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Roux buying into Connacht's culture but has great memories of Leinster

The 24-year-old lock qualifies to play for Ireland later this year.

LIFE AT LEINSTER was bittersweet for Quinn Roux, but the South African lock has started his time with Connacht in entirely positive fashion.

Following two seasons of limited exposure in Leinster, the 24-year-old took up the option of a loan switch into Pat Lam’s squad at the start of the current campaign.

Quinn Roux Roux has adapted easily to life under Pat Lam. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

13 starts in the second row later, Roux has penned a two-year deal to remain with Connacht until at least 2017. His aggressive performances on the pitch mean that contract has been earned the hard way.

“I didn’t really look for it, it was just a matter of game time,” says Roux of his original decision to move out west.

I didn’t get a lot of game time at Leinster and obviously that’s not great. I got the opportunity to come here to see if I could get games. Obviously I wasn’t going to say no to that, because the more you play, the more you improve. It all rolled on from there.”

A total of 14 starts in his two seasons at Leinster simply weren’t enough to allow Roux to develop as swiftly as he would have liked. Injuries added to the frustration during his time with the eastern province, but the former Stormers lock insists he looks back on his time under Joe Schmidt and Matt O’Connor positively.

“Obviously the injuries and stuff when I came in the first season weren’t great, but I’ve also got some great memories of winning three cups with them,” says Roux of the two Pro12 trophies and one Challenge Cup Leinster secured during his stint.

“There were a few disappointments there, but those memories I will treasure forever. Hopefully I can make a few more memories here in Connacht.”

Quinn Roux Roux says be will treasure some of his memories from Leinster. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Roux is enjoying life in the “really friendly city” of Galway since leaving Dublin, and says his girlfriend has settled well too. The main difference, points out the second row, is the wild weather, although he has no problem playing in inclement conditions.

The ex-Affies student explains that working with forwards coach Dan McFarland has been good for his game, such is the former Stade Français prop’s “focus on the little details” and set-piece knowledge.

Furthermore, Roux echoes so many of his teammates in praising the work of head coach Pat Lam.

Pat’s a great coach, he puts a lot of belief into the players,” says Roux. “I’ve been lucky to have a lot of game time playing under him and obviously it shows how he’s putting a culture into Connacht.

“It’s working and for me personally it’s been great playing under him and being part of the culture, seeing what we can achieve by believing in each other.”

Roux qualifies to play for Ireland in August of this year, when he will have lived here for three years, and the national team’s head coach, Schmidt, is the man who originally signed the bruiser for Leinster.

That was only on a one-year deal, but the Kiwi coach clearly saw the potential in Roux. The man himself is not spending too much time pondering an international future.

Denis Buckley celebrates with Quinn Roux after the game Roux is fast becoming a specialist in wet and windy conditions. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

“Not really,” says Roux. “It’s obviously going to be in the back of my mind, but that’s not the main focus for me at the moment, personally. When it comes to that stage, hopefully I’ve been playing really well and working on what I’m doing now, working on my performances.

“When it comes to that, it comes to that, but at the moment there’s no use in thinking about that kind of stuff. I just want to focus on my game and keep building my game.”

In that regard, the Exeter Chiefs provide the latest punching bag for Roux to test his powerful tackling, strong ball-carrying and ever-improving set-piece work on.

A potential home Challenge Cup quarter-final lies in wait for the victor of Sunday’s meeting at the Sportsground [KO 15.15], and Roux is highly motivated.

“Definitely. I’d say there’s a massive opportunity to go into the play-offs. If we can win this weekend, there’s that massive chance of maybe even a home quarter-final. We won’t look that far ahead though, we’ll just focus on this weekend’s game.”

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    Mute Niall Mcgourty
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    May 2nd 2016, 5:52 PM

    Leitrims year this year we’ve been knocking on the door for the last 100 years.

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    Mute John C
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    May 2nd 2016, 6:03 PM

    Agree. Ye just weren’t good enough the other 32.

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    Mute Cllr Malachy Quinn
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    May 2nd 2016, 11:46 PM

    Well Niall with Leicester winning – maybe they will!

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    Mute Figo murphy
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    May 3rd 2016, 2:02 PM

    What county is Leitrem in?

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    Mute Pilib O Muiregan
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    May 2nd 2016, 5:50 PM

    I would say Dublin will win it. I doubt it will be easy this time though. Tyrone have been putting together this side for the past few years and they look to be on the verge of something.

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    Mute Jimmy Murphy
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    May 2nd 2016, 7:26 PM

    Who’s going to stop the Dubs in fairness? I’m not a Dub & I’m not going to rant about money, Croke Park, sponsorship, population, whatever. No matter what the reason is, they’re the best team in the country & that’s all there is to it.

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    Mute Seán McCarthy
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    May 3rd 2016, 8:51 AM

    The best, but not unbeatable. Any of the other top sides can beat them on any given day. Problem with the championship is they wint meet another top side till august.

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    Mute colm buckley
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    May 2nd 2016, 6:11 PM

    Ya Tyrone might come close,they have been building & will use arms Knees elbows pulling dragging diving fouling spitting there way to the Top!!
    A true a plague of Misery & disease to Football!!

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    Mute Jesse Pinkman
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    May 2nd 2016, 6:17 PM

    Similar to Kerry and Dublin so…

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    Mute P O Leary.
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    May 2nd 2016, 8:12 PM

    Its hard to look past the Dubs. But in football you just never know. Kerry,Mayo and Tyrone are the only ones that have a chance of beating them. It’s just a pity we will have to wait until August for clashes between the big teams.

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    Mute Just Some Guy
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    May 2nd 2016, 6:21 PM

    I’m not from Dublin but they will go on and win Sam Maguire again and next year they will do the same. No county in Ireland are good enough to beat Dublin.

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    Mute IrishOwl
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    May 2nd 2016, 6:33 PM

    Cork waiting in the long grass….

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    Mute GoT
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    May 2nd 2016, 9:36 PM

    Mayo seem to have plenty of things going well for them. The likes of Evan Regan and Conor O’Shea look well suited to top quality football. Diarmuid o Conner is going from strength to strength and I can see a few of his fellow U21 Winning Teammates making the step up in the next few years possibly even this year . Then again we never know with Mayo do we.

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    Mute Showbiz Babyyy
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    May 2nd 2016, 7:29 PM

    lol Mayo

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    Mute Merlin.
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    May 2nd 2016, 7:58 PM

    Mayo.

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    Mute Niall Campbell
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    May 2nd 2016, 6:05 PM

    I’m offended that you haven’t included Down!

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    Mute Alan b
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    May 2nd 2016, 6:11 PM

    Build a bridge Niall

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    Mute Just Some Guy
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    May 2nd 2016, 6:19 PM

    Down? Lmao

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    Mute Niall Campbell
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    May 2nd 2016, 6:21 PM

    Ah come on lads, it’s clearly a joke. We’re feckin terrible.

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    Mute judochop...
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    May 2nd 2016, 6:27 PM

    Some clowns just don’t understand funny

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    Mute Sean Minogue
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    May 2nd 2016, 7:20 PM

    I wouldn’t rule out roscommon after last night’s performance. They will grow in confidence as the year goes on

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    Mute Sean Bradley
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    May 2nd 2016, 8:44 PM

    Probably poll should have been just Dublin or others.

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    Mute Ollie Watson
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    May 2nd 2016, 7:40 PM

    I know this sounds absurd but Dublin are the only good team. The only team I can see challenging them is Tyrone. Kerry don’t have the players they used to and Mayo well they just have yellow bellies to be metaphorical. Dublin also have an amazing benchCostello, McMahon, Small to name a few. Dublin will win and they will win well.

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    Mute Aideen Thornton
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    May 3rd 2016, 12:09 PM

    McMahon and Small on the bench?

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    Mute ryan o sullivan
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    May 2nd 2016, 6:57 PM

    Silly question the dubs 100%

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    Mute Iarla Mac
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    May 2nd 2016, 8:34 PM

    Big year for Roscommon?

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    Mute Sean Reynolds
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    May 2nd 2016, 8:53 PM

    Leitrims year

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