Leinster Schools Rugby 2012-2013 [Provincial Schools Thread Link in Post 1]

rugbyman2015

Quint2010 wrote: »

Saw Bryan Cullen in Terenure College yesterday. In his profile it says he is training the sub academy but is he helping training the Schools U18 team? Are they using Terenure as their base?..

I think Bryan is involved in general underage conditioning with the Leinster rugby schools. Perhaps it's to oversee player physical development in line with the Leinster demands for when these guys get into the sub-academy and academy respectively. I know that he is involved in work out in Castleknock College too. Castleknock also have Ciaran Ruddock on the books as their weights coach.

thatsme

Leinster using Terenure as the training ground for all the provincial school squads this summer

thatsme

Forgot to say in my post above Bryan Cullen is the conditioning coach for the Leinster Schools Squad's

Bruce7

How much training do these schools teams do throughout the year? Are they all doing off season training throughout the summer, then two training sessions every day during the school year - weights before school and training after school.

I heard from some of the players in one school, which it wouldn't be fair to identify, that all this is in place, but next to nobody actually turns up for it.

ormond lad

Bruce7 wrote: »

How much training do these schools teams do throughout the year? Are they all doing off season training throughout the summer, then two training sessions every day during the school year - weights before school and something else after school.

I heard from some of the players in one school, which it wouldn't be fair to identify, that all this is in place, but next to nobody actually turns up for it.

none of the schools are doing 2 sessions every day of the week
most schools do 2-3 pitch sessions a week with 2-3 gym sessions.

Bruce7

ormond lad wrote: »

none of the schools are doing 2 sessions every day of the week
most schools do 2-3 pitch sessions a week with 2-3 gym sessions.

I was in school in the early 90s and we had 2 friendly matches a week, 2 sessions of circuit training and 3 pitch sessions. The players these days are much bigger, fitter and stronger than we ever were. How are they achieving this if they are not training any more than we used to? Is it all down to nutrition?

rugbyman2015

Guys do a lot more reading themselves on weight training, conditioning and nutrition these days because of the internet. Access to qualified conditioning coaches is a given these days for the top schools. Guys involved with provincial squads also have access to top quality coaching and expertise to further their knowledge.

Overall, lads have become more professional each year with the way the competition has become more professional and in a wider context, with the way rugby union has become more professional. A lot of fellas do training themselves over the summer away from school. Turnout is decent at summer sessions but never the same as what turns up for first session in September. I know Clongowes don't even have summer training (not logistically possible). They send their guys out programs and workouts that the boys are expected to keep to.

Most schools operate summer training from June till end of August but in a sense it's not physically correct to train intensively for 12 weeks. Most of the serious hard work is done towards the end of August.

Bruce7

So what are they actually doing differently? There's only so much they can do in one day if they are to recover in time to train the next day.

It sounds ridiculous looking back at it, but fitness training in my day consisted of 100m sprints at the end of a pitch session, with different expected times for backs and forwards. Circuits were bodyweight exercises or very light weights. The only 'nutrition' was being made to go on the dry but this wasn't for practical purposes.

Everyone was pretty fit from it all, but the forwards were as skinny as the backs, and our senior cup team was smaller than most junior cup teams are today. There was a hammer thrower in the school who was able to squat 140kg or so, and the rugby guys thought this was a freakish amount.

And that's just the fitness training. The less said about the skills training, the better!

rugbyman2015

Bruce7 wrote: »

So what are they actually doing differently? There's only so much they can do in one day if they are to recover in time to train the next day.

It sounds ridiculous looking back at it, but fitness training in my day consisted of 100m sprints at the end of a pitch session, with different expected times for backs and forwards. Circuits were bodyweight exercises or very light weights. The only 'nutrition' was being made to go on the dry but this wasn't for practical purposes.

Everyone was pretty fit from it all, but the forwards were as skinny as the backs, and our senior cup team was smaller than most junior cup teams are today. There was a hammer thrower in the school who was able to squat 140kg or so, and the rugby guys thought this was a freakish amount.

And that's just the fitness training. The less said about the skills training, the better!

I couldn't tell you what every invididual school is doing but I do that weights programs are far more periodised and involve different blocks like injury prevention, hypertrophy, max strength and then power using olympic lifts. I've seen so many different forms of fitness training from just classic sprints to fitness styled tip rugby superset with strongman conditioning and functional rugby games.

Training is short and sharp but it's intense. No more 10k runs, just heavy anaerobic work.

It's pretty common to see some of the strongest guys in the cup benching 140 plus or squatting well over 150kg heading towards 200kg. Think Cian Healy did close to 200kg squat in 6th year but then again, he was a serious trainer that you only get once in a while.

Rugger Bugger Nut 93

Hey we re gettin a bit off the track here lads. But their has been an obscene lack of mention of some of the smaller teams here. Such as Kilkenny college who were put down in their prime last year in Donnybrook by the eventual champions. Although they didnt put up much of a fight! What about Roscrea, the only team to (arguably) put up the only fight against Micheals in the first round of last year. Two of which went on to represent Ireland in the U18 european championships. And how are Gonzaga set for 2013? And Bruce7 the only difference between the then and now is that the jerseys are tighter!

rugbyman2015

Leinster Schools beat Leinster Youths in Naas yesterday 34-7 I think

Quint2010

rugbyman2015 wrote: »

Leinster Schools beat Leinster Youths in Naas yesterday 34-7 I think

Any idea of the team?

rugbyman2015

Quint2010 wrote: »

Any idea of the team?

No idea only heard from a friend in attendance. Will have to wait I guess till full squad is named in a couple of weeks

RandolphEsq

I wonder how many people who voted picked the school based on who they wanted to win (i.e. vested interest) or who they think will will, based on research and knowledge of the schools. Not that the poll has any bearing on who will win, I myself picked my alma mater, nailing my balls to the flag mast.

Quint2010

RandolphEsq wrote: »

I wonder how many people who voted picked the school based on who they wanted to win (i.e. vested interest) or who they think will will, based on research and knowledge of the schools. Not that the poll has any bearing on who will win, I myself picked my alma mater, nailing my balls to the flag mast.

I would say most people are voting with their hearts like most years. Most people who follow these threads will know that there is a pretty warm favourite for the cup this year and that is reflected in the voting..

RandolphEsq

Quint2010 wrote: »

I would say most people are voting with their hearts like most years. Most people who follow these threads will know that there is a pretty warm favourite for the cup this year and that is reflected in the voting..

I read the poll results and think 'a lot of boardsies went to Terenure compared to other schools'.

Hard to look past Michaels if we are using our heads.

Quint2010

RandolphEsq wrote: »

I read the poll results and think 'a lot of boardsies went to Terenure compared to other schools'.

Hard to look past Michaels if we are using our heads.

I think alot of people who have voted for Terenure are doing so based on their Leinster representation, the fact that 12 or 13 players are back from last year and they fact the romped to the junior cup 3 years ago

Leinster5

From what I've heard, this approaching cup is going to be tightest in recent history. A lot of people claiming that Michaels and Terenure are the teams to beat, but I have also been told that Roscrea, Clongowes and Blackrock have very talented sides. Been told that Michaels have a fantastic pack, much stronger than the Terenure pack. Time will tell if this is true or not. Pre-season friendlies begin in a few weeks time.

fox_1973

Leinster5 wrote: »

From what I've heard, this approaching cup is going to be tightest in recent history. A lot of people claiming that Michaels and Terenure are the teams to beat, but I have also been told that Roscrea, Clongowes and Blackrock have very talented sides. Been told that Michaels have a fantastic pack, much stronger than the Terenure pack. Time will tell if this is true or not. Pre-season friendlies begin in a few weeks time.

Last years thread was partly ruined with hear says and Ive heard from a friend from a friend type of stories, Its no secret that I may be swaying towards Terenure but Im also a fan of good rugby, at this stage, all cup teams are working hard in the gym and in the field Im sure, and form can only be taken from previous junior cup meetings, previous senior cup appearances and provincial appearances

ormond lad

fox_1973 wrote: »

Last years thread was partly ruined with hear says and Ive heard from a friend from a friend type of stories, Its no secret that I may be swaying towards Terenure but Im also a fan of good rugby, at this stage, all cup teams are working hard in the gym and in the field Im sure, and form can only be taken from previous junior cup meetings, previous senior cup appearances and provincial appearances

Every years schools thread has plenty of hearsay and ive heard from a friend of a friend type of stories.
Vurtually every school will have given their non interpro players weights, fitness programmes etc to do before school starts back
Ive mentioned it in the provincial schools thread but in the interpros Connacht are very very strong this year and the other provinces will be up against it to defeat them in a couple of weeks time.(MODS Could this thread be merged with the provincial schools thread)

Leinster5

fox_1973 wrote: »

Last years thread was partly ruined with hear says and Ive heard from a friend from a friend type of stories, Its no secret that I may be swaying towards Terenure but Im also a fan of good rugby, at this stage, all cup teams are working hard in the gym and in the field Im sure, and form can only be taken from previous junior cup meetings, previous senior cup appearances and provincial appearances

Michaels have Leinster reps everywhere bar 2 positions in their pack and 1 in the back line, from what I hear they are a lot bigger and better than last year. I've seen most of these Terenure players play and bar Brewer and Dardis, the rest are standard players. Michaels seem to be more skilled, and a lot more physically developed than Terenure. Just my opinion, I was a former Newbridge and Belvedere coach so I've kept a firm eye on Schools Rugby.

Quint2010

Leinster5 wrote: »

Michaels have Leinster reps everywhere bar 2 positions in their pack and 1 in the back line, from what I hear they are a lot bigger and better than last year. I've seen most of these Terenure players play and bar Brewer and Dardis, the rest are standard players. Michaels seem to be more skilled, and a lot more physically developed than Terenure. Just my opinion, I was a former Newbridge and Belvedere coach so I've kept a firm eye on Schools Rugby.

By my calculations, Terenure will have in their squad this year 13 Leinster Interprovincials. This squad have been unbeaten all the way up and hammered 'Michaels 31-9 in the Junior Cup final in 2010. They also won the thirds cup in 2011. Pretty much the same squad pushed Clongowes all the way in the semi's last year. To say the majority of their squad are standard players might be underestimating them a tad. But you go ahead.

rugbyman2015

Think he forgot to mention Stephen O'Neill as well, if he's not talent then what is really? Scorer of one try against Saints U19 on Saturday.

Wonder who will be the stars of the tournament this year, Leinster U19 captain Jack O'Neill from 'knock is one I'm desperate to see in the interpros as well as Nick Timoney from 'rock for the U18.

Do people here think Brewer is really a centre? He tends to cut inside a lot, classic trait of a player not comfortable with the position and looking for the safety of contact instead.

Quint2010

rugbyman2015 wrote: »

Think he forgot to mention Stephen O'Neill as well, if he's not talent then what is really? Scorer of one try against Saints U19 on Saturday.

Wonder who will be the stars of the tournament this year, Leinster U19 captain Jack O'Neill from 'knock is one I'm desperate to see in the interpros as well as Nick Timoney from 'rock for the U18.

Do people here think Brewer is really a centre? He tends to cut inside a lot, classic trait of a player not comfortable with the position and looking for the safety of contact instead.

O'Neill is a super player-at centre. He played out half in the cup last year and didn't look great. I would like to see Dardis moved to OH and Tim Schmidt to full back. For me Brewer is an 8. But I think he will play centre this year again.

Leinster5

Quint2010 wrote: »

By my calculations, Terenure will have in their squad this year 13 Leinster Interprovincials. This squad have been unbeaten all the way up and hammered 'Michaels 31-9 in the Junior Cup final in 2010. They also won the thirds cup in 2011. Pretty much the same squad pushed Clongowes all the way in the semi's last year. To say the majority of their squad are standard players might be underestimating them a tad. But you go ahead.

By me saying standard, I mean players that wouldn't cut it at professional level. Clearly it's very early to tell what players and teams will win, we'll get a better indication in a few weeks when the friendlies start.

Man with a problem

My only hope for the Senior Cup this year is that there is no repeat of the disgraceful first Roscrea Michaels match when Roscrea were robbed of victory by the Ref playing nearly 20 minutes of injury time at the end of the second half with Roscrea 3 points up and getting no penalties in spite of infringement after infringement by Michaels.

TheKeenMachine

Leinster5 wrote: »

By me saying standard, I mean players that wouldn't cut it at professional level. Clearly it's very early to tell what players and teams will win, we'll get a better indication in a few weeks when the friendlies start.

O'Neill is an age-grade international to be fair. Also, how many of the guys in this year's cup will become professionals? 4 or 5 at a push could play HEC. Players who won't make it professionally can still be way above standard at this level.

Quint2010

Leinster5 wrote: »

By me saying standard, I mean players that wouldn't cut it at professional level. Clearly it's very early to tell what players and teams will win, we'll get a better indication in a few weeks when the friendlies start.

Well all we can go on are the interpro representation at the moment. Each school has 2 each on the U19's Blue team. Lets see who has what when the other squads are announced.

Hagz

Are any of these players still playing schools?
Billy Dardis
Rory O'Loughlin
Cian Kelleher
Eoghan Quinn
Eoghan McKeever
Shane Delahunt
Dylan Donnellan
and Conor McKeon

fox_1973

Hagz wrote: »

Are any of these players still playing schools?
Billy Dardis
Rory O'Loughlin
Cian Kelleher
Eoghan Quinn
Eoghan McKeever
Shane Delahunt
Dylan Donnellan
and Conor McKeon

Billy dardis is