Thank F*ck for that.

I also want to say as someone who has been on this site and the last one if Porterbelly says something like a player is leaving he's usually nearly 100% right.

connachtexile wrote:

I know his dad personally and he tells me that currently the acadamy players rarely train with the senior lads.

The Academy guys rarely train with the seniors?! FFS does that strike anyone else as dumb? Leinster (and yes I know we shouldn't ape everything they do but they are extremely successful) have there academy players training and playing with the senior squad the whole time. It means the likes of a Year 1 academy centre playing opposite the likes of BOD or one of their second rows learning his line-out trade with Brad Thorn in that it is making them better players. Yet we keep ours apart? My head hurts :silly:

They do train alot with the seniors, or at least most of them do.

Perhaps in the last few weeks they haven't because training has been tapered down due to player fatigue.

sea_point wrote:

Porterbelly wrote: Lads, both NOC and Maguire are leaving, NOC to Ulster, Maguire released, that much is fact. It's not official yet, but it is happening, 100%

AFAIK, Grace will be staying

Is this yet another MF.com sourced "fact" PB, like Tommy Bowe signing for them...? :huh:

Maguire I would be less surprised about, he like Buckley it simply too tall and uncordinated to play front row. Size is great but you have to know how to use it and also get about the park...

No, it's very reliable information from within the Connacht setup

They won't be here next year, FACT

We'll have to wait for official confirmation. A couple of years ago it seemed gospel on a number of sites that Gavin Duffy was heading to Ulster.

Both these lads were on two year deals, you'd question whats going on if they are being let go, if NOC goes back to Ulster presumably there will be no ramifications.

However, if we are releasing Stewart Maguire, I hope we aren't paying up his contract and that hopefully there is a one year opt out clause for both parties in his contract. Its a pity but he needs a lot of work to get him up to speed and wouldn't have got much gametime next season either, he's a good way off Pro 12 level yet but would place slightly more hope for him in the future than Rodney.

Porterbelly wrote: Lads, both NOC and Maguire are leaving, NOC to Ulster, Maguire released, that much is fact. It's not official yet, but it is happening, 100%

AFAIK, Grace will be staying

Is this yet another MF.com sourced "fact" PB, like Tommy Bowe signing for them...? :huh:

Maguire I would be less surprised about, he like Buckley it simply too tall and uncordinated to play front row. Size is great but you have to know how to use it and also get about the park...

I know his dad personally and he tells me that currently the acadamy players rarely train with the senior lads.

The Academy guys rarely train with the seniors?! FFS does that strike anyone else as dumb? Leinster (and yes I know we shouldn't ape everything they do but they are extremely successful) have there academy players training and playing with the senior squad the whole time. It means the likes of a Year 1 academy centre playing opposite the likes of BOD or one of their second rows learning his line-out trade with Brad Thorn in that it is making them better players. Yet we keep ours apart? My head hurts :silly:

Lads, both NOC and Maguire are leaving, NOC to Ulster, Maguire released, that much is fact. It's not official yet, but it is happening, 100%

AFAIK, Grace will be staying

Someone the internet said it, so it must be true.

Why does everyone believe Niall O'Connor is leaving?
He confirmed on Twitter back in April, that he'll definitely be around next season, and I also think he was asked at the Q&A after the Aironi game.
It looks like baseless speculation to me

It is a pity if NOC is heading back to Ulster. A pity more for him than anything. He seemed unsettled and short on confidence, although he did seem to kick on from the Quins game and begin to put together some composed play until he got injured. His play during the winter was pretty wretched at times. My abiding memory will be his decision to put an up and under in the air in the 81st minute against Gloucester, handing possession away to Gloucester and Tindall who gladly booted it into the crowd.

Parks for NOC is definitely a nice bit of business for us, but seems a bit odd for Ulster to be relying on NOC and Paddy Jackson.

I wouldn't be keen on releasing Grace. He has done alright with the few appearances he has had (that trip aside) and we never get an injury free season from JOC. Any third 7 on our books will get a lot of game time next year.

we always knew we were over staffed at Tight head, out half and openside which in turn led to squad being light at loosehead, hooker and centre.
If rumours are correct and Maguire goes with Borlase coming in and rodney converting to Loosehead that will sort out the issue at prop numerically anyway.
If Noc is gone, and its everywhere at this stage, that frees funds for a centre to be signed but he has to be irish qualified.
There are 3 opensides signed for next season when there should be 3 hookers. i think they have been caught contractually here and there was nothing they could do with it. They obviously want JOC and Faloon for next season so they can either release Grace(and pay him off) or hope someone comes in for him and he wants to go. Then they can sign a decent hooker.

Where has it been stated that NOC and Maguire are leaving, besides the Ulster Forum I cannot see anything anywhere in relation to these two guys. I know the branch are crap at letting supporters know who is coming who is going but the rumour mill is getting out of hand not helped by the lads in the SG, one minute we have signed up everyone we can afford and less then a week later the exact same person saying we are looking to sign one or two more. Confused I am.

ive seen qualter a good few times now. Hes a big lump of a man already at 114kg. He is a very good lineout jumper and scrummager but has gone back a bit in the loose. I wonder is it the extra kgs he has put on over a short period of time? im no physical conditioning expert but his loss in athleticism does appear to have coincided with his bulking up.
He is more DOC than POC in ability and struggles a bit on the thinking side of the game. he may get lucky in that he will be graduating from the acadamy as swiftys career draws to an end and the year or two overlap might benefit him greatly. I know his dad personally and he tells me that currently the acadamy players rarely train with the senior lads.

rossie wrote: i wonder if maguire leaving is making way for borlase to come in? if so dave is most likely going to be converted to loosehead.

Regardless of whether Borlase comes in I think Rodney is going to be switched, he came on at loosehead against Glasgow. Didn't fare awful well though.

rossie wrote: I think an opportunity was lost when Fogarty was signed by the french 2nd division side.

He signed for Aurillac before we were confirmed in the HEC so we didn't have that carrot to dangle in front of him. He's about to turn 29 and never going to play at international level, so why stay in Ireland (possible tax reasons asides)? He'll be first choice (not guaranteed at Connacht) and gets to experience a different culture as well. So he might never have been an option for us.

rossie wrote: Henry at 3rd choice now at Munster may be tempted and has done very well at B+I level for two seasons.

Saw the B+I final on Sky, I realise this is just one game but he wasn't one of the better performers on the day (I'm being very, very, kind here).

What's the story with Qualter? Is he likely to make the step up? He regularly started for Ireland U20s, but sometimes seems to be a bit behind the play.