I wonder when/if UCD will move some of their top u20 players into the senior side which is struggling..
This is such nonsense. I don't mean you are talking nonsense, just the way its going to work.
Why not stick to the normal system? If anything the system above actually involves more games being played and just convolutes everything.
Ah ok, I assumed it was 1st goes up and last goes down.
Still think the existing format is the best, but least as you said, that is a bit better, albeit bit harsh if you come first or moreso just say its UCC or UCD come last and Ballinahinch 9th and there is a play off and UCC or UCD load up into next week on academy or pro players.
In my head, if you come last in a league, you go down.
I'd agree on that, similiar to our game v Lansdowne, just those big moments, the sort of 50/50s on who wins a turnover or not, Young Munsters did that.
Their pack is very well drilled. Lineout imploded, killed our momentum. But think both sides would be in the top 4 come end of season (least I hope so)
The Youngs Munster 15, think he is only a young lad, was excellent.
Thanks for clarifying. Thats better. when you said 1 up/1down initially i assumed straight with no playoffs. thats a bit better at least
It shouldn’t make for dead rubbers as whilst 1 up 1 down, there would still be play offs for the top 4 to decide who goes up and at the bottom 9th and 10th would have a two legged play off to decide who goes down.
Not ideal but I guess they had to have a back up plan in place before the season started as nobody knew what way things would pan out.
IRFU Covid committee to meet tomorrow apparently, hopefully confirmation will get out later in the week.
I went to the game myself it was hugely physical, I thought Young Munster looked good value for their win, they played well into the wind and held onto the ball for long stretches. I think both teams will do well this season, Terenure have a very good pack although the lineout misfired somewhat.
The highlights for the 1A and 1B games going up on youtube is an excellent way of promoting the game.
The weeks break will be welcome by most teams. There are some great lineups the following week with Terenure against Tarf and Young Munster against Lansdowne
Very much depends on what way you are set up. Lot of clubs have no real intention of going up either players or club hierarchy are very happy to stay at level theyre at and a change wouldnt affect motivation at all and for some clubs who know theyre going to struggle knowing relegation is less likely then they may play more/be more motivated to prepare themselves better for the following season.
Yes I get that, but as someone still playing myself, and speaking for myself, if someone said even at our Junior Level, that we are changing the way promotion or relegation happens, and that is just playing in Dublin, you are less likely to be as motivated , and I think less likely to maybe go from Cork on an overnight to Belfast, leave work early etc. Just my tuppance on it.
They were the lads from Young Munster who were chatting with, we spent about 4 hours in the bar afterwards with them, just giving us the "Munster" "Limerick" club gossip, as this case could have ramifications on every league and the Round Robin for the Junior Clubs, so they were obviously talking about it.
Yes its games for sake of games but when you have had 18 months with no real rugby then its better to be playing anything at all. There is always plenty of teams with little to play for post xmas anyway or even sides who realistically/mathematically are still in with a chance but players/club dont actually want to be promoted.
Who are the "they" who were saying it was suspect?
I don't know, sort of games for the sake of games.
Asking lads to give up up their weekends, maybe work to travel etc, with no hope of promotion if you were midtable post Xmas. As opposed to having top four to aim for. Like we all know how physical it is etc, risk getting injured for essentially dead rubbers.
I know it is done, just seems mad with a full season, and loads of breaks to catch up on games called off due to weather etc, that it couldn't have been fitted back in and that say other divisions would be impacted by one game in a different league.
Whilst I know it is your team, and not even my league, they were saying it was all a bit suss and that Cashel were very unhappy how it played out.
Yeah that was what was in the regulations for the season. you would hope they don't follow that exactly as would make lot of dead rubbers but to be fair after not having any games for so long. a lot of dead rubbers wouldn't be the worst thing if it meant teams were just playing games. There will likely be another game or two called due to covid before end of season anyway so im not sure id agree with changing promotion/relegation based on one game being called off.
Now i know it wont happen but if that was the case about one up one down i would love to see an all ireland cup reintroduced where any AIL club could be drawn against another. So even a division 2C club could be drawn against a 1A and in those cases especially in 1st and maybe 2nd rounds that the 2C/2B club is always playing at home if playing against the 1A side.
We ended up taking a mini bus to Limerick, 12 of us, was mighty craic.
Two tough losses in a row for us, but v two good teams. Young Munster are very physical. Was a good tough game.
The break is needed to patch up a few injuries.
The talk in the Young Munster bar was because of that Covid case in Nenagh before their game in week 2, it is going to be announced that it will be only 1 up and 1 down. Which seems crazy cause it is only October and would just make piles and piles of dead rubber games post Christmas.
Even in 1B for example, its pretty obvious Navan are going to get relegated and that Wesley and Highfield seem pretty strong at the top, so what happens in the middle like
Results
Division 1A
Clontarf 31 Cork Con 24
Dublin University 19 Ballynahinch 13
Garryowen 26 UCD 13
UCC 15 Lansdowne 31
Young Munster 19 Terenure 7
Division 1B
Banbridge 17 St. Mary’s College 29
Armagh 23 Shannon 20
Highfield 38 Naas 3
Old Belvedere 32 Malone 10
Old Wesley 45 Navan 7
Division 2A
UL Bohs 18 Cashel 14
Ballymena 29 Old Crescent 25
Buccaneers 24 Nenagh Ormond 16
Queen’s University 60 Dolphin 0
Rainey Old Boys 0 MU Barnhall 39
Division 2B
Belfast Harlequins 25 Ballina 24
Galwegians 5 Blackrock College 17
Greystones 43 Galway Corinthians 7
Sligo 19 Malahide 7
Wanderers 29 Dungannon 22
Division 2C
Bangor 24 Midleton 14
Bruff 14 Clonmel 14
Enniscorthy 45 Omagh Academicals 17
Skerries 36 Tullamore 5
Sunday‘s Well 14 City of Derry 20
1A
CLONTARF V CORK CONSTITUTION - Cork Con will be hurting so expecting them to get going with a narrow over Tarf
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY v BALLYNAHINCH - Ballynahinch - No logic for this just a hunch
GARRYOWEN v UCD - Expect them to win well against UCD
UCC v LANSDOWNE - Mardyke has been a tricky place for us to go to in the past - our last game there we won by a whisker 🤞
YOUNG MUNSTER V TERENURE COLLEGE - I think Terenure will surprise most with a win here
1B
BANBRIDGE v ST MARY'S COLLEGE - Going with Marys, they have had 2 tight losses against 2 of the top teams in the league
CITY OF ARMAGH v SHANNON - Home advantage to tell with Armagh to squeeze through
HIGHFIELD v NAAS - There won't be many getting a win away to Highfield this season and I can't see Naas being the exception
OLD BELVEDERE v MALONE - Belvo to win
OLD WESLEY v NAVAN - Wesley to win well
Cork Con
Trinity
Garryowen
Lansdowne
Young Munster
St Marys
Shannon
Highfield
Belvo
Wesley
Could you put up the division 2 fixtures as well stainalert... any thoughts on this weekends games?
Bit of a gap may appear in division 1 as 4 unbeaten sides could all easily win again this week. Not sure it'll happen but will be interesting if it does though of course long way to go
2 weeks off after this
2A
Friday
Bohs v Cashel
Saturday
Ballymena v Crescent
Buccaneers v Nenagh
Queens v Dolphin
Rainey v Barnhall
2B
Belfast Harlequins v Ballina
Galwegians v Blackrock
Greystones v Corinthians
Sligo v Malahide
Wanderers v Dungannon
2C
Bangor v Midleton
Bruff v Clonmel
Enniscorthy v Omagh
Skerries v Tullamore
Sundays Well v City of Derry
Clontarf
CLONTARF V CORK CONSTITUTION
DUBLIN UNIVERSITY v BALLYNAHINCH
GARRYOWEN v UCD
UCC v LANSDOWNE
YOUNG MUNSTER V TERENURE COLLEGE
BANBRIDGE v ST MARY'S COLLEGE
CITY OF ARMAGH v SHANNON
HIGHFIELD v NAAS
OLD BELVEDERE v MALONE
OLD WESLEY v NAVAN
ah thanks.
Brownlee is playing UCD, he was 22nd man for their 1s on Friday night
I'd imagine Hawkshaw is at Clontarf, both his brothers played there
I've since found out Gibney is with Trinity
Tector and Prendergast at the same club isnt exactly ideal.
Any idea where the following players are playing, if at all:
Great game. Very enjoyable, think Lansdowne deserved it on balance of play, but one of those just where the big 50/50 moments went their way, and on another day go ours.
The 10, Tector is a fabulous young player, wasn't phased at all. Two sides who could well meet again in a semi final or something later on in the year. Harrison was very good, very agressive.
Great game in Lakelands yesterday. Terenure and Lansdowne both really went at each other - eight tries between the 2 teams. Was very tight for most of the game and thankfully we managed to pull away in the last quarter. Charlie Tector put in a great shift and his place kicking was very good. Thought Harrison Brewer was excellent
Much more relaxed atmosphere anyway, don't think I'll be asking the IRFU, no need to bring attention to it haha!
Dont think it matters too much but very different crowds at games. i dont know answer. maybe ask IRFU etc on social media why
Was there myself, great afternoon
Also pints for sale, puts questions on why they aren't served in Thomond... Is there a professional/amateur divide there in the COVID restrictions?
I would have gone to the nure Lansdowne game myself delighted with a Lansdowne win of course surpised in a way FT scoreline wasn’t closer than thought I personally before kick off was thinking that would come down to a one kick score. Tector and galvin for Lansdowne seemed to have had good games from following the Twitter feed
