Elwood urges stars to knuckle down as trio set to move on

COACH Eric Elwood says Connacht have accepted that three of their frontline players will be moving on at the end of the season.

There was a huge shock at the Sportsground last week when it emerged Fionn Carr and Seán Cronin were being linked with Leinster and Ian Keatley with a move to Munster.

But Elwood said Connacht, as a squad, have now dealt with that and are moving on.

He said that the matter came up at a meeting of players and management and that the three departing players were wished the best of luck.

And Elwood said that he has no doubt the trio will continue to play a key role for the rest of the season.

Elwood said: “In the business we are in, players come and go. We acknowledged it in a meeting with the players and management that the three lads are moving on.

“Some other players may come in, some may go. But it is out there now about the three lads moving on at the end of the season and we just need, as a squad, to move on from here.

“We are sorry to see them go but that’s the nature of the business. They are three good kids and I wish them well and I know they will do their best for Connacht for the remainder of their time here, as they have done since they arrived a few years ago.

“We must be doing something right if other teams are coming in looking at our players, and it is important to recognise that. The three lads developed since they came here, they have been capped and that’s very important as the national side is the flagship and if it is going well, then it can only be good for all teams below it,” said Elwood.

The trio leaving are in their third season with Connacht and arrived after they were unable to make the breakthrough in their native provinces, with Cronin going on to win seven Irish caps since moving to the Sportsground. The 24-year old has made 53 appearances for Connacht in Magners League and Amlin Challenge Cup.

Keatley has scored 515 points for Connacht — 359 in the Magners League and 156 in the Amlin Challenge Cup — in his 62 appearances.

He is set to replace Paul Warwick at Munster. Fionn Carr is the second top try scorer for Connacht in history with 29 tries in his 59 appearances.