Bill Johnston

Talk about the men in white, and everything Ulster!!

Moderator: Moderators

User avatar
shamalicious
Lord Chancellor
Posts: 5379
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 11:32 am

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by shamalicious »

Being small certainly held Shane Williams back (!)

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
Nevin Spence 26 April 1990 – 15 September 2012 gone but never forgotten
User avatar
Cap'n Grumpy
Rí­ na Cúige Uladh
Posts: 15647
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 4:21 pm
Location: second barrier up, at the half-way line ... or is the third?

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by Cap'n Grumpy »

kingofthehill wrote:
rumncoke wrote:Snipe the unfortunate truth is at 10 Lowry is not just a target — his size and talent make him — “ THE TARGET “.

You can’t play professional sport as —“ THE TARGET”. It alters the way a team performs especially in rugby players start to play protection ( defensively minded) .
Lowry had been told repeatedly through the ulster underage set up that he is too small. He was cut from the elite players programme at u16 level by a certain ulster coach for ‘being too small’.
:shock:

Rumn was that certain Ulster coach! :whistle:

Who'da thunk?

Is there a prize?
I'm not arguing -
I'm just explaining why I'm right
User avatar
big mervyn
Rí­ na Cúige Uladh
Posts: 14360
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:22 pm
Location: Overlooking the pitch (til they built the old new stand)

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by big mervyn »

Older members may remember Grant Batty, all black wing from the 70s. 2 inches shorter than Lowry and Williams at 5'5". Feisty wee bugger. Reminded me of Yosemite Sam
Volunteer at an animal sanctuary; it will fill you with joy , despair, but most of all love, unconditional love of the animals.
Big Neville Southall
User avatar
Cap'n Grumpy
Rí­ na Cúige Uladh
Posts: 15647
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 4:21 pm
Location: second barrier up, at the half-way line ... or is the third?

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by Cap'n Grumpy »

big mervyn wrote:Older members may remember Grant Batty, all black wing from the 70s. 2 inches shorter than Lowry and Williams at 5'5". Feisty wee bugger. Reminded me of Yosemite Sam
Yep - he played in the first Ulster match I ever saw - Ulster v All Blacks at Ravers circa 1972 -ish.

Have the match programme somewhere around the house.
I'm not arguing -
I'm just explaining why I'm right
jackthelad
Warrior Chief
Posts: 1585
Joined: Sun Oct 23, 2005 12:34 am
Location: Antrim

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by jackthelad »

Cap'n Grumpy wrote:
big mervyn wrote:Older members may remember Grant Batty, all black wing from the 70s. 2 inches shorter than Lowry and Williams at 5'5". Feisty wee bugger. Reminded me of Yosemite Sam
Yep - he played in the first Ulster match I ever saw - Ulster v All Blacks at Ravers circa 1972 -ish.

Have the match programme somewhere around the house.
19 - 6. Was a good game. He was about 5'5" wide and his moustache was a real soup strainer corker. I remember him running at full tilt into his own prop and sending him flying in one international game on the tour. Kent Lambert possibly. Batty was a spiky forker.
Smear me in chocolate and throw me to the Lesbians.
Amiga500
Warrior Chief
Posts: 1691
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2012 1:42 pm

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by Amiga500 »

While the wee man may be small - its not always the size of the dog in the fight.

iHumph was notorious and virtually impossible to hide on the pitch - he wouldn't even try and make side on tackles never mind the head on stuff. One instance stands out to me in the Arms Park when he literally waved the guy through - waving for a forward pass that never was instead of tackling the guy a couple of feet away.

Besides, if someone wants to base their attacking plan on running at the 10 channel all day - that makes the defensive job a lot easier for the forwards.
Sue Dename
Novice
Posts: 140
Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2016 9:05 pm

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by Sue Dename »

Cap'n Grumpy wrote:
big mervyn wrote:Older members may remember Grant Batty, all black wing from the 70s. 2 inches shorter than Lowry and Williams at 5'5". Feisty wee bugger. Reminded me of Yosemite Sam
Yep - he played in the first Ulster match I ever saw - Ulster v All Blacks at Ravers circa 1972 -ish.

Have the match programme somewhere around the house.
Did Joey Miles not bundle him into touch and send the crowd crazy?
rumncoke
Lord Chancellor
Posts: 7872
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 3:39 pm

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by rumncoke »

I have stated he is too small to play professionally at 10 ,
Williams and Batty were both wings .Neither of them would have been identified as The Target for the day .

Carberry scored against Fiji the back row then targeted him and he went off injured .

I don’t see him as a starting 10 .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Within this carapace of skepticism there lives an optimist
User avatar
kingofthehill
Red Hand Ambassador
Posts: 2663
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2010 9:43 am

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by kingofthehill »

rumncoke wrote:I have stated he is too small to play professionally at 10 ,
Williams and Batty were both wings .Neither of them would have been identified as The Target for the day .

Carberry scored against Fiji the back row then targeted him and he went off injured .

I don’t see him as a starting 10 .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You’re entitled to your opinion but I’m very confident you will be proven wrong.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The King is dead. Long live the King.
jean valjean
Chancellor to the King
Posts: 3093
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2016 10:03 pm

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by jean valjean »

I have no doubt that Lowry has the talent to make it as a pro. His size is however a factor and he will never be a top level 15 for as long as competing in the air is required. He is a 10 or nothing else.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
User avatar
Tender
Red Hand Ambassador
Posts: 2833
Joined: Sun Aug 21, 2016 1:23 pm
Location: Not Spain

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by Tender »

He’s someone’s son...
Support the Team, not the regime
Guinness is Good For You.
User avatar
Cap'n Grumpy
Rí­ na Cúige Uladh
Posts: 15647
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 4:21 pm
Location: second barrier up, at the half-way line ... or is the third?

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by Cap'n Grumpy »

Tender wrote:He’s someone’s son...
More likely sometwo's son ...

Anyway, is this not meant to be about Bill Johnston, not Michael Lowry?

Bill is probably sometwo's son as well.
I'm not arguing -
I'm just explaining why I'm right
rumncoke
Lord Chancellor
Posts: 7872
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 3:39 pm

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by rumncoke »

JV

I put three questions to you

The first is "what role does an out half perform on a rugby pitch"

The second is "what talents does Micheal Lowry possess "

Thirdly " How and will Micheal Lowry be able to exercise those talents at out half, to ensure that the back line out side him maximises it potential, when he is the target of three professional back row forwards.

Do you see lowry facing the Saracens forwards ? ( and surviving 90 minutes )

The third question is the killer when you add the words -- to ensure that the backline out side him maximises it potential

Lowry is exciting to watch but the sum of his contribution ?
Within this carapace of skepticism there lives an optimist
User avatar
Snipe Watson
Rí­ na Cúige Uladh
Posts: 23443
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2008 6:42 pm

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by Snipe Watson »

The talk about Lowry being too small is frankly bullshit.
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog" would be the appropriate axiom.
He's tough and brave which is more important than any physical characteristic.
He also poses a serious problem for opposition defenders. Quick and small is hard to tackle in a confined space without conceding a penalty or yellow card. It creates a split second of doubt for a flanker wanting to target him with a big hit.
If he's good enough, he's big enough.
Deraless
Lord Chancellor
Posts: 4353
Joined: Wed Jan 22, 2014 11:26 am

Re: Bill Johnston

Post by Deraless »

If Michael Lowry was 3 or 4 inches taller would he not be targeted as a 10?

How tall is Janny Sexton?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Never wrestle with a pig. You end up covered in muck and the pig loves it.
Post Reply