Connacht squad 2018-2019.

he'd be competing to be 1st choice with Bealham

Loosehead

Denis Buckley - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Matthew Burke - Signed contract in 2019
Paddy McAllister - Signed contract in 2019
Peter McCabe - Signed 1 year contract in 2018
Conan O'Donnell - Signed 1 year contract in 2018

Tighthead

Finlay Bealham - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Conor Carey - Signed 1 year contract in 2018
Conor Kenny - Signed contract in 2019
Dominic Robertson-McCoy - Signed contract in 2018

Hooker

Shane Delahunt - Signed contract in 2019
Dave Heffernan - Signed contract in 2019
Tom McCartney - Signed 3 year contract in 2017
Jonny Murphy - Signed contract in 2018

Dylan Tierney - Academy year 1

Lock

James Cannon - Signed 2 year contract in 2017
Peter Claffey - Signed 1 year contract in 2018
Ultan Dillane - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Cillian Gallagher - Signed contract in 2018
Joe Maksymiw - Signed contract in 2018
Quinn Roux - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Gavin Thornbury - Signed 2 year contract in 2019

Niall Murray - Academy year 1

Back row

Paul Boyle - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Jarrad Butler - Signed 3 year contract in 2017
James Connolly - Signed 1 year contract in 2018
Robin Copeland - Signed 2 year contract in 2018
Colby Fainga'a - Signed contract in 2018
Eoghan Masterson - Signed 2 year contract in 2018
Eoin McKeon - Signed contract in 2017
Sean O'Brien - Signed 2 year contract in 2018

Joshua Dunne - Academy year 1
Cian Huxford - Academy year 1
Sean Masterson - Academy year 2
Mikey Wilson - Academy year 1

Scrumhalf

Caolin Blade - Signed contract in 2018
Angus Lloyd - Signed contract in 2019
Kieran Marmion - Signed 2 year contract in 2018
Conor McKeon - Signed 1 year contract in 2018
James Mitchell - Signed 2 year contract in 2017

Stephen Kerins - Academy year 3
Colm Reilly - Academy year 1

Outhalf

Jack Carty - Signed 2 year contract in 2019
Conor Fitzgerald - Signed contract in 2019
Dave Horwitz - Signed contract in 2018

Luke Carty - Academy year 2
Conor Dean - Academy year 1

Centre

Bundee Aki - Signed 3 year contract in 2017
Tom Daly - Signed contract in 2019
Tom Farrell - Signed 2 year contract in 2018
Kyle Godwin - Signed contract in 2018
Eoin Griffin - Signed 1 year contract in 2018
Peter Robb - Signed contract in 2019
Craig Ronaldson - Signed contract in 2018

Kieran Joyce - Academy year 2
Sean O'Brien - Academy year 1

Back 3

Niyi Adeolokun - Signed contract in 2019
Stephen Fitzgerald - Signed contract in 2019
Matt Healy - Signed 2 year contract in 2018
Cian Kelleher - Signed 1 year contract in 2018
Darragh Leader - Signed contract in 2018
Tiernan O'Halloran - Signed 2 year contract in 2018

Mark Balaski - Academy year 1
Colm de Buitléar - Academy year 2
Conor Hayes - Academy year 1
Oran McNulty - Academy year 1

Fitzgerald Snr, Tom Daly & Angus Lloyd signed up ahead of 19/20 season per Connacht Rugby Instagram account

Conan O'Donnell is likely leaving. Pretty sure Jordan Duggan is in the academy but it's never been formally announced. We will probably sign a senior tighthead and also bring Ryan Lomas and maybe Liam Winnett into the academy. Hopefully Delahunt stays. Murphy's future probably depends on whether the coaches feel Tierney-Martin is ready for first team minutes.

Cannon and Claffey rumoured to be off. Will probably bring in at least one replacement, 5 senior locks is not enough.

Connolly is also on the way out, just waiting for an official announcement. Not much to suggest any of the academy lads are ready so perhaps we'll replace him externally. Hope McKeon stays.

One of McKeon/Mitchell/Kerins will probably be kept.

Bit thin at out half but dunno if we'll sign anyone else. Dylan Prendergast might be brought into the academy.

Pretty stacked at centre now, maybe we'll keep one of Robb/Ronaldson/Griffin.

Still light in the back 3. Maybe a new signing, de Buitlear promoted, and Hugh Lane into the academy.

Mark Mostyn wrote: Conan O'Donnell is likely leaving. Pretty sure Jordan Duggan is in the academy but it's never been formally announced. We will probably sign a senior tighthead and also bring Ryan Lomas and maybe Liam Winnett into the academy. Hopefully Delahunt stays. Murphy's future probably depends on whether the coaches feel Tierney-Martin is ready for first team minutes.

Cannon and Claffey rumoured to be off. Will probably bring in at least one replacement, 5 senior locks is not enough.

Connolly is also on the way out, just waiting for an official announcement. Not much to suggest any of the academy lads are ready so perhaps we'll replace him externally. Hope McKeon stays.

One of McKeon/Mitchell/Kerins will probably be kept.

Bit thin at out half but dunno if we'll sign anyone else. Dylan Prendergast might be brought into the academy.

Pretty stacked at centre now, maybe we'll keep one of Robb/Ronaldson/Griffin.

Still light in the back 3. Maybe a new signing, de Buitlear promoted, and Hugh Lane into the academy.

Robb clearly within the 3
Prendergast same family as the coach hanging around in France (Stade Français for now)

connachta wrote:

Mark Mostyn wrote: Conan O'Donnell is likely leaving. Pretty sure Jordan Duggan is in the academy but it's never been formally announced. We will probably sign a senior tighthead and also bring Ryan Lomas and maybe Liam Winnett into the academy. Hopefully Delahunt stays. Murphy's future probably depends on whether the coaches feel Tierney-Martin is ready for first team minutes.

Cannon and Claffey rumoured to be off. Will probably bring in at least one replacement, 5 senior locks is not enough.

Connolly is also on the way out, just waiting for an official announcement. Not much to suggest any of the academy lads are ready so perhaps we'll replace him externally. Hope McKeon stays.

One of McKeon/Mitchell/Kerins will probably be kept.

Bit thin at out half but dunno if we'll sign anyone else. Dylan Prendergast might be brought into the academy.

Pretty stacked at centre now, maybe we'll keep one of Robb/Ronaldson/Griffin.

Still light in the back 3. Maybe a new signing, de Buitlear promoted, and Hugh Lane into the academy.

Robb clearly within the 3
Prendergast same family as the coach hanging around in France (Stade Français for now)?

connachta wrote:

connachta wrote:

Mark Mostyn wrote: Conan O'Donnell is likely leaving. Pretty sure Jordan Duggan is in the academy but it's never been formally announced. We will probably sign a senior tighthead and also bring Ryan Lomas and maybe Liam Winnett into the academy. Hopefully Delahunt stays. Murphy's future probably depends on whether the coaches feel Tierney-Martin is ready for first team minutes.

Cannon and Claffey rumoured to be off. Will probably bring in at least one replacement, 5 senior locks is not enough.

Connolly is also on the way out, just waiting for an official announcement. Not much to suggest any of the academy lads are ready so perhaps we'll replace him externally. Hope McKeon stays.

One of McKeon/Mitchell/Kerins will probably be kept.

Bit thin at out half but dunno if we'll sign anyone else. Dylan Prendergast might be brought into the academy.

Pretty stacked at centre now, maybe we'll keep one of Robb/Ronaldson/Griffin.

Still light in the back 3. Maybe a new signing, de Buitlear promoted, and Hugh Lane into the academy.

Robb clearly within the 3
Prendergast same family as the coach hanging around in France (Stade Français for now)?

Not that I know of, he’s from Westport. Playing for Ballina in AIL 2C, and represented Connacht and Ireland u19 earlier this season.

Official announcement

www.connachtrugby.ie/delahunt-and-robb-e...nnounces-retirement/

Delahunt and Robb signed new contracts
Griffin and Conor McKeon retire

"Meanwhile Craig Ronaldson, James Mitchell, James Connolly, Conan O’Donnell, Peter McCabe, Peter Claffey, James Cannon and Conor McKeon will all be leaving Connacht at the end of the current season."

No massive losses, but Ronaldson was an important player for in the past, and McCabe has done a good job.
Liked Cannon too

Had heard most of these (including that Cannon is retiring) but genuinely gobsmacked we're letting McCabe go.

salmson wrote: Had heard most of these (including that Cannon is retiring) but genuinely gobsmacked we're letting McCabe go.

Same as (with regards to McCabe)
I just wonder did he get an offer somewhere else? Wouldn't be surprised if Munster offered him a backup role as well

salmson wrote: Had heard most of these (including that Cannon is retiring) but genuinely gobsmacked we're letting McCabe go.

3 senior looseheads, one of whom only has a handful of caps, is too few for my liking.

Mark Mostyn wrote:
3 senior looseheads, one of whom only has a handful of caps, is too few for my liking.

Agreed, but given McAllister is an upgrade on McCabe experience wise etc. and Burke is comparable to O'Donnell (Burke has 8 caps, exactly the number O'Donnell started this season with) I fear that might be it. Friend has spoken of looking outside for a Carey replacement, so hopefully we get a 4th loosehead too.

Assuming that Murphy, Robertson-McCoy, Gallagher, (Eoin) McKeon, and Leader are all staying, that's 21 forwards and 16 backs confirmed for next year. Given we started last season with 24 and 18 (19 if you include Reece) we're very close to done.

Agree about McCabe, but my main concern about the squad is the lack of options at 10. As it stands if Carty gets injured we're pretty screwed.

salmson wrote:

Mark Mostyn wrote:
3 senior looseheads, one of whom only has a handful of caps, is too few for my liking.

Agreed, but given McAllister is an upgrade on McCabe experience wise etc. and Burke is comparable to O'Donnell (Burke has 8 caps, exactly the number O'Donnell started this season with) I fear that might be it. Friend has spoken of looking outside for a Carey replacement, so hopefully we get a 4th loosehead too.

Assuming that Murphy, Robertson-McCoy, Gallagher, (Eoin) McKeon, and Leader are all staying, that's 21 forwards and 16 backs confirmed for next year. Given we started last season with 24 and 18 (19 if you include Reece) we're very close to done.

That’s not much of a comfort to me as we were too light this year imo. Also we had an extremely good season injury wise, as well as the opportunity to rest players on European weekends. In the absence of one or both of those factors we could be in trouble.

Think we’ll see a few more renewals, de Buitlear and maybe Kerins get promoted, and a couple of signings if we confirm Champions Cup qualification.