Leinster v Ulster Mon Jan 1 5:15pm KO

[CIMANFOREVER]

+1 lol. Including those in Ollie's...

[Dave]

Please don’t suggest rational explanations for Sheridan’s absence.

The preference is for conspiracy theories or incompetent selection policies.

It's hardly because he has exams FFS

Used to have January exams at QUB and elsewhere, so maybe still do in some places. Not that exams worried me very much; as a mate used to say, 'Every mark over 40 is an hour's wasted work.'

I know you are not saying it is the case, but to continue the discussion. Professional rugby players have a lot of free time. They spent a lot of time drinking coffee etc. Shirley there is enough time to study and play a game on a Friday or a bank holiday, during which I'm sure there is no exam scheduled. If professional athletes are being given time off to study then we may give up

Yep, Dave, I don't see why professional rugby players shoudn't study to get a good degree. It's an interesting discussion all the same. Many have done it in the past and many will do it in the future. The only wee fly in the ointment is when there's an exam at the same time as a match (as you say, not that this is the case here). I have a feeling that many university departments would make other arrangements for a guy in that position, especially if he is doing his study part-time. There's huge flexibility available, as there should be.

And while I'm here...

Happy New Year to everyone.

Happy new year, Solids and everyone on the UAFC!

[justinr73]

You mention Dalton and McBurney yet both have shown, at Newcastle and Edinburgh respectively, that they’re simply not good enough.

How’s that feck ing anything up?

McBurney was one of the outstanding players in the U20 team that got to the RWC final in 2016, scoring tries for fun, including the final. A team that included Stockdale, Daly, Keenan, Porter, Ryan and Deegan. Even when Best and Herring were playing, he had best darts in the club and had an edge to him. The fact that UR backed Andrews says a lot.
Dalton played a few games for us when we were on the bones if our a#se for locks, similar to AOC, and played pretty well. Then never selected again. Similar litany down through the years- raw material not developed or stalled.

The one true talent whom I believe genuinely shot HIMSELF in the foot was Caldwell. All the talent but no brain. Even Moyes would've failed to have got the best from him.

UR, not just Df, has consistently failed to maximise the raw talent at its disposal. Hence why McKee went to Leinster, Little retired, Taylor went to UBC and eventually jacked in Rugby, as did Macklin ( who played TH in Europe and scored) Farrell to France, Steenson never even got a chance etc etc etc. Whitten had to go to Exeter, Seymour to Glasgow, then Scotland and the Lions. Love to see how some of those named would've progressed at Leinster or elsewhere with a more professional development pathway from 18-22, rather than UR. If DF spunks this batch through his own hubris, shame on him.

I stopped reading at U20.

[Dave]

I stopped reading at U20.

How old are you now?

[CIMANFOREVER]

I stopped reading at U20.

How old are you now?
[/quote

outstanding Dave...

[CIMANFOREVER]

You mention Dalton and McBurney yet both have shown, at Newcastle and Edinburgh respectively, that they’re simply not good enough.

How’s that feck ing anything up?

McBurney was one of the outstanding players in the U20 team that got to the RWC final in 2016, scoring tries for fun, including the final. A team that included Stockdale, Daly, Keenan, Porter, Ryan and Deegan. Even when Best and Herring were playing, he had best darts in the club and had an edge to him. The fact that UR backed Andrews says a lot.
Dalton played a few games for us when we were on the bones if our a#se for locks, similar to AOC, and played pretty well. Then never selected again. Similar litany down through the years- raw material not developed or stalled.

The one true talent whom I believe genuinely shot HIMSELF in the foot was Caldwell. All the talent but no brain. Even Moyes would've failed to have got the best from him.

UR, not just Df, has consistently failed to maximise the raw talent at its disposal. Hence why McKee went to Leinster, Little retired, Taylor went to UBC and eventually jacked in Rugby, as did Macklin ( who played TH in Europe and scored) Farrell to France, Steenson never even got a chance etc etc etc. Whitten had to go to Exeter, Seymour to Glasgow, then Scotland and the Lions. Love to see how some of those named would've progressed at Leinster or elsewhere with a more professional development pathway from 18-22, rather than UR. If DF spunks this batch through his own hubris, shame on him.

I stopped reading at U20.

You sound just like Dan

[jean valjean]

Looking ahead, here's hoping 2024 gets off to a winning start for ulster and we go on to win the urc and Europe. Off to bed....burp..

[justinr73]

Well I agree and hopefully people will stop kidding themselves that McBurney and Dalton were any good.

[Dublin4]

Happy new year to all and looking forward to some of you visiting the RDS later.
Bring rain gear as the forecast is awful.
This promises to be a cracker of a game with lots of our younger players on show and old man Healy at loose head. I have a feeling that Ulster are going to put it up to us and there won't be more than a score in it at the end. Sam Prendergast could be fascinating to watch.

[CIMANFOREVER]

Well I agree and hopefully people will stop kidding themselves that McBurney and Dalton were any good.

Aw grow up Justin. You kid yourself McIroy, Curtis etc are any good? The point, and you know it, was we've had raw material with potential at u20 level ( and is there much higher than Ireland u20 at a RWC final forthose age grade feeders into the academies? ) and singularly failed to develop it at the prime development window. Why did the Leinster contingent push on to be World Class when Daly and McBurney were their equals?

You keep backing the spoofer in charge, and indeed the historically failed UR development pathway. Whats your answer or solution?

[justinr73]

As in any sport, most age grade players aren’t good enough to make it.

McFarland’s hands are tied behind his back by having to work with a squad which is significantly made up of players who are only there because they are IQ, even though there is zero chance of them ever playing for Ireland.

I’d change that.

[justinr73]

The irony, of course, is that Irish rugby owes its success to non-IQ coaches and administrators.

Humph has been around a bit. Will be interesting to see what he does with it.

[rumncoke]

Player development is not just the responsibility of Ulster management it is a two way street . To be selected regularly for a team you must not be just as good as the player selected you must be better and failure to be better frequently comes down to lack of experience and that is the Catch 22 in Rugby.

Players drop out and leave for many reasons eg Seymour would never had a chance of an international rugby playing for Ulster With Bowe and Trimble available like wise Lyttle with Stockdale and Balacoune

I would be of the opinion that Ulster Management are honest with players in the squad when those players ask about their future in the game ie your selection depends on the availability of the players included in the most preferred match 23 and your fitness when they get injured. The player then has to make the decision does continue to train to professional level in the hope of selection because if he doesn't he will fail to impress when the opportunity arises and for regular selection he needs to be better than the player he replaces.

Some players come through faster and/or opportunities fall into their lap du to injury and retirements some like MCIlroy have the desired skills for certain positions ( in his case how to defend a high ball which is more desirable it seems than the ability to score trys ) but then with an out half like Burns the opportunities for wings to score trys are few and far between .

Personally I think the decision not to expose or play Sheridan this week might be sound with the next two games in mind and McCann still injured.

[rumncoke]

Ireland does not owe it success to foreign management it's success is based on the sound framework of the professional game ie four provinces with a traditional set up in existence before professional rugby . Prior to professional rugby international rugby selection tended to be based on horse trading by the Alecadoos you can have X if can have Y sometimes it worked other times it failed.


The Foreigners in Irish rugby are necessary because of the distrust between the provinces generated by provincial vested interests.

[rumncoke]

The above of course has little to do with the game Leinster v Ulster other than the fact that the national interest takes priority over the provincial and is evident the selection of the players for the game