6 Nations 2023

[Godots bedpan]

[/quote]Agree with much of what you write although the original post is not a gripe that there are ulster players being overlooked, we are only too aware of our own players limitations. Also disagree that these things are cyclical. That may have been the case in the past but with professionalism and the production line from private Dublin schools that balance has tipped massively towards leinster with no end in sight. Yes we will always get a few very talented players making it from the other provinces but for sheer numbers we can't compete. Telling other provinces to get their academy's in place is a bit galling when leinster are handed 10-15 professional ready players each year without much input required to that point.
[/quote]

There might be 10-15 ready to go proto professionals each season but in fairness to them the Leinster branch do a fair amount of unseen development work in the minis and youths community game as well as in the schools game. Leinster have adopted the GAA model of sending development officers into the primary schools and offering to take the PE classes free of charge– something the GAA have been doing for years. Dont know if that happens in Ulster to the same extent, its never too early for the hearts and minds. Personally think its getting too intense. The flip side of those 10-15 proto professionals is that you also have a lot of guys of 18/19 who are so burnt out after schools senior cup rugby because of the intensity of it all they've completely lost their love of the game and step away from it - a lot never play again. They would have been the backbone of the club game in years gone by. I have one kid in his early 20's who hasn’t touched a ball in anger in 2/3 years & don't see him coming back to it in the future, which is a shame.

Disagree with you and think the balance will shift in time tbh. Coaches can have a huge influence too, look at Bandon Grammar/Bandon RFC when Regis Sonnes was there, suddenly they came from nowhere and both school and club started winning competitions and producing professional players like Coombes and Crowley. That kind of success could be repeated anywhere in the country with the right coaching set up. Know the IRFU not exactly popular around these parts, but they're not loved in Leinster either because of they way they predate on the Leinster academy/squad to resolve issues in the other provinces. Appreciate the point about the volume and that too many players are coming through in Leinster, however the reward for producing players seems to be to lose players / academy prospects to wherever Nucifora perceives there to be a problem in the development pipeline among the other provinces. No system perfect but there are elements to how the IRFU run their business that really hack Leinster fans off too. At the end of the day the primary role of all the provinces is to produce players for the national team, thats how the business model works, but its a long way from perfect.

[allezlesverres]

Sheehan and Murray doubtful for Saturday. I wonder will Andy call up Luke McGrath and John McKee.

It'll be Tom Stewarts fault then if ireland lose. Great to have a ready made scapegoat to hand. Send him in for his first cap, sleg him like mad in the meeja then put him in international exile for 10 years.

[jean valjean]

Herring already the fall guy. If bealam gets folded it will also be his fault.

[CIMANFOREVER]

Herring getting written off by the front row Ladybois, Turnips, GAA and Soccer fans on the 42.ie. what tools
F#cking clueless proles.
Ditto McCloskey versus Akeeeee

[Dharper]

To be fair there’s a lot of ignorance and and total horlix on that forum. I have no issues re RH for Ire…..the tour to Aus showed he was test match quality, despite not getting the recognition he deserved for his performances. The guy is solid in all aspects of his game for me, ire are very lucky to have 3 good test match level hookers ready to go. He’s been in that environment along time now he’ll be good to go.

Sheehan is undoubtedly a loss. The guys trajectory over the last yr has been ridiculous. Keith wood said approx a yr ago, Kelleher is really good and ire best hooker at the Mo, abrasive powerful etc, but Sheehan was the real deal, potentially world class, and would eclipse Kelleher. Sheehan with Kellehers injury has gained that top level exposurE. Sheehan was every bit as good as Doris or VdF on sat, he has ridiculous speed, super footwork, good carrier, good darts, high workrate, and can do the physical work. If there was a lions tour now he’d be on it, and would be playing tests.
Fortunately UR have Tom Stewart he fits into this new athletic mould perfectly, hopefully he’s soaking it all in, and enjoying being in that elite environment.

Interesting to see how Kelleher goes with the darts, it’s a hell of a game to come back from injury from. The guys physicality will certainly be beneficial against that big French pack, hopefully he’s good to go and not too rusty.
I see FR have gone with 6/2 split. Despite missing 4 huge players for Ire (furlong Sheehan jgp henshaw) we still look a decent side, it definitely feels very positive whereas in the past there’d be alot of trepidation.

Hopefully the breakdown is refd strictly: I’d fancy our chances of being relatively clean and getting that ball away, the French will want to slow it all right down, and push the limits. IF IF that goes our way and the scrum holds up, we’re in a great position.

[Dharper]

I can recommend reading the 42 forum if you suffer from low blood pressure-it’ll soon rise. Loads of total horlix opinionated, with no justification behind it other than provincial basis by people who’ve never, or very little experience of playing the game.

[Jetstream]

I can recommend reading the 42 forum if you suffer from low blood pressure-it’ll soon rise. Loads of total horlix opinionated, with no justification behind it other than provincial basis by people who’ve never, or very little experience of playing the game.

Yeah the42 is utter rubbish. Posters such as Jim Dempster who if he had his way there would have 23 Munster men on the team. It usually develops into an argument between Leinster and Munster fans. Connacht and Ulster do not really feature as posters have no respect for either team.
Allied to this the rugby articles are skewed towards Munster snd Leinster. Standard of journalism ( except Kinsella) is very poor. They love a good copy and paste A high number of articles are clickbait.

[mid ulster maestro]

I can recommend reading the 42 forum if you suffer from low blood pressure-it’ll soon rise. Loads of total horlix opinionated, with no justification behind it other than provincial basis by people who’ve never, or very little experience of playing the game.

Sometimes it's like that on here too.

[Dave]

Send baggy in with a shotgun and a bag of clown shoes. Job done.

[jean valjean]

Send baggy in with a shotgun and a bag of clown shoes. Job done.

I would nearly pay to see baggy in the middle of a 42.ie comment section.

[justinr73]

Send baggy in with a shotgun and a bag of clown shoes. Job done.

I would nearly pay to see baggy in the middle of a 42.ie comment section.

You’d have to because it’s going behind a paywall.

Don’t think the 800 character limit would be enough for BT though!

[HwoodMike2umate]

Day 5866 has arrived

[Dave]

Classic French 6N try. Super stuff. A real antidote to the maul up the jumper crap.

[Dave]

Good game this. Some finish by Kiwi James Lowe.

[Dave]

Herring pollaxed. Darcy gutted there is no red.