NPR

............to Connacht!

Connacht have appointed former England boss Stuart Lancaster as their new head coach on a two-year deal.
Lancaster, who has been out of work since leaving Racing 92 earlier this year, will replace Pete Wilkins, who stepped down after Connacht's Challenge Cup exit in April.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-uni ... 4edv2d9o

Good for Connacht...rumors about a big name and it did deliver. Will be interesting how he strategizes against Leinster

Delighted to see him head over to Connacht. Kind of wish he had wound up in Ulster though - their Academy would be a good larger than Connachts with a lot more potential.

PornDog wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 12:59 pm Delighted to see him head over to Connacht. Kind of wish he had wound up in Ulster though - their Academy would be a good larger than Connachts with a lot more potential.

IRFU aren't going to bag Murphy without giving him some sort of a chance.

Uncle fester wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 3:12 pm

PornDog wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 12:59 pm Delighted to see him head over to Connacht. Kind of wish he had wound up in Ulster though - their Academy would be a good larger than Connachts with a lot more potential.

IRFU aren't going to bag Murphy without giving him some sort of a chance.

Oh I agree, but it's last chance saloon for him. He has had a year and a bit in charge, which has been disastrous. So he's had a chance already, but with new coaches coming in it would be premature to bag him now. He'll be gone next year though if he doesn't have a drastic turn around.

PornDog wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 4:12 pm

Uncle fester wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 3:12 pm

PornDog wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 12:59 pm Delighted to see him head over to Connacht. Kind of wish he had wound up in Ulster though - their Academy would be a good larger than Connachts with a lot more potential.

IRFU aren't going to bag Murphy without giving him some sort of a chance.

Oh I agree, but it's last chance saloon for him. He has had a year and a bit in charge, which has been disastrous. So he's had a chance already, but with new coaches coming in it would be premature to bag him now. He'll be gone next year though if he doesn't have a drastic turn around.

What was striking was that the Ulster players didn't look arsed. Normally finishing ahead of Connacht gets them going for a better finish to the season but not this time.

Uncle fester wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 5:29 pm

PornDog wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 4:12 pm

Uncle fester wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 3:12 pm

IRFU aren't going to bag Murphy without giving him some sort of a chance.

Oh I agree, but it's last chance saloon for him. He has had a year and a bit in charge, which has been disastrous. So he's had a chance already, but with new coaches coming in it would be premature to bag him now. He'll be gone next year though if he doesn't have a drastic turn around.

What was striking was that the Ulster players didn't look arsed. Normally finishing ahead of Connacht gets them going for a better finish to the season but not this time.

There's a lot of potential in that squad - they just need some properly objectionable prick in the pack to keep everyone on their toes. Who'd of thought Ulster would be short of them?!

PornDog wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 5:35 pm

Uncle fester wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 5:29 pm

PornDog wrote: Tue Jun 03, 2025 4:12 pm

Oh I agree, but it's last chance saloon for him. He has had a year and a bit in charge, which has been disastrous. So he's had a chance already, but with new coaches coming in it would be premature to bag him now. He'll be gone next year though if he doesn't have a drastic turn around.

What was striking was that the Ulster players didn't look arsed. Normally finishing ahead of Connacht gets them going for a better finish to the season but not this time.

There's a lot of potential in that squad - they just need some properly objectionable prick in the pack to keep everyone on their toes. Who'd of thought Ulster would be short of them?!

They need one who is 2 metres tall and 120 kg of muscle though.

Out of interest, are Irish pro lads basically all academy grads and overseas signings these days? Do you ever get some local amateur club legend, works as a builder but who's also a gym rat earning a contract?

Niegs wrote: Wed Jun 04, 2025 5:45 pm Out of interest, are Irish pro lads basically all academy grads and overseas signings these days? Do you ever get some local amateur club legend, works as a builder but who's also a gym rat earning a contract?

Occassionally guys from the semi-pro AIL will get temporary contracts (Neil Cronin, Sean Cronins brother was Munsters 4th string scrum half for the last couple of years, Ivan Soroka, Alex's brother, played a few times for Leinster this year). Back in the day Andy Ward stepped up from the AIL and became an international

Other guys can come thorough other pathways as well - Zac Ward (Andy's son) came through 7s and Cormac Izuchukwu was playing club rugby in Scotland I think before going into 7s and then on to Ulster.

I'm sure there are plenty of other examples, but its generally that they come into the pro sides as injury cover.

Niegs wrote: Wed Jun 04, 2025 5:45 pm Out of interest, are Irish pro lads basically all academy grads and overseas signings these days? Do you ever get some local amateur club legend, works as a builder but who's also a gym rat earning a contract?

Irish rugby is really small.

There's a limited number of clubs, so it's difficult to stay off the radar, because there'll always be someone in the club, or the opposition whose linked into either the Province, or the Schools, & they act as a unpaid scouts.

The classic case is Tadhg Furlong; he got spotted playing for a Junior club, & shortly afterward gets offered a scholarship with one of the most prestigious fee paying Rugby schools, & from there straight into the Leinster Academy

TF he's out of France. Along with Farrell and Manchester.