As the sun sets over Ireland’s woeful effort against the wounded Boks, there were, cries of, ‘they looked like Ulster!’ Now that is to say, what an insult to Ulster. At least we have won some of our last six matches. Tut, tut, comparisons really are odious.
There’s a whiff of perfidy in the air, as Ireland not so much look like Ulster by way of a sneering media comment, but that Ulster look like they’re trying to play Ireland’s game.
Meanwhile Back at the Branch
McGlocks initial venting of spleen at Ulster’s performance was tempered by his viewing of the match against Munster on the video. Where he spotted rubbish during the match, he now found material to recycle.
It was of little comfort to wearied fans whom had to stand, sit and clap their way through another predictable second half collapse.
As one Irish media commentator commented in respect of Ireland. ‘I do not want to hear another we’ll just have to get back on the horse and get on with it’.
Where Ulster’s concerned we had enough of that in the McCall era. Back then it was soul searching, as though trying to grasp the inner essence of something intangible. This season, it’s all about hard rucking, talkin’ reviewin’ regimes at Newforge and no relenting from the relentless introspection. Soul searching brother, in other words.
Bottom line for me has been the lack of continuity especially in the backline. Interestingly the absence of Darren Cave has coincided with our run of 3 defeats. Mark my words …when competition resumes and DC takes his customary place in the midfield we’ll see a different animal. Let’s get back on the cart and leave the horse alone!!
News from Around the Piazzas
Coffee it would seem is the new elixir of every self respecting professional rugby player. Indeed I counted 13 coffee shops, in Holywood, Co. Down, alone.
This upsurge in consumption by the Nescafe classes is in part fuelled by the likes of Andrew Trimble and Robbie Diack of Ulster rugby.
Robbie, has also been spending some time in the company of BJ Botha and as a result is beginning to sound like a second weather station, supplementing BJ’s yearnings, with updates on the Belfast weather.
Things must have been atrocious when Robbie’s visit to the Lake District culminated in rain so bad that he longed to be back in Belfast weather.
Meanwhile Back in another Branch
Word by an unlikely source reaches me that the Munster team travelled up by car and back again the same night for their game with Ulster. If this is true and my source is the truth personified, then it’s a return to the good ole days of social rugby.
The real reason is more prosaic, as Munster look to save money and further damage our limping economy by not staying in a hotel here.
It brought back memories of my own glorious days on the road, like down to Ballyshannon in a minibus. All 17 of us. That is 15 players, a coach and a player’s girlfriend, the latter causing unforetold problems when we pitched up in Ballyshannon’s bogland and had to change on the bus.
She sat at the back of the bus holding up a magazine and reading assiduously. Having had to push the bus into the muddy field, we were mercilessly beaten by a rampant Shannon in front of a sellout crowd of 50, including several minors still in prams!!
After showering and changing in Ballyshannon leisure centre under cold showers we drank a few in a pub with the Shannon players before being invited to a nearby chippie for battered sausages and chips.
The trip home was a mare, with bawdy singing and the girl’s boyfriend serenading her with Wonderful Tonight which caused the bus to fill up with water as we cried our eyes out at the sentimentality of it all. He was stopped from singing the 3rd verse as we were in danger of drowning.
Other incidents such as the guy who stripped to his underpants…We gathered up our beer tins at the end, had a whip round for the driver which he enjoyed and we wandered off into the Belfast night, apparently happy.
Those were the days my friend, I always knew they’d end, when we grew up and went to watch Ulster rugby instead! I doubt Munster’s trip could match our one to Ballyshannon but I’m sure they enjoyed the drive, especially on the way back having won the game!!
All Our Yesterdays
As the visit of the All Blacks draws near, I recalled sitting in the lower stand of Lansdowne Road as British born All Black, John Gallagher glided past for a tremendous try.
The year was 1989 and I was sat level with the spot where Keith Crossan sprinted across to intercept him and save the try. Gallagher almost imperceptibly changed pace, shimmied inwards causing Crossan to hesitate a fraction before seeing him take the outside line and away from Crossan’s despairing dive.
A try of some beauty, full of pace, power and precision running which is as fresh today in my mind as it was then. As I recounted the moment of magic I wondered whatever had happened to Gallagher, then the best full back in the world in my opinion.
Imagine my surprise that Gallagher is profiled in this week’s Sunday Times and sacre bleu, he recounts this try as his best ever, given his Irish parentage and his parents sitting in the stands.
For the record, Gallagher is 46 years old and is head of Colfe’s prep school.
Legislator’s in Their Own Lifetime
From the URSC website I learn that our MLA’s, you know the heavily subsidised pie eaters, sitting in judgement of us serfs having decided to consider legislation banning alcohol at sportsgrounds, 2 hours before a match, during it and up to 1 hour after a game.
In a retro step, likely to induce thoughts that fundamental Islamic law has arrived in Northern Ireland, our folks on the hill are considering a move which is not reflected elsewhere in most civilised societies around the globe.
Quite why rugby has once again been saddled unto the same old lame horse called Irish League soccer I do not know. What I do know is that most of the perpetrators of this attempt to ruin rugby as the social more of our sporting society, have probably never been to Ravenhill in their life.
The select bunch considering this move are listed below.
Democratic Unionist Party:Lord Morrow (Chairperson); Lord Browne; Mr Thomas Buchanan; Mr Paul Givan
Sinn Fein: Ms Carál Ní Chuilín; Mr Raymond McCartney (Deputy Chairperson); Mr John O’Dowd
Social Democratic and Labour Party: Mr Conall McDevitt; Mr Alban Maginness
Ulster Unionist Party: Mr Tom Elliott; Mr David McNarry
The URSC are urging you to write to them. Better still, I’ll offer one of them a free ticket and the pleasure of my company to help them sample the Ravenhill experience!!!
I trust the URSC will mount a campaign of the kind the Northern Ireland Supporters waged against the Maze Stadium!!
Kimble, I’m holding my breath..!
Corrections, comments or questions?