Babbling 'brook

What a game on Saturday evening - naturally as an Ulster supporter I'm delighted with result, the great resolve shown in holding on at the end and most aspects of what in ways was a surprising performance given the number of players not match fit and resulting rusty combos. I think D'Arcy's late wit...

Haven't got round to posting for months but just to say here's hoping for a good game tonight with no fresh injuries for either of our teams. Great to see a few more Ulster bodies back ahead of Europe next week but still think we'll be up against it away from home against a form side seeking revenge...

Sorry, ran out of typing space - must learn to be briefer! Should also have said above that Nick Williams, who is a first choice player, didn't start due to desire to save his bruised ribs a bit. Also that Payne (13 instead of 15) and Pienaar (10 instead of 9) were playing out of their preferred, fi...

Generally delighted with last night again with the obvious downside, for Ireland more immediately, being the latest injury to big Stevie Ferris. Was scrappy for a while and then suddenly Ulster turned on the gas with three tries in three minutes - brilliant to watch and still such a novelty for us, ...

Haven't had time to read thread so apologies if this has been mentioned but Tom Court played Churchill Cup one summer prior to arriving in Belfast. Also, re Connacht - how many tighthead projects/misfits/prospects have they on the books at present? 1) White has gone there from Leinster 2) didn't dod...

Awful blow for Ireland - BOD and Rory are two real warriors for us, the sort of guys you'd like to count on against abrasive sides like South Africa and Argentina (albeit both teams are a bit more callow than usual). From within the squad as it stands (ie no Jones or Hurley as specialist fullback op...

Log, Yeah that very thought actually crossed my mind last weekend - that sense of a coming team with pieces falling into place, good young talent and decent depth. Some didn't see the transition from Munster to Leinster coming or indeed how it could come but the rest is history. Likewise you are on ...

Really exciting to be an Ulster fan at the moment and there were lots of positives to take from last night. 1) to win away from home, at a bogey ground and for the third time in Wales this season, and with a bonus point without the regular captain and while shuffling the cards (partly Kidney dictate...

Nothing confusing about it, SB. I am British (Irish) the way some people are British (Scottish). There are a range of identities within the UK and Irish is one of them. Like Irish people living in Great Britain, I am happy to be a UK citizen but proud of my Irish identity. And just as there is clea...

Nothing confusing about it, SB. I am British (Irish) the way some people are British (Scottish). There are a range of identities within the UK and Irish is one of them. Like Irish people living in Great Britain, I am happy to be a UK citizen but proud of my Irish identity. And just as there is clear...

Very pleased with last night's match - great response after all that has happened. Pity about Michael Allen's injury - he has shaped up well this season and set for a bigger role than initially thought given the loss of Nevin and Chris Farrell's season long lay off. Great to have Tommy back - a back...

Sauvignon sounds like the sad guy with the Celtic shirt and placard protesting outside Croke Park before the first England game! There's no problem at all - when I'm standing in Croke Park / Lansdowne Road / Twickenham, I have no identity crisis re my Irishness and GSTQ simply feels like the other t...

Citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are British by right. They may also actively claim Irish citizenship. Those of us who consider ourselves British and Irish do so in the same way as, for example, others consider themselves Scottish and British. Being British doesn'...

In tears typing this. Just feeling numb and physically sick. He came to our attention as a rugby player and matched that talent with being a fine young man - an honest, modest, genuine good young lad who would have brought such honour to his family over the next number of years on and off the field....

Bit of an unfortunate thing that this has cropped up so soon. Nothing contradictory re McIlroy feeling British and proudly representing Ireland - the same probably goes for the majority of our rugby internationals from Ulster. Cricket too for that matter. I'm British too in the sense of being happy ...

Relieved to get the win last night. One of several pleasing things was the feeling we are maybe developing a bit of depth. I know Munster were missing plenty of players too but here's a useful 23 Ulster could field of players not involved last night - D'Arcy, Bowe, Spence, Wallace, Cochrane, O'Conno...

It wasn't just not getting action til Afoa got injured - he was sidelined for months himself with injury. I guess they just want him to get all the pitch-time he can.

Maeve Kyle would be perfect, though she's probably a bit too long in the tooth now. But if it's just a figurehead position then maybe age shouldn't be too big a factor.

Myself and the oul grey fella were in some corporate seats in Croke Park for an Ireland soccer match. Afterwards we wandered down and found ourselves in the car park by mistake. I was chatting to a couple of journalists when I noticed Shay Given surrounded by a bunch of them chatting away. I really...

Maybe I'm wrong but the reaction here to Katie's gold seems a little more muted / less enthusiastic than in most corners of the mainstream media/internet over the past 10 days? I was lucky enough to be there right in the middle of the madness and it was an incredibly emotional occasion with an atmos...