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Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 6:53 am
by Beattiespastie
I have to agree with the Ulster schools selection as it is nothing short of puzzling? I do not get the RBAI over representation and the MCB under representation? MCB swept the board this year and surely deserve a little bit more recognition on the team as do Ballyclare? .....strange :(

Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 8:34 am
by Kofi Annan
I would think with McL involved more with the schools that will change (john21:6) :thumleft:

Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 2:18 pm
by sus5
Well apparently the beat a poor Connaught Schools team on Wed........and thats good.....but I fear for them with the Munster game coming up next week.....with the Wooden Spoon last year surely our schools rugby is better that the results suggest ????

Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 2:26 pm
by Rooster
Beattiespastie wrote:I have to agree with the Ulster schools selection as it is nothing short of puzzling? I do not get the RBAI over representation and the MCB under representation? MCB swept the board this year and surely deserve a little bit more recognition on the team as do Ballyclare? .....strange :(
What's the puzzle in this ?
An individual school can have a good team in general but other schools may have better individual players, many of our existing players didn't come from schools competition winning sides primarily because they were perhaps a standout individual in their side but overall the school had a crap team. MCB or any other side for that matter could sweep the boards this year but they could actually do it with a pretty average bunch of players who happen to play well together yet none of them could be the top players in their position in the provinces schools.
Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Rory Best and Stephen Ferris were not from all conquering schools sides, proof of what I have just tried to explain.

Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 3:39 pm
by pwrmoore
exactly rooster. BP there are other schools apart from MCB!

Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 3:52 pm
by jamsodonnell
sus5 wrote:Well apparently the beat a poor Connaught Schools team on Wed........and thats good.....but I fear for them with the Munster game coming up next week.....with the Wooden Spoon last year surely our schools rugby is better that the results suggest ????
Where did it say that it was a poor Connacht side ? What evidence have you. Their website said that they should have beaten Munster, yet you " fear for them ". Apparently they lost 2 forwards after 14 minutes and another one after 20 mts, including two props. That would suggest that they have done ok. No team gets a cheap victory in Galway at any level nowadays. After the pummeling they took against Leinster, I congratulate them on this result.

Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 3:55 pm
by jamsodonnell
Beattiespastie wrote:I have to agree with the Ulster schools selection as it is nothing short of puzzling? I do not get the RBAI over representation and the MCB under representation? MCB swept the board this year and surely deserve a little bit more recognition on the team as do Ballyclare? .....strange :(
Because a school wins most of their competitive games, this does not give them the right to Representative selection. Please, as one who has knowledge of all things "Methody", let us know of the players you believe have been overlooked.

Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 4:50 pm
by Beattiespastie
The MCB side that won this years schools cup was pretty strong across the board but I am not going to split hairs over selection as the usual anti Methody cronies jump in and it gets daft. Let's hope they give a good account of themselves against Munster and perhaps young Gallagher can get. Run out :D

Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 4:53 pm
by Beattiespastie
And I hope Methody retain the trophy this year but as ever the competition will be mighty!

Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 5:03 pm
by kingofthehill
Beattiespastie wrote: but I am not going to split hairs over selection as the usual anti Methody cronies jump in and it gets daft.
What a load of crap.

Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 5:47 pm
by Ringer
Beattiespastie wrote:The MCB side that won this years schools cup was pretty strong across the board but I am not going to split hairs over selection as the usual anti Methody cronies jump in and it gets daft. Let's hope they give a good account of themselves against Munster and perhaps young Gallagher can get. Run out :D
The MCB team that won the 2012 Schools Cup may well have been strong accross the board but the vast majority of them are also ineligible for this Ulster Schools U18 side due to their age. not sure what the are referred to in new money but most of the boys on this panel will be the 5th form or lower sixth in the previous school year

I'm with Rooster on this one. Let the powers that be (who watch a lot more schools rugby than you or I) select the best players available on merit, not on the back of what their all powerful school may or may not have achieved in the Schools Cup

Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 6:50 pm
by Rooster
Ringer wrote: I'm with Rooster on this one. Let the powers that be (who watch a lot more schools rugby than you or I) select the best players available on merit, not on the back of what their all powerful school may or may not have achieved in the Schools Cup
Problem is Ringer that did not always happen but it would appear the worm is turning, won't please some people but if it gets results long term so what .

Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 6:52 pm
by Rooster
kingofthehill wrote:
Beattiespastie wrote: but I am not going to split hairs over selection as the usual anti Methody cronies jump in and it gets daft.
What a load of crap.
Totally agree, I don't care which schools they get the players from as long as they get the right ones, good grief they might even find kids in secondary schools :shock:

Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 7:58 am
by Beattiespastie
Lets hope The selection process identifies the future stars of Ulster/ Irish rugby regardless of their school. I meant no disrespect to any of the lads currently selected for the Ulster schools squad as I have watched them all play for their schools and they are fine players to a man. I apologize for the anti Methody cronies remark as it was foolish and harsh, everyone is entitled to their opinion and it was fair to say I was 'talking crap' in this regard. Clearly the Ulster schools set up needs tweaking to make it competitive against the likes of Leinster schools. Having watched BLackrock down in Dublin this year it struck me how physically mature and conditioned the vast majority of players were...I could see our lads looking around for the schools team and then seeing the look on their faces change to despair when they realized the team they were looking at was roughly the same age as them ( six months older roughly). I don't know what they do differently at BLackrock but their side was huge and made our lads look like schoolboys playing men. Our boys gave a great account of themselves and the skill sets were on a par with BLackrock but size and conditioning was different level.

Re: Ulster Schools 2012-2013.

Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 8:15 am
by Rooster
Beattiespastie wrote:. I don't know what they do differently at BLackrock but their side was huge and made our lads look like schoolboys playing men. Our boys gave a great account of themselves and the skill sets were on a par with BLackrock but size and conditioning was different level.
Older as you say plus dedicated rugby coaches in some of those private schools, they are treated and fed like professionals from early in their school life, wonder long term though is it good for the kids ?