On that subject, I'm expecting the list of those released to come out this week. In previous years they've been given a send off the last home game. We were *supposed* to carry a squad of 43 this year. So far we have just 5 out or confirmed out (Reece, Scholes, Kellerher, Carey, Connolly) and minimum 9 in (Boyle, Burke, Kenny, les deux Fitzgeralds, Daly, McAllister, direct Carey & Kelleher replacements according to Friend). That's just the definites, strong rumours of others. So there'll be quite a few more leaving, sadly.

Worrying for Conan O'Donnell

1) Buckey, McAlister, McCabe, Burke
3) Bealham, NIQ, McCoy, Kenny....
we won't have 9 props and we can't go in Champions Cup without a marquee NIQ

Burke, Kenny, and Fitzgerald promoted from the academy.

www.connachtrugby.ie/three-connacht-acad...sign-first-professio

I was thinking, McCoy seems improved, Bealham isn't busy with Ireland and will be available. O'Donnell can cover both sides. So we shouldn't waste a NIQ spot over TH, Ben Betts is the perfect guy to compete for 3rd/2nd Choice, 23 in August, he has not re-signed for Ealing for now.

Leaves us NIQ spots for wing and 10!

essielo wrote: Bundee in portugal acc to insta presumably IRFU enforced rest week? Surely we should have him for last 3 games...he looked really rusty in our systems vs sale and if we're not prioritizing challenge cup why play him last week vs this week??...find it baffling given these last league games are now critical for us?

Rest weeks are not set in stone, the IRFU work with the players regarding this. If he was carrying a knock it would have been different

But there was no way that Bundee (if not injured) was not going to want to play in the knockout game against Sale, especially with Zebre the following week (which he's probably confident we can get through without him). But given what transpired with regards to selection for Sale, he was probably better off hitting a beach last week and being ready for Zebre.

salmson wrote:
Deadline for signings was March 19. No injury jokers this late in the season.

I think they extended it by two weeks.
Oh no wait, that was a different deadline :whistle:

I said they were stupidly enforced, not a bad idea. For instance earlier in the season Bundee was rested more during European weekends but still had to be rested during a league round rather than a European weekend because it's all geared around the Heineken cup. All the studies say it's minutes on the clock over the course of the season that increase the risk of injury, we could (and I'm pretty sure did) rest key players during European rounds, something no other province did for obvious reasons, but are still forced to rest the players during league rounds that are much more important to the team this season. He could have had last week off but it wouldn't have made any difference because he was down for an enforced rest week this week anyway along with Roux.

Players need rest. If you want better players at the club this is what happens. Players get called up for international duty and make it ,then they'll be getting rest weeks. Look at the bigger picture. The more internationals we have the better we are going.

The IRFU rest weeks are a little inflexible(read: stupidly enforced).

Carty, what a relief

essielo wrote: Bundee in portugal acc to insta presumably IRFU enforced rest week? Surely we should have him for last 3 games...he looked really rusty in our systems vs sale and if we're not prioritizing challenge cup why play him last week vs this week??...find it baffling given these last league games are now critical for us?

As I understand it rest weeks are set in stone this late in the season for the RWC squad. Not surprised Bundee's out as in last week's buildup Friend mentioned Roux was on a rest week this week.

Bundee in portugal acc to insta presumably IRFU enforced rest week? Surely we should have him for last 3 games...he looked really rusty in our systems vs sale and if we're not prioritizing challenge cup why play him last week vs this week??...find it baffling given these last league games are now critical for us?

Carty trained today

Westie wrote: Can anyone reach out to David Nucifora ??
Friend knows him well . . right ?

Deadline for signings was March 19. No injury jokers this late in the season.

Can anyone reach out to David Nucifora ??
Friend knows him well . . right ?

Tomorrow we'll know.
Training pics
Carty and McCoy there or not