Second the call for Buckley (as if its down to a vote lol), always gives 100%, smart player who has developed from personal problems trying to make it as a pro player into an admirable character in the team - should command respect amongst squad and certain level of admiration or inspiration for youngsters coming through. Very often plays 80 and generally 60-70. Bonus points for being allowed in the refs ear when scrums or rucks are going against us.

If a Captain is being named, it has to be someone who is going to be available for most of the season. They've got to be a week to week influence on the Squad.
And damne near an 80mins player as makes no odds. You can't really have somebody being replaced with 20mins to go, so that's front rows out generally...

For practical reasons selection has to exclude our Internationals, and I'd be happy enough with them just slotting back in a beefing up the match-day squad.
If I was looking at our Internationals, it'd be Marmion every day of the week. I'd leave Bundee to concentrate on doing what Bundee does..

Excluding the Internationals, I'd give it to Andre Browne in a heartbeat if he could stay fit. Really you're looking at Butler and if he comes in with the right attitude Copeland.
Personally I wouldn't have back three as Captain (only long term one I can think of over the years was Bruce Reihana at Saints, so probably lots of good reasons for that)

I'd like to see Denis Buckley considered, a great servant to Connacht rugby, and probably the only guaranteed starter in that pack.

I would've thought leading by example would be a prime need - hence Bundee. Butler is certainly a possibility, or perhaps Dillane.

Bazzo wrote: As things stand I'd say it will be Butler or Masterson. McCartney was the obvious choice up until this season.

Masterson didn't start against Gloucester (even with SOB ineligible), or for that matter in any of the 5 games since the (home) Zebre debacle, and he only started 2 of the 5 Interpros so far this season. Two years ago prior to his injury he looked nailed on as Mul's replacement as captain, but I can't see it now. Think you've hit the nail on the head with Butler.

Betty Swallocks wrote: Bundee I would say is the obvious choice. Disregard the thought that he'll be away occasionally on Irish duty. When that happens someone like Buckley or Copeland could deputise. Bundee is a de facto on field leader even now and this would be an obvious progression.

Do we really want Bundee being the man communicating with the ref?? Brilliant leader for the team but no, I don't think so.

As things stand I'd say it will be Butler or Masterson. McCartney was the obvious choice up until this season.

Betty Swallocks wrote: Bundee I would say is the obvious choice. Disregard the thought that he'll be away occasionally on Irish duty. When that happens someone like Buckley or Copeland could deputise. Bundee is a de facto on field leader even now and this would be an obvious progression.

The part-time captain thing works for Munster/O'Mahony, not so well for Ulster/Best. Nacewa does very well for Leinster from the backs though I'm generally not a fan of backs as captains, possibly because I have bad memories of Duffy repeatedly trotting 60 yards up the pitch to find that the ref and the other (forward) captain had finished tea and scones, put the world to rights, and weren't interested in hearing from Gav.

I'd go for a forward who's not Finlay and is a nailed on starter, which rules out one obvious successor in McCartney.

Dillane, Roux, SOB or Butler for me.

Bundee I would say is the obvious choice. Disregard the thought that he'll be away occasionally on Irish duty. When that happens someone like Buckley or Copeland could deputise. Bundee is a de facto on field leader even now and this would be an obvious progression.

Staying with the back row motif, and with the added bonus of being a Connacht man, but I think we could do worse than look at Eoin McKeon. He always gives a good performance, seems to be well liked and is good with media (which is only a small thing but still a plus beside his name). I'd say like you said, Butler could be a name in that hat, given his captaincy at the weekend. I hope that they go for one guy and not the 3 captains that Pat punted for in either his first or second season. Masterson seems to be the guy that's been lined up but he wouldn't be in my matchday squad for next season, with some combination of SOB, McKeon, Copeland and Butler being our optimal back row next year. If Andrew Browne was fit and starting he'd be somebody I'd have thought of as a leader but he may not even be with the senior squad next year so it won't be him. Cannon seems like a strong voice but again not guaranteed a starting slot. All the names seem to be coming from the fowards, potentially someone like Marmion or TOH could throw their names in there from the backs. But it's really tricky and there no obvious selection at the minute, which will make taking over from Mul even harder as many fans may be thinking someone else should have gotten the role.

I haven't seen a thread here discussing and debating the merits of the candidates for next Connacht captain so I thought I'd start one. It's a tough task to take over from such an iconic figure as Mul but somebody has to do it.

I think it needs to be somebody who's a guaranteed starter and won't be away with Ireland so the obvious candidates would be McCartney and Masterson who've already captained the side this season. Personally I don't think Masterson is a guaranteed starter next season and McCartney has been poor this season (and also not a guaranteed starter.)

I like Butler (he was my pick for player of the season at the start) and I know Sean O'Brien has been mentioned although I think it might be too soon for him.

Here's a curveball: how about Copeland? He has plenty of experience and has captained Munster A in the past...