Rant Here - Get it out of your system!

[Uncle Mort]

I was going to rand about Leinster's performance, but after Mort's piece I've got a new target.

At this stage your agenda is pretty clear Mort. You just plain don't like the schools game. From what I can gather you'd be quite happy were the whole competition just closed down. Before this happens however, I must ask the question why? Is it so that club rugby will flourish in some sort of eqalitarian social utopia? Come on. The schools game does the one thing very, very well. It gets people playing the game. Why you promote ending the whole system is rather unclear. Why on earth do this when the two systems are quite compatibe. Now I'm pretty hopeful that most people will recognize your social theories as pretty irrelevant and largely incorrect. Just because you attend Belvo, Rock or many of the other schools, it does'nt mean you live a life of unadulterated bliss and ease. Sure, its not like spending your formative years living in the third world, but really, its not very relevant. Anyway, did Contepomi attend an Irish school? In short your idea that going to a private school = weak mental character is so simplistic and illinformed it is unbelievable.

You see - if it wasn't broken - if Leinster won say 51% of these big matches then I wouldn't want to fix it but we don't - ok I'm not a life time supporter of Leinster but so far we lost to Leicester (twice), Perpignon, Gloucester, Munster, Wasps etc with a lot of these defeats happening at home - we often struggle to win in Wales - we don't win these matches that matter. All I want at the end of the day is for more people to play the game - and one of the big reasons that more people don't play the game is that they think that it's all to do with which school you went to - this is their preception it has to be considered - it is a reason why people are not interested in rugby. Also I want children to enjoy playing the game because they want to - I don't want to hothouse talent to the nth degree because that's a sure fire way of losing a lot of it when they leave school and the huge drop out rate can not be ignored. If it's not the formative years that makes our players in to serial chokers what is it? Why is it our players hit rucks and mauls with less intensity that other players? Why is it our players are unable to break down these defences? If the school system is so very, very good why did we not win on Saturday? Why did our players not want it enough? Why were players who are less molly coddled, who play more matches than ours faster, fitter, hungrier? Why can Wales win a grand slam in 2005, France in 2004 and 2002, England in 2003, Scotland even won one in 1990 and yet Ireland have to go back to 1948 and they haven't won the Championship outright since 1983. Why? If the system is so very good why do we not win? Please I'd like to know - where is the source of failure as there must be a reason and it's about time that we found what it is. OK I suggested one possible cause what other reasons are there? Why can a province that has half the population of the country not produce the best team from it's enormous playing resource?

[Donny B.]

I for one would like to rant about the beer tent only selling Carlsberg. Its pi$$ and then it ran out. Oh and while I'm at it, there did not seem to be any Indian's open at 1.00am in High Wycombe.

The Carlsberg was pretty rotten alright but the guys with the Heineken back-pack were selling lovely pints. We have to try to get these guys over to Dublin!

[Hickiefan]

I for one would like to rant about the beer tent only selling Carlsberg. Its pi$$ and then it ran out. Oh and while I'm at it, there did not seem to be any Indian's open at 1.00am in High Wycombe.

The Carlsberg was pretty rotten alright but the guys with the Heineken back-pack were selling lovely pints. We have to try to get these guys over to Dublin!

And do we mention the guinness or not Donny?

"You're only a women and he's a bloody kiwi"

[cud]

I was going to rand about Leinster's performance, but after Mort's piece I've got a new target.

At this stage your agenda is pretty clear Mort. You just plain don't like the schools game. From what I can gather you'd be quite happy were the whole competition just closed down. Before this happens however, I must ask the question why? Is it so that club rugby will flourish in some sort of eqalitarian social utopia? Come on. The schools game does the one thing very, very well. It gets people playing the game. Why you promote ending the whole system is rather unclear. Why on earth do this when the two systems are quite compatibe. Now I'm pretty hopeful that most people will recognize your social theories as pretty irrelevant and largely incorrect. Just because you attend Belvo, Rock or many of the other schools, it does'nt mean you live a life of unadulterated bliss and ease. Sure, its not like spending your formative years living in the third world, but really, its not very relevant. Anyway, did Contepomi attend an Irish school? In short your idea that going to a private school = weak mental character is so simplistic and illinformed it is unbelievable.

You see - if it wasn't broken - if Leinster won say 51% of these big matches then I wouldn't want to fix it but we don't - ok I'm not a life time supporter of Leinster but so far we lost to Leicester (twice), Perpignon, Gloucester, Munster, Wasps etc with a lot of these defeats happening at home - we often struggle to win in Wales - we don't win these matches that matter. All I want at the end of the day is for more people to play the game - and one of the big reasons that more people don't play the game is that they think that it's all to do with which school you went to - this is their preception it has to be considered - it is a reason why people are not interested in rugby. Also I want children to enjoy playing the game because they want to - I don't want to hothouse talent to the nth degree because that's a sure fire way of losing a lot of it when they leave school and the huge drop out rate can not be ignored. If it's not the formative years that makes our players in to serial chokers what is it? Why is it our players hit rucks and mauls with less intensity that other players? Why is it our players are unable to break down these defences? If the school system is so very, very good why did we not win on Saturday? Why did our players not want it enough? Why were players who are less molly coddled, who play more matches than ours faster, fitter, hungrier? Why can Wales win a grand slam in 2005, France in 2004 and 2002, England in 2003, Scotland even won one in 1990 and yet Ireland have to go back to 1948 and they haven't won the Championship outright since 1983. Why? If the system is so very good why do we not win? Please I'd like to know - where is the source of failure as there must be a reason and it's about time that we found what it is. OK I suggested one possible cause what other reasons are there? Why can a province that has half the population of the country not produce the best team from it's enormous playing resource?

What I simply cannot accept is the fact that for all the questions you ask, the answer leads to one source, schools rugby. The simple fact is that the schools game currently provides a very significant supply of elite players. By all means the club game can be expanded. In fact, teams like Tallaght and Coolmine (and even some longerstanding outfits) are currently doing an excellent job. Why this needs to be coupled with the end of the system that has produced so many quality players in the last 6 years is what I find inexplicable.

In answer to your question, yes we have struggled to win slams and championships. Until recently the answer was obvious. We were'nt good enough. I'm pretty confident this generation of players will realise their goal soon enough. Why have'nt we won before now. Well, a lot has to do with the fact that the team is far from perfect in many ways. Our front five for example is not the best in the world. We also struggle with squad depth (something that would become far more severe were you to axe the schools competitions). Do I think it's because they attended Blackrock or Terenure, or Pres Cork or Inst? No.

[Donny B.]

I for one would like to rant about the beer tent only selling Carlsberg. Its pi$$ and then it ran out. Oh and while I'm at it, there did not seem to be any Indian's open at 1.00am in High Wycombe.

The Carlsberg was pretty rotten alright but the guys with the Heineken back-pack were selling lovely pints. We have to try to get these guys over to Dublin!

And do we mention the guinness or not Donny?

"You're only a women and he's a bloody kiwi"

Exactly, neither is qualified to judge a good pint of stout.

How did you get on in lovely Wycombe?
We never actually got to see the place.
We went straight back to Reading.

[Hickiefan]

The Carlsberg was pretty rotten alright but the guys with the Heineken back-pack were selling lovely pints. We have to try to get these guys over to Dublin!

And do we mention the guinness or not Donny?

"You're only a women and he's a bloody kiwi"

Exactly, neither is qualified to judge a good pint of stout.

How did you get on in lovely Wycombe?
We never actually got to see the place.
We went straight back to Reading.

We didn't... we went back into the city as had to meet a friend - ended up somewhere in Soho (cutting a dash in our jersey's it has to be said) and eventually fell into a falafel place which quite possibly saved me from death the next day. I'd say the craic was better in Reading.

BTW, I never said it was good - just not terrible

[sarah_lennon]

I'm disappointed, but believe post mortems are better done at the end of the season.

[sarah_lennon]

The Carlsberg was pretty rotten alright but the guys with the Heineken back-pack were selling lovely pints. We have to try to get these guys over to Dublin!

And do we mention the guinness or not Donny?

"You're only a women and he's a bloody kiwi"

Exactly, neither is qualified to judge a good pint of stout.

How did you get on in lovely Wycombe?
We never actually got to see the place.
We went straight back to Reading.

And may I add - missed Mr Brightside being played 3 (count 'em) times in O'Neills!

[Mrs. Miggins]

My rant is about that Wasps sub 18 or 19 (the BIF with the hair so bad that the late lamented Mr.S (Mullet) Byrne could have given him useful styling advice), who about 2 minutes from the end of the game kicked the ball out of play over the stand & then turned to the crowd and gave us the 2 fingers ......... my hockey stick holding hand was itching to give him a belt & I'm still fuming.

[ckav]

My rant is about that Wasps sub 18 or 19 (the BIF with the hair so bad that the late lamented Mr.S (Mullet) Byrne could have given him useful styling advice), who about 2 minutes from the end of the game kicked the ball out of play over the stand & then turned to the crowd and gave us the 2 fingers ......... my hockey stick holding hand was itching to give him a belt & I'm still fuming.

To be honest, Miggins, I thought that he embarrassed himself. Even before he was subbed on, his prancing up and down the sideline was being greeted with an amount of derision. That hairdo would make Jesus cry.

When he made the gesture, it just cemented the fact that he was SUCH a tool. He wasn't in their starting line up, so he wasn't good enough to make the first XV. That was poetic justice enough for me.

Tossbag.

[Mrs. Miggins]

When he made the gesture, it just cemented the fact that he was SUCH a tool. He wasn't in their starting line up, so he wasn't good enough to make the first XV. That was poetic justice enough for me.

Tossbag.[/quote]

Yes I suppose that's the grown up way of looking at it, I guess I just need someone/thing to focus my frustration & disappointment on. He's not worth the splinters that I would have left in him

[ROYSH D4]

deserves a second rant...

Probably the most disappointing display in long time from Leinster.... was gutting to watch and left alot of us with no voice after..excapt to order a shedload of Ken.....

Fans that travelled did us proud.....

Talk of managment and back room staff is unwarranted yet!

The players looked tired, dejected and unwilling to commit bodies in the second half...

Contemponi was now here and his out of hand kicking was terrible...


That said , lets win the Magners League no in style..... althought still reeling from defeat, lets hope for better things to come....

[chillers]

My rant is about that Wasps sub 18 or 19 (the BIF with the hair so bad that the late lamented Mr.S (Mullet) Byrne could have given him useful styling advice), who about 2 minutes from the end of the game kicked the ball out of play over the stand & then turned to the crowd and gave us the 2 fingers ......... my hockey stick holding hand was itching to give him a belt & I'm still fuming.

To be honest, Miggins, I thought that he embarrassed himself. Even before he was subbed on, his prancing up and down the sideline was being greeted with an amount of derision. That hairdo would make Jesus cry.

When he made the gesture, it just cemented the fact that he was SUCH a tool. He wasn't in their starting line up, so he wasn't good enough to make the first XV. That was poetic justice enough for me.

Tossbag.

Firstly, yes what he did was disgraceful. The ref had words with him but should have sent him off.

Secondly, his name is Dan Leo and he's actually a quite good player -- probably better than our reserve flankers/locks.

Thirdly you should have seen his hair six months ago: a 1-metre diameter afro. There was a rumour that his hair swallowed an entire Wasps ruck in trainging one day!

[Uncle Mort]

When he made the gesture, it just cemented the fact that he was SUCH a tool. He wasn't in their starting line up, so he wasn't good enough to make the first XV. That was poetic justice enough for me.

Tossbag.

Yes I suppose that's the grown up way of looking at it, I guess I just need someone/thing to focus my frustration & disappointment on. He's not worth the splinters that I would have left in him

A cat or two comes in very handy on such occasions

[Mrs. Miggins]

Thirdly you should have seen his hair six months ago: a 1-metre diameter afro. There was a rumour that his hair swallowed an entire Wasps ruck in trainging one day!

A cat or two comes in very handy on such occasions

But I like cats .....

[Slipper1]

A cat or two comes in very handy on such occasions

But I like cats .....

We all have our faults

[Uncle Mort]

Thirdly you should have seen his hair six months ago: a 1-metre diameter afro. There was a rumour that his hair swallowed an entire Wasps ruck in trainging one day!

A cat or two comes in very handy on such occasions

But I like cats .....

I'm sure that Ali liked his sparing partners

[LeinsterBabe]

My rant is about that Wasps sub 18 or 19 (the BIF with the hair so bad that the late lamented Mr.S (Mullet) Byrne could have given him useful styling advice), who about 2 minutes from the end of the game kicked the ball out of play over the stand & then turned to the crowd and gave us the 2 fingers ......... my hockey stick holding hand was itching to give him a belt & I'm still fuming.

Very true. He was a prize git.

[meinster]

Dan's V/Peace sign gesture wasn't my problem with him, as the gesture in that context was literally "peace dudes, my intention wasn't all that bad". It was the "ha ha f*ck you" motive of him pointing to the score board that really showed how unsporting a person he is, and puts him up there with Cork hurling "fans" - type people.

The only other thing I need to rant about was the 2 leinster clowns booing their team at the end of the game (when they came out to acknowledge our support (and apologise, judging by their body language). That's the closest I'd been to physical violence for a long time (until the jacks in O'Neils later on). That type of scumbag makes me sick. There were others visibly angry and vocally angry during the game, which I can understand. I can also understand the demands for something to be learnt from this. But booing your own team in that context? Scumbaggery. An embarrassment to themselves and to 2 actual fans they denied of tickets. Oh, and maybe the 3 people there with Munster gear on 'em. WTF?

Think that's me done.

[LeinsterBabe]

Dan's V/Peace sign gesture wasn't my problem with him, as the gesture in that context was literally "peace dudes, my intention wasn't all that bad". It was the "ha ha f*ck you" motive of him pointing to the score board that really showed how unsporting a person he is, and puts him up there with Cork hurling "fans" - type people.

The only other thing I need to rant about was the 2 leinster clowns booing their team at the end of the game (when they came out to acknowledge our support (and apologise, judging by their body language). That's the closest I'd been to physical violence for a long time (until the jacks in O'Neils later on). That type of scumbag makes me sick. There were others visibly angry and vocally angry during the game, which I can understand. I can also understand the demands for something to be learnt from this. But booing your own team in that context? Scumbaggery. An embarrassment to themselves and to 2 actual fans they denied of tickets. Oh, and maybe the 3 people there with Munster gear on 'em. WTF?

Think that's me done.

Didn't hear that and if that's the case, they're much worse than the guys with the Munster gear on.