Signings: O'Connor & Herring Confimed

[Rooster]

We had 4 hookers last year, same for this year, only thing is two are young guys, is it a surprise really we signed someone Herring and have Annett since we are seemingly planning for the future

I was thinking the same as this Herring guy is in for a year to see how good he is and then I would assume if he can hack it at this level will get Bradys contract next year, if not then search out someone else.

[ColinM]

Connacht games for NOC in 2011/2012

03/09/2011 Pro12 Benetton Treviso ( R )
10/09/2011 Pro12 Scarlets ( R )
16/09/2011 Pro12 Edinburgh Rugby ( R )
23/09/2011 Pro12 Newport Gwent Dragons ( S )
30/09/2011 Pro12 Ospreys ( S )
08/10/2011 Pro12 Leinster Rugby ( S )
29/10/2011 Pro12 Cardiff Blues ( S )
05/11/2011 Pro12 Ulster Rugby ( R )
11/11/2011 HC Harlequins ( R )
19/11/2011 HC Toulouse ( NU )
26/11/2011 Pro12 Ospreys ( R )
02/12/2011 Pro12 Benetton Treviso ( S )
10/12/2011 HC Gloucester Rugby ( S )
17/12/2011 HC Gloucester Rugby ( S )
26/12/2011 Pro12 Munster Rugby ( S )
01/01/2012 Pro12 Leinster Rugby ( - )
07/01/2012 Pro12 Aironi Rugby ( R )
14/01/2012 HC Toulouse ( S )
20/01/2012 HC Harlequins ( S )
10/02/2012 Pro12 Cardiff Blues ( S )
18/02/2012 Pro12 Glasgow Warriors ( S )
24/02/2012 Pro12 Edinburgh Rugby ( S )
02/03/2012 Pro12 Scarlets ( - )
24/03/2012 Pro12 Munster Rugby ( - )
30/03/2012 Pro12 Newport Gwent Dragons ( - )
14/04/2012 Pro12 Ulster Rugby ( - )
21/04/2012 Pro12 Aironi Rugby ( - )
05/05/2012 Pro12 Glasgow Warriors ( - )

Connacht Total games = 28 (22 + 6)
NOC starts = 13 (9 + 4)
NOC replacement = 7 (6 + 1)
NOC bench (not used) = 1 (0 +1)
NOC (not named) = 7 (7 + 0)

What happened in March/April/May?

[Cap'n Grumpy]

What happened in March/April/May?

Injured (head injury - reported but as far as I'm aware never confirmed, as a fractured skull).

I think cables' stats show that NOC HAD established himself at Connacht prior to that.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

I dont think we need 4 hookers but i do thinkwl we will see Brady being phased out of the selections, post 6Ns anyway. Herring and Annett will have a good scrap to get his place

During Rory's international duty and enforced rest periods we'll be down to 3 - that's one injury away from having no choice in who gets selected for the match day squad.

If we don't have 4 hookers, we're one injury away from not even being able to select a squad hooker for the bench - that's no way to run a squad like Ulster.

We DO need 4 hookers.

[ColinM]

I dont think we need 4 hookers but i do thinkwl we will see Brady being phased out of the selections, post 6Ns anyway. Herring and Annett will have a good scrap to get his place

During Rory's international duty and enforced rest periods we'll be down to 3 - that's one injury away from having no choice in who gets selected for the match day squad.

If we don't have 4 hookers, we're one injury away from not even being able to select a squad hooker for the bench - that's no way to run a squad like Ulster.

We DO need 4 hookers.

You could say the same about loosehead, if Court is away on international duty we will have no choice but to pick PaddyMac and Black. If one of them is injured we will have to look outside the squad.

Scrum half; if Ruan goes to play for SA, and p is in an ireland squad what are our options? McIlroy and ...

I could go on, but hooker is the best catered for position in the Ulster squad. Is it the most specialist? I'll bet a THP could fill in there as well as they could potentially fill in at loosehead.

[Rooster]

I heard Herring is on a sort of trial deal similar to D'Arcy which would lead me to think a pretty cheap option for Ulster and at the same time is a pretty good deal for Herring playing for a HEC finalist, if he can prove himself it's not a bad one to have on your cv plus if he can get ahead of Nigel to the bench spot when Rory is playing that is a real boost for him, not many young hookers out there can say they are backup to one of the best in the world at present, he will also push Annett on as without Herring he is sure of time at least from the bench.
NOC seems to be a 1 year deal also so it will be up to him to prove he is worth another deal next year.

[ruckover]

When did NOC get this injury - in a match or training?

I think Herring is a good signing as he's completely unproven in the NH. If he sucks, oh well, bad signing, but that's OK cause we didn't know who he was. If he's the next Rory Best then fantastic, we've uncovered a gem!

NOC I'm getting mixed feelings about. Part of me thinks, "Really? We got him back again?" and the other part thinks, "Well, he's been in Galway for the last year - who knows what he might be like next season." I'm going with the second part because I think it's only fair we give him another chance, he can only have improved and will prove to be a decent back-up in my opinion.

[jackthelad]

When did NOC get this injury - in a match or training?

I think Herring is a good signing as he's completely unproven in the NH. If he sucks, oh well, bad signing, but that's OK cause we didn't know who he was. If he's the next Rory Best then fantastic, we've uncovered a gem!

NOC I'm getting mixed feelings about. Part of me thinks, "Really? We got him back again?" and the other part thinks, "Well, he's been in Galway for the last year - who knows what he might be like next season." I'm going with the second part because I think it's only fair we give him another chance, he can only have improved and will prove to be a decent back-up in my opinion.

I'd like to think he was better but even if he is, he's staring from a low base. Why would he get any better playing for a poorer team than the 4 years he had with Ulster? Nice guy. Hope it works but experience tells me that it can't.

[OneMore]

Opportunity NOC's.

[cables]

When did NOC get this injury - in a match or training?

I believe he took a knock in the Edinburgh game and was replaced on 55 mins.

After that, it is a little unclear as it has been reported that he just missed a return for the Dragons game leaving the next game (Ulster) more probable. In early April (before the Ulster game) Elwood confirmed that his season was over due to a head injury.

[ColinM]

Would sound like a fairly serious injury. Genuinely hope he is fully recovered in terms of both his rugby and his general well being.

[CIMANFOREVER]

Two seasons ago we beat bath away and just missed out on quarter final qualification.

we then improved the team

one season ago we reached HC quarter final

we then improved the team

last season we got to the HC final

While I will always support the boys in white I think (unless something dramatic happens) we have not improved this summer and we will not qualify for HC quarter finals next season with an inexperienced/average no 10.

I think Bowe and Wilson coming back, Henderson, Farrell, Nelson et al coming through, and Herring/ NOC signed could be termed improving the team in fairness Trewbear?
Herring replacing Andy K looks fine by me. Only Q mark is NOC to replace IH and McKinney. I'd've kept McKinney tbh, but if he leaves for gametime, then no quibbles, as long as he returns to us..

[CIMANFOREVER]

Think Annett should be ready to dogfight for no.2/3 hooker, depending on how Brady goes this year. Thought he looked good from what I've seen with Ireland U20's and the rare cameos this year.
Would love to see Annett coming through. Different animal to Rory though, build-wise. More Flannery- esque in physique. Time to fill out and get his spine compressed. Rory was once 6ft.4...

[Rooster]

When did NOC get this injury - in a match or training?

I believe he took a knock in the Edinburgh game and was replaced on 55 mins.

After that, it is a little unclear as it has been reported that he just missed a return for the Dragons game leaving the next game (Ulster) more probable. In early April (before the Ulster game) Elwood confirmed that his season was over due to a head injury.

Spot on cables in your research, I heard from a pretty reliable dog on the street that he had a fractured skull and have no reason to doubt that at all.
He should be fine as there was no word on severe concussion or anything like that.

[troupe86]

What happened in March/April/May?

Injured (head injury - reported but as far as I'm aware never confirmed, as a fractured skull).

I think cables' stats show that NOC HAD established himself at Connacht prior to that.

http://connachtclan.com/forum/2-connach ... ll-oconnor