With the Magners League finals fast approaching and the regular season done and dusted, Connacht’s Head Coach Eric Elwood has been putting the final touches to next season’s squad. With a number of players retiring and some players moving on there will be an influx of fresh new faces at The Sportsground next season.
Forwards:
- In the front row Jamie Hagan and Sean Cronin are moving East to join Leinster whilst Robbie Morris was forced to retire earlier this season through injury. Barry Fa’amausili and Rob Sweeney have moved on allowing Stuart Maguire (Leinster) and Jamie Stevens (Galwegians) to join current props Brett Wilkinson, Dylan Rogers, Ronan Loughney and Rodney Ah You.
- Ethienne Reynecke (Saracens/Stormers) will join Adrian Flavin and Dermot Murphy as the clubs hookers.
- With former Junior All Black Bernie Upton moving to Japan the second row options will consist of Michael Swift, Mike McCarthy, Andrew Browne and Dave Nolan with returning number 8 George Naoupu (Kobi Steelers) also well versed in the engine room of the scrum.
- Ray Ofisa, Johnny O’Connor, John Muldoon, Shane Conneely (Academy) and Eoin McKeon will be joined by TJ Anderson (Ulster) and Eoghan Grace (Exeter Chiefs) in the backrow, with Mike McComish transferring to Ulster.
Backs:
- This year saw the retirement of scrumhalf Conor O’Loughlin through injury, Cillian Willis also hung up his boots at the end of the season leaving Frank Murphy, Paul O’Donohoe (Leinster) and David Moore (Harlequins) as Connacht’s number 9’s.
- Matthew Jarvis (Ospreys) and Niall O’Connor (Ulster) will join Miah Nikora pulling the strings at outhalf.
- Fionn Carr (Leinster), Ian Keatley (Munster) and Troy Nathan (Glasgow) are moving to other Magners League clubs, also leaving are Aidan Wynne, Liam Bibo, Darragh Fanning, Shane Monaghan and Niva Ta’auso. Joining current Connacht backs Gavin Duffy, Keith Matthews, Brian Tuohy, Eoin Griffin and Tiernan O’Halloran are James Loxton (Cardiff Blues), Mark McCrea (Ulster) and New Zealander Fetu’u Vainikola (Highlanders).
While this constitutes the bulk of the squad for next season there may still be some additions to the squad over the Summer months.
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