RogueXV wrote:

connachtexile wrote: Annnywaaay. Getting back to the real rumours Apparently Chris Cochrane would be a real asset for us. One of the lads on the Ulster site described him as us getting another Fionn Carr. He's just the type I like. Ambitious (not happy to wait behind Gilroy, Bowe and Trimble) has an eye for the tryline and his nickname is 'Ghosty'. Sweet.

I don't know anything about this lad, but I'd be thinking long and hard before I left. Not sure how quickly Bowe will be returning and if this Cochrane does have a nose for the tryline he should be pushing Trimble for game time sooner rather than later.

Ghosty?? Because opponents go straight through him?

connachtexile wrote: Annnywaaay. Getting back to the real rumours Apparently Chris Cochrane would be a real asset for us. One of the lads on the Ulster site described him as us getting another Fionn Carr. He's just the type I like. Ambitious (not happy to wait behind Gilroy, Bowe and Trimble) has an eye for the tryline and his nickname is 'Ghosty'. Sweet.

I don't know anything about this lad, but I'd be thinking long and hard before I left. Not sure how quickly Bowe will be returning and if this Cochrane does have a nose for the tryline he should be pushing Trimble for game time sooner rather than later.

salmson wrote: Liam Bibo? TJ - when's the last time he played for us? Ray Ofisa's brother Teveranus - we signed him as a winger, he's now an international flanker.... (whoops why didn't we think of that)

there was some Scots back-row 10 years ago or more - I never saw him play - who my mates tell me was quite legendarily crap, but his name escapes me...

The guy you're thinkin about is for Scotland No.8 Eric Peters...


Overseas Internationals who have played for us

Warwick Waugh - Aus
Robbie Morris - Eng
Gavin Williams - Sam
Eric Peters - Sco
Dan Parks - Sco
Ofisa Treviranus - Sam
Ray Ofisa - Sam
Ezra Taylor - Sam
Henry Fa'afili - Sam
Fetu'u Vainikolo - Ton

Some of our signings have just been unfortunate, certainly wouldn't put the effort Bernie Upton gave in anyway near the same category as Ezra Taylor. Ezra just wasn't interested in even trying the few times he was off the physio bench, in Bernie we got a journeyman NPC standard second row and I think he played to his potential.

From a Rugby perspective Taylor and I am trying to remember the name of the huge but completely useless/only here for the party South African Second Row we signed about eight years back, he was so bad you got the feeling that we had intended to sign another player with the same name...

Problem is with these calibre of our overseas signings is that they can be amazing on video, but you really have to get them in situ to see how the acclimatise...

I hope he does come back, he would suit the way we are trying to play rugby at the moment. It does sound like he wants consistent game time alright. Can't be easy going from starting every game to sitting on the bench. Hard to keep up good form that way
If Cronin acknowledges the need of getting a good run of games I can only imagine the change that Hagan and Carr felt in Leinster going from certain starters to cameo appearances. Not easy for any professional sportsman.

eastcoastconnacht wrote: www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/1218/1224327958637.html

What do you think guys? I can see lots of talk about a return and it coming to nothing in the end. Don't want to build up my hopes but I would really like to see Cronin return.

My take from that article, is that he's considering it.

Comments such as

"That’s all speculation at the moment, Cronin said. I don’t know where my future lies"

and

"I always found that, especially when I was playing in Connacht, I got a nice run of games and that’s when I found I was performing particularly well"

gove me a bit of confidence

Worst Buys Ever needs its own thread, doesn't it?

www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/1218/1224327958637.html

What do you think guys? I can see lots of talk about a return and it coming to nothing in the end. Don't want to build up my hopes but I would really like to see Cronin return.

Cillian Willis was a class player in my opinion. With Campbell, I can't remember off the top of my head which game it was, but I remember him coming off the bench and bossing it for the last 10 mins. It was the type of situation where we used to let games slip but he took full control and ensured we got the win, I will try to remember what game it was but he showed an old head which is what we needed. Agree on Bernie Upton and Ezra Taylor, only here for the Shop Street catwalk.

Bibo was a pretty useful player from what I remember, not the greatest but a good pro. Ofisa's brother broke his leg and was doing pretty well up until then.

swift4prez wrote: SCRUM HALF, never rated cillian willis

Very harsh on Willis. He personally was just never happy and actually gave up the game. Thankfully recovered and unless my memory fails me had a cracking game against us in the RDS last year. Very happy at Sale now.

www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/heineken-...e-years-3258582.html

Liam Bibo? TJ - when's the last time he played for us? Ray Ofisa's brother Teveranus - we signed him as a winger, he's now an international flanker.... (whoops why didn't we think of that)

there was some Scots back-row 10 years ago or more - I never saw him play - who my mates tell me was quite legendarily crap, but his name escapes me...

I liked both Cillian Willis and Andy Dunne I have to say.

Never thought much of either Tom Tierney or Kieran Campbell.

How about David Slemen as a poor acquisition at 10?

Wing: Mike Roberts

Prop: John Lyne

Centre: Nica Ta'auso

Prop: Rodney Ah You

Lock: Bernie Upton

im going through old players on the squad list on rabo page. some before my time.

LOCK what about lock Warwick Waugh, he had 8 caps with oz. played 6games here.
SCRUM HALF, never rated cillian willis
CENTRE/FLYHALF Alipate Tuilevuka, at the time capped by usa. never made a game for us, played galwegians
PROP stewart maguire. highly rated at underage. flop now

I wouldn't include Fa'amasuli in that list. He was nothing but a stop gap backup and rarely played. Didn't have enough hype behind him to be a disappointment.

You fu@ker Borders. You had me worried. Myburgh was without doubt one of our worst ever signings. Actually let's put together a side of our worst ever. I've started it. Let people fill in the blanks.

1
2 Frik Venter.
3 Barry Fa'amasuli.
4 Ryan Strudwick.
5 Pieter Myburgh.
6
7
8 Ezra Taylor.
9
10 Andy Dunne
11
12
13
14
15

Annnywaaay. Getting back to the real rumours Apparently Chris Cochrane would be a real asset for us. One of the lads on the Ulster site described him as us getting another Fionn Carr. He's just the type I like. Ambitious (not happy to wait behind Gilroy, Bowe and Trimble) has an eye for the tryline and his nickname is 'Ghosty'. Sweet.