According to social media rumors, Ioane is set to compete with Jack Carty and Sean Naughton for the coveted ten jersey, with JJ Hanrahan sidelined until next March due to injury.

This move could significantly bolster Connacht’s squad, offering a dynamic and experienced playmaker to the mix. Sources suggest the deal should be confirmed in the coming days.

Josh Ioane’s Rugby Journey

Early Career and Rise with the Highlanders

Josh Ioane’s rugby journey began with Otago, where he made an immediate impact. His impressive performance in his debut season caught the attention of the Highlanders, who signed him for the 2018 Super Rugby season.

Breakthrough Season in 2019

During the 2019 Super Rugby season, Ioane emerged as a regular starter despite the presence of experienced Marty Banks. Ioane’s ability to consistently score points was a highlight of the season, finishing as one of the highest points-scorers with 114 points.

All Blacks Selection and International Debut

Ioane’s domestic form did not go unnoticed, and on 2 July 2019, he was named by head coach Steve Hansen as one of four uncapped players in New Zealand’s All Blacks squad for the Rugby Championship. Although initially overlooked in the starting lineup, Ioane made his international debut for New Zealand against Tonga on 7 September 2019. He made an immediate impact, replacing Beauden Barrett at half-time and scoring 8 points in a 92–7 victory.

Continued Domestic Success

Ioane continued to perform at a high level in domestic competitions. After leaving the Highlanders, he joined the Chiefs for the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season. His tenure with various teams showcases his adaptability and consistent performance on the field.

Career Statistics

| Years | Team | Apps | Points |
|———–|————–|——|——–|
| 2017–2022 | Otago | 57 | 427 |
| 2018–2021 | Highlanders | 43 | 229 |
| 2022– | Chiefs | 29 | 74 |

Potential Impact at Connacht Rugby

Competition for the Ten Jersey

If Ioane’s move to Connacht materialises , he will be vying for the starting fly-half position with seasoned player Jack Carty and emerging talent Sean Naughton. This competition is expected to elevate the overall performance of the team as players push each other for the starting role.

Filling the Void Left by JJ Hanrahan

With JJ Hanrahan likely out until next March due to injury, Ioane’s presence will be crucial. His experience and skill set will be invaluable in guiding the team through the upcoming season, providing stability and creativity in the backline.

Josh Ioane’s potential move to Connacht Rugby is a significant development for Irish Rugby, where Leinster currently have four international tens. Questions will have to be asked why Connacht had the go find a non Irish qualified player to fill the gap left by the Hanrahan injury.

The post All Black Josh Ioane Linked with Move to Connacht Rugby appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

#MUNvOSP
Three changes from last week’s win over Ulster see Antoine Frisch, John Hodnett and Gavin Coombes come into the Munster side
Reuben Morgan-Williams starts at scrum half for Ospreys, with Owen Williams partnering him at out half
#BULvBEN
Sebastian de Klerk starts on the wing for Vodacom Bulls
Malakai Fekitoa returns alongside Ignacio Brex to make up Benetton’s centre pairing
#LEIvULS
James Ryan returns to Leinster’s starting XV for the first time since the R17 loss to Ulster and captains the side
Matty Rea set to make his 100th appearance for Ulster
#GLAvSTO
George Turner set for 100th appearance for Glasgow Warriors if called upon from the bench
Warrick Gelant and Paul de Wet make their return to DHL Stormers match-day squad

FRIDAY, JUNE 7

Munster v Ospreys
Thomond Park, Limerick – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU, 14th league game)
AR 1: Andrea Piardi (FIR) AR 2: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
Live on: RTÉ, S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Munster: Simon Zebo, Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Seán O’Brien, Shane Daly, Jack Crowley, Craig Casey, Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, RG Snyman, Tadhg Beirne (CAPT), Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan, Oli Jager, Jack O’Donoghue, Alex Kendellen, Conor Murray, Tony Butler, Mike Haley

Ospreys: Max Nagy, Luke Morgan, Owen Watkin, Keiran Williams, Keelan Giles, Owen Williams, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake, Tom Botha, James Ratti, Huw Sutton, Jac Morgan, Justin Tipuric (CAPT), Morgan Morris
Replacements: Sam Parry, Gareth Thomas, Rhys Henry, Victor Sekekete, Morgan Morse, Luke Davies, Luke Scully, Harri Houston

Ospreys Head Coach Toby Booth said: “We’ve got ourselves to this window of opportunity and we’re excited about it, but we won’t underestimate how tough the game will be. Like us, Munster have got a tight group, with a lot of quality in it, and that makes them a very dangerous opponent.”

SATURDAY, JUNE 8

Vodacom Bulls v Benetton
Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria – KO 14.30 IRE & UK / 15.30 ITA & SA
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU, 82nd game)
AR 1: Sam Grove-White (SRU) AR 2: Adam Jones (WRU)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)
Live on: SuperSport, Sky Italia, TG4, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Vodacom Bulls: Willie Le Roux, Sebastian de Klerk, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier, Gerhard Steenekamp, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Ruan Vermaak, Ruan Nortje (CAPT), Nizaam Carr, Elrigh Louw, Cameron Hanekom
Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Simphiwe Matanzima, Francois Klopper, Reinhardt Ludwig, Jannes Kirsten, Keagan Johannes, Chris Smith, Sergeal Petersen

Benetton: Rhyno Smith, Tommaso Menoncello, Malakai Fekitoa, Ignacio Brex, Onisi Ratave, Tomas Albornoz, Andy Uren, Thomas Gallo, Bautista Bernasconi, Simione Ferrari, Edoardo Iachizzi, Federico Ruzza, Alessandro Izekor, Michele Lamaro (CAPT), Toa Halafihi
Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Mirco Spagnolo, Giosuè Zilocchi, Eli Snyman, Niccolò Cannone, Lorenzo Cannone, Alessandro Garbisi, Jacob Umaga

Vodacom Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White: “Canan injured his hand against the Sharks last weekend and will be going for surgery today. It is one of those where they will only be able to see how serious it is once they open him up. It is his index finger (that is fractured) which influences his passing, on top of his pinkie a few weeks ago which he has strapped before. I am not sure if it will be one of those that you can strap in a couple of weeks and play but he remains unavailable this week and the next. From the Boks point of view, I hope it is not that serious so that he is ready for the Irish series.”

Benetton Head Coach Marco Bortolami said: “The clash between the two forward packs will be decisive and for this reason we have opted to go to the bench with the 6 plus 2. There are also some changes to inject fresh and new energy from the first minute and the other boys will come off the bench to finish the job. Between the backs we chose to move Menoncello as a winger and insert Fekitoa in the centre to add the maximum physicality possible. Furthermore, Malakai gives us a lot of experience having already played matches of this caliber many times; I’m sure he will make a great contribution”

Leinster v Ulster
Aviva Stadium, Dublin – KO 17.00 IRE & UK / 18.00 ITA & SA
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 95th league game)
AR 1: Craig Evans (WRU) AR 2: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)
TMO: Brain MacNeice (IRFU)
Live on: TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien, Jordan Larmour, Robbie Henshaw, Jamie Osborne, James Lowe, Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan (CAPT), Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Michael Ala’alatoa, Ross Molony, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Sam Prendergast, Ciarán Frawley

Ulster: Stewart Moore, Mike Lowry, Will Addison, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, John Cooney, Eric O’Sullivan, Rob Herring (CAPT), Tom O’Toole, Harry Sheridan, Cormac Izuchukwu, Matty Rea, David McCann, Nick Timoney
Replacements: Tom Stewart, Andy Warwick, Scott Wilson, Greg Jones, Dave Ewers, Nathan Doak, Ethan McIlroy, Jude Postlethwaite

Glasgow Warriors v DHL Stormers
Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA
Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU, 43rd league game)
AR 1: Frank Murphy (IRFU) AR 2: Peter Martin (IRFU)
TMO: Mark Patton (IRFU)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Glasgow Warriors: Josh McKay, Sebastian Cancelliere, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Kyle Steyn (CAPT), Tom Jordan, George Horne, Jamie Bhatti, Johnny Matthews, Zander Fagerson, Scott Cummings, Richie Gray, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey
Replacements: George Turner, Nathan McBeth, Oli Kebble, Max Williamson, Euan Ferrie, Henco Venter, Jamie Dobie, Ross Thompson

DHL Stormers: Warrick Gelant, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Dan du Plessis, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ben Loader, Manie Libbok, Herschel Jantjies, Brok Harris, Joseph Dweba, Frans Malherbe, Salmaan Moerat (CAPT), Ruben van Heerden, Willie Engelbrecht, Ben-Jason Dixon, Hacjivah Dayimani
Replacements: Andre-Hugo Venter, Sti Sithole, Neethling Fouche, Adre Smith, Marcel Theunissen, Connor Evans, Paul de Wet, Jean-Luc du Plessis

Glasgow Warriors Head Coach Franco Smith said: “The Stormers have a proud record in the BKT URC playoffs, and we know they will be coming to Scotstoun intent on continuing that record tomorrow night. They have some brilliant individuals who have the ability to hurt you from anywhere on the field, in addition to being a physical unit with and without the ball. We’re looking forward to the challenge and we know the Warrior Nation will make themselves known as they get behind us tomorrow night.”

DHL Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson said: “We know that it will take a top performance to stay alive in this competition and that is a challenge we have embraced. We will have to do it without a number of our frontline players due to injuries, but it is testament to the depth we have built and the quality of our squad that there is plenty of belief. Despite having almost a full team ruled out, we have built up some good momentum heading into the play-offs. This is our first BKT URC play-off match away from home after playing six at DHL Stadium and we want to show that we can rise to the occasion.”

The post Munster v Connacht – Preview, Betting, Starting Teams, Where to Watch appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

A squad update from Pete Wilkins and his coaching team ahead of Saturday’s game at away to Lions in Round 10 of the BKT United Rugby Championship

Squad update has plenty of positives with Mack Hansen due back at end of April.

Colm Reilly (ankle) – Available

Shane Jennings (ankle) – Available

Diarmuid Kilgallen (thigh) – Available

Oisin McCormack (thigh) – Available

Shayne Bolton (ankle) – early April.

Oisin Dowling (ankle) – mid April.

Mack Hansen (shoulder) – end of April

Santiago Cordero (knee) – end of May

John Porch (knee) return to training in the coming weeks.

Dylan Tierney-Martin (neck) has a consultancy review this week.

The post Connacht Rugby Squad – Injury updates for 2024/25 Season appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

In a prelude to the eagerly awaited opening game of the BKT United Rugby Championship (URC), Connacht’s Defense Coach, Scott Fardy, engaged with the media, setting the stage for the clash against Ospreys at The Sportsground on Saturday.

Fardy, a seasoned rugby professional, brought a wealth of experience to the conversation, providing insights into Connacht’s defensive strategies and preparations for the forthcoming encounter.

The discussion delved into Connacht’s tactical approach, key focus areas in defense, and Fardy’s perspectives on the strengths and challenges posed by the Ospreys and his previous trips to the “Greyhound Track”

The post Video – Connacht’s new defensive coach Scott Vardy first press conference appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The post Location and cost for Connacht Rugby summer camps 2023 appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Players in bold still currently play for Connacht and/or Ireland

Current Connacht Players:

Kieran Marmion – Marmion has played over 160 times for the province since his debut in 2012. The 28 year old made his senior Ireland debut in 2014 against Argentina.

Niyi Adeolokun – Has made over 90 appearances for Connacht since 2014. Made Ireland debut in 2016.

Bundee Aki – Has also made over 90 appearances for the province. Has made 26 appearances for Ireland since 2017.

Finlay Bealham – Has played over 140 times for Connacht since 2014. Has gone on to play 9 times for Ireland.

Jack Carty – Is approaching the 140 appearance mark at Connacht. Has been at the province since 2012. Made Ireland debut in 2019.

Ultan Dillane – Has been with Connacht since 2012. Has made 93 appearances to date. Has made 16 appearances with Ireland since debut in 2016 against England.

Matt Healy – Healy has been at Connacht since 2012. He has made 139 appearances scoring 280 points. Made senior Ireland debut on tour in South Africa in 2016.

Dave Heffernan – Still plying his trade at Connacht since 2012. Made 129 appearances. Made Ireland debut in 2017.

Tiernan O’Halloran – Has been with Connacht since 2009. He has made 181 appearances for the province. Made Ireland debut in 2016 against South Africa.

Mack Hansen – Hansen made his debut for Ireland in the 2022 Six Nations, his mother was born in Cork and moved to Australia as a child. Mack moved from the Brumbies to Connacht in 2021.

Past Players

Robbie Henshaw – Played with Connacht from 2012 to 2016. Making 77 appearances. Joined Leinster in 2016. Made Ireland debut in 2013 against Australia. Has made 43 appearances to date. 

Quinn Roux – Came to Connacht on loan from Leinster in 2014 and has been at the Sportsground ever since. Has made nearly 100 appearances. Ireland debut came in 2016 against South Africa.

Nathan White – Played for Connacht from 2012 to 2016. Made Ireland debut in 2015 against Scotland. Has since retired from the game.

Gavin Duffy – Had two spells with Connacht 2003/04 and then 2006 to 2014. Made over 170 appearances. Made 10 appearances from Ireland between 2004-2009. His debut came on the 2004 tour to South Africa

Tony Buckley – Played for one season with Connacht 2004/2005 making 60 appearances. Made Ireland debt on tour to Argentina.

Kieran Campbell – Campbell played for Connacht from 2008 to 2010. He made 9 appearances for the club. He would make his Ireland debut in 2005 in Japan.

Rodney Ah You – Played for Connacht from 2010 to 2016. He made over 120 appearances. Ireland debut came in 2014 against Argentina. Currently playing with Newcastle Falcons.

John Cooney – Played for Connacht 2014/15 while on loan from Leinster. Moved permanently to the province from 2015 to 2017. Has since joined Ulster. Made Ireland debut in 2017.

Sean Cronin – Played from 2008 to 2011 with Connacht making 62 appearances. Has been at Leinster since then. Has made over 70 appearances for Ireland since debut in 2009 against Fiji.

James Downey – Downey made 26 appearances for Connacht from 2004 to 2006. Made senior Ireland debut against Canada in 2013. Retired in 2016 after short spell with Wasps.

Pat Duignan – Played 88 times for the province. He played in two qualifying games ahead of 1999 Rugby World Cup.

Eric Elwood – Elwood was one of Connacht’s greatest ever players. He played from 1989 to 2005 with the club. He made 168 appearances scoring over 1000 points. Made Ireland debut in 1995, played 35 times scoring 296 points.

Jerry Flannery – Career began at Connacht in 2001 to 2003 made 6 appearances. Moved to Munster for remainder of career. Would make 41 appearances for Ireland.

John Fogarty – Fogarty made over 100 appearances for Connacht between 2003 and 2008. He made his debut in 2010 against New Zealand. Has since become part of Andy Farrell’s backroom team (scrum coach) with Ireland.

John Muldoon – Made 327 appearances for Connacht from 2003 to 2018. Made Ireland debut in 2009 against Canada.

Mike McCarthy – Had two spells at Connacht 2003/04 making 24 appearances. Would join province permanently in 2007 making 136 appearances. Ireland debut came in 2011 against Scotland in a World Cup warm up game. Finished up with Ireland in 2016.

Ian Keatley – Played three seasons at Connacht 2008-2011. Made 77 appearances scoring 688 points. Ireland debut came in 2009 against Canada.

Bernard Jackman – Jackman played with Connacht from 1997 to 2005 under Warren Gatland. He made 9 appearances for Ireland from 2000 to 2008. He joined Leinster in 2005.

Ronan Loughney – Loughney played with Connacht from 2006 to 2017 making over 180 appearances. Made Ireland debut in 2012 against New Zealand.

Eoin Reddan – Played with Connacht from 2001 to 2003. Made 18 appearances before going on to play for Munster, Wasps and Leinster. 71 caps for Ireland. Retired in 2016.

Johnny O’Connor – Had two spells at Connacht from 2001 to 2003 and again 2007 to 2013. Making 137 appearances in all. 12 appearances for Ireland between 2004 -2006. Debut coming against South Africa.

Mark McHugh – Played for Connacht, Montpelier and Nice. Made Ireland debut in 2003 against Tonga

Matt Mostyn – Began playing with province in 1999 to 2000 and again 2000 to 2008. Would go onto play 100 times for the province. Would make 6 appearances for Ireland debut, four of these at the 1999 World Cup.

Tom Tierney – Played for Connacht and won 8 international caps from 1999 to 2000. Has coached the women’s national team in the past.

Noel Mannion – He played for the Ireland team from 1988 to 1993, winning 16 caps and scoring 3 tries, after making his debut in October 1988 against Samoa in a 49–22 win at Lansdowne Road. He was part of the Ireland team at the 1991 Rugby World Cup.

The post List of Connacht rugby players that represented Ireland in the professional era appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

With Ulster, Leinster and Munster all having home advantage in the second leg, they will travel away on the weekend of 8, 9, 10 April.

Ulster visit Toulouse, Leinster have the short journey to Connacht, while Munster travel to Exeter Chiefs.

In all-French clashes Stade Francais will host Racing 92 while Union Bordeaux-Begles will entertain Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle.

Sale Sharks are at home to Bristol Bears in an all-English match, while French sides Montpellier and Clermont Auverge will host English teams Harlequins and Leicester Tigers respectively.

The second leg games will be played on the weekend of 15, 16, 17 April.

Exact dates and kick-off times will be confirmed in the coming days.

HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP
Round of 16 first leg – 8/9/10 April
Stade Francais v Racing 92
Toulouse v Ulster
Union Bordeaux-Begles v La Rochelle
Connacht v Leinster
Sale Sharks v Bristol Bears
Exeter Chiefs v Munster
Montpellier v Harlequins
Clermont Auvergne v Leicester Tigers

Round of 16 second leg – 15/16/17 April
Racing 92 v Stade Francais
Ulster v Toulouse
La Rochelle v Union Bordeaux-Begles
Leinster v Connacht
Bristol Bears v Sale Sharks
Munster v Exeter Chiefs
Harlequins v Montpellier
Leicester Tigers v Clermont Auvergne

The post Heineken Champions Cup Round of 16 Fixtures appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

In a game where Connacht lead on the scoreboard until shortly before half time, the game’s lead swung from side to side in the second 40 minutes.

With two tries per side, Munster’s from Chris Cloete and Diarmuid Barron and Connacht’s courtesy of Paul Boyle and Jack Carty, the home side converted both of theirs while the visitors only managed it once.

Carty pens give visitors an early lead

Two early Jack Carty penalties in the 3rd and 9th minute gave the visitors a deserved early lead.

When Mack Hansen touched down in the corner in the 24th minute, the Westerners thought they had extended their advantage, only for the officiating team to call a forward pass in an earlier phase of the move. A no try decision was given, leaving the Connacht side 6-0 ahead.

Sammy Arnold yellow card

Connacht’s Sammy Arnold was sent to the sin bin following a high tackle on Munster full back Mike Haley. Bundee Aki was first in to tackle the home side’s number 15 but Arnold came in to assist Aki but clashed heads with Haley.

When the referee viewed the incident on the large screen in the stadium, he didn’t have any hesitation in going to his pocket to produce a yellow card for the Connacht centre.

Despite the one man advantage, it took until moments before the half-time whistle for the home side to come to life.

Playing advantage, Munster spread the ball wide with Connacht lacking cover. Tadhg Beirne kicked on the ball but it looked as though it would reach the dead ball line. South African Chris Cloete reached the ball in time, however, and his touch down gave Johann van Graan’s side their first score of the game.

Thomond Park roars @cloetechris6 on as @Munsterrugby hit back to take the lead into half-time #URC | #MUNCON pic.twitter.com/BTzuf08XeW

— United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) October 16, 2021

A successful conversion for Joey Carbery gave the home side an unlikely and hardly deserved half-time advantage as they headed to the dressing room 7-6 in front.

Half-time: Munster Rugby 7 Connacht Rugby 6

Carbery increased his side’s lead with a 21 metre penalty in the 48th minute of the game.

Quick thinking and alertness from Connacht saw them retake the lead in the 53rd minute. With Munster failing to pay attention, the visitors quick tap and go saw Paul Boyle crash over for his team first try of the game.

Quick-witted Paul Boyle capitalises on the most complacent of Munster defending to give Connacht an 11-10 lead.

Watch live – https://t.co/ppdfuAyEpa…
Live updates – https://t.co/KxwCwKaIv8…#RTERugby #URC #MUNvCON pic.twitter.com/R48SV86pIe

— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) October 16, 2021

Though Carty’s conversion attempt came back off the upright, his side was back in front on an 11-10 score line.

Within five minutes, Carbery put the men in red back in front as the lead continued to see-saw in this tight game. The Munster number 10’s three-pointer meant a 13-11 score in favour of the home side, with just over 20 minutes to play.

Jack Carty was back on the scoresheet on 69 minutes when blocking down a Joey Carbery attempted clearance. A casual clearance effort by the Munsterman was blocked down in front of the posts by his opposite number before he had the easy task of scoring his side’s second five-pointer of the game.

The Connacht captain added the extra two points for good measure, as he put his team five points in front with a frenetic 10 minutes remaining on the stadium clock.

Jack Carty more than atones for his earlier missed conversion, as Joey Carbery is punished for his casual play.

Watch live – https://t.co/ppdfuAyEpa…
Live updates – https://t.co/KxwCwKaIv8…#RTERugby #URC #MUNvCON pic.twitter.com/DDgvaycfqq

— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) October 16, 2021

The pendulum swung back in favour of the Munstermen when replacement Diarmuid Barron crossed for his side’s second try of the evening. With only two minutes remaining in the game, Carbery had an opportunity to give his side the lead in the dying moments of the tie.

The Munster kicked kept his cool to send the ball between the uprights and give Johann van Graan’s team a 20-18 win.

Full-time: Munster Rugby 20 Connacht Rugby 18

Munster Rugby Team:

15. Mike Haley, 14. Andrew Conway, 13. Keith Earls, 12. Rory Scannell, 11. Simon Zebo, 10. Joey Carbery, 9. Craig Casey.

1. Dave Kilcoyne, 2. Niall Scannell, 3. John Ryan, 4. Jean Kleyn, 5. Tadhg Beirne, 6. Peter O’Mahony (captain), 7. Chris Cloete, 8. Gavin Coombes.

Connacht Rugby Team:

15. Tiernan O’Halloran, 14. John Porch, 13. Sammy Arnold, 12. Bundee Aki, 11. Mack Hansen, 10. Jack Carty (captain), 9. Caolin Blade.

1. Matthew Burke, 2. Dave Heffernan, 3. Finlay Bealham, 4. Niall Murray, 5. Ultan Dillane, 6. Cian Prendergast, 7. Conor Oliver, 8. Paul Boyle.

The post Munster Rugby 20 Connacht Rugby 18 appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Connacht have added to their recruitment for 2021/22 with the signing of loosehead prop Tietie Tuimauga.

The 28-year-old Samoan has recently made the move from former New Zealand side Manawatu, earning two international caps with the Samoan National Team during the summer, featuring against Tonga and the Maori All Blacks.

Connacht have been looking to bring in an extra loosehead prop this season, with Denis Buckley likely to be sidelined until the new year and is continuing his rehabilitation from a long term knee injury at the end of last year.

Tuimauga will link up with the squad in the coming weeks with a view to being available for selection later in 2021.

𝙒𝙀𝙇𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙀 𝙏𝙄𝙀𝙏𝙄𝙀

Samoan international prop Tietie Tuimauga has joined Connacht Rugby

Full story: https://t.co/WGIe2OQlg3 pic.twitter.com/qV9NGHUZ4n

— Connacht Rugby (@connachtrugby) October 5, 2021

Commenting on the signing, Head Coach Andy Friend said:
 
“It’s no secret we’ve been exploring further options at loosehead following Denis Buckley’s long-term injury, so we are really pleased to welcome Tietie to Connacht. We now have strong cover across all of our front row, which is a good place to be, and with Tietie’s experience, he’ll offer us something different.
 
We now have a Pro squad of 44 plus a number of integrated Academy players, so I’m really pleased with the group we have assembled. Our sole focus now is on building on last week’s win when we face the Dragons on Saturday.”

After their opening URC defeat to Cardiff, the Westerners came out 34-7 victors with a bonus-point win against the Bulls last week.

Andy Friend’s side will face-off against the Dragons at the Sportsground this coming Saturday, before the interprovincial block of the season.

Connacht will first travel to Thomond Park to face Munster, before taking on Ulster at the Aviva Stadium on October 23rd, in what is set to become the first major sporting event in Ireland without a Covid-19 restricted capacity.

Samoan Prop Tietie Tuimauga joins Connacht

For more News and Stories on all things Rugby, click here.

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Leva Fifita is in line for his senior debut as Connacht welcome Vodacom Bulls to Sportsground as Connacht make three changes to their starting XV for tomorrow’s URC clash at home to the Vodacom Bulls with kick-off at 7.35 pm.

Jordan Duggan, Dave Heffernan and Abraham Papali’i are all drafted into the starting line-up, with Papali’i making his first appearance of the season.

Finlay Bealham joins Duggan and Heffernan in the front row, while the second row is unchanged with Oisin Dowling partnering Ultan Dillane.

Abraham Papali’i comes in at number 8, with captain Jarrad Butler moving to openside flanker and Cian Prendergast retaining his spot on the opposite flank.

The half-back partnership of Kieran Marmion and Jack Carty is unchanged, as is the centre pairing of Tom Daly and Tom Farrell.

Wingers Mack Hansen and John Porch and full-back Tiernan O’Halloran complete the back three.

Among the replacements is new signing Leva Fifita who is in line for his Connacht debut, and Irish international Caolin Blade who has returned from injury.

The Sportsground will operate at 50% capacity for this game.

𝙏𝙀𝘼𝙈 𝘼𝙉𝙉𝙊𝙐𝙉𝘾𝙀𝙈𝙀𝙉𝙏

The squad representing Connacht tomorrow night against @BlueBullsRugby is here! #URC #StrengthInNumbers #CONvBUL

: https://t.co/byEAxjfUkV

: https://t.co/gtOm3MUHHQ pic.twitter.com/OamVMMFemb

— Connacht Rugby (@connachtrugby) September 30, 2021

Head Coach Andy Friend says:

“Last week’s result was disappointing but we as a coaching group saw enough to firmly believe we’re on the right track. If we can be more clinical at the crucial times I know we’ll be tough to beat whoever we face, so we hope to see more of that tomorrow against a very formidable Bulls outfit.

Bringing the likes of Papali’i and Fifita into our 23 gives us a lot of physicality, but we’ll need the throw the ball around a lot as well. With the Connacht supporters back behind us in full voice I know we can give them something to cheer about.”

CONNACHT RUGBY MATCHDAY 23 VS VODACOM BULLS

The post Leva Fifita in line for Connacht Debut appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.