To the list of positives could I add...

- doing the double on Cardiff.
- the TOH drop goal winner in the away Cardiff game.
- nobody who left off their own bat last summer being any better off rugby-wise, even if their bank accounts are the picture of good health.
- Conor Carey and James Cannon.
- the graduation of SOB from super-sub to starting-wrecking-ball.

The negatives are too many to mention, unfortunately, but onwards and upwards.

I think we can all accept that our problems began once we got rid of The Wests Awake before games.
Bring that back next season, and all our woes are fixed.

Being honest though, I think our fixture list this season really didnt help us.
Starting at home against Glasgow, who obviously had a point to prove, was very unfortunate. Follow that with a hungry Ospreys team

When compared to 2015/2016, we never seemed to get any momentum built all season.
Europe obviously took a lot out of us as well.

Positives from 2016/2017:
Getting Bundee and Ultan to sign new contracts
Beating Toulouse and Wasps
Beating Ulster
Strong attendance figures
The street party for Toulouse at home
Finding out about the portaloo near the gate
Getting in a promising coach for next season
The final 5 minutes of the Wasps home game

Negatives:
Losing to Zebre
Apparently giving up towards the end of the season (apart from the playoff)
Shipping 40+ points in too many games this season
Losing Pat
Watching Robbie play for Leinster
Fans (including myself) leaving games early
Losing "The West's Awake" from before games
Not getting out of our Heineken Cup group
The atmosphere at most home games (driven by the team's performance)

It’s probably best that we don’t drag up the 2016/2017 season prediction thread lest we depress ourselves further, so post any thoughts/musings on the season here.

For me, obviously, it was a massive disappointment. In what should have been a season where we kick on and prove we’re not a flash in the pan, for a title holding side to not even make the Champions Cup is a bit embarrassing. I know over the year there were mitigating factors. Pat’s announcement, key players and coaches moving on, massive injury list, some underwhelming recruitment… The pre-season debacle more or less set the tone for the season. The first two league games where we got spanked set the alarm bells ringing and, despite a couple of memorable nights, things never improved from there really. The only games where I thought we looked like last year’s team were the home fixtures against Toulouse and Ulster. I think if Pat wasn’t leaving we’d be asking some very serious questions about our performances, or perhaps it was his announcement that prompted them. I suppose we’ll never know. While I was really happy with the Kieran Keane appointment, I am a bit worried that his late arrival will lead to another poor pre-season and start to the season. Hopefully there are already plans in place with the coaching staff to kick things off on the right foot. A season to forget then. Onwards and upwards.


Highlights:
Jack’s winning conversion and Mul’s Jedi mind trick in the Wasps home game. A classic, sportsground night.
Beating Toulouse and Ulster and scoring some outrageous tries while doing it.
Kieran Keane announcement, he seems to be the perfect fit for us and he needs to be.
Nigel Carolan appointed to the Senior Coaching staff and Eric to the academy. Perfect.
James Cannon starting to look like the Muldowney replacement we so badly need.

Lowlights:
Pat leaving. We will never be able to thank him enough for what he did for us.
Dreadful form of the team in general and relinquishing our title with a whimper.
Leinster and Munster effective ‘A’ teams hammering us.
Not getting the LBP against Toulouse in last pool game.
Bundee’s (deserved) ban.
Not qualifying for next year’s Champions Cup.