Connacht Rugby 2015 / 2016

[IanD]

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2015/0619 ... t-signing/

Connacht sign Ireland-qualified Pewhairangi

Connacht have signed former Ireland rugby league player Api Pewhairangi for next season.
The 23-year-old New Zealander qualifies for Ireland through his Co Dublin born grandmother and he represented Ireland at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.
Pewhairangi played rugby union as a youth in Manawatu but switched to rugby league at the age of 17, when he moved to Wellington's Te Aroha Eels.
He has since played for Parramatta Eels and, most recently NZ Warriors.
"I am proud to be returning to Ireland, my grandmother's homeland,” said Api Pewhairangi.
“Joining Connacht is extremely exciting for me and I want to make a big impact".
Head Coach Pat Lam said: "At 23 Api has already achieved a lot on and off the field. He has played in the tough NRL competition, represented Ireland in the 2013 rugby League World Cup and graduated with Bachelor of Arts degree.
“He is keen for a new challenge in transitioning back to rugby union where he spent his youth playing.
“His professional rugby league experience will add another skill set to the squad and we look forward to him joining the squad for pre-season."

[simonokeeffe]

hopefully will push Aki to 13 when Henshaw is away

[simonokeeffe]

Connacht: 15 Tiernan O'Halloran, 14 Danie Poolman, 13 Rory Parata, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Eoghan Masterson, 7 Nepia Fox-Matamua, 6 John Muldoon (c), 5 Andrew Browne, 4 Quinn Roux, 3 Rodney Ah You, 2 Tom McCartney, 1 Denis Buckley.
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 JP Cooney, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Ben Marshall, 20 Eoin McKeon, 21 John Cooney, 22 Craig Ronaldson, 23 Fionn Carr.

Dragons: 15 Carl Meyer, 14 Tom Prydie, 13 Ross Wardle, 12 Adam Warren, 11 Nick Scott, 10 Jason Tovey, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Ed Jackson, 7 Nic Cudd, 6 Nick Crosswell, 5 Rynard Landman, 4 Cory Hill, 3 Shaun Knight, 2 T. Rhys Thomas (c), 1 Boris Stankovich.
Replacements: 16 Hugh Gustafson, 17 Phil Price, 18 Brok Harris, 19 James Thomas, 20 James Benjamin, 21 Charlie Davies, 22 Dorian Jones, 23 Tyler Morgan.

Friday 7 30ko

[neill_m]

Facing a 12,000 km round trip in Europe to Krasnoyarsk, Siberia in November. Lost a "draw" between them, Newcastle and Brive to see who would go there. The others "only" go to Sochi!

There is apparently a football stadium with undersoil heating so ok on the pitch front!

[Ruckedtobits]

Surprised at no comments posted yet re great opening win against Dragons. From the various reports, it seems like an excellent start. Cooney showing again they let the wrong one go!

[simonokeeffe]

Surprised at no comments posted yet re great opening win against Dragons. From the various reports, it seems like an excellent start. Cooney showing again they let the wrong one go!

pity they didnt get the 4th try though

[simonokeeffe]

15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Danie Poolman
13. Rory Parata
12. Bundee Aki
11. Matt Healy
10. Jack Carty
9. John Cooney

1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney
3. Rodney Ah You
4. Quinn Roux
5. Andrew Browne
6. John Muldoon (captain)
7. Nepia Fox-Matamua
8. Eoghan Masterson

Replacements:

16. Dave Heffernan
17. JP Cooney
18. Finlay Bealham
19. Ultan Dillane
20. Ben Marshall
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Craig Ronaldson
23. Fionn Carr

Glasgow:

15. Glenn Bryce
14. Junior Bulumakau
13. Peter Murchie (captain)
12. Fraser Lyle
11. Lee Jones
10. Rory Clegg
9. Mike Blair

1. Alex Allan
2. Pat MacArthur
3. Mike Cusack
4. Scott Cummings
5. Kieran Low
6. Rob Harley
7. Chris Fusaro
8. Adam Ashe

Replacements:

16. Kevin Bryce
17. Jerry Yanuyanutawa
18. Zander Fagerson
19. James Eddie
20. Tyrone Holmes
21. Hugh Blake
22. Grayson Hart
23. Scott Wight

Referee: Ian Davies (WRU).

[neill_m]

Game is on TG4.

[simonokeeffe]

Game is on TG4.

yay

well it is one of only 2 games on that night and the other is Dragons Zebre

Conn could do with Muldowney and Heenan back soon

[Donny B.]

Taking a right hosing tonight. John Cooney won't be looking forward to the video review anyway

[Donny B.]

Hmm, a totally dominant scrum has gotten them back into the game

[Donny B.]

Holy sh!t there's another try

[dropkick]

Thats a match Connacht should have won but they only started playing in the second half. Their defence is very porous.


Eoghan Masterson impressed me again. He looks a class player.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Thought Connacht actually started quite well and looked to be flying when TOH went over...then that was disallowed and they stunk the place out quite spectacularly before the comeback. Really didn't see that collapse coming, they had no idea how to manage their way out of it or slow the game down.

It was there for them to win alright, a real pity Fionn Carr was ankle tapped when he seemed to break free. They got surprisingly deep and lateral in the last few minutes though.

[kermischocolate]

Connacht did start very well. No idea what was said in the TMO discussions but they should have been a try up due to Glasgow stupidity. Interestingly neither team did very well when playing with the wind which was not insubstantial.

Fair play to them for not giving up and playing some good rugby to get back in the game.

[neill_m]

The early non-try for connacht was due to the ref mr davies saying the glasgow player didn't mean to throw the ball back in. "Spirit of the game" was his phrase.

[Ruckedtobits]

Despite the Table on BBC Sport website, tonight Connacht top the Pro 12 table, taking an unusual two points from Scotstoon. Four tries for Connacht against three for the Warriors will be some consolation for the defeat, to Pat Lam. By Monday, they will be displaced but a good day for the men from the west

[IanD]

Despite the Table on BBC Sport website, tonight Connacht top the Pro 12 table, taking an unusual two points from Scotstoon. Four tries for Connacht against three for the Warriors will be some consolation for the defeat, to Pat Lam. By Monday, they will be displaced but a good day for the men from the west

But surely Connacht should be winning these games now. Glasgow missing up to 20 players (depending on which report you read) and Connacht have lost 2. If they cant win at this stage of the season how can they hope to beat a full Glasgow team in say April.

[enby]

yet again in the Pro-12, the reffing tonight was truly abysmal. One scrum penalty in particular against Connacht in the first half had to be seen to be believed

[simonokeeffe]

Buckley, McCartney, Masterson and Marmion were the only players who turned up for them

He scrummed well but Ah Here looks to have gotten less fit after pre season, wandered around the rucks like he was at a flower show. New guy Fox -kerjigger not a patch on Heenan and they need Muldowney asap. They need Leader badly at fullback so TOH can go on the wing and Poolman can be dropped out of a DC 10 into a volcano. Aki is the Chabal of centres