RSA Tour squad

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Dublin4
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by Dublin4 »

Luke Fitzgerald has had to retire for medical reasons with immediate effect.

I know this will be greeted with delight by some here but in his heyday he had a marvellous talent.
My son had the privilege of playing with him in mini rugby and knowing him in school. He was simply outstanding.
He played for the Lions in 2009 after winning the Grand Slam and I'm afraid it was then all downhill with massive injury problems year after year.
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Russ
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by Russ »

His talent was not for scoring tries
So he was about as useful as the economic opinion of someone from Sunderland

One less central contract dilemma then
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by Rooster »

Russ wrote:His talent was not for scoring tries
So he was about as useful as the economic opinion of someone from Sunderland

One less central contract dilemma then
Sorry the lad has had to retire but think Russ has summed up his career quite well, if he had been an Ulster or Connacht player he would never have got International or Lions caps
“That made me feel very special and underlined to me that Ulster is more than a team, it is a community and a rugby family"
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by BaggyTrousers »

Dublin4 wrote:Luke Fitzgerald has had to retire for medical reasons with immediate effect.

I know this will be greeted with delight by some here but in his heyday he had a marvellous talent.
My son had the privilege of playing with him in mini rugby and knowing him in school. He was simply outstanding.
He played for the Lions in 2009 after winning the Grand Slam and I'm afraid it was then all downhill with massive injury problems year after year.
Delight is entirely the wrong word D4, though the fact that he won't be picked by Old Blues Eyes, Schmidtferbrains is a relief. As I said elsewhere, you don't celebrate a player retiring through injury .........with the possible exception of Dylan Hartley.

I don't share your opinion of his talent, for me he was more often than not an uncoordinated oaf whose feet hands and brain always worked at different speeds. Of course he had natural talent and occasionally something quite spectacular happened ..... very occasionally, but for me he most resembles the likes of wendyballists Yung Lee Sharpe, NIcola Butt, John O'Shea & many more who were feted as Man Utd players but at other clubs were exceedingly modest.

My fondest memory of him will be his yellow card for idiocy at Spanners in April and a close second, Sexton screaming in his face in the same game.

His try against the Argies in the RWC was one of his sublime moments that were almost as rare as hen's teeth, then of course, Quiff, The Dead Kearneys & cowardly match officials made it a pointless if glorious interlude in a shocking defeat for Leinster and a few others. :blueafro:
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Shan
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by Shan »

onefisbetterthan2 wrote:
2 - Best, Cronin, Strauss

5 - Toner, Ryan, Kearney (not Bob or Dave, the talented one)

6 - Stander, O'Mahoney, Ruddock

7 - VDF, Murphy, Henry

8 - Heaslip, O'Brien, Conan
Strauss offers nothing at this level.

Ryan is in decline as far as I can see. Think Kearney will overtake him soon.

O'Mahony, if he returns as good as he was, is first choice.

Tommy O'Donnell may be worth a mention at 7 even if Joe seems to have some issue with him.

Heaslip is a mile clear at 8. I'd have Stander next in line. I think SOB is done.
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Dublin4
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by Dublin4 »

I don't understand how it is claimed here that Leinster managed to get him unfairly selected for the Lions test team in 2009.

I can imagine that we might have had some influence over Declan Kidney picking him at the age of 21 for the Grand Slam team that year. Imagination can stretch that fa,r but the Lions? How is it alleged that Luke was selected for the 2009 Lions test team by W Gatland due to bias and unfairness? Why would Gatland have done that? :scratch:

The truth is that Luke was a phenomenal player being just 19 when he was picked months after leaving Blackrock College in the last match at the old Lansdowne Road. I know memories are fading but he was really a class act in his early 20s before being blighted with serious injuries. I think that might be acknowledged at this time.
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Shan
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by Shan »

Sad news for Luke Fitz. Never good to see guys having to retire for these reasons.
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Shan
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by Shan »

Dublin4 wrote:I don't understand how it is claimed here that Leinster managed to get him unfairly selected for the Lions test team in 2009.
I wouldn't worry about it. There are hundreds of claims made here every year which are not based on reason or evidence. Not unusual for a provincial rugby forum.
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Russ
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by Russ »

If it weren't for his da would he ever have had a cap?
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Shan
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by Shan »

Russ wrote:If it weren't for his da would he ever have had a cap?
Well if his Da had decided to have a w-nk instead he wouldn't even be here. Same goes for all of us. Life eh?
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Russ
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by Russ »

Shan wrote:
Russ wrote:If it weren't for his da would he ever have had a cap?
Well if his Da had decided to have a w-nk instead he wouldn't even be here. Same goes for all of us. Life eh?
Why do you think the greater rugby world calls him fitzwank?
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Shan
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by Shan »

Russ wrote: Why do you think the greater rugby world calls him fitzwank?
If the UAFC is the greater rugby world then the game has more serious issues that I thought.
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Russ
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by Russ »

Shan wrote:
Russ wrote: Why do you think the greater rugby world calls him fitzwank?
If the UAFC is the greater rugby world then the game has more serious issues that I thought.
I've heard kiwis saffas english and scots refer to him as that

Seems his uselessness transends national borders
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by rumncoke »

Doesn't surprise me he has had to many injuries over the years to actual achieve his promise .

Similarly he was unfortunate that the sum of his talents was equal to the sum of his weaknesses and always created a doubt about his status as an International

But hope he enjoys his retirement


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Russ
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Re: RSA Tour squad

Post by Russ »

Ok
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