The UAFC

The True Grit documentary about David 'JCB' Pocock should be compulsory viewing for all budding school players. How he channelled the trauma of his family being forced to flee Zimbabwe (arriving as a scrawny 14 year old in Brisbane) into becoming the best schoolboy rugby player he could be. The 450 ...

On current form RBAI are a good two scores ahead of any contenders. Other than a tight away loss to Blackrock (favourites for Leinster Senior cup) are they unbeaten this year? Campbell have lost their captain and spiritual leader Nelson. Like last year they don't have a place kicker of any note. The...

I'd like to think Brad Shields turned down Bryn's advances to stay in NZ and become an All Black rather than Bryn choosing Botha (miles away form adding to his senior caps) over Shields.

Captained the Bulls to last years CC Final but was tactically replaced in the finale after only 46 minutes. It took 31 minutes for him to make his first carry (admittedly the Bulls only had 27% possession in the first half)but he rarely touched a ruck or made hits. I counted short 3 carries in total...

Exactly, remember last year the hacks informed us we'd signed Ryan Kankowski
Maybe this is a smokescreen for another world class player.

One try in 46 Super appearances for Bulls.

With Shields listed on the Canes 2017 super squad, He could have signed a one year extension for Wellington followed by a move elsewhere this July / August.

Brad Shields has been knocking on the All Black door for the last two to three seasons.
His contract with the Canes finished last year, the Canes first match in Super Yr 2017 is in 4 months time and there has been no indication of a contract renewal in the press.

Mexico will tear us a new one at OARDS. The other thread in the Ravens exposes the paucity of our "system" pitiful as it is. The only daylight forward wise is McBurney in a year or two, but it's a woeful return. We are a joke, but an unfunny one. Kiss now sees the magnitude of the job. Fu...

We forget Marcel is still a very young player and still developing his ball skills. At the sharks Marcel carried the ball the maximum distance to the deck too often. He has the ability to make more very quick short carries if he works on running with his head up, looking for the offload and working ...

Does the IRFU have any guidance, where applicable, on the selection of schoolboys for senior professional games?
It's rumoured that Ulster Branch enquired to CCB about the availability of young prop Tom O'Toole as bench cover for the Dragons game. The school duly declined.

We deserve some slack from D4 and a genuine project backrower next term into the mix. Brad Shields has an athletic power game that has seen him named on the fringes of the Blacks. His contract with the Canes runs out this year AFAIK. And he can handle the football like a three quarter... That may w...

We deserve some slack from D4 and a genuine project backrower next term into the mix.
Brad Shields has an athletic power game that has seen him named on the fringes of the Blacks.
His contract with the Canes runs out this year AFAIK.
And he can handle the football like a three quarter...

I get the Pro 12 Highlights on a Tuesday night on the Eir Sports channel 423.

The Cave Payne combo struggled. Apart from Payne's longer stride they're quite similar players. Darren at 12 (bless him) didn't have the body to power through and offload on foot against an aggressive 2man defence. Neither are steppers. Too much gapping between them at times in attack and Cave is no...

One thing we've by and large sorted is fielding restarts- Roger take a bow. Two years ago we were vulnerable to them no matter who we played....[/quote]

Need to work on more short and varied restarts of our own.
Each restart should be a contest to win the ball back..