Reading the twitter updates we managed to squander a 23-10 half time lead to lose 28-23, it seems it not just the senior squad having difficulty closing games out.

sea_point wrote: [
Really you're only going to ever have a requirement/space for three fit competing hookers barring injury crises, there's no point at all in having Hef on the bench this weekend should he be required next week for Seniors.

To paraphrase Ramsay Bolton: if you think we won't get an injury crisis, you haven't been paying attention

Heffernan is an experienced, internationally capped player, whose been getting consistent game time with no serious injuries for quite a while. He would be good to go next week regardless of whether he played 20 minutes this weekend, or 60 minutes, or was rested.

Of course Delahunt should get plenty of game time, not sure what that has to do with anything.

Two injuries and O'Toole could be on the bench for a serious game, in which case he would benefit from the experience of an away game in England against much sterner opposition than he is used to.

Mark Mostyn wrote:

salmson wrote:

Mark Mostyn wrote:
Makes no sense from a player development point of view so I guess we're targeting a better B & I Cup campaign this year.

Pretty much everyone who's fit in the academy is in the Eagles 23, so hardly hindering player development. Giving senior players game time rather than using sub-academy & non-contracted AIL players to fill out the team suggests we've got a deeper squad and fewer injuries than in recent years.

I agree with regards to the rest of the team, I'm talking specifically about hooker. O'Toole is a young senior player who mightn't see any gametime for the first team this season, whereas Heffernan won't gain anything playing at this level.

Really you're only going to ever have a requirement/space for three fit competing hookers barring injury crises, there's no point at all in having Hef on the bench this weekend should he be required next week for Seniors.

Delahunt is by a bit our number three Hooker (Tom/Heff being 1 or 2) so probably deserves his go from the bench this weekend in Geneva, and he needs to be up to speed if we lose one of Heff/Tom to injury...

salmson wrote:

Mark Mostyn wrote:
Makes no sense from a player development point of view so I guess we're targeting a better B & I Cup campaign this year.

Pretty much everyone who's fit in the academy is in the Eagles 23, so hardly hindering player development. Giving senior players game time rather than using sub-academy & non-contracted AIL players to fill out the team suggests we've got a deeper squad and fewer injuries than in recent years.

I agree with regards to the rest of the team, I'm talking specifically about hooker. O'Toole is a young senior player who mightn't see any gametime for the first team this season, whereas Heffernan won't gain anything playing at this level.

salmson wrote:

Mark Mostyn wrote:
Makes no sense from a player development point of view so I guess we're targeting a better B & I Cup campaign this year.

Pretty much everyone who's fit in the academy is in the Eagles 23, so hardly hindering player development. Giving senior players game time rather than using sub-academy & non-contracted AIL players to fill out the team suggests we've got a deeper squad and fewer injuries than in recent years.

So far, touch wood.....:whistle:

Mark Mostyn wrote:
Makes no sense from a player development point of view so I guess we're targeting a better B & I Cup campaign this year.

Pretty much everyone who's fit in the academy is in the Eagles 23, so hardly hindering player development. Giving senior players game time rather than using sub-academy & non-contracted AIL players to fill out the team suggests we've got a deeper squad and fewer injuries than in recent years.

Sol_ie wrote: That's a decent team in fairness. Imagine it's a warming up job for Niyi, Ili, Dawai etc.

Why is Dave Heff starting? I'd assume he'd be on bench for Challenge Cup game or rested outright?

I'd assume to give them a competitive chance this time around to make a decent start in the competition.
In the past we've sent off cobbled together sides like lambs to he slaughter against gnarly old Championship packs..

KK is clearly not at the favourites stage yet, but I like the fact that this pack should show up on the road and give the young backs something to work with....

Sol_ie wrote: That's a decent team in fairness. Imagine it's a warming up job for Niyi, Ili, Dawai etc.

Why is Dave Heff starting? I'd assume he'd be on bench for Challenge Cup game or rested outright?

Makes no sense from a player development point of view so I guess we're targeting a better B & I Cup campaign this year.

That's a decent team in fairness. Imagine it's a warming up job for Niyi, Ili, Dawai etc.

Why is Dave Heff starting? I'd assume he'd be on bench for Challenge Cup game or rested outright?

Looks like a fairly strong pack!

Connacht Eagles: Matthew Byrne; Niyi Adeolokun, Stacey Ili, Kieran Joyce, Colm de Buitléar; Luke Carty, Conor McKeon; Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Dave Heffernan, JP Cooney; Gavin Thornbury, Peter Claffey; Naulia Dawai, Paul Boyle, Harley Fox.
Replacements: Pat O’Toole, Conor Kenny, Niall Murray, Cian Huxford, Stephen Kerins, Morgan Codyre, Adam Leavy.