The UAFC

Rugby folk down here are appalled at the mess Ulster Rugby seems to have become.
But getting in a new Messiah or signing a Saffie or two is not the answer.
i keep on asking it. Why aren't Ulster schools producing the quality product each year, even half what Leinster schools do? Cullen and Lancaster turn up for the first day of pre season training with 5 or 6 quality players awaiting them from schools.

Why can't Ulster get even one decent team into the AIL Division 1A? Anybody who watches the AIL like I do will be able to tell you that Division 1A is half way or more to provincial standard at the moment. We have six of the ten sides in it in our province. That's how Carberry and Porter could make the jump so easily. Barry Daly has gone from playing AIL in Clontarf last year to training with Ireland this week.

Connacht playing without their best players on the high veldt were superbly organized and nearly pulled it off on Saturday. They have the most limited resources of all.

Everyone down here wants Ulster to prosper because it helps drive standards and aids the national team. So get on with it.

Dublin4 wrote:i keep on asking it. Why aren't Ulster schools producing the quality product each year, even half what Leinster schools do?

Good question.

The first (of many) issues is that most schools don't give a sh!t about their pupil's rugby careers after 3pm on 17th March*.

*Actually 19th March this year.

Amen

And some (not all) but a high percentage of that age group feel they have made it if they win the Schools Cup or make the Academy ... a bit of manners and humility slapped about them might get their minds in a better place to actually start learning to play the game rather than thinking they're superstars ... hit Ollies do any cracked plate that throws themselves at you and start a very extensive drinking regeme.

Dublin4 wrote:Rugby folk down here are appalled at the mess Ulster Rugby seems to have become.
But getting in a new Messiah or signing a Saffie or two is not the answer.
i keep on asking it. Why aren't Ulster schools producing the quality product each year, even half what Leinster schools do? Cullen and Lancaster turn up for the first day of pre season training with 5 or 6 quality players awaiting them from schools.

Why can't Ulster get even one decent team into the AIL Division 1A? Anybody who watches the AIL like I do will be able to tell you that Division 1A is half way or more to provincial standard at the moment. We have six of the ten sides in it in our province. That's how Carberry and Porter could make the jump so easily. Barry Daly has gone from playing AIL in Clontarf last year to training with Ireland this week.

Connacht playing without their best players on the high veldt were superbly organized and nearly pulled it off on Saturday. They have the most limited resources of all.

Everyone down here wants Ulster to prosper because it helps drive standards and aids the national team. So get on with it.

We don't have the interest or numbers playing rugby. That said we have a decent crop coming through (hopefully).

You had good u 20s this year. That could be a positive sign.

Dave wrote:

ColinM wrote:I hope the review panel have a good long and honest interview with Jonno, and record it verbatim (not the PSNI type of verbatim)

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Hope they search his house in two weeks time.

They should at least be talking to him.

Bart S wrote:

Snipe Watson wrote:

ColinM wrote:

Snipe Watson wrote:

ColinM wrote:I hope the review panel have a good long and honest interview with Jonno, and record it verbatim (not the PSNI type of verbatim)

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The review will be pointless if conducted by the same incompetent Muppets as the last one.
Get Gibbes' thoughts for sure. I would talk to Doak as well. We need an intervention from head office at this stage, before the whole thing goes down trap 2.

Agreed. In some circles the placement of Kiss here was deemed a favour by D4 but as King has pointed out probably more believably, Kiss was seen as a busted flush in defensive innovation and they offloaded him here to the delight of Logie who had twice scoured the globe. So actually D4 do owe us this, not least because of Kiss but because we are 25% of them and successful Ireland depends on 4 well run provinces.



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The only thing that D4 care about is the Ireland team. As long as we were keeping our heads above water and providing a few players to Ireland they were happy. The way things are now, we are sinking fast. Either Dublin will step in firmly to sort out the mess or they will look west towards Galway as the third province and allow us to flounder.
The problems are all of our own creation, but I cannot see how UR is capable of righting the ship. The muppets suffer from a monumental dose of Dunning Kruger syndrome.

Dunning Kruger - sounds like the name of a crap SA prop with a dodgy ACL

Bet Bryn has wasapped him already.

I have it from them that knows that amongst local shrinks, if they are talking about a client with delusions of grandeur the say, "Shane's on DunKru Street", look at each other knowingly and chuckle. Harsh, but that's ShrinkWorld for you. If any of you are feeling a bit loopy, and need a good head doctor, I know a good bump-reader.

Cornerfleg wrote:Amen

And some (not all) but a high percentage of that age group feel they have made it if they win the Schools Cup or make the Academy ... a bit of manners and humility slapped about them might get their minds in a better place to actually start learning to play the game rather than thinking they're superstars ... hit Ollies do any cracked plate that throws themselves at you and start a very extensive drinking regeme.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... ng-growth/

Maybe our celebs should take note, that if you want to excel it takes a bit of sacrifice.....

Doak signed up as skills coach to Worcester for 2 seasons

I don't think schools are the answer in this day and age.

We need much bigger volumes coming through. The branch needs to promote underage rugby in the clubs, and I mean to the exclusion of the schools. (If a school wants to partner with a club, great). Schools are far too selective (in both academic and rugby terms), we need a strong base of club players coming through. We need to get to a situation where if a 16 year old thinks he may have what it takes to make it in pro rugby (and they all do, let's face it) his best course of action is to get down to a club for some professional coaching.

Without a broader base of young players coming through, rugby in Ulster (both pro and amateur) is unsustainable.

Dublin4 wrote:Rugby folk down here are appalled at the mess Ulster Rugby seems to have become.
But getting in a new Messiah or signing a Saffie or two is not the answer.
i keep on asking it. Why aren't Ulster schools producing the quality product each year, even half what Leinster schools do? Cullen and Lancaster turn up for the first day of pre season training with 5 or 6 quality players awaiting them from schools.

Why can't Ulster get even one decent team into the AIL Division 1A? Anybody who watches the AIL like I do will be able to tell you that Division 1A is half way or more to provincial standard at the moment. We have six of the ten sides in it in our province. That's how Carberry and Porter could make the jump so easily. Barry Daly has gone from playing AIL in Clontarf last year to training with Ireland this week.

Connacht playing without their best players on the high veldt were superbly organized and nearly pulled it off on Saturday. They have the most limited resources of all.

Everyone down here wants Ulster to prosper because it helps drive standards and aids the national team. So get on with it.

Carberry hasn't made the jump
He's simply riding the hype train

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BR wrote:I don't think schools are the answer in this day and age.

We need much bigger volumes coming through. The branch needs to promote underage rugby in the clubs, and I mean to the exclusion of the schools. (If a school wants to partner with a club, great). Schools are far too selective (in both academic and rugby terms), we need a strong base of club players coming through. We need to get to a situation where if a 16 year old thinks he may have what it takes to make it in pro rugby (and they all do, let's face it) his best course of action is to get down to a club for some professional coaching.

Without a broader base of young players coming through, rugby in Ulster (both pro and amateur) is unsustainable.

Getting Banbridge into 1A and supporting them with coaching/investment (not players) would really benefit Ulster

Cracking youth set up there
Turn the place into a regional academy
Load of big burly farmers from the hinterland getting great coaching

Shame we've pished money away on Charlie when we should have invested it in Banbridge (and Hinch)

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Dublin4 wrote:Rugby folk down here are appalled at the mess Ulster Rugby seems to have become.
But getting in a new Messiah or signing a Saffie or two is not the answer.
i keep on asking it. Why aren't Ulster schools producing the quality product each year, even half what Leinster schools do? Cullen and Lancaster turn up for the first day of pre season training with 5 or 6 quality players awaiting them from schools.

Why can't Ulster get even one decent team into the AIL Division 1A? Anybody who watches the AIL like I do will be able to tell you that Division 1A is half way or more to provincial standard at the moment. We have six of the ten sides in it in our province. That's how Carberry and Porter could make the jump so easily. Barry Daly has gone from playing AIL in Clontarf last year to training with Ireland this week.

Connacht playing without their best players on the high veldt were superbly organized and nearly pulled it off on Saturday. They have the most limited resources of all.

Everyone down here wants Ulster to prosper because it helps drive standards and aids the national team. So get on with it.

With maybe 2 Ulster teams vying for promotion to 1A, ask again next season.

A better question is why have the Belfast clubs fallen off a cliff? Other than Malone who are now likely to make into 1B next season.

Ulster schools won the interpro this season for the 1st time since 2005, beating Leinster schools, not once, but twice.

Ulster will probably have between 7-10 players in the Irish U19s this season and a simiar amount (injury permitting) in the Irish 20s side.

Every man and his dog knows that Ulster haven't produced enough players within the past decade, but at least the underage sides are performing much better this season and last season.


Dublin4 - What do you have to say about this!!! The mighty Lienster schools losing twice to us this season!!!

scrum5 wrote:

Cornerfleg wrote:Amen

And some (not all) but a high percentage of that age group feel they have made it if they win the Schools Cup or make the Academy ... a bit of manners and humility slapped about them might get their minds in a better place to actually start learning to play the game rather than thinking they're superstars ... hit Ollies do any cracked plate that throws themselves at you and start a very extensive drinking regeme.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union ... ng-growth/

Maybe our celebs should take note, that if you want to excel it takes a bit of sacrifice.....

Even at his age I wouldn't be against Ulster giving him a 3 year combination contract playing and coaching in the academy showing guys what is needed and can be achieved with work and dedication