Local rugby club

[bootlaced]

Who is your local club?

Mine is Dungannon,and we are providing players to Ulster.

What is your local club and who do you rate should be on Ulsters Radar?

[gannonman]

As you can tell by my name I am a massive Dungannon supporter. I go to all there home games and I love watching them play. Seriously if you gave me the choice between a day out at the Aviva to watch a Ireland game or a AIL game at Stevenson I would chose the latter every time. I'm very passionate about the club game and I'm quite disappointed at how little of it is being covered. Especially this year. For example the News Letter had a good two pages or so on the Northampton v Ulster match but nothing on the Dungannon v Bruff game and it annoys me a bit but it is because I'm love the club game and I believe it is the reason why Irish and Ulster rugby is where it is now. As for players, well Ali Birch has been excellent. People say he is too small but he has certainly 'beefed up' recently. Very good player. Chris Cochrane is one I personally think could go all the way. I know that is a bit strong to say as he has not even played for Ulster but he has been in great form for the past two years. The only problem is that I really rate him, the faithful at Dungannon really rate him, the Ravens coaching staff seem to rate him but I don't know whether MCL rates him. He deserves his chance hopefully next year with the World Cup being on.

[scrum5]

Ghostie was on the Ulster radar in MW's reign and I think he played in a couple of pre season friendlies and had a few runouts for the Ravens, he then had a serious of injuries which has set him back a bit, hopefully an injury free season and a good pre-season should see him getting back into the squad.....

[Snipe Watson]

Not about club rugby, but I watched a first year kid playing for Carrick Grammar this year and haven't seen his like in years if ever.

[gannonman]

Yes I think I remember him playing and scoring for Ulster against Queensland in a friendly.

[Snipe Watson]

Who.... the carrick lad?
and who the blazes is Ghostie?

[gannonman]

and who the blazes is Ghostie?

Ghostie is Chris Cochrane.

[scrum5]

Because he ghosts past people..........

[earl the beaver]

I'm an Instonian and currently just Whitten looking at Ulster contention.

A couple of others may come through in time but doesn't look it.

[pwrmoore]

Mine is Dungannon,and we are providing players to Ulster.

Or more accurately Ulster are providing players to Dungannon.

This is not to have a go at Dungannon but your post misrepresents the system in place across the Ulster Branch/IRFU jusisdiction. All the Ulster players (Fully contracted and academy) are allocated by the Ulster branch to the variouis teams playing AIL rugby. This is not to say that no players are discovered by Dungannon or Ballymena who later go on to full representative honours but it is not the norm any more.

[ColinM]

Good idea for a thread. For the gannon men hows young Lawton getting on there?

[gannonman]

Good idea for a thread. For the gannon men hows young Lawton getting on there?

Lawton has played very well and since Gilroy has been playing for Ulster he has been starting regularly on the wing and is our first choice goal kicker. There are a couple of videos on the Dungannon website if you look up the report for Dungannon vs Bruff (home game in the AIL and not the cup final) he scores a magnificent individual try. So he has settled into the team well.

[jackthelad]

Not about club rugby, but I watched a first year kid playing for Carrick Grammar this year and haven't seen his like in years if ever.

There are a few under-age kids playing at Carrick Rugby Club that are absolutely amazingly talented. Unfortunately, junior club rugby is shamefully ignored by Ulster. When you consider that most of our players come through the Grammar School system and they make up less than 35% of young males, we are leaving a vast resource untapped. Obstacles are put in the way of players even playing for their clubs, some are refused permission by their schools for example. We have the stupid age rule changes that are going to drive parents into refusing to alllow their young kids to play as they have to face some who are effectively 2 years older and much more developed, but the cretins who thought that up are so dense they don't give a mionkey's lanyard about non-elite school and club rugby. The players themselves are aware of the discrepancies in age, size development and some have already said that they won't play next year as they will simply get blitzed and possibly seriously injured.

[Snipe Watson]

Not about club rugby, but I watched a first year kid playing for Carrick Grammar this year and haven't seen his like in years if ever.

There are a few under-age kids playing at Carrick Rugby Club that are absolutely amazingly talented. Unfortunately, junior club rugby is shamefully ignored by Ulster. When you consider that most of our players come through the Grammar School system and they make up less than 35% of young males, we are leaving a vast resource untapped. Obstacles are put in the way of players even playing for their clubs, some are refused permission by their schools for example. We have the stupid age rule changes that are going to drive parents into refusing to alllow their young kids to play as they have to face some who are effectively 2 years older and much more developed, but the cretins who thought that up are so dense they don't give a mionkey's lanyard about non-elite school and club rugby. The players themselves are aware of the discrepancies in age, size development and some have already said that they won't play next year as they will simply get blitzed and possibly seriously injured.

more like 20%

[pwrmoore]

Mine is Dungannon,and we are providing players to Ulster.

Or more accurately Ulster are providing players to Dungannon.

This is not to have a go at Dungannon but your post misrepresents the system in place across the Ulster Branch/IRFU jusisdiction. All the Ulster players (Fully contracted and academy) are allocated by the Ulster branch to the variouis teams playing AIL rugby. This is not to say that no players are discovered by Dungannon or Ballymena who later go on to full representative honours but it is not the norm any more.

I stand corrected. I've been told the allocation only really applies to the senior squad. The academy players may be free to join the club of their choice.