Any word on the Academy?

[Bayern]

that hooker story is bizarre enough.

[Deraless]

In Ross O'Carrol-Kelly's last offering he played hooker for Seapoint, after having been the greatest 10 never to play for Ireland. Does that count?

[ColinM]

don't see the problem with a schools 10 playing 9, if that's where his long term potential was - luke mcgrath played 10 in school before moving to 9.
Same with a schools 10 playing 12.

Times I watched McGrath play he was always 9.

No issue at all just interesting how schools differ from the Ulster set up.

Recently heard that a hooker (u18) got chopped from Ulster set up because they wanted him to play 12. Player had never played in the backs in his life.


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Must have fitted the Ulster size matrix for a 12

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[Blow in]

Very poor team selection as normal not what can do it's who you know. Shambles

[scrum5]

Very poor team selection as normal not what can do it's who you know. Shambles

Genuine question as I'm no longer up to speed on under age rugby, so who should be there on merit?

[Mid Ulster ROB]

Kieran Campbell, Head of the Abbey Insurance Ulster Rugby Academy, has named his match day squad that will travel to Thomond Park to take on Munster on Friday 1st September.


The Ulster men will travel to Limerick buoyed by a nail-biting 30-34 win away to Leinster two weeks ago.

Abbey Insurance Ulster Rugby Academy v Munster
Friday 1st September, 5.30pm at Thomond Park

(1-8): Tommy O'Hagan (Rainey RFC), Alexander Clarke (Queens University Belfast), Tom O'Toole (Banbridge RFC), Jack Regan (Ballynahainch RFC), Matthew Dalton (Malone RFC), Aaron Hall (Ballynahainch RFC), Matthew Agnew (Ballymena RFC), Joe Dunleavy (Malone RFC);
(9-15): Jonny Stewart (Captain) (Queens University Belfast), Michael Lowry (Banbridge RFC), Robert Balacoune (Enniskillen RFC), Rory Butler (Ballynahinch RFC), Stewart Moore (Ballymena Academy), Angus Kernohan (Ballymena RFC), Conor Kelly (Ballynahainch RFC).

Replacements: Zack McCall (Ballynahinch RFC), Eric O'Sullivan (Banbridge RFC), Josh Bill (Ballymena RFC), Peter Cooper (Malone RFC), John McCusker (Rainey RFC), Greg Jones (Banbridge RFC), Zac Ward (Ballynahainch RFC), Michael Stronge (Ballymena RFC), Callum Smith (Malone RFC), Josh Jordan (Queens University Belfast), Chris Swash (Dungannon), Tom Caesar.

[scrum5]

No Adam McBurney?

[damianmcr]

Interpro | Meanwhile, earlier tonight Munster U20/Development defeated @UlsterRugby 29-21 in @thomondstadium
#MunsterStartsHere https://t.co/BZRMlHBX0B

[Bayern]

Leinster U19 59 Ulster 15
Leinster U18 Clubs 45 Ulster U18 clubs 0

[Bayern]

Ulster U18 Clubs v Leinster
Saturday 9th September, 1.00pm at City of Armagh RFC

(1-8): Niall Preston (Virginia RFC), Ciaran McGlone (Rainey RFC), Seif Eldin Abd El Gawad (Carrickfergus RFC), Stephen Kelly (Inishowen RFC), Conor McMenamim (Letterkenny RFC), Sam Murray (City of Armagh RFC), Charlie Clarke (Captain) (Rainey RFC), Phil Campbell (Ballymena RFC);
(9-15): Nathan Rogers (City of Armagh RFC), Matthew Hamilton (Malone RFC), Alan Thompson (Coleraine RFC), Ben Moxham (Larne RFC), Peter Cullen (Randalstown RFC), Ciaron Wilson (Carrickfergus RFC), Nathan Jeffers (Rainey RFC).

Replacements: Eoin Macdonald (Randalstown RFC), Adam Marley (Finn Valley RFC), Harry Mawhinney (Ballyclare RFC), Robbie Mathers (Banbridge RFC), Matthew Sands (Newry RFC), Ashley Tweed (Ballymoney RFC), Rory Maginty (Letterkenny RFC), Finlay Walker (Ballymena RFC)

[Bayern]

Ulster U19 v Leinster
Saturday 9th September, 2.30pm at Donnybrook

(1-8): Jack Walters (Exiles), Claytan Milligan (Captain) (Down High School), Paul McGookin (Ballyclare RFC), JJ McKee (Antrim GS), Josh Young (Ballyclare HS), Oisin Jordan (Ballymena Academy), Matthew Crowther (Campbell College), Jamie Macartney (Campbell College);
(9-15): Callum Harkin (Malone RFC), Bruce Houston (Ballymena Academy), Jonny Hunter (Wallace HS), David Lyttle (RBAI), Stewart Moore (Ballymena Academy), Mark Thompson (Ballymena Academy), Michael O'Neill (Rainey OB RFC).

Replacements: Neil Saulters (RBAI), Ben Savage (Ballymena Academy), Jack McIntosh (Rainey OB RFC), Oisin Kiernan (Campbell College), Ben Heath (Dromore HS), Niall Armstrong (RBAI), Evin Crummie (City of Armagh RFC), Zach Kerr (Bangor GS).

[Tighty]

http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/40505.php#.WbcNt8iGPIU

I see that Kieran Joyce - ex Malone and Conor Joyce's younger brother- has been given a place in Connacht Academy. Unsure if he was ever officially in Ulster Academy.

http://thefrontrowunion.com/2017/09/jun ... ahinch-32/

Also see that Rhys O'Donnell had a good game for Hinch 2s on Sat. Must be a candidate for the bench for Hinch in AIL

[BaggyTrousers]

Can't be bothered looking any further for a thread for this but this is how Munster Academy do things:

Newport born & raised James McCarthy who has already made his mark for Wales U18 has courted by Munster, the deal was to join the Munster Academy, have his accommodation paid for, have his university fees covered. Apparently a bright lad he jumped at the chance to get a free education.

He subsequently played for the Irish U18s sevens team that won the European 7s title beating Wales in the semi on the way.

Supposedly lightning fast and good feet and is a wing/15.

Sounds like some package ..............the deal FFFS, not the kid's lunchbax.

[Tighty]

Baggy

Munster have form in this regard and are to be commended. I don't know the details of any ''package'', or indeed if there was one, but Alex Wooten, who scored 4 tries for Munster against the Southern Kings last weekend, was lured to the salubrious steeples of Limerick from the Northampton Academy. He has played for Ireland Senior sevens for a couple of seasons but is now concentrating on 15s.

I'm happy to be corrected but , apart from Sam Arnold, I cant think of any exile who joined the Ulster Academy and come through as a senior player.

[therealspratt]

Would we not be better sorting out our mess of a youth system than trying to bring more exiles in? Because it's not like we haven't brought our share in over the years, a large proportion of which haven't worked out.