What the Papers Say 2014/2015

[Mac]

Friday 30th May



Henshaw's injury gives Cave chance to flourish

It was the kind of news that arrives with a pop, followed by the exhalation of air. Bubble burst. A hand injury suffered by Robbie Henshaw means he will not get his chance to audition for the role of No 13 in the sequel to Brian O'Driscoll's career.

The main player in the summer tour's storyline has been cruelly removed and much of the intrigue behind the plot goes with him.

The Connacht centre had been carrying a hand injury for the latter part of the season and he aggravated it in training over the past fortnight. Thus, the vacant outside centre slot will be not be filled by either of the men expected to play there at the 2015 World Cup.

This was Henshaw's chance to make the shirt his own before New Zealander Jared Payne naturalises in the autumn, just in time for the November games.

The Athlone native has spent the entire season waiting for this moment, shadowing O'Driscoll through the November internationals and the Six Nations, while only getting seven minutes against Australia as reward.

In the autumn, he was unlucky that the former captain needed games or else, one imagines, he might have been given a good run.

Working within Joe Schmidt's systems for much of the year will benefit him, but there is only so much training he can do; playing against Argentina would have acted as a neat stepping stone from his Connacht form towards seeing off Payne's claims in November.

Current Connacht coach Pat Lam said: "With Robbie, yeah, he's not in the strongest realm (at Connacht), with the strongest players around him at the moment, but those are the things which will keep him in good stead.

"When you're facing adversity all the time, there's only two ways you can go. You can go down or you can grow from it. Facing a challenge brings greatness."

While it is a major blow for Henshaw, it's also a spanner in Schmidt's works as the coach parks year one and moves to the second phase of the Ireland job.

Next year's World Cup looms large at the end of that phase and the New Zealander has not been shy about expressing his frustration around the lack of time he will spend with his players between now and September 19 next year when Ireland kick off their campaign against Canada.

The problem for Schmidt is that beneath O'Driscoll there is not a vast array of outside-centre talent lurking. Thus, the next two weeks represent a window for Darren Cave to make his mark.

Yesterday's news that Schmidt would delay naming a replacement for Henshaw until after the PRO12 final indicates the way he is thinking, with Fergus McFadden and Keith Earls likely to cover Cave on tour.

London Irish-bound centre Eoin Griffin and Leinster's Brendan Macken are next in line from the Emerging Ireland squad, while Gordon D'Arcy and Tommy Bowe are being given the summer off.

For Cave, this is the chance to back up his December comments when he said that his "face doesn't fit" in the Ireland camp.

June is the Ulster centre's time to shine, always has been. This will be the 27-year-old's fourth tour since 2009, when he made his debut against the United States and his four caps since then have all come in the summer.

He has had a fine season, coming in behind Conor Murray on the 'try assist' chart in Europe and looking a threat throughout the season.

Cave spent the spring shadowing O'Driscoll, too, but at this stage of his career, he is in make-or-break territory and he knows it. He'll want to keep Earls and McFadden as far away from that No 13 shirt as possible.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 15772.html



Door opens for Cave as Henshaw forced out

Darren Cave, here scoring Ireland's third try against Canada last year, is at the make-or-break point in his international career and will be determined to grab his opportunity at centre

It was the kind of news that arrives with a pop, followed by the exhalation of air. Bubble burst. A hand injury suffered by Robbie Henshaw means he will not get his chance to audition for the role of No 13 in the sequel to Brian O'Driscoll's career.

The main player in the summer tour's storyline has been cruelly removed and much of the intrigue behind the plot goes with him.

The Connacht centre had been carrying a hand injury for the latter part of the season and he aggravated it in training over the past fortnight. Thus, the vacant outside centre slot will be not be filled by either of the men expected to play there at the 2015 World Cup.

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This was Henshaw's chance to make the shirt his own before New Zealander Jared Payne naturalises in the autumn, just in time for the November games.

The Athlone native has spent the entire season waiting for this moment, shadowing O'Driscoll through the November internationals and the Six Nations, while only getting seven minutes against Australia as reward.

UNLUCKY

In the autumn, he was unlucky that the former captain needed games or else, one imagines, he might have been given a good run against Samoa at least, while in the Six Nations he must also have been close, given O'Driscoll struggled with a calf injury for much of the tournament and was, behind the scenes, considered a major doubt for the last few games.

That experience will stand to him, of course, as will working closely within Joe Schmidt's systems for much of the year, but there is only so much training a young man can do; playing against Argentina would have acted as a neat stepping stone towards seeing off Payne's claims in November.

It would have allowed him to get used to playing outside Johnny Sexton, while also helping him grow accustomed to his role in Les Kiss' defensive system in the Test arena.

While it is a major blow for Henshaw, it's also a spanner in Schmidt's works as the coach parks year one and moves on to the second phase of the Ireland job.

Next year's World Cup looms large at the end of that phase and the New Zealander has not been shy about expressing his frustration around the lack of time he will spend with his players between now and September 19 next year when Ireland kick off their campaign against Canada.

Without Henshaw and Payne for the next fortnight, Schmidt will now have just 12 games in which to gel a new partnership, two of which will be against top class southern hemisphere sides in Australia and South Africa and five will be must-win Six Nations clashes. Apart from these, there will be a clash with Georgia and warm-up games in August next year which never really hit the heights.

The problem for Schmidt is that beneath O'Driscoll there is not a vast array of outside-centre talent lurking. Thus, the next two weeks represent a window for Darren Cave to make his mark.

Yesterday's news that Schmidt would delay naming a replacement for Henshaw until after the Pro12 final indicates the way he is thinking, with Fergus McFadden and Keith Earls likely to cover Cave on tour. London Irish-bound centre Eoin Griffin and Leinster's Brendan Macken are next in line from the Emerging Ireland squad, while Gordon D'Arcy and Tommy Bowe are being given the summer off.

Schmidt will be praying McFadden, who has had his fair share of injuries this season, can come through unscathed and could then add an additional back-three player to the ranks, with Andrew Conway and Craig Gilroy having been involved in Ireland training last weekend when no specialist No 13 was involved.

For Cave, this is the chance to back up his December comments when he raised his head above the parapet and voiced concerns that his "face doesn't fit" in Ireland camp.

June is the Ulster centre's time to shine, always has been. This will be the 27-year-old's fourth tour since 2009 when he made his debut against the United States and his four caps since then have all come in the summer.

He has had a fine season, coming in behind Conor Murray on the 'try assist' chart in Europe and looking a threat throughout the season.

Cave spent the spring shadowing O'Driscoll, too, but at this stage of his career, he is in make-or-break territory and he knows it. He'll want to keep Earls and McFadden as far away from that No 13 shirt as possible.

Henshaw will come back into the fold next season, by which time Payne will, under IRB rules, have become 'Irish' after his three years in Belfast.

WAITING

For a young man, he has played a waiting game, but perhaps he should heed the words of his current coach, Pat Lam, who compared his mental toughness to that of Jonny Wilkinson earlier this month.

"All of the people we admire in the world, it's their ability to overcome adversity that we respect, it's where you've come from," the former Samoan international said.

"With Robbie, yeah, he's not in the strongest realm (at Connacht), with the strongest players around him at the moment, but those are the things which will keep him in good stead.

"Sometimes when it's too easy, when it's sheltered, I've seen players that, once it gets too hard, they struggle.

"When you're facing adversity all the time, there's only two ways you can go. You can go down or you can grow from it. Facing a challenge is what brings about greatness."

Following O'Driscoll was never going to be easy, either is replacing him. The cards have been dealt and it is up to the contenders to react.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/d ... 16046.html



Hand ligament damage rules Robbie Henshaw out of Argentina tour
Craig Gilroy or Andrew Conway the most likely candidates to profit from the Athlone prodigy’s misfortune

Unearthing the actor to follow Laurence Olivier as Richard III was not fraught with such inconvenience. Robbie Henshaw’s withdrawal from the Ireland squad that departs for Argentina on Sunday, due to damaged hand ligaments that require surgery, spoils an eagerly anticipated audition.

In 2007 the Ireland under-20s captured a grand slam, with Darren Cave nudging Keith Earls onto the wing. That pair will covet the 13 jersey against the Pumas as Gordon D’Arcy and Tommy Bowe spend the summer mending their ageing limbs while Jared Payne is ineligible until November.

That should mean Henshaw’s replacement on tour will not be an outside centre. Brendan Macken and Eoin Griffin would beg to differ. Both natural outside centres, they are due in Romania with the Emerging Ireland group, making Craig Gilroy or Andrew Conway more likely candidates to profit from the Athlone prodigy’s misfortune.

“Robbie sustained the injury earlier in the season and it had not limited his ability to train or play,” said the IRFU, before adding: “He exacerbated the injury in training this week and further specialist advice has recommended that surgical repair of the damaged ligaments should not be delayed further.”

Doubts festered
It’s no secret that Joe Schmidt has been priming the Athlone prodigy to become Brian O’Driscoll’s long-term successor, as seen when doubts festered over O’Driscoll’s fitness last November. The veteran shadowed Henshaw in training as Schmidt endeavoured to have him switch permanently from fullback to centre.

Henshaw got a brief taste of how difficult the job is against the Wallabies. On return to Connacht he wore 15 again but the arrival of All Black centurion Mils Muliaina, coupled with Griffin’s move to London Irish, should see Henshaw play regularly in the centre.

At 6ft 3ins and 15 and a half stone, he certainly offers a more physical option in Ireland’s midfield. But that’s of no value to Schmidt this summer.

It does provide a massive opportunity for Cave, who will come under enormous pressure to retain the 13 jersey in Ulster next season from Payne, especially considering the province is actively seeking to sign a fullback, possibly Scotland’s Stuart Hogg.

Dress rehearsals
It makes the Argentina Tests, on June 7th and 14th, more like dress rehearsals as come November the battle to succeed O’Driscoll looks set to be between D’Arcy, Payne and Henshaw.

Unless Earls muscles his way into the debate. Fergus McFadden can provide cover but, like Earls, his reputation has been enhanced as a winger.

Same can be said about Bowe and Luke Fitzgerald.

At least there are options. Just not in South America.

Any concern about Henshaw’s injury creating a weakness at fullback can be dismissed as Rob Kearney, Felix Jones, Simon Zebo and Ian Madigan are all touring.

The player that replaces Henshaw, who turns 21 on June 12th, will probably not be announced until after tomorrow’s Pro12 final, which injury-permitting will see 10 Leinster players flying out of Dublin the following day.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/i ... -1.1814197


OTHER



The rise and fall of Stuart Hogg

British and Irish Lions full-back Stuart Hogg is set to miss out on Glasgow's PRO12 Final; where did things go off the rails?

If Scottish rugby's well-oiled rumour mill is to be believed, and Friday's Glasgow Warriors matchday squad for this weekend's PRO12 Final in Dublin is indeed minus the moniker of a certain "S. Hogg", the steady wagging of tongues and not-so-discreet whispering will surely reach a crescendo.

It will mark the second truly massive fixture for the club in as many weeks their poster boy has been left out of, without injury or suspension, after he was omitted from the 23 that toppled Munster in a thrilling Scotstoun semi-final.

Those beyond Scottish borders, less familiar with the intricacies of Glasgow's squad and their season to date are right to raise eyebrows or offer the odd expletive-laden expression of incredulity as the team sheets are read out, and one conspicuous absence follows another.

After all, Stuart Hogg is Scotland's only good player, right? The only penetrative back capable of beating tacklers, embarking on scything broken-field runs, bringing the Murrayfield crowd to its feet and scoring the tries the nation has been starved of for over a decade? Well, except for that big Dutch bloke anyway.

I, for one, don't buy it.

"Hoggy" is the most talented rugby player north of Hadrian's Wall; not to mention that rarest of beasts in the Scottish pro-era, a British and Irish Lion, and a gamebreaker for club and country.

To leave him out of the biggest game of the season would, a year ago, have been due cause for Townsend to undergo rigorous testing for recreational narcotics, such was the importance of his enigmatic fulcrum.

Hogg lit up the Six Nations with swashbuckling solo tries against England and Italy in 2013, scored for fun as the Warriors again reached the playoffs, and as recently as Boxing Day, followed up a smart kick to down inter-city rivals Edinburgh at Murrayfield.

His tour of Australia with the composite side was a bit of a mixed bag, where he featured most prominently in what is probably his third-best position at fly-half, and in one of the provincial fixtures in particular, teamed up with a set of midfielders he had barely shaken hands with 48 hours previous.

But that was then and this is now. Townsend has done without Hogg through international duty and suspension for large chunks of the Warriors' domestic campaign, and in his stead, the dependable if unspectacular Peter Murchie has excelled in some of the team's most impressive results.

If the head coach, perhaps the most recent product of his country to match or even better Hogg for sheer God-given talent, reckons his side can lift the trophy without him, then the supporters ought to trust their man. Queries should be raised, but directed towards the player and his attitude rather than the decisions of the head coach.

For Townsend is an astute tactician and one who, not so long ago, assumed the mantle now borne by Hogg of Scottish rugby's golden boy. In the latter stages of his career, as John Leslie and Alan Tait exited stage left, he often appeared foolish on the field so far ahead was he of the sea of midfield mediocrity that swamped him.

Hogg is faced with an altogether different landscape to negotiate. No-one doubts he has the potential to become a great of the game, and one beyond the confines of his homeland at that. With a set of talented young backs - the likes of Finn Russell, Matt Scott, Mark Bennett and Alex Dunbar - now emerging on the scene, there are reasons to be cheerful for Scottish fans who are painfully accustomed to their side finishing games with a points tally divisible by three.

It is perhaps the case that too much pressure has been placed too soon upon his still 21-year-old shoulders, causing the stoic expression best observed in those who hail from the Scottish Borders to crack a little, and reveal the turbulence that lies within.

Certainly, there is evidence he can be got at by opponents, riled up and rendered a liability on the pitch. Crestfallen though he appeared after a rush of blood led to a sending off in Cardiff on the final day of the Six Nations, there is a strong argument that in games such as that Munster showdown, where the stakes are high, the intensity approaching Test-level, and the rugby punctuated by bouts of needle and handbags, it is almost wiser to leave him on the sidelines than risk a game-altering flash of scarlet.

Townsend may feel, rightly or wrongly, that the player is surplus to requirements, and the apparently covert meetings with Ulster representatives that have been plastered all over the Irish press this week do appear to bear substance.

Hogg is good enough to thrive wherever he plays, and though dispensing with his services altogether seems drastic; the Scots who will be left pondering his departure ought to be fervently hoping a move across the Irish Sea offers a fresh outlook and a new lease of life to the man billed as "Scotland's Saviour".

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,2588 ... 50,00.html



Stuart Hogg’s final omission paves way for him to leave Glasgow

Stuart Hogg’s complete omission from Glasgow’s matchday squad for the RaboDirect PRO12 final this weekend points fairly clearly to his exit from the Scottish club this summer.

It is Glasgow’s first appearance in the tournament’s showpiece event and undoubtedly one of the biggest games in their history, and yet arguably their best, and certainly most well-known, player is absent from the squad. Not just the starting XV, but the squad all together.

Clearly something is not right behind the scenes, which will not exactly thrill potential suitors. This is, of course, nothing more than speculation, but the fact that Glasgow would rather leave him out of the squad, to the clear detriment of their chances of victory, than use him, does not exactly paint him in a great light – he must have irrevocably burnt some bridges.

That said, he will not struggle to find employment after impressing on the international stage for both Scotland and the Lions in recent years.

He is being heavily linked with Ulster in the Northern Irish media, after allegedly meeting David Humphries and Mark Anscombe in Belfast last month. He also discovered a couple of years ago that he was related to Northern Irish legend George Best, who grew up close to Ravenhill.

Of course whenever a world-class talent like this is on the market, the French clubs will not be far away. Clermont and Toulon have signed Nick Abendanon and Leigh Halfpenny respectively, however, which essentially rules them out, while Saracens are also reported to be monitoring him from the Aviva Premiership.

Whatever happens, negotiations will need to take place with his current employers the Scottish Rugby Football Union, as he still has a year to run on his contract. But the fact that he is not involved this weekend with Glasgow means that they clearly do not see a future for him at the club, so do not be surprised to see him playing in different colours – most likely Ulster’s – next season.

http://www.therugbyblog.com/stuart-hogg ... ve-glasgow

[Mac]

Friday 30th May


PART II





Louis Ludik to join Ulster Rugby

South African fullback, Louis Ludik, has agreed a two-year deal to join Ulster Rugby.

The 27 year-old former Sharks and Golden Lions back has played 76 Super Rugby matches and joins Ulster Rugby from French Pro D2 side Agen.

He won two Currie Cups in his three-year spell with the Sharks and was included in the Springboks training squad in 2008.

Speaking about his decision to join Ulster Rugby, Ludik said: “When I heard that there might be a chance to join Ulster I was very excited as it is a Province with a great history and proud fans.

“I watched a few Ulster games this season and I was really impressed by the passion and character that the team showed. The Ulster backline is packed full of top international players and it will be a challenge for me to try and break into the team.

“However, driving yourself to be better is what top-class rugby is all about and I hope that with hard work and determination that I will be able to play a big role for Ulster over the next two seasons.”

Ulster’s Director of Rugby, David Humphreys added: “With an increasing number of Ulster players involved in the Ireland international set-up it is important for us to continue to build a squad with strength in depth in all positions.

“Louis, as our final Non Irish Eligible signing for 2014/15 season, will add quality and provide experience to our young backline and his experience of Northern Hemisphere rugby in France over the past season means he is well prepared for the challenges of European rugby.

“We look forward to welcoming Louis and Chamé to Belfast and, as with many of our overseas players, look forward to watching him make an impact both on and off the field in Ulster.”

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/News/LatestN ... ugby-.aspx


Taggart to start in Junior World Cup Opener

Ulster’s Frank Taggart will start for Ireland in the opening match of the Junior World Cup, against France, in the QBE Stadium in Auckland.

UL Bohemians’ Jack O’Donoghoe captain’s the side for the first time and there are two uncapped players in the starting XV – Galwegians’ Ciaran Gaffney on the wing and Terenure’s Craig Trenier in the front row.

There are five uncapped players on the bench UCD’s Dylan Donnellan and Billy Dardis, Cork Con duo Darragh Moloney and Ryan Foley and Young Munster’s Diarmuid Dee.

Ireland will play Wales in Pukekohe on Friday 6th June before returning to Auckland to play Fiji on Tuesday 10th June.

PwC IRELAND U20 v France – JWC2014 Pool B

15. Cian Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)
14. Ciaran Gaffney (Galwegians/Connacht) *
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)
12. Dan Goggin (Young Munster/Munster)
11. Ian Fitzpatrick (Lansdowne/Leinster)
10. Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
9. Nick McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)

1. Peter Dooley (Lansdowne/Leinster)
2. Max Abbott (Cork Constitution/Munster)
3. Craig Trenier (Terenure/Leinster) *
4. Stephen Gardiner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
5. Ross Molony (UCD/Leinster)
6. Peadar Timmins (UCD/Leinster)
7. Frankie Taggart (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
8. Jack O’ Donoghue (UL Bohemians/Munster) capt

Replacements

16. Dylan Donnellan (UCD/Leinster) *
17. Denis Coulson (Lansdowne/Leinster)
18. Rory Burke (Cork Constitution/Munster)
19. Darragh Moloney (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
20. Diarmaid Dee (Young Munster/Munster) *
21. Ryan Foley (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
22. Conor McKeon (Lansdowne/Leinster)
23. Billy Dardis (UCD/Leinster) *

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/News/LatestN ... ener-.aspx



Ludik heading to Ulster

South African full-back, Louis Ludik, has agreed a two-year deal to join Ulster in the Pro12 from ProD2 French side Agen.

The 27-year-old former Sharks and Golden Lions back has played 76 Super Rugby matches.

He won two Currie Cups in his three-year spell with the Sharks and was included in the Springboks training squad in 2008.

"When I heard that there might be a chance to join Ulster I was very excited as it is a province with a great history and proud fans," said Ludik.

"I watched a few Ulster games this season and I was really impressed by the passion and character that the team showed. The Ulster backline is packed full of top international players and it will be a challenge for me to try and break into the team.

"However, driving yourself to be better is what top-class rugby is all about and I hope that with hard work and determination that I will be able to play a big role for Ulster over the next two seasons."

"With an increasing number of Ulster players involved in the Ireland international set-up it is important for us to continue to build a squad with strength in depth in all positions," said Ulster's director of rugby, David Humphreys.

"Louis, as our final Non Irish Eligible signing for 2014/15 season, will add quality and provide experience to our young backline and his experience of Northern Hemisphere rugby in France over the past season means he is well prepared for the challenges of European rugby.

"We look forward to welcoming Louis and Chamé to Belfast and, as with many of our overseas players, look forward to watching him make an impact both on and off the field in Ulster."

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,2588 ... 33,00.html



Ulster switch for Ludik

South African full-back, Louis Ludik, has agreed a two-year deal to join Ulster in the Pro12 from ProD2 French side Agen.

The 27-year-old former Sharks and Golden Lions back has played 76 Super Rugby matches.

He won two Currie Cups in his three-year spell with the Sharks and was included in the Springboks training squad in 2008.

"When I heard that there might be a chance to join Ulster I was very excited as it is a province with a great history and proud fans," said Ludik.

"I watched a few Ulster games this season and I was really impressed by the passion and character that the team showed. The Ulster backline is packed full of top international players and it will be a challenge for me to try and break into the team.

"However, driving yourself to be better is what top-class rugby is all about and I hope that with hard work and determination that I will be able to play a big role for Ulster over the next two seasons."

"With an increasing number of Ulster players involved in the Ireland international set-up it is important for us to continue to build a squad with strength in depth in all positions," said Ulster's director of rugby, David Humphreys.

"Louis, as our final Non Irish Eligible signing for 2014/15 season, will add quality and provide experience to our young backline and his experience of Northern Hemisphere rugby in France over the past season means he is well prepared for the challenges of European rugby.

"We look forward to welcoming Louis and Chamé to Belfast and, as with many of our overseas players, look forward to watching him make an impact both on and off the field in Ulster."

http://www.sarugby.com/news.cfm?newsid=25904

[Mac]

Saturday 31th May


Hasta la vista BOD




Third Springbok bound for Ulster
Capture of Ludik completes Ravenhill's non-Irish quota

Ulster supporters are hoping that the capture of Louis Ludik will plug one of the sizeable gaps following the loss of a dozen players.

But if there are to be any more signings, they will have to be of the Irish-qualified variety for Ludik's signing completes Ulster's non-Irish-eligible quota for 2014-15.

Ludik is the third South African to have enlisted for next season, the others being 31-year-old Springboks lock, Franco Van der Merwe, and 25-year-old tight-head Wiehahn Herbst, the pair recruited to replace now-retired Johann Muller and Gloucester-bound John Afoa.

Ruan Pienaar and Nick Williams are Ulster's other overseas players for 2014-15.

The signature of the 27-year-old South African – as forecast in Thursday's Belfast Telegraph – may go some way towards allaying fans' serious concerns over the loss of so many key players. In addition to Afoa, Tom Court, Sean Doyle, James McKinney, Adam Macklin, Niall Annett, David McIlwaine, Chris Farrell and Ian Porter have moved on, while captain Muller, Paddy Wallace and Chris Cochrane have retired.

In addition, it is feared Stephen Ferris may be forced to quit as a result of the serious ankle injury he suffered in November 2012. A surgeon's verdict on his situation is imminent.

The province's senior management personnel are scheduled to meet members of the Ulster Rugby Supporters' Club for a Q&A evening in early June and among the issues those fans wish to raise are the policy on replacements and the system for nurturing home-grown talent which now has become another concern.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 18085.html


Tour is Darren Cave's final chance to impress Schmidt: Quinlan

Running out of time: Darren Cave hoping to be Ireland's next No 13

Alan Quinlan believes the summer tour to Argentina is Darren Cave's last chance to stake a real claim to become Brian O'Driscoll's successor in the Ireland No 13 jersey.

Injury to Robbie Henshaw has cleared the way for the Ulster centre to audition for the role on the two-Test tour as he remains the only natural outside centre in the squad.

Joe Schmidt may still bring in a back-up player, with Quinlan calling for the inclusion of Leinster's Noel Reid or Ulster's Michael Allen, but cover for Cave is likely to be provided by Keith Earls or Fergus McFadden.

Cave's five caps so far have come on summer tours.

He complained last December that his "face doesn't fit" with Irish selectors.

However, the 27-year-old, who was part of the extended Six Nations squad, now has an opportunity to impress Schmidt in Argentina and Quinlan believes he won't get a better one.

"Yeah, it is," the former Munster flanker replied when asked is it now or never for Cave. "He's got to step up now and take hold.

"You can never say, but from my own experience, I was on the edge of the squad a good few times and you get opportunities and get injuries.

"Darren Cave has had a few setbacks with injuries and disappointments. It's a great opportunity for him. He's got to perform now, not just in the matches but in training, and be a leader and show Joe Schmidt.

"I'm a fan of quality training as well, and having a close look at guys and the little things that they can do in training sessions. So it's time for him and an opportunity if he gets to start. But he's got to show hunger to want that and deliver a performance. If he wants to play international rugby he's got to do something on this tour."

Schmidt's options at outside centre will broaden next season when Jared Payne qualifies through residency and Henshaw and Tommy Bowe return from injury.

O'Driscoll retires after tonight's Pro12 final as Leinster take on Glasgow, but Quinlan does not believe he will leave as big a void as once feared.

"I mean this respectfully to the guy, but I think over the last year he became more normal," he said.

"He wasn't hitting the same heights, making all of those clean line breaks and breaking the gainline all the time. I think he had to adapt and change his game, like a lot of players have to do in their 30s when they have lost that yard of pace maybe, especially for a back.

"So, yeah, preparation for life without Brian O'Driscoll started a year and a half ago even, maybe two years at Leinster."

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 17986.html



Quinlan surprised by Sexton’s inclusion

Former Ireland flanker Alan Quinlan has spoken of his surprise at the decision to bring Jonathan Sexton on tour to Argentina and expressed hope that Joe Schmidt wraps his fly-half in kid gloves for the duration.

Sexton’s workload between Ireland and Racing Metro duties might have lessened after Christmas, but the season in general was one long and demanding campaign for a player who was used to being used more sparingly while at Leinster.

“I’m not sure I would have brought him on tour,” said Quinlan at an event yesterday to promote Sky Sports’ coverage of the two Tests. “I’d have wrapped him up in cotton wool and given him a long summer off myself.

“I’d certainly be taking him off in both matches if the opportunity presents itself, if Ireland are going well. I’m sure that might happen.”

Ian Madigan’s demotion to the Emerging Ireland squad was the main headline from Schmidt’s initial squad but the Leinster 10, who starts behind Jimmy Gopperth on the bench for tonight’s PRO12 final, is certain to see game-time in Argentina.

How much and where remains to be seen.

“I’d probably like to see him at 12 for a game,” said Paul Wallace. “He needs to start playing a bit more for Leinster at 10.

“Gopperth’s an excellent player, but long-term for Leinster … Madigan is the guy and people just have to be patient.

“I remember not so long ago, people talking about Jonny Sexton not being able to manage a game properly.”

With Brian O’Driscoll now a former international, much of the focus this month will be on who makes the first move to replace the great man in the 13 jersey, especially with Connacht’s heir apparent Robbie Henshaw unavailable through injury.

Jared Payne is another believed to be towards the front of the queue but the Ulster player is not Ireland-qualified just yet which leaves the door open for his club counterpart Darren Cave and Quinlan believes it is now or never for the 27-year-old.

“He’s got to step up now and take hold. From my own experience, I was on the edge of the squad a good few times and you get opportunities and injuries. It’s a great opportunity for him. He’s got to perform now.” Fergus McFadden and Keith Earls will also be available to feature at 13 should the need arise but, whoever fills the jersey will be facing a less daunting task than would have been the case a few short years ago.

“I mean this respectfully to the guy, but I think over the last year he became more normal,” said Quinlan.

“He wasn’t hitting the same heights, making all of those clean line breaks and breaking the gainline all the time.

“He had to adapt and change his game like a lot of players have to do in their 30s when they have lost that yard of pace maybe, especially for a back. So, yeah, preparation for life without Brian O’Driscoll started a year and a half ago even, maybe two years at Leinster.”

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugb ... 70581.html


HEC Dr...........oops.....RCC Draw



Rugby’s European Champions Cup draw to take place on June 10th
Draw for Challenge Cup will also be carried out in Switzerland

The draw for the pool stages of the inaugural European Rugby Champions Cup will take place on June 10th. The newly-formed European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) confirmed this afternoon that the draw will be staged in Switzerland, the new headquarters of European rugby, at Stade de la Maladiere in Neuchâtel.

The opening stages of the new Challenge Cup will also be decided on the day.

Leinster, Munster and Ulster will be in the main draw, while Connacht will be in the pot for the Challenge Cup.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/h ... -1.1815477

[Mac]

Monday 2nd June



No chance of swoop for Payne, insists Blues boss

Ulster's Jared Payne will not be making the move south to Leinster, according to Matt O'Connor.

Matt O'Connor has categorically denied that Leinster are trying to lure Jared Payne south despite persistent rumours that the New Zealander could join from Ulster this summer.

Seen by many as the front-runner to succeed Brian O'Driscoll in the Ireland No 13 jersey when he becomes Irish-qualified in the autumn, Payne has two years left on his contract at Ravenhill, but murmurings about a move have refused to go away.

O'Connor admitted he is actively pursuing a replacement to fill the vacant slot at outside centre from outside the province, but Leinster are on record as saying the pre-World Cup market is a difficult one in which to shop.



Within the squad, the Australian has the capacity to shift Gordon D'Arcy out one and bring in Ian Madigan or Noel Reid, while Fergus McFadden, Brendan Macken, Collie O'Shea and Zane Kirchner are other options.

However, O'Connor firmly denied the notion that Payne would be making the switch from Belfast to Dublin to join the Pro12 champions.

"No, he's contracted, I think he's got a two-year deal up there," he said.

"We're looking at options all the time, it's important that we get the fit right culturally. It's an important slot – the No 13 jersey has been an iconic jersey for Leinster for a long time.

"We need to make sure we get the fit right and as soon as we have got that slotted, if that's an outside body, you'll be the first to know.

"I'd love to bring in five or six but that's never going to happen. I'm arguing with the IRFU every day to make sure we can win Europe, whether it happens or not I don't know."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/n ... 21206.html

[Mac]

Tuesday 3rd June



Paddy Wallace giving back to game he loves

Looking ahead: Paddy Wallace says Ulster’s future is in good shape

After a record 189 appearances for Ulster plus 30 in the green of Ireland, now-retired Paddy Wallace is looking forward to taking rugby to pastures new.

With birthday number 35 now just two months off, the 2009 Grand Slam winner has fixed his sights on introducing the game to youngsters from a non-rugby background.

"I've set up an academy," he explains. "Phase One will be rugby camps over a period of five weeks during the summer in five different locations.

"Hopefully that will be a success and a springboard to perhaps bringing rugby into non-traditional rugby schools packaged in a way that I can visit schools and maybe spend two hours there promoting rugby, the benefits of rugby, the life-skills that you learn from playing it and obviously the rugby itself, the coaching aspect and getting a ball into kids' hands and having fun with it as well."

At this stage it is independent of a not-dissimilar Ulster Rugby-run venture, but Wallace hopes that rather than being seen as a conflict of interests, the two will instead complement one another for the overall benefit of the game in the province.

"Ulster Rugby want rugby to grow; they want more people out there playing it and this is a benefit to Ulster Rugby at the end of the day. Hopefully we can work in conjunction and help each other in the growing of the game," he says.

Wallace has no doubts that Ulster are in much better shape now than when he joined. He smiles as he recalls his first pre-season in 1998.

"While I was down at UCD playing my rugby I would come up every summer and do the pre-seasons. It was almost like guesswork back then in terms of the strength and conditioning side of it and the training methods. Now it's very, very scientific," he says.

"The club itself is being run on a much more professional level. The marketing side of it is much more professional. I feel we're getting value from our commercial departments because it's probably the biggest ticket in town in terms of support in Ulster.

"I felt it had been that way for a number of years and I didn't think it was being sold appropriately. Now I think we're realising our value as a brand; we're being marketed in the right way now and I think it can only improve."

And hand in hand with that, he is delighted not only at how the all-new Ravenhill looks but at the wisdom of having waited to develop it.

"I think Ulster Rugby could have maybe done this five years ago. I think it had the support, in terms of the fan base behind it to do it," he says.

"But I completely understand why we held off and waited for the government money to come through.

"We're in such a strong position now as a club where we don't have the debt of the stadium to pay for so we can obviously afford to keep recruiting hopefully – within the restrictions of the IRFU – the best players to play at Ulster and be successful."

Trophies were few and far between in his time as an Ulster player – the Celtic Cup in 2003 and the Magners League in 2006 – but in Wallace's opinion, silverware alone is an unsatisfactory measure of well-being.

"You can count trophies to mark your success but I think to be consistently at the top of the table coming out of Europe is a good indication of the success Ulster have had in the last four years," he reasons.

"It took me 10 years to get out of my group at Ulster and it was one of the highlights of my career, still, getting to a quarter-final against Northampton.

"We competed very strongly and could have actually won under Brian (McLaughlin).

"So there have been many good times and I can appreciate them because of those barren years when things weren't so good.

"But we're through that now. We have a stadium with a capacity of 18,000 that's selling out week in, week out and that is going to generate the resources to go out and get – or keep – the likes of Ruan (Pienaar) and hopefully replace guys like Tom (Court) and John (Afoa) who are moving on.

"And as long as the Academy keeps producing stars like Jacko (Paddy Jackson), Luke Marshall and Craig Gilroy and Iain Henderson then the club's going to be in really good shape for the foreseeable future I hope."

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 22679.html



Ambitious Cave can step up to fill O'Driscoll void – Kiss

Ireland's defence coach says Darren Cave may have the first shot at stepping into Brian O'Driscoll's shoes at 13

Year zero, life after BOD began on Saturday and the journey into the unknown is being navigated by a select few.

At Leinster, Matt O'Connor wants to go global in search of a superstar to fill Brian O'Driscoll's boots, but the Irish selectors have no such option – even though Jared Payne's impending Irishness is timely.

While there should be a queue forming, instead the contenders are dropping like flies. Robbie Henshaw's hand, Keith Earls' stomach, Payne not being quite here long enough to qualify; it all opens the door for a player who has been knocking for some time. Darren Cave must wonder if anyone has been listening, but now he looks likely to finally get a chance to prove to Joe Schmidt and Les Kiss that he is the man.

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"There is a lot of interest around that berth now and the only thing I can really say for certain is that it is not going to be a Brian O'Driscoll, it will be whatever person puts his hand up and takes the opportunity. Hopefully he will make that place his own," Kiss said yesterday.

"Certainly he will be under the spotlight without a doubt because it was Brian's jersey but that's part of the challenge.

"For us as coaches (we need) to see if they can fill that jersey and do it justice at international level. There are names on the table, but it is not something that we expect we will find out straight away.

"Not only have we got these two Test matches but we have a series in November, and that will inform us a little bit more and where we will go from there.

"But I think it is important in our approach that we are not trying to replace Brian but find that 13 that fits what we're about and is not going to lose his own way and his own style and that's going to look after it."

Kiss has been part of the management set-up for Cave's five Ireland caps, all of which were won on summer tours.

And the defence coach says the centre now has an opportunity to stake a claim on a permanent basis.

"Darren is reliable, a big durable lad who can keep going. He is ambitious, he wants to get that opportunity and you'd have to say there's something there for him now," the Australian said.

"He has played 12 very well recently for Ulster and showed versatility. Whether he will get the opportunity to show that versatility on the tour I'm not sure, we'll see how we go with it.

"It is up to him, we are very adamant that if someone puts their hand up and nails the types of things we are looking for in a No 13's game then that's the way it will be. He may have first dibs at it now."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/a ... 23551.html



BOD replacement no quick fix — but Cave set to get first refusal

Ireland backs coach Les Kiss said they are not trying to find the new Brian O’Driscoll when they seek a new player to fill the No. 13 shirt.

Kiss said it is inevitable that whoever is selected — Darren Cave is the obvious candidate after a hand injury forced Robbie Henshaw to withdraw from the tour — will come under the spotlight.

But he added they do not expect the gap to be filled overnight, though this two-match tour would obviously help the process.

“It will be whatever person puts his hand up and takes the opportunity. I hope he (Cave) will try to make that place his own. Certainly he will be under the spotlight because it was Brian’s jersey but that’s part of the challenge.

“The players who we do fill the position with, it will be up to us as coaches to see if they can fill that jersey and do it justice at international level. It is not something we expect we will find out straight away.

“Not only have we got these two Test matches but we have a series in November that will inform us a little bit more and where we will go from there. I think it is important in our approach that we are not trying to replace Brian, but find a 13 who is not going to lose his own way and his own style,” said Kiss.

The former Australian professional rugby league player said that Cave was obviously a contender but it remained to be seen if the Ulster man gets the nod.

“Darren is so reliable, a big durable lad who can keep going, he is ambitious, he wants to get that opportunity and you’d have to say there’s something there for him now.

“He has played 12 very well recently for Ulster and shown versatility, whether he will get the opportunity to show that versatility on the tour I’m not sure, we’ll see how we go with it.

“It is up to him, we are very adamant that, if someone puts their hand up and nails the types of things we are looking for in a No.13’s game then that’s the way it will be. He may have first dibs at it now,” added Kiss.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugb ... 70789.html


Getrealrugby.com
Callum Black remains U.S Eligible

USA born prop Callum Black has been selected to represent Emerging Ireland in the upcoming IRB Nations Cup in Romania. The Irish team is one of four to compete in the tournament set to take place in Bucharest from June 13-22. Emerging Ireland is to play matches against the senior teams of Romania, Russia and Uruguay – two of whom will play at Rugby World Cup 2015. The inclusion of Black raises questions over the possbility of him being able to play for his country of birth, if selected, in the future. However should the USA seek to select him the North American union will indeed be able to do so as despite being selected he will remain USA eligible.

The international laws on capping players were last updated on February 05 2014. At this time the eligibility capping laws clarified that should a player play for the senior side, the A team or the Sevens side of any IRB defined nation then he / she is not able to play for another.

In the case of Callum Black being selected for Emerging Ireland the Washington D.C born front-rower will remain eligible for both the USA and England due to Emerging Ireland not being Ireland’s A team. IRB regulations confirm that a male player must play for the Irish Wolfhounds and not Emerging Ireland to have his eligibility capped.

Should Black make one of more appearances for the Irish team in Romania he will therefore still be able to play for the USA. He remains a strong candidate to play at Rugby World Cup 2015 for the USA Eagles and would, arguably, provide a significant boost to the front-row options. The most recent USA squad that faced Uruguay in Rugby World Cup qualification matches featured four props – Eric Fry, Olive Kilifi, Titi Lamositele and Nicholas Wallace. Of the four Fry and Lamositele are to play at the elite level next season with Fry playing for Newcastle and Lamositele for Saracens.

Black has been playing for Northern Irish province Ulster since 2011. He was born in the USA and raised in England, playing professional rugby for the Worcester Warriors before joining Ulster. In the soon to be completed Rabo Direct Pro 12 season Black made eighteen appearances for Ulster. He has previously represented Ireland and under 18, 19 and 21 levels but, nevertheless, can still play for the country of his birth.

Black would thus have needed to have already played for one of the Irish Wolfhounds, England Saxons or USA Selects to have had his eligibilty confirmed by one of the three IRB member nations. Countries that do not have an official A team such as France and Wales have their players eligibility defined by playing at Under 20 level. Former Scotland under 20 player Tommaso Allan was able to go on to play for his country of birth, Italy, due to Scotland having an A team but former Welsh under 20 player Steven Shingler was not able to play for Scotland due to Wales not having an A side.

http://www.getrealrugby.com/callum-blac ... -eligible/


Fiji Rugby Blog
Hurting the integrity of international rugby?

Bundee Aki wins Counties Manukau 2012 MVP

HAVE you heard of Bundee Aki? I hadn’t, at least not until last week. He may sound like a Cirque de Soleil trapeze artist, but instead he is a midfielder for the Chiefs Super Rugby franchise. He helped them to the title only last year.

Aki made the news recently because he announced that he is quitting the Chiefs and joining Connacht, which is an odd move until you realise that he has made it with the express intention of playing international rugby for Ireland. His connections with the Emerald Isle? Absolutely none, unless he has a fondness for the black stuff.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen acted like someone had poked him with a sharp stick. Hansen berated players on the fringes of the All Blacks for moving abroad for easy money and an easy life – having done exactly the same while coaching Wales.

The irony was noted even in the Kiwi papers, one of which recorded: “With hypocrisy coming from every word, the All Blacks coach fumed over players who take ‘easy options’ and ‘lack mental fortitude’.”

Anyway, New Zealand has for decades been cherry-picking the best of the Pacific Islands sides without even having the good grace to throw them the odd bone in the form of a Test match on home soil. Sitiveni Sivivatu was born and raised in Fiji, only moving to New Zealand when he was 15 and his talents were obvious to a blind man and his dog. Indeed, the winger had played for the joint Pacific Isles side and scored two Test tries against the All Blacks before he was drafted into the New Zealand team, for whom he made 45 appearances.

Sivivatu wasn’t the first “project player” and he won’t be the last. The problem now is that everyone has cottoned on to the possibilities. New Zealand and Australia have form in this: it isn’t a coincidence that there are five South Africans in the Western Force squad.

The smaller European nations do it because they have gaps in their “futures” board (that predicts probable Test teams three to five years down the line), while the bigger European nations do it by accident. Wales currently boast an abundance of domestic talent and still the Ospreys have brought in Rynier Bernardo, a South African lock who has thrown his lot in with Wales and been awarded a three-year regional contract to help smooth the transition.

Ireland have perhaps six or seven projects, including hooker Richardt Strauss, who has already played against his cousin, Adriaan Strauss, who was in a Springboks shirt. Leinster lock Quinn Roux may not make the grade but there are high hopes for Munster flanker CJ Stander now that he is getting some game time.

Ulster’s Kiwi Jared Payne is pencilled in as Brian O’Driscoll’s replacement and prop Rodney Ah You may come into the mix if he can steer clear of the chippy. His Connacht colleague, Jake Heenan, played for New Zealand’s Under-20s team but he will still qualify for Ireland in 2016. At least the flanker was born on St Patrick’s Day, which perhaps makes him more Irish than most other “projects”.

Italy are eyeing up a couple of foreigners in Calvisano’s 110kg Kiwi stand-off Kelly Haimona, Treviso’s Fijian No.8 Samu Vunisa and Baby Bok Braam Steyn, all of whom will qualify for the Azzurri in the next year or so.

The International Rugby Board’s Regulation Eight insists that 36 months’ continuous residency is sufficient to play for an adopted nation but the IRB suits are wilfully unaware of the effect it is having on the integrity of the international game. Regulation Eight is a hangover from the amateur era when the financial incentives to move continent to play rugby simply did not exist. Now, an England international is earning something like £200,000 per annum (ten Tests at £15,000 per match, plus £50,000 odd in endorsements) – on top of his club salary – and that adds up to a lot of incentive.

“I respect the fact that people will have their views on all of that,” said former Ireland coach Declan Kidney, pictured left, after picking New Zealand prop Michael Bent for the national side before he’d turned out for Leinster, “but our job is to put the best team out for Ireland. Them’s the rules. Everyone is doing it.”

Of course international coaches will exploit the IRB rules because it’s convenient and because, as Deccy points out, “everyone’s doing it”. Incidentally, Bent has an Irish granny so he is not a “project”, but his get-out doesn’t make all the others right any more than the “everyone’s doing it” schtick. And so to Scotland, where the Union admits to having four “projects” in Glasgow’s Josh Strauss and Mike Cusack, alongside Edinburgh’s WP Nel and Cornell du Preez. Quite where that leaves the Edinburgh quartet of Wicus Blaauw, Sam Beard, Mike Coman and Andries Strauss is anyone’s guess. I doubt all these uncapped players moved halfway around the world for the thrill of playing rugby in front of 3,500 people inside Murrayfield’s mausoleum.

You might think that the IRB’s three-year residency rule helps small nations such as Scotland but, even if blatant self-interest were a valid motivation, that isn’t even necessarily true. Longer term it will help the biggest, richest rugby nations in the world – England and France. Neither the RFU nor the FFR has a “projects” policy because they don’t need one. Their hugely wealthy clubs sign overseas players by the bucketful every single season and after three short years of turning out in the Aviva or the Top 14 they become eligible for England or France.

Just ask Bath’s Fijian winger Semesa Rokoduguni or Wasps’ No.8 Nathan Hughes. The former is a Fijian who has already appeared in the England Saxons squad and remains an outside bet for England’s World Cup. The latter boasts Samoan and Fijian heritage, has been tearing up trees in the Aviva and had this to say re his international ambitions: “I’m not going to make any decisions yet, I still need more experience. Down the line I’ll start making a decision over who to play for. I have Fijian and Samoan backgrounds, but if I wait a bit longer I might be able to play for England as well.”

So a Fijian/Samoan who used to play for the Blues in Auckland has his eyes set on an England career and the money that comes with it. You can’t blame him. Instead, turn your anger on the IRB whose barmy rules encourage Hughes and a host of others to seek out the highest bidder. Is that really what international sport should be about? Mercenaries “deciding” which country to represent? It may be worth returning to what the then Fijian coach Inoke Male, pictured below, said two years ago.

“There are several players not available to us for this tour because they want to play for other countries,” said Male ahead of Fiji travelling to Europe. “Young players now want to pursue options for other countries rather than coming on tour, which is not a good sign. We have got a lot of problems caused by European countries, especially France and England, who have taken some of our players through their academies when they were young. England and France have got a lot of players to pick from already and, as a small country, for our players to be poached from us is not acceptable.

“That means that everyone here [in Fiji] who is young wants to play for England… but it is mainly because of the money.”

This is not a black and white issue, in terms of race or anything else. Most nations are multi-cultural and their international squads should represent that fact. The Vunipola brothers, Mako and Billy, have spent 15 years in the UK and probably “feel” every bit as much English as they do Tongan/Kiwi/Australian. They have paid their dues, others have not.

There are shades of grey everywhere: economics and the desire for a better life are at the root of much of the migration but if left unchecked the integrity of Test-match rugby will count for nothing, with every team fielding a Pacific Islander on the wing, a Georgian prop and a big Saffa by the name of “Flip” who can double up at four or six. The homogenisation of rugby will be complete, every team on the planet will adopt the same tactics and nations will be identifiable only by the colour of their shirts rather than the style of rugby.

Rugby union is still in the foothills of professionalism and this issue will only become more acute. If you think countries are fielding an all-comers’ XV in next year’s World Cup, just wait for the Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan, where every team will resemble the Barbarians. The current migration at the pinnacle of rugby is the start of the process, not the end of it, the tip of the iceberg that will eventually sink the international game.

When quizzed the IRB stated that their Player Movement and Costs Working Group recently reviewed Regulation Eight and deemed it “appropriate”. You have to wonder who, exactly, they canvassed?

http://fijirugbyblog.wordpress.com/2014 ... nal-rugby/

[Mac]

Tuesday 3rd June

PART II





Stephen Ferris to retire from rugby

Ulster, Ireland and British and Irish Lions back-row forward, Stephen Ferris, has today confirmed that he is to retire from rugby.

The 28 year-old won 35 caps for Ireland and made 106 appearances for Ulster.

He represented the national team at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and played in all five games of Ireland’s 2009 Grand Slam success. That same year he was selected for the British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa and scored two tries before injury prevented him from claiming a Test place. He won his last cap for Ireland, against England, in the RBS 6 Nations in March 2012.

Ferris, a graduate of the Hughes Insurance Ulster Rugby Academy, made his debut for Ulster as a substitute against Border Reivers in 2005 aged just 20. He quickly made an Ulster starting place his own and was named Ulster’s player of the year in 2006.
In 2012 he was man-of-the-match in the Heineken Cup Quarter-Final win over Munster and was instrumental as Ulster made the final for the first time since 1999.

Ferris suffered an ankle injury against Edinburgh in the RaboDirect PRO12 in November 2012 and spent 16 months on the sidelines. He made his return as a substitute against Scarlets in March and played three more games for Ulster. His final appearance for the Province was in the Heineken Cup Quarter-Final against Saracens at Ravenhill.

Commenting on his retirement, Ferris said: “It is every young rugby player’s dream to represent their Province and their country and I have been enormously privileged to have done both.

“I have shared a pitch with so many talented players over the past nine years and I want to thank my team-mates at Ulster and Ireland for the support that they have given me.

“I also want to thank the IRFU as well as the strength and conditioning coaches and medical team at Ulster Rugby, for all their hard work, patience and backing over the past year and a half.

“Finally, I would like to thank my family – my mum Linda and my dad Robert who helped me on the journey from playing rugby as a young kid at Portadown to lining out for the British and Irish Lions. My girlfriend Laura has been and remains a constant source of inspiration and encouragement.

“I have had a great career, met many wonderful people and I hang up the boots with no regrets.”

Ulster’s Director of Rugby, David Humphreys, said: “I would like to thank Stephen for the outstanding contribution that he has made to Ulster Rugby.

“We knew from the day and hour that he walked into the Academy that he was an exceptional talent. Through dedication and hard work he developed into one of the best forwards in the world game.

“He has always played an important leadership role within the squad and he helped mentor and inspire others.

“While we are sorry to be losing Stephen, we recognise and celebrate the exceptional rugby career that he has had and wish him every success in the future.”

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/News/LatestN ... ugby-.aspx



Ferris sadly forced to retire

Ulster, Ireland and British and Irish Lions back-row forward, Stephen Ferris, has confirmed that he is to retire from rugby.

The 28-year-old won 35 caps for Ireland and made 106 appearances for Ulster.

He represented the national team at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and played in all five games of Ireland's 2009 Grand Slam success.

That same year he was selected for the British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa and scored two tries before injury prevented him from claiming a Test place. He won his last cap for Ireland, against England, in the RBS 6 Nations in March 2012.

Ferris, a graduate of the Hughes Insurance Ulster Rugby Academy, made his debut for Ulster as a substitute against Border Reivers in 2005 aged just 20. He quickly made an Ulster starting place his own and was named Ulster's player of the year in 2006.

In 2012 he was man-of-the-match in the Heineken Cup Quarter-Final win over Munster and was instrumental as Ulster made the final for the first time since 1999.

Ferris suffered an ankle injury against Edinburgh in the RaboDirect Pro12 in November 2012 and spent 16 months on the sidelines. He made his return as a substitute against Scarlets in March and played three more games for Ulster. His final appearance for the Province was in the Heineken Cup Quarter-Final against Saracens at Ravenhill.

"It is every young rugby player's dream to represent their province and their country and I have been enormously privileged to have done both," said Ferris.

"I have shared a pitch with so many talented players over the past nine years and I want to thank my team-mates at Ulster and Ireland for the support that they have given me.

"I also want to thank the IRFU as well as the strength and conditioning coaches and medical team at Ulster Rugby, for all their hard work, patience and backing over the past year and a half.

"Finally, I would like to thank my family - my mum Linda and my dad Robert who helped me on the journey from playing rugby as a young kid at Portadown to lining out for the British and Irish Lions. My girlfriend Laura has been and remains a constant source of inspiration and encouragement.

"I have had a great career, met many wonderful people and I hang up the boots with no regrets."

"I would like to thank Stephen for the outstanding contribution that he has made to Ulster," said Ulster's director of rugby, David Humphreys.

"We knew from the day and hour that he walked into the Academy that he was an exceptional talent. Through dedication and hard work he developed into one of the best forwards in the world game.

"He has always played an important leadership role within the squad and he helped mentor and inspire others.

"While we are sorry to be losing Stephen, we recognise and celebrate the exceptional rugby career that he has had and wish him every success in the future."

http://www.planetrugby.com/lions/story/ ... 37,00.html



Rag-dolling Will Genia and six of Stephen Ferris’ other memorable moments
http://www.thescore.ie/stephen-ferris-b ... 8-Jun2014/


http://www.thescore.ie/stephen-ferris-r ... 2-Jun2014/
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-union/27681350
http://www.independent.ie/sport/stephen ... 25465.html
http://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/latest-b ... to-retire/
http://www.u.tv/Sport/Stephen-Ferris-to ... 159a1f8c36
http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-s ... -1.1818740

[Mac]

Tuesday 3rd June

PART III



Ferris to retire from rugby

Ulster and Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris has announced his retirement from rugby following his struggles with an ankle injury.

Ferris led a promising career which included 35 caps for his country, however he was plagued by injury, the most recent of which has caused him to retire at the age of 28.

In his time at the Belfast based province, since his debut against the Border Reivers in 2005, Ferris played 106 times including starting the 2012 Heineken Cup final at Twickenham against Leinster.

He was also named man of the match in Ulster’s famous 22-16 victory at Thomond Park over Munster in the quarter-finals of that year’s competition.

In 2009 Ferris was a key member of Ireland’s Grand Slam winning team, starting all five matches at blindside flanker, with his form seeing him selected for the British & Irish Lions squad to tour South Africa in the summer of that year, only for him to be ruled out of all three Tests due to injury.

It was hoped that the former British & Irish Lion would make a successful return to playing after fifteen months on the sidelines with his introduction off the bench against the Scarlets in March.

But an injury late on in the Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat to Saracens in April proved too much for the influential back rower to overcome, with Ferris announcing today that his time at Ravenhill is over.

Ferris is the third Ulster player to announce his retirement from rugby at the end of this season following captain Johann Muller and centre Paddy Wallace’s announcements earlier this year.

“It is every young rugby player’s dream to represent their province and their country and I have been enormously privileged to have done both,” Ferris said.

“I have shared a pitch with so many talented players over the last nine years and I want to thank my team-mates at Ulster and Ireland for the support they have given me.

“I also want to thank the IRFU as well as the strength and conditioning coaches and medical team at Ulster Rugby for all their hard work, patience and backing over the past year and a half.

“Finally I would like to thank my family – my mum Linda and my dad Robert who helped me on the journey from playing rugby as a young kid at Portadown to lining out for the British & Irish Lions. My girlfriend Laura has been and remains a constant source of inspiration and encouragement.

“I have had a great career, met many wonderful people and I hang up the boots with no regrets.”

Ulster’s Director of Rugby David Humphreys has paid tribute to Ferris’ contribution to his province and has admitted a player of his stature will be hard to replace.

“We knew from the day and hour that he walked into the Academy that he was an exceptional talent,” Humphreys claimed.

“Through dedication and hard work he developed into one of the best loose forwards in the world game.

“He has always played an important leadership role within the squad and he helped mentor and inspire others.

“While we are sorry to be losing Stephen, we recognise and celebrate the exceptional rugby career that he has had and we wish him every success in the future.”

A career that began in 2005 ends on a sad note in 2014 and fans all over Ireland will know that they have seen the last of a legend.

On a more positive note for the fans, Ulster are expected to announce the signing of a new flanker soon to replace the outgoing Sean Doyle, with the Australian-born openside departing to the Brumbies for next season.

http://wordinsport.com/index.php/ferris-retire-rugby/



Lutton & McCloskey Called Up To Emerging Ireland Squad

Ulster's Ricky Lutton and Hughes Insurance Ulster Rugby Academy player, Stuart McCloskey have been called up to replace Rodney Ah You and Noel Reid in the Emerging Ireland squad to tour Romania, Ah You and Reid were recently called into the Ireland senior squad.

The pair have been selected alongside fellow Ulster team mates Niall Annett, Callum Black, Michael Allen, Craig Gilroy and Paul Marshall.

Mike McCarthy was ruled out of the Emerging Ireland squad for the IRB Nations Cup due to a calf injury and will be replaced by Munster's Billy Holland. Dominic Ryan has been named as captain of the side.

Emerging Ireland's first game of the tournament takes place on Friday 13th June against Russia.

Emerging Ireland Squad
FORWARDS (15)

Niall Annett (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*
Michael Bent (Dublin University/Leinster)
Callum Black (Malone/Ulster)*
Paddy Butler (Shannon/Munster)*
Bryan Byrne (Clontarf/Leinster)*
Robin Copeland (Cardiff Blues)*
Sean Dougall (Dolphin/ Munster)*
David Foley (UL Bohemians/Munster)*
Billy Holland (Cork Constitution/Munster) *
Mick Kearney (Clontarf/Connacht)*
Richard Lutton (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*
Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Dominic Ryan (Lansdowne/Leinster)*C
John Ryan (Cork Constitution/Munster)*
James Tracy (UCD/Leinster)*

BACKS (11)

Michael Allen (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)*
Andrew Conway (Blackrock College/Munster)*
Craig Gilroy (Dungannon/Ulster)
Eoin Griffin (Galwegians/Connacht)*
JJ Hanrahan (UL Bohemians/Munster)*
Ian Keatley (Young Munster/Munster)
Brendan Macken (Blackrock College/Leinster)*
Paul Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster)
Stuart McCloskey (Dungannon/Ulster)*
Luke McGrath (UCD/Leinster)*
Johne Murphy (Young Munster/Munster)*

*denotes uncapped player

IRB Nations Cup 2014

Venue: Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, Romania

Match 1:
Emerging Ireland v Russia
Friday 13th June 2014
Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, 19:00

Match 2:
Emerging Ireland v Uruguay
Wednesday 18th June 2014
Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, 19:00

Match 3:
Romania v Emerging Ireland
Sunday 22nd June 2014
Stadionul National Arcul de Triumf, 17:00

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/News/LatestN ... Squad.aspx



Ulster Rugby winger Tommy Bowe gets his wings for real

Tommy Bowe posted this snap on Twitter: 'First solo flight in this little bad boy today!'

Rugby ace Tommy Bowe has shared a photo of his first solo flight in a death-defying microlight aircraft.

The picture posted on his Twitter page shows the Ulster star standing in an airfield in front of a tiny black stunt plane.

He captioned the snap “first solo flight in this little bad boy today.” Attaining a pilot’s licence has been a long-held ambition for the winger for a number of years.

The Monaghan-native first picked up the hobby during his spell at Welsh club Ospreys. Bowe (30), was looking for something to fill his time during his midweek day-off.

He was rooming with his Ospreys team-mate Ian Gough, who filled him in on his hobby of stunt-flying. Bowe was intrigued and when Gough organised a test flight he quickly became hooked.

Recently the former Gaelic footballer officially announced he was off the market by confirming his engagement to long-term girlfriend, former Miss Wales Lucy Whitehouse. He asked Lucy to marry him over the Easter holidays in April and news broke as she posted a beaming photo of the couple online. The pair met in a Cardiff nightclub in March 2011 and friends said they hit it off straight away.

Lucy (30) has now given up on modelling to concentrate on her nursing career. In 2015 Bowe will be busy preparing for the Six
Nations campaign, the European Cup championship and the RaboDirect PRO12. As a result of the hectic schedule, the most likely time of the couple’s nuptials will be a date in July, the same month Gordon D’Arcy married his model wife Aoife Cogan in 2012.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 26066.html

........ needs his head examined going up in a glorified "kite" like that

[Mac]

Wednesday 4th June



‘I think I just need a break from rugby’ – Stephen Ferris on his retirement
The Ulster flanker has thanked the province’s fans and backroom staff on the day he officially hung up his boots.


Full 5min Interview HERE

ON THE DAY that he was forced to officially confirm his retirement from rugby, Ulster and Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris has said he is grateful for all that he achieved in the game.

Speaking to Ulster Rugby TV, Ferris explained that despite two testing years with injury, he will reflect positively on a career that gave him so many rewards.

I was actually 26 when I hurt myself. To achieve a Grand Slam, Lions, 106 caps for Ulster, 35 for Ireland, a lot of players would bite your hand off for that. It’s great to have achieved all of that.

“I just look forward to supporting the guys from the stands… probably with a pint in each hand. I look forward to that and I can look back on my career and say ‘it was a great journey’”.

Ferris admitted that he had taken his life in rugby for granted in his earlier years, before going on to stress his gratitude to the Ulster supporters and backroom staff, who worked so tirelessly on his ankle.

Plans for life after rugby

As for his plans in the near future, the 28-year-old is unsure.

It’s hard to go, ‘this is what I want to do.’ I didn’t really go and study and go ‘I want to be a doctor, I want to be that.’ I was never smart enough to be a doctor anyway! I think I just need a bit of a break from rugby.

“I need to get a break from rugby. It’s actually not a bad time, because Ulster don’t have games coming up. I just need to get away and get the head showered and not think about the game.

“I’ve just been thinking about getting back playing, how’s my ankle going to react. You go down to the shop to get a loaf of bread, ‘how’s the ankle, how’s the ankle?’ I just need to switch off, clock off and relax and let it all sink it. Because it definitely hasn’t sunk in yet.”

http://www.thescore.ie/stephen-ferris-u ... 6-Jun2014/



Robbie Diack set for Ireland debut against Argentina

Joe Schmidt looks set to hand South Africa-born Ulster flanker Robbie Diack his first Ireland cap in Saturday's opening Test against Argentina.

Early indications are the Ireland coach will rest most of the Leinster contingent who started last weekend's Pro12 final win over Glasgow Warriors, although Mike Ross is likely to be pressed into service once again due to Marty Moore's absence.

If Schmidt rests Fergus McFadden, it could mean an Ireland recall for Simon Zebo, almost a year since he won his last cap against the United States, while Felix Jones could come in ahead of Rob Kearney after his exertions. Jordi Murphy and Jack McGrath may profit from not starting last weekend with starts in Resistencia.

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Ireland held an open training session at the Hurling Club in Buenos Aires yesterday in front of a large group of local school children and members of the diaspora.

Argentina, meanwhile, could feature one of their two returning tightheads Ramiro Herrera and Matiaz Diaz despite them missing training early in the week.

Herrera played for Castres in Saturday's Top 14 final, while Diaz featured for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby on Friday and, despite missing training could be recalled by coach Daniel Hourcade.

The coach looks set to stick largely with the domestic-based team who have played in the recent warm-up games, with Bordeaux's Nicolas Sanchez set to lead the backline from out-half.

Ireland could see another debutant in Connacht's former New Zealand U-20 Rodney Ah You, who, as the second tighthead in the squad, is likely to come off the bench for his international debut.

Scrum coach Greg Feek believes his access to game time this season has taken him onto a new level, but said the 19-and-a-half stone prop must now seize the opportunity he's been given.

"We've had a little bit of time with him in the Six Nations camp, he's 124kg and coming to Argentina on tour you need a specialist tighthead," the scrum coach said, who also suggested that Munster's James Cronin will win his first cap in one of the two Tests.

"First and foremost, we needed someone who has had a lot of game time and he's had that with Connacht, we'll see how he goes.

"Hopefully, he'll leave after these two weeks having learned an awful lot about international rugby and it might inspire him more to stay in the mix."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/r ... 27267.html


Sad to see 'beast' Ferris call time

It was with great sadness that we learned that Stephen Ferris, Ulster's human wrecking ball, was calling time on his career yesterday, two months shy of his 29th birthday.

First capped against the Pacific Islanders in 2006, Ferris managed a mere 35 caps for Ireland. The ravages of injury were to blame, but despite it all, every tackle that Ferris made, up to his final cameo for Ulster after a long lay-off this past spring, were made like they were his last.

Ferris was a guest of a show we did at the Guinness Storehouse the afternoon after his Ulster return in March. He was in great form, and sounded optimistic that he might play on for another few seasons, but ultimately his freakish body would not cooperate.

Ferris was a beast during Ireland's Grand Slam win in 2009 and no one will forget him railroading Will Genia back 10 yards off a scrum during the 2011 World Cup (let alone the Aussie scrum-half!).

Thanks for the memories, Stevie.

DM

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/colum ... 27222.html


Ferris has 'no regrets' as injury brings career to end

Ulster and Ireland rugby player Stephen Ferris is retiring from professional rugby sportsfile.com

Yesterday's announcement that Stephen Ferris' playing days are over merely confirmed what most Ulster and Irish rugby supporters had feared for some time.

This was a case where the oft-quoted convention that 'no news is good news' did not apply.

The news everyone had wanted to hear was that the outstanding blindside flanker had been offered a new contract. The fact that no such deal was forthcoming was ominous and the longer that continued to be the case, the more one sensed it was not going to happen.

Finally, what had looked inevitable finally became reality. At 12.45 yesterday Ulster Rugby issued a notice which opened with the words: "Ulster, Ireland and British and Irish Lions back-row forward Stephen Ferris has today confirmed that he is to retire from rugby."

A short time later, the 28-year-old bared his soul to the media, reliving the highs and lows of an injury-ravaged career and talking about his hopes for the future.

He stressed the importance of knowing that he had given it his best shot, for which reason he could retire happy that he left no stone unturned in his bid to play again following the ankle injury which ultimately was to prove one too many.

"I've had three surgeries on my right ankle. The whole thing is scarred up. I've very limited range in it, I've got feet problems now and I have nerve damage in my toes," said Ferris.

"Hopefully a couple of months' rest and doing absolutely nothing on it means it will settle down.

"At the same time, I've played rugby for the past eight or nine years for Ulster, Ireland, and I've enjoyed every minute of it. I wouldn't change anything. I've got no regrets. I just look forward to the future now and supporting the the boys from the stands."

After suffering his career-ending ankle injury, Ferris gave his all in an attempt to return to the game he loves.

"I trained so hard," he said. "It's the hardest I'd ever trained. Everybody thinks rugby is tough; try being injured – it's 10 times harder, you do 10 times more training.

"To be able to go out and play on a Friday night, train all the next week and then go out and play again is the best thing ever. Being out injured and having to do gym session after gym session ... is the worst thing ever."

Asked when he knew his career was over, he replied: "Probably the minute after the surgeon said, 'Look Stevie, I think the best thing for you is to hang up the boots and not play professional rugby'.

"Over the last 18 months I've always had it in the back of my mind that I might have to retire but it didn't really sink in until I was told the best thing for me was to hang the boots up. That's not that long ago."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/r ... 27237.html



Injury forces Stephen Ferris to sign-off early on a memorable career

Stephen Ferris signs the Ulster Legends board at the new Ravenhill Stadium

The spirit was willing but the body was not and the news Ulster and Irish fans did not want to acknowledge was confirmed on Tuesday - Stephen Ferris was forced to call time on his rugby career.

Ferris looked to have won a long battle with an ankle injury towards the end of the season just finished when he returned to the pitch with Ulster in the RaboDirect PRO12 and Heineken Cup.

But he suffered another setback and the bullish backrow forward was forced to call time early in his career.

It is the first time in his eight seasons as a professional rugby player that Ferris has had to admit defeat, but still managed to put a smile on one last time for the media at Ravenhill.

As he confirmed his retirement yesterday his last act was fittingly to sign the new ‘Ulster Legends’ board at the new players entrance to the Ravenhill pitch - and rightly the first name in the right hand corner!

Ferris’s no holds barred approach to the game soon made him a huge favourite of fans across Ireland.

After almost 18 months layoff due to the ankle injury Ulster fans at Ravenhill on Friday, March 14 welcomed ‘Super Fez’ back.

“There’s only one ‘F’ in Ferris” echoed around the ground as the fans got behind the star - and when he came on, he did not let them down, coming up with a big hit on a Scarlets players seconds after having come on.

It was a fitting return, but it was sadly to be short lived. Ferris went on to play in the PRO12 games against Edinburgh and Cardiff Blues and in the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Saracens.

But he suffered a setback with the ankle in training and the painful reality began to set in for Ferris that he would not be playing rugby again.

“It has not really sunk in yet,” admitted Ferris.

He added: “Not that long ago I was told the best thing to do was to hang the boots up. It has all happened pretty quickly.”

Ferris added: “It is every young rugby player’s dream to represent their province and their country.

“I have been enormously privileged to have done both.

“I have had a great career, met many wonderful people and I hang up the boots with no regrets.”

Ulster rugby director David Humphreys said of the bullish back-rower: “We knew from the day and hour that he walked into the Academy that he was an exceptional talent.

“Through dedication and hard work he developed into one of the best forwards in the world game.”

Ferris was a graduate of the Hughes Insurance Ulster Rugby Academy and made his debut for Ulster as a substitute against Border Reivers in 2005 aged 20.

He quickly made an Ulster starting place his own and was named Ulster’s player of the year in 2006.

He went on to play 106 games for his Province and scored 60 points.

Ferris played for Ireland 35 times and he represented the national team at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and played in all five games of Ireland’s 2009 Grand Slam success.

That same year he was selected for the British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa and scored two tries in the build-up games.

He had as good as cemented a place in the starting team for the first Test, but injury was to rob him of his chance and his tour finished prematurely.

He won his last cap for Ireland, against England, in the RBS 6 Nations in March 2012.

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/rugby ... -1-6097637



Stephen Ferris retires with no regrets as persistent injuries take toll
Ulster blindside flanker made umpteenth comeback from injury in April

Ulster knew from the “day and hour” Stephen Ferris walked into their fold that a peerless rugby specimen had been discovered. That he managed to make his umpteenth comeback in April is further testament to the mental fortitude he combined with an enormously punishing physicality.

“The way I played rugby was the way everybody wants to see the game played,” said the 28-year-old yesterday, as the body of arguably the most powerful man produced by Irish rugby pleaded with him to stop.

The surgeons, just recently, agreed. Ferris and injury have gone hand in hand for many years. Certainly back to the 2009 Lions toured, where he excelled on the hard South African pitches yet failed to reach the Test series in one piece.

Yesterday’s confirmation feels like it has been a long time coming. “No, not really,” Ferries disagreed. “It is only over the last three weeks when I saw the surgeon. The best medical advice was that my time is up and the best thing for me and my ankle is that I retire because the ankle is not going to hold up or get any better.

“That was only a few weeks backs. I played against Saracens recently.”

He certainly did, coming off the bench for 20 minutes in the harrowing Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat in Belfast. Playing through the pain barrier yet again. Within days he broke down again at training. After 16 months fighting severely damaged ligaments, he returned to the Ravenhill turf last March, instantly creating his latest and last youtube clip with a driving, thunderous tackle on some poor unfortunate. In one fell swoop you realised how much he had been missed. But it proved a false dawn.

“It has been a difficult couple of months because my ankle was really sore but it is a relief to announce my retirement because the last couple of weeks have been hell.”

Long list
Ferris’ list of injuries are longer than the average rugby player, which makes his achievements so admirable. Coaches, opponents and teammates all marvelled at his power. “We knew from the day and hour that he walked into the Academy that he was an exceptional talent,” said Ulster director of rugby David Humphreys. “Through dedication and hard work he developed into one of the best forwards in the world game.”

In an Irish context he is comparable to Ulster warriors like Willie John McBride, Ken Goodall, Stewart McKinney and Jeremy Davidson.

Jerome Kaino was considered the greatest blindside at the 2011 World Cup but Ferris is cut from the same cloth. The All Black took the Japanese club option for two years to allow his body heal. Kaino is back in New Zealand and should feature against England this Saturday. Ferris attempted that route last year but the ankle damage had already been done.

It seems like all these snaps and tears must be related but he remains adamant that joining the dots is not possible. “This was one specific, isolated injury. Happened against Edinburgh on the second of November, 2012. Just a really bad ankle injury. Had three operations to try to get it fixed.

“There is scarring, the ankle has hardly any movement in it. When I got running on it it got extremely sore and started swelling up. One thing leads to the other. I hurt my knee before the 2011 World Cup and was out for four months but that was on my other leg. Never had a problem with that since. The ankle was just an isolated injury on a Friday night in Ravenhill that has cost me my career.”

Ulster supporters have many memories to cherish like the epic showing at Thomond Park in the 2012 European Cup quarter-final. In a green jersey he was immense throughout the unbeaten 2009 campaign and nobody should ever forget Eden Park against Australia in 2011. Will Genia certainly won’t.

“Listen, I know there have been a helluva a lot of dark days, dark months on the sidelines but there are guys like Luke Fitzgerald who have been out for a long time who feel my pain but you got to weigh the bad times with the good times. I’ve had a lot of good times, I’ve achieved a lot, I’ve won a lot.”

Grand Slam
For starters, his name is etched into the greatest Ireland team in modern times. Number six on Ireland XV that delivered only a second ever Grand Slam, even if he didn’t last long in Cardiff due to a broken finger.

“I retire, hang up the boots, with no regrets.”

Only 35 caps for Ireland is a regret others will have though. His last test match was defeat at Twickenham in 2012. That meant his final games for Ulster and Ireland ended in crushing defeat. “We can’t be all like Drico! But no man was more deserving of his exit.”

The concern still lingers about the brutal way he played and that it might have contributed to his premature demise. “I don’t think it did. I injured my knee celebrating a pushover try when a prop bashed into me. I hurt my ankle stepping off it. It wasn’t as if I was smashing into somebody or wrecking myself. None of my injuries came from that. They were always innocuous circumstances.

“The way I played rugby was the way everybody wants to see the game played. That’s why everybody came to support me and why I have such a good following. It surprised me so much today, the support, that everybody is going to miss me playing rugby but I hope I have given them some good memories over the years.”

Not good memories, bone-crunchingly great ones.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/i ... -1.1819297



Ulster Rugby ace Stephen Ferris could have been one of the world's best
Injury robbed Ulster, Ireland and Lions of a player who would have reached very top

Stephen Ferris is a player about whom we will continue to wonder just how good he might have been.

My belief is that he was a truly great player who had the ability to have become even better. Alas, injuries conspired to rob him – and us – of the finished article, for which reason we can only imagine just how good he might have become.

As it is, we know that in his prime he was genuinely world class. But for a training ground injury while on tour with the 2009 British and Irish Lions I have no doubt that he would have been a Test match starter at six against the Springboks.

Sadly, too, injury meant he played no part at all in last season's conquest of Australia by the Lions.

He deserved to play on such stages and it is a shame that fate denied him the opportunity, for it was exactly the sort of environment in which he could have shown southern hemisphere audiences what those of us north of the equator already knew, namely that he could be as good as any blind-side on the planet.

As it was, they received evidence of the fact in the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand where his performance for Ireland against Australia was truly memorable. I doubt Will Genia will ever forget being picked up and carried by the awesomely rampaging Ferris in Ireland's pool-stage triumph at Eden Park.

It prompted that most eloquent of commentators, Eddie Butler, to write: "One tackle by Ferris, from a scrum driven backwards by Ireland on the Australian put-in, made a statement.

"Australia scrummaged well in the Tri-Nations, allowing Will Genia to be the central character in the champions' show. Here, Ferris picked him up and bulldozed him into a nightmare, leaving the play-maker upended and helpless at the bottom of a ruck."

In the warm afterglow of Ireland's 15-6 victory that memorable Saturday morning, Ulster, Ireland and Lions great, Trevor Ringland, spoke for the whole island when he told Belfast Telegraph readers: "Stephen is a phenomenal player."

There was, perhaps, an element of inevitability about Ferris' injury-enforced retirement. He has always played rugby full-on, repeatedly powering into contact – whether in defensive or attacking mode – with scant regard for the personal cost of so doing.

As a result, he has suffered numerous injuries, many of them major. Over and again we wondered how long he could continue to do so until finally, yesterday, we got our answer. This time, time is up.

In November 2012, I wrote an article in which former Ireland strength and conditioning coach Mike McGurn expressed his fears that Ferris was on borrowed time.

McGurn was quoted as saying: "He is a really combative player, but unless he changes his style of play – which would be hard for him to do at this stage of his career – and avoids some of that contact, there's not going to be much longevity."

Alas, he has been proved right. Since McGurn spoke those words just over 18 months ago, Ferris managed bit-part appearances against Scarlets, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Saracens – a total well short of two hours.

At the time the powerhouse flanker was deeply upset and made that known on Twitter.

His Tweet read: "People can write and say what they want about me in newspapers. It's the people I trust and care for who's opinion matters. #fish+chips paper."

I was dismayed that something I had written without malice had so clearly upset him. I know that was never McGurn's intention; it certainly wasn't mine.

The big fella duly told the Irish Independent: "People can say and write what they like, but they don't know me. They may have had experiences of working with me, but...

"Reading that article, it didn't make me angry, but that is somebody that I've worked with and I think he should have kept his opinions to himself. That's my opinion and I know a lot of other people who share that opinion.

"I'm the strongest I've ever been in the gym and personally I feel absolutely fantastic, so I just can't wait to get back out there and when I do get back out there, I think I'll be better than I was when I left off."

And he refuted any suggestion that his injuries were by-products of his particularly aggressive style of play.

"Definitely not, no," he said.

Explaining the circumstances of the injury which has now finished his career, he pointed out: "I jumped up in the air to catch a ball (against Edinburgh on November 2, 2012) and went over on my ankle.

"With my knee, I was out for six months after we got a push-over try (against Aironi on January 22, 2011) and I was looking the other way, with my knee slightly flexed, and their tight-head prop fell into my knee.

"Two innocuous injuries are going to keep me out for 10 months between them.

"So, I have been unlucky. I dived on a ball and somebody (Wales' Martyn Williams) kicked my finger and fractured it (March 21, 2009), I fractured my cheekbone in training when Nevin Spence, God bless him, ran into me and I was caught the wrong way."

He added: "That's not running too hard or being too aggressive. These things happen."

Sadly, they do. And because that is the case, no more will we see the barnstorming big blind-side leading the charge in white or green, and striking fear into opponents.

But it was great while it lasted.

Thanks for the memory, Fez.

Factfile
Full name: Stephen Ferris
Date of birth: August 2, 1985
Born: Portadown
Educated: Friends' School Lisburn
Now living: Maghaberry
Age: 27
Height: 6ft 4in
Weight: 17st 6lb
Position: Back-row (blindside flanker)
Major teams: Ulster, Ireland, British and Irish Lions
Appearances: Ulster 106 (12 tries), Ireland 35 (2 tries), Lions (2 non-Test appearances, 2009, South Africa)

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 26636.html



Fearless Ferris forced to admit defeat as injury ends career

Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris has been forced to retire after the ankle problem that sidelined him for 16 months struck again.

The Lions loose-forward suffered serious ankle damage in Pro12 action for Ulster against Edinburgh in November 2012. The 28-year-old fought back to make three Ulster appearances this term, but has since suffered a recurrence of the issue.

The 35-cap back-rower had hoped to shake off the problem once and for all and secure a new Ravenhill deal, yet he has now been forced to admit defeat.

Ferris said yesterday: “I want to thank the IRFU as well as the strength and conditioning coaches and medical team at Ulster Rugby, for all their hard work, patience and backing over the past year and a half.

“I have had a great career, met many wonderful people and I hang up the boots with no regrets.”

Fearless Ferris had it all. Pace to burn, good hands, quick feet, a great rugby brain, was an excellent lineout option and, most of all, an outstanding tackler.

It was his most recent ankle injury that ended his career.

I remember him taking the tumble on the stand side of the old Ravenhill arena just after half-time when Ulster were looking to put on a massive score against Edinburgh.

He had just returned in 2012 from yet another problem with the knee he injured during the 2009 Lions tour to South Africa. And despite numerous operations, his time had run out.

“To be honest, I was never out of the woods at any time,” said Ferris yesterday.

“A lot of the fans were thinking ‘Stevie is going to come back and pick up where he left off.’ But that’s not the case. I played a few games to try and get a bit of momentum and get myself back into it, but the ankle was sore.”

Ferris knew his time was up when his surgeon Andy Adair, a former Ireland B and Ulster hooker, told him the painful truth that there was no going back.

“The fact is, the ankle been sore over the last 18 months. It was a case of how long could I dig in for. However, when I saw the surgeon and he said look your ankle isn’t going to get any better, that’s when reality dawned, about three weeks ago.

“I’ve had three surgeries on my right ankle, it’s scarred and I have very limited range in it. I have feet problems, I have nerve damage in my toes, I have a lot of issues which, with a couple of months rest and doing absolutely nothing, it will settle down.”

Ferris joined Ulster’s Academy in 2005 and immediately impressed, first with the full Ulster side in October 2005, then with Ireland a year later when he made his debut against the Pacific Islands at Lansdowne Road. Two years later he was certain of a Lions Test place after scoring a wonder breakaway try in a midweek game against the Golden Lions before he ruptured his medial lateral ligament in his right knee, an injury that was saw him pack his bags for home, and a long route back to fitness.

Ulster rugby director David Humphreys admitted the bullish back-rower was earmarked for stardom from the very start.

“I’d like to thank Stephen for the outstanding contribution he has made to Ulster Rugby,” said Humphreys.

“We knew from the day and hour that he walked into the Academy that he was an exceptional talent. Through dedication and hard work, he developed into one of the best forwards in the world game.

“He has always played an important leadership role within the squad and he helped mentor and inspire others.

“While we are sorry to be losing Stephen, we recognise and celebrate the exceptional rugby career that he has had and wish him every success in the future.”

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugb ... 70909.html


Sportsfile.com
A couple of pics.........
http://www.sportsfile.com/more-images/1406026/

[Mac]

Wednesday 4th June

PART II



Now or never for Darren Cave as he looks to nail down Ireland’s 13 slot
The 27-year-old has a shot at proving to Joe Schmidt that he is a centre of international quality.

Cave races clear to score against Canada last summer

THESE ARE CRUCIAL days in Darren Cave’s career, as he looks to convince the Irish coaching staff that he is an outside centre of international quality.

The retirement of Brian O’Driscoll and injury to Robbie Henshaw mean that the Ulsterman has a clear run at Ireland’s 13 shirt, possibly for both upcoming Tests against Argentina.

Jared Payne, much touted as an option for Joe Schmidt at outside centre in the near future, is not yet qualified, while the likes of Keith Earls and Fergus McFadden have settled into life as wingers. Cave will never have a better chance to show his worth.

The 27-year-old has won five caps for Ireland, four of which were starts in the 13 shirt, while he also played there in an unfairly uncapped match against Fiji in 2012. However, barring eight minutes off the bench against New Zealand in 2013, Cave has never played against top-level international opposition.

His four starts for Ireland have come against the US and Canada, and although these fixtures in Argentina have seen Los Pumas name a weakened squad, there is a key difference for the Ulster centre on this occasion.

The presences of the likes of Jonny Sexton, Jamie Heaslip and Paul O’Connell means that Cave is part of a squad that resembles something closer to Ireland’s strongest. With better players around him, Cave has the opportunity to stand out more than in the past.

Cave signs autographs after training in Buenos Aires yesterday

Bringing a battalion of youngsters on tours such as this to Argentina is a laudable sentiment, but it means that the individual players must build a team from scratch, rather than fitting into structures that already exist and therefore allow them to thrive.

Not that Cave is a youngster any longer; which leads us to the point of what Schmidt will want to see from him on this tour. At the age of 27, and with better players around him, Cave must dominate the midfield against Argentina.

If selected, he will come up against two of Matías Orlando, Jerónimo De la Fuente and Gabriel Ascárate in the midfield battle. All three have their virtues, but these are players that Cave clearly needs to be excelling against.

Four starts for Ireland, including two on last summer’s North American tour, and we have yet to see Cave own the midfield. It’s a demanding task in any fixture, with centres being so reliant on their teammates and the flow of the particular game to provide them with ample opportunity to impress, but that is the demand on Cave now.

While match-day performances are of utmost importance, the Ulster centre will be judged away from the pitch too. Schmidt is a coach who understands that squad culture and day-to-day standards are key components of success; his players must feed off and contribute to those elements.

Cave’s interaction with teammates, ability to voice meaningful opinions, and his attitude towards training, recovery, and analysis may all be part of the judgement process. He will have targeted becoming a key player on the pitch and a key personality off it.

Cave hits the shoulders during Ireland's gym session at the Cenard Training Facility

Recent signs have been promising for the Ulster centre, who has demonstrated that he can fill in more than competently in the 12 shirt too. Cave was one of the better backs in the Pro12 semi-final against Leinster when he played at inside centre.

His skills and body shape around the breakdown are ever-improving, while his defensive reads and pre-contact footwork also continue to get better. In heavy traffic, Cave has the ability to slip the ideal pass to teammates over short distances, while also offering solid distribution to wider channels.

Some critics may feel that Cave’s chance at becoming an important part of the Ireland set-up in the long-term has realistically passed, but we must only look to Devin Toner [27] and Chris Henry [29] for proof that there is no ‘set’ age before which to nail down an international spot.

Cave has already begun the process of proving that his face fits in this Ireland squad over the last few days, and the centre will hope to make major progress in that regard in Resistencia on Saturday.

http://www.thescore.ie/darren-cave-irel ... 4-Jun2014/



Stephen Ferris always had X factor about him: Allen Clarke

Early days: Stephen Ferris, playing for Ulster in 2006, demonstrates the talent that
would take him to the very top of the sport

"I can still remember the day at Jordanstown when I saw him taking part in the Under-18 club identification programme.

I met his mum in the car park afterwards and I told her I thought that her son could go the whole way. He just had an X-factor and I felt he had just the right qualities for the way the game would evolve in the future."

Allen Clarke's hunch was certainly on the money and the now Ulster Elite Performance Development Manager clearly remembers his first encounter with Stephen Ferris from a decade or so ago and reckoned, from the off, that the former Friends' School pupil was destined to make his mark in the professional game.

"He had a meteoric rise," Clarke states. "But it has to be said that his work-rate went hand in hand with his talent.

"He never missed a training session," he recalls of Ferris' introduction to the Ulster Academy. "And this was while he was doing manual work.

"Stephen has been a tremendous ambassador for Ulster rugby and he was a world class player who became part of the Ulster team which won the Celtic League back in 2006 as well.

"He has achieved the highest honours in the game (Ireland and the Lions) but he has retired as a young man and that will grate with him.

"He always gave everything and tried everything to get back but he just couldn't perform to the required level and at least he has realised that which may give him some solace," Clarke (pictured) adds.

Former Ulster skipper Andy Ward was finishing up at Ravenhill just as Ferris was coming through, but the European Cup winner remembers encountering a young but still notably powerful version of the blindside flanker in a club game.

As Ward recalls: "I was playing for Ballynahinch against Dungannon and I picked up at the back of a scrum and got smashed by this young guy not long out of school I reckoned and I thought 'who the hell was that?'

"He rose to become a world class player and I think the Lions (in 2009) showed him as a true great even though his tour was ended early by injury.

"It's a real shame," added Ward. "He was just one of those special players and you knew anything could happen when he got involved."

Former Ulster player Bryn Cunningham stressed the great empathy he felt for Ferris over his year and a half battle to try and regain fitness which he only briefly managed at the tail end of this season.

"It's a sad day for him as he'd been pushing so hard to get back. He had a huge future and was really in his prime age wise but as I know myself when the body stops reacting you have no option but to stop," states Cunningham.

"I know he was very emotional when he had to accept that it was over and it's always a tough one when it finally does happen but hopefully his life will change for the better now and we'll (Cunningham works for the Esportif Ireland agency who represented Ferris as a player) be helping and guiding him.

"He'll be remembered as an explosive player who worked so hard and for those hits, runs and tries," says Cunningham.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 26547.html

[Mac]

Wednesday 4th June

PART III



Stephen Ferris & The Walking Wounded of Modern Rugby

Stephen Ferris was your modern rugby player; fast, strong and athletic. Unfortunately, sometimes powers outside of our control can ultimately bring an end to a player’s career.

Stephen Ferris played with unrivaled passion and determination throughout his rugby career for both Ulster and Ireland. After making his debut with Ireland in 2006, Ferris soon became a household name with supporters and writers alike in awe of his youthful exuberance and the sheer magnitude of his strength.

Ferris made the 2007 Irish World Cup squad but was an unused squad member as Ireland struggled in the group stages. He had to look on from the sidelines as the likes of Denis Leamy, Simon Easterby and David Wallace were asked to provide the ‘go forward’ momentum that was non-existent throughout the disastrous French campaign.

In 2008 Ferris suffered an injury and missed that year’s Six Nations Championship; he would have to watch on again from the sidelines, and treatment table, something he would become increasingly accustomed to throughout the latter stages of his career, as Ireland laboured to a fourth place finish in Eddie O Sullivan’s last year in charge.

Impressive displays with club and country helped Ferris establish a starting place for the 2009 Six Nations and he personified the tough never-say-die attitude of the Irish team throughout the tournament as they captured their first Grand Slam since 1948.

Throughout the tournament Ferris displayed destructive running performances in the loose and provided the team and crowd with energy and belief, something that was missing so badly in previous years.

He was rewarded with a Lions call up in 2009, scoring a try and impressing in a midweek match against the Golden Lions. Again, injury ruined his tour this time and Ferris found himself attached to the physio table.

Ferris went on to miss further spells; the 2010 summer tour, 2011 Six Nations and again at the end of 2012 calendar year that seen him out of the game for another heart breaking fifteen months. Ferris showed the courage and motivation that he displayed on the field throughout his playing days as he dug deep each time to try and resurrect his career as a promising flanker.

Each time Ferris returned from injury it was obvious that the ‘man mountain’ was spending more time in the gym as he bulked up upon each occasion whence he came back into the Ulster team; it was not his determination or love for rugby that was going to prove his downfall and exit from the game.

Ferris, at the height of his playing days, was instrumental during Ireland’s 2011 World Cup campaign and will be remembered fondly by Irish and European rugby fans for being the catalyst for Ireland’s victory over Australia where he single-handedly dismantled the Australian forwards, and halfbacks, time and time again.

Following an impressive World Cup, Ferris was nominated for the E.R.C. European Player of the Year after helping his club reach the 2012 Heineken Cup final. His latest comeback only lasted three games and after a long standing ankle injury failed to clear up, he decided it was time to pull the plug on an injury plagued career.

Ferris remarked about the severity of the injury this afternoon when he stated;
❝

“Unfortunately, I’ve had to retire and hang up the boots…a couple of years earlier than I’d expected. But the way the professional game is at the minute maybe that’s not a surprise to a lot of people.”

“It 100 per cent does impact on my everyday life. I can’t walk up steps without having to walk on my toes. I’ve got no dorsiflexion in my ankle. On the other one I’ve got minus two, maybe 20 centimetres. It’s had a massive effect on my everyday life. I’ll probably never run again.”

With one of Ireland’s greatest back-row players hanging up his boots, Ireland is blessed in this area with the likes of Sean O Brien, Jamie Heaslip and Peter O Mahony who are able deputies for the ferocious Ferris. He gave his utmost for club and country throughout his career and it’s time for Stephen to put his own well-being first at this stage, after giving every last ounce to Ulster and Ireland for the past eight years.

The only thing bigger than the man’s arms is his heart, after being disappointed on more occasions than a young female seeking a retweet of One Direction, he realized the damage he was doing to his body throughout his career but he is well aware of the increasing physicality in the modern game.
❝

“I’ve been unlucky with getting a bad injury, I think with the way the game is today, with how fast it is and physical, and strength and conditioning is at an all-new high level. But guys play the sport for a reason, because we love it. We love getting out there and putting out bodies on the line.”

Putting his ‘body on the line’ is something that rugby lovers at this stage are well accustomed with in regards to Ferris; he was a warrior who brought grown men to their knees, let’s just hope that he enjoys retirement, pain free from the results of his own determination and destruction that he once dished out to opponents.

Rugby is a sport where concussions and serious injuries are becoming the norm, perhaps for their own benefit in future years these sport stars need to learn when to walk away, before walking becomes a word that rugby players become unfamiliar with.

1F Tribute HERE

http://www.punditarena.com/rugby/ewalsh ... dern-rugby



Stephen Ferris hails Rory Best as greatest to play with

Stephen Ferris has no doubts about who the best player he has been fortunate to play with during his eight year career.

“Rory Best is the most consistent player I have ever played with - and it is not just because is a mate of mine,” smiled Ferris, who was also a former pupil of Portadown College where both had started out on their rugby careers.

“When it comes to training he doesn’t miss a lineout or if he does it’s somebody else’s fault not his.

“He didn’t play for four or five weeks before the PRO12 semi final and he came out and was amazing.

“His Lions experience wasn’t great the way it happened for him but he deserved to be on that Tour.

“Rory is definitely the best player I’ve played with. A lot of people say Brian O’Driscoll but for me being a forward and being involved in the heat of battle Rory is definitely the man who has stood up every single time.”

“He came in the year before me with Ulster. He is a couple of years older and what he has given Ulster and Irish rugby over the years is nothing short of a miracle especially with the amount of injuries he has had as well,” added Ferris.

Jerome Kaino is regarded as the hardest opponent Ferris has ever come up against.

“I think everybody should be scared of New Zealand because Kaino is coming back in from Japan.”

“Speaking to John Afoa before he left this guy is going to come back and set the world on fire again, he was the hardest guy I ever played against down at the Aviva and I actually scored that day but they took us apart.”

“He’s competitive, he’s strong, he’s fast it was unbelievable how quick he was but he is a good lad as well, he’s one off these guys that well beat the hell out of you for 80 minutes then shake your hand at the end and then have a beer with you afterwards and that is something I rugby I’ll miss knocking the crap out of one another for 80 minutes then shaking hands at the end.”

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/rugby ... -1-6097638


I made a tackle with the bone sticking out of my finger: Stephen Ferris

Tommy Bowe, Rob Kearney, Jamie Heaslip and Stephen Ferris celebrate winning the Grand Slam

Ireland backrow, Stephen Ferris, recalls how tears of pain turned to tears of joy as the side defeated Wales in Cardiff to claim the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2009.

The 28-year-old, who made 35 appearances in the green shirt, including a World Cup in 2011, retired from rugby on Tuesday due to injury.

Ferris was forced out of the final Six Nations decider against Wales in the Millennium Stadium with a finger injury just seven minutes in.

He recalls: “Martyn Williams kicked me on the finger and the bone came flying out the side of it.

“I was waving at Wayne Barnes (the referee) and he didn’t know what I was doing. Paulie O’Connell was shouting ‘ref Stevie has a compound fracture’ but Barnes was like play on!

“I made another tackle with the bone sticking out my hand!

“I came in and they (the medical team) said you can’t go on, you risk losing your finger here if it gets infected.

“I went into a corner in the changing room and just broke into tears. Then I was like, catch yourself on get out and support the team.

“It was a great day for Irish Rugby and a great day for me personally, a great day for my family and maybe we got a bit of luck too.

“They are great memories and we had a great night out and that is one of the highlights.”

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/rugby ... -1-6097672

[Mac]

Thursday 5th June



Chris Henry determined to keep Ireland run going Gerry T
Ulster backrow expects torrid encounter with rugged Argentinian pack

Ireland’s Chris Henry described the enforced retirement of Ulster and Ireland
colleague and friend Stephen Ferris as a terrible loss for both club and country

It’s been a while coming, some four years since his debut in June 2010 against Australia. For sure, Seán O’Brien’s absence has been a major factor but more than ever, at the age of 29, Chris Henry has become a key part of the Ireland team, and a winning one at that.

On Saturday, Henry is set to make his sixth start in succession, having been a regular starter throughout the Six Nations in playing every minute bar the last six against England and Italy.

‘Fantastic year’
“It has been a fantastic year. I have loved every minute of it. With Seán missing my goal was to show what I was about and try and do a job for the team and hopefully I did.

“In an Ireland jersey the season has been great and now two more weeks, two more tough games to get through, and it’s just so exciting to be back in this environment.”

Injured 35 minutes into the first game of Joe Schmidt’s reign, and forced to sit out the remainder of the November series, Henry returned in time to play a significant role in Ulster’s wins over Montpellier and away to Leicester to win the race for the Ireland number seven jersey ahead of Tommy O’Donnell and Jordi Murphy.

“The big thing was getting the run of game time. Joe gave me the benefit of the doubt. There was a lot of pressure. I had to perform for him and had to perform for the team as there was so much at stake. I really enjoyed that.

“A run of game time is certainly something that played a big part. It’s all well and good coming off the bench and maybe getting 15 minutes and trying to show what you are about but when you know you are starting the game you can really influence it and you have got 80 minutes to show it.

“It certainly gives you a lot more time to impress.”

Significantly, Henry was kept on for the 80 minutes in the title-clinching win in Paris, when Murphy was the only sub not used, and helped execute the final choke tackle turnover on Sebastien Vahaamahina, with the help of Devin Toner and Paul O’Connell. It’s one of his two stand-out memories of his campaign.

Two things
“Probably the two things were the tackle at the end of the French game, holding him (Vahaamahina) up at the end with six of us all jumping in and holding him up after we had got turned over at the scrum; the pass to Johnny Sexton was pretty special as well,” added Henry in relation to his flick which led to Sexton first of two tries.

Henry, like so many others, has been energised by returning to the Schmidt set-up, with the relative lack of knowledge about these young Pumas merely intensifying the players’ workload.

“Argentina is a team that has been together for a while and that channel from inside the ruck to the 10-12 channel, that’s where a lot of traffic comes and that is where I have to be. Certainly, all the backrows know it’s going to be a pretty bruising encounter.

“It’s about who takes that first backward step. It is going to be, as always against Argentina, hugely confrontational and physical. We have researched them physically on the tackle and the breakdown and usually it’s a long way to go to getting the result.”

This tour will, alas, be their last time working with the departing John Plumtree.

“He was great, he definitely got the best out of us as a pack. I’m gutted, to be honest, with news,” admitted Henry.

“It was all a surprise to us him leaving but we know in rugby you have got to make tough decisions and he made the decision for his family. He has brought us on massively. Our maul especially.

Serious damage
“The Irish maul I don’t think scored many tries over the years but then we were doing some serious damage to teams and that’s something for this week we need to get right. We need to get that back quickly because it’s a powerful weapon.

“Then there’s his general demeanour around the place. He’s just a calming influence and he just gets the best out of us. You want to go to training when we split forwards/backs and want to make sure you buy into what he says and bring it out because you know what he is saying is spot on.”

For the seven-strong Ulster contingent, confirmation of Stephen Ferris’ premature retirement would not have been a surprise, but would have been no less upsetting for all of that.

“It was on the cards for a while and, whenever you realise he’s made that final decision it brings it all home a wee bit.”

“He’s a massive loss for Irish and Ulster rugby. As a good friend it’s hard to take and puts it all in perspective about how quickly it could all end.”

“For me personally, he was a massive influence on my career,” admitted Henry. “He was a year younger than me, but since he arrived in the academy you could see his talent and what a freak he was.

“What a career he’s had. I’ve no doubt whatever he puts his mind to now he’ll be successful, but it will take a while – I don’t think we’ll ever be able to replace someone like Ferris at Ulster and Ireland.”

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/c ... -1.1820829



Cave to wear O'Driscoll's No 13 jersey in first Test as Diack poised for debut

Darren Cave is expected to be handed the first Ireland No 13 jersey since Brian O'Driscoll's retirement in Saturday's first Test against Argentina in Resistencia.

The five-times capped Ulster man is the only out-and-out outside centre on tour in South America, and with Joe Schmidt set to rest the majority of the Leinster players who started in last week's Pro12 final win against Glasgow Warriors, he gets his chance to impress.

Ulster are likely to be heavily represented in manager Joe Schmidt's team, with Luke Marshall expected to partner Cave in midfield and Six Nations stalwarts Rory Best, Andrew Trimble and Chris Henry likely to be involved.

South African-born flanker Robbie Diack is likely to win his first cap for Ireland, while Rodney Ah You and Kieran Marmion could also make their debuts off the bench, with the Connacht scrum-half vying with Eoin Reddan for a place among the replacements.

Schmidt names his team at 6.0 (Irish time) today after the team fly from Buenos Aires to the northern province of Chaco where the first Test takes place.

Meanwhile, the retirement of Stephen Ferris continues to reverberate around the team base in Argentina, where Henry described his Ulster team-mate as irreplaceable yesterday.

"It was on the cards for a while and, when you realise he has made that final decision it brings it all home a wee bit," he said of the blindside's decision to hang up his boots after a long battle with ankle injuries.

"He's a massive loss for Irish and Ulster rugby, as a good friend it's hard to take and puts it all in perspective about how quickly it could all end.

"For me personally, he was a massive influence on my career. He was a year younger than me, but since he arrived in the academy you could see his talent and what a freak he was.

"What a career he has had... I've no doubt whatever he puts his mind to now he'll be successful, but it will take a while – I don't think we'll ever be able to replace someone like Ferris at Ulster and Ireland.

"Ireland (possible v Argentina) – F Jones; A Trimble, D Cave, L Marshall, S Zebo; J Sexton, C Murray; J McGrath, R Best, M Ross; I Henderson, P O'Connell (capt); R Diack, C Henry, J Murphy.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/c ... 30908.html


Henry: I won't give up No 7 shirt lightly

THERE is an onus on any late bloomer to seize the chances he's given and Ulster's Chris Henry has done just that this season.

Up in Ulster, they have been raving about their openside for years, but it has taken a lot longer for him to appreciated in the national set-up.

Having Sean O'Brien ahead of him in the pecking order hasn't helped, but what is impressive about the 29-year-old's campaign is how little Ireland's most impactful player was missed during a successful Six Nations.

Henry doesn't try and be O'Brien, but he was arguably Ireland's best player in Paris, with his subtle hands putting Johnny Sexton over for a try and his demonic tackling helping keep the French at bay as they threatened to cut loose.

He puts part of his rise down to being backed by Joe Schmidt who, having seen what a nuisance Henry can be when coaching against Ulster for Leinster, has had little hesitation in turning to the flanker.

BENEFIT"The big thing was getting the run of game time," he explained. "Joe gave me the benefit of the doubt.

"There was a lot of pressure. I had to perform for him and had to perform for the team as there was so much at stake. I really enjoyed that. A run of game time is certainly something that played a big part.

"It's well and good coming off the bench and maybe getting 15 minutes and trying to show what you are about, but when you know you are starting the game you can really influence it and you have got 80 minutes to show it. It certainly gives you a lot more time to impress.

"He did just that and, after O'Brien was given the summer off to continue his recovery from a shoulder injury, Henry remains the man in possession of the No 7 shirt in Argentina.

"With Sean missing, my goal was to show what I was about and try and do a job for the team and hopefully I did," he said.

"In an Ireland jersey the season has been great and now two more weeks, two more tough games to get through, and it's just so exciting to be back in this environment.

"After such success in a green jersey this season, Henry and the pack face a major change the next time they re-assemble after this tour after John Plumtree announced he was moving on from his role as forwards coach.

Paul O'Connell has heaped praise on the departing New Zealander and Henry agrees that he will be missed.

"He definitely got the best out of us as a pack. I'm gutted with the news," Henry said. "He has brought us on massively; our maul especially. The Irish maul I don't think scored many tries over the years but then we were doing some serious damage to teams and that's something for this week we need to get right.

"We need to get that back quickly because it's a powerful weapon. Then there's his general demeanour around the place. He's just a calming influence and he just gets the best out of us. You want to go to training when we split forwards/ backs and want to make sure you buy into what he says because you know what he is saying is spot on."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/o ... 30884.html


Robbie Diack set for Ireland debut against Argentina

Joe Schmidt looks set to hand South Africa-born Ulster flanker Robbie Diack his first Ireland cap in Saturday's opening Test against Argentina.

Early indications are the Ireland coach will rest most of the Leinster contingent who started last weekend's Pro12 final win over Glasgow Warriors, although Mike Ross is likely to be pressed into service once again due to Marty Moore's absence.

If Schmidt rests Fergus McFadden, it could mean an Ireland recall for Simon Zebo, almost a year since he won his last cap against the United States, while Felix Jones could come in ahead of Rob Kearney after his exertions. Jordi Murphy and Jack McGrath may profit from not starting last weekend with starts in Resistencia.

Ireland held an open training session at the Hurling Club in Buenos Aires yesterday in front of a large group of local school children and members of the diaspora.Argentina, meanwhile, could feature one of their two returning tightheads Ramiro Herrera and Matiaz Diaz despite them missing training early in the week.

Herrera played for Castres in Saturday's Top 14 final, while Diaz featured for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby on Friday and, despite missing training could be recalled by coach Daniel Hourcade.

The coach looks set to stick largely with the domestic-based team who have played in the recent warm-up games, with Bordeaux's Nicolas Sanchez set to lead the backline from out-half.Ireland could see another debutant in Connacht's former New Zealand U-20 Rodney Ah You, who, as the second tighthead in the squad, is likely to come off the bench for his international debut.

Scrum coach Greg Feek believes his access to game time this season has taken him onto a new level, but said the 19-and-a-half stone prop must now seize the opportunity he's been given.

"We've had a little bit of time with him in the Six Nations camp, he's 124kg and coming to Argentina on tour you need a specialist tighthead," the scrum coach said, who also suggested that Munster's James Cronin will win his first cap in one of the two Tests.

"First and foremost, we needed someone who has had a lot of game time and he's had that with Connacht, we'll see how he goes.

"Hopefully, he'll leave after these two weeks having learned an awful lot about international rugby and it might inspire him more to stay in the mix."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/r ... 27267.html



Cave set for start against Argentina

It is being reported that Darren Cave will start at outside centre for Ireland in their first test against Argentina this Saturday.

Cave has been capped on five previous occasions for his country.

Luke Marshall may play beisde him at 12 with Rory Best, Andrew Trimble and Chris Henry all also likely to start.

Sean O'Brien, Peter O'Mahoney, Tommy Bowe and Gordon D'Arcy are among those who have not travelled with the squad for the game.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingne ... 32536.html


Henry aims to sign off season on a high

Chris Henry has had to bide his time to get to the front of the Irish back row queue and after a long campaign in an Irish shirt he just doesn’t want the season to end.

The injury to Sean O’Brien paved the way for the Belfast boy to step through and with his 30th birthday looming later this month he wants to seize every opportunity.

“It has been a fantastic year. I have loved every minute of it. With Sean missing my goal was to show what I was about and try and do a job for the team and hopefully I did,” said Henry, who started all the games of the successful Six Nations campaign.

It’s over four years since he picked up the first of his 14 caps and the key for him was to get a sustained run in an Irish shirt to show he could do it on the international stage.

“The big thing was getting the run of game time. Joe gave me the benefit of the doubt. There was a lot of pressure. I had to perform for him and had to perform for the team as there was so much at stake. I really enjoyed that.

“A run of game time is certainly something that played a big part. It’s well and good coming off the bench and maybe getting 15 minutes and trying to show what you are about but when you know you are starting the game you can really influence it and you have 80 minutes to show it. It certainly gives you a lot more time to impress.”

He knows it will be a bruising encounter with the Pumas on Saturday, even if most of their European players are not involved, but Henry says the homework has been done.

“The good thing about this squad of players is we know Joe demands an awful lot so boys have gone off their own bat and the amount of video work that has already been done is something I have noticed.

“Argentina is a team that has been together for a while and that channel from inside the ruck to the 10-12 channel, that’s where a lot of traffic comes and that is where I have to be. Certainly all the back rows know it’s going to be a pretty bruising encounter,” he added.

With Darren Cave set to be handed Brian O’Driscoll’s shirt and Robbie Diack poised for his debut, the Ulster influence on the Irish team continues to grow.

There will be a transition period in Ravenhill over the summer, however, with the likes of Johann Muller, John Afoa and Tom Court moving on but he feels they have the talent to build on a solid season just gone.

“There is going to be a lot of new faces, which is always very good. We’re not hiding the fact there are big, big players leaving so it’s going to be tough. But I think we have home-grown players that can lead and we just have to plough on and there is no way we can take a backward step.”

But he is the first to admit they need to back up their strong performances in recent years with silverware.

“There’s no hiding from that. Every year we talk about it and we as players get fed up repeating the same stuff, saying we learned from this, we learned from that. We need to take our chances when they come. Unfortunately you need a bit of luck.

“In some games going down to 14 men made it difficult but we have important players. Paddy Jackson, I thought he improved massively this year, I’d say he was one of the most improved again and he is going to be real important. You need someone in the driving seat to really run the team and with Ian Humphreys coming back as well, he will also help Jacko come along as well,” enthused Henry.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugb ... 71054.html



Paddy Jackson’s Twitter tribute to Stephen Ferris is just fantastic

It’s still hard to come to terms with the news that Stephen Ferris had to retire from professional rugby earlier this week. Although he had been dogged by injury problems for some time, he is still only 28 and it is a shame that Ulster and Irish fans will never get to see a repeat of the beast-like displays he produced in both jerseys over the years.

Ferris’ Ulster team-mates have been paying tribute to the big man on Twitter since the news was announced, with most of them accompanying the tributes with pictures of Ferris that they happen to have in their collection, some of them flattering, some of them not so flattering.

We particularly like Paddy Jackson’s effort (see first tweet below) and yes, to answer your inevitable question, that is a bottle of Buckfast at the front of the shot.

All the best in your retirement Stephen, you’ll be sorely missed.

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A couple of more at..........
http://www.joe.ie/tweet-of-the-day/pic- ... fantastic/

[Mac]

Thursday 5th June

PART II



‘He’d go wandering. He’d fall over. He had no control over anything’

At 11.40am last Tuesday in the Coroners Court on Dublin’s Store Street, coroner Dr Brian Farrell delivered his findings in the case of the late Kenny Nuzum.

Over the previous hour and 20 minutes he had listened to evidence from a consultant neurologist and a consultant neuropathologist. The coroner accepted what he had heard, he said, and found that Nuzum’s death ultimately had been caused by CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) — a degenerative brain condition brought about by repeated head trauma. Over the course of an extraordinarily long rugby career, Kenny Nuzum, who died in March last year aged 57, had suffered a whole heap of head trauma.

This was a landmark case in the game in this country, the first time the death of a rugby player had been referred to this court. By confirming the link between the demise of an ex-player and a condition which has haunted the NFL in America, the coroner moved the issue of concussion onto a new level here.

If you reckoned that it was only a matter of time before CTE washed up on these shores then you won’t be surprised where we are now.

CTE is not new, but only since the NFL agreed last year to shell out $914m to more than 5,000 former players, who had sued the league because of head injuries sustained playing gridiron, has it moved centre stage.

You will be familiar with the casual, blanket description for someone’s irrational behaviour as being down to ‘a chemical imbalance in the brain’. When it comes to CTE there is actually some truth in this. We all have a protein called tau which is pivotal to the maintenance of healthy nerve cells in the brain. When you suffer concussion, however, a biochemical reaction takes place which leads to loss of function of the tau protein. And the affected nerve cells cease to function. If you are unlucky then the next stop is CTE, and your life will never be the same again.

Currently the condition can only be clinically diagnosed in an autopsy, but advances in imaging techniques are likely to make it identifiable in the living by virtue of developing ultra-high-tech PET (positron emission tomography) scans. For the moment though we are relying on brain donation to science so that pathologists can diagnose exactly what has gone wrong. And had Kenny Nuzum’s family not gone down this road we would be none the wiser.

If you are new to the rugby world then you will never have heard of Kenny Nuzum. If your familiarity with the club scene in Leinster goes back to the 1980s, however, you’ll remember him well. Team-mates were relieved that he was in their line-up and not the opposition’s. Opponents wondered how it was that someone could play with such disregard for his own or others’ safety.

“Only for his discipline I’m told he could have gone further,” his son Andrew says. He got sent off a lot.

Nuzum played the game when the laws relating to the scrum were significantly different to those that obtain now. In the 1970s and ’80s especially it was routine for heads to clash on engagement at the scrum. Sometimes this would have been accidental, a by-product of two front rows meeting head on and without the graduated protocol we have now. It was common enough though for prop forwards to try and intimidate their opponents by headbutting them on contact. Nuzum had a well-earned reputation as a fearsome competitor who took no prisoners. Nobody was keeping count of the number of times he saw stars. Or, in other words, was concussed.

“He got an awful lot of clatters,” Andrew says. “A lot of people are going to say he didn’t play rugby the way a lot of normal people played. That’s what’s going to come out as well — that he was a different animal to the rest of us.”

Kenny Nuzum was born in Kildare in December 1955, raised in Rathfarnham, and on leaving school at 18 joined Lansdowne, then the most powerful club in Leinster. He was a fixture in the front row of a heavyweight pack in a team that at various stages included internationals Moss Keane, Donal Spring and Mike Gibson. Long after those individuals had hung up their boots, Nuzum was still lacing his.

Andrew reckons he played regularly until he was almost 50, and intermittently thereafter, by which stage he had settled in with junior club Aer Lingus. In 2005, when they had become Swords Rugby Club, Nuzum was awarded the inaugural Hall of Fame accolade. “Referees, opposition front rows, disciplinary boards, players past and present: love him or loathe him, they all knew Kenny,” ran the introduction for that award.

Despite his fearsome reputation on the field he was very popular off it. And colourful. One former team-mate remembers a story of Nuzum driving down Mary Street in Dublin’s north inner city when he saw two men messing with the lock of a car.

Having had his own car robbed a few weeks previously, he pulled over and physically assaulted them. It turned out they were plain clothes detectives. “When they had finished sorting him out they went on the pi$h with him for the afternoon,” he said. “Off the field he was a very decent fella — he actually had a heart of gold.”

It was his head that was the problem though. Things started to go wrong noticeably around 2006. Nuzum ran a tarmac and line-marking business — roads and sports courts — along with Andrew, with the father looking after the paperwork.

“The business went downhill because his memory started going,” Andrew says. “He used to know Dublin inside out but then couldn’t find his way around, leaving cars all over the place. We put it down to depression at first because we lost our mother 10 years ago. Eventually he gave in to it, we’d known for a few years, and said, ‘Yes my memory is going’. We were losing work left, right and centre. Forgetting invoices, forgetting prices. Things just went downhill.”

He was referred by his GP to the Memory Clinic in St James’s Hospital in June 2011. A neurological exam was largely normal and he was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. Six months later, he wound up in Blanchardstown A&E department. That set in train a sequence that saw him assessed by occupational therapy and psychiatric services. They concluded he did not have any psychiatric symptoms, including depression or anxiety. His primary difficulty was memory and disorientation.

By the next year things had got considerably worse. He was back in the Memory Clinic in summer 2012 for reassessment, and they referred him to the Neurology Clinic the same month. He was diagnosed with suspected PSP (progressive supranuclear palsy), a rare brain disorder that causes problems with gait and balance. At that stage he was still living at home, in Clonee, with carers coming in at night.

“He’d go wandering,” Andrew says. “He’d fall over. He’d been off the road for a year at this stage, he’d wander and be lost. No control over finances, no control over anything. In October 2012 we got him into James’s. We said: ‘This man can’t live on his own anymore.’ He’d rung me one night — thought he was in London. I found him in the garden, he’d fallen over and couldn’t get back up. We got him into James’s but he absconded twice from there, one day in his pyjamas, walking frame, slippers. Spotted first at the Aviva Stadium, at Lansdowne’s clubhouse. The guards were out looking for him. He was missing for five hours. Then someone reported him in Donnybrook Stadium and the guards picked him up there and brought him back. That was just before the Six Nations (in 2013). He was going to play rugby.”

In fact, he was trying to line out for the Ireland Legends against their England counterparts. A few weeks later, he would develop pneumonia, and after a poor response to antibiotics was admitted to the intensive care unit. He rallied briefly and was discharged to a general ward, but within 48 hours the beginning of multi-organ failure had set in. “A few days later he was gone,” Andrew says.

Initially he thought of donating other of his dad’s organs but the hospital explained to him that the brain would be the most useful, so it was arranged to hand it over to the Brain Bank in Beaumont Hospital. That’s where neuropathologist Professor Michael Farrell got involved.

“The family, along with Kenny, made arrangements for his brain to be donated and I suppose I saw that name,” he says. Farrell has a long background in rugby as a member of St Mary’s and having played for RCSI and Longford.

“‘Jesus, that can’t be Kenny Nuzum?’ I approached it on the basis that he had been seen by superb neurologists, they had a working diagnosis that he had PSP. At the back of my mind all the time was ‘could it be (CTE)?’ And you’re trying all the time not to jump to conclusions. So you’re doing everything you can to show that it’s what the clinicians thought it was but when I began to see the changes around the blood vessels then it dawned on me that this was not ordinary PSP. It was 10 times worse than any PSP I’d ever seen before in my life. Normally with PSP you see tau changes in certain parts of the brain but in Kenny’s case it was everywhere. We did all the genetics and looked for mutations in the tau gene, for the family’s sake: we didn’t want to be calling this chronic traumatic encephalopathy if it wasn’t, if instead it was something inherited.”

Farrell referred his findings to his colleague in Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital, Willie Stewart, a leading world figure on the issue of brain trauma. Dr Stewart spent a day in Beaumont examining slides and took away a tissue sample. He told the Sunday Independent last week: “In my research I’ve seen a lot of cases of CTE, but this was one of the most severely affected I have seen, particularly in such a young man.”

So how did Kenny Nuzum finish up in such a state? Had he a series of work accidents or other incidents where he was getting dings in the head? No. There had been one incident at work where he was struck in the side of the head by a metal bar which he was loading onto a truck. He hadn’t lost consciousness and he didn’t attend hospital. On the rugby field however he lost consciousness three times that he admitted. His family and team-mates said he had been concussed multiple times. Did nobody try and dissuade him from playing then?

“I knew when he would have been 50 he wasn’t the full shilling but I didn’t know what it was,” Andrew says. “We didn’t see it getting as bad. It was a bit of a heart problem that the doctors found out that stopped him playing. ‘You’re going to have some 20-year-old that runs into you and you’re going to get feck killed.’ He played a game with Lansdowne over 35s maybe three years ago, and the boys said he wasn’t the full shilling at all.”

Not many people played the game the way Nuzum did. Fewer still played as long as he did. It is beyond question that he kept going far past the point at which he should have stopped. The consequences were an early death, at 57, with the last six or seven years of his life increasingly compromised by his advancing CTE.

“This case illustrates what we in the brain trauma community have suspected for some time: that chronic traumatic encephalopathy is not an American problem, it’s a global sports problem,” says Willie Stewart. “We would call on global sports to recognise that head injuries acquired during sporting pursuits can lead to long-term problems for people. One of our frustrations is that we’re battling concussion on a sport-by-sport basis, region by region, rather than just accepting that the good work in America carried out over the past decade has told us what we need to know: repeatedly injuring your brain over and over again is not good for some people. And it’s not just a boxer problem, it’s not just an American football problem, it’s not just an ice hockey problem, it’s a rugby problem, it’s a football problem, it’s a global problem.”

And it’s not new. Twelve years ago, West Brom forward Jeff Astle died from dementia that a coroner found had been caused by heading footballs over a career that included 15 years as a professional. The English FA promised a 10-year research study following the case. They did nothing. Last month FA chairman Greg Dyke wrote to Astle’s widow apologising for the failure to act, and to assure her an FA commission on head injuries had been set up. Terrific.

Three years ago in these pages Professor Farrell painted a clear enough picture on this issue: what was needed, he said, was a longitudinal study starting with teenagers to harvest enough information so that we might actually move forward. It would cost circa €1m, he said.

And what has happened since then? Above the line, very little, apart from an educational programme — which is useful — run by the IRFU. Useful but still not getting even close to the heart of the issue. Our understanding now is that a group of medics, independent of the union, are at an advanced stage of preparation for a programme that will go some way towards this.

“We will bring together the best academic minds in medicine in this country and a lot of stars from around the globe,” a source involved in the effort says. The source was a bit hazy though on how it would be funded, so with respect we’ll reserve judgement until the cash materialises.

In the meantime, there are others of Kenny Nuzum’s vintage and older who may find their golden years have lost their gloss because of what happened in their sporting lives. If they are as unlucky as he was then there is no way back. Let’s see if rugby can act now for the others, and wake itself up to move forward.

http://brendanfanningrugby.wordpress.com/


Stephen Ferris keen to repay game he loves... after well-deserved rest

Although injury has ended Stephen Ferris's playing career at the age of 28, that misfortune has done nothing to diminish his love of the game.

The now-retired Ulster, Ireland and Lions back row giant plans to help out at Dungannon, albeit in a minor capacity at this stage. In addition, he has vowed that on Friday nights he will be at Ravenhill supporting his former team-mates.

Rugby has taken much from him, but it has given him a lot more in exchange. For that reason he went out of his way to underline the fact that he feels no sense of having been short-changed. He has a host of great memories and friendships as a result of having played the game.

Regrets?

"Absolutely none," he replied.

"Jamie Roberts has just texted me to say all the best post-rugby. That's a guy I met with the (2009) Lions and now he's a friend. There's a lot of guys like that; I've met a lot of friends right the way through rugby – lifelong friends. That's what a lot of people love about it – you make such good mates."

As for what comes next, he explained: "I've no plans as yet. I think I just need to get a break, get the head showered. Over the last 18 months I've only been able to get away for an odd week – maybe two when I got a bit of time off.

"It's been a tough couple of years personally on the rugby pitch, and I feel like I just need to get away from it.

"The timing is actually okay – there's no more games now for Ulster until the start of the season, so maybe I just need to get away until then and then come back and support the lads."

Perhaps because he has spent so much time watching in the past 18 months, the prospect of continuing to do so sits comfortably with him.

"A lot of the lads aren't great spectators but I love it. I love shouting at Andrew Trimble when he runs into touch, 'Why didn't you step back inside?'" he smiled.

"I'll get behind the team. I've been a part of the squad for so long... I would hate to walk away from it and just say 'Thanks very much, that's my time done'.

"I'll be here every Friday supporting the lads. And I'm sure with the Heineken Cup – or whatever it's called now – that I might get the odd trip down to the south of France also."

Other openings at this stage? Giving long-time Ulster team-mate Nigel Brady a hand at Stevenson Park where the hooker has been appointed coach following his injury-enforced retirement.

"Paul Magee has asked me to come in and help with Dungannon next year," Ferris continued. "Nigel is obviously coming back from France – he's had a bit of a torrid time with injury himself – so I'm looking forward to doing a bit of coaching with those guys.

"I've obviously done my coaching badges – a lot of the lads did a lot of the coaching badges last year when we were going through the season – so it's just about clocking up our hours now.

"I think it would be silly for me to walk away from the game and never give anything back. Small bits and pieces here and there for the next year, two years, five years, whatever it may be would definitely keep me involved in the game.

"Dungannon is the club where I started my professional career and I would love to give a bit back to them. Going down there the odd Tuesday or Thursday or getting away with them for a couple of games next year and doing a bit of coaching with them would be fantastic. The club needs to get back up to the level it was at when I was playing."

But he has no desire to enter the full-time coaching arena at this juncture.

"Coaching is hard work," he said. "If the team's not going well the players don't get the chop – it the head coach who gets the chop. I've been in the position here at Ulster when it has happened like that, so it's tough work.

"I don't think I'm cut out for it now, but maybe ask me in 10 years and I might change my mind."

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 29625.html



Five Things Joe Schmidt’s Ireland Must Do In Argentina

The Irish team have touched down in Argentina and are gearing up for the first Test against Argentina on Saturday. Ozer McMahon is here to discuss the five most important things that Ireland must gain from the summer tour.

1. Familiarise Ideas

Joe Schmidt has been in the hot seat for less than twelve months and with the winner-takes-all nature of the Six Nations, it meant that the Kiwi did not have much scope for experimentation in the spring.

With these two Tests and three more to come in the autumn before Ireland step back into the cauldron to defend their Six Nations crown, Schmidt and his coaching staff now have an extended period to implement their style of play. Considering the large Leinster contingent in the squad who are well used to their former coach’s methods it should not take too long, but the Munster and Ulster players need to be singing off the same hymn sheet for the side to progress.

During his time with Leinster, a hallmark of Schmidt’s team was their work rate. While the backs sparkled regularly it was a result of the solid foundation work they had put in place beforehand. T

he base of the Irish team up until now has been Leinster blue, but Schmidt has the chance to integrate the likes of Darren Cave, Simon Zebo, James Cronin and Luke Marshall into his first team plans fully. He knew what the Leinster players could bring to the table, now he needs to express his views to the rest of his players.

2. Add Greater Depth

Despite promises to the contrary, Schmidt started only 18 players in the Six Nations as he quickly realised results were more important at that time of the year than squad growth. Gordon D’Arcy, Tommy Bowe and Cian Healy have been given the summer off, Sean O’Brien has just returned from injury and won’t be risked, while Robbie Henshaw, Peter O’Mahony, Keith Earls, Paddy Jackson and Dave Kearney are all on the injury list. There is room for Schmidt to cast his eye over some of his fringe players. He has brought six uncapped players on the tour, while there is a further eleven players with 10 or less caps travelling also.

When Ireland have their best team available they are a formidable outfit, but if some of the key frontline players are missing there can be a substantial shortfall in terms of those coming in as replacements. This tour offers Schmidt a chance to expose some of the less experienced players in the squad to Test rugby.

While all six uncapped players may not make their international bows this summer they will learn from those around them and become more familiar with the international set up, which can only be a good thing moving forward.

3. Maintain Momentum

The goal posts have been shifted slightly in the space of a month. Before Schmidt named his touring party, which many suspected would be shorn of a number of key players; the number one aim of this trip to Argentina would have been casting the net wider and bringing more players into the fold.

In a post Lions summer it was expected Schmidt may give some of the players that went to Australia last year a few weeks off. He has however opted against this as the he clearly wants to maximise the time he gets to spend with his players. He has brought a squad with a strong core, but there is also a string of less experienced players who will be looking to prove a point to the coaches.

The subsequent announcement of the Argentinian squad has only reinforced the message that this is a tour Ireland should be returning home from with two wins from two. The Pumas have included very few of their frontline players. Of their 31 man squad, 18 of the players ply their trade domestically and of the 13 overseas players called up, none of their regular stars feature.

Now that Argentina compete with the Tri Nations countries in the Rugby championship, the season has become quite hectic for their European based stars and head coach Daniel Hourcade won’t be putting them through their paces in June. Due to the relative strengths of the two squads, Ireland must be primed to win and carry their 2014 Six Nations form through the summer with the Autumn Tests in mind.

4. Replace Brian

There had been talk for the past 18 of months of who may or may not replace BOD in the number 13 jersey when the final curtain was drawn on the great man’s career. Well that time is now. O’Driscoll has missed games and summer tours for Ireland in the past but there was always comfort in the knowledge his return was imminent.

This time there is no such luxury. O’Driscoll is gone and won’t be back.

The problem for Schmidt is the majority players that would have been to the forefront of his mind are unavailable to travel this month. Jared Payne has been long touted as a replacement for Drico but he is yet to become a naturalised Irishman, and the young pretender Robbie Henshaw, who has spent the last year shadowing BOD, has not travelled because of a hand injury.

Luke Fitzgerald is again sidelined while Keith Earls is the latest player to have been ruled out of the tour through injury. While both are probably more likely to be considered as wingers, they have both regularly featured at 13 and both stress it is their favoured position.

That leaves the door swinging ajar for Darren Cave. The Ulster man has won 4 of his 5 caps on summer tours and will more than likely add two more to that tally as the only other options for the 13 jersey are the versatile Fergus McFadden and rookie Noel Reid, who has snuck onto the plane as a replacement for Earls after a promising season for Leinster.

Both have played 13 for the Eastern province but are more comfortable in the 12 shirt, while McFadden has spent most of his time in an Irish jersey on the wing.

Schmidt will be disappointed Henshaw won’t have the opportunity to audition for a role that appears to be his for the taking in the long term, but Cave has had a strong season for Ulster and deserves his chance. With Gordon D’Arcy not travelling it appears Luke Marshall looks set to be given a chance to start both games at 12 and that familiar Ulster axis will benefit both who only have 10 caps between them.

5. Find a Star

The rugby landscape in Ireland is quite flat. The first team is well settled and barring injury or severe loss of form it does not change too frequently. When Ireland field their preferred first team they are one of the most experienced test sides in world rugby (although the loss of BOD’s 133 caps will put a dent in that).

Despite what happens over the next 15 months it is unlikely there will be too many changes in personnel to the first choice squad. Of the uncapped players coming on tour Kieran Marmion looks most likely to make a burst from the pack and could nudge ahead of Eoin Reddan over the coming months if he maintains his form. Rob Herring will be another who be looking to impress if he gets a chance as behind Rory Best the pool of top quality hookers is quite shallow.

Of the players with a few caps under their belts the powerful Ian Henderson and the exhilarating Munster wing Simon Zebo will be looking to force their way into the coaches plans. Jack McGrath has been the direct understudy for Cian Healy all season but he will feel the pressure of Munster duo Dave Kilcoyne and James Cronin breathing down his neck as they all vie for the number 1 jersey. Schmidt will clearly want to guarantee a victory by starting with the best available team but he should be able to incorporate some new blood into a winning environment.

http://www.punditarena.com/rugby/omcmah ... argentina/

[Mac]

Thursday 5th June

PART III



Ulster Rugby agrees stadium naming rights deal with Kingspan

Ulster Rugby has signed a 10-year agreement with the Kingspan Group, the world’s leading provider of sustainable building materials, for the naming rights to what will now be called Kingspan Stadium.

The agreement will result in significant investment for the game of rugby at all levels within the Province.

Kingspan, whose global headquarters are in Kingscourt, County Cavan, has been a sponsor of Ulster Rugby since 1999.

Commenting on the landmark deal, Chief Executive of Ulster Rugby, Shane Logan, said:

“We are delighted to have extended our partnership with Kingspan, one of Ulster’s most successful international companies, and to have secured a stadium naming rights partner for the first time.

“This is a landmark deal and one that will have considerable benefits for all of rugby in Ulster.

“I want to thank Kingspan for its long-term commitment to the Province and I look forward to many more special rugby occasions, from school and club finals to European match nights, at Kingspan Stadium in the future.”

Pat Freeman, Managing Director of Kingspan Environmental said: “Both Ulster Rugby and Kingspan are successful globally recognised brands within their respective fields.

“We have been a partner of Ulster Rugby for 15 years and have witnessed the tremendous growth of rugby in the Province. We have also had extensive input into the redevelopment of the stadium through our high performance technologies. We are delighted to significantly extend our already strong association with Ulster Rugby by putting our name to such a wonderful sporting venue and are proud that the home of Ulster Rugby will be now known as Kingspan Stadium.”

John Robinson, President, IRFU (Ulster Branch), warmly welcomed the new association when he said:

“This long-term deal, with a leading Ulster company, will result in a highly significant investment for rugby in the Province and is a contract of which all involved can be very proud. Rugby has never been stronger in Ulster and partnerships such as this will enable us to continue to grow the game at club and schools level and to remain competitive both in Europe and the PRO12.”

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/News/LatestN ... span-.aspx

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/r ... -1.1821871
http://www.businessworld.ie/livenews.ht ... ngnews.htm
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,2588 ... 40,00.html



Roger Wilson named at No. 8 in star-studded World XV
The once-capped Ireland international will be playing with some world-class talent in Cape Town

ULSTER’S ROGER WILSON has been named at No. 8 in Nick Mallet’s ‘World XV’ to face South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday [KO 4.00pm].

The 32-year-old has been capped once by Ireland [against Japan in 2005] and will relish the opportunity to play alongside some international household names in a team captained by out-half Matt Giteau.

ERC Player of the Year Steffon Armitage and Montpellier wildman Mamuka Gorgodze complete the back row either side of Wilson, while Racing Métro’s Juandré Kruger and Saracens’ in-form Alistair Hargreaves are the lock pairing.

Craig Burden and Carl Hayman of Toulon are in the front row, with Sona Taumalolo lining out at loosehead prop ahead of a possible return to the Chiefs next season.

Castres’ superb scrum-half Rory Kockott is inside Giteau in the halfbacks, while Montpellier duo Wynand Olivier and Rene Ranger provide attacking thrust in the midfield.

A back three of James O’Connor, Hosea Gear and Drew Mitchell has tries written all over it, while the likes of Joe Tekori, François Trinh-Duc and Benson Stanley offer game-changing ability from the bench.

In a sign of the Top 14 club’s strength, seven of the players in the World XV’s starting line-up will be at Toulon next season; O’Connor, Mitchell, Giteau, Armitage, Gorgodze, Hayman and Burden.

Indeed, the entire backline ply their trades in France, as well as six of the pack and five of the replacements. Up against an incredibly experienced South Africa team, Wilson will be keen to show what Ireland have been missing in recent years.

World XV: James O’Connor; Drew Mitchell, Rene Ranger, Wynand Olivier, Hosea Gear; Matt Giteau (capt.), Rory Kockott; Sona Taumalolo, Craig Burden, Carl Hayman; Juandré Kruger, Alistair Hargreaves; Mamuka Gorgodze, Steffon Armitage, Roger Wilson.

Replacements: Andrew Hore, Schalk Ferreira, Pat Cilliers, Joe Tekori, Alexandre Lapandry, Jimmy Cowan, François Trinh-Duc, Benson Stanley.

http://www.thescore.ie/roger-wilson-wor ... 3-Jun2014/


Ulster agree 10-year naming rights deal for redeveloped Ravenhill
Welcome to ‘Kingspan Stadium’. £££££££££££££££

JUST OVER A month on from the official opening of the redeveloped Ravenhill, Ulster Rugby have today confirmed that the ground will be renamed Kingspan Stadium.

The Co. Cavan based building materials company have been involved in some level of sponsorship with the province for 15 years and last year agreed a two-year deal to have their logo printed on the back of the Ulster jersey.

The naming rights to Ravenhill have been signed over with a 10-year agreement that today’s statement from the province says represents a “significant investment”, though no exact figure has been disclosed.

“We are delighted to have extended our partnership with Kingspan, one of Ulster’s most successful international companies,” says Ulster CEO Shane Logan, ”and to have secured a stadium naming rights partner for the first time.

“This is a landmark deal and one that will have considerable benefits for all of rugby in Ulster.”

The deal is the first time an Irish province has sold the naming rights of its main stadium to a sponsor. However, there are comparable figures to be found at other rugby venues.

The Aviva Stadium naming rights are believed to be worth up to €45 million for the 10-year deal. The Scottish Rugby Union have recently agreed a four-year partnership to rename their ground BT Murrayfield for a reputed €24 million.

Perhaps the closest parallel for Ulster are their rivals of the past two years, Saracens. The Premiership club’s purpose built venue has been named Allianz Park on a six-year contract at a cost of €9.8 million for the financial services group.

http://www.thescore.ie/ulster-kingspan- ... 0-Jun2014/

[Mac]

Thursday 5th June

PART IV So much for a quiet off season............



Diack to make Ireland debut v Argentina

Debutant Robbie Diack is among seven Ulster starters in the Ireland team to play Argentina in Resistancia on Saturday (kick off 7.40pm GMT).

Diack is set to wear the No.6 jersey, and there are two further uncapped players on the bench as Connacht dup Kieran Marmion and Rodney Ah You hope to claim their first cap.

The front row sees Jack McGrath win his 9th cap alongside Rory Best and Mike Ross. Captain Paul O'Connell is partnered in the second row by Iain Henderson. The back-row consists of Ulster team-mates Diack and Chris Henry with Leinster's Jordi Murphy at No.8.

Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton start at half-back with Luke Marshall and Darren Cave in the centre. The back three is made up of Simon Zebo, Andrew Trimble with Felix Jones at full-back.

The first Test will be televised live by Sky Sports at 7.40pm.

IRELAND Team & Replacements v Argentina, Estadio Centenario, Resistencia, Chaco
Summer Tour, Saturday 7th June, kick-off 15:40 LOCAL (19:40 GMT)
Player/Club/Province/Caps
15. Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster) 5
14. Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster) 55
13. Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 5
12. Luke Marshall (Ballnyahinch/Ulster) 5
11. Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) 6
10. Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro 92) 43
9. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster) 27
1. Jack McGrath (St. Mary's College/Leinster) 8
2. Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) 75
3. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster) 39
4. Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 10
5. Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster) 92 capt
6. Robbie Diack (Malone/Ulster) *
7. Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster) 14
8. Jordi Murphy (Lansdowne/Leinster) 2

Replacements:
16. Damien Varley (Garryowen/Munster) 2
17. Dave Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 8
18. Rodney Ah You (Buccaneers/Connacht) *
19. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 15
20. Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) 65
21. Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht) *
22. Ian Madigan (Blackrock/Leinster) 8
23. Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 26

Argentina v IRELAND
Saturday 7th June, 2014
Estadio Centenario, Resistencia, Chaco
KO 15:40 local time (19:40 Irish time)

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/News/LatestN ... ntina.aspx



Schmidt: Seize the moment

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt is urging several players to stake a claim for places ahead of the first of two Tests against Argentina.

Schmidt has made it clear to his players that Saturday may be their only opportunity.

South African Robbie Diack will make his Ireland debut in a back row where Jordi Murphy starts his first game for Ireland when winning his third cap.

As expected, Darren Cave has been handed the number 13 shirt and will line up with Ulster team-mate Luke Marshall in a backline where Simon Zebo returns to the international scene.

Connacht pair Kieran Marmion and Rodney Ah You are poised to make their Irish debuts off the bench.

Schmidt said: "It's a great opportunity and it's a real responsibility. If the opportunity is afforded to you then I think you've got to reciprocate with the best performance you can put together.

"The way they've trained this week that's certainly what they are working towards with the combinations we have, with the combative nature of the way the Argentinians play.

"They are a little bit unknown, they are a little bit harder to predict than other teams we have played.

"Then to be able to react and endure what will be a pretty tough Test match in a very tough environment, it's going to give us a bit more information about how these guys will cope in the future. "

The Ireland coach is able to experiment with the Pumas not at full strength - but Schmidt believes the same option may not be open to him in November.

He continue: "We have this one window to really do that. The Guinness Series is going to be measurably tougher with South Africa and Australia.

"It's going to be very, very tough here but one of the things that you want to find out is how the players cope in a tough environment.

"It will be hostile, it's a place where Test match rugby hasn't been before so the local population will be very much behind the Argentinians.

"It's a pitch that's a different size and it's the first time this combination has been put together for Ireland.

"So there are a number of challenges. We just want to really see how they manage the situation."

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 33135.html



Uncapped Robbie Diack named in Joe Schmidt's starting XV for first Argentina test

Ulster's Robbie Diack will make his international debut in Ireland's first test against Argentina on Saturday evening.

There are two further uncapped players on the bench as Connacht duo Kieran Marmion and Rodney Ah You hope to claim their first cap.

The front row sees Jack McGrath win his 9th cap alongside Rory Best and Mike Ross. Captain Paul O'Connell is partnered in the second row by Iain Henderson. The back-row consists of Ulster team-mates Diack and Chris Henry with Leinster's Jordi Murphy at No.8.

Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton start at half-back with Luke Marshall and Darren Cave in the centre. The back three is made up of Simon Zebo, Andrew Trimble with Felix Jones at full-back.

Ireland starting XB: (15-9) Felix Jones, Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Luke Marshall, Simon Zebo, Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; (1-8) Jack McGrath, Rory Best, Mike Ross, Iain Henderson, Paul O'Connell, Robbie Diack, Chris Henry, Jordi Murphy.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/u ... 32853.html



Robbie Diack handed Ireland debut Gerry T
Rodney Ah You and Kieran Marmion could also win their first caps if they come on against Argentina on Saturday night

As expected, the South African-born Robbie Diack, who qualifies by residency, will make his debut for Ireland against Argentina on Saturday (7.40pm) as one of eight changes from the starting team which kicked off the Six Nations Championship win in Paris.

The Connacht duo of Rodney Ah You and Kieran Marmion could also make their debuts off the bench.

The 28-year-old Diack will pack down alongside his Ulster teammate Chris Henry in a back-row which also also sees Jordi Murphy make his first test start after a couple of appearances off the bench against England and Italy.

In addition to Diack and Henry, the other changes up front see Jack McGrath and Iain Henderson promoted from the bench in place of the absent Cian Healy and Devin Toner who, like Jamie Heaslip, is kept in reserve on the bench after their Leinster exertions of late.

As was also anticipated, opportunity knocks for Darren Cave, who forms an all-Ulster midfield partnership outside Luke Marshall, and Simon Zebo, who is restored for his first game since a fairly disastrous outing 12 months ago in the 15-12 win away to the USA Eagles, as well as Felix Jones at fullback.

Ian Madigan and Fergus McFadden are other Leinster players whom Joe Schmidt has not asked to back up from last week’s exhausting defence of their Rabo Pro12 final against Glasgow, with Rob Kearney kept for next week’s second test in Tucuman.

“Yeah it was difficult in some ways but it was actually relatively easy in other ways,” said the Irish coach of his team selection. “There are a number of players that are fatigued from the Pro12 final, there are a number of players that we wanted to give an opportunity. We have this one window to really do that.

“The Guinness series is going to be a immeasurably tougher with South Africa and Australia, but it’s going to be very, very tough here, and one of the things that you want to find out is how the players cope in a tough environment.

“It will be hostile, it’s a place where test match rugby hasn’t been before so the local population will be very much behind the Argentinians.”

“It’s a pitch that’s a different size,” added Schmidt in reference to the cramped dimensions of the Estadio Centenario in Resistencia, where the squad took their 90-minute flight from a sunny Buenos Aires this afternoon, “and it’s a combination that, it’s the first time they’ve been put together for Ireland. So there is a number of challenges, we just want to really see how they manage the situation.”

For more than just Diack, Murphy, Cave, Zebo and Jones, Schmidt agreed this test represented both a great opportunity and a real responsibility. “If the opportunity is afforded to you then I think you’ve got to reciprocate with the best performance you can put together.

“The way they’ve trained this week that’s certainly what they are working towards with the combinations we have, with the combative nature of the way the Argentinians play.

“They are a little bit unknown, they are a little bit harder to predict than other teams we have played. Then to be able to react and endure what will be a pretty tough test match in a very tough environment, it’s going to give us a bit more information about how these guys will cope in the future.”

In that regard Schmidt expects a huge challenge. “Absolutely, since I was a kid I’ve watched teams come to Argentina and I’ve even seen Argentinian teams get hockeyed away from home and then suddenly they come back here and there is a whole different mind-set.

“Even having a chat with Felipe Contepomi yesterday evening, he’s very conscious that this team will be very, very tough to beat.”

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/i ... -1.1822012



Diack debuts in O'Connell's 100th

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has named his side for the opening Test against Argentina in Resistencia on Saturday, with Robbie Diack making his debut.

Diack will start at blindside flanker having played for Emerging Ireland in last year's Tbilisi Cup and also for the Wolfhounds against the Saxons.

There are two further uncapped players on the bench as Connacht scrum-half Kieran Marmion and prop Rodney Ah You hope to make their bow.

The front-row will see prop Jack McGrath win his ninth cap - and second start - alongside hooker Rory Best and tighthead prop Mike Ross.

Captain Paul O'Connell is partnered at lock by the 22-year-old Iain Henderson, who is the youngest member of the squad alongside Marmion.

It will be O'Connell's 100th Test match - 93 appearances for Ireland and seven with the British and Irish Lions. He is the fourth Irishman to play in 100 international games after Brian O'Driscoll (141), Ronan O'Gara (130) and John Hayes (107).

The back-row is made up of Ulster team-mates Diack and Chris Henry with Leinster's Jordi Murphy, who is making his first start at this level, wearing the number eight jersey.

Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton start at half-back with Luke Marshall and Darren Cave in the centre while the back-three is Simon Zebo, Andrew Trimble and full-back Felix Jones.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,2588 ... 31,00.html

[Mac]

Friday 6th June



Niall Crozier: Ulster Rugby's Kingspan Stadium will always be Ravenhill to me NC

On the eve of Ireland's Twickenham meeting with England in the 2014 RBS 6 Nations Championship it was my good fortunate to interview Ollie Campbell.

Eloquent, erudite, honest and passionate in equal measures, he said something of particular interest.

Pointing out that it was Ireland coach Joe Schmidt's first time on the road with his team, Campbell said: "So far he's had the home comfort zone; Carton House and Lansdowne Road, which I still call it – I'm standing my ground on that one given that it is the oldest international rugby ground in the world, as my dad always reminded me."

'Traditionalist' is a noun sometimes used as an attempted put-down of someone portrayed as being unwilling to move with the times. Old school, old fashioned, unrealistic as per today's way of doing things.

But Ollie Campbell is no stick-in-the-mud, so that cap doesn't fit him. Instead he is a man determined to stand against the erosion of core values, ways and principles which he regards as being sacrosanct and non-negotiable.

As a result of yesterday's development, Ravenhill is a name now consigned to history. Yes, we'll all continue to use it for a time. How could it be otherwise; it's woven deep in the fabric of Ulster sport, but just as almost all of us have adapted to Lansdowne Road being the Aviva Stadium, so we will get used to Ravenhill being the Kingspan Stadium. And the fact that it is an all-new arena will ease, as well as hasten, that process.

The German football Bundesliga's most modern stadium is the 30,000-seater Coface Arena in Mainz, completed in 2011. That brought an end to an 83-year relationship between Mainz and the Stadium am Bruchweg.

Their CEO Christopher Blumlein explained the change to a purpose-built arena was a milestone in Mainz's remarkable rise to the top-flight of German football. However, he admitted that it was because it was a completely different stadium that there had been no backlash from the club's supporters.

"Whenever you build a new stadium, it is very easy to give the stadium a new name. Ours was not a reconstruction - it was a totally new venue," he said.

"From the first day of the public discussion, we are not talking about a stadium but the Coface Arena."

Those words were in response to the news that Rangers were considering auctioning off their iconic 'Ibrox' name to the highest bidder. Many of their supporters were aghast at what they saw as something approaching sacrilege.

Blumlein warned: "When you have a traditional name, you always need to have a big discussion."

Ulster have acted without any such 'big discussion,' but the world has not ended.

Life goes on and if Ulster win the Heineken Cup – sorry, European Champions Cup (another name-change to absorb) – or the PRO12 (new sponsors' prefix still pending), one suspects nobody will be too bothered to see them parade their silverware at the Kingspan Stadium rather than Ravenhill.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport ... 33311.html



Cave focused on 13 spot

He is trying to fill the biggest void ever in Irish rugby but Darren Cave is just going to concentrate on producing the game of his life tomorrow and not think too much about the fact Brian O’Driscoll was the previous incumbent of the number he is wearing.

Just over a week ago he faced a tussle with Robbie Henshaw for the No.13 shirt, but once the Connacht man pulled out through injury, the Ulster man had a clear run. And he is determined to make the most, knowing that Henshaw will be back in contention along with others, including his Ulster teammate Jared Payne who will soon be Irish qualified.

He admits he will be nervous when he lines out in Resistencia against the Pumas tomorrow.

“I will yeah. It’s always a wee bit different.

“I suppose I have got to the stage at Ulster where I don’t get as nervous as I used after 130-odd games whereas this will only be the sixth time I have played for Ireland.

“My form for Ulster has been pretty consistent, not always magnificent but very rarely poor. Unfortunately, when you are in a tussle for the No13 jersey off him (O’Driscoll), some rarely poor form isn’t good enough. I suppose at the end of the day I just try not to replace him.

“It’s not about him for me. I’ll just try and play as well as I can and we’ll see what happens.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugb ... 71209.html


Ravenhill gets Kingspan rebrand in £5m ground sponsorship deal

Ravenhill, which has been the traditional home of Ulster Rugby for over 90 years, has been renamed Kingspan Stadium following a 10-year deal worth an estimated £5 million (€6.15m).

The famous stadium, which has just recently seen a £16.5m overhaul, will now be self-sufficient following the naming rights with the Cavan-based conglomerate, one of the world’s most energy-efficient building and technology companies in the world.

Ravenhill is owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union and now has a capacity of 18,000, following the official opening of the refurbished ground last month. It secured £16.5m of funding from the Northern Ireland Executive for the redevelopment, which included three new stands and numerous hospitality suites.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugb ... 71212.html



'It's not about him for me. I'll just try and play as well as I can and we'll see what happens'
Cave finally gets chance to make Ireland No13 his own after biding time living in shadow of O'Driscoll

Darren Cave has waited a long time to take on what must be one of the most unenviable jobs in rugby.

How do you follow the greatest? As the first man to don the No 13 shirt since Brian O'Driscoll retired last weekend, Cave is about to find out.

He has watched his erstwhile nemisis' lap of honour from a front-row seat, training with the now-retired centre in Ireland camp and facing him for Ulster twice in the last few weeks.
Through all of that time, Saturday was circled on the calendar.

The beginning of 'life after BOD' has loomed large for Cave, who spent a large part of his career to date having his patience tested as he waited for his chance. Now he finally has a clear run at making the No 13 jersey his own.
Nobody will define the shirt like O'Driscoll did, but there is a small queue forming to succeed him.

Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne will have to wait for next season, Fergus McFadden could get a shot next week and Keith Earls will also be in the mix in November if he can manage to report for duty without picking up another unfortunate ailment.

But, when he takes to the field on Saturday in Resistencia, Cave will be the man in possession and it is up to him to make sure no one can wrest it off his back. "I feel well prepared, I feel like I deserve the opportunity and it's up to me now to take it. I can't blame anyone else," he said ."Luke Marshall will be alongside me in the midfield, I have played plenty of games alongside him and, yeah, I'll be slightly nervous, but I'll be even more excited and I don't think I have anything to be afraid of. "While I haven't played a lot of international rugby, I have played a lot of big club games and I think I'm prepared for this opportunity. "For a number of us there is a bit of an opportunity to see who is going to replace Brian and thankfully for me, I am going to have the first roll of the dice, the first rattle at it.

"The long run-in to O'Driscoll's retirement last week allowed Joe Schmidt and his team plan for this moment and, although he would probably have liked to have had Henshaw here to give him a run-out before November, he has been impressed with Cave's form. "We've had long discussions about who and how and what they're going to bring and I suppose my expectations of Darren Cave is that he continues to be the really clever player that he is," the head coach said. "I think his passing game has improved immeasurably. Watching him go from the middle of the field to the edge of the field with his left hand is a massive bonus for us. It gives us scope to play. "I see him as a little bit of a creator, possibly not the same finisher as Brian was, but we're not trying to replace someone who was a bit all-singing and all-dancing, hit the edge, do the offload and finish the try himself. "Defensively, he's a smart, and I think the No 13, he's your hub. If your No 13 isn't a really switched-on defender for you, I think there's always a danger."

At 27, Cave knows time is not on his side. Of the five caps he has won, four came against the United States and Canada and the other lasted just seven minutes off the bench on the 2012 tour to New Zealand. Back in December, his frustration boiled over to a degree when he gave an interview claiming his face didn't fit at Ireland camp. He maintains he was "misinterpreted rather than misquoted," but a phone conversation with Schmidt and his training performances during the Six Nations appear to have amended any damaged relations. Now, he is relishing the opportunity of playing in a strong Irish team, outside Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton and showing what he can do. "That is something I have been thinking all season," Cave admitted. "I knew if there was an opportunity this summer that it wasn't a depleted Ireland team. "Now it was sort of disappointing there was a couple of injuries (to Henshaw and Earls), but I still felt I would have been close to playing anyway. "This is a great opportunity to play alongside your Sextons, your O'Connells. It's something I am very excited about. "The one time I did play for Ireland when there wasn't anyone missing was just seven minutes. I still nearly managed to get sin-binned, but didn't in the end. That's something I'm probably looking forward to more than anything."

RANKLE

That New Zealand tour is one that still appears to rankle. He partnered O'Driscoll when replacing Keith Earls for that short stint, but never saw any more action as Paddy Wallace was parachuted in from his summer holidays to play in the disastrous third Test. Now, he is looking to begin a fresh chapter, but sequels are hard to pull off and replacing O'Driscoll is a daunting challenge." I suppose at the end of the day I have to just try not to replace him," he said. "It's not about him for me. I'll just try and play as well as I can and we'll see what happens. I'm thankful I got the first opportunity. I'll just do what I can do and try and make it tough for Joe to give the shirt to someone else."

Meanwhile, as expected, Argentina coach Daniel Hourcade has named an inexperienced team to face Ireland. Without many of the European- based names who will make up the majority of his Rugby Championship team, like Marcelo Bosch, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Schmidt's tourists will face a side largely made up of domestic based players. Bordeaux's Nicolas Sanchez is one of the more familiar faces and he'll form a strong half-back partnership with captain Martin Landajo, while the experienced Manuel Carizza will lead the pack from the second-row.Argentina – J Tuculet; S Cordero, J de la Fuente, G Ascarate, M Montero; N Sanchez, M Landajo; LN Paz, M Cortese, R Herrera; M Carizza, T Lavanini; T de la Vega, R Baez, B Macome. Reps: B Postiglioni, N Tetaz Chaparro, M Alemanno, JO Desio, T Cubelli, S Gonzalez Iglesias, LG Amorosino.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/i ... 33506.html



Cave gets Ireland number 13 jersey against Argentina Gerry T
Ulster centre has first go at filling the Brian O’Driscoll-shaped hole

“My expectation of Darren Cave is that he continues to be the really clever player that he is,” said Ireland coach Joe Schmidt ahead of tomorrow’s first Test against Argentina

When the posse of contenders to assume occupancy of the number 13 jersey was first listed, Darren Cave was relatively well down the betting.

Even Ulster were inclined to take a look at the favourite, Jared Payne, toward the end of the season, meaning Cave lost the 13 jersey with his province.

Yet with Payne not eligible until November and others falling by the wayside, Cave is granted first shot after Brian.

Cave wins his sixth cap a la the previous five, on a summer tour. There were starts against the USA and Canada in 2009 and last year, along with a seven-minute cameo in the last Test against New Zealand two summers ago.

“My form for Ulster has been pretty consistent, not always magnificent but very rarely poor.

Tussle for the 13 jersey

“Unfortunately when you are in a tussle for the 13 jersey off him (O’Driscoll), some rarely poor form isn’t good enough.”

“I suppose at the end of the day I just try not to replace him. It’s not about him for me. I’ll just try and play as well as I can and we’ll see what happens.”

Cave was not inclined to revisit his comments around the turn of the year that his face didn’t fit, although Joe Schmidt appears to have become more of a fan over the months in agreeing with Les Kiss that Cave cannot try to be O’Driscoll re-incarnated.

“We’ve had long discussions about who and how and what they’re going to bring, and for me I suppose my expectations of Darren Cave is that he continues to be the really clever player that he is,” said Schmidt.

“His passing game has improved immeasurably. Watching him go from the middle of the field to the edge of the field with his left hand is I think a massive bonus for us,” said Schmidt, also pinpointing Cave’s intelligent running lines and creativity.

“He’s possibly not the same finisher as Brian was, but we’re not trying to replace someone who was a bit all-singing and all-dancing, hit the edge, do the offload and finish the try himself. But I think Darren has got enough change-up to get in those smart support lines that he will be a finisher for us.”

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/c ... -1.1822161



Robbie Diack to make debut for Ireland against Argentina

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt is urging several players to stake a claim for places ahead of the first of two Tests against Argentina.


Schmidt has made it clear to his players that Saturday may be their only opportunity.

Ulster’s South African-born Robbie Diack will make his Ireland debut in a back row where Jordi Murphy starts his first game for Ireland when winning his third cap.

As expected, Darren Cave has been handed the number 13 shirt and will line up with Ulster team-mate Luke Marshall in a backline where Simon Zebo returns to the international scene.

Connacht pair Kieran Marmion and Rodney Ah You are poised to make their Irish debuts off the bench.

Schmidt said: “It’s a great opportunity and it’s a real responsibility. If the opportunity is afforded to you then I think you’ve got to reciprocate with the best performance you can put together.

“The way they’ve trained this week that’s certainly what they are working towards with the combinations we have, with the combative nature of the way the Argentinians play.

“They are a little bit unknown, they are a little bit harder to predict than other teams we have played.

“Then to be able to react and endure what will be a pretty tough test match in a very tough environment, it’s going to give us a bit more information about how these guys will cope in the future.”

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/rugby ... -1-6103258



Simon Zebo recalled to Ireland starting line-up as Diack handed debut against Argentina
Darren Cave will be partnered by Luke Marshall in midfield while there is no place in the squad for Rob Kearney.

JOE SCHMIDT HAS handed an international debut to Robbie Diack as well as a recall to Simon Zebo for Saturday’s first Test against Argentina.

Diack is one of three players who could also make their debut in Chaco with Connacht duo Kieran Marmion and Rodney Ah You on the bench.

Schmidt has taken the opportunity to experiment to some extent. Jordi Murphy is selected at number eight ahead of Jamie Heaslip and the Six Nations-winning second row partnership of Devin Toner and Paul O’Connell broken up to allow Iain Henderson play in harness with the captain.



Felix Jones will start hat fullback with Rob Kearney left out of the 23-man squad. And, with all eyes on the number 13 shirt in the post-Brian O’Driscoll era, Darren Cave will be partnered by Luke Marshall in the centre with the familiar half-back pairing of Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton providing the service.

Ireland: F Jones, A Trimble, D Cave, L Marshall; S Zebo J Sexton, C Murray: J McGrath, R Best, M Ross; I Henderson P O’Connell; R Diack, C Henry, J Murphy.Replacements: D Varley, D Kilcoyne, R Ah You, D Toner, J Heaslip, K Marmion, I Madigan, F McFadden.

Argentina’s starting line-up has also been named today with Castres prop Ramiro Herrera the only uncapped member of the starting line-up.

Herrera will hope to be a cornerstone to a pack who boast only two players with more than 10 caps to their name; number eight Benjamín Macome and Stormers lock Manuel Carizza.

The only other foreign-based players is out-half Nicolas Sanchez who plies his trade with Bordeaux Begles. He is partnered at half-back by 28-times capped Martin Landajo.

Argentina: J Tuculet; S Cordero, J De La Fuente, G Ascarate, M Montero; N Sanchez, M Landajo: L Noguera Paz, M Cortese, R Herrera; M Carizza, T Lavanini; R Baez, T De La Vega, B Macone.Replacements: J Montoya, B Postiglioni, N Telaz Chaparo, M Alemanno, J Ortega Desio, T Cubelli,, S Gonzalez, Iglesias, L Gonzalez Amorisino

http://www.thescore.ie/ireland-team-arg ... 4-Jun2014/