noice.

just wondering when does that mean he'll be arriving

1ST to react

one word : YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES

www.facebook.com/chiefsrugby/?fref=ts

The Chiefs Rugby Club warmly congratulates Kieran Keane on his appointment as Head Coach of Connacht Rugby in Ireland. The current Gallagher Chiefs assistant coach will depart New Zealand at the conclusion of the 2017 Investec Super Rugby season to take up his new post.
Kieran has made an outstanding contribution to New Zealand rugby over many years and is highly respected by the many players he’s coached and staff who have had the privilege to work alongside him.
Kieran Keane reflected on his illustrious coaching career and the opportunity to be involved with Connacht Rugby.
“Everyone has to weigh up their future in this game and coaches are no exception. When one door closes another door opens. I have aspirations to return to head coaching and Connacht have afforded me the opportunity to realise this aspiration. Connacht is a good fit for me as they have ambition and I like the passion of the community and the warmth of the people. My time in New Zealand rugby is done after 36 consecutive years of coaching at all levels which I am proud of. It has been stimulating and rewarding and I have made some wonderful friends and colleagues throughout this time, I am so much richer for having made their acquaintance” said Keane.
Chiefs CEO Andrew Flexman said: “I have had a long association with Kieran and I have a deep respect for him both as a person and as a rugby coach. It is bittersweet to be farewelling him at the conclusion of our 2017 campaign; we lose a very talented rugby coach but the opportunity to Head Coach at a club like Connacht is a wonderful career opportunity for Kieran. Being the competitor that he is I know that he will want to leave the New Zealand scene on a high note with the Gallagher Chiefs this year.”
Congratulations and best wishes KK from all your Chiefs whanau.
It is not time to say goodbye just yet as we’ve got business to take care of. Bring on the 2017 Investec Super Rugby season!

Strong vibe around sportsground last night that Kieran Keane is a done deal.

Hope this is so.

sea_point wrote: flourish with[strike] Lam[/strike] Keane & Co..

FYP

connachta wrote: Thanks for the comments

Dineen/O'Toole are enough as 4th choices aren't they?

Didn't know Copeland could play lock in addition to n°8. Not much gametime for the guy this year. Would perfectly fit my analysis indeed (Naoupu-style player has not necessarily to be a Kiwi you're right )
But he has renewed his contract with Munster...

Yes, in schools (Kilkenny) and for St Mary's College in the AIL he was primarily a lock (very mobile) before he left Ireland for Plymouth Albion initially..
I was surprised and disappointed we didn't make a move for him before he went to Cardiff, and after he decided to come home.He would have absolutely flourished over the last two seasons with Lam & Co..

The cynic in me says we'll hear an announcement just in time for season ticket renewals

They're another guy with little gametime and he's called Mick Kearney...
He can come back to cover 5 and 6 spot and the latter would release Dawai/Masterson for n°8...

connachta wrote: Thanks for the comments

Dineen/O'Toole are enough as 4th choices aren't they?

Didn't know Copeland could play lock in addition to n°8. Not much gametime for the guy this year. Would perfectly fit my analysis indeed (Naoupu-style player has not necessarily to be a Kiwi you're right )
But he has renewed his contract with Munster...

Has Dineen's contract been renewed? Forgot about O'Toole, he'll be there in any case so yeah adequate depth there. Don't think Delahunt gets enough gametime but he's a farmer so hard to imagine him leaving for England.

From what I can tell Copeland signed a contract to 2018 in December 2015 but has fallen out of favour since then so it's not inconceivable that he'd be open to an early move.. And yeah he's played a bit of lock for Munster

Thanks for the comments

Dineen/O'Toole are enough as 4th choices aren't they?

Didn't know Copeland could play lock in addition to n°8. Not much gametime for the guy this year. Would perfectly fit my analysis indeed (Naoupu-style player has not necessarily to be a Kiwi you're right )
But he has renewed his contract with Munster...

connachta wrote: Our coach has to be linked with the few new signings we'll need

Prop : Even if Soraka/McCoy/Saba/O'Donnell all re-sign, they're all young and unproved. I do think a very good experienced LH to cover for Buckley is needed, even if it means we have to release Loughney

Peter Dooley please please please

Hooker : if Delahunt re-signs, we're ok

Agreed, two injuries are very possible though so we should have some form of 4th choice, even in the academy

2nd Row : with Browne back and Romaine/Gallagher/Claffey to push for gametime, we're ok even without Stevenson/Qualter IMO. Just enlist a cover for Ben Marshall

Would personally like a grizzled experienced TH lock, but yeah the young lads you mentioned have huge potential

Back-row : just someone to replace Fox-Matamua if leaving, and maybe even not necessary with
Heenan/Connolly/Masterson/McKeon able to play flanker on both side ; A N°8 to prepare the "after-Muldoon" would be wise

When you talk about a ball carrying 8/5 you are basically describing Robin Copeland.. Would like to see us look at Conan (fantasy) or Doris as Muldoon's successor

SH : we're ok with Lowndes/McKeon/Kerrins as 3rd choices

Yep

OH : Boshoff should play more, we have to pick just one of O'Leary/Crosbie as 3rd(4th) choice

Be hard to keep Crosbie over O'Leary if he never plays for us

Centres : Parata/Robb/Farrell/Griffin covering for Ron/Aki. Ili wasn't that impressive and might not be renewed...

Agreed on Ili, quantity is there but we need to find a backup partnership that actually works, a la Reid/O'Loughlin

Back-3 : Not many appearences for out-of-contract Rowland/Poolman/Leader... One of them will probably make way for a "new coach gem"....

Think we'll keep Leader if he can get fit, he made an Ireland squad when he was 21.. Hard to see either of the other two staying. I'd like to see us let Ili go and take a chance on upskilling an athletically gifted 7s/rugby league wing (a less high profile Vakatawa/Solomona)


In summary :
Put most money on a LH prop
Sign a big Ball-Carrier 5/8 à la Fonua, we need that profile in the squad
Let the new coach bring one or two of the talented backs he's used to work with

And finish the re-signing campaign with Farrell, Delahunt, Masterson, our young props, one of Crosbie/O'Leary. Mainly

Yeah but we rely too much on Denis
Look at the troubles/worriness we have had when he was out. This season the new LH could already have started 6 or 7 games, in addition to the bench appearences (Buckley should come off earlier). I think it's worth the investment.

Add to this the fact he is realy really near the Ireland extended squad (3rd or 4th choice, slim gap between him and Killer) ; He's one/two injury away of being unavailable because of selection

Dont agree with putting most of the money on a prop thats going to sit on the bench for close on 80mins each match.

makes no sense, by all means develop what we have, but spending a load of cash on a sub would be madness.

Our coach has to be linked with the few new signings we'll need

Prop : Even if Soraka/McCoy/Saba/O'Donnell all re-sign, they're all young and unproved. I do think a very good experienced LH to cover for Buckley is needed, even if it means we have to release Loughney

Hooker : if Delahunt re-signs, we're ok

2nd Row : with Browne back and Romaine/Gallagher/Claffey to push for gametime, we're ok even without Stevenson/Qualter IMO. Just enlist a cover for Ben Marshall

Back-row : just someone to replace Fox-Matamua if leaving, and maybe even not necessary with
Heenan/Connolly/Masterson/McKeon able to play flanker on both side ; A N°8 to prepare the "after-Muldoon" would be wise

SH : we're ok with Lowndes/McKeon/Kerrins as 3rd choices

OH : Boshoff should play more, we have to pick just one of O'Leary/Crosbie as 3rd(4th) choice

Centres : Parata/Robb/Farrell/Griffin covering for Ron/Aki. Ili wasn't that impressive and might not be renewed...

Back-3 : Not many appearences for out-of-contract Rowland/Poolman/Leader... One of them will probably make way for a "new coach gem"....


In summary :
Put most money on a LH prop
Sign a big Ball-Carrier 5/8 à la Fonua, we need that profile in the squad
Let the new coach bring one or two of the talented backs he's used to work with

And finish the re-signing campaign with Farrell, Delahunt, Masterson, our young props, one of Crosbie/O'Leary. Mainly

Lads Andre Bell was replaced by Conor McPhillips, and his role was backfilled as video wonk by Simon Kavanagh, who previous to joining us trained people in the analysis software we use.

So we're down one coaching staff member as of six weeks ago, which is completely understandable in the light of Lam leaving - I'm sure the new coach will want to bring in his own man.

There's genuinely nothing odd going on here. It's not like Leinster and Ulster get extra coaches, Lancaster was replacing McQuilkin, and Ulster are firing Doak and Clarke to make room for their nrw arrivals.

We simply have to get 2 more with him. To play that style of rugby we need a skills coach and a defence coach in my opinion.