Religion has nothing to do with it.
When the main source of players is from Schools this simply isn't true.
Religion is going in one direction across all of Ireland, including Northern Ireland.
Using it as an excuse of how Ulster can't get past the normal schools, is an excuse.
People don't see rugby as a "British sport", trying to say they don't play it because of religion is also nonsense.
Aside from how this reads, it's particularly unfair on Paul; he's consistently been very critical of people running things in Ulster. I think you're way off here.
🤣
Do you have anything to add on the topic or just another sly little dig at a poster in the hope they react so you can ban them?
MOD: Warning issued
I agree that religion is on the slide in both Ireland and NI but the culture is still there. Ireland is still culturally Catholic. Just look at all the parents who have baptisms, communions and confirmations for their kids but otherwise never set foot in a church. Or the number of weddings that take place in a church when the couple aren't practicing Catholics.
I imagine it's the same in the North. Its cultural, not religious.
100% YR. Historically, in broad brushstrokes, Catholic grammar schools don't play rugby (and most state secondary schools focus far more on football). It's not about transubstantiation or Mass, it's about the fact that it's never been a part of these schools' cultures. And the Ulster branch is doing work to try to change that (are they doing enough/doing it cleverly? I don't know), but it's a lot harder to change that from outside the schools than inside. They seem to be making more headway in Donegal, particularly around Letterkenny, than Catholic schools in Belfast near Ravenhill.
Presumably here you're referring to Jordan Larmour being picked to start the Scotland game this year?
Once again - you're misrepresenting the facts and not removing any semblance of context from the selection. Larmour was already in the wider 6N squad - something he'd earned on merit. He's not a "dirt tracker" at Leinster - he's someone who started 15 games this season, including every single game in the European Cup (where he's scored 4 tries this season). He's had a really solid season and is playing well, and is experienced in the Irish camp where he's earned 32 caps.
He was picked to start at 15 against Scotland around 2 hours before kick off as Hugo Keenan sustained an extremely late injury in the warm up.
Even had it been known earlier that week he was injured - there wasn't a multitude of other viable options. Guys like Mack Hansen and Jimmy O'Brien were injured. Mike Haley had been injured for the bulk of the season and had only returned to the Munster side less than a month earlier (he'd played 2 games all season at the time of the Scotland game). Mike Lowry has had a poor season and Tiernan O'Halloran isn't at the level required.
Who are all the other players if this problem is some prevalent?
I have no idea what point you're trying to make about Brian Gleeson either.
Larmor played 15 he was 4th choice that is a fact, i never said he was a dirt tracker, he earned it by what starting some games? How nice that thats the bar for a leinster player other provinces also have players that have played 15 games this season and played well
If the first three choices are injured then picking the 4th choice makes sense, no?
All 4th choice being from one province suggests there is more than just talent at play is my point. We place large emphasis on cohesion its not an even playing field
So instead of there being multiple examples of so called 4th choice players being picked, you've fixated the argument on 1 player, a guy who has started 15 games this season and has 32 caps for Ireland?
Who would you have picked to start at 15 at extremely short notice against Scotland so?
Larmour played at 15 cause he was in the squad as general back cover and it was a last minute withdrawal. We'll never know whether he would have been the choice at 15 had we known Keenan was out a week earlier. I suspect possibly, though I wouldn't personally agree with that call, but we just don't know.
One example which is what you asked for
mike lowry, mike haley, simon zebo, mqny stewart moore hes played a bit of 12 but much more 15 than larmor pick your choice of actual fullback
Short notice is entirely self inflicted
Sure but it was a choice to not bring in cover.
Literally the only debatable option here is Haley - none of the others are going to be in the discussion for a last minute start in the 6N. He could have been brought in but if they thought Keenan was good to go it would have been unusual. They got that wrong clearly.
But as i say last minute was a choice we knew keenan may not be good to go. Benefit of the doubt was given to larmor once he showed a run of form which is fine weve been very successful with the benefit of the cohesion we get but lets not pretend theres no benefit of the doubt given
There's versatility too. All three after Keenan can play wing, full back, centre...
If we should have picked Kleyn because he's a "world cup winner", then surely the guy with two Grand Slams, a Champions Cup and a drawerful of URC medals was the automatic choice?
Seems like they where relevant but we shrug at the biggest prize in the sport funny that
I was taking the piss, in case that wasn't clear - picking Larmour for medals he won years prior would have been moronic.
It's about as moronic as saying we declined to select a World Cup winner, when we did absolutely no such thing.
Did i say we declined to select a world cup winner
A world cup winning calibur prop couldnt make a single squad over 4 years if you think thats no biggie best of luck to you. What does rassie erasums know anyway
Like "munster just develop internationals" munster player plays in and wins a world cup final .. no not like that that dosent count
Honestly have no idea what point you’re trying to make in the last two posts.
My overall point is we have players were missing because a non leinster player has to be significantly better to get a shot its not an even playing field either we agree that or we just think leinster are better to 2 or 3 spots across most of thr team which is ridiculous
Once again - all your opinion and not supported by facts. It wasn’t just Leinster players keeping guys like Kleyn, Healy or Frisch out - Kleyn wasn’t getting picked ahead of Kieran Treadwell ffs.
The guy who was backed ahead of Ben Healy was a younger player from Munster, and Stu McCloskey and Bundee Aki also weren’t Leinster players the last time I checked.
And its not bias by farrell hes built his team around leinster and sprinkled in other players wheretgey are significantly better its worked very well for us thats fine farrell can pick who he wants and its working but the just develop players stuff ir comparing deegan to coombes stuff is nonsense
because a non leinster player has to be significantly better to get a shot
This just is not true.
I can accept they might need to be slightly better and I think that is a fair comment, but significantly better is nonsense. There is no one significantly better who is missing out.
Zebo would be about 6th choice.
Any position where theres a question a leinster player gets the one up. The exception being connor murray for whatever reason lack of options at leinster i guess
It should read, South African plays for Munster. Wins world cup. He's not a Munsterman.
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