Tom Court leaving?

[mikerob]

I can remember seeing London Irish in the late 90s back in the day when they played in London and were Irish... the likes of D Humph, Mark McCall, Justin Fitzpatrick, Keiran Campbell, Keiran Dawson and Jeremy Davidson were all playing for them.

However those days are gone for good. London Irish amateurs play in a regional league and don't have any aspirations to get to the top (unlike London Scottish and London Welsh)

While London Irish professional team have picked up a few Irish players like I Humph, TC and TOL, the only thing vaguely Irish about them is the plastic paddywhackery they use on match day.

There is no way there will be an IRFU link with them. The IRFU have enough issues with Connacht so why would they put money and time into a mediocre AP team. Like other "London" teams like Wasps and Sarries, LI don't have a large core supporter base despite being in Reading for a long time now and I can't see that changing.

[stu]

London Irish amateurs play in a regional league and don't have any aspirations to get to the top (unlike London Scottish and London Welsh).

Mike, the amatuers have been progressing well through the leagues and are in National 2 South now. They play a decent standard of rugby and are also becoming more closely aligned with the pro's - some of the amateur players have played A league games for the pro's recently.

The recent takeover of the Pro's might swing them back towards a more Irish base.

[Kofi Annan]

But it is good to see the IRFU still funding the "Irish Exiles" hopefully producing Irish players for the future!

[Dan Dare]

But it is good to see the IRFU still funding the "Irish Exiles" hopefully producing Irish players for the future!

It is good to see and we are getting some good Exiles in to our academy as well recently. Lorcan Dow and Frank Taggart are two such players breaking through into the Ravens from the Exiles system. We will get our fair share of them. Marmion in Connacht was another recent one to break through.

[bootlaced]

It would be nice as well to see some of the big lumps around Donegal,Monaghan and Cavan getting the same attention,or is that still considered the wilderness?

[Rooster]

It would be nice as well to see some of the big lumps around Donegal,Monaghan and Cavan getting the same attention,or is that still considered the wilderness?

They are already some in with McGlocks and Naz training in clubs, give them a year or 2 though.

[bootlaced]

It would be nice as well to see some of the big lumps around Donegal,Monaghan and Cavan getting the same attention,or is that still considered the wilderness?

They are already some in with McGlocks and Naz training in clubs, give them a year or 2 though.

You know me old chicken I have heard that so many times that it is now redundant,I can remember you saying the exact same thing re spreading the Ulster rugby Brand and your answers was that when the Hill was redeveloped that there would be a big drive around the province and watch out for the new opening.Sadly it would appear that these threads have been lost drifting in the cosmos out there somewhere near Dungloe.

Ulster should take nothing for granted.

[Rooster]

It would be nice as well to see some of the big lumps around Donegal,Monaghan and Cavan getting the same attention,or is that still considered the wilderness?

They are already some in with McGlocks and Naz training in clubs, give them a year or 2 though.

You know me old chicken I have heard that so many times that it is now redundant,I can remember you saying the exact same thing re spreading the Ulster rugby Brand and your answers was that when the Hill was redeveloped that there would be a big drive around the province and watch out for the new opening.Sadly it would appear that these threads have been lost drifting in the cosmos out there somewhere near Dungloe.

Ulster should take nothing for granted.

Ok don't believe me if you don't want to but it is true, they are going round the clubs and non traditional rugby schools and are gathering up talent from all 9 counties.

[mickey_soft_hands]

I would sugest that rugby has reached its high watermark out in the sticks and the easist way to raise it again is to bring home some silverware.
I grew up with a bunch of sport mad ejits who would travel to any kinda match. Yet couldnt identify with Ulster rugby. They would support Ulster in the railway cup (gaa) yet support Leinster or munster in the heinekin. Im still shocked about that.
Outside Belfast and schools rugby there is still a lot of work to do getting local joes interested in rugby. Its a niche sport and is still percieved as elitist, rightly or wrongly. Many moons ago, I came through the youths system and it still makes my blood boil at the treatment we recieved in comparison to the schools representative sides.

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[CIMANFOREVER]

Outside Belfast and schools rugby there is still a lot of work to do getting local joes interested in rugby. Its a niche sport and is still percieved as elitist, rightly or wrongly. Many moons ago, I came through the youths system and it still makes my blood boil at the treatment we recieved in comparison to the schools representative sides.

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Agreed. Even within the schools system, there was a lot of snobbery and predjudice that still rings down the years. Many an excellent player from my old school when we turned out decent teams (Model) failed to make Ulster schools etc, despite being more than good enough. Many went on to play senior/ AIL rugby. I was told by our own Coach, who attended some of the old selection meetings, that players outside the usual suspects were voted down in calls versus players from the trad schools sides, even if better.
Our loosehead at the time (a fifth former) destroyed a future Ulster tight head 2 years older, in a final trials match, but was rejected on the premise that he was "not a team player...." He went on to walk virtually straight into a senior first 15 from school, and played AIL 1/2 whilst holding down a full time job.

I believe even Ferris was a squeak in terms of capture, but was so freakishly good, even UB at the time weren't that stupid to look a gift horse, and old prejudices against Yoot Rugby and non traditional routes (in Portadown ) were forgone for once . I really hope things have changed, as anyone thinking that we have a conveyor belt of Ulster based talent atm is living in cloud cuckoo land. But old habits die hard, and its still the same old MCB/ Inst/ Campbell hegemony (not a dig at the schools, but the mindset of those in a position of influence.) Unfortunately, we need a larger catchment area, as I for one, am dismayed at the lack of Ulster born and bred forwards especially coming through. 1 starting Ulster player in the U20's ffs?... Something's broken and needs fixed quickly.. I await the fruits of McGlocks labour, and expect a raft of world class back rows forwards especially...

[Russ]

Maybe he was a Warren Gatland?

sent from my crozier

[CIMANFOREVER]

Maybe he was a Warren Gatland?

sent from my crozier

No, he was just from the "wrong sort" of background/ area/ school....

[Russ]

Maybe he was a Warren Gatland?

sent from my crozier

No, he was just from the "wrong sort" of background/ area/ school....

They said he wasn't a team player. So I assumed Warren Gatland.

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