Ulster sides in UBL

[Russ]

Blane McIlroy back playing AIL with Hinch, how's that possible, is there not a cut of date to sign players in AIL. Was he not playing rugby in America until recently. Or is this more of Hinch Magic .

Maybe Hinch registered him before?

[UlsterNo9]

Blane McIlroy back playing AIL with Hinch, how's that possible, is there not a cut of date to sign players in AIL. Was he not playing rugby in America until recently. Or is this more of Hinch Magic .

Maybe Hinch registered him before?

Is he keeping Rowley out of the Hinch team?

[Gryzor]

Can anyone give me a supporters perspective of how the Ulster teams are doing in the AIL? From looking at the league tables it's not a great picture.

On the face of it Hinch and Quins are in awful trouble. Why? Neither seem any better or worse of last year squad wise, if anything Quins should be stronger with McComb out of Ulster contract.

Hinch have lost quite a few important players - all of their most dangerous backs (Ross Adair, Roger McBurney, Steve McAuley), their out-half and last year's captain McAleese, as well as Butterworth who was a decent player for them, and Kyle McCall is obviously with Ulster now, and he was a great player for them. The guys coming in - well Joyce and Windsor are good at this level, but tbh I haven't been blown away by the others I've seen (Rowley, Browne, Dow).

They also had loads of injuries in the first half of the season - I watched their first few home games, and they never had a settled core to the team. They were absolutely shocking in their first half-dozen games - like a shadow of the side last year. The nadir I think was against Belvo, when they conceded 3 tries in the first quarter, Belvedere were literally just putting the ball through the hands and huge overlaps were appearing, it was bizarre 'defence'.

I was down there on Saturday, in fairness a much better performance, pity they couldn't nick a BP. As mentioned McIlroy was back, and he made a big difference - his game management is very good. Last year's 9 Cairns is a great athlete, but his passing and decisions can be a bit unpredictable, and Rowley, well I would be starting Cairns ahead of him!

Other positives - Craig Trenier is starting at tighthead, and looks pretty useful. Big lump of a lad, not overly dynamic, but strong scrummager. Also John Donnan has filled out, he has had a few injury problems I understand, but he's a big unit 115kg, puts himself about.

Unfortunately they're rooted to the bottom of the league, 5 pts behind Terenure who have a game in hand - they play them away, and they'd really need to be winning that as well as picking another couple of away wins up to have a chance.

[Gerald the Mole]

anyone heard of a revamp for UBL, sounds like a waste of time for Q1 clubs trying to make it to an Ireland Senior Club

[BR]

anyone heard of a revamp for UBL, sounds like a waste of time for Q1 clubs trying to make it to an Ireland Senior Club

Is there not a revamp every year?

[UlsterNo9]

Hinch all but relegated from 1A, the promotion push from Ballymena honest but waning means Ulster as a province will have no representation within the top ten clubs of Ireland next season. Theres a problem there that seriously needs addressed and has done for some time.

Harlequins relegated from 1B yesterday means Belfast will have no representation in the top two leagues of all Ireland rugby next season. When is the last time that has happened? Never in my living memory.

Well done to Banbridge who appear to be mounting a serious challenge for promotion from 2A to 1B. They'll be given Quins Ulster squad players for next season and the branch will consider they are doing their bit for grass roots rugby.

Time to feck'n wake up Ulster Branch you're a disgrace.

This is a provincial problem not a club problem.

[Russ]

Hinch all but relegated from 1A, the promotion push from Ballymena honest but waning means Ulster as a province will have no representation within the top ten clubs of Ireland next season. Theres a problem there that seriously needs addressed and has done for some time.

Harlequins relegated from 1B yesterday means Belfast will have no representation in the top two leagues of all Ireland rugby next season. When is the last time that has happened? Never in my living memory.

Well done to Banbridge who appear to be mounting a serious challenge for promotion from 2A to 1B. They'll be given Quins Ulster squad players for next season and the branch will consider they are doing their bit for grass roots rugby.

Time to feck'n wake up Ulster Branch you're a disgrace.

This is a provincial problem not a club problem.

Ulster could call up Ervine from Banbridge

[UlsterNo9]

Ulster already have a Team Manager

[Kofi Annan]

Whoops there goes one the CEOs KPI out the window off two teams in 1A and 1B, there is now only two leagues in Minor Rugby as opposed to 4 two years ago , Malone, Ballyshannon, Derry YM, Ophir, Monaghan, Finn Valley, Antrim, Donegal, Ballymena, to name a few all either failing to play games or folding, games being cancelled weekly ,I remember when Malone Bangor, Collegians, Inst, Ballymena etc had 5-9 teams, yet the CEO still insists that there is more rugby being played in Ulster than ever, unfortunately the CEOs dream that we Need 40k male players to provide a quality home grown team is falling well below what is required, but sure world domination is now put off for 10, 20, 30 years.

The club game in Ulster is falling apart, who should be accountable , it a disaster. UR is proud to keep announcing there is more rugby than ever being played with accounting that the mob would be proud of increasing women , special needs players are great and should be applauded , but soon club rugby will collapse .

Mini sections are still thriving but to some extent they are becoming more a babysitting service, now before any of the mini coaches out there come on here to have a go at me , i think you all do a great job, BUT, I ask you this , after you've done your stint at the club with the minis , what else do you do to support your club, how many fundraising events for the senior part of the club have you helped, how many senior matches have you attended , have you paid senior subs to your club, have you helped at the club, have you helped buy or sell club Ireland ballots . Or is helping out at mini level enough.

Clubs need to embrace mini sections more and mini sections also need to look to the club as more than a separate identity.

The branch wasted millions in the north West on getting 8-10 yr lads playing rugby, but what has that done to help adult rugby in areas such as Donegal, it will be 10 years before they can play adult rugby, by when there will be no clubs available.

[cheese]

Ulster don't care about club rugby. They don't know how to look after the young players coming through. All these players who play AIL rugby are still doing heavy sessions on a Friday and then they appeared burn't out by Saturday.
Shame to see the demise of Hinch and Quins this year but big congratulations to Banbridge and Derry. Hope they both finish the season strong and get promoted.

[UlsterNo9]

Ulster don't care about club rugby. They don't know how to look after the young players coming through. All these players who play AIL rugby are still doing heavy sessions on a Friday and then they appeared burn't out by Saturday.
Shame to see the demise of Hinch and Quins this year but big congratulations to Banbridge and Derry. Hope they both finish the season strong and get promoted.

Will City Of Derry even be an AIL club next season? I've been told they are currently under review in Dublin. In order to maintain AIL status you must have three senior sides, COD folded their 3s just before Christmas.

[Kofi Annan]

Ulster don't care about club rugby. They don't know how to look after the young players coming through. All these players who play AIL rugby are still doing heavy sessions on a Friday and then they appeared burn't out by Saturday.
Shame to see the demise of Hinch and Quins this year but big congratulations to Banbridge and Derry. Hope they both finish the season strong and get promoted.

Will City Of Derry even be an AIL club next season? I've been told they are currently under review in Dublin. In order to maintain AIL status you must have three senior sides, COD folded their 3s just before Christmas.

That can't be right, there is more rugby than ever being played in ulster.

[UR13IRFU]

the standard of rugby has definitely went up in 1A this year, all the Leinster clubs have kept settled squads and have a far superior pool of academy players to call up compared with some of the players Ulster have sent us. Another example is young munster who have a South Africa u-19 scrum half and who has also played for Natal Sharks at their disposal, so that shows some of the quality of other teams in 1A and we get Rowely lol. Hinch have really struggled with the constant turnaround of players heading to greener pastures for pro contracts and a few that have gotten senior call ups to Ulster. Crazy to think McCloskey has went from playing in 1A to Six nations in a year and kyle has rightfully got a chance this season. Another major problem has been ulster only a few weeks ago pulling 3 players on Saturday at 11am due to the fact that 3 match days subs were injured and could potentially miss ulster game a week later. Sums up how ulster feel about club rugby .

[therealspratt]

Hinch somehow manage to wrangle themselves a playoff place to try and stop themselves going down into 1B. It'll almost be a shame if they don't go down as it'll highlight the poor state of club rugby in Ulster and hopefully force the hand of the Branch to do something to try and rectify it.

[UlsterNo9]

Hinch somehow manage to wrangle themselves a playoff place to try and stop themselves going down into 1B. It'll almost be a shame if they don't go down as it'll highlight the poor state of club rugby in Ulster and hopefully force the hand of the Branch to do something to try and rectify it.

What can the branch do to rectify it?

Curious.