Any word on the Academy?

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kingofthehill
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Any word on the Academy?

Post by kingofthehill »

Having watching Jonny Stewart over the last 3 games can some tell me what he is good at?

I feel sorry for him if he gets more chances for Ulster with that pack in front of him.

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Re: Any word on the Academy?

Post by Rooster »

kingofthehill wrote:Having watching Jonny Stewart over the last 3 games can some tell me what he is good at?

I feel sorry for him if he gets more chances for Ulster with that pack in front of him.

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Re: Any word on the Academy?

Post by therealspratt »

Well he's made some good snipes for the u20s and has shown a little more promise with them, but I still very much think we've backed the wrong horse. We really really need Lewis Finlay to be good now.
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Re: Any word on the Academy?

Post by Silverstu »

Yeah I don't get why Stewart is held so high. I thought Curtis looked very good at 12, Hume had a few class touches but was a bit of in defence- not surprising given it was his 2nd game back after injury. I don't know enough about forward play but Agnew seemed to do well at 7, some good carries, got about the pitch well - don't know about his work at the breakdown though.
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Re: Any word on the Academy?

Post by therealspratt »

He was a very good schools player but yeah I don't know whether he'll reach the level we need as first choice, could be as good a backup as we've had though. Kind of view himself and McPhillips in that same bracket.
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Snipe Watson
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Re: Any word on the Academy?

Post by Snipe Watson »

I was flicking between the U20 game and the France Italy fixture and the gulf is speed and power was very clear. It's a heck of a step up from U20 even to Pro14
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Re: Any word on the Academy?

Post by Deraless »

Ireland U20s had the ball taken off them far too easily on several occasions. They need to spend less time in the gym.

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Re: Any word on the Academy?

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Deraless wrote:Ireland U20s had the ball taken off them far too easily on several occasions. They need to spend less time in the gym.

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Re: Any word on the Academy?

Post by Master of None »

Re the academy, I have been told by someone with a relative in it that the atmosphere is very poor with young players still involved in school rugby being warned that non-attendance at academy training sessions is a threat to their aspirations. I'm told that at least one talented prospect is hoping to get an offer from the Leinster academy. All hearsay, of course, but I wonder if anybody has heard similar?
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Re: Any word on the Academy?

Post by Bayern »

of course non attendance at training would be a problem...
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Re: Any word on the Academy?

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I have 2 colleagues in work, one who is a very good friend. One has a cousin who plays for Leinster at u18 schools level (his mum is from the North) and the others daughter goes out with a young Ulster player who plays at the same standard as the young Leinster lad. Digging a bit deeper asking both what they know about their relative lifestyles and also doing a bit of stalking on facebook leads to not so surprising conclusions. Ulsterman obvious talent but party animal, loves the tracksuit and loves the attention. Leinsterman up at crack of dawn for years training as much as a professional, doesn't drink (is good living right enough) and from photos online leads a very strict lifestyle when it comes to diet and training. Not a particularly scientific investigation but seems to be typical of where we are at. Don't know how many young footballers I've heard of from here that have got their big chance over the water and p!ssed it up against the wall and are doing little or nothing now in football terms. I know if I had even a slight chance of being good enough to play professional sport when young i'd have given it absolutely everything I could. Ulstermen just don't have a killer instinct anymore, such a shame considering our proud history.
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Re: Any word on the Academy?

Post by bangorboy »

HammerTime wrote:I have 2 colleagues in work, one who is a very good friend. One has a cousin who plays for Leinster at u18 schools level (his mum is from the North) and the others daughter goes out with a young Ulster player who plays at the same standard as the young Leinster lad. Digging a bit deeper asking both what they know about their relative lifestyles and also doing a bit of stalking on facebook leads to not so surprising conclusions. Ulsterman obvious talent but party animal, loves the tracksuit and loves the attention. Leinsterman up at crack of dawn for years training as much as a professional, doesn't drink (is good living right enough) and from photos online leads a very strict lifestyle when it comes to diet and training. Not a particularly scientific investigation but seems to be typical of where we are at. Don't know how many young footballers I've heard of from here that have got their big chance over the water and p!ssed it up against the wall and are doing little or nothing now in football terms. I know if I had even a slight chance of being good enough to play professional sport when young i'd have given it absolutely everything I could. Ulstermen just don't have a killer instinct anymore, such a shame considering our proud history.
And then we have one guy who didn't get Academy or Sub Academy and took the risk to take a year out, keep training and has now played for Academy, Ulster A and Ireland u20s who still isn't on the books...
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kingofthehill
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Re: Any word on the Academy?

Post by kingofthehill »

bangorboy wrote:
HammerTime wrote:I have 2 colleagues in work, one who is a very good friend. One has a cousin who plays for Leinster at u18 schools level (his mum is from the North) and the others daughter goes out with a young Ulster player who plays at the same standard as the young Leinster lad. Digging a bit deeper asking both what they know about their relative lifestyles and also doing a bit of stalking on facebook leads to not so surprising conclusions. Ulsterman obvious talent but party animal, loves the tracksuit and loves the attention. Leinsterman up at crack of dawn for years training as much as a professional, doesn't drink (is good living right enough) and from photos online leads a very strict lifestyle when it comes to diet and training. Not a particularly scientific investigation but seems to be typical of where we are at. Don't know how many young footballers I've heard of from here that have got their big chance over the water and p!ssed it up against the wall and are doing little or nothing now in football terms. I know if I had even a slight chance of being good enough to play professional sport when young i'd have given it absolutely everything I could. Ulstermen just don't have a killer instinct anymore, such a shame considering our proud history.
And then we have one guy who didn't get Academy or Sub Academy and took the risk to take a year out, keep training and has now played for Academy, Ulster A and Ireland u20s who still isn't on the books...

The door is always open as ulster will say.


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Re: Any word on the Academy?

Post by bangorboy »

kingofthehill wrote:
bangorboy wrote:
HammerTime wrote:I have 2 colleagues in work, one who is a very good friend. One has a cousin who plays for Leinster at u18 schools level (his mum is from the North) and the others daughter goes out with a young Ulster player who plays at the same standard as the young Leinster lad. Digging a bit deeper asking both what they know about their relative lifestyles and also doing a bit of stalking on facebook leads to not so surprising conclusions. Ulsterman obvious talent but party animal, loves the tracksuit and loves the attention. Leinsterman up at crack of dawn for years training as much as a professional, doesn't drink (is good living right enough) and from photos online leads a very strict lifestyle when it comes to diet and training. Not a particularly scientific investigation but seems to be typical of where we are at. Don't know how many young footballers I've heard of from here that have got their big chance over the water and p!ssed it up against the wall and are doing little or nothing now in football terms. I know if I had even a slight chance of being good enough to play professional sport when young i'd have given it absolutely everything I could. Ulstermen just don't have a killer instinct anymore, such a shame considering our proud history.
And then we have one guy who didn't get Academy or Sub Academy and took the risk to take a year out, keep training and has now played for Academy, Ulster A and Ireland u20s who still isn't on the books...

The door is always open as ulster will say.


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Can't blame youngsters for being a bit disillusioned - the 'player pathway' from junior to senior level has been tortuously slow in recent years.
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Re: Any word on the Academy?

Post by Silverstu »

7 Ulster players starting with 2 more on the bench- Dunleavy getting a start at 6, Dalton is back in at Lock, Agnew continues at 7 and O'Toole starts at tighthead. Keane and Kernohan start on each wing with Curtis at 12, Stewart and Hume are on the bench.

Ireland U20 v Scotland U20, U20 Six Championship, Friday 9th March,Donnybrook Stadium. Kick-Off: 7.15pm

15. Michael Silvester (Dublin University FC/Leinster) (7)
14. Angus Kernohan (Ballymena RFC/Ulster) (3)
13. Tommy O'Brien (UCD RFC/Leinster) Captain (8)
12. Angus Curtis (Queen's University RFC/Ulster) (3)
11. Mark Keane (Queen's University RFC/Ulster) (2)
10. Harry Byrne (UCD RFC/Leinster) (3)
9. Hugh O'Sullivan (Clontarf FC/Leinster) (3)
1. James French (UCC RFC/Munster) (3)
2. Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne FC/ Leinster) (10)
3. Tom O'Toole (Banbridge RFC/Ulster) (3)
4. Matthew Dalton (Malone RFC/Ulster) (1)
5. Jack Dunne (Dublin University FC/Leinster) (3)
6. Joe Dunleavy (Malone RFC/Ulster) (0)
7. Matthew Agnew (Ballymena RFC/Ulster) (2)
8. Jack O'Sullivan (UCC RFC/Munster) (3)

Replacements:
16. AN Other
17. Jordan Duggan (Naas RFC/Leinster) (7)
18. Jack Aungier (St. Mary's College RFC/Leinster) (3)
19. Charlie Ryan (UCD RFC/Leinster) (2)
20. Ronan Foley (UCD RFC/Leinster) (2)
21. Jonny Stewart (Queen's University RFC/Ulster) (12)
22. Conor Dean (St.Mary's College RFC/Leinster) (7)
23. James Hume (Banbridge RFC/Ulster) (1)
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