pinky wrote:

connachta wrote: You know my opinion about this, we can't play the biggest european Cup next year with a 36 y.o (White), a 20 y.o (O'Donnell) and Bealham who isn't sure which side of the scrum suits him. Would be a disaster

So the main and maybe only recruit we should target is here
The issue is, with Moore gone, Lutton and Ryan re-signed, Ireland is short for available TH overall

by order of preference I'd go for

1) a project player on low money, that Pat met and highly rated when he was U20, four years ago in NZ for exemple. 3 year-deal, good for Ireland because he'd be qualified for RWC 2019 if needed

2) John Andress, barred by Nel in Edinbugh, could be motivated by a new challenge

3) No-one is TH and available IQ in England or French 1st and 2nd divisions AFAIC.. Worrying

any ideas, or opinions about TH spot for next season?

It's eerie.
connachta, come clean - you are Pat Lam, right?

EDIT: Actually wait, he's IQ already, not a project. You were way off

Last evening I was actually thinking about a post I remembered having posted, but was unable to find where. Thank you Pinky

I just hope this very good prediction (among few others) makes up for another terrible one in which I feared we would end the season out of the ChampionsCup qualification.
But I prefer it to be this way, we're fu**ing amazing Champions. Still can't believe it!:woohoo:

connachta wrote: You know my opinion about this, we can't play the biggest european Cup next year with a 36 y.o (White), a 20 y.o (O'Donnell) and Bealham who isn't sure which side of the scrum suits him. Would be a disaster

So the main and maybe only recruit we should target is here
The issue is, with Moore gone, Lutton and Ryan re-signed, Ireland is short for available TH overall

by order of preference I'd go for

1) a project player on low money, that Pat met and highly rated when he was U20, four years ago in NZ for exemple. 3 year-deal, good for Ireland because he'd be qualified for RWC 2019 if needed

2) John Andress, barred by Nel in Edinbugh, could be motivated by a new challenge

3) No-one is TH and available IQ in England or French 1st and 2nd divisions AFAIC.. Worrying

any ideas, or opinions about TH spot for next season?

It's eerie.
connachta, come clean - you are Pat Lam, right?

EDIT: Actually wait, he's IQ already, not a project. You were way off

mary hinge wrote: Jamie Hagan?

He's just starting a 2 season deal with Melbourne Rebel's so not a runner.

No, signed for 2 years in Australia

Jamie Hagan?

Conor Carey is the one to enlist. Nottingham TH, highly rated 24 y o, probably on low money...

Wow I wasn't that wrong saying Andress should have been targeted by Connacht..

I saw this. I can't believe we have sunk this low. We would be better off keeping bj for another year.

The42 is saying that Andress is signing for Munster having turned down Connacht. May have dodged a bullet there.

connachta wrote:

Mannion wrote: Bealham,buckley,White,Loughney,O'Donnell,Jp Cooney,Saba, and tome can play tightwad no need for any replacements not year!

team for sat

1Buckley 2.MCartney 3.Bealham
4.Dillane 5.Muldowney
7.Heenan 8.Muldoon 6.Masterson

9.Marmion 10. 11.Pooleman 14.Healy 12.Bundee 13.Henshaw 15 Tiernan

Switch Muldoon and Masterson and we all agree with your team

Not at all for TH though, none of them is able to face Vunipola, McGrath Marler Debaty in European Cup next season IMO

The key to our front row success next season will be If Quinn Roux recovers from injury and get s a full pre-season in he will pack down with one of Dillane [6'5" / 115kg] or Muldpwney [6'5" / 122kg] who are similar type of players, mobile footballers. Roux [6'5" / 124kg] will be the TH Lock and add heft to that side of the scrum.... If he stays fit he will play a huge part in solidifying our set piece platform regardless of which option we put in. White is deserved first choice for the big games, but even in the Champions Cup there are opportunities to use second choice options if the draw is slightly kinder and you don't get a pool of death.....

Mannion wrote: Bealham,buckley,White,Loughney,O'Donnell,Jp Cooney,Saba, and tome can play tightwad no need for any replacements not year!

team for sat

1Buckley 2.MCartney 3.Bealham
4.Dillane 5.Muldowney
7.Heenan 8.Muldoon 6.Masterson

9.Marmion 10. 11.Pooleman 14.Healy 12.Bundee 13.Henshaw 15 Tiernan

Switch Muldoon and Masterson and we all agree with your team

Not at all for TH though, none of them is able to face Vunipola, McGrath Marler Debaty in European Cup next season IMO

Bealham,buckley,White,Loughney,O'Donnell,Jp Cooney,Saba, and tome can play tightwad no need for any replacements not year!

team for sat

1Buckley 2.MCartney 3.Bealham
4.Dillane 5.Muldowney
7.Heenan 8.Muldoon 6.Masterson

9.Marmion 10. 11.Pooleman 14.Healy 12.Bundee 13.Henshaw 15 Tiernan

Cotter struggled at pro12 level with munster.He did okay in aviva though when on loan there. If I remember rightly he struggles to get around park too. As to why he did okay in aviva and not in pro 12 I can't answer that but it seems to happen to a lot of players.

Coulson struggled here too iirc.

O connell is an option at LH but won't come to connacht to sit behind buckles imo. Neither will Court.

Sean mc car thy? Was he at leinster last year? Don't know anything about him.

The options are limited at TH due to our own rules. Paddy Ryan is doing okay at Newcastle but may be contracted. Dave Ryan is at his level imo. He has failed to make impact at munster , ulster and even zebre now.

It looks like marty moored is off to wasps after all. You have to wonder what nucifora actually does to earn his money. Schmidt needs to leave moore, madigan and jj in the international wilderness or this will become the norm.

Champions Cup next year and it's vital to have a big powerful TH, I don't see how our current options can manage that pressure from other teams. And I didn't see anything young and big come out of the U20's last few years, we have to be looking abroad

rossie wrote: Peter Dooley is coming out of leinster academy at end of season. He's a LH but would free up bealham to concentrate on TH. He will be behind healy and mcgrath at leinster and is a birr man so connacht might suit him.

If the choice is made to definitely move both Bealham and O'Donnell to TH, then the options for LH beside Loughney and Buckley are more opened

1) As you said Dooley
2) Tom Court
3) Denis Coulson (from our next opponent Grenoble)
4) Jack O'Connell (from Leinster and Bristol)
5) Sean McCarthy (Jersey)

I'm not convinced to get stuck with our own ressources for TH though
If you don't agree with Project player or Andress, maybe you would with ex-Munster Alan Cotter?

Magpie wrote:

salmson wrote: ambipropsterous

Sir, I salute you.

Magnificent! Sirs, i salute you both