing us. There's no point signing 8 new players if they're only there to make up the numbers. However, I was thinking recently that our best signings of the past few years came from the AIL and we haven't seen anything like that in the last year or two, is that well dry or have Connacht turned away from what was fertile ground?

Bealham, Carey, McCartney, Buckley are musts for the front row. Loughney, Cooney and McCoy are hugely behind and barely Pro 12 standard. 1 prop addition here would be great
Roux , Dillane, Browne are all key going forward. Stevenson, Qualter are squad fillers. The 2 academy guys are a bit young yet so maybe 1 to come in here.
We are spoiled in the back row but could see connolly maybe being moved up to Ulster.
3 quality scrum half's so all good there.
Boshoff and Carthy are decent but O'Leary won't be pushing either of them. No need to add here.
Ronaldson Aki Robb Parata all great but a 12 could be added.
We are fine in the back 3 with TOH Kelleher Adeolokun Healy. No need to ado here.

connachta wrote: Great we can rejoice as it's his fault, not injury
On that front
Eastmond looked like an acromio- clavicular joint sprain or subluxation. Could be anything from 2-8 weeks.
Jimmy Gopperth tightened up his hamstring;
Matt Symons has a foot injury
Wade limped off in the end of the yesterday game
James Haskell, Simon McIntyre out and young prospect Alex Lundberg, likely to be for both fixtures too

For fellow "thickos" like myself - physioworks.com.au/injuries-conditions-1...vicular-joint-sprain
:huh:

Great we can rejoice as it's his fault, not injury
On that front
Eastmond looked like an acromio- clavicular joint sprain or subluxation. Could be anything from 2-8 weeks.
Jimmy Gopperth tightened up his hamstring;
Matt Symons has a foot injury
Wade limped off in the end of the yesterday game
James Haskell, Simon McIntyre out and young prospect Alex Lundberg, likely to be for both fixtures too

Good news for us along with their long injury list. It gIves hope.

Not sure where to post this, but Elliott Daly given 3 week ban so will be suspended for the two Connacht games

columoc wrote: Stephen Moore has said he wants to play in Europe and the ARU are relaxing their rules for International Players, Connacht bred (actually Saudi born!)....worth a punt?

Not for the money he'd want, given that we have an excellent hooker and good backup. Also, his move to Munster was nixed in part because he had not retired from international duty. Can't see him playing for any Irish team until & unless that changes.

Stephen Moore has said he wants to play in Europe and the ARU are relaxing their rules for International Players, Connacht bred (actually Saudi born!)....worth a punt?

FACECUTTR wrote: Getting near to silly season again guys. What position do we need to recruit in ? Can we afford a marquee signing or 2 ?
Who will be leaving ?

I would says Tom McCartney is a must and I could see Danie moving on maybe to Munster as I believe they were previously interested in him that's just off the top of m head.Buckley is a must also.LH is a place we need to recruit.