Happy enough with the choice, but after the nonsense we had this season I have grave concerns for our season 2017/18 if Chiefs progress deeper into the Super Rugby playoffs. I would hope that there is a way to extricate himself from his Chief's duties to afford the maximum time to the team he will be fully in charge of.

We're only a week away from Rnd 1 of Super Rugby season, and the final is scheduled for 05th August, as much as I like and respect the chiefs I'm selfishly hoping that they have a disaster of a season (for no reason of Kieran's...of course) and they fail to make the knockouts and are finished by mid-July... I believe it would be good for them as a team after all their recent success,to re-establish their goals for thenext few years...:whistle:

Well done to Willie and Co. Cant wait to see who he brings in around him and the playing roster.

Very, very happy with this appointment. Kudos to Willie and the PGB. Not ideal if he won't be here for a full pre-season but perhaps his coaching staff will all have been appointed by then and at least they can get the ball rolling on fitness and sharpness etc.. anyway.

I do find it quite amusing that the IT have reported it as:

As reported in The Irish Times last Thursday, Connacht have announced Kieran Keane as the province’s new head coach ahead of next season.

together with a link to GT's "I know this is happening but I'm definitely not reporting it, just talking vaguely about it and quoting stuff from the year before last" article from last Thursday.
www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/pro12/con...head-coach-1.2982119

Good news in general though. Bit of a challenge to get a transition plan in place given the ten week gap between coaches.

He sounds tailor made for us; a match made in heaven potentially!
Well done to Willie and the PGB for looking beyond the obvious candidates that the media were touting.
Only downer is the question of another curtailed pre season.

Great appointment. By the looks of it (reading about him over the past few days) Connacht couldn't of found a better replacement for Pat.

Massive credit to the Connacht branch for pulling this off. When added to all of the player retention they've achieved this year and managing to pull players like Cannon & Farrell out of oblivion it's a major statement of positive intent for the next few years. Imagine what could be done if they had the same support from the IRFU as Leinster & Munster.

Delighted with the news. Well done to all involved. Seems like the perfect replacement for Pat.
Onwards and upwards

I think it's a very astute appointment.

Our best days are ahead of us!

Podge57 wrote: I think regular season runs until Mid-July

Regular season ends July 15.

Playoffs July 21/22, July 28/29, August 5. Chiefs have been in playoffs 5 seasons running, so we probably won't see Keane until August. Not ideal.

Fair play to the back room guys. Really sounds like they've done a great job in difficult circumstances.

Great piece of work there, congrats to those in the Branch and on the PGB.

Silverware might well be out of our grasp this season, but can't wait to see what this man might bring to the Sportsground.

Glad that is sorted now.
Hopefully they can get him out of his contract for June, or at least let him hire his coaches who can arrive in June
Need to get signing players for next season also

not much of a pre season

I think regular season runs until Mid-July

Chiefs made sure at the end to emphasize the full super 15 season. Could be late if he isn't given an early release in Connacht fashion.