Information evening

[Russ]

If Payne thinks as himself as a centre he may use those 3 weeks learning how to defend.

Asking the only 13 left in Ireland would be a start

Anscombe Out

[Yoda]

No .........................however,

He also made the comment for the future of the DOR job that Humph was very much a hand on the rear of the tiller, that he was not involved in selection or style of play. He said that we will not rush into things but that there is a feeling that the new DOR will be more hands to the front of the tiller and more involved in coaching. Not quite the words but that was the meaning.

He did say that some decisions need to be taken within the next three weeks, two weeks after the players return to pre-season for then they start rugby rather than fitness work & they need to know what is happening. I took that to mean an interim appointment is a cert.

Good summary and I agree with the bit above - it almost sounded to me that Fit was saying Anscombe was in a lame duck dead man walking position - while we may have been thinking it/knowing it, still a surprise that he went as far as to say it.

Also said that his phone had been non stop from world wide coaches interested in the position - a marked contrast from the last time we recruited.

[Kofi Annan]

No .........................however,

Well say what you like about Fit, he addressed all the current issues head on but you had to listen very carefully to hear a couple of slightly bitter words.

The only mention of bar passes was when one guy asked a question about bringing a guest, not possible according to Fit as they are under pressure by the regulatory body as never before & the last thing we can afford is to have them reduce capacity, if they do that its done in 5% increments so nearly 1000 cut in capacity a go. Approved maximum capacity is 18196.

Anyway, if I remember the issues be spoke on it went like this:

- Humphreys, major shock to Fit, he knew on the Tuesday, he asked Humphreys for time to consider the situation. Gordon Hamilton was on holiday & Fit wanted to consult him as head of the pro game committee. Then Glaws precipitated the whole announcement by threatening to go ahead with their own announcement. He was asked did they offer Humph money to stay, reply " He did not offer us the opportunity to make any offer" Doesn't seem much in written form but I picked up on that as the first sign of irritation. He also of course made a comment about hoping to meet Gloucester before long.

I thought both had discussed about when they would leave their current posts several weeks before , so not that big of a shock

He also said that contrary to popular myth that Humphreys has a 6 month period of notice, is still in place as he has much work to do in relation to contracts and that he will not be released to Glaws until Ulster are happy to agree.

Is that good for UR, is that not a very strained relationship, is that good management or a risk, humph will play the long game and eventually feck Logan over, send him packing now,

He also made the comment for the future of the DOR job that Humph was very much a hand on the rear of the tiller, that he was not involved in selection or style of play. He said that we will not rush into things but that there is a feeling that the new DOR will be more hands to the front of the tiller and more involved in coaching. Not quite the words but that was the meaning.

How long is not rushing in??

He did say that some decisions need to be taken within the next three weeks, two weeks after the players return to pre-season for then they start rugby rather than fitness work & they need to know what is happening. I took that to mean an interim appointment is a cert.

Agreed, probably an unpopular decision

On players he made me convinced that he hangs on every word I write here. He said exactly what I've said about Afoa Muller & Court. Gushing about Johann off course, indeed he said they tried hard to keep him in a coaching capacity and that he hoped that may happen in the future.

Afoa: nice guy, was magnificent for a season and a quarter, mentioned the wife, the deaths of relatives & that he was definitely not the player we had when he arrived. Interestingly he said Afoa has serious ongoing injury issues then said, "oh well that's not our problem any more, that's David Humphreys problem".

Sour cream, more bitch fighting

Muller: he has been playing on pride & commitment this season, could only do about 50% of the training expected, could not lift weights above his head and generally was feck "running on empty".

TC: great servant and very good guy but he is now 34. Black had overtaken him.

On those replacing them, he said they have been irritated to hear that Herbst is 3rd choice at his club, he insisted that he was rated 3rd TH in SA and that both Muller & John Plumtree have assessed Herbst for Ulster & both are extremely positive.

Time will tell, I hope so, and not another bent, someone somewhere rated him!

Muller & Plumtree have similarly assessed Van der Man, Plumtree has coached him & again they were both very very positive.

Totally agree, gonna be a good thing

On "Dave" Murphy they expect a decent player & on Dave Ryan Munster wanted him back apparently but we got him. He mentioned that both Butterworth & Reidy are playing a higher level of rugby than Sean Doyle was when they brought him over. Interesting I thought. He mentioned that Doyle was a good player on slow pitches & mentioned a couple of games but that he was a worry on a fact track.

Now he is a rugby coach!! Or repeating Anscombe

His conclusion was that he doesn't feel we will be weaker than this season for the reasons on Afoa Muller & Court. I've pondered that & its a time will tell job, but I see his reasoning. He also said of the departing players, there were 2 they would have liked to keep, no names of course.

Kingspan: If Ravenhill were retained in the name it would have taken a huge amount out of the deal. Mentioned he finds it hard not to call it Ravenhill but that he hopes fans will try to put the name out of their minds and eventually use Kingspan in fairness to a very good & long term sponsor. Mentioned a lot about the financial standing of Kingspan & said that they are a high end sponsor, most importantly paying in & around what the suggested value that advisors had placed on the naming rights.

Said that both Munster & Leinster have wanted to sell naming rights & haven't come close & that we are one of 4 clubs form 38 in Europe who have managed to attract a sponsor. Didn't specify but when asked if it is possible to sell naming rights for stands that there are two areas where they have agreed a couple of potential sponsorships with Kingspan but though not specific the impression was they won't be big deals.

Leinster were going to sell the naming rights of a stadium they rent?? Really

He said that most sponsorship deals were considerably less than the papers report. Said that the BT sponsorship of Scottish Rugby is nowhere near the reported figure but at least it's much better than the previous shirt sponsorship on Weegies jumpers which he said was with a solar energy company and was worth £1 per year on a three year deal, they took it because they were embarrassed not to have a shirt sponsor.

Capacity, said they still have £1.7 million of work to do on the stadium, large chunk on the Nevin Spene Centre, so it is & has been a building site for more than a year. They intend to "grow into the stadium" starting at 17000 and increase to 18200 over the coming season. Mention that there are several areas where they are still getting staff used to the new equipment. For example the screens have the capability to have the time & score but they haven't had time to get somebody clued in to set it up because so much has been happening. Spoke a few times of "growing into the stadium". Similarly with the PA system.

Really, he really said that and no one challenged him I am sure PIP would pick up how to set up Clock and score board in a day


The pitch, somebody mentioned that Anscombe had been critical. Fit, without using the words, said that he didn't know what he was talking about. Apparently they were unable to do the usual maintenance last summer because it was their big chance to get lots of building done with not having to get the stadium ready for a match. Also there was a huge amount of dust on the pitch and he said they nearly lost the pitch. Doesn't expect problems after the maintenance regime this summer.

I raised the issue of the sub-standard bar service. Said that for the huge amount of the season they had large crowds effectively using a facility intended for about 4-5000 right up until the Leinster game.

Sponsorship of the league - effectively chicken feed, little or no impact.

Will be none

Wages, said there is an intention to match what happens in England & that they are looking to raise maybe £7M more over the next 3 years over planned income ( I assumed the surplus in planned attendance figures (8000 was it?) & much higher in fact to produce the extra) to ensure we are able to do so.

That's as much as I can remember.

Very very warm round of applause for him at the end. He is good at that stuff. Some might say there wasn't a single incisive question all night but perhaps he headed that off by being up front about all the issues when he spoke rather than trying to sell bar passes.

[Mac]

Oh aye.......

.......Young Master Hogg!

He made the approach.........

He paid for his own plane fare over..............

Shane mentioned that we needed all our NIQs etc available
when our own Intl's were away. Said we were interested
but..........I kinda lost Shane there as he started on about LuLu.

.........what was Shane's final word on Hogg and why he didn't arrive ??

[BaggyTrousers]

Sounds like you stole Fits speech Baggy, good report.
Is the 17000 a hoped for crowd or the max they will sell even if the sold out signs are up ?

Just over 17k is the max they will sell at the start of the season, hopefully growing to the full cap of 18,196 by the end.

He opened with an update on Mick Ennis. Said he had a very dicey 6 days and on 2 occasions his family were prepared for the worst but thankfully he is now making encouraging progress although still in a high depoendency unit. Hope that's accurate Baggy!

Now that is the best news of the night Merv, hope he has a full recovery.

Oh dear, how bad is my memory, forgot to mention Mick Ennis, the plastic pitch, Ethel's wee dainties, no bar open so no bar pass bought, the atmosphere against Sarries, actions to be taken against boorish louts.

Payne? I remember every word but hey, it's like this, until he realises he is a crap centre, Payne is dead to me.

Anscombe out

[Kanbei]

Cheers for the updates!

[BuckRogers]

Sounds like you stole Fits speech Baggy, good report.
Is the 17000 a hoped for crowd or the max they will sell even if the sold out signs are up ?

Just over 17k is the max they will sell at the start of the season, hopefully growing to the full cap of 18,196 by the end.

He opened with an update on Mick Ennis. Said he had a very dicey 6 days and on 2 occasions his family were prepared for the worst but thankfully he is now making encouraging progress although still in a high depoendency unit. Hope that's accurate Baggy!

Now that is the best news of the night Merv, hope he has a full recovery.

Oh dear, how bad is my memory, forgot to mention Nick Ennis, the plastic pitch, Ethel's wee dainties, no bar open so no bar pass bought, the atmosphere against Sarries, actions to be taken against boorish louts.

Payne? I remember every word but hey, it's like this, until he realises he is a crap centre, Payne is dead to me.

Anscombe out

Boorish louts? Was he referring to Billy V and Ashton?

What of the plastic pitch.

Fingers crossed on Mick.


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[ruckover]

Fair play to Payne. I still don't see him as a centre (and I doubt I ever will) but if he's putting in a bit of effort to try and make it there then I'll at least give him another chance.

[BaggyTrousers]

Captain for next year........no decision yet.
Did mention Rory and all his exp. Would possibly
be a captain with two or three vice's.

Once again, he has been reading my posts, that is my preferred option and has been since Johann said he was going. Rory must be club captain with vices... that's players, not a drug problem.

[Russ]

Fair play to Payne. I still don't see him as a centre (and I doubt I ever will) but if he's putting in a bit of effort to try and make it there then I'll at least give him another chance.

He needs to be told to fick aff back to 15. Instead of being told, sheer it's ok ta jump in de lagoon

[BaggyTrousers]

Boorish louts? Was he referring to Billy V and Ashton?

What of the plastic pitch.

Fingers crossed on Mick.


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He appeared to be discussing Ulster fans letting the side down, folk throwing things or pishing on other fans. As for Vuniballix if Fit had observed his antics as I did from about 20 metres away he's no man at all if he would have resisted the urge to shoot that b'stard in the bake.

He thought the pre-match & first 5 minutes were exemplary support but what followed thereafter was not good. Funny thing was that although to a small extent it was marginally over the top in a few respects, I thought it was magnificent & I watch Johann on Yachube say that also. Who are you going to believe, Fit or Johann & I? I'd set up a poll but surely that would be a landslide, with Johann on my side I could vanquish any foe.

On the plastic pitch he talked of 70 x 75 metres 4g at Aquinas but said that with the traffic Ravenhill gets, there may be a future consideration on going plastic for he doesn't want to remove the club game from Ravenhill, the home of 35000 rugby players. I'd agree with that, I never got close but my brother & a fair few boys I knew did & I'm pretty sure it was a big thing at the time. It should stay that way.

I have a natural tendency for the natural, so Fit Out if that happens - actually nah, its an area I am not qualified to comment on.

The question of European & World domination was briefly raised and in summary Fit said the big issue was getting in front of Leinster but that just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean we will set our sights any lower. Fair comment I thought.

There were things said that needed a challenge but folk were too keen to get onto other matters and nothing was discussed at too great length and I'd say Fit probably thought he might get a harder time of things.

A good pro at what he does.

I wanted to get a question in on Anscombe's position & whether there could be a wholesale change with a new DOR/Head Coach who does influence selection, tactics, players positional preferences etc. but a halt was called.

[BuckRogers]

Boorish louts? Was he referring to Billy V and Ashton?

What of the plastic pitch.

Fingers crossed on Mick.


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He appeared to be discussing Ulster fans letting the side down, folk throwing things or pishing on other fans. As for Vuniballix if Fit had observed his antics as I did from about 20 metres away he's no man at all if he would have resisted the urge to shoot that b'stard in the bake.

He thought the pre-match & first 5 minutes were exemplary support but what followed thereafter was not good. Funny thing was that although to a small extent it was marginally over the top in a few respects, I thought it was magnificent & I watch Johann on Yachube say that also. Who are you going to believe, Fit or Johann & I? I'd set up a poll but surely that would be a landslide, with Johann on my side I could vanquish any foe.

On the plastic pitch he talked of 70 x 75 metres 4g at Aquinas but said that with the traffic Ravenhill gets, there may be a future consideration on going plastic for he doesn't want to remove the club game from Ravenhill, the home of 35000 rugby players. I'd agree with that, I never got close but my brother & a fair few boys I knew did & I'm pretty sure it was a big thing at the time. It should stay that way.

I have a natural tendency for the natural, so Fit Out if that happens - actually nah, its an area I am not qualified to comment on.

The question of European & World domination was briefly raised and in summary Fit said the big issue was getting in front of Leinster but that just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean we will set our sights any lower. Fair comment I thought.

There were things said that needed a challenge but folk were too keen to get onto other matters and nothing was discussed at too great length and I'd say Fit probably thought he might get a harder time of things.

A good pro at what he does.

I wanted to get a question in on Anscombe's position & whether there could be a wholesale change with a new DOR/Head Coach who does influence selection, tactics, players positional preferences etc. but a halt was called.

Interesting. I witnessed some, relatively, unpleasant behaviour and called some of the culprits on it and they shut up thereafter.

On the whole i wouldn't be too harsh on the crowd. The red card set the tone and coupled with a late kick off and plenty of drink drank by a lot of people it was never going to be civil IMO.

I know for my own part I was less than pleasant in my utterings to Garces as he was leaving the pitch.


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[nonplussed]

we're always going to have some bellends in a crowd of that size, but i think self policing works wonders. I'm a prom veteran, we've had a few minor incidents, but nothing a collective 'wise up you Ashton' doesnt sort.

17k people with much beer and no major incidents...thons a good thing.

[promenader]

Was there a tour of the new private members bars? What are they like?

[rorybestsbigbaldnoggin]

Baggy, Merv - very much appreciated.


Logan really does seem to be a good CE. As Baggy says there is no sign of any 'gotcha' or particularly cutting questions, but there are very few major thinking-fan's issues that Logan doesn't deal with, and deal with as well as he can within his own understandable constraints.