The 2017–18 season was Irish provincial rugby union side Connacht Rugby's seventeenth season competing in the Pro14, and the team's twenty-second season as a professional side. It was Kieran Keane's first and only season in charge of the side.
Connacht finished sixth in their seven-team Pro14 conference. As well as playing in the Pro14, the team competed in the Challenge Cup in Europe. They finished first in their pool and advanced to the knockout stage as third seed overall, but were defeated at home by Gloucester in the quarter-finals. The second tier side the Connacht Eagles competed in the 2017–18 British and Irish Cup, finishing third in their pool.
Background
Competition schedule On 30 June 2017, BBC Wales reported that the two South African teams being dropped from the Super Rugby competition, the Cheetahs and Southern Kings, would be immediately added to Pro12. Their involvement was confirmed on 1 August 2017. The 14 teams were split into two conferences of seven, with each conference featuring two teams each from Ireland and Wales and one team each from Italy, Scotland and South Africa. Connacht were named in Conference A. It was announced that each team would play the other teams in their own conference twice and those in the other conference once. In addition, Connacht would have two additional derby games against Leinster and Ulster, the Irish provinces in Conference B.
Connacht were entered into the Challenge Cup in Europe, following a play-off defeat to Northampton Saints. The team was drawn in Pool 5 of the competition along with Brive, Worcester Warriors and Oyonnax.
Personnel changes In February 2017, Connacht announced that New Zealander Kieran Keane, Chiefs attack coach, had signed a three-year contract to become their new head coach, replacing Pat Lam who moved to Bristol. Following Keane's appointment, existing forwards coach Jimmy Duffy signed an extension to his deal and academy manager Nigel Carolan was promoted to backs coach, leaving his post as head coach of the Ireland under-20s to take the role. In May 2017, Peter Wilkins joined from Edinburgh as defence coach.
Among the prominent departures from the first team squad were Irish international scrum-half John Cooney, who joined Ulster, long-serving prop Ronan Loughney, who retired, and former Springbok Marnitz Boshoff, who departed a year earlier than initially planned for personal reasons. Incoming players included Australian flanker Jarrad Butler and prop Peter McCabe, who had previously been on loan with the team. The team also agreed a deal to sign international Eroni Vasiteri, but the move was called off after he received a nine-week ban for gouging. All Blacks Sevens player Pita Ahki was signed as a replacement.
Coaching and management team Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Individuals may hold more than one non-WR nationality. Role Name Union Chief executive Willie Ruane Team manager Tim Allnut Head coach Kieran Keane Forwards Coach Jimmy Duffy Backs Coach Nigel Carolan Defence Coach Peter Wilkins Head Performance Analyst Simon Kavanagh Head of Strength and Conditiong David Howarth Strength and conditioning Coach Johnny O'Connor Academy manager Eric Elwood Connacht Eagles Coach Mossy Lawler
Players
Senior playing squad The Connacht senior squad for 2017–18 was:
Senior 15's internationally capped players in bold Players qualified to play for on dual nationality or residency grounds* Irish Provinces are currently limited to four non-Irish eligible (NIE) players and one non-Irish qualified player (NIQ or "Project Player"). Connacht is exempted from this under a separate development arrangement.
Academy squad The Connacht academy squad for 2017–18 was:
Senior team transfers
Players in HK Pat O'Toole promoted from academy PR Denis Coulson from Grenoble PR Peter McCabe from Munster LK Gavin Thornbury from Wanganui FL Jarrad Butler from Brumbies SH Conor McKeon promoted from academy SH James Mitchell from Sale Sharks FH Andrew Deegan from Waratahs CE Pita Ahki from WG Cormac Brennan promoted from academy WG Rory Scholes from Edinburgh
Players out PR Ronan Loughney retired PR Ivan Soroka to Clontarf LK Ben Marshall retired LK Danny Qualter to Nottingham LK Lewis Stevenson to Bangor FL Nepia Fox-Matamua to Ponsonby FL Rory Moloney to Thames Valley SH John Cooney to Ulster FH Marnitz Boshoff to Blue Bulls FH Shane O'Leary to Ealing Trailfinders CE Rory Parata to Otago WG Danie Poolman to Buccaneers FB Josh Rowland to Ireland Sevens
Playing kit The official Connacht team and support staff kit supplier for the season was Australian manufacturer BLK sport, who had supplied the full range of apparel for all of Connacht Rugby's representative teams and support staff since 2013. Connacht's main shirt sponsors were Irish sporting retailer Intersport Elverys, in the second year of a three-year deal.
Connacht launched their new home kit for the season in July 2017, in the traditional green. The team launched new away and European kits in August 2017 during a pre-season friendly against former head coach Pat Lam's side Bristol, wearing the away kit in the first half and the European kit in the second half. The away kit was primarily cyan and white, with white shorts and socks, while the European kit was primarily blue and lime green, with blue shorts and lime green socks.
Results
Pro14
Challenge Cup
Pool 5
Pool winners and runners-up rankings RankPool LeadersPtsDiffTF1 Pau 29 +82 282 Newcastle Falcons 28 +107 333 Connacht 26 +123 294 Edinburgh 25 +184 405 Cardiff Blues 21 +4 12RankPool Runners–upPtsDiffTF6 Gloucester 21 +114 377 Brive 17 –1 238 Stade Français 17 –15 219 Dragons 16 +23 2110 Toulouse 14 –3 14
Quarter-finals
References