CONNACHT COACH KIERAN Keane said he knows nothing about Munster being keen to bring his full-back Tiernan O’Halloran in to replace Simon Zebo.
O’Halloran is out of contract at the Sportsground next summer and has been linked in some media quarters with a possible move to Munster to replace the French-bound Zebo.
But Connacht coach Keane said he is not aware of any such development.
“No, I can’t help you there because I don’t know,” he replied when asked about a possible move by O’Halloran.
The Clifden native may be only 26 — he will be 27 in February — but he is one of the most experienced players in the Connacht squad, having made his debut as an 18-year old against Olympus Madrid in the Challenge Cup in October 2009.
He is now in his ninth season with his native province and has chalked up 138 games for them.
O’Halloran made his Irish debut in South Africa in 2016 and added three more caps on the tour to the USA and Japan last summer, but he was not included in Joe Schmidt’s plans for the November internationals.
He is one of around two dozen players out of contract at the Sportsground next summer but with Kieran Marmion pledging his future to Connacht in recent weeks, O’Halloran is their most prized asset not nailed down for next season.
New Munster coach Johann van Graan said yesterday, following the contract renewals by CJ Stander and Peter O’Mahony, that replacing Zebo is a top priority.
“It’s an ongoing process, obviously full-back is a massive blow in terms of losing Zeebs. Such a fantastic guy to have around the squad and a world class player.
“Making sure we are keeping all of the guys that we want to keep within Munster, and then we will look around if we need to fill in other positions.
“If you look at the squad, loose forwards are very well stocked. I am loving the way our front five are shaping up. Nine and ten is always an important position. We have got a few centres out at this stage, Jaco Taute, Dan Goggin, Chris Farrell, hopefully we get them back.
“Our back three and wings are very important to us in the way that we play. Hopefully in a few months we will see our squad taking shape,” said van Graan.
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That’s interesting. O’Halloran (who unlike Henshaw is actually from Connacht) would be a huge blow
@Gustave H: @Gustave H: His house is in Leinster (by a few hundred yards)but all his rugby career was based in Connacht until his recent switch. Buccaneers and Marist college both play in Connacht leagues, Athlone is mostly a Connacht rugby supporting town! I’d class him as a Connacht man!
@Gustave H:
Nice try, Henshaw was always a Connacht Player, Home Club is Bucs and played Connacht all the way up…
@mb: Fairly sure his uncle played for Connacht too
@Gustave H: I got a few of you there. Merry Christmas!
Do Munster need a top class fullback though. Earls Sweetnam and Conway are all internationals. Wootton looks more than comfortable at European level. Calvin Nash looks a really really exciting player. Plus you have Ronan O’Mahony who is a good Pro14 level player and thats before looking at academy lads like Fitzgerald or Power or Coombes.
Conway is out of contract this summer though so if he doesnt commit Munster will need someone.
@Donal Treacy: it probably hasn’t been well publicised, but they’re losing a pretty valuable player (his name is Simon Zebo, I think) and are probably looking for a replacement.
@Donal Treacy: Jaco Taute was a full back before he arrived in Munster, he’s another option.
@Conor Paddington: your dead right mr paddington, it was definitively simon zebo, it was all over the papers and was on the rte tv news
@MrPhil Reid: I’m pretty sure his Springbok caps came playing in the centre. Originally a full back, I’ll give you that but think he’d made the switch to centre a good while before the move to Munster
Would be a massive loss in the long term building of ‘brand Connacht’ but would completely understand if it means him playing for Ireland in a World Cup. He owes Connacht nothing at this stage!!
The reason TOH would move is because of Irish selection. There is a plain anti Connacht bias for selection for Ireland..
If you want an example look at the props for the November tests… Munster got there two props as replacement props for the match day even though the Connacht props absolutely destroyed them a few weeks earlier.
TOH is easily the best FB in the country but will not get a fair crack…
@Cowboy Paddy: wasn’t Buckley injured?
Absolute disgrace if this is allowed happen, you do not see the best first teamers move between provinces (except of course from ours), no problems if he moves abroad but not to another province, no issue with players like cooney moving as he wasn’t a nailed on starter- how can we build if our best players are constantly poached? The IRFU need to back us here
@mark m: wait a minute. What rule could they possibly legally put in place to ensure your players don’t leave? That doesn’t make any sense. Tell me a system the IRFU can put in place to prevent it, and how would, say, Jordi Murphy be able to move North under that system? Also, why would they put a structure in place that gives a player like TOH (who perhaps wants to move, amazing though that seems…) a choice to either stay against his wishes or move abroad? Help me out here.
@mark m: at the end of the day its the player’s decision! If he wants the move, which there is no evidence of by the way, then the IRFU can do nothing to stop it!
@mark m: provinces cannot outbid each other. If players want to move that’s their call.
Anyway, he’s just re-signed so take a breath
https://twitter.com/connachtrugby/status/944158034263191553?ref_src=twcamp%5Eshare%7Ctwsrc%5Em5%7Ctwgr%5Eemail%7Ctwcon%5E7046%7Ctwterm%5E1
He’s signed a new two year deal to stay at Connacht. Looking forward to seeing plenty more of TOH at the sportsground!
If he wants to further his international career he should be going East not south, and Leinster badly need some quality at 15.
@Ruairi O’Bric: That’s the poorest trolling attempt I’ve seen from you. Raise your standards please. I’ll give you an NG for that.
@Ruairi O’Bric: trolling or trying to make a joke?
Last ditch to get Jo’s attention. shame, shouldn’t have to be like that.
@thesaltyurchin: yeah, because Joe has a record of not picking Connacht players… other than having the most Connacht players in a match day 23 ever.
@Conor Paddington: He had a maximum of 5 Connacht players in a squad in a year Connacht won the Pro12. He has quickly reverted to anti Connacht biased hence consistently overlooking TOH. If he is going to move he should look to France as is owes nothing to the IRFU or Joe Smith.
@Mike Faherty: what about what he wants? And sorry, anti-Connacht bias is jusy nonsense. You’re just not that good. TOH is and he’s unlucky to play in a specialist position with strength in depth.
@Conor Paddington: Pull that hat up from your eyes. TOH has being the best performing FB in the country for past two years. Connacht are not good, primarily because of underfunding and our best players being cherry picked. I don’t for one second TOH would “want to leave” if was being given a fair crack of the whip internationally
@Mike Faherty: who the f is Joe Smith?
@Mike Faherty: u
@Mike Faherty: underfunding? Try again Mike
@Mike Faherty: I said “TOH is” meaning “TOH is that good”. But he is not the obvious best or Joe Schmidt, who likes winning and has a good record of it to boot, would pick him. He obviously doesn’t work on his work ons or falls down in percentages Schmidt seeks.
@Conor Paddington: we have seen it before with Zebo. Attack minded flair players are usually not picked by Schmidt who prefers “defensively solid” kick chasers who are all rounders rather than being very good at one aspect of play.
It’s a shame because O Halloran could offer a lot more than Rob Kearney in attack.
@Conor Paddington: seems he did not want to leave Connacht after all with a 2 year extension penned today. Merry Christmas
Just disband Connacht, what’s even the point anymore.
Great news for TOH if true and best of luck to him.
Will obviously have an impact on Connacht but Leinster have new kids in their academy who could be interested in a move west for game time. We need to keep circulating talent.
@Con Cussed: how does that improve Connacht, letting indigenous talent leave to improve rivals while taking their under cooked development players?
Do Munster have any players who are not “world class”?