connachta wrote:

Porterbelly wrote: Miah Nikora going

Steenson has already be re-signed, so declan Cusack to replace Nikora?

i hope not, at best 4th in munster and wont get a chance anytime soon.
parks with jarvis as back up and ive seen the leader brothers play few time. i think if there given game time, they'll do well.
saying that can we go into next season with a 35'ish year old and jarvis with a non capped kid as 3rd choice?

Porterbelly wrote: Miah Nikora going

Steenson has already be re-signed, so declan Cusack to replace Nikora?

100% agree Seapoint. He was a silly silly boy as was Hagan and trust lessons have been learnt by them....

Really happy that we have Fionn back. Our backline will be among the most dangerous in the Rabo soon, if we can give them the platform to perform...

Sorry to see Nikora go he's a solid player. Hopefully this is the first of some big names.

So that will leave us with Jarvis and Parks - at either end of the age spectrum. Might need someone else in there, plus I wonder how much longer Swifty can last, and with McCarthy going, we need to strengthen our locks

Good news about Fionn, we'll have to see are we holding on to Vainikolo but its a good signing either way. I'd be dissapointed to lose Vainikolo who in the last few months has shown what he can do, but if it frees up the funds and the NIQ spot to make the pack more competitive it might be a good move, no point having a strong backline if you're getting bullied up front.

Best of luck to Miah Nikora if he's off, he's had some good days, like the Bourgoin Challenge Cup quarter final and Edinburgh at home in a Magners game the same year when he kicked a long range penalty to win the game amongst others but despite that I think its a good move at this stage. He's a decent player but he's reached his peak at this stage and if we're hoping to improve we need to be trying to improve our squad in key areas.

I'm happy to have Carr back - we're looking strong on the wings now and with Henshaw having a blinder this season, our back three options look good. Interested to see who will be in(and out) next

Good to hear Fionn's return has been confirmed. When rugby turned professional it became a business for the players so you can't fault one for trying to make the most of his relatively short career though I'm sure for Fionn it was less about the money and more about advancing his career and proving himself at his home province. I just hope for the sake of keeping that crowd quite he hits the ground running upon his return.

Sorry to see Miah leaving. Thought he started coming on last season, but the writing was on the wall with Parks' signing. I don't think he's played enough to get into any kind of groove this season so it's probably best that he moves on.

Imagine there will be a fair number moving on if there is to be money for "several key signings."

swift4prez wrote: there is not much love for fionn on facebook, people calling him a money grabber (doubt it) and all this crap. proves they weren't around when duffy and o connor went to england looking for medals which fionn got with his home team.

I assume they dislike George for his spell in Japan, and Macca for his time in Newcastle, as well? Planks.

Cant blame the guy for going back to his home province i guess, hopefully he see's that connacht are trying to make some history of their own and has decided he wants to be part of it. Welcome back fionn
that back three aint to shabby and maybe more to come with tom sears comment of

Fionn’s recruitment is one of several key signings we anticipate making in the coming weeks and months.”

does the heart good. Exciting times to be a connacht supporter :woohoo:

menacethedenis wrote: He'll score in his first game and all will be forgotten

Miah could be very frustrating at times but he certainly had his moments for us. I wish him all the best if he does leave. If he's going does that mean Jarvis is staying?

Heavens forfend, Jarvis just hasn't pushed on at all in my opinion. I would really like to see some of the academy players get some game time at out half rather than giving Jarvis 10 minutes every now and then.

I'd be quite upset if Miah goes, but I can completely understand why he would move on.
Not sure why, but he's always been one of my favourites. Wish him all the very best

He'll score in his first game and all will be forgotten

Miah could be very frustrating at times but he certainly had his moments for us. I wish him all the best if he does leave. If he's going does that mean Jarvis is staying? Wonder if we'll get an experienced replacement or if one of the Leaders or Carty will get promoted. Cartys some way off Senior level from what I've seen of him anyway.

ill admit i wasnt the most happy when fionn left, why would i be losing talent like him but after watching him with leinster i started to really admire him, picking up 5 trys in pro12 lasy season in about 15 starts. not bad.

there is not much love for fionn on facebook, people calling him a money grabber (doubt it) and all this crap. proves they weren't around when duffy and o connor went to england looking for medals which fionn got with his home team.
clearly fionn wasnt here before we got the heineken cup and id doubt these people on facebook went to games before then.
how many of them calling fionn name that stood there only 3 or 4 years ago when 1800 was the average and a sell out would be 3000.
everyone is aloud to say what they want but fionn used to walk trys in for us and did well getting us to the semi of the amlin. hes not our top try scorer for no reason.

i say respect the man, have banter with him over twitter or over a pint, but i hope we as a club havent fallen so much that our own ''fans'' disrespect one of our signing and a man with a short but important part he has played with us

Miah Nikora going

Porterbelly wrote: So Fets, Rodney, Reyneke leaving would mean we can probably get 2/3 NIQ's in.

Since Rodney becomes IQ halfway through next season, he doesm't count as NIQ even if he stays (as per Strauss in Leinster).

Current fahr-din roster:

Projects:
Ah You (contract up 2013, IQ next year anyway)
Poolman (contracted til 2015)

NIE:

Naoupu (2015)
Vainkolo (2013)
Parks (2014)

NIQ:

Reynecke (2013)
White (2015)

So we have 1-3 spaces depending on whether we resign players, and how many spaces the IRFU grants us (we already have more than the other provinces).

Would make sense move White to project status, release Reynecke and Vainkolo, and look to sign 3 foreign players.