The UAFC

Here are 52 representative under age players. They are a snapshot in time of our position in the supply and development of future players. It seems to be the same every year. Very few players. Out of the 52 guys, there are 6 Ulster players....11% of the total and only 3 in starting positions.

Ireland U19 v France U19 (Wednesday 3 April 2024, QUB, Belfast, Kick Off at 14.30pm)
15. Todd Lawlor (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby)
14. Andre Ryan (Belvedere College/Leinster Rugby)
13. Gene O’Leary Kareem (PBC Cork/Munster Rugby)
12. Evan Moynihan (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby)
11. Ciaran Mangan (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby)
10. Sam Wisniewski (Clontarf RFC/Leinster Rugby)
9. Will Wootton (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)
1. Billy Bohan (Newbridge College/Leinster Rugby)
2. Mikey Yarr (Lansdowne FC/Leinster Rugby) Captain
3. Niall Smyth (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
4. Conor Kennelly (CBC Cork/Munster Rugby)
5. Michael Foy (CBC Cork/Munster Rugby)
6. Tommy Butler (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
7. Oisin Minogue (St. Munchin’s College/Munster Rugby)
8. Eanna McCarthy (UCC/Munster Rugby)
Replacements:
16.[b] Henry Walker (QUB RFC/Ulster Rugby)[/b]
17. Emmett Calvey (Shannon RFC/Munster Rugby)
18. Alex Mullan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster Rugby)
19. Mahon Ronan (St. Mary’s Diocesan Drogheda/Boyne RFC/Leinster Rugby)
20. Aaron O’Brien (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby)
21. Dylan Hicks (Garryowen RFC/Munster Rugby)
22.Clark Logan (Coleraine GS/Ulster Rugby)
23. Zack Hopkins (St. Mary’s College/Leinster Rugby)
24. Johnny Scott (Banbridge RFC/Ulster Rugby)
25. Jack Angulo (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
26. David Walsh (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby)

• Ireland U18 School Team v Italy U18 (Wednesday 3 April 2024, U18 Six Nations Festival, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma, Italy

15. Charlie Molony (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby) Captain
14. Noah Byrne (Gonzaga College/Leinster Rugby)
13. Jack Deegan (CC Roscrea College/Leinster Rugby)
12. James O’Leary (PBC Cork/Munster Rugby)
11. Brian O’Flaherty (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
10. Conor O’Shaughnessy (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
9. James O’Dwyer (Gonzaga College/Leinster Rugby)

1. Max Doyle (Clongowes Wood College/Leinster Rugby)
2. Conor Magee (Banbridge Academy/Ulster Rugby)
3. Blake McClean (RBAI/Ulster Rugby)
4. Dylan McNeice (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby)
5. Donnacha McGuire (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
6. Diarmaid O’Connell (Carrick on Shannon RFC/Sligo Grammar/Connacht Rugby)
7. Bill Hayes (CC Roscrea College/Munster Rugby)
8. Charlie Meagher (CBC Monkstown/Leinster Rugby)

Replacements:
16. Luke McLaughlin (Gonzaga College/Leinster Rugby)
17. Jamie Conway (Castletroy College/Munster Rugby)
18. Cian Walsh (CBC Cork/Munster Rugby)
19. Rory Gavin (Colaiste Iognaid/Galwegians RFC/Connacht Rugby)
20. Michael Walsh (Blackrock College/Leinster Rugby)
21. Chris Barrett (CBC Cork/Munster Rugby)
22. Josh Gibson (RBAI/Ulster Rugby)
23. Tom Wood (St. Munchins College/Munster Rugby)
24. Joe Finn (Roscrea College/Munster Rugby)
25. Ethan Black (St. Michael’s College/Leinster Rugby)
26. Paddy Curry (Terenure College/Leinster Rugby)

As I don't live in NI these days I have no idea if this is a fair reflection of talent or if it is simply that the 'selectors' don't bother their collective hoops to really look. What I do know is that it must be dispiriting and demotivating for any good players who deserve a shot but don't get it.
Any thoughts?

im sure there are few future ulster players in those teams, they just arent from ulster.

What about the 20’s?

Schools rugby in Ulster is now and has been dominated for some time by three Belfast schools, with a couple more in the slipstream.
Good honest rugby-playing schools around the province have switched off, and rugby is now less important.
There is little or no focus on developing future rugby players in our schools. Dublin is the total opposite.

We need a covert underage juicing culture.

And I doubt any will ever start as a regular for Ireland

Lots of schools outside of top schools have indeed switched off and do not play 1st xv v 1st xv. Indeed it filters down to lower teams with A teams playing B/C teams. The top schools are still underfunded. Many posts have been comparing Dublin schools. Top schools in Dublin have parents paying 3-4K a year on top of school fees to be involved in the rugby performance programmes. This not a level playing field at this early stage. If top schools in Ulster had more funding the quality coaches that schools employ could spend time on coaching rather than administration for example. Look at Coleraine grammar job spec as an example.

Anyone with an interest in the long term health of rugby in ulster understands the need for a wide player base and better pathways via the club system. 3-4 schools are not going to supply the player pool needed to support professional rugby and a successful club game in the AIL. the clubs have access to a much wider pool (especially young GAA players) which should be harnessed.

Look at Leinster Model… bang for buck that it would appear we are not able/willing to commit. GAA ramping up to hold on, that is a pipe dream. What we may get from GAA is the front row not suited to the game, these guys will have a good skill set and could be worth pursuing.

Bigfacthunt wrote: ↑Thu Apr 04, 2024 12:10 am Look at Leinster Model… bang for buck that it would appear we are not able/willing to commit. GAA ramping up to hold on, that is a pipe dream. What we may get from GAA is the front row not suited to the game, these guys will have a good skill set and could be worth pursuing.

Much of it is privately funded in Dublin. St Michaels for example have a massive new rugby facility paid for by alumni. Gonzaga also have a new influx of cash again from former pupils. That said some of our school teams can match these teams over 70 mins throughout jnr and early snr school. There are some superb coaches in our own school systems, who are teachers first but go over and above for the boys in the big schools and others. Ulster rugby owes these guys so much and gives them nowt.... It's a shameful situation and until that changes we will continue the decline.

It all comes down to money. They have it in Leinster. Less so everywhere else. Apart from a certain golfer I'm not allowed to mention.

https://twitter.com/spkeene/status/1773 ... 61/photo/1

The level of losses at English clubs is frightening, Can all of them survive?
It makes Ulster's financial results look rosy!

A strong Boys Model 1st XV means a strong Ulster. That's what EW Davies always believed....

CIMANFOREVER wrote: ↑Thu Apr 04, 2024 11:44 am A strong Boys Model 1st XV means a strong Ulster. That's what EW Davies always believed....

Ernie was my cousin

Jetstream wrote: ↑Thu Apr 04, 2024 2:07 pm

CIMANFOREVER wrote: ↑Thu Apr 04, 2024 11:44 am A strong Boys Model 1st XV means a strong Ulster. That's what EW Davies always believed....

Ernie was my cousin

An absolute legend that saved many a boy from a different life.

Anyways, my underlying point is that there is latent talent outside of the usual suspects that IR are making no attempt to leverage