Any word on the Academy?

[Kofi Annan]

Also happens in Leinster - I took a youth side I coached over to play in Dublin a few years ago

Stu, define a few years ago? As after the court case 3/4 years ago this has stop in Leinster.

Kofi, I stand corrected. What, in my head when I wrote the post was around three years ago, when I've sat down and worked it out was actually closer to seven!

Its okay we all make mistakes when we get older

[ormondlad]

Where Ulster lose out against the other provinces is simple - there needs to be a root and branch rethink regarding the Ulster Schools Cup. Kids leaving school now have no connection to clubs or any reason to get involved with them. There are only two or three schools capable of winning the USC and we wonder why there aren't the numbers of players coming through into the club game?

At Munster and Leinster they aren't afraid to have schoolboys playing with and against men at clubs, so they have far more nous and develop as players earlier.

Where in Leinster and Munster do they have schoolboys playing with/against men at clubs??

[Bayern]

Ireland u18 Schools Team

1. Ben O'Reilly(Ulster/Methody)
2. Mark O'Mara(Munster/Castletroy)
3. Peter Kelleher(Munster/CBC Cork)
4. Caelan Doris(Leinster/Blackrock)
5. Oisin Dowling(Leinster/St. Michaels)
6. Jonny Guy(Leinster/St. Andrews)
7. Johnny McKeown(Ulster/Ballymena)
8. John Foley(Munster/St. Munchins)
9. Jack Lyons(Munster/Crescent Comp)
10. Bill Johnston(Munster/Rockwell)
11. Tim Carroll(Leinster/Roscrea)
12. Alex McHenry(Munster/CBC Cork)
13. Jack Kelly(Leinster/St. Michaels)
14. Calvin Nash(Munster/Crescent Comp)
15. Rob Lyttle(Ulster/Methody)
16. Conor Johnson(Leinster/Newbridge)
17. Conor Leahy(Munster/CBC Cork)
18. Daniel Leahy(Ulster/Campbell)
19. Gavin Coombes(Munster/Bandon Grammar)
20. Jack O'Sullivan(Munster/PBC Cork)
21. Michael Casey(Munster/Rockwell)
22. Dave Duggan(Leinster/St Michaels)
23. Jonny Stewart(Ulster/Wallace)
24. Conor Dean(Leinster/Blackrock)
25. Tim Foley(Leinster/Roscrea)
26. Gavin Mullin(Leinster/Blackrock)

Ireland u18 Clubs team
1. Greg McGrath(Wexford)
2. Tadgh McElroy(Dundalk)
3. Ian McCarthy(Highfield)
4. Joe Carley(Enniscorthy)
5. Jack Regan(Birr)
6. Matthew Burke(Ballinrobe)
7. Conor Farrell(Navan)
8. Paul Boyle(Gorey)
9. Darragh Sweeney(Malahide)
10. Ciaran Frawley(Skerries)
11. Otta Gray(Exile)
12. Sean O'Brien(Mullingar)
13. Darragh Cummins(Sligo)
14. Peter Howard(Cill Dara)
15. Conor Nash(Navan)
16. Ben Devlin(Kilkenny)
17. Eoin Corcoran(Longford)
18. Blaze McKnight(Newry)
19. Jack Auinger(Suttonians)
20. Dylan Reeves Wasik(Birr)
21. Conor Hand(Navan)
22. Sean Masterson(Portlaoise)
23. Robbie Walsh(Waterpark)
24. Jack Coombes(Exile)
25. Luke Carty(Buccaneers)
26. Aiden McDonald(Kilkenny)
27. Tobais Robinson(Exile)
28. Jack Quilter(Tralee)
29. Dom Gorrard(Exile)
30. Dave McCarthy(Skibbereen)
31. Conor Maguire(Boyne)
32. Stephen McGivern(Dundalk)

[UlsterNo9]

Ireland u18 Clubs team
1. Greg McGrath(Wexford)
2. Tadgh McElroy(Dundalk)
3. Ian McCarthy(Highfield)
4. Joe Carley(Enniscorthy)
5. Jack Regan(Birr)
6. Matthew Burke(Ballinrobe)
7. Conor Farrell(Navan)
8. Paul Boyle(Gorey)
9. Darragh Sweeney(Malahide)
10. Ciaran Frawley(Skerries)
11. Otta Gray(Exile)
12. Sean O'Brien(Mullingar)
13. Darragh Cummins(Sligo)
14. Peter Howard(Cill Dara)
15. Conor Nash(Navan)
16. Ben Devlin(Kilkenny)
17. Eoin Corcoran(Longford)
18. Blaze McKnight(Newry)
19. Jack Auinger(Suttonians)
20. Dylan Reeves Wasik(Birr)
21. Conor Hand(Navan)
22. Sean Masterson(Portlaoise)
23. Robbie Walsh(Waterpark)
24. Jack Coombes(Exile)
25. Luke Carty(Buccaneers)
26. Aiden McDonald(Kilkenny)
27. Tobais Robinson(Exile)
28. Jack Quilter(Tralee)
29. Dom Gorrard(Exile)
30. Dave McCarthy(Skibbereen)
31. Conor Maguire(Boyne)
32. Stephen McGivern(Dundalk)

Am I correct in saying only one player in the U18 clubs setup comes from a club youth system playing its trade in AIL 1A or 1B?

Read into that what you will.

[Bayern]

Ireland u18 Clubs team
1. Greg McGrath(Wexford)
2. Tadgh McElroy(Dundalk)
3. Ian McCarthy(Highfield)
4. Joe Carley(Enniscorthy)
5. Jack Regan(Birr)
6. Matthew Burke(Ballinrobe)
7. Conor Farrell(Navan)
8. Paul Boyle(Gorey)
9. Darragh Sweeney(Malahide)
10. Ciaran Frawley(Skerries)
11. Otta Gray(Exile)
12. Sean O'Brien(Mullingar)
13. Darragh Cummins(Sligo)
14. Peter Howard(Cill Dara)
15. Conor Nash(Navan)
16. Ben Devlin(Kilkenny)
17. Eoin Corcoran(Longford)
18. Blaze McKnight(Newry)
19. Jack Auinger(Suttonians)
20. Dylan Reeves Wasik(Birr)
21. Conor Hand(Navan)
22. Sean Masterson(Portlaoise)
23. Robbie Walsh(Waterpark)
24. Jack Coombes(Exile)
25. Luke Carty(Buccaneers)
26. Aiden McDonald(Kilkenny)
27. Tobais Robinson(Exile)
28. Jack Quilter(Tralee)
29. Dom Gorrard(Exile)
30. Dave McCarthy(Skibbereen)
31. Conor Maguire(Boyne)
32. Stephen McGivern(Dundalk)

Am I correct in saying only one player in the U18 clubs setup comes from a club youth system playing its trade in AIL 1A or 1B?

Read into that what you will.

That those clubs rely on the schools system?
Whats surprising about that?
Most lads who go into a rugby school probably played mini's at a "big" club then rejoin post school.

[solidarity]

Sorry for a genuine question from an ignoramus - is Newry the only Ulster name there? If so, why?

[ormondlad]

Ireland u18 Clubs team
1. Greg McGrath(Wexford)
2. Tadgh McElroy(Dundalk)
3. Ian McCarthy(Highfield)
4. Joe Carley(Enniscorthy)
5. Jack Regan(Birr)
6. Matthew Burke(Ballinrobe)
7. Conor Farrell(Navan)
8. Paul Boyle(Gorey)
9. Darragh Sweeney(Malahide)
10. Ciaran Frawley(Skerries)
11. Otta Gray(Exile)
12. Sean O'Brien(Mullingar)
13. Darragh Cummins(Sligo)
14. Peter Howard(Cill Dara)
15. Conor Nash(Navan)
16. Ben Devlin(Kilkenny)
17. Eoin Corcoran(Longford)
18. Blaze McKnight(Newry)
19. Jack Auinger(Suttonians)
20. Dylan Reeves Wasik(Birr)
21. Conor Hand(Navan)
22. Sean Masterson(Portlaoise)
23. Robbie Walsh(Waterpark)
24. Jack Coombes(Exile)
25. Luke Carty(Buccaneers)
26. Aiden McDonald(Kilkenny)
27. Tobais Robinson(Exile)
28. Jack Quilter(Tralee)
29. Dom Gorrard(Exile)
30. Dave McCarthy(Skibbereen)
31. Conor Maguire(Boyne)
32. Stephen McGivern(Dundalk)

Am I correct in saying only one player in the U18 clubs setup comes from a club youth system playing its trade in AIL 1A or 1B?

Read into that what you will.

That those clubs rely on the schools system?
Whats surprising about that?
Most lads who go into a rugby school probably played mini's at a "big" club then rejoin post school.

Or that many lads who went to a rugby school(where they don't play youths rugby at all) moved to a different club, from which they played mini rugby, for adult rugby and u20s. Majority of those who played mini rugby in clubs like Bective in Dublin don't go back to Bective if they are very strong players. Cathal Marsh/Rory O Loughlin/Keelan McKenna all with 1A clubs like Belvedere/Marys.
A lot of 1A/B clubs don't rely on schools system and it will very much vary on the club. Most limerick clubs and cork clubs will have players who played through age groups with them apart from when they played schools cup years(u16/18/19)

[Silverstu]

The Ireland U20s squad for the 6 nations is up- 7 Ulster lads.

IRELAND UNDER-20 Squad (2015 Under-20 RBS 6 Nations):

Sam Arnold (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Harrison Brewer (Terenure College/Leinster) *
Ross Byrne (UCD/Leinster)*
Joey Carbery (UCD/Leinster)
Fergal Cleary (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Jack Cullen (Shannon/Munster) *
Billy Dardis (UCD/Leinster) *
Lorcan Dow (Queen's University/Ulster)
Jack Dwan (Leinster)
Stephen Fitzgerald (Shannon/Munster)
Ciaran Gaffney (Galwegians/Connacht) *
Oisin Heffernan (Terenure College/Leinster) *
Michael Lagan (Ballymena/Ulster)
Jeremy Loughman (UCD/Leinster)
Zac McCall (Queen's University/Ulster)
Nick McCarthy (UCD/Leinster) (capt) *
Sean McNulty (UCD/Munster) *
Stephen McVeigh (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Rory Moloney (Buccaneers/Connacht) *
Josh Murphy (UCD/Leinster) *
David O'Connor (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Conan O'Donnell (Sligo/Connacht)
Conor Oliver (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Greg O'Shea (Shannon/Munster)
Jack Owens (Queen's University/Ulster)
Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster) *
Cian Romaine (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Jacob Stockdale (Queen's University/Ulster)
Alexander Thompson (Queen's University/Ulster)
Nick Timoney (St. Mary's College/Leinster)

[Kofi Annan]

Who won the U20 interpros??

[Bayern]

Ulster but as said at the time, Leinster played a second string side without Ringrose, Dardis, Brewer, Bryne and McCarthy.

[Dan Dare]

Ulster but as said at the time, Leinster played a second string side without Ringrose, Dardis, Brewer, Bryne and McCarthy.

and still Leinster get 14 against 7 from Ulster in that squad....... even Connacht get more than Munster. Who is in charge Carolan and McEntee ?

[Bayern]

Ulster but as said at the time, Leinster played a second string side without Ringrose, Dardis, Brewer, Bryne and McCarthy.

and still Leinster get 14 against 7 from Ulster in that squad....... even Connacht get more than Munster. Who is in charge Carolan and McEntee ?

Connacht beat Munster during the interpros.
Leinster would have won the interpros if they had played their academy players.

[Dan Dare]

Ulster but as said at the time, Leinster played a second string side without Ringrose, Dardis, Brewer, Bryne and McCarthy.

and still Leinster get 14 against 7 from Ulster in that squad....... even Connacht get more than Munster. Who is in charge Carolan and McEntee ?

Connacht beat Munster during the interpros.
Leinster would have won the interpros if they had played their academy players.

We will never know if that bold statement is true Bayern ! You can only beat what is put in front of you and Ulster did. Lame to say that we did not play our best team, thats Leinsters choice.

[Big-al]

Leinster we're not allowed too, they had a lot of players involved with the U20s at the Rwc the season before.

Ringrose looks the most naturally gifted Irish back to come through in a decade. The kid has it all. Irish 13 in waiting no doubt.


Ulster should put their heads down and start developing better players, history shows that we have an unhealthy reliance on expats and NIQs.

[Bayern]

Ulster but as said at the time, Leinster played a second string side without Ringrose, Dardis, Brewer, Bryne and McCarthy.

and still Leinster get 14 against 7 from Ulster in that squad....... even Connacht get more than Munster. Who is in charge Carolan and McEntee ?

Connacht beat Munster during the interpros.
Leinster would have won the interpros if they had played their academy players.

We will never know if that bold statement is true Bayern ! You can only beat what is put in front of you and Ulster did. Lame to say that we did not play our best team, thats Leinsters choice.

Well 6 of leinster players in the under-20 squad didn't play in the interpros(Dardis, Bryne, McCarthy, Ringrose, Brewer, Heffernan).. considering these are some of leinsters most talented players, its reasonable to assume that if leinster had been full strength they would have managed to overturn the near loss their second string side suffered to a full strength ulster side.

you can call it lame, but it's the reality of the situation.