Ulster Bank League 2014-2015 talk/gossip/rumours

Limerick Rugby site has in and outs for Bohs and will cover all other Limerick clubs over next few weeks
http://limerickrugby.ie/comings-and-goings-at-ul-bohemian-rfc/

Leinster Senior League Cup and Shield draws made. Pitch in Donnybrook not ready for these or at least Bective/Wesley wont be playing there so will play there home games in Ballycorus and Glenamuck
Skerries unlikely to be happy with being only 2A side in the shield with the 7 2B sides..
Cup
Section A
23/8
Clontarf v Trinity
Lansdowne v Old Wesley
30/8
Trinity v Lansdowne
Old Wesley v Clontarf
6/9
Clontarf v Lansdowne
Trinity v Old Wesley

Section B
23/8
Bective v Old Belvedere
Blackrock v St Marys
30/8
Old Belvedere v Blackrock
St Marys v Bective
6/9
Bective v Blackrock
Old Belvedere v St Marys

Section C
23/8
Seapoint v Terenure
UCD v NUIM Barnhall
30/8
NUIM Barnhall v Seapoint
Terenure v UCD
6/9
NUIM Barnhall v Terenure
Seapoint v UCD

Shield
Section A
30/8
De La Salle Palmerston v Wanderers
Greystones v Naas
6/9
Naas v De La Salle Palmerston
Wanderers v Greystones
13/9
Greystones v De La Salle Palmerston
Naas v Wanderers

Section B
30/8
Boyne v Skerries
Navan v Tullamore
6/9
Navan v Skerries
Tullamore v Boyne
13/9
Boyne v Navan
Skerries v Tullamore

ArmchairQB wrote: »

Any sign of the transfers to Senior Clubs being released?

I see one of last seasons top teams seem to be carrying on regardless of new rules as set out by IRFU, accommodation being offerd to a lot of players including one of my mates, makes a bit of a mockery of the system and the policing of such by IRFU

Will be another while yet before list is released. Small bit too early.
Bound to happen and their will be some bedding in and big time adjusting before clubs start to accept these rules being put in place. Hard to prove often wrt accommodation.

ArmchairQB wrote: »

Yeah totally agree but I do think that the union should have put a bit more thought into these rules as if they can't police them why bring them in? They should come down hard on clubs or else just allow it. Complaints in with Union all ready re 2 senior clubs I beleive but if a club wishes to complain the must pay €500 to the union for the privellege and then prove their case. So it is easier to break the rules and get away with it than prove a club is acting illegally!! This makes no sense and IRFU need to look at it again as the way it is now is a total joke!!

The idea is right from the IRFU and if they come down hard on a few clubs as a message to the rest then that should help sort things out but there will always be a few clubs who'll disregard the rules..
What would you like the IRFU to do if they were to look at it again?

ArmchairQB wrote: »

For me it would be to take away the burden of proof from the accusser to the accussed. Not to encourage bogus complaints but to actually have the foresight to maybe contact revenue for a players home adress or checking tennants with the tenancy board to possibly monitor the useage of a specific club house as they are well known especially in the Dublin Area. Might sound drastic but if they can't police it don't bring it in. An example will need to be made of a player for accepting and signing form to the contary and of the club for offering and facillitating a blatant breach of the rules. Time for the union to make a stand on the matter or give up on it

From speaking and knowing people on the various committees through my own club, through refs association etc you don't hear of too many bogus complaints etc as its not worth it and you are not going to have revenue involved unless its something real serious.

Anyway back to rugby the Ulster Senior League fixtures have been made. Opening 2 rounds below. Remainder to be played throughout the season
Week 1 – Saturday 30th August
City of Derry v Armagh
Queen’s University v Malone
Ards v Banbridge
Dungannon v Rainey Old Boys
Ballynahinch v Ballymena
Week 2 – Saturday 6th September
Belfast Harlequins v Queen’s University
Banbridge v City of Derry
Malone v Dungannon
Ballymena v Ards
Rainey Old Boys v Ballynahinch

Ulster Senior Cup Draw also made. 1st round to be played October 11th
Ballynahinch v Ards
Belfast Harlequins v Dungannon
Ballymena v Queen’s University

Goodluck2me wrote: »

I think until you develop fully physically the standard of play and tactical experience of playing high level 20's is more beneficial that slogging it in 2B. I'd hazard a guess that UCD/Lansdowne 20's would beat nearly all of the 2A teams and certainly all of 2B.

Hahaha. No the top under 20s sides like UCD/Lansdowne etc wouldn't nearly beat all the 2A/B sides. Ive played under 20s and its considerable bit off AIL. Pace wise it will be faster but physically a significant number in under 20s rugby even with your top sides are still boys while AIL is mens rugby.
Take the top 6/7 sides in division 2B last season(ie Nenagh Ormond, Skerries, Thomond, Greystones etc) all would have beaten the top under 20 sides and comfortably.
I speak from experience of watching 4/5 of players from my own club who were playing regular AIL last season and they benefit more from being tested more in every sense at AIL level than playing 20s.

ArmchairQB wrote: »

UCD, Lansdowne, Terenure and Trinity on there day certainly would give 2A & 2B a going over, top quality On show with those 4 last season a lot of players finished the season playing AIL and will mostly be involved in AIL 1a this year. 1a has very low average age now with players unable to keep up the commitment. UCD and Lansdowne had a large portion of the Irish 20's squad last year and would give any side in 2a or b a decent game beating most. Not like the old days where they would get murdered in the scrum, far less scrums now and faster, fitter, stronger than ever before due to both schools, clubs and provincial structures

They would give some sides in bottom half of 2B a going over but the step up in physicality for a group of 18/19 year olds even taking into account a few academy players against sides with upwards of ten plus men in their mid to late 20s who've several years of adult rugby behind them would beat them.
A lot of the players who played in the top under 20 sides did not all play AIL this season.

Terenure under 20s beat Bruff under 20 in Fraser McMullan All Ireland Quarter Final 32-7. Bruffs AIL team would have put multiple of that if playing an under 20 side.

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny wrote: »

TBH guys, i do believe a solid 20s side would give any side from 6th down in both 2A and 2B a good going over. From 2B last year there was only 1 outstanding side, the standard was (to be polite) poor! 2B was a better standard than 2A with Nenagh being outstanding (and i do think they'll go back to back in promotion - momentum is huge and recruited cleverly) and Skerries Thomond Greystones doing well. A good 20s side would be more than capable of competing and doing well in both 2A & 2B!!

Take the college sides (who are primarily built on 20/21s sides) they do well. A side with the structure and players of Lansdowne, Nure, Belvo's quality would do well!

They wouldn't really. Take the example I used above of Terenure beating Bruff in under 20 fraser mc mullan all Irelands last season by 25 points. Bruffs senior AIL side who struggled last year would have comfortably beaten that Terenure sideIve played under 20 rugby and went to 15+ AIL games a season for 6/7 years and been going to AIL on and off since mid late 90s and a good 20s side wouldn't compete and do well in 2A/2B. An under 20s side is made up of 18/19 years and they would struggle physically against a side of men.
College sides are not primarily built on 20/21s sides and have a significant proportion of 23/24 year olds playing - 3rd/4th years in college and the 3/4 years at that stage is huge.

Disagree completely on 2B being better standard than 2A last season but do agree Nenagh were outstanding. They'll do fine in 2A and have improved their strength in depth with some good signings and few players returning from abroad but they are losing Trevor Hogan as forwards coach which is huge for them and they wont do back to back promotions.

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny wrote: »

Losing Trevor Hogan won't be that much of an issue with anthony Kavangh coming in with a wealth of experience as a player/coach. I'd say Naas, Seapoint, Banbridge will struggle next year. Nenagh should be top 2! Galweigans were the only side there that were outstanding. Every other side was more than beatable

Losing Trevor will definitely be an issue. His role In getting team up to what they did last year was huge and while Kavanagh is an excellent player with plenty of playing experience he doesn't have a huge amount of coaching experience and with himself and his fellow coach Derek Corcoran both going to be playing every week it will affect Nenagh.
Naas, Seapoint both struggled last season and probably will struggle again this season. Think Rainey might find things difficult this season while I think Bective will push close to promotion
Cashel finished 6th last season and 7th the season before. Nenagh, who I think are better than Cashel when they went up, may do better than that but only by finishing 4th/5th and that's at best. They'll be mid table.
I think Nenagh are unbeaten at home in AIL for 5/6 years. If they can keep that record or only maybe lose 1/2 games at home and pick up an away win or two then they'll be happy.

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny wrote: »

Bective i think will struggle while Old Wesley brought in Mark and Dave Rowley will be up there.

Honestly i think your seriously over estimating the teams in 2A! Nenagh would've been promoted last year if they were their. Ballymena and UCC aren't vert impressive City of Derry not upto much. I don't see any side standing out other than Nenagh and Wesley TBh

Bective wont struggle from the few involved in the club that I was talking to in recent weeks. I think they'll be in top 4/5. They've made a few signings and are looking at a few more signings
I might be over estimating some teams in 2A but while Nenagh are good and play a good brand of rugby they're losing a few players to retirement and while they have some signings theyre playing higher level than ever before which will take some adjusting to and no they wouldn't have been promoted last year if they were in 2A.