connachtexile wrote: Saw this on a Romanian Rugby blog and was wondering where to put it here seems a good a place as any:

Second division Romanian club Stejarul Buzau has started a partnership with Italian team Benneton Treviso. Four youth teams will be established in Buzau and coaches from Treviso will come to help in their training. Every year, the most talented of the juniors will be selected for the Treviso academy, starting this summer.

Why can't we do something like this? I know geographically it would be a pain but set up a relationship with a club/s from another country help them out with coaching and maybe get a player or two in return? I'm not even talking about a project say some good Portuguese lad who grows up knowing the Connacht system and wouldn't cost us the earth to bring in? Or has the limiting of NIQ's nixed this?

Apart from the fact Treviso are financed by Benetton and a have some level of autonomy from FIR, and the IRFU are our financiers and we have none effectively, that might be remotely possible.

But we're not and the IRFU would not come close to backing such a venture IMO. We're not a development province in name any more, but that is still a fundamental part of our role in Irish Rugby until such time as there is a massive migration West (when deep sea oil drilling becomes absolutely essential/viable maybe) and we become Ireland's Aberdeen...

Porterbelly wrote:

theCulk wrote: Joc is not retiring

Unconfirmed.

He'll be kept on in some capacity. It's up to Lam if he wants to keep him to get a playing contract, he might want some experienced heads

Unconfirmed if he's staying on more like.

Saw this on a Romanian Rugby blog and was wondering where to put it here seems a good a place as any:

Second division Romanian club Stejarul Buzau has started a partnership with Italian team Benneton Treviso. Four youth teams will be established in Buzau and coaches from Treviso will come to help in their training. Every year, the most talented of the juniors will be selected for the Treviso academy, starting this summer.

Why can't we do something like this? I know geographically it would be a pain but set up a relationship with a club/s from another country help them out with coaching and maybe get a player or two in return? I'm not even talking about a project say some good Portuguese lad who grows up knowing the Connacht system and wouldn't cost us the earth to bring in? Or has the limiting of NIQ's nixed this?

theCulk wrote: Joc is not retiring

Unconfirmed.

He'll be kept on in some capacity. It's up to Lam if he wants to keep him to get a playing contract, he might want some experienced heads

Munster's Brian Hayes is definitely leaving them. Anyone know if he's coming up here? We're pretty well off in that position but if a good player comes on the market..

Joc is not retiring

Rumours on the Leinster site that Damien Browne is off to Oyonnax Rugby. I'd say that's depending on a medical he still hasn't got over his shoulder injury and it's not looking good.

BRING RAY BACK!

We'd have to find him first!

if we lose 2, fetuu and ER and get clarke in =1 niq

but if i understand the rules, i think we might have another free spot due to rodney turning IQ during the season. think this happened at leinster with strauss. =2 NIQ (NOT SURE)

can i suggest since we need a flanker, BRING RAY BACK!

Your right about Gannon. I'm just nostalgic for the time him and Bruce ruled the second row together. On the Munster site the rumours of Rael heading up here have started up again so touch wood there might be encouraging news there then. We will have 1 free NIQ spot to fill correct if Reynecke and Vainikolo leave and Clarke comes in?

connachtexile wrote:

2013 - Gannon, Moore, Anderson, Brian Murphy, Reynecke, Flavin, Fifita, O'Connor, Frank Murphy, Healy, Jarvis, Loxton,

Of those I'd like to see Fifita, B. Murphy and Gannon kept on. We really need another 7 if JOC is going to retire.

i agree re b. murphy and Fifita.

gannon has very little hope of staying. we have 5 locks signed up and also browne and george able to cover there. that makes 7 players that can cover lock. would be crazy to keep him and he was out of favourite in the last few games. hasnt even made the bench in awhile.

cant believe we have 3 hookers, same as this year but only 1 that most supporters would be happy starting, we need another hooker until henry and young heffernan find there feet. i wonder if we gave flavin a 6month contract if he is retiring and not moving!?

even if rumours are true the JOC is retiring we need another flanker even if fifita is moving to 7. if willie gets injured early in the season would be hard for mata to come in.

we also need number 10, not sure about jarvis but maybe its a year to soon for Leader who is much better then Carty at the moment.

Matt Heally might be worth hanging on to, he is getting better and well only have 3 wingers + duffy

Best of luck to Eoghan Grace. If he stays fit he'll be a good signing for Plymouth. Bit of a disappointment that he failed to work out at Connacht thought it was potentially a decent bit of business at the time we signed him. With TJ Anderson as good as gone, David Heffernan converted to hooker and rumours of JOC retiring we'll have to be looking at boosting our back row options ahead of next season.

2013 - Gannon, Moore, Anderson, Brian Murphy, Reynecke, Flavin, Fifita, O'Connor, Frank Murphy, Healy, Jarvis, Loxton,

Of those I'd like to see Fifita, B. Murphy and Gannon kept on. We really need another 7 if JOC is going to retire.

i wonder if heffernan's and qualtar's development contracts were 1 year?

2016 - Clarke, Muldowney

2015 - White, Loughney, Wilkinson, Marmion, Poolman, Buckley, george, harris wright
2015 - mckeon, kearney, henshaw, carr, henry, Cooney, Browne,

2014 - Tonetti, O'Donohoe, Faloon, Parks, Duffy, McSharry, Griffin, O'Halloran, Muldoon, Swift,
2014 - Ah You, nikora

Development contracts - Dave Heffernan, Danny Qualtar

2013 - Gannon, Moore, Anderson, Brian Murphy, Reynecke, Flavin, Fifita, O'Connor, Frank Murphy, Healy, Jarvis, Loxton,

Unknown - Nolan,

going/gone! - mcCrea (jersey), Grace (New Plymouth Albion), Vainikolo (unknown)


props-- White, Loughney, Wilkinson, Buckley, Cooney, Ah You,
hookers-- harris wright, henry, Heffernan,
locks-- Swift, kearney, Clarke, Muldowney, Qualtar
6-- Muldoon, Browne
flanker-- Faloon
8-- george, McKeon
scrum half-- Marmion, O'Donohoe,
out half-- parks, nikora
wingers-- O'Halloran, carr, Poolman,
centres-- Tonetti, McSharry, Griffin,
full backs-- Henshaw, Duffy

only 31 players in the squad so far. looks thin in places.

Grace heading back to England to Championship side Plymouth this time. His missus is a Devon lass apparently...

www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/story-18424705-...y.html#axzz2NdyA2nIm

I'm pretty sure there's money going for what position you finish in the league but I wouldn't swear on it. Do Glasgow even have a main sponsor there's no one on their jersey chests.