Connacht Squad 2002/2003.
The Connacht squad for the upcoming Celtic League and Parker Pen Shield contains 24 players who have represented Ireland at underage or schools levels.
Connacht, designated the Development Province by the IRFU, has a squad with an average age of 22, including eight of the Connacht side which won the U-21 inter-provincial championship last year with a grand slam of victories over Munster, Leinster and Ulster.
Connacht have made a number of significant signings for the new season which include the acquisition of former Australian lock Warwick Waugh. The 33 year old, 6’8 who has played 28 times for Australia, joins Connacht having spent the past two seasons with Beziers in France. Another player who featured in France last season is 20 year old prop Fabian Boiroux, who joins Connacht from Montferrand.
Centres Shane Moore (23) and Dermot O’Sullivan (24) have played extensively for a variety of Irish sides including Schools, U-19’s, U-21’s, Colleges, Students and Irish Universities. Scrum-half Michael Walls (22) has played for the Irish U-18’s, while flanker Tom Carter (21) and winger James Norton (21) have both been capped by the Irish Schools. Three of the Connacht side, full-back Gavin Duffy (21), prop Peter Bracken (24) and flanker Johnny O’Connor (22), were in the Irish squad which has returned from training camp at Spala in Poland. Eric Elwood (33), who last season became the first player to be capped 100 times for Connacht, starts his 14th campaign for the province.
Connacht. Tim Allnutt, Peter Bracken,
Damien Browne, Fabian Boiroux, Tom Carter, Gavin Duffy, Eric Elwood, Jerry Flannery, Rowan Frost, Chris Keane , Ronan McCormack, Dan McFarland, Mark McHugh, Martin McPhail, Shane Moore, Wayne Munn, Paul Neville, James Norton, Johnny O’Connor, Dermot O’Sullivan, Eoin Reddan, Colm Rigney, Ted Robinson, Michael Swift, Marnus Uijs, Michael Walls, Warwick Waugh, Darren Yapp.
DEVELOPMENT PLAYERS: Henry Bourke (21) Irish Schools, Irish U-21s, Irish Students; Wesley Maxwell (19) Irish U-19s; Alan Maher (21) Irish Schools, Irish U-19s, Irish U-21s; John Muldoon (20) Irish Youths, Irish U-21s; John O’Sullivan (22) Irish U-19, Irish Colleges, Irish U-21s.
CONNACHT COLTS: Oisin Grennan (21) Connacht Schools; Justin Meagher (22) Connacht U-21; Cathal Murphy (21) Irish Youths, Irish U-21;
Ed O’Donoghue (20) Australia U-19; Paddy O’Sullivan (20) Connacht U-21