What the Papers Say 2013/2014

[Scranner]

Great job, Mac. Many thanks for keeping us up to date.

[Mac]

Wednesday 29th May..................Cont'd

Times

Payne and Laulala start for Barbarians against Lions......................

Ulster fullback Jared Payne and Munster centre Casey Laulala have both been named in the Barbarians team to plat against the British and Irish Lions in Hong Kong on Saturday (12.30pm Irish time).

New Zealand-born Payne signed a new three-year deal with Ulster recently and will become Irish qualified through residency next year.

The 27-year-old, who signed for Ulster from the Auckland Blues in 2001, has enjoyed a fantastic season at the province and will form a dynamic back three with All Black Joe Rokocoko on the right wing and American speedster Takudzwa Ngwenya on the left.

Laulala will play at inside centre beside Wasps’ utility back Elliot Daly, while Harlequins outhalf Nick Evans and and French scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili make up the halfback pairing.

Italy’s Sergio Parisse will captain the side from number eight in a pack where Wasps’ South Africa lock Marco Wentzel, who is joined in the secondrow by Australia’s Dean Mumm, is the only forward retained in the starting line-up from the 40-12 defeat to England at Twickenham last weekend.

Northampton’s Samu Manoa and Wasps’ Sam Jones flank Parisse in the backrow, with Wales’ Paul James and Italy’s Martin Castrogiovanni the props either side of Schalk Brits.

BARBARIANS (v British and Irish Lions, Hong Kong, Saturday June 1st, 12.30pm Irish time): J Payne (Ulster); J Rokocoko (Bayonne & New Zealand), E Daly (Wasps), C Laulala (Munster & New Zealand), T Ngwenya (Biarritz & USA); N Evans (Harlequins & New Zealand), D Yachvili (Biarritz & France); P James (Bath & Wales), S Brits (Saracens & South Africa), M Castrogiovanni (Leicester & Italy); M Wentzel (Wasps & South Africa), D Mumm (Exeter & Australia); S Manoa (Northampton & USA), S Jones (London Wasps), S Parisse (Stade Francais & Italy, capt).

Replacements: L Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso & Italy), D Jones (Ospreys & Wales), A Lo Cicero (Racing Metro & Italy), J Hamilton (Gloucester & Scotland), I Harinordoquy (Biarritz & France), K Fotuali’i (Ospreys & Samoa), J Hook (Perpignan & Wales), M Tindall (Gloucester & England).

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/i ... -1.1409794

UR Official

With the Ulster fans at the RaboDirect PRO12 Final......................VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG3ci5pY ... r_embedded

[Mac]

Thursday 30th May 2013

OzRugby Official

Best ready for Lions battle....................

Irish hooker Rory Best has spoken of the "massive honour" of being selected for the DHL Australia 2013 Lions Tour at the eleventh hour.

The Ulster Rugby hooker was due to meet up with the Irish squad set to tour Canada and the USA this week, but instead got the call to come to London yesterday to prepare to fly to Hong Kong with the Lions today.

Best has been drafted into the 125th anniversary tour party following the suspension of Northampton Saints hooker Dylan Hartley.



"It was hard when I didn't make the initial squad because it is everyone's ambition. To now be selected is a massive honour," Best told the Ulster Rugby website.



"To finally be selected makes playing professional rugby worthwhile. All the lows that you get and the knocks and bumps, it more than makes up for them and for a few weeks ago when I thought that the chance had gone.



"There will be 37 players getting on a plane to Hong Kong aiming to make the Test squad and I am no different. I am as ambitious as everyone else. To be on the tour is unbelievable but you have to go there and play your best rugby, put your hand up and see where that takes you."

Lions head coach Warren Gatland revealed that the selection debate over the hooking positions in his squad was by far the longest and toughest of any he had with his selectors.



"Rory was very, very unlucky to miss out. One man's disappointment is another man's fortune and I am sure he will come in and do a great job," said Gatland.



"When we picked the squad it was very, very tough. The decision on the hookers was by far the longest debate we had.

"In previous tours, when players have had that chance they have come in and made the most of it. He has the chance to do that."

Best is a likely starter for the Lions against the Western Force in their opening tour match on Wednesday June 5th at 6pm (WA time) at Patersons Stadium in Perth.

http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsArticl ... fault.aspx

Tele

Rory fully deserves to be on board the Lions' battle bus..........................

How much sleep do you think Rory Best got last Saturday night? Part of it may have been the adrenalin of a final; it is always difficult to settle after a big game particularly when you have come so close to winning.

However, I expect any potential insomnia may have been caused even more by the events over in Twickenham that same day and the imminent ruling by Judge Jeff Blackett on Dylan Hartley's abuse of Wayne Barnes.

Most of us in the same position would find ourselves tortured by an endless and circuitous stream of questions – 'Will he, won't he? Will I, won't I?' – weighing up the chances of that elusive Lions call-up. What a contrast of emotions Ulster's hooker must have gone through in the last few weeks.

Somehow it does feel like justice has been done. Best's omission from the initial squad was met with incredulity.

This was no parochial feeling rather the reaction was felt and expressed well beyond the provincial borders of Ulster. Indeed, for many, the turnaround feels like poetic justice.

When Hartley (right) got the nod over Best, one of the key queries about the New Zealand-born English international was his temperament under pressure.

Under an expected torrent of Aussie sledging, how would he react? Would he give the Australians an easy target of abuse and maybe be the source of penalties?

In comparison, Rory Best is composure personified and the way in which he has conducted himself throughout the whole Lions selection process speaks volumes about the class of the man and the family from which he comes.

Without going into Hartley's offence too much, it is clear that it was wrong and that there is a line that cannot be crossed. That line is absolute.

However, his 11-week ban means nothing. There is no greater punishment that missing out on a Lions tour. Ask Alan Quinlan who suffered a similar fate having been punished for gouging four years ago. It will be an eternal regret. A Lions tour is the ultimate and to miss it hurts to the core.

In the last few weeks I have observed how history tells us that the departing squad is always a bit different. Moreover, fortune can smile on certain players on the standby list while others are fated to continue to watch from a distance.

We can all breathe a sigh of relief – Rory has made it onto the plane.

As someone who also got called out to the Lions twelve years ago as a replacement I know how Rory feels, but only to a certain extent and I am happy to confess that I envy him greatly.

I was called out with only five games left – I played in the first, benched in the second and then had a great seat for the three Tests.

There was no chance to make an impression. I was a peripheral player and a peripheral member of the squad. Yes, I have a red shirt somewhere at the bottom of a wardrobe or bag and I was on the greatest rugby trip of all, but my experience was incredibly limited. By travelling out on day one right at the start, Rory will get the whole Lions experience and, due to his position, be central in the day to day running of the team. His opportunity is massive – as one of three hookers, he has a genuine chance of being involved in the Test squad.

I also believe that once in this environment he will thrive and put himself in the frame for a starting Test position. It does not get any bigger than that.

Let us not forget that other Ulsterman who could well have us jumping for joy. Tommy Bowe is a big game player: his physical attributes and solid understanding of the Welsh style of play as well as a playing relationship with Jonny Sexton make him a frontrunner for a test spot.

He has got Lions experience under his belt and will be a 'go to' man for Warren Gatland. Tommy is also exactly the sort of character and personality you need in a big squad.

His laidback approach and affability make him an excellent tourist and someone who will mix well and help the popularity of the Lions concept.

Ulster provides two players who have genuine reason to have Test place ambitions and there is a realistic chance for a Series victory. History beckons and it could have not just one, but two red hands stamped on it.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 04320.html

Ulster loss may have been hard to take, but we have plenty of hope for the future..................Tyrone

Yes, it was so disappointing but there was absolutely no shame in Ulster's performance at the RDS.

It was a compelling, brutally physical encounter between two European heavyweights.

We could not have said that a year ago at Twickenham, nor in Ulster's Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat.

As we hoped, it was a game of the finest margins but unfortunately for Ulster, those opening 30 minutes were punctuated by too many errors and penalties which made too big a difference.

Yet, the level of effort and character to come back and get so close will have left Ulster supporters' heads held high – the belief and rugby were there.

Alas, against a team of Leinster's quality, you simply cannot give away easy points and you have to take your chances.

Too many of referee Johnny Lacey's decisions in that opening quarter were 50-50 calls and rapidly, it became clear that there was a breakdown in understanding between when to release the tackled player or to compete for the ball.

Ulster did not react or learn quickly enough. Maybe the closest call of all was when Leinster turned over Ulster's scrum when their own set piece had been dismantled for the third consecutive time.

There could easily have been a penalty awarded to Ulster and arguably the case for a penalty try was building. Then, on the attack, Robbie Diack (right) inexplicably did not go low and thrust for the corner, thereby missing out on at least five points.

Finals hinge on such moments and decisions, and it was not to be Ulster's day. Yet, it was a superb contest and for that you need two teams.

Ulster's players gave their all and proved definitively that the gap is narrower than ever. Yet, the players will feel that to be truly regarded as a 'great' team they need silverware and titles.

It has been fabulously exciting following Ulster this season, and there is every reason to believe that it will be the same in a few months time.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 04321.html

Times

Irish and French sides make up top tier of Heineken Cup......................
Leinster remain first seeds, Munster and Ulster confirmed alongside them for next season

Leinster, Munster and Ulster will avoid the big three French sides in the pool stages of the Heineken Cup next season after the ERC confirmed the tiers for next Wednesday’s draw, which will take place at the Aviva Stadium.

Leinster retain their top seeding, with Ulster and Munster also in the Tier One.

This year’s finalists Toulon and Clermont Auvergne, along with Toulouse, complete the top six.

Toulon make it to the top tier of seeds for the first time after victory over Clermont in this year’s decider.

Connacht are placed amongst the third tier teams.

Tier 1: LEINSTER, Toulon, Toulouse, ASM Clermont Auvergne, ULSTER, MUNSTER.
Tier 2: Northampton Saints, Harlequins, Cardiff Blues, Saracens, Leicester, Perpignan
Tier 3: Edinburgh, Ospreys, Scarlets, Glasgow Warriors, Montpellier, CONNACHT
Tier 4: Gloucester, Castres Olympique, Racing Metro 92, Exeter Chiefs, Benetton Treviso, Zebre

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/i ... -1.1410218

For the first time in professional era all four provinces have non-Irish coaches .................

Ulster have little movement although outhalf Niall O’Connor exits to play with Jersey and hooker Nigel Brady teams up with Jeremy Davidson in French Division two side Stade Aurillacois. James McKinney and David McIlwinnie return with tighthead prop Brosnan Ross arriving from Coventry to understudy John Afoa. The overseas players Afoa, Ruan Pienaar and Johann Müller have another year on their contracts with fullback Jared Payne becoming Irish qualified after next season. It leaves Ulster with a pretty settled look.

Full article -
http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/m ... -1.1410429

Harpin'

Fine Ulster campaign ends in heartbreak ...................

Ulster Rugby's campaign for the title of PRO12 champions came to a disappointing end at the RDS on Saturday as Joe Schmidt completed successive double for Leinster.

Their lack of discipline was their ultimate downfall. Within just seven minutes Leinster had racked up ten points, a Shane Jennings try capped off with a lovely conversion by the departing Johnny Sexton, and he added a penalty as Ulster started to concede ground time after time via the referees whistle.

The Ulstermen knew the task was already mammoth and launched an attack on the Leinster line, numerous scrums leading to nothing as Isaac Boss scrambled the ball from Nick Williams and Leinster cleared.

Robbie Diack looked like he almost added yet another to his collection as Ulster started to play with fluidity, but his attempt was adjudged to have been held up, and again the PRO12 table toppers came away with nothing.

However Leinster did finally give Ulster an opportunity for some points, a penalty conceded in front of the posts and Ruan Pienaar reduced the deficit to seven. Sexton had the opportunity to restore the advantage a few minutes later, but he skewed his effort wide, and Anscombe's side breathed a sigh of relief.

The referee again had to penalise Ulster this time from the scrum, as the penalty count grew and grew, and this time Sexton didn't disappoint for the boys in blue with a good kick from range. And moments later it was Ulster who got the chance for a shot at goal and Ruan Pienaar again gave Ulster something to smile about with another three.

But Ulster fans were left fuming as a Leinster attack ended up with another converted Sexton penalty, but it could clearly be seen that John Afoa was being impeded, something that no officials picked up on, and Leinster who started the half with a ten point advantage would go into half time with just that.

It had hardly been a half for any Ulster fan to be positive about, and even with the wind behind their back in the second half, Mark Anscombe's men knew the task they faced was going to be a huge uphill struggle.

Things didn't get off to best possible start for Ulster either, Robbie Diack sent to the bin, adjudged to have been of his feet. Sexton's resulting penalty was clipped over, and Leinster now had one hand on the trophy at 19-6.

Never say never had been an attitude of the Ulstermen this season though, and a super Paddy Jackson run almost saw him get the first try for the men from Belfast, as Isa Nacewa was sent to the bin and both teams were reduced to fourteen men. Ulster opted for the posts and Pienaar easily got the points.

And minutes after Pienaar again added yet another penalty for Ulster with a great kick, as Ulster were within a just converted score of levelling proceedings. Ruan had once again shown just how reliable he was, and on fifty five minutes bent a superb penalty inside the posts, and amazingly Ulster were just within four.

With a unlikely comeback still on the cards, Ulster knew they couldn't afford any more slip ups, but with eighteen minutes to go and a penalty advantage already coming, Leinster scored their second try through Jamie Heaslip via the TMO, and despite Sexton missing the conversion, Leinster had opened a nine point advantage.

It proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Ulster, despite what was in my opinion the kick of the season from Ruan Pienaar, just inside his own half from the most difficult of angles and some good attacking intent but as the final whistle blew it was Leinster Rugby who had finally put behind their PRO12 demons, as the Ulstermen fell at the final hurdle.

In the end, a heart-breaking way for Ulster to lose the PRO12 crown, an ill disciplined display in the first half took it's toll, and the task was very hard from the moment Leinster opened a ten point lead.

Mark Anscombe will be disappointed, but it's fair to say aside from the Heineken Cup defeat to Saracens this season, the Kiwi has done a fantastic result at his first season in Belfast, Ulster finishing top of the league and playing some brilliant free flowing rugby that has led to try after try and some huge wins. Seven defeats in nine months tell it's story. Ulster have been incredibly tough to break down and have shown not just the PRO12, but the whole of Europe just what a force they have become.

Ulster may not have clinched glory on the final day of the year, but they certainly showed the positivity and passion throughout the season that was a tribute to Nevin Spence who showed exactly the same characteristics whenever he pulled on a jersey.

Next season will bring with it a huge challenge, the task of going one more and bringing some silverware to Ravenhill. A new Ravenhill at that. A new start. Likely to see some new players to. But one thing is for sure. Still the same brilliant fans, still the same brilliant Ulster Rugby. It has been a rollercoaster of season, and despite defeat on the final day, I've loved every single second. Forget the season is over. Start counting down the days til all starts again. Sad and disappointed are words I won't use to describe the end of the campaign. The word I will use... Proud.

Stand Up For The Ulstermen.

http://harpin2.blogspot.ie/2013/05/fine ... break.html

[Mac]

Thursday 30th May ..................Cont'd

RugbyFanCast

Pushing On at Ulster.........................

Take what you will from Saturday’s Pro12 final, but quite simply, Ulster shot themselves in the foot. People will put the blame on a countless number of things including the performance of referee John Lacey, but they cannot avoid the disappointing truth – Ulster themselves lost that match.

From the slow start which saw Ulster fall ten points behind within seven minutes, to Michael Allen’s dropped pass near the end which, had he held, would probably have seen the young centre cross the line and set up a nerve-wracking finish at the RDS. In the first half Robbie Diack could have brought Ulster right back into the match if he had managed to slide in in the corner for a try instead of running into contact.

In the end, coach Mark Anscombe will have to look on the match as another learning curve for his players. They have learnt from last season’s humiliation at Twickenham in the Heineken Cup final as proven by how close this season’s final against Leinster was. But Ulster still have a bit more learning to do, and hopefully this defeat will have given them more of an idea how to win in finals.

However, for all of Ulster’s shortcomings, you have to give Leinster a lot of credit for taking their chances. They only really had two clear cut opportunities and they took both, which in the end was the difference between the two sides. Ulster had their chances as well, but just could not finish them off.

It is what Ulster must aspire to in the next few seasons – a side that features regularly in finals, and wins them. They must match Leinster’s clinical nature in order to get there, and as Anscombe said after the match, they must improve their discipline immensely in order to even stand a chance. Discipline was definitely an area in which Ulster were lacking last Saturday.

So it’s onto next season we go, and Ulster will be in high spirits. The side they will have will be relatively unchanged to that of this season and there will be extra motivation to go one step further having fallen at the final hurdle in both competitions before. Ulster’s problem is not reaching the finals, it’s finishing them off once they’ve got there.

Anscombe needs to gets the guys in shape for another title challenge next season. Ulster are now at the stage where their fans expect finals, and with that comes the expectation for trophies. This side has the belief and plenty of talent to back that up. Eventually they will deliver. All they need is the correct mentality.

Next season will be a big season. After two years of coming so close, but not being able to finish it off, you would think that the 2013/14 season would have to yield a trophy. For all their good play this season Ulster probably deserved a trophy, but sadly, winning the final was just a step beyond them.

Anscombe though will be delighted with his first season in charge of his adopted province. Leading Ulster to another final would have been his aim at the start of the season and he did so in some style. Unfortunately he just could not seal the deal with some silverware in the trophy cabinet at the end of it. In comparison with fellow Kiwi boss Rob Penney at Munster, the former Auckland man definitely had the better debut season.

He will shift his focus to next season. Improvements will need to be made, and Anscombe knows that and has already spoken about it. A man who always says it as it is, he will look to push on from the success of this season and do even better next season. A trophy, whether it be the Heineken Cup or the Pro12, must be the ultimate aim for him and his side next season, and it is fully within their grasp.

Onwards and upwards for the Ulstermen!

Finally, it is great to see that Rory Best has been called up to the British & Irish Lions squad, even if it is at the expense of Dylan Hartley. Even if he wasn’t Warren Gatland’s first choice in his squad, at least he has been given a second chance at getting into the Test squad for the games against Australia.

Gatland himself has said Best has a great chance of making the Test squad, and in many eyes it would be fully deserved. Despite his poor games for Ireland in the Six Nations, Rory is still one of the most consistent performers for both club and country. If he can perform well in the warm-up matches then who knows what might happen.

Go on Rory – give it your all!

http://www.rugbyfancast.com/2013/05/blo ... -at-ulster

[connachtexile]

hooker Nigel Brady teams up with Jeremy Davidson in French Division two side Stade Aurillacois.

I assuming this is in a coaching capacity? Was there ever an official announcement that Brady was leaving/left? You know 'Ulster Rugby would like to thank Nigel Brady for....etc'

[Mac]

Friday 31st May 2013

.............welcome to the Silly Season for the next 8 weeks or so
.....& rather than posting a daily dish of tripe I'll only be doing so when
there is actually something of interest.

Tele

Ulster have power to drive on.................

The late Billy Bremner of Leeds United and Scotland fame entitled his autobiography, 'You Get Nowt for Being Second'.

Fellow-Scot, the late Bill Shankly who made Liverpool a force in football, famously said: "If you are first you are first; if you are second you are nothing."

By those benchmarks, Ulster's just-ended season has been a failure. Indeed, British & Irish Lion Rory Best – how good it feels, finally to be able to write that – admitted as much in the wake of Saturday's RDS defeat by Leinster in the RaboDirect PRO12 final.

"At the start of the season we set out to try and win two competitions and we've won neither. Personally, that's a disappointment," the candid hooker said.

But trophies equals success, no trophies equals failure is too narrow a gauge.

Progress prior to prizes counts, too, surely?

Consider: in 2011-12, Ulster played 22 PRO12 games of which they lost 10. They finished sixth with 56 points, a massive 25 adrift of table-topping Leinster and were nine points shy of Glasgow who claimed the last of the top four places.

In the campaign just ended, Ulster played 24 PRO12 matches, losing five and drawing one.

They finished top of the PRO12 pile and had it been a league-proper rather than one which then – bizarrely – becomes a cup competition, they would have been champions by virtue of their 81-point tally which was three more than runners-up, Leinster, whom they beat home and away.

There can be no disputing that Mark Anscombe's side's performances and results in the PRO12 dwarf those of previous campaigns.

In 2007 the province finished fifth, in 2008 they dropped to ninth and in 2009 and again in 2010 they were eighth. And that was in the days of a 10-clubs race pre-dating the admission of the Italian franchises.

In 2011 Ulster came third, but then were trounced 18-3 by Leinster in the play-off semi-final at the RDS. In 2012 they were sixth.

Against that, they went all the way to last year's Heineken Cup final, then-coach Brian McLaughlin having opted to put all his eggs into the European basket as he knew Ulster simply did not have the squad depth to compete on two fronts.

Ulster Chief Executive Officer Shane Logan's response to 10 PRO12 defeats was: "That is not acceptable."

Thus in guiding his side to that Twickenham showpiece against Leinster on May 19, 2012, McLaughlin did so in the knowledge he would not be in that job when the new season kicked off.

Nevertheless he had put down a huge marker for his successor.

Anscombe's response to the Heineken Cup challenge issued by his predecessor was to lead Ulster to their first-ever win in the competition on French soil en route to topping their pool, another first.

Remarkably, McLaughlin's Class of 2012 had made it right the way through to the final after losing two pool-stage matches and qualifying as eighth seeds.

Their 'reward' was a trip to Limerick to face number one seeds, Munster, at Thomond Park. The 22-16 victory they recorded on April 8, 2012 instantly became the stuff of folklore.

Despite topping Pool Four by virtue of having won five of their six matches, Anscombe's side also found themselves forced to travel for their quarter-final, a 10-9 home defeat by Northampton having marred an otherwise perfect group-stage and condemned Ulster to fifth seeds status.

Saracens, who were fourth, provided the opposition at Twickenham which once again proved to be barren territory.

So, how does sixth in the PRO12 and beaten finalists in the Heineken Cup a la 2012 weigh against runners-up in the former and quarter-final stage fallers in the latter this time round? That is the question.

All things considered, Ulster have a much stronger squad now. That is a plus. In addition to top-class overseas players like Johann Muller, Ruan Pienaar, John Afoa and Nick Williams, young Ulster natives like Paddy Jackson, Luke Marshall, Stuart Olding, Craig Gilroy, Michael Heaney, Iain Henderson, Michael Allen, Callum Black and Ricky Lutton have come through and there are others in the pipeline. It's a work in progress.

Ah, progress? How much has there been? Plenty, in Anscombe's opinion, for despite having finished the season empty-handed, he believes Ulster now are as good as Leinster who ended up with three titles –Amlin Challenge Cup, RaboDirect PRO12 and British & Irish Cup winners.

In making his case the Kiwi turned the clock back 53 weeks to last season's 42-14 Heineken Cup final pasting by Leinster at Twickenham and contrasted that with Saturday's 24-18 PRO12 play-off defeat by the same opponents on their own RDS pitch.

"I wasn't here but I've heard the guys talk about the Heineken Cup and they got cleaned out," he said after Saturday evening's defeat.

"We haven't played brilliantly, we played well in pieces.

But I think we showed that we're the equal of Leinster now," Anscombe stated.

"With the guys that I know are coming back and the injured guys who will be back next year, I take a lot of heart that we can look forward to next year as a province," the coach added.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 07634.html

HAPPY camper...................



BEST...................the OTHER one !!
http://www.rfu.com/news/2013/may/news-a ... gby+union)

[BR]

...
Leinster retain their top seeding, with Ulster and Munster also in the Tier One.

Bit of pro-Leinster spin. Leinster are tier one, but not over-all top seeds.

[rocky]

Incorrect, BR. According to the ERC website:

Reigning Amlin Challenge Cup champions, and three-time Heineken Cup winners, Leinster Rugby, remain at the top of the ERC European rankings, and they are joined in Tier 1 by Toulon, Clermont, Toulouse, Munster Rugby and Ulster Rugby.

[BR]

Incorrect, BR. According to the ERC website:

Reigning Amlin Challenge Cup champions, and three-time Heineken Cup winners, Leinster Rugby, remain at the top of the ERC European rankings, and they are joined in Tier 1 by Toulon, Clermont, Toulouse, Munster Rugby and Ulster Rugby.

Top of ERC rankings does not imply top seed. Nominally the top seed has been the defending champion (JW's RCT in this case). It is of course immaterial to the outcome of the draw, but ERC like to do it that way.

[mikerob]

Incorrect, BR. According to the ERC website:

Reigning Amlin Challenge Cup champions, and three-time Heineken Cup winners, Leinster Rugby, remain at the top of the ERC European rankings, and they are joined in Tier 1 by Toulon, Clermont, Toulouse, Munster Rugby and Ulster Rugby.

Leinster have the most ERC ranking points but when doing the draw, the first team the ERC draw into a group is the HEC winner.

I dunno if this means Toulon are "top seed" as it doesn't matter what group the tier 1 teams are drawn into so being drawn first is just symbolic

[Mac]

Saturday 1st June 2013

Captain Caveman.png (15.4 KiB) Viewed 2679 times

Examiner

Cave emerges from darkness......................

Darren Cave walks into the Morrison Room at Carton House and patiently takes a seat as Simon Zebo’s interviews spills over the allotted time. Cave is in no rush for he knows the line of questioning to come.

In 2009, the Ulster centre made his debut for Ireland against Canada and doubled up on caps a week later against the USA. He was 22 at the time with a burgeoning reputation as a strong tackler and dangerous runner and folk were already sizing him up for Brian O’Driscoll’s jersey.

Four years on and he is feeling a distinct case of déjà vu. O’Driscoll, as was the case back then, is away on Lions duty and so Cave finds himself embarking on another two-Test tour against the Eagles and Canadians with just seven more minutes, thieved in New Zealand last summer, to sustain him since.

“It is interesting being here, in camp and talking about goals and things like that,” said Cave, who departs for Houston, Texas today with the rest of Les Kiss’s party and with Joe Schmidt to follow them out next Friday. “We won both the games on that trip, but I’m not sure if it could be considered an overly successful tour.

“From my personal perspective, if you’d told me at the time that I was only going to play once since then I wouldn’t exactly have been buzzing with excitement. With the new management, there are massive opportunities for everyone to stake a claim. We want to win the games, but people want to be involved with Ireland going forward and that is what people are going to want to show.”

You might imagine that the masters in psychology he earned a few years ago would help him assimilate such disappointment, but Cave doesn’t go along with a lot of what he calls that “mumbo jumbo” and has instead found solace in one-to-ones with some trusted confidantes.

“I’ve a very good relationship with [sports psychologist] Tadhg McIntyre, brother of Donal, who I took the masters with and I had a couple of very good chats with Ronan O’Gara when, maybe, I’d come down to Ireland camp and have been feeling sorry for myself.

“He’s a good one for a quiet word/kick up the bum, you know? At the end of the day, you can feel sorry for yourself and get nowhere or you can keep the head down, keep working hard and when the opportunity comes you take it.”

So, ask Cave what he thought of O’Driscoll’s decision to give one more season to his rugby career after all those ‘One More Year’ chants towards the end of the domestic campaign and the answer is refreshingly honest.

“I wasn’t one of the lads chanting in the RDS anyway! Ach, for me as a professional rugby player, I have just got to control what I can control. I can’t control how long Brian plays for, I can’t control how well he plays.

“I have just got to control my own form. We have a lot of good, young backs at Ulster and I just have to make sure I’m staying ahead of them so I have to focus on my own form and keep my place. If I don’t keep my place there then I can’t kick on.”

It’s a fair point.

Ulster have already unearthed young gems in Stuart Olding and Luke Marshall who ply their trade in the central channels while the likes of Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Craig Gilroy and Jared Payne are perfectly capable of doing a stint there if required.

He admits it hasn’t been easy to watch the Gilroys, Marshalls and Simon Zebos get their opportunities with Ireland while he has sat motionless in the queue behind O’Driscoll who, unusually for him, did not miss a game with Ireland for the next two seasons after Cave’s North American bow.

The Ulster man was injured for most of the second of those two campaigns anyway, but the fates conspired against him again early in 2012 when superb form for his province took him back to the brink of the Six Nations squad before fitness issues again took him down mid-stride.

“Yeah,” he says without much enthusiasm, “the time you are referring to was quite unlucky but Brian has completely dominated that jersey for I don’t know how many years.”

Maybe now, opportunity is preparing to knock. O’Driscoll will spend the next five weeks in Australia while Keith Earls, the man asked to deputise for him five out of the last six times, is recovering from injury. And Cave is by far the most experienced outside-centre of those left standing.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/cave ... 33026.html

MSN Sport

‘We’d love to see him stick around’ – Henry urges Ferris to fight on...................
The emergence of young blindsides Iain Henderson and Peter O’Mahony may see the IRFU balk at his contract demands.

THE MAKE-UP OF the Ireland squad to tour North America in June would lead many to believe that new captain Peter O’Mahony will start the Test matches against the US Eagles and Canada at No. 8.

That leaves Leinster’s obdurate Kevin McLaughlin and Ulster’s versatile Iain Henderson to battle it out for the blindside flanker role. Meanwhile, an Irish player that would have been hoping to be in Australia, with the lions, at the start of the season continues his rehab and wrestles with a career-defining decision.

Stephen Ferris has been out of action since early November and, as a consequence, is in a weakened position when it comes to renegotiating his IRFU [Ulster] contract. Word leaked, as it often does near contract-haggling time, of a lucrative move for Ferris to play rugby in Japan.

As recently as April, Ulster coach Mark Anscombe admitted he was resigned to losing the combative flanker but no word, official or unofficial, has since arrived from the Far East. Ulster and Ireland teammate Chris Henry is eager for Ferris to sign on for another couple of years and help the province go from trophy contenders to winners. Henry told TheScore.ie:

We’d love to see him stick around and I think everyone in the country would feel likewise. He has shown what he can do. He’s a real s[special talent. For a guy who is only 27 years of age, hopefully there's a lot more rugby in him.

He obviously has to look at his options and see how his body is feeling. I don't think even he knows what he is doing for definite yet. He's taking it one day at a time and seeing how his ankle progresses. As an Ulster player - and I'm sure anyone from Ireland would agree - I want him to stay, absolutely."

Henry, a year older than Ferris, is heading off to Houston with the Irish squad tomorrow. Despite his six Test caps, the openside has been around the senior set-up for four years and is seen as an elder statesman in a squad that currently boasts four players aged 21 and under.

“Guys are being thrown into the deep-end a lot sooner but they’re able to cope with it and that’s great to see,” said Henry. “You want guys that are young, enthusiastic and who’ll bring that bit of sharpness. They’ll keep you young, keep you fresh.”

Stuart Olding came through a full training session yesterday and looks set to accompany the squad to America this weekend. If he is fully fit, the 20-year-old will be in line for his debut at inside centre against the US Eagles.

Henry commented, “He’s the one guy for me, of all the Ulster young guns, that has excelled, for me. There’s serious depth in that position and for Stu is to get his chance it would be fantastic.”

http://sport.ie.msn.com/rugby/%E2%80%98 ... o-fight-on

.......former bad boy of rugby
http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/spor ... 622.print/

[Kofi Annan]

That's one fat boy shirt, is Besty using to hide his handles

[Mac]

Sunday 2nd June 2013

A few scraps..............

Times

Munster centre James Downey is a late addition to Ireland’s tour of North America. The 32-year-old Dubliner was brought into last week’s training camp in Carton House as cover for Ulster’s Stuart Olding after the 20-year-old sustained an ankle injury in the Rabo Pro 12 final defeat to Leinster.

Olding passed a fitness test last Thursday but interim Irish head coach Les Kiss deemed it prudent to increase the touring party to 29 players. Downey ran at inside centre all last week and, besides Olding, there wasn’t another natural number 12 in the group.

Ian Madigan recently featured there for Leinster, following injury to Gordon D’Arcy, and against Italy in Rome last March when Luke Marshall was concussed. However, Kiss has stated he wants Madigan and Paddy Jackson to focus on controlling matters from outhalf.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/i ... -1.1414822

Ruan in Boks squad........
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/inte ... boks-squad

Socks..................

JPs Socks.png (188.43 KiB) Viewed 2604 times

[Mac]

Monday 3rd June 2013

Indo

Young guns to duel for deputy's badge.................

WE love few things more in Ireland than a good out-half debate and the latest battle will take further shape here this week .

Unlike Ward v Campbell or Sexton v O'Gara, the clash between Paddy Jackson and Ian Madigan is for the No 22 jersey rather than No 10 at this stage, but both know what is at stake in Houston and Toronto over the next two weeks as Joe Schmidt casts his eye over the Ireland squad for the first time.

With Sexton over in Australia with the Lions, and the focus there with him, this is a chance for both of these young men to make the case for becoming the sheriff's deputy in November.

It is a job that Madigan is well accustomed to after three seasons as back-up at Leinster, while the incumbent Jackson has just gone through a whirlwind 12 months of scrutiny and criticism that few Irish players his age have been subjected to.

Both men were capped for the first time in the Six Nations, but the circumstances surrounding their first appearances were wildly different.

Jackson was pitched in at the deep end against Scotland, with arguably Ireland's greatest fly-half left on the bench, disgruntled, and the cause celebre – Madigan – not in the squad. It didn't go well and Ireland lost.

Madigan, meanwhile, was able to ride the crest of popularity his free-running, try-scoring form allowed him and every time Kidney ignored his candidacy his legend grew.

When he finally made his bow off the bench against France, he ended up playing scrum-half when Conor Murray was sin-binned. A week later he was a centre against Italy.

His performances were good and, given he wasn't playing in his own position, he was beyond reproach.

So, while Madigan was posting pictures of himself in his new cap on Twitter, Jackson was getting it from all angles, just as he had when his Heineken Cup final went south against Leinster last May. 'He stands too deep', 'he can't kick', 'he isn't O'Gara' came the calls.

Yet, when Jackson lined up opposite both Sexton and Madigan in last month's Pro12 final, it was he who shone the brightest with ball in hand, making two telling breaks that would have resulted in tries if it weren't for shocking finishing from Robbie Diack and Isa Nacewa's illegal horse-collar tackle.

Suddenly, the RDS was reminded just why Irish coaches got so excited about the young man who was U-20 captain last year.

Most players his age are confined to British & Irish Cup games and Pro12 outings when the internationals are away, but Jackson has grown up in the glare of the spotlight and, as his friend and Ulster team-mate Chris Henry admits, has been through the mill.

"I've never seen a guy take a game so to heart like Paddy did the Heineken Cup final last year, it took him a long time to get over that and to give his confidence a bump," Henry explained.

"He went through a lot of soul-searching and had to work through some hard times, but his performance in the Rabo final really shone through. He has taken more charge, he's more confident in meetings.

"I thought he was thrown in at the deep end for Ireland and his kicking game at times – well he'd be the first to admit that is something he has had to work on.

"I thought he had a good Six Nations, but, unfortunately he got the brunt for performances.

"In his first cap, everything was on him and if I was his age I don't think I'd have been able to take it.

"He put his head down, did his work and went about his business. He has come into his own and the Pro12 final showed it.

"It wasn't the result we wanted, but he had a great game in the final and that put closure on last year."

While Jackson has struggled, Madigan has flourished. The injury to Sexton that gave Jackson his Ireland chance handed the Leinster man an opportunity to flourish for the province and he finished as their Player of the Year and with the Pro12 Golden Boot award.

IMPRESS

Over the next two weeks, he will bid to impress Schmidt further while vying with Jackson for the back-up slot in November.

Both young men are set to start a game each and, according to Henry, they have been stamping their authority around camp.

"The likes of Madigan and Jacko, who are both young, they're not afraid to speak up," he said.

"They are still learning the game, but, like a quarterback, you need your half-backs to call the shots and step up. It is a young squad and you need lads putting their hands up. The two lads have already done that."

Schmidt won't make his mind up over the next fortnight, but this is a real opportunity for both men to steal a march on the other and how it runs will be one of the key storylines of this tour.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/y ... 15174.html

Ulster players Rory Best and Tommy Bowe have been included in the starting XV for the second match of the British & Irish Lions tour........................
http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/11517.php

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/l ... 15567.html

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/i ... -1.1415650

[Mac]

Tuesday 4th June 2013

Tele

Bowe hails Gatland approach...........................

Ireland wing Tommy Bowe has hailed the winning attitude and mentality of British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland.
Ulster star Bowe was a key performer on the Lions tour of South Africa four years ago, shining as a wing and centre. Few players could have done more with regard to trying to stave off a painful 2-1 series defeat. Bowe is now back for more after recovering from a serious injury earlier this season, and he is impressed with what he has seen.

"My main priority is to get picked in the Test squad, but I want to win. That has been the message from the outset," he said. "Warren is here to do a job, he is here to pick a team that's going to go and win the series. He wants to be 2-0 up (in the series), and I think that is exciting for us as players because he's breeding that confidence into us and I think it is really shining down throughout the squad."

The Lions have already vastly improved on their tour opener four years ago, smashing the Barbarians 59-8 in Hong Kong last Saturday, and Bowe is among the team entrusted with moving things up another level against Western Force on Wednesday.

He was part of a dozen plus group that joined the squad only nine days ago due to play-off final commitments, but he has wasted little time getting among things.

"The last tour we started off quite poorly and it made the guys go and lift the standard in the second game," Bowe added.

"This time around the standard has been set, and it's up to us now who have just come in to take that on and expand on it again. I think I'd say I have been very happy with how we've trained this week."

Bowe, meanwhile, is also backing his Ireland colleague Rob Kearney to keep battling the hamstring injury that has sidelined him on tour so far and given the Lions management cause for concern.

The injury - scans carried out in Hong Kong confirmed it as a grade one tear - means he was the only player among a 37-man squad who could not be considered for tomorrow's game.

"I think he's just disappointed, as you would be," Bowe said. "He wants to be involved and get training and playing. Unfortunately, it's taken a little bit longer than expected. But he has had a super end to the season, he's played some great rugby, he's coming in with lots of confidence and he will get his chance."

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 18876.html

Indo

Bowe straining at leash to make Force impact as Lions wing rival sets the bar high.........................

TOMMY BOWE is determined to pick up the gauntlet thrown down by double try-scorer Alex Cuthbert when he makes his 2013 Lions tour debut against Western Force tomorrow night.

The Ireland winger watched in admiration as Cuthbert touched down twice in the second half against the Barbarians. He didn't need any reminder but it was informative to witness just how tough the competition for Test places will be this year.

"In the last tour we started off quite poorly and it made the guys go and lift the standard in the second game," recalled Bowe (right).

"This time around the standard has been set with the performance against the Barbarians. It's up to us now who have just come in to take that on and expand on it again."

Bowe was one of the standout players on the tour four years ago against South Africa and the experience of losing the series means his priorities and aspirations are very different this time around. He is interested only in being part of a winning tour.

"I was thrilled to be there four years ago, to be picked in the squad. This time my main priority is to get picked in the Test squad again – but a winning Test squad.

"That's been the message from the outset. Warren's here to do a job, to pick a team that will win the series.

"He wants to be 2-0 up and I think that's exciting for us as players because he's breeding that confidence into us. That's really shining through the squad."

Bowe spent a large part of the season worried he would run out of time to prove his fitness after having knee surgery – "I was bricking it," he said – but hopes that his freshness as a result of the lay-off will be in his favour. "I think having missed some of the season will be a huge bonus for a couple of us once we get our match fitness up.

"I've had a good few games under my belt and the other boys have too. As long as you can stay injury free we'll all be staying fresh."

Bowe will be joined by seven of his Ireland team-mates tomorrow night and is especially looking forward to playing alongside half-backs Jonathan Sexton and Conor Murray.

"I think they're a very exciting nine and 10 (pairing) and it's a massive opportunity for the two of them to put their hands up for selection.

"It's their first real opportunity on the tour having played just 20 minutes against the Barbarians, but they're both absolutely world class players.

"The pressure is definitely on when you come into a tough environment like this, especially for those two key spots, but I'm sure they'll put their hands up against the Force."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/l ... 17509.html

Examiner

Revitalised and revved up Bowe is ready to face the Force.......................

Paul O’Connell was not the only Irish player to make a late, injury-hit run onto Warren Gatland’s British & Irish Lions squad.

Fellow former Lion Tommy Bowe was in the same situation having suffered knee ligament damage during his first season back at Ulster after three seasons with the Ospreys in Wales.

The 29-year-old wing’s hopes of selection received a serious setback last December when injury struck during a Heineken Cup pool game against Northampton at Ravenhill and it would be four months before he could return to action, having missed the chance to put himself in the Lions’ shop window during the Six Nations.

Tries in back-to-back games on his comeback for Ulster in April helped his cause, as did a robust cameo in midfield during the Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat to Saracens but Bowe’s selection was still far from given in the Monaghan man’s mind.

“It’s probably the most nervous I’ve very been coming up to a competition or a tournament or anything,” Bowe said of the long wait in the build-up to Gatland’s squad selection on April 30.

“The day the squad was announced, I was bricking it. Having only played two and a half games was not the ideal way to put your hand up for selection but when it was announced I was absolutely delighted.”

Bowe believes that with Dan Lydiate, Richie Gray, O’Connell and Jonny Sexton having experienced similar paths to selection, their lack of gametime this season now becomes an asset to the tourists.

“I think that’ll be a huge bonus for a couple of us. Once we get our match fitness up... as long as you can stay injury free we’ll all be staying fresh.”

The mindset Bowe has coming into this tour, however, as he prepares to face Western Force in Perth tomorrow, has moved on considerably from when he first toured in 2009 and came out on the losing side in a 2-1 series defeat to South Africa.

“I was thrilled to be there, to be picked in the squad,” he said. “This time my main priority is to get picked in the Test squad, but I want to win.

“Warren’s here to pick a team that will win the series. He wants to be 2-0 up and I think that’s exciting for us because he’s breeding that confidence. That’s shining through the squad.”

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/revi ... 33205.html