Where do Irish professional rugby players come from?

That's ... odd.

Very interesting and useful, despite the caveats you've acknowledged.

AFAIK Heffernan also moved to Blackrock from Ballina for Rug by reasons, but not sure if itwas for the Leaving Cert cycle or before that.

Ulster - Shea O'Brien, Bradley Roberts, Matty Rea, Ben Moxham, Andy Warwick.

Callum Reid joined from his club but was already known from underage Irish Rugby. Same with Eric O'Sullivan. Baloucoune went club - 7s - province. NOt quite sure about Aaron Sexton.

Can't find details about Academy players.

If we were to create/develop these areas it will only be through clubs combined with schools as it wont happen elsewhere without a serious connection to existing clubs. Hopefully the centres of excellence being built in provinces will help change/broaden make up of provincial squads...

Based on the thread it has appeared in and given the information in the OP this must be the stupidest post of all time on boards.ie

Spot on Syd.

I was also out at a schools rugby blitz today. well over 200 kids played rugby for 4 hours or so. and same thing about grounds. We had mix of kids who have been playing rugby in their clubs and schools all season(and many more before that) and there were lot more who were playing rugby games for the first time ever.

Its totally on those who can grasp the difference between the 2 statements you make but those who criticise rugby refuse to admit or refuse to see what actually is the case on the ground. Shame.

There has been a narrative going around for over a decade that rugby is up there with soccer and GAA in Ireland as a "game of the people"

This narrative has come from the media, from rugby fans, and from vested interests like the IRFU and their sponsors.

The evidence for this is the people who followed Munster when they were doing well, or the full houses for Ireland games.

But it can never be a "game of the people" if going to a expensive private school greatly enhance one's chances of getting to the pinnacle of the sport, i.e. playing professionally.

None of the other sports mentioned need a private education to greatly enhance a kids chances to make it to the top.

Of course there are other sports where wealth is handy to have like golf, tennis, rowing, cricket, motor sport etc, but none ever claim to be "games of the people".

In the US where you could have four sports that could legitimately be called "games of the people" the players come from some of the most deprived areas in the country.

And while the majority of the fans at college sports in the US may be middle class and white, the guys on the field are far from it.

So it doesn't matter how much time anyone here spent at kids blitzes today, unless the parents of those kids have deep pockets their chances of reaching the top of the game is very much hampered.

In an effort to define the tangible that has led to the development of players are you not overlooking the intangible and very relevant fact that children of lower socio economic households will have less parental involvement and interest in their children doing extra curricular activities.

Not only is there less interest in perusing activities for their children there is less money there to support them.

I can see this in my wider circles where friends come from some very wealthy backgrounds down to very poor backgrounds and while the kids might not be privately educated their parents spend massive money and time on their extra curricular activities while others wouldnt have them going beyond the local soccer or GAA club.

Maybe look at the parents of the current international squad and tell me how many of them work in Aldi, or are security agents in Dublin airport as opposed to well paid professionals. Very few i would wager.