SCHOOLS OUT.

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Magner’s Reduced to TWO Teams!

Reading the Sunday Times the other week I was amazed to see that the Magner’s league only contained two teams, Munster and Leinster in the gospel according to Peter O’Reilly.

Nothing new in narrow eyed provincialism from Southern journos but it was frighteningly reminiscent of their English and Welsh counterparts when those teams dominated the 6 Nations.

At one stage I recall the Welsh being so brilliant as to be looking at alien life to see if anyone out there could live with them on a rugby pitch. Alas they were stuck with us mere mortals and have recently been reduced to ranks of also rans.

Complete hokey of course, as these things come and go in cycles and just as Welsh teams have found the going tough this season, so the cyclical nature of rugby will ensure that the likes of Leinster will likely not be on top of the European world a few seasons from now.

You dismiss Ulster at your peril Southern journos.  Thornley and Farrelly have been dancing with peril this season, with barbed arrows and conditional compliments spewing forth from their critical keyboards.

Mainly they have served a back handed compliment of, ‘haven’t they improved’, followed by a volley of qualified comments regarding the South African influence on the team.

Dammed with faint praise, Ulster did finish within 3 points of Leinster using a rotated squad and bringing young players into the top level experience every bit as much as the lauded Leinster.

Home advantage is everything as Leinster found out on Saturday in the grand final. Had this match been anywhere other than Thomond I am convinced Leinster would have won.

Can We Live With It? – Yes We Can!

There is no need, in my humble opinion, to cover ourselves in sackcloth and ashes and wail that we lack intensity or physicality. Having been to the well at Milton Keynes and then the RDS, we now know what we have to do to compete.

History shows most teams sample the water before fully imbibing. Some teams obviously don’t absorb the lessons of that first taste of success. Ulster in my opinion are a team on the up and having drank at the well of success will develop a thirst for more.

All About the Boy!

The nature of the Southern media is that, any player who turns in a remotely decent performance over a few games for Munster and Leinster suddenly propel themselves into the spotlight for World Cup selection.

Current object of affection is, the inexperienced, Danny Barnes.  DB has played a few high profile games for Munster and all of a sudden he’s up there, as the solution to Munster’s midfield problems. 

It’s only when someone like this comes along and does a job is there any recognition that there is a problem. Interestingly enough Ulster would appear to have a midfield problem as well. It’s at the other end of the spectrum, where they would appear to have a surplus of talent at 12 & 13.

Assuming the consistently physical Spence maintains this season’s high standards and continues to improve his other skills such as passing the ball, then there is a very real prospect of competition for places in an area we’ve been found wanting.

Oh What a Circus, Oh What a Show!

At the ‘selected and attained reputation’ end of the Irish rugby spectrum, resides Mike Ross. His elevation to status of tighthead ‘god’ is nothing short of deification personified. Part of this stems from his ‘lazarus’ like epoch against those feisty scrummaging Saints.

Ross you will recall, figured as prominently in Ireland’s selectorial process during the Autumn, as Niall O’connor in Ulster’s player of the year competition. Yet Ross has been elevated to almost untouchable status due to his apparent ability to play a game of two halves seamlessly but in complete contrast.

Ross’s turnaround at half time in the Heineken Cup final was entirely due to Greg Feek telling him how to counter the Saints scrummaging. If Ross worked out how to counter it, as the Irish media are claiming, then why did he wait until halftime when his team were down by 16 points and staring into the abyss of humiliation?

Ross has shown frailty in the scrum of recent times. Ulster did a number on him at the RDS though he’ll claim he was hurt. On Saturday Horan give Ross another uncomfortable afternoon, in the Grand final.

Ireland may reach the world cup with faith in Ross as the panacea to their documented scrum problems.  I have my doubts about the miraculous renaissance of him from obscurity to hero. He may be found out.  The writing as they say is on the scrum walls!!

A Pastiche of Their Past

Hopefully Declan Kidney is a little more wide eyed and inclusive than Farrelly/Thornley et al. One can see the IQ Leinster squad being at the RWC with mostly Munster players taking the remainder of the places. Connaught and Ulstermen will fill the remaining few places.

Some will argue that’s how it should be given the finishing spots in the Magners/Heineken. I would argue that although O’Connell and Wallace played significant games on Saturday, the remainder of the Munster pack are on a par with what Connaught and Ulster can offer.

Munster stalwarts like O’Callaghan and Leamy are pastiches of their former selves and if selected, it will firmly be on past reputation. Likewise Leinster players Fitzgerald and D’Arcy, if as prophesised, they get the nod from Kidney.

An Enhanced Shadow of his Former Self

Lots of remorse evident on the UAFC board after Mark McCall triumphs as coach of Saracens. We treated him bad, seems to be the tenor of the posts. For sure some spectators in the Stand and on the Prom lost the run of themselves about McCall.

Equally Ulster Rugby bear some responsibility for backing McCall with his limited experience of coaching at the top level. You could not fault him for effort as coach of Ulster Rugby, he had time for the supporters and wore his coaching heart on his sleeve.

Ultimately he stayed too long when it was clear he’d lost the dressing room and was playing a brand of lightweight mobile rugby that wasn’t going to progress Ulster. It’s good to see an Ulster old boy move on and come good. Let’s hope Jeremy Davidson does likewise.

They Haven’t gone Away You Know

Ulster players haven’t gone away you know. They were very much in evidence Saturday week ago at the North ‘Wet’ 200.  Chris Henry, Steven Ferris and Darren Cave braved the elements and sounded like BJ Botha clones complaining about the weather whilst partaking of corporate hospitality at the bikes.

A word in Yer ED!

Finally as the season trundles to a close, a few words about the ED!

He has been patient to say the least, to let me sound off, harp on, witter, ruminate and irritate in equal measure over the course of a successful season for Ulcer.

I’m hoping he’s asking me back for more as I’ve plenty to say! 

Just wonder if anyone there’s still listening


6 responses to “SCHOOLS OUT.”

  1. parky

    Sorry my first line, should have read as , ‘what is this sudden show of emotional brotherhood?’

  2. parky

    Hey fellas, what is sudden show of emotional brotherhood? Was it something I said?

    Sorry guys, didn’t mean to sound unwanted, was just feeling a trifle guilty as I had failed to meet deadlines for submission of blogs recently due to work workload.

    That’s my excuse at any rate. Should be back on track next week and looking forward to the Junior World Cup!! Hope to touch on cycling (Le Tour) amongst other forthcoming attractions.

    Enjoy the weather!

  3. glynncommando

    Still here Parky – and you are required reading. Wouldn’t miss your musings on all matter of subjects. Keep up the good work!
    GC

  4. the mote

    Parky
    60% of sucess is a sound defence which is why D’Arcy will always get the nod at 12 because he and BoD know how they defend. The Leinster defence looked less secure in Magners Final without D’Arcy. ( not that it was better against the Saints but I would put that done to a less than 100% fit BoD more than d’Arcy )

    Kidney also likes a sound line out which together with his attitude gives Cullen a high spot in the pecking order.

    The Irish problem at the World Cup will be that the same 15 will be selected for all the games and go into the last game carrying knocks and be less than 100%

  5. Raging Raven

    It wouldn’t be the same without you! 🙂

  6. Flat-top

    I’m still here Parky, and a good read as ever 🙂

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