Connacht swing by Nottingham to bring home an Irish tighthead
Connacht have announced the signing of prop Rory Burke from Championship side Nottingham ahead of the 2019/20 season.
Burke was previously capped for Munster in the PRO14 championship before joining Nottingham in 2017. The 25-year-old has gone on to feature prominently for the English side.
At international level, Burke represented Ireland at under-20 level, playing in each of Ireland’s Six Nations games at that age-grade in 2014 and in the IRB World Championship later that year.
Connacht have also confirmed that scrum-half Stephen Kerins has become the latest player from their academy to earn his first professional contract.
The Sligo man made his Connacht debut in the European Challenge Cup win away to Bordeaux in January. Kerins was also previously capped for his country at under-20 international level as he featured in that level’s Six Nations championship in 2016.
🔔 SQUAD UPDATE 🔔
Connacht Rugby can announce the signing of prop Rory Burke who arrives from Nottingham RFC 🙌
We can also confirm that Sligo native Stephen Kerins has become the latest academy player to sign a pro contract 💪
Full story ⬇️https://t.co/rhM6QTJO7i pic.twitter.com/eQDFkD6vjr
— Connacht Rugby (@connachtrugby) May 14, 2019
Commenting on the latest additions to the Connacht squad, coach Andy Friend said: “We are delighted to add Rory Burke and Stephen Kerins to our squad ahead of our 2019/20 campaign.
“In the season just gone, squad depth was really important to our success in qualifying for the Champions Cup. With more big games ahead that depth will be tested even further.
“Rory will give us another option up front, while Stephen’s graduation from the academy will be needed to add to our list of scrum half options.”
Connacht reached the quarter-finals of both the Challenge Cup and PRO14 in Friend’s first season at a club where he see much scooper for further growth.
“On day one, the first thing that hit was that we had a really honest group,” he said prior to their season-ending league loss to Ulster.
“We had a very competent coaching, management group and then when the players turn up you could see that they were all eyes open and they wanted to learn.
“And they were good. I remember the first skills sessions we did and I thought ‘there’s some quality here, this is good’.
“Life is about timing and the timing was pretty good. I walked into a group where there was a lot of talent and ability and just tried to help steer it.”
WATCH: Part five of The Academy, the RugbyPass documentary on the Leicester Tigers
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
50 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
50 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
50 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
50 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
50 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
50 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
50 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments