Connacht 2012-13

Connacht seem to build a decents squad for next season. Jason Harris-Wright has just signed for them which will strenghten them futher. its good to see good young irish talent being used in the forgotten provience.

Surely next season they should be pushing to achieve mid table in the rabo and get a few decent home results in the HC

nathan white is a massive signing for them
They will have a solid scrum with him there and he is a natural leader aswell. they already know that they have h cup next year so they should have time to build a good squad

They'll be stronger next season. They were strong in some areas this season but they had weaknesses that needed sorting out. The players they've signed (Harris-Wright, Faloon, Nathan White and Dan Parks) will give them a boost.

They've also some good players coming through and have cleared out some of the deadwood.

I really hope Connacht do well next season. They will be my second team! Hope Faloon does a job for you. I also hope Dan Parks does well despite his criticism. He could at least kick yous to a few more wins next season.

I'll be watching with interest!

Come on Connacht!

I think that Connacht will do well in the Rabo and should be looking for at least 8th but closing the gap on the next group of teams.

It is hard to say if Bradley will go down the same line again and if they do it will be them and treviso fighting it out with Blues and Dragons for 7th and 8th.

HC they have to get two wins and really 2lbps taking them to 10pts

Edinburgh have strengthened their squad so I doubt they'll be near the bottom again. Connachts rivals are Treviso and the Dragons. They're all at a similar level. The new Italian team will be bottom again.

Finishing around 8th again next season won't be too bad for Connacht. They're likely to close the gap on some teams above them, the question is by how much.

With Borlase and White arriving, is Rodney Ah You still there? That's three project tightheads!

If connacht can get solid home form under their belts this seadon and learn how to close out the close games they really could cause quite a stir. Elwood OS working magic down there and they really are becoming a solid hard to beat team.

The Great Aukster wrote:With Borlase and White arriving, is Rodney Ah You still there? That's three project tightheads!

Borlase going back to NZ.

What will the starting 23 look like for next season?

I just spotted this thread about attendance numbers on connachtclan. A 100% increase of that time period is amazing. They've been working hard behind the scenes in trying to bring in the Connacht people.


gates numbers 2010-11 vs 2011-12=difference

dragons 1371.....3706==2335
ulster 3761......5017==1256
leinster4582.....6582==2000
ospreys 2035.....4107==2072
munster 4795.....7022==2227
scarlets1135.....3408==2273
glasgow 1268.....4189==2921
treviso 1563.....3614==2051
airioni 1015.....5216==4201
edinburgh 1586....4324==2738
cardiff 1856.....3996==2140

2010-11 total 24967 average 2270
2011-12 total 51,181 average 4653

Being in the H-cup would have created some hype and publisity for the team being in again will generate more, don't think there will be another 100% increase in league attendances created.

but getting wins in it could, really really help, will be targetting all thier home games in H-cup as winnable, which is a step up from last year.

Team is better, but stll a work in progress.

That said the increase is work well done, very well done in fact.

They may be getting better figures than Glasgow and Edinburgh now. Time for them to step up, and have to look into how Italians are going as well now.

Got to give credit where credit is due. That is a very nice increase in attendance.

Well done Connacht and well done to Leinster. Leinster have certainly done their fair share to help their young Irish cousin.

Good luck for the HC to both teams.

I think people go to watch Connacht now and expect it to be 50/50 if they are going to win or not. They are also a team who fights for everything and so you are not left feeling like the players don't care.

I hope that parks does well this year like on Friday.

I think that Parks brings alot more to the table as he is a born leader and may not be the flashes but he does the kicking play well. He also will be able to know when to get the players up and when to calm them down. In last year's HC they were a few points where they needed a player to guide them esp in the Glaws games.

It's great that Parks has rediscovered his form and confidence.

Good to hear Brendan. Not every side needs/has star quality. With team unity and effort sides with individual brilliance can be overcome. Mental toughness and the will to win is more important.

Substance generally beats style. A good coach brings this together.

Part of the reason for the increase was they built a new covered stand. Before that people were open to the elements. The cost off Galway is one of the windiest places on the planet so winters there can be tough for fans.

profitius wrote:Part of the reason for the increase was they built a new covered stand. Before that people were open to the elements. The cost off Galway is one of the windiest places on the planet so winters there can be tough for fans.

profitus, can you remember a few seasons ago when somebody kicked a penalty through the posts on that end only for the wind to blow it back through and the points were not given ? I think it was David Humphries of Ulster if my memory serves me right, so you could not blame him for not kicking it hard enough.

Thats was Contepomi. Very funny incident indeed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU-QqENO9Ng

Connacht have received 40 applications for the coaches job from around the world. Eddie O'Sullivan is likely to be one of the applicants.

profitius wrote:Connacht have received 40 applications for the coaches job from around the world. Eddie O'Sullivan is likely to be one of the applicants.

There were ex international coaches maybe Eddie the eagle and not sure if Matt williams has any interest.

I do think that Connacht is slowly becoming a respectable job rather then a last chance soloon.

I'd say, think you would pick Connacht above the Dragons, Blues, Zebre, host of English and French jobs.

Esp when considering if the H-Cup qualification changes to include a certain number of league places (even if number of teams qualifing from Pro 12 decreases) that Connacht would find it easier to qualify for H-cup.

Have said that of all the teams that can get into H-cup Connacht have the hardest job.

Connacht have signed lock Ally Muldowney from Exeter Chiefs. Muldowney has an Irish father so is Irish qualified.

profitius wrote:Connacht have signed lock Ally Muldowney from Exeter Chiefs. Muldowney has an Irish father so is Irish qualified.

Has Aly Muldowney not played for Scotland A, think it was back in 2011? I'm sure he was named on the bench!

Maj, I wondered that too, from his time at the Warriors. Confirmed he was on the bench for Scotland A vs Italy A at Netherdale in Feb 2011 - no confirmation that he made it off the bench tho :-(

He isn't going to get near the irish teams especially if POC comes back.

Edit: although now that I think of it in a couple years time, if he's playing well he could sneak into the squad.

Think its more the fact that he won't take up a NIQ spot in the squad then playing for Ireland.

As long how do you rate the guy.

Seems good but if he is replacing McCarthy is it a similar player or is it a step down. It is good to see Connacht continuing to attract better players each year.

Brendan, he's a good player, he'll leave nothing on the pitch - reminds me of a cross between those other two ex-Chiefs, Tuohy and Stevenson. Poss not quite at McCarthy's level from what I've seen

To be fair if he does his best he will be fine. But to be fair Exeter are or of the teams that everone 99% of the time does their all.

I know it sayes he played in 5 HC games but is he your first or bench lock if no one is injured.

No-one would have considered McCarthy to be Test class a few years ago. Even though Muldowney is approaching 30 he's still a couple of years younger than MMcC so this is probably a decent bit of business.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Maj, I wondered that too, from his time at the Warriors. Confirmed he was on the bench for Scotland A vs Italy A at Netherdale in Feb 2011 - no confirmation that he made it off the bench tho :-(

If he was on the bench and didn't appear than he is still tied down to Scotland. But Ive read that he couldn't make the game because he was injured.

I remember him from his time at Firhill, good guy, great work ethic and a good lineout operator. Does the dirty work and doesn't look for glory. Perfect for any team needing a bit of experience.

It was a pity he had to leave Glasgow, but it was down to his family not settling in Glasgow and that's why he ended up going to Chiefs (his family is from down near Bristol...)

Brendan wrote:To be fair if he does his best he will be fine. But to be fair Exeter are or of the teams that everone 99% of the time does their all.

I know it sayes he played in 5 HC games but is he your first or bench lock if no one is injured.

Bench, but a very good option there

Well the Predisction for Connacht this season was
"Surely next season they should be pushing to achieve mid table in the rabo and get a few decent home results in the HC"

I agreed with this, 3 wins and 3 loses in Hcup (ok 2 wins over Zebre) but one was against Biarritz (the current Almin champions) , so a decent run in Europe.

Currently 10th was hopeing for 7th/8th, 8 points behind 7th.
have a game with each of the 3 teams above them (all away), Zebre at home, think 9th would be a relastic aim.

However on a positive of all the teams in the bottom half of the table Connacht have the best defence, (better than 2 in the top half, and only conceded 11 more points than Ulster).

When building a team you start by making them hard to beat, then add in the fancy stuff in attack, Connacht currently are a team that are hard to beat, Lam was attack coach for Somoia there, So looks like the person that can add to Connachts attack (currently one of the worst), they have some very good backs to do this, Carr returning,Vainikolo if he stays, Poolman, a great center partnership, and best of all the emergence of O'Halloran and Henshaw.

For one of the first times they not only have quality in the backs, but depth as well. Players lam wil be able to work with to improve the attack.

Add in if Ulster/Munster win H-cup, or Leinster win Almin, they will be in the H-cup again, which theres a fair chance of. Even if it doesn't happe Connacht may be capable of winning the Almin in thier own right next year. (they beat the current holders).

With Lam coming over early its possible Connachts attack will improve a lot over the second half of the season and they could move up a bit.

Happy with Muldowney signing.
I can see comentators confusing him and Muldoon already.

Golden wrote:With Lam coming over early its possible Connachts attack will improve a lot over the second half of the season and they could move up a bit.

Is he coming over now. I suppose it makes sense as he will get use to the team and not have a getting to know you period which would be hard on connacht to recover from.