Leinster v Ulster Fri 8th January 2021 19:35 EirSport

[Xanthippe]

We have two games in hand don’t we?

Yes we do - away to Munster and away to Scarlets

Btw, the utterly stupid new 16 round Pro whatever we're playing has us playing away to Munster, Scarlets and Benetton while Ulster got to play all three at home. They were away to Connacht, Cardiff and Edinburgh - all of whom we played at home. Makes for a bit of an unbalanced season.

[MylesNaGapoleen]

We have two games in hand don’t we?

you're right..I incorrectly said earlier we had one. We have two..scarlets and munster.

[Dexter]

We have two games in hand don’t we?

Yes we do - away to Munster and away to Scarlets

Btw, the utterly stupid new 16 round Pro whatever we're playing has us playing away to Munster, Scarlets and Benetton while Ulster got to play all three at home. They were away to Connacht, Cardiff and Edinburgh - all of whom we played at home. Makes for a bit of an unbalanced season.

Yeah last season and this season are just a mess. I'm just thankful we can watch rugby, watch Leinster and watch Ireland, even if it's on TV and the competitions are unbalanced and messy.

[hugonaut]

Yeah last season and this season are just a mess. I'm just thankful we can watch rugby, watch Leinster and watch Ireland, even if it's on TV and the competitions are unbalanced and messy.

Gerry Thornley is thinking along the same lines: https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.4449994

[ronk]

A 3 horse race ain’t bad considering.

[wixfjord]

Pretty positive update here:

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/spor ... 32080.html

Ross Byrne is also expected to return to training later this week, while Harry Byrne could also be available. Leinster, like the other provinces, will undergo their normal round of PCR testing today in the hope that they are not hit further by the coronavirus.

Yesterday, they welcomed rested Ireland stars James Ryan, Andrew Porter, Robbie Henshaw, Caelan Doris, Cian Healy and Jamison Gibson-Park back and should be able to call on them as they set about trying to reduce Ulster's 10-point lead at the top of Conference A of the Guinness PRO14.

"We are planning to pick the strongest team we have. We're playing against the in-form team in PRO14 so it's a big, big test for us," Contepomi said. "For the moment, Johnny's going okay and we hope to have him available, but we are not going to take any risk if anything from those tests doesn't go the right way.

"It's the way it is - we need to make sure we look after, especially with HIA, the health of our players.

"We are expecting Jordan to hopefully be available for selection."

[munster#1]

Given Sexton’s head injury history, age and all of the press currently surrounding head injuries, and the horrible killer disease that is dementia, I really hope that Sexton is not rushed back for this game.

I don’t think he will be needed for Leinster to win this game, as Leinster are likely to have most of their internationals back, and Ulster despite their victory over Munster, struggled to against better teams in Europe.

[Flash Gordon]

Today's Irish Times. Maybe he should focus on fixing his own broken academy rather than suggesting our success is down to having private schools? We had the same schools in 2000's when we won nothing, the difference is the system and the academy. Not sure what the fees this year are at Campbell College, RBAI or the Royal Schools of Armagh and Dungannon.


Ulster coach Dan McFarland rejects suggestion that Leinster are vulnerable
‘Winning away in Dublin, in and of itself, is something that you would aspire to’


Gavin Cummiskey

Dan McFarland silenced his inner psychologist to take a chunk out of a nuanced query about Leinster exiles on the Ormeau Road before spitting it onto the Ravenhill turf.

In doing so, the engaging Ulster coach stirred the pot, ever so slightly, ahead of Friday night’s vital Pro 14 meeting in Dublin.

The question is as good as the answer: “Leo Cullen [who is struggling to field tightheads and outhalves] mentioned the raft of former Leinster players plying their trade in other provinces, that would almost make you feel sorry for him, how much does that raise the intensity of this interprovincial derby?”

Players don’t play for a flag, they don’t play for motherhood, they don’t play for apple pie, they play for their friends
Now, this line of inquiry is well worn, but Gavin Thornbury’s manic aggression on to Tom Daly’s sneaky intercept try as Connacht secured victory at the RDS last weekend makes it as topical as ever.

“Nah, it is boring – I am not being rude, I am making a point – it is a boring question,” McFarland responded. “Ultimately, and I have said this before, players don’t play for a flag, they don’t play for motherhood, they don’t play for apple pie, they play for their friends. That’s why they play.

“Do I feel sorry for Leo? Are you joking!” the Englishman laughed. “He is sat in amongst 10 or 12 of the wealthiest schools in the country, plying people from rich families through those schools and churning out bursaries to the best prospects.

“Do I feel sorry for him? That’s hilarious.

“I love it up here. Andy Friend loves it in Connacht, doing the hard yards. When guys like Nick Timoney and Dave Shanahan and Alan O’Connor or Jordi [Murphy], when they run out with a white jersey on they are Ulster men, plain and simple.”

The fact does remain that Timoney, Shanahan and O’Connor are returning home on Friday night to face an organisation that took a glance at their teenage pedigree before choosing not to offer them a bursary.

McFarland was equally quick to dampen any investigation into his selection plans. Jacob Stockdale may or may not feature after damaging his knee against Munster. Marcell Coetzee may or may not return to the backrow before his return home to South Africa.

The presence of this star duo would go a long way to smashing Leinster’s suddenly fragile defence of their title. An Ulster victory would turn the host’s 26-match unbeaten run into a two-game losing streak and in the process put McFarland’s charges firmly on course to winning Conference A. The probable reward would be qualification to the Pro 14 final at the expense of the champions.

“It is an opportunity for us,” said McFarland, now in year three as Ulster’s chieftain. “It wouldn’t even cross my mind about ruining anybody’s anything. I have a huge amount of respect for Leinster as a province and a club. What they have done over the last number of years is totally deserved.

“For us it is an opportunity. Winning away in Dublin, in and of itself, forget about anything to do with the league, is something that you would aspire to.

“In the post-match interviews you could see how much it meant to Connacht.”

If I said to you that a team that lost one out of 27 games are vulnerable – no, I don’t think so
What would McFarland take from Connacht’s collective heroics to help Ulster plunge Leinster into a mini-crisis? “Their urgency in the first 20 minutes of that game. I don’t think that is anything that’s brand new. If you don’t have that kind of physical intensity in terms of the speed of your play but also in terms of the collisions you are going to find it very difficult to live with them. And if you can’t live with them in the first 20 minutes you are in trouble.”


This much maligned competition is desperate for another dramatic result. The world will stay the same if Ulster beat Leinster in Ballsbridge but it would knock the Pro 14 off its mind-numbingly predictable path.

That McFarland’s team must do this without the injured Iain Henderson, Sean Reidy, Jack McGrath, Luke Marshall and others actually pales in comparison to Cullen’s mounting list of absentees. With that in mind, it is suggested that Leinster – after their first defeat to a team not called Saracens in two years – might be vulnerable.

“That is not how I see it, no. They have a lot of quality players. They lost a game of rugby. The biggest surprise is the [defeat]. If I said to you that a team that lost one out of 27 games are vulnerable – no, I don’t think so. This is a massive challenge for us and we recognise it as such.”

[riocard911]

McFarland describes very pointedly Cummiskey's "nuanced query" as a "boring question" - which it was. Pro14 a "much maligned competition"? Stick it, numpty begrudger!!!

[Dexter]

That article comes across as two dickheads talking to eachother....

[fourthirtythree]

Ulster has the same population nas Leinster. He should be asking why they use so many of our players to plug their gaps.

They have a problem that they dare not mention.

[outcast eddie]

Ulster coach Dan McFarland rejects suggestion that Leinster are vulnerable
‘Winning away in Dublin, in and of itself, is something that you would aspire to’


Describing anything as 'in and of itself' really grips my grinner.

Unnecessary verbosity in my opinion although, in fairness, I'm still trying to get my head around the phrase 'happy out'. What does that even mean?

[Morf]

That article comes across as two dickheads talking to eachother....

I find McFarland a good guy from what I've seen and heard so I blame Cummiskey for that.

Ulster coach Dan McFarland rejects suggestion that Leinster are vulnerable
‘Winning away in Dublin, in and of itself, is something that you would aspire to’


Describing anything as 'in and of itself' really grips my grinner.

Unnecessary verbosity in my opinion although, in fairness, I'm still trying to get my head around the phrase 'happy out'. What does that even mean?

Players don’t play for a flag, they don’t play for motherhood, they don’t play for apple pie, they play for their friends
Now, this line of inquiry is well worn, but Gavin Thornbury’s manic aggression on to Tom Daly’s sneaky intercept try as Connacht secured victory at the RDS last weekend makes it as topical as ever.

“Nah, it is boring – I am not being rude, I am making a point – it is a boring question,” McFarland responded. “Ultimately, and I have said this before, players don’t play for a flag, they don’t play for motherhood, they don’t play for apple pie, they play for their friends. That’s why they play.

Filling your own article with a quote you're just about to use in full is f%~king journalistic hubris. Barely above articles based on restating tweets.
Starting to realise why Cummiskey raises to much ire around here - I've been mostly lucky to avoid his work previously.

[carlow man]

Is there an team news yet? I know the team is announced at midday but just wandered who is def out, injured etc. I'd love to see frawley at 12 with henshaw at 13 personally. Dont rate Turner at all. Plus I'd start jgp instead of luke. Rhys, vdf and doris in back row.

Hoping we go with Ryan and fardy in second row. We miss fardy so much in niggly games. Kelleher with Healy and porter in front row. Be nice to get larmour on the bench aswell.

[carlow man]

Is there an team news yet? I know the team is announced at midday but just wandered who is def out, injured etc. I'd love to see frawley at 12 with henshaw at 13 personally. Dont rate Turner at all. Plus I'd start jgp instead of luke. Rhys, vdf and doris in back row.

Hoping we go with Ryan and fardy in second row. We miss fardy so much in niggly games. Kelleher with Healy and porter in front row. Be nice to get larmour on the bench aswell.

[sunshiner1]

by Morf » January 7th, 2021, 8:26 am

Dexter wrote: ↑

That article comes across as two dickheads talking to each other....

I find McFarland a good guy from what I've seen and heard so I blame Cummiskey for that.

Agreed. McFarland has never said anything like this before so this is Cummiskey to the full.

[mildlyinterested]

McFarland has a nasty side. Good coach that's it.

[Flash Gordon]

McFarland has a nasty side. Good coach that's it.

Many good coaches do. Bit of nasty bit of ruthless, qualities that many players possess. I think McFarland is doing a good job up there but I wouldn't cross him,

Regardless of what the journalist tried to emphasise, the reality is that Ulster have had a problem with their academy output for years and as someone else said that should not be the case because their underage playing numbers are decent.

Our system starts at mini rugby in the clubs which is where many of our squad started. It works on year by year building blocks through primary school, mini rugby, secondary school, clubs, the Academy and the senior squad. Michaels, Rock and Belvo have been around for 100 years the step change in the Academy production only happened in the last decade.

Meanwhile in the North the Academy output has been poor for years.

I'd also question what he says about players only playing for the pay cheque. That might be true of his team but it's not true of Leinster, of Munster in the 2000 or indeed the 99 Ulster team that won the European Cup. That deeper purpose gives teams like Leinster an edge over teams filled with players who are probably paid a lot more than we are.

[mildlyinterested]

McFarland has a nasty side. Good coach that's it.

Many good coaches do. Bit of nasty bit of ruthless, qualities that many players possess. I think McFarland is doing a good job up there but I wouldn't cross him,

Regardless of what the journalist tried to emphasise, the reality is that Ulster have had a problem with their academy output for years and as someone else said that should not be the case because their underage playing numbers are decent.

Our system starts at mini rugby in the clubs which is where many of our squad started. It works on year by year building blocks through primary school, mini rugby, secondary school, clubs, the Academy and the senior squad. Michaels, Rock and Belvo have been around for 100 years the step change in the Academy production only happened in the last decade.

Meanwhile in the North the Academy output has been poor for years.

I'd also question what he says about players only playing for the pay cheque. That might be true of his team but it's not true of Leinster, of Munster in the 2000 or indeed the 99 Ulster team that won the European Cup. That deeper purpose gives teams like Leinster an edge over teams filled with players who are probably paid a lot more than we are.

some of his public comments really lack class

[allezlesverres]

Ulster has the same population nas Leinster. He should be asking why they use so many of our players to plug their gaps.

They have a problem that they dare not mention.

I don't know what the problem we dare not mention is, but I can tell you (what in my view is) the main reason why Ulster, with the size of population doesn't produce the same quantity of players as Leinster. It is largely historical and related to the divisions in society here. Rugby is almost exclusively played in maintained grammar schools which limits participation (I'm speaking generally here) to middle class protestants. Demographically, when middle class protestants finish school, they go to England or Scotland for University, and a high proportion never come back. Those that do come back do not re-enter the rugby system so those players (and that's a huge cohort) are all lost to the game. Middle class catholic kids go (again i'm speaking in generalities here) to Catholic maintained grammar schools which don't play rugby because the main focus is on Gaelic games. So there's another huge proportion of the playing population gone. Finally then, the working class kids from both sides of the community tend to go to non grammar schools, hardly any of which play rugby, instead focussing on soccer and/or Gaelic games (although this I know is not a problem unique to Ulster).

It is an unpleasant problem to have and it is one that the Ulster branch are trying actively to improve, but in fairness to them, there is only so much they can do as the problem is at least in part deep rooted in the past. And while I appreciate this is a rugby post, I personally would want to see it change in both directions because why shouldn't a protestant kid represent his county in GAA too.