Connacht 2022/23

[neill_m]

Ireland international Dave Heffernan is the latest player to renew his contract with Connacht, signing a new two-year deal.

He will now remain at the club until at least the end of the 2024/25 season.

[neill_m]

Significant news for Connacht - new updated table. Top 4 get home game in Round of 16.

1. Cardiff 15 points
2. Toulon 15 points
3. Connacht 14 points
4. Glasgow 14 points
5. Bristol 9 points.

Bristol Bears have been deducted five match points and handed a suspended fine of €10,000 following an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from the club’s EPCR Challenge Cup, Round 1 and Round 2 fixtures against USAP and Zebre Parma respectively. Bristol Bears were charged with misconduct by EPCR as the club was believed to have breached the 2022/23 Tournament Rules by selecting an ineligible player, Elliott Stooke, as a replacement in their match day squads for both fixtures in Pool A.​

[ronk]

They signed him from Wasps on a 3 month contract but gave him an early release clause. When he exercised it, he became ineligible retroactively.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/rug ... es-8045090

[Ruckedtobits]

Looking at the Table and fixtures, this could be a vital call for Connacht. Very sloppy admin from Bristol.

[neill_m]

Looking at the Table and fixtures, this could be a vital call for Connacht. Very sloppy admin from Bristol.

99% locked in home game, but 3rd & 4th play the drop down sides from Heineken Cup Pool B (Clermont, Sale, Ulster possible opponents).

Need help from Zebre away at Toulon or Brive at home v Cardiff to make top 2 and play another Challenge side. 1st would host Pau and 2nd would host Dragons based on current standings.

[Colmodon]

Looking at the Table and fixtures, this could be a vital call for Connacht. Very sloppy admin from Bristol.

It's incredibly harsh from EPCR. Bristol gave Stooke a short term contract after Wasps went bust. He was eligible when he came off the bench. But then he activated a break clause in the contract to sign for a team in France making his contract shorter than three months.

Should have been handled with a slap on the wrist, tut tut be more careful next time approach imo.

[ronk]

Looking at the Table and fixtures, this could be a vital call for Connacht. Very sloppy admin from Bristol.

It's incredibly harsh from EPCR. Bristol gave Stooke a short term contract after Wasps went bust. He was eligible when he came off the bench. But then he activated a break clause in the contract to sign for a team in France making his contract shorter than three months.

Should have been handled with a slap on the wrist, tut tut be more careful next time approach imo.

That was a slap on the wrists.

Bristol probably thought they were doing the lad a favour with an exit deal like that. They still should have tied him down or not used him in the Challenge Cup.

[naraic]

Looking at the Table and fixtures, this could be a vital call for Connacht. Very sloppy admin from Bristol.

It's incredibly harsh from EPCR. Bristol gave Stooke a short term contract after Wasps went bust. He was eligible when he came off the bench. But then he activated a break clause in the contract to sign for a team in France making his contract shorter than three months.

Should have been handled with a slap on the wrist, tut tut be more careful next time approach imo.

That was a slap on the wrists.

Bristol probably thought they were doing the lad a favour with an exit deal like that. They still should have tied him down or not used him in the Challenge Cup.

Look at Munster not using Kiran MacDonald in Europe at all. Teams know the rules.

[Ruckedtobits]

Very sloppy performance following somewhat mystifying selection by Connacht. Fifth place should certainly have been within their capacity.

[neill_m]

Very sloppy performance following somewhat mystifying selection by Connacht. Fifth place should certainly have been within their capacity.

All the cards were stacked for them, a BP win would have got them home games in Galway in R16, QF, SF

Now on the road to Benetton, Cardiff and Scarlets (I Think) to get to Dublin on May 19.

[Dexter]

Very sloppy performance following somewhat mystifying selection by Connacht. Fifth place should certainly have been within their capacity.

All the cards were stacked for them, a BP win would have got them home games in Galway in R16, QF, SF

Now on the road to Benetton, Cardiff and Scarlets (I Think) to get to Dublin on May 19.

They should have selected Aki

[IanD]

RTE news : Hawkshaw the latest to agree new Connacht deal

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2023/0125 ... acht-deal/

[sunshiner1]

by Dexter

They should have selected Aki

Agreed. And I say he regrets it now. The fans certainly do.

At least they put out a statement stating that Aki isn't going to Munster but they need to nip this in the bud sooner rather than later. Hopefully Aki been away for a few weeks in International camp will give everyone perspective.

[Ruckedtobits]

Connacht back in touch with the 8th place race getting a 5/0 competition points result against Lions in Galway with 6 tries and a very fast-paced performance. Excellent line-out display as always but scrum and maul were much improved. Blade & Carty directed affairs like masters & Blade picked up a hat-trick.

Well done lads.

[munster#1]

Connacht back in touch with the 8th place race getting a 5/0 competition points result against Lions in Galway with 6 tries and a very fast-paced performance. Excellent line-out display as always but scrum and maul were much improved. Blade & Carty directed affairs like masters & Blade picked up a hat-trick.

Well done lads.

Would be great for Connacht to make top 8 and get into a playoff spot, however, I think they will need to be top 7 to make it into next season’s HC.

[ronk]

Connacht qualifying for the Heineken Cup requires an Irish province to miss out or at most 2 SA teams to qualify.

The likely result is 3 Irish, 3 SA, 1 Welsh and 1 Scottish/Italian.

[sunshiner1]

L’equipe reporting that Connacht forward coach Senekal is going back to Toulon next season.

[wixfjord]

Wow, big clearout in Connacht and a massive task for IRFU to find the right people to step in.

Friend, Lawlor & Senekal all gone.

[sunshiner1]

Agreed. Might let the new guy coming in a chance to put his own stamp on it but Senekal is a loss.

[Topdawg]

Agreed. Might let the new guy coming in a chance to put his own stamp on it but Senekal is a loss.

Will be very interesting who they get, Nigel Carolan fancy a return ?

Perhaps a promotion in Connacht for Mark Sexton? At least whoever comes in can bring their own lieutenants