European Club Rugby

Talisker

Connacht have done brilliantly - it's only a few years ago that their die hard fans had to march on Dublin to save the team from the axe. They have gone from being an underfunded feeder team in the GAA heartlands, everyone's favourite second side, to top of the pile and I can't think of anyone in our league who would begrude them their hard-won status right now.
 
Night's over in Galway were never easy with that wind whipping up what seemed like half the Atlantic Ocean to sting opponents faces, and now they have a beast of a pack and are not afraid to play wide -
 
Gwan the Wesht,
(unless you're playing Edinburgh or Glasgow)

Tim

How is Tom McCartney going?

Derm McCrum

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Billy Tell" data-cid="545481" data-time="1448907740">
I'll defer to a true Irishman on how to give a Polynesian an Irish flavour to their name... 
I thought Heenan IS a project player?</blockquote>
BT - He's been cited as being one by some media largely because he fits the profile of uncapped young player from another country (apparently he's third generation Irish as well which means nothing for qualification thankfully). 
However, Heenan is quoted as saying it would be a good achievement to be asked after his 3 year contract is up, but he's not sure that's the route he'll want to take. Doesn't sound very project-like to me. 
I remain highly sceptical about the whole programme, which players fall into it, and how realistic prospects are. More than happy for the players to stay on and enjoy themselves playing for the provinces, but don't stand in the way of the domestic players for test caps remains my view. Hopefully WR change it to 5/7 years residency soon and that'll can it pretty good because it's effective immediately since it's not contractual - a bit like the foreign player provincial restrictions which curtailed renewal of some contracts in last few years. 
Be interesting to see what happens with Payne when he recovers from injury. Does Schmidt continue with him or start to look at some other domestic prospects for midfield and developing them? Hopefully so. 
And will Schmidt call up CJ Stander now that he's passed the 3-year mark at Munster? Probably the best No 8 out of the other choices beyond Heaslip - Conan, Murphy, etc. Stander is a highly popular player down south and made captain and very committed to the cause it would appear. A bit like Richardt Strauss who became an Irish citizen last year along with Joe Schmidt and even took the time to learn the Gaelic words to the Irish national anthem. 
You've got to admire the commitment of some of these players but it's the thin edge of the wedge and it has to be stopped.

Derm McCrum

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="545537" data-time="1448926798">
How is Tom McCartney going?</blockquote>
 
Going well early season until he tore hamstring in a European cup match in early November. Scored a try before he did though. Out for six weeks, so he might make the Christmas interprovincial derbies or New Year matches.

hydro11

Sounds like some drums have been beating for Brendan O'Connor to be England's new fetcher.

African Monkey

Good luck winning any turover ball with him as your no.7.

ulsterman

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Good luck winning any turover ball with him as your no.7.
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He is probably the best genuine openside in England at the minute . . .

Derm McCrum

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Sounds like some drums have been beating for Brendan O'Connor to be England's new fetcher.
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Something looks odd reading that a bloke named Brendon Ryan O'Connor is qualified though his grandmother for England??

mariner4life

I saw a good stink just now, i assume it's from France. French rugby is great for an old-fashioned all-in

Tim

Ali Williams is Dan Carter's new media manager?
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/dec/07/dan-carter-all-blacks-ali-williams-minder-racing-92-northampton-european-champions-cup'>http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/dec/07/dan-carter-all-blacks-ali-williams-minder-racing-92-northampton-european-champions-cup</a>

nostrildamus

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Pot Hale" data-cid="546512" data-time="1449530254">
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Something looks odd reading that a bloke named Brendon Ryan O'Connor is qualified though his grandmother for England??
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With first name and last name initials like that he should be playing for South Africa..

gollum

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="546526" data-time="1449534451">
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Ali Williams is Dan Carter's new media manager?
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/dec/07/dan-carter-all-blacks-ali-williams-minder-racing-92-northampton-european-champions-cup'>http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/dec/07/dan-carter-all-blacks-ali-williams-minder-racing-92-northampton-european-champions-cup</a>
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Makes sense, Ali clearly speaks French.
 
By speaking English slowly, it a sort of French accent
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.rugbyonslaught.com/2015/06/ali-williams-does-speaking-english-in.html'>http://www.rugbyonslaught.com/2015/06/ali-williams-does-speaking-english-in.html</a>

Derm McCrum

Irish rugby having to contend with a lot of English and French cash sloshing around and getting players contracts renewed and keeping them with the provinces. 
 
Lots of rumours flying around about players such as Madigan (who reportedly has an offer of â‚¬500k on the table from English first division side, Bristol. Premiership side, Harlequins are also inquiring as well as two French clubs. Other players like O'Brien, Murray, Henshaw, Healy are up for negotiations. Ideally, the IRFU can offer them revised terms and possibly move them around the provinces to ensure more first choice games, and balance out some of the stocks with Leinster supply too many players to the test squad. With foreign player quotas reducing again, the importance of bringing through players from each of the provinces academies can't be understated. But the last line in the article is disappointing in seeking to find a scrum-half in NZ and gaining him through residency. There's an Irish scrum-half, John Hart, playing abroad in France for Grenoble in the Top 14, under his Irish coach, Bernard Jackman. He's only 22/23, the IRFU/Leinster should target him.
 
The following report in The Irish Times gives a useful update on what might be happening in the various negotiations led by Performance Director, David Nucifora. 
 
 <img src="http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2457832.1449522708!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/box_620_330/image.jpg" alt="image.jpg"> 
Ian Madigan, who is out of contract with Leinster this summer, is waiting to hear from the IRFUâ€™s high performance director David Nucifora, with an offer from Bristol worth â‚¬500,000 a season already on the table. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho 

The <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=IRFU&article=true'>IRFU</a> want <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Ian Madigan&article=true'>Ian Madigan</a> to join Munster next season. Thatâ€™s presuming they keep the 26-year-old in Ireland by coming close to matching lucrative offers from English and French clubs. 
Madigan, who is out of contract with <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_organisation=Leinster&article=true'>Leinster</a> this summer, is awaiting a formal offer from the unionâ€™s high performance director David Nucifora after Bristol tabled â‚¬500,000 a season for the place-kicking outhalf-cum-inside centre.
 
Along with that deal offered by billionaire Stephen Lansdown, owner of Bristol Rugby and Bristol City FC, three other foreign clubs are seeking Madiganâ€™s signature. Harlequins currently look the most enticing option as he would be joining an established Premiership club to work alongside Conor Oâ€™Shea (Bristol are expected to be promoted from the Championship). 
â€œThe English clubs are now in play [financially] which probably wasnâ€™t the case even two or three years ago,â€ said <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Johnny Sexton&article=true'>Johnny Sexton</a>. â€œI think players have a decision to make. If you want to be starting for Ireland week in week out and looked after under the Irish system, you obviously need to stay here. 
â€œBut there are other guys who need to go and get game time and are obviously not going to get that in the provinces, so you wouldnâ€™t blame them for going abroad and getting that game time, and they might get more exposure there.â€
 The Irish Times can also confirm preliminary discussions have taken place with Madiganâ€™s representative and French clubs Bordeaux-Begles and Montpellier. 
Getting Madigan to sign his first national contract and join Anthony Foleyâ€™s Munster would mean Irelandâ€™s three outhalves at the World Cup â€“ Sexton in Leinster and Paddy Jackson in Ulster â€“ could all regularly feature in a provincial number 10 jersey next season. Munster lost outhalf JJ Hanrahan to Northampton last summer. 
 
The other major contracts currently being negotiated are Robbie Henshaw, Simon Zebo, Conor Murray, Cian Healy and SeÃ¡n Oâ€™Brien. Henshaw is believed to be Leinster-bound, especially if Madigan went to Munster, with Ben Teâ€™o almost certain to leave the province. 
 
The current exchange rate between euro and sterling (Â£1 to â‚¬1.39) severely weakens the negotiating positions of the IRFU and the provinces, particularly when enticing or keeping foreign players or established internationals.
 
â€œItâ€™s different for every player,â€ Sexton continued. â€œI can only speak for myself; I had two great years away and really enjoyed myself but the most important thing for me was playing for Ireland and I only realised that when I was gone.
 
â€œI wasnâ€™t able to do that to the best of my ability in terms of coming home for Six Nations and going back [to France] for games in between and not getting that rest between Six Nations matches.â€ 
Sexton was asked if a time would come when all Irish players who do go to England or France could expect to be called by the Ireland coach. 
â€œI was very lucky that I was still getting picked when I was abroad but is it worth some guys going and sacrificing two years to get game time? I donâ€™t know. Thatâ€™s questions for those guys. 
â€œThe best place for an Irish international is at home. Hopefully we will retain most of those guys â€“ hopefully all of them.â€ 
Henshawâ€™s proposed move to Dublin may also indirectly see a loosening of Leinsterâ€™s grip on their three international tightheads and overflowing backrow stocks.
 
 
Tadhg Furlong is signed up for two years but Mike Ross and Marty Moore are both soon to be out of contract. Last season Moore signed a one-year extension at the same time Ross got a single-season deal despite seeking two years.
 
However, the expected changing of the tighthead guard has yet to happen with Ireland or Leinster due to Mooreâ€™s injury profile and an Indian summer by Ross. 
One of them, probably Ross, could move to Galway should Rodney Ah You be redirected to Ulster. Ross is 36 this month but has stated his desire to continue playing next season. 
Regarding the Leinster backrow, Josh van der Flier has already made an impression in his first season on a professional contract, while Dan Leavy and Dominic Ryan are also waiting in line behind Rhys Ruddock, Jack Conan, <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.irishtimes.com/search/search-7.1213540?tag_person=Jamie Heaslip&article=true'>Jamie Heaslip</a>, Oâ€™Brien and Jordi Murphy.
 
Leinster have also narrowed down their search for a new scrumhalf to a three-man short list. The main recruiting area is New Zealand with a view to naturalising the player through residency. 
Isaac Boss and Eoin Reddan are both 35, while 22-year-old Luke McGrath has yet to dislodge the Irish internationals from Leo Cullenâ€™s starting XV.

Siam

DC starting for Racing outside the glacial service of Pikey Mikey
 
I'm quite keen to see how our world cup hero stacks up. I wouldn't complain if he just phoned it in but he's a bit classier than that. Reckon he might have to duck and weave off the ball a bit though
 
He's got Casey Laulala, Roks and Masoe to help him out too
 
I guess Racing is my new favourite french club - previously it was "I couldn't give 2 fucks"

Stargazer

Thomas Waldrom was man of the match in the Exeter Chiefs' bonus point win over Clermont (31-14), having scored two tries. Last week, he scored a hat-trick. Makes me wonder, again, why he was not in the English RWC squad. He was a top try scorer last year, too.
 
One of the two Clermont tries was scored by Hosea Gear.

Billy Tell

So I watched 4 games of European rugby in the weekend
 
Ulster - Toulouse
Racing 92 - Northampton
Munster - Leicester
Toulon - Leinster
 
Kiwis involved: Williams (Ulster), Flynn, McAlister (Toulouse), Tameifuna, Masoe, Carter, Laulala, Rococoko (Racing), Paterson (NH), Saili (Munster), Fitzgerald, O'Connor (Leicester), Nonu, Taylor (Toulon), Boss, Nacewa (Leinster)
 
Fat Nick Williams went OK for Ulster, got a try. McAlister was awful for Toulouse at 10. Carter went OK, but Rococoko was the best Kiwi there, Nonu was well managed by Leinster.

ulsterman

38-0, son! Kiss has reminded them that it's not just down to Pienaar and Jackson to pass. Marshall was spraying the ball about like . . . well not Super Rugby, but the closest we'll get.
 
The prospect of Piutau with front-foot ball arouses me.

Billy Tell

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Conrad leaves his old buddy grasping at thin air

Nepia

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Conrad leaves his old buddy grasping at thin air
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That's a bit rough on Ma'a TBF he did have have two men to mark.

sparky

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Conrad leaves his old buddy grasping at thin air
 
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Great stuff from Snakey. He's an excellent signing for Pau. Not Nonu's fault alone. He was left marking two men and was in the right place for the interception if Conrad had passed. More guilty are Matt Stevens (23) who was marking Conrad Smith on the open side and failed to track his run and Mamuka Gorgodze (6) who was stuck in a offside position.
 
Toulon won the game with Tom Taylor at fullback. Colin Slade was at 10.

The Silver Fern

European Club Rugby