All Ireland League 2019-2020 Talk/Gossip/Rumours

If you removed the 20s leagues you would lose more guys in the short term and probably wouldn't change much medium/long term. If clubs want to grow IMO they should focus on touch/sevens/coaching/reffing/social events. Don't think there is much scope to dramatically increase the numbers of adult mens 15s players.

Really the onus is on clubs to integrate their 20s to the club and track players correctly. At my club 20s are sent to play seconds which they hate because the team is a mess and the culture is toxic. Plenty say they would rather play thirds but there is no relationship between the 20s and 3rds, if you are not going from 20s to the senior panel the club doesn't care.

shoutman wrote: »

I think in all honesty this is the case across most senior clubs. The powers that be often pay lip service to junior/social rugby and talk about how a strong club is a strong junior section etc. but in reality it goes 1st team, 20's 1st team, with everybody else a distance third.

I play thirds and we basically operate as our own separate entity who happen to wear the club's colours.

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Problem with 20s as said they're standalone to rest of club

no nobody said that because they're not. Closest anyone has said is clubs just care about firsts and 20s which is a fault of the club not the syatem

but the other main sports don't have 20s/21s or just have it at end of season

again not true, the GAA have u21s

so keep players more involved in adult game far more.

Again your opinion and many of others have voiced their disagreement with your opinion on what retains players. You're completely getting caught up in keeping players in clubs and ignoring getting people to join clubs and see out the first year.

U21 in GAA at club level is completely different to rugby. It's a single knockout championship done from October through to the end of November normally, there's no league so teams are usually a mix of Minor and Senior/Junior players who might train a hand full of times as a squad before the championship.

At least in Leinster for U20s there's the JP Flanagan and the various cups on top of that.

I think there's an argument there that players coming out of school who are on the right track for sub-academy and academy spots need exposure to senior rugby sooner than later, but the U20s teams aren't really valued which I think is a shame. Not all players develop physically at the same rate, and it can be a massive step-up for some players to get thrown it at AIL level regardless if it's 1A or 2C, a lot of them are up against fully grown men for the first time in a competitive environment.

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

I know it is very different and I put it in as a comparison because it is so different. Players play at all different adult levels as appropriate and then if they really want to play with all their friends they can at the end of the season.
GAa also has for all players the key thing in that players will be playing with their clubs at all graďs beforehand unlike in rugby with the schools players...
Players can play junior rugby/metro in dublin/leinster which has many teams at all appropriate levels and clubs can put u20 or 22 teams etc if they want to keep some players on same side.
Not all players do progress at same rate physically so keeping them in age grade rugby for 2 and some cases 3 years after they leave school is crazy.

You're acting as if players are forced to play 20s and not open age grade rugby, it's just another option for those that for whatever reason aren't ready for or don't want to play open age grade rugby. It's not like if you're 19 and want to play 4ths your club is going to make you play 20s instead.

Tadgh Bennett backs coach to Shannon this season

Has Deasy retired?

Gatekeeper23 wrote: »

Apparently so, Lansdowne were chasing Willie Staunton as a replacement but he's gone back to Limerick and is playing with Garryowen according to sources.

Young Harry Byrne surely in line to fill Deasy's boots?

Sexton will be playing less and less so I'd say Harry Byrne will get chances with Leinster. When Ross Byrne is off with Ireland camps and along with Frawley he'll be in.

luke9311 wrote: »

Interesting about willie. Surprised he’s not going back to cookies again but then again I guess since his brothers in garryowen now makes sense for him to go there. Where was he last few seasons navan or wanderers wasn’t it?

Been at Navan last few seasons

gilesdebond wrote: »

Craig Ronaldson has signed too

That will be a serious signing if he can stay injury free, he definitely has the quality to playing in the pro game, that damn knee!

RobbieRuns wrote: »

Ronaldson is a great signing for Lansdowne, but I could not see him going to an Irish Provincial Club. If he is not kept on in Galway, then I just do not see it.

Have huge admiration for the man, but I think his full professional days are over.

If he has a good few months with Lansdowne and stays fit he would easily get an MLR contract for 2020, if he wanted.

Gatekeeper23 wrote: »

Apparently so, Lansdowne were chasing Willie Staunton as a replacement but he's gone back to Limerick and is playing with Garryowen according to sources.

Young Harry Byrne surely in line to fill Deasy's boots?

Word on Willie Staunton is that he is going to Kilfeacle (Junior Club in Tipperary) as a player/coach.

Rumoured transfers doing the rounds, unsure on validity;

John McKee & Tim Murphy to UCD
Aaron Conneely to Wanderers
Edward Weaver to Lansdowne
Jack Aungier to Tarf
Naas bringing in 2 overseas players