We could do with another out-half coming through the academy, there are a few in leinster that haven't made their academy

I see that we are having difficulty fielding a full team for the u20's interppros, they even changed the format to allow development players to be allowed play our for the he u20's

The Carolan effect....

Another decent addition to our burgeoning academy, obviously would prefer all our candidates to originate in the province but it's great for our indigenous lads to be working with the highest calibre teammates ...

Connacht Rugby - Academy wrote:
Matthew Byrne signed up to Connacht Academy
01st September 2016

Nigel Carolan has added Dublin-born back Matthew Byrne to the Connacht Academy ahead of the start of the 2016/17 season.

The 20-year-old, who joined up with the Academy squad this month, made eight appearances with the Ireland U20’s side in 2016.
In June’s World Rugby U20 Championship, the former Terenure College schoolboy started on the wing in four of the five games, culminating in the side’s first ever final which they lost to England U20’s.

The addition of Matt Byrne brings the number of players in the Connacht Academy to 20.

Full list of Connacht Academy 2016/17

YEAR 3
Jamie Dever Prop
Jack Dinneen Hooker
Ciaran Gaffney Back Three
Marc Kelly Back Row
Conor McKeon Scrumhalf
Saba Meunargia Prop

YEAR 2
Cormac Brennan Back Three
Conor Kyne Prop
Conor Lowndes Scrum Half
Stephen McVeigh Back Row
Conan O’Donnell Prop
Ed O’Keeffe Back Three
Pat O’Toole Hooker
Cian Romaine Lock

YEAR 1
Matthew Byrne Back Three
Peter Claffey Lock
Cillian Gallagher Lock
Conor Kenny Prop
Stephen Kerins Scrumhalf
Adam Leavy Wing

So I guess our Eagles team is pretty much finalised, except for 22: where is aidan moynihan?

Ivan Soroka- Loosehead Prop
Jack Dinneen - Hooker
Conan O'Donnell - Tighthead Prop
Cian Romaine - Second Row
Cillian Gallagher - Second Row
Danny Qualter Second Row/Back Rower
James Connolly- Back Rower
Marc Kelly - Back Rower
Caolin Blade SH
Peter Robb or Dave McSharry (less used with the 1st team) Inside Centre
Rory Parata Outside Centre
One of Kelleher/Niyi/Poolman/Rowland (less used with the 1st team)
Ed O'Keeffe - Back-Three
Ciaran Gaffney - Back-Three


Sub

Jamie Dever/Conor Kyne- Loosehead Prop
Pat O'Toole - Hooker
Saba Meunargia/Conor Kenny - Tighthead Prop
Peter Claffey - Second Row
Stephen McVeigh - Back Rower
Conor Lowndes/Stephen Kerins - Scrum Half
????????? - Conor McKeon even if listed as SH Outhalf
Adam Leavy/Cormac Brennan Utility back

Wait, is Conor McKeon now a scrum half?
That makes 3 in the academy and 3 Senior squad

Unsurprisingly, a Sligo-heavy intake to Year 1 of the Connacht academy.

www.connachtrugby.ie/academy-confirmed-for-201617/#ConnachtNews

Claffey, Gallagher, Kenny & Kerins of this years Connacht/Ireland under-20s, plus wing Adam Leavy from Dublin.

THs Dever and Meunargia are in year 3 of the academy (repeating due to injury?).

The year before, we played la Rochelle and pontypridd same weekend at home. I remember joking that we should of played the eagles vs la Rochelle and first xv vs Pontypridd

That was more the Challenge Cup fixtures being weird due to the Einsei fixtures though
We played
Away v Einsei
Home v Brive
Home v Newcastle
Away v Newcastle
Away v Brive
Home v Einsei

wp_rathead wrote: (Going by Previous years the Eagles play Home in B&I when the Senior side play Away in Europe- so going by that logic we are away first round in the Champions Cup)

That used to be the case, but wasn't last year. I think we were away to Newcastle and Jersey the same weekend.
Also I think in the years that that happened, the Euro fixtures were announced first and the B&I ones were scheduled after. I wouldn't expect it to happen the other way around.

wp_rathead wrote: British and Irish Cup:
Pool 3
Cornish Pirates
London Irish
Ospreys Premiership Select
Connacht Eagles

Development Squad Fixtures
Friday, 9th September
Munster v Connacht, Ulster v Leinster
Friday, 16th September
Munster v Ulster, Connacht v Leinster
Friday, 23rd September
Leinster v Munster, Ulster v Connacht

Under 19 Fixtures
Saturday, 3rd September
Munster v Connacht, Ulster v Leinster
Saturday, 10th September
Munster v Ulster, Connacht v Leinster
Saturday, 17th September
Leinster v Munster, Ulster v Connacht

Development Squad fixtures presumably the EAGLES warm up games for B&I Cup.

Speaking of which,

Ospreys will be very tough with Swansea & Neath feeding in,
Cornish Pirates will be interesting (not least because in their squad is Alex O'Meara who had a trial with Connacht on the back of decent Ireland U-20 performances (same squad as David Panter).
Also interesting to see what side London Irish put out as they'll be entirely focused on getting straight back to the Premiership, it'll be almost entirely Academy I suspect..

2016/17 British & Irish Cup Fixtures – Pool 3

Round 1 – October 14/15/16

Pool 3: Ospreys Premiership Select v London Irish

Pool 3: Connacht Eagles v Cornish Pirates



Round 2 – October 21/22/23

Pool 3: Cornish Pirates v Ospreys Premiership Select

Pool 3: London Irish v Connacht Eagles



Round 3 – December 9/10/11

Pool 3: London Irish v Cornish Pirates

Pool 3: Connacht Eagles v Ospreys Premiership Select



Round 4 – December 16/17/18

Pool 3: Cornish Pirates v London Irish

Pool 3: Ospreys Premiership Select v Connacht Eagles



Round 5 – January 13/14/15

Pool 3: Connacht Eagles v London Irish

Pool 3: Ospreys Premiership Select v Cornish Pirates



Round 6 – January 20/21/22

Pool 3: Cornish Pirates v Connacht Eagles

Pool 3: London Irish v Ospreys Premiership Select



Quarter-finals: March 10/11/12
Semi-finals: March 31/April 1/April 2
Final: April 22

(Going by Previous years the Eagles play Home in B&I when the Senior side play Away in Europe- so going by that logic we are away first round in the Champions Cup)

British and Irish Cup:
Pool 3
Cornish Pirates
London Irish
Ospreys Premiership Select
Connacht Eagles

Development Squad Fixtures
Friday, 9th September
Munster v Connacht, Ulster v Leinster
Friday, 16th September
Munster v Ulster, Connacht v Leinster
Friday, 23rd September
Leinster v Munster, Ulster v Connacht

Under 19 Fixtures
Saturday, 3rd September
Munster v Connacht, Ulster v Leinster
Saturday, 10th September
Munster v Ulster, Connacht v Leinster
Saturday, 17th September
Leinster v Munster, Ulster v Connacht