Ulster Bank League 2014-2015 talk/gossip/rumours

phog wrote: »

For my own sanity and the sanity of others I'm done with this.

Goodluck2me wrote: »

Having won the Leinster League last year and beating a tough Lansdowne team away first up, made a huge difference to that side last year. If it was all summer rugby they'd be hard to write off but the changes will hurt them for sure.

SA09 wrote: »

Who would be your contenders for relegation and who are likely to be the top 4 for playoff?

bamboozle wrote: »

From signings so far I think lansdowne, Mary's and maybe old belvedere will be up there, young minsters should be targeting top 4, as the only limerick team they should have attracted some good players and have got Martin Kelly the new Munster development prop. Belvo will be looking to kick on from last season, but will do so without Leo and Shaun Berne and who knows how much access to robb and Conan they will have, they should though have crosbie for most games and possibly even Ben Marshall who has fallen down the pecking order at Leinster.

Cork con will be pushing for top 4 also, think I heard they've picked up some dolphin players.

Clontarf I think will need the season to regroup, they've lost players to travel, retirement, emigration, but still have a decent core of players and with some decent signings can hope for top 4.

Ballynahinch will be better this season having learned what's required last season, once again as ulsters sole representative they should see some of the academy and development players being allocated to them to gain 1a experience.

Not sure about ucd, they've lost Thornton, gilsenan and a couple to Clontarf, Ucd and dolphin I think will be fighting at the wrong half of the table, terenure, Clontarf and ballynahinch I think will be hovering mid-table with cork con and ym fighting out for a top 4 spot.

Should be. Good season, looking forward to it and it's great the top 4 play offs are back.

Spectator1950 wrote: »

really think the challenge in 1A is going to come from the Munster teams, Cork Con for me to lead the way closely followed by Terenure (the most dangerous club at present).

Leinster teams outside of Terenure, Lansdowne & Old Belvo will struggle to keep any consistency.

I believe St Marys have gone down the youth policy route in recruiting. Peter Smyth is believed to have signed on a chunk of his winning SCT panel from last year with the promise of AIL rugby. Looks like they are relying on youth to challenge dangerous move I would feel.

I wonder how many players have moved to clubs with the new points system coming into play next season. Looks like only the munster teams have recruited with this policy.

turtleshead wrote: »

Did the older Goggin stay as well? Think Ben Kilkenny signed for them too, he may play 7 for them. Thinking about it, i would there is a lack of out and out 7's in Limerick at the moment, can't think of any that would compare to the likes of Anthony Kavanagh, James o'Neill formaly of YM now with terenure...

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny wrote: »

James Murphy at Shannon would be another, after that there really is a lack!

Tom has stayed on with YM. After Melbourne returning I'd be skeptical about the amount of Gametime he'll see. Don't think Ben Kilkenny will be too involved. Has to surpass all the aforementioned players. Is a good but back. Should play some cup games should it not class with provincial commitments (If still underage)

Leinster5 wrote: »

A team rarely gets promoted from 1B and challenges for the title the next year. While Terenure have a solid side and plenty of € to spend according to a few of my mates, think they'd struggle against the likes of Old Belvedere, St. Mary's and Lansdowne in the long run. As UCD proved last year. Lansdowne have a lot of quality youth players coming through along with a fair few hardened AIL players. Old Belvedere have brought in some quality youth players(Kavanagh and O'Loughlin) and experience(Rael and Kelly) while Mary's have many experienced players like the Sweeney brothers and Jerry Sexton returning while they've recruited the best talent out of school along with a few other good signings like McKenna, McLaughlin and Allen. Although there are plenty of quality players coming out of school, only 2 or 3 will feature for the Seniors. Same at every club.

Having said that, with the Top 4 play-offs back, you could see a team come from nowhere to reach the play-offs. Still expect Cork Con, Old Belvedere, St. Mary's and Lansdowne to finish in the Top 4.

Nba man wrote: »

Have they still got the tonga guy in the centre hifo? Sounds like they will have a very strong squad,

ArmchairQB wrote: »

Wouldn't say the same old clubs I know that some of the big boys in 1a have stopped payments altogether have two mates in a club beside a big stadium who have been told that in no certain terms that money is no longer being paid to anyone but also have a mate on the north side who said some of the new boys are getting free accomadation. Saw a website lately where a 1a northern club were advertising internationally for players and offered free flights and accomadation as well as an oppurtunity to get on the ulster fast track. Makes a mockery of the whole think. Very rampant in top Junior clubs and lower end of UBL. A retired mate of mind was offered big money to play in 2 nd tier of junior rugby fairly shocked to hear the figure but he is broken so didn't avail of it but in saying that this particular club can afford it unlike quiet a few others who are or nearly bankrupt

turtleshead wrote: »

Saw him in a couple of games and he was excellent, was a part of the Canterbury squad that won the ITM, thought he might have getting picked up by Munster on some sort of contract.

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny wrote: »

He ya was exceptional last year. Badly missed in 3/4 games when injured. I heard he was being closely looked at by Pat Lam and was living in Galway for a while after the season.

Payments ain't stopping anytime soon for clubs. A lot of clubs are and will remain to offer incentives, accommodation, match fees etc. regardless of new laws because its going to be almost impossible to monitor.

Its pretty much there so the IRFU can be seen to be doing something when in fact they can generally do feck all

SA09 wrote: »

From a players point of view, why would they change clubs without having some form of incentive?

The incentive may not be money eg - motivated by wanting to play at higher level, etc. but for players moving within 1a and 1b clubs, they will expect some sort of benefit for switching allegiance and bringing their talents to the new club. They don't switch for the good of their health.

This is usually done by way of payments/accommodation, etc.

I can't see how this can ever be stamped out completely. There are always ways around the rules. And we live in a country where no one has ever had much regard for rules anyway.

The irfu need to make the transfer system transparent and perhaps put guidelines in place whereby the amount of benefits a player receives in a season is capped at certain amount per month for example. There's no guarantee that the club will adhere to this but at least this way the player is benefitting, the irfu know what's going on, and there's none of this behind the back stuff between clubs telling tales on each other.

I just think that the player who has worked hard to get playing at this level, and is good enough to be approached by another club deserves to benefit. It would be in everyone's interest to have it all out on the table and that way any potential financial difficulties for clubs can be flagged early doors and irfu can step in to say - you have reached your quota for this season for payments or whatever.

Just my opinion.