connachtexile wrote:

After Saturday’s game, the Munster coach John O’Neill, congratulated his side for playing some lovely rugby and said ‘well done Connacht, you didn’t come to play.‘

Is that not the reason Munster used to bait Leinster with until 2009, you play nice rugby, we play winning rugby kind of thing.

That ranks with Alex Ferguson's quote yesterday in terms of irony:

Everybody expected City to win, but they did it against 10 men for half an hour and with five extra minutes to help them. :lol:

Anyway good to see the opposition getting bitchy about Connacht sides, saw some of it at u20 level as well, its a sign we're progressing, rather than the usual patronising drivel that was shovelled our way for years.

My Favourite quote is this

After Saturday’s game, the Munster coach John O’Neill, congratulated his side for playing some lovely rugby and said ‘well done Connacht, you didn’t come to play.‘

Meow!! Time to retract the claws there John! If you consider like they said that the guys were chosen from only 8 clubs its a monumental achievement. Gotta give props to OLBC as well for developing some of the players. Those Lady Boys are doing a bang up job!

Fantastic effort by all involved, hats off. Winning seems to be becoming a habbit with the young lads.

Article from Knockon below, which confirms you're right Borders there was a massive player turnover from last year.

www.knockon.ie/2012/05/14/connacht-are-champions-again/

The 2011 championship winning squad were at the end of a three year cycle of coming close before finally securing their goal. This years squad was new and untested at this level and based on the power balance in club rugby, many felt they would struggle to repeat the success.

To put things in context, only one of the starting fifteen for Connacht in last year’s title clinching win over Munster last year started in the Kerry town at the weekend. That’s a phenomenal turnover of players for a province with the smallest player base and their success really does underline the undoubted potential for the future

Great news today with the Connacht Juniors winning the interpro title for the 2nd year in a row. 13-9 away at Munster after winning up north and at home to Leinster earlier in the campaign. The rapid progression at this level in the last 5 or 6 seasons marks another important stage in the development of rugby within the province.

Also I think there were many changes to last years squad which makes the achivement all the better.

Congrats to Ambrose Conboy and his management team and the whole squad for the effort they dedicate to this competition at this stage of the season.

Hope the lads enjoy their success and here's hoping its 3 in a row next season.