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Five Ireland internationals among 21 new contracts announced by Connacht

By PA
Ireland fly-half Jack Carty (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Ireland internationals Dave Heffernan, Ultan Dillane, Finlay Bealham and Jack Carty are among 21 players to have agreed contract extensions with Connacht.

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The quartet have re-signed for the province ahead of the 2021-22 season.

Hooker Heffernan and lock Dillane were included in Andy Farrell’s national squad for this year’s Guinness Six Nations, with the latter coming off the bench in the 15-13 defeat to France on February 14.

Australia-born prop Bealham has not played for his adopted country since last year’s Autumn Nations Cup, while Carty has not featured since the 2019 World Cup.

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Wing Alex Wootton – the Guinness PRO14’s joint-top try-scorer – has signed a permanent contract with the Westerners having joined on loan from Munster last summer.

The new contracts include 19 players from the club’s current squad, plus first professional deals for academy products Oran McNulty and Cian Prendergast.

Head coach Andy Friend told Connacht’s website: “I am delighted to see so many of our current crop of players sign on for another season.

“This is still a very challenging time for everyone in Irish rugby so to have them commit to Connacht Rugby again says it all about the belief we have as a group to continue the progress we’re making.”

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AM 38 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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