Where do Irish professional rugby players come from?

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120719581#Comment_120719581

Yea, it doesn’t have to be elite everywhere but you need as many as possible to play so they can be then funnelled into centres of excellence.

Tim Robbins

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120719060#Comment_120719060

OK well if you agree that Rock produce a large number of professional rugby players, that's either because the athletic genes are no different to average bunch of 150 lads and you just have outstanding coaches and that's just it. Or there's some other reason. It's nature and nurture.

Tim Robbins

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120719060#Comment_120719060

Totally agree ref: the coaching, it's excellent. But, I do not believe it's all nurture. What about my point that parents who want to choose the right school for their kids -are more likely to send their kid to a rugby school if the kid shows an interest in rugby? If that's the case, you are more likely to have a better average set of rugby genes in the students compared to a random set.

Tim Robbins

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120719301#Comment_120719301

Great post. I think in fairness to Leinster they have up'd their game here. I think the youth lads can get into shane horgan and then get an opportunity they didn't have. I still think Rock and Michaels are better again in terms of set up. You are going to get a higher level matches more regularly so - it's harder for the next Ciaran Frawley, Sean O'Brien or Ciaran Frawley to stand out in trials when you put them up players from the top schools. But, it is not impossible. It is certainly way better than it was once upon a time. Clubs didn't even have youth teams and only played adult rugby.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120720099#Comment_120720099

All the schools do have the advantage of having all players on site getting same training while smaller schools/clubs players training beyond what they get from shane horgan can vary so much.

It is much better than before and a significant proportion of clubs now in the cities now field u13-18 teams whereas in Dublin(in particiular) they stopped after minis and started back up at u19/20/21

Its not so much harder for the Frawleys, Sean O Brien, Peter Dooleys as these guys would stand out anywhere but its the guys from youths background fighting for maybe position 28 of a squad of 28 that will find it harder.

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120719603#Comment_120719603

There are going to be a few of those a year who should be snapped up but yoi can’t beat leinster with guys leinster didnt want as the backbone of your team.

They get 2/3 years of in person evaluation, they rarely make mistakes.

Tim Robbins

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120720178#Comment_120720178

100% agree.

Props also more likely to come from rural background and have some farmer genes and of course Andrew Porter!