BIG WHEEL

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‘Hi, my name is Stevie, I play flanker for Ulster rugby. You may have seen me on TV last Friday night. I hope you enjoyed the game, I know I did, I scored two tries.’

‘Perhaps you’ve seen I have developed a sidestep. I don’t just run through the opposition anymore, I run round them. I was really proud of that sidestep when I scored my second try.’

‘You see, my knee is getting stronger, it was injured badly and I thought I might not come back to the game because of it. Perhaps you thought that too? Hey, I’m playing every game like it’s my last.’

‘Hope to see you all back at Ravenhill on Friday night, we have a big game coming up, we need the points. I hope you’ll turn out and cheer the team on!’

SUFTUM.

Stevie ‘One ‘F’

Get Back To Where We Once Belonged

It’s high time we got back to the days of Solomons, Heineken rugby and a nervous feeling in the bones when turning up at Ravenhill not knowing what performance to expect from the Ulster Rugby team. Often we were pleasantly surprised, we had an unbeaten home record at Ravenhill during his reign.

It’s time once again to get that feeling of nervousness, the sense of going into the unknown. I feel in recent times that supporters have become not so much blasé, but inured to the reality of the competitive nature of rugby.

There has been an attitude of taking for granted that we should win because we have ‘x’, ‘y’ and ‘z’ on our team. It’s a mirage and a dose of reality will do us good, if we believe that Aironi is not a cakewalk. Recent performances have seen to that.

They may have Jesus as a friend but…

This article sparked an argument on the UAFC messageboard about ramming a Christian message down people’s throats.

Here are some the extracts from the article which I found to be particularly inoffensive especially as we live in a so-called Christian country.

Ruan Pienaar, the multi-talented scrumhalf from Bloemfontein, speaks softly, but his carefully chosen words are marked with fierce passion.

“Being here gives me an enormous sense of purpose, I am not just here for rugby, I’m here to touch lives.”

Can’t imagine the softly, softly spoken Pienaar, grabbing your throat and guldering at ye, so yer safe enough there.

Pedrie Wannenburg came to Ulster seeking more than spiritual redemption; he needed a fresh start after succumbing to the bright lights of Pretoria. The flanker sighs and looks at the ground when he recalls the mistakes he has made in the past.

“Ag, I’m so happy now. I’ve found peace here. Back home, I loved the lights. I had friends outside of rugby that were helping me make mistakes I shouldn’t have made. I was windgat (boastful) and doing things I probably shouldn’t have.

“Now I’m leading a different life, I still slip up like anyone, but I’m not shy about sharing my faith and I want to talk about it.”

Well if you want to avoid Mr. Wannenberg’s road to Damascus conversion story, tell him you’re going to the loo and you could be awhile!

‘This was an adjustment for men used to public shows of faith, in a country that often espouses a personal relationship with your God.’

Muller says, “We’ve been a bit slack in getting a Bible study going here, Pedrie, Ruan and I have been here a year. It’s still something we’re passionate about doing at some stage and I know that you’d get a good turnout of players at it, but, equally, we don’t want to force the Bible down anybody’s throat.”

There you go, I told you, nobody’s gonna get a bible in the larynx.

Wannenburg says: “People here just get on with everything, like if it rains at home, we’ll be under the blankets moaning, here you’ll see everyone outside walking with their prams in pouring rain, I love the way people here find pleasure in the small things.”

Pedrie, sums it all up, although I think he’s being a tad kind as we seem to moan about the weather a fair deal.

A final word from Ruan, “We’re just rugby players, our talent has given us a vehicle to be able to engage with people,” says Pienaar.

I found this article so inoffensive I’m going to show it to my mum, it’ll put a human face on those rugby madmen she doesn’t understand.

Just in case you might fancy a sly dig because of a ‘turn the other cheek’ attitude, the apt Mr. McAllister explains helpfully:

“My Christianity doesn’t mean I’m soft or I’ll lose my competitive edge, give me a Christian rugby player who says he hasn’t thrown a punch and I’ll tell you he’s probably lying, it just means I feel I can deal with anything thrown at me.”

Mr. Nevin Spence, explains how the Ulster mum keeps him grounded. “For me the Bible is about actions speaking louder than words. I’ve just got to be careful my Mum doesn’t catch me swearing on TV again.”

Last word to the journo who wrote this enlightening article.

‘In a country where religion has been the cause rather than the solution for many problems, this special group of Ulster rugby players are determined to keep using their own brand of muscular Christianity at Ravenhill as long as their careers endure’.

Let’s hope they convert all this spiritual power into a match winning performance on Friday night against Aironi, otherwise Mr. N. Spence may have to face his mum!!

Clermont on My Mind

I’m flying to Stansted from Belfast International on Friday of the weekend of the Clermont match and on to Limoges with Ryanair. Anyone else making the Clermont trip this way, I would enjoy the company if you’re on the 6.15a.m. flight.

The trip is courtesy of the French wing of the URSC headed by Le Paul and ably assisted by his companions who visited the bunker for the Clermont match at Ravenhill. They will be my hosts for the weekend and hopefully an Ulsterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr victorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry!!

Trust the foundations will have been well and truly laid over the next two weekends by comprehensively beating Airon.

Is there a parallel?

I notice Chelsea whose performances have been worse than Ulster’s have suddenly started winning, at the same time as Ulster kick started their PRO12 campaign against the Scaaalets!

Spotted in B&Q

Andy K – in Ulster shorts and top.

NOTE: It was Baltic outside, though you’d never know looking at Andy!!

On another hill…

My boost is a Spar energy drink retailing at 42p and my energy bar, a Mars duo, about 82p. On a bitterly cold Sunday afternoon last weekend I completed my own personal Tour De Ballynahinch.

Not a rugby player or world search coach in sight as I wound my way through the drumlins of County Down braving occasional rain and a wind chill that left one of my index fingers white round the tips.

My road to fitness, pre Christmas, is paying dividends as I continue to pedal the miles away at the weekend.


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