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Quinn Roux offers Connacht another locking option after Craig Clarke's retirement. Ryan Byrne/INPHO

Roux and Cooney join Connacht on loan deal from Leinster

The IRFU were involved in brokering the deal between the two provinces.

LEINSTER’S QUINN ROUX and John Cooney will join Connacht on loan from Leinster next season.

South African lock Roux has agreed to an initial deal that extends until the 31st of December, 2014, while scrum-half Cooney will be at Connacht for the duration of the 2014/15 season.

24-year-old Cooney will finish his shoulder rehabilitation with Leinster this summer before moving west, although Roux will be present for the start of pre-season training with Pat Lam next month.

The second row is seen as a replacement for the recently retired Craig Clarke, while Cooney will offer Connacht another scrum-half option alongside Kieran Marmion, Ian Porter and academy player Caolin Blade.

The IRFU have been centrally involved in brokering the deal between the two provinces, perhaps showing signs that what their new Performance Director, David Nucifora, termed the “the movement of players between provinces” will become more prevalent.

At his official introduction to the media in April, the Australian – who officially began working for the IRFU on the 1st of June – stated:

“I don’t think that players sitting on the sideline in tracksuits benefits anyone. That’s an important part of development. Also, players want to play. We’ll be working on a system where we don’t want players warehoused in one particular spot.”

Quinn Roux and John Cooney Roux and Cooney at Leinster training earlier this season. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Emerging Ireland cap Cooney has made just eight starts for Leinster over the past three seasons, while 120kg lock Roux has managed 14 starts since joining the province in 2012. The arrival of Kane Douglas next season would have pushed the 23-year-old further down the pecking order in the second row.

“This is brilliant news for everyone involved,” said Connacht coach Lam. “We’re delighted to get the loan deal over the line and again, I’d like to thank the IRFU and Leinster Rugby, especially Matt O’Connor and Mick Dawson, for their support.”

Meanwhile, IRFU CEO Philip Browne added that Irish rugby’s governing body can see the positives in moves such as those Roux and Cooney are set to make.

The IRFU are delighted that this loan arrangement has been agreed as it can only be a good thing in terms of player development and should provide an opportunity for more game time for both John and Quinn,” said Browne.

“The IRFU are proud to support four strong and developing provinces and believe that the continued development of players within the Irish rugby family will benefit players, provincial and international rugby in the long-term.”

Flanker Conor Gilsenan spent three months on loan at Connacht from Leinster this season, before departing for London Irish in the Premiership on a permanent deal.

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24 Comments
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    Mute Peter Fegan
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    Jun 11th 2014, 11:36 AM

    Makes sense, players don’t get stuck in a rut & it strenghtens Connacht rugby.

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    Mute niall daly
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    Jun 11th 2014, 12:36 PM

    Might have made more sense to have had a look at Nagle, shrewd move by Leinster though.

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    Mute James O Malley
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    Jun 11th 2014, 2:05 PM

    3 years ago maybe, he’s done nothing of note in a long time

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    Mute niall daly
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    Jun 11th 2014, 2:47 PM

    Roux has hardly been oulling up trees either in fairness, I’d always lean toward an Irish player in a situstion like this.

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    Mute martin donovan
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    Jun 11th 2014, 3:02 PM

    Nagle is a better player than Roux. He was man of the match when Munster beat Australia. Admittedly that was in 2010 but he’s hardly got any game time since. I think he could be very good if he gets a run of games

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    Mute Céadagh O'Ferrall
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    Jun 11th 2014, 11:47 AM

    Connacht’s squad is growing in depth all the time. That added to their recent top class signings of Aki and Muliaina could see them finally move away from being perennial table bottoms. Can only be great for Irish rugby.

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    Mute Peter Nagle
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    Jun 11th 2014, 11:35 AM

    Overall, I think it is a good move. When would Quinn Roux become Irish qualified?

    I would like to see Shane Monahan, Eamonn Sheridan and Niall Morris to return to Ireland in future.

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    Mute martin donovan
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    Jun 11th 2014, 11:59 AM

    Think he’s been here for two years, so one more to go. Ireland would be in deep trouble if they ever had to pick Roux though

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Jun 11th 2014, 12:02 PM

    Yep, spot on Martin. Roux will qualify to play for Ireland next summer, in July/August, depending on when he first actually arrived into the country.

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    Mute Johnny Fitz
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    Jun 11th 2014, 12:48 PM

    If this is the direction David Nucifora is moving the IRFU then all the better. With a growing player base and only 4 teams it makes sense to spread the wealth so they all get top level gametime. Leinster Academy appears to be a relative goldmine of talent with players and Munster and Ulster are producing promising players who are stuck playing B&I Cup when they could getting be Rabo and European games. In comparison to Wales where young players are flooding onto the club scene how long until the likes of Jack O’Donoghue or Rory Scholes make a breakthrough. Ian Nagle is a prime example of a promising young player having his development stopped through a lack of exposure.

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    Mute Peter Nagle
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    Jun 11th 2014, 1:57 PM

    I think that’s where the B & I Cup has been a great success in exposing young players. This should long continue.

    I think the existing A Interprovincials need to be looked at. They seem pretty meaningless. They should be rebranded to have meaning and have a regular place in the provincial calendar. Currently, they are viewed as exhibitions whereas they should follow a league format. That would mean more games on a home and away basis for fringe and academy players. I think the IRFU needs to consider this. It give A teams the chance to win another trophy alongside the B & I Cup.

    In terms of the club game, it has been great in developing young talent. The club game needs to be strong and the IRFU should be aware of this. Investment has to come into place. To make it more appealing, playoffs should be introduced at every division. You look at the Welsh teams in the B & I Cup, they are strong. We should be aiming to get the likes of AIL 1A and 1B teams so their level.

    One thing we forget is that people think we have a small player base, globally we are the 6th globally largest rugby playing nation. It’s her fore time that we have a step elite club game and prosperous provincial structures.

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    Mute Christiaan Theron
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    Jun 11th 2014, 2:34 PM

    That being the case, with Ulster losing both Sean Doyle and Stephen Ferris this season. Would Jack Conan, who is behind Heaslip and Murphy make more progress at Ulster?

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    Mute Peter Nagle
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    Jun 11th 2014, 2:46 PM

    Conan would be a good signing for Ulster as would say Dominic Ryan. He’s a very promising player having captained Leinster A and now being made captain of the Emerging Ireland squad. All he needs is just regular game time.

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    Mute Christiaan Theron
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    Jun 11th 2014, 4:16 PM

    Agreed, Ryan and Conan would probably get more game time at Ulster.

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    Mute Johnny Fitz
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    Jun 11th 2014, 4:47 PM

    Tadgh Furlong is number 3 behind Moore and Ross too could use some exposure.

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    Mute martin donovan
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    Jun 11th 2014, 6:24 PM

    Ross could be retiring soon so I don’t think Furlong should go anywhere. He’s probably learning a lot in training against Healy and McGrath

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Jun 11th 2014, 12:02 PM

    Roux should be qualified next summer as he joined Leinster in 2012. Be interesting to see how he developes if he stays injury free and gets a good run of games under his belt. Cooney is behind Boss, Reddan and now Luke Mc Grath in the pecking order for Leinster so hopefully the move west will work out for him too. All in all Connacht have made some very shrewd signings for next season and will move up the table in the pro12 while also making a good stab at the challenge cup.

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    Mute The Culk
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    Jun 11th 2014, 3:52 PM

    Happy with this as it adds much needed depth to our squad after losing POD and Clarke to career ending injuries

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    Mute #COYBIB
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    Jun 11th 2014, 9:13 PM

    Sort of mixed feelings about this. It’s great for Irish rugby so in that regard I’m very happy, but putting my Leinster hat on, I think it’s a little strange. The reason being that Denton has been pretty average for the senior side and is a few years older than Roux and Marshall has been non-existent for Leinster for a couple of years now, so even with the signing of Douglas, presumably Toner and McCarthy will be away with Ireland, there’s still plenty of scope to develop a player like Roux if the appetite existed.

    Furthermore, I know Roux has been far from spectacular for the Leinster senior team, but anyone who followed the A team in the B&I Cup I’m sure will agree that Roux was an absolute colossus in some of those games, not least the final, where he stood out as by far the best 2nd row on the pitch. Granted that doesn’t mean it will translate into senior rugby, but given his age profile and the game time opportunities mentioned above, I would have let Marshall or Denton go long before I would have let Roux go (who becomes Irish qualified at the end of next season…not that I expect that to become relevant any time soon other than to Leinster as it’s at very least a decent Rabo standard player and a Non-Irish Qualified spot free’d up if he remains in the squad.)

    Regarding Cooney, again from an Irish point of view this is superb, but from a Leinster point of view, it’s pretty awful news. Cooney is a fantastic player who has not been given enough opportunities in my opinion. Issac Boss must have compromising photo’s of Matt O’Connor as he couldn’t get dropped last season no matter how hard he tried (and he appeared to be trying very hard to get dropped). Cooney has looked perfectly at home in the senior side and I would have absolutely no problems in having him starting Heineken Cup matches. He is no worse than Conor Murray was when he became first choice at Munster and look how good a player he’s developed into. Boss should have been let go for next season with Reddan first choice and McGrath and Cooney behind, with Reddan missing for good chunks on international duty, both could get plenty of game time. Even aside from that, with Reddan gone to Irish camp, Cooney gone to Connacht, we’re one injury short to Boss or McGrath of having a schoolboy on the bench for Leinster senior squad, as there are none in the academy unless one of the recently ex-schoolboys from under-20′s gets a call up.

    There are literally dozens of Leinster players in the Aviva Premiership, Top14 and other Irish provinces combined. Any chance of Munster and Ulster picking up some of the slack? (or is it a case of no one being interested in their fringe and academy players beyond a small circle of 20 / 25 senior players?)

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    Mute martin donovan
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    Jun 11th 2014, 10:23 PM

    They had to move Roux on with Douglas coming in because Franco van der Merve at Ulster will be the other NIQ lock next season.

    I haven’t seen too much of Roux lately but thought he was pretty anonymous against Ulster in the semi. Has he really improved? I was pretty disgusted that Leinster let Mark Flanagan go and kept Roux a while back.

    They’re losing two in Cullen and Roux and only bringing in one in Douglas. It would have been good to sign Ryan Caldwell imo. I suppose with him of to Exeter it would be better at this stage to back Denton, Marshall and Ross Moloney instead of recruiting someone new.

    Cooney’s a great player, but I wouldn’t worry too much. There’s a production line at Leinster. Nick McCarthy from the U20s is a Leinster man, isn’t he?

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    Mute Christiaan Theron
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    Jun 11th 2014, 10:31 PM

    For what it’s worth Ulster have at least 2 exiles in the academy, Frankie Taggart in the wolfpuppies being one of them. Ulster are also bringing back Ruaidhri Murphy from the Brumbies. Frankie Taggart is an exile, so there are no indigenous Ulster players in this year’s U20. Development appears to be focussed around mini rugby and feeding schools rugby from youth rugby. Development approaches are at best conservative and so progress is at a glacial speed. Whereas Leinster and Ulster players overseas moved pre Plan Ireland. Niall Annett being a recent notable example. So if 3rd or 4th choice provincial players would rather move to the boshership or Super 14 rather than be loaned to another province, which exiled Irish back rowers could do a job for Ulster and contribute to the Ireland squad?

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