Connacht Thread 12-13

[simonokeeffe]

nice one seapoint, thanks
struggled to find a list like that

so Heenan is a project

as it stands Connacht's other overseas players for next season

Ethienne Reynecke IQ in one more season
Rodney Ah You IQ in October
Nathan White IQ in one more season

George Naoupu (NZ 7s)
Dan Parks (Scotland)
Craig Clarke (JABs)
Aly Muldowney (Scotland A)
Sinoti Sinoti (Samoa)

Muldowney had an Irish grandparent so he's IQ

Reyneke is leaving

Projects are: Poolman, White and Heenan

NIQ are: Parks, Clarke, Sinoti (if he signs), Naoupu,

Ah You is deemed IQ because he'll have residency in January

didnt know Etienne was leaving

Muldowney has played for Scotland A though so hes NIQ/NIE

[Sea_point]

nice one seapoint, thanks
struggled to find a list like that

so Heenan is a project

as it stands Connacht's other overseas players for next season

Ethienne Reynecke IQ in one more season
Rodney Ah You IQ in October
Nathan White IQ in one more season

George Naoupu (NZ 7s)
Dan Parks (Scotland)
Craig Clarke (JABs)
Aly Muldowney (Scotland A)
Sinoti Sinoti (Samoa)

Muldowney is IQ as although selected for Scotland A against Italy in 2011 he never made it off the bench to earn a cap...

[bamboozle]

Heenan should be a good signing, between himself and Faloon Connacht will have two quailty 7's.

Cant understand why project Ah You continues - 3 years in he's shown nothing.

[porterbelly]

Heenan should be a good signing, between himself and Faloon Connacht will have two quailty 7's.

Cant understand why project Ah You continues - 3 years in he's shown nothing.

Because his latest contract deems him Irish qualified with his 3 year residency in January

We wanted Jamie Hagan back but he went to London Irish

[ronk]

Heenan should be a good signing, between himself and Faloon Connacht will have two quailty 7's.

Cant understand why project Ah You continues - 3 years in he's shown nothing.

Because his latest contract deems him Irish qualified with his 3 year residency in January

We wanted Jamie Hagan back but he went to London Irish

Yeah but he was never going to go with Nathan White ahead of him.

[simonokeeffe]

Muldowney is IQ as although selected for Scotland A against Italy in 2011 he never made it off the bench to earn a cap...

8.3
For the purposes of this Regulation, a Player is deemed to have played for
the senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the next senior
fifteen-a-side National Representative Team of a Union if:
(a) He is selected for such team to play in an International Match against the senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the next
senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team of another Union (or in a fifteen-a-side international Match against another Union’s
senior or next senior Touring Squad during an IRB approved International Tour) and is present at the Match pla yed by that team
either as a replacement, substitute or a playing member of that team nd has, at the time of the Match, reached the age
of majority; or

had looked that up before, Sykes got away with it as Lions is bit of a loophole
plus if he cant get a game for Scotland A he's not exactly good enough for Ireland in any event

[johng]

plus if he cant get a game for Scotland A he's not exactly good enough for Ireland in any event

Not about being good enough for Ireland. Tom Denton is unlikely to ever play for Ireland. Barring being on holiday in Portugal when Ireland is Nuked. But would he have been signed if he was not IQ?

[simonokeeffe]

plus if he cant get a game for Scotland A he's not exactly good enough for Ireland in any event

Not about being good enough for Ireland. Tom Denton is unlikely to ever play for Ireland. Barring being on holiday in Portugal when Ireland is Nuked. But would he have been signed if he was not IQ?

we all know Denton was signed because he looks a bit like Brodie from Homeland

Connacht have different NIQ rules anyways

[Sea_point]

Muldowney is IQ as although selected for Scotland A against Italy in 2011 he never made it off the bench to earn a cap...

8.3
For the purposes of this Regulation, a Player is deemed to have played for
the senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the next senior
fifteen-a-side National Representative Team of a Union if:
(a) He is selected for such team to play in an International Match against the senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the next
senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team of another Union (or in a fifteen-a-side international Match against another Union’s
senior or next senior Touring Squad during an IRB approved International Tour) and is present at the Match pla yed by that team
either as a replacement, substitute or a playing member of that team nd has, at the time of the Match, reached the age
of majority; or

had looked that up before, Sykes got away with it as Lions is bit of a loophole
plus if he cant get a game for Scotland A he's not exactly good enough for Ireland in any event

Although named initially I don't think he actually made it to game day, I have a sneaky suspicion that Jim Hamilton was drafted onto the bench instead of him at the 11th Hour with a view to Hamilton coming into the Full squad for the 6N game against Wales the following weekend (he was not selected originally due to a knock while playing with Glaws. In fact Hamilton didn't make any of the 6N games that year in the end either.

And the match detail from the Italian Fed site seems to back that up, Hamilton coming on for Fraser McKenzie (even though they have used the published team list which actually names Muldowney on the bench, which is where the confusion occurs)...

http://www.federugby.it/index.php?optio ... Itemid=779

Gala, Netherdale Stadium, Friday, February 4, 2011
SCOTLAND "A" - ITALY A, 11-3 (pt 8-0)

Scorers : 11 pt 'm. Grant Ry. (5-0) 18 'cp. Blair (8-0) st 4 'cp. Blair (11-0), 10 'cp. Marcato (11-3)

Scotland : Cuthbert; Jones, Grove, Houston, Danielli (23 'st. O'Hare); Blair, Laidlaw; Beattie (16'-26' st. Traynor), MacDonald (26 'st. gtan Ro.), McInally ( 39 'pt. - 9' st. Lawrie), McKenzie (33 'st. Hamilton), Ryder; Cross, Lawson (26' st. Lawrie), Grant Ry. Facilities: Lawrie, Traynor, Muldowney, Grant Ro., Gregor, Cairns, O'Hare.

Italy : Buso; Toniolatti, Pratichetti A., M. Pratichetti, Sepe M. (31 'st. G. Pavan) Mouthpiece (3' st. Marcato), Semenzato (8 'st. Tebaldi); Pavanello A. (Cap), Minto (30 'st. Padro), Petillo; Bortolami, Furno; Citizens, Sbaraglini, Rizzo. Herds Drive

Notes : yellow cards Pavanello (Italy) 11 'pt.; McKenzie (Scotland) 27' pt.; Lawson (Scotland) 39 'pt.; Cross (Scotland) 16' st.

Can't find a media report of the match to verify , but I believe I am correct on this...

[simonokeeffe]

I think this is the politest and most well researched debate this forum has ever seen

[porterbelly]

Correct actually, Muldowney cried off that day for Scotland A so he's definitely Irish qualified immediately

Could be a very good signing for, have always been impressed with him when I've seen him.

[blockhead]

Connacht into the heino again, thanks to Leinster. You're welcome btw.

[Ruckedtobits]

Welcome back to Europe you lads from the West. We're delighted to have been of service!!!!

[simonokeeffe]

Welcome back to Europe you lads from the West. We're delighted to have been of service!!!!

and we couldnt have done it without consistently targeting their players

[simonokeeffe]

Chief Executive Tom Sears said: "James is an international class player and someone Pat knows very well and has coached previously. From the outset Pat was very keen to get James to Connacht and identified him as a player who could be a real asset to us, so we are delighted that we have been able to bring him in.

“We have now filled all our non-Irish eligible positions and have a full quota of special project players with the recent signing of Jake Heenan. We are very excited about the quality and potential of the players we have been able to add to the squad and with the prospect of another season of Heineken Cup rugby to look forward to next season promises to be a hugely exciting one.”

[LeRouxIsPHat]

If he mostly plays fullback, might we see Henshaw in the centre?

[simonokeeffe]

If he mostly plays fullback, might we see Henshaw in the centre?

my understanding of Henshaw was he was a schools/ireland schools 13 but filled in at fb when Duffy was injured

Poolman seems much more comfortable on the wing, not a fan of griffin tbh and duffy better in the team than him

[jezzer]

If he mostly plays fullback, might we see Henshaw in the centre?

my understanding of Henshaw was he was a schools/ireland schools 13 but filled in at fb when Duffy was injured

Poolman seems much more comfortable on the wing, not a fan of griffin tbh and duffy better in the team than him

I like Griffin, I have to say. His passing improved a bit this season, I thought. That was always his achilles heel (a big one if you're a 13).

He's got the ability to be very direct or to use his footwork, depending on what's needed.

With Parks at 10, there's some great experience there, but the midfield pairings have varied a fair bit and the whole 3/4 line was pretty raw this season (Duffy aside, when he plays). I hope Connacht can get some consistent combinations going now, with the squad they have, so there's a bit more nous to the backline. The talent is there - just look at how they totally carved Leinster up - but it isn't always used at the right times in the right parts of the field. The pack, which has been a solid unit, is going to get shaken up with Flavin, Reynecke, JOC, McCarthy gone. The backline needs to come together now and make the job of the pack a bit easier. Marmion is a massive help, but it's outside that (Griffin a prime example) where the units need to get a bit more solid and consistent.

[porterbelly]

If he mostly plays fullback, might we see Henshaw in the centre?

my understanding of Henshaw was he was a schools/ireland schools 13 but filled in at fb when Duffy was injured

Poolman seems much more comfortable on the wing, not a fan of griffin tbh and duffy better in the team than him

I like Griffin, I have to say. His passing improved a bit this season, I thought. That was always his achilles heel (a big one if you're a 13).

He's got the ability to be very direct or to use his footwork, depending on what's needed.

With Parks at 10, there's some great experience there, but the midfield pairings have varied a fair bit and the whole 3/4 line was pretty raw this season (Duffy aside, when he plays). I hope Connacht can get some consistent combinations going now, with the squad they have, so there's a bit more nous to the backline. The talent is there - just look at how they totally carved Leinster up - but it isn't always used at the right times in the right parts of the field. The pack, which has been a solid unit, is going to get shaken up with Flavin, Reynecke, JOC, McCarthy gone. The backline needs to come together now and make the job of the pack a bit easier. Marmion is a massive help, but it's outside that (Griffin a prime example) where the units need to get a bit more solid and consistent.

Injuries was the main problem for the lack of continuity. McSharry had a long spell out, Tonetti (a vastly underrated player) played 1 game all year and Griffin had his fair share of time on the sidelines. It's also been established that Poolman probably operates best on the wing. Tbf we spent a chunk of the start of the season with Fifita (who only played junior rugby) in the centre, and at the end with Brian Murphy who played AIL 2 and 1B.

If we can somehow stop the injuries the talent is there. Hopefully Ronaldson can establish himself as no2 to Parks. We may also see a bit of Henshaw at 13, if Schmidt wants to see him there. Scumhalf could be an issue if Marmion gets injured.

There is alot of upheaval in the pack, hooker looks very light. After Harris Wright, the quality isn't there. Have hopes for Rael but he hasn't yet been exposed to B & I at Munster. However Craig Clarke is a massive signing, Muldowney a good one too and with Mick Kearney improving, 2nd row looks in a better place even with McCarthy departed. Andrew Browne could cement the 6 jersey for the future and hopefully Heenan can challenge Faloon for openside.

There's some good competition there. As for the next breakthrough, hopefully Shane Layden can overcome his injury problems and we see him on the wing or at 15 sooner rather than later. Sean O Brien, a Galway lad who captained Roscrea has a big rep as a 2nd row/8. Still u20 but big things expected in the future.

[Lamb of BOD]

Sean O Brien, a Galway lad who captained Roscrea has a big rep as a 2nd row/8. Still u20 but big things expected in the future.

With a name like that, he's bound to be good