Leinster Launch Route 6'6" Initiative

Leinster Launch Route 6'6" Initiative
13 September 2011, 1:31 pm
By Editor


Leinster Rugby have announced details of an ambitious second-row recruitment drive - entitled Route 6'6" -which will involve an Open Screening Day scheduled to take place in Donnybrook Stadium this October...

The initiative will involve the likes of Leinster Academy Manager Colin McEntee and Leinster A Manager Malcolm OKelly as well as fitness and conditioning staff within the provincial set up and is aimed at sourcing and introducing new second-row forwards to the game. It is anticipated that this will lead to further positional-specific screening days for other positions in the future.

Commenting on the initiative, Colin McEntee said: "First and foremost this is about players and our clubs. We want to help introduce rugby to people of a particular height in this case over 6.5 or 6.6 - who may or may not have played the game before.

This initiative is open to those who have never played rugby before, as well as to those who may have given up the game for one reason or another. Its also open to people who currently compete in an alternative sport and who have always wanted to play rugby.
In essence, if there is a will to learn, we have the technical ability to help them.

Applications are open to players between the ages of 17 23 to attend a free Screening Day in Donnybrook.
Places are limited so those interested can APPLY ONLINE HERE.

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/newsroom/8490.php


Seems I was right when I argued that any lock under 6'6" are going to have very limited chances of progressing. Whatever hope they have at club level, they won'th have a chance at international level.

In fairness to Leinster they know how to market!

I think its a superb piece of marketing. I continually get blown away by how well Leinster promote things like this.

Eh, what are they marketing?

Its an ad for tall young fellows!

Now if they really wanted to market it they would have a competition on TV where they would give some young fellow (preferably from some deprived area of Dublin) an academy contract.

Compared to when Ulster did this a few months ago,it is well improved. Even the terminology is quirky and humorous. They know what they're doing on the marketing side up there. Except for the whole " Blue magic" crap

Thomond wrote:Compared to when Ulster did this a few months ago,it is well improved. Even the terminology is quirky and humorous. They know what they're doing on the marketing side up there. Except for the whole " Blue magic" crap

They must spend a fortunate on marketing. Ads every where flogging season tickets. Poster campaigns as well - and thats just in the rugby parts of Dublin.

I think Munster are way ahead on marketing - they don't really have to do too much of it.

The whole Route 66 thing is a very clever analogy and I just think they've done it well. Ulster did a similar one without the cleverness behind it.



Thomond - Blue Magic has evolved into Believe in Magic. All the Leinster coaches, backroom team, press offices etc have this as their signature in e-mails now too.

Ulster probably didn't have to pay the 3K fee for the cleverness either!

Stag,it sounds better suited to something for Disney World!

Leinster fans are like kids though they need this kinda thing.

This could be their new anthem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLFZzInXAWI

It's a kind of magic,
It's a kind of magic,
A kind of magic,
One dream, one soul, one prize,
One goal, one golden glance of what should be,
It's a kind of magic,
One shaft of light that shows the way,
No mortal man can win this day,
It's a mind of magic,
The bell that rings inside your mind,
It's challenging the doors of time,
It's a kind of magic,
The waiting seems eternity, yeah,
The day will dawn of sanity,
Is this a kind of magic,
There can be only one,
This reign that lasts a thousand years
Will soon be gone,
This flame that burns inside of me,
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/q/queen-lyrics/a-kind-of-magic-lyrics.html ]
I'm hearing secret harmonies
It's a kind of magic,
The bell that rings inside your mind,
Is challenging the doors of time,
It's a kind of magic,
It's a kind of magic,
This reign that lasts a thousand years,
Will soon be will soon be,
Will soon be gone,
This is a kind of magic,
There can be only be one,
This reign that lasts a thousand years,
Will soon be gone,
Magic - it's a kind of magic,
It's a kind of magic,
Magic, magic, magic, magic,
It's magic,
It's a kind of magic.
It's a kind of magic.

I wonder how au fait most 17 year olds are with "Route 66"? Clever if you're a thirty-something marketing exec.

Still, fair play. Some other nice touches. Hope something comes of this and the Ulster initiatives - we sorely need some quality coming through at seocnd row.

Munster don't need initatives we're sorted

Stag we could do with one for a 7 though or maybe a coach

red_stag wrote:Munster don't need initatives we're sorted

Yea, Shannon spotted Donncha Ryan playing gaelic in Nenagh when he was 18 and got him playing rugby. A bit like The Cattle Raid of Coley.
We satellite counties of the centre of the universe (Limerick & Cork) have our uses

Sin maybe you didnt read the article it says....

"First and foremost this is about players and our clubs. We want to help introduce rugby to people of a particular height in this case over 6.5 or 6.6 - who may or may not have played the game before.

In case you've missed it again......

6.5 OR 6.6

Seems you were wrong that 6'5 is too small for a lock, but then we already knew that given how many international second rows there are at 6'5, that and the endless stream of ..... that comes out of your mouth.

Sin é wrote:
Seems I was right when I argued that any lock under 6'6" are going to have very limited chances of progressing. Whatever hope they have at club level, they won'th have a chance at international level.

Fair enough Sin. I look forward to you telling Brad Thorn he's a short arse who isn't tall enough for international rugby.

Artful_Dodger wrote:Sin maybe you didnt read the article it says....

"First and foremost this is about players and our clubs. We want to help introduce rugby to people of a particular height in this case over 6.5 or 6.6 - who may or may not have played the game before.

In case you've missed it again......

6.5 OR 6.6

Seems you were wrong that 6'5 is too small for a lock, but then we already knew that given how many international second rows there are at 6'5, that and the endless stream of ..... that comes out of your mouth.

Eh, I said 6'5" is too small for an international lock. They just want to introduce them to the club game.

roddersm wrote:

Sin é wrote:
Seems I was right when I argued that any lock under 6'6" are going to have very limited chances of progressing. Whatever hope they have at club level, they won'th have a chance at international level.

Fair enough Sin. I look forward to you telling Brad Thorn he's a short arse who isn't tall enough for international rugby.

Brad Thorn is at the end of his career.

Because he's shrinking?

Sin é wrote:
Eh, I said 6'5" is too small for an international lock. They just want to introduce them to the club game.

I take it you haven't heard of Brad Thorn ,Lionel Nallet or Sebastian Chabal then Sin?

Sin é wrote:

roddersm wrote:

Sin é wrote:
Seems I was right when I argued that any lock under 6'6" are going to have very limited chances of progressing. Whatever hope they have at club level, they won'th have a chance at international level.

Fair enough Sin. I look forward to you telling Brad Thorn he's a short arse who isn't tall enough for international rugby.

Brad Thorn is at the end of his career.

You better hurry up and tell him he's too short then!

I think it's a great strategy and I don't understand what Sin means by the 3K thing don't see what could cost 3K in a marketing venture such as this.
Leinster are really well supported in the media, the evening herald, I think 2 different radio stations and also they have the dart line which isn't actually as expensive to advertise on as you think, also their building is on the main road into town from the south side as is their back up stadium and their primary stadium is on another secondary route into town from the south.

I think this is great tbh I'm thinking basketball players and maybe some lads who play American football over here.

I think 6'5" is ok for an international lock as long as that player is a bit of a bruiser and the other lock is taller and the backrow has good jumpers also

Having a tall lifter is just as important as having a tall jumper when you do the physics

Yea Pete, more than likely its some university young fella whose working for peanuts than an overpriced marketing exec.

roddersm wrote:

Sin é wrote:
Eh, I said 6'5" is too small for an international lock. They just want to introduce them to the club game.

I take it you haven't heard of Brad Thorn ,Lionel Nallet or Sebastian Chabal then Sin?

Chabal is useless in the 2nd row. Or anywhere now. Thorn is a freak of nature. Don't know what stamina pills he is on but he is phenomenal.

Nallet is in the same mould as Thorn (Enforcer) You have to be a special player to make it as a lock internationally at under 6'6".

Tuohy may be special enough. I don't see him enough to know, plus he has been out a lot.

roddersm wrote:

Sin é wrote:
Eh, I said 6'5" is too small for an international lock. They just want to introduce them to the club game.

I take it you haven't heard of Brad Thorn ,Lionel Nallet or Sebastian Chabal then Sin?

I take it you have not heard of Alaistair Kellock, Richie Grey or Courtney Lawes - all up and coming young locks in case you don't know. All over 6'7" - Grey is 6'10".

Thorn & Nallet are in their mid to late 30s now. Chabal is a backrower who is at home in France with his club and not at the world cup.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:
Chabal is useless in the 2nd row. Or anywhere now. Thorn is a freak of nature. Don't know what stamina pills he is on but he is phenomenal.

Nallet is in the same mould as Thorn (Enforcer) You have to be a special player to make it as a lock internationally at under 6'6".

Tuohy may be special enough. I don't see him enough to know, plus he has been out a lot.

I agree but the point still stands that you can be an international lock at under 6'6.

Having seen Thorn stand beside SBW I'm not convinced that he's even 6'5.

As in any position, if you are good enough then you are big enough. If Tuohy can stay injury free then he has the potential to be the best 2nd row in Ireland behind O'Connell in my opinion. Not that that would be too hard these days...

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:I think it's a great strategy and I don't understand what Sin means by the 3K thing don't see what could cost 3K in a marketing venture such as this.

Agency fees and parcelling the product. I should know, I used to work in such an agency.

Most organisations like Leinster have a marketing/brand manager who retains an agency to come up with ideas and mechanics. Such agencies don't come cheap.

Sin é wrote:
I take it you have not heard of Alaistair Kellock, Richie Grey or Courtney Lawes - all up and coming young locks in case you don't know. All over 6'7" - Grey is 6'10".

You better tell Ian Nagle to pack his bags and go home then sin.

If all that matters for a 2nd row was height then Devin Toner would be the 1st name on the Irish team sheet. Unfortunately there is a tad more to it.

Stag-

Every club has marketing staff, the project wouldnt have cost anywhere near 3k though and they don't get paid extra for doing it they would just be on basic salary even if they were working on something like this Route 66 campaign.

I'm not sure they would hire a company in on this kind of a project either

roddersm wrote:

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:
Chabal is useless in the 2nd row. Or anywhere now. Thorn is a freak of nature. Don't know what stamina pills he is on but he is phenomenal.

Nallet is in the same mould as Thorn (Enforcer) You have to be a special player to make it as a lock internationally at under 6'6".

Tuohy may be special enough. I don't see him enough to know, plus he has been out a lot.

I agree but the point still stands that you can be an international lock at under 6'6.

Having seen Thorn stand beside SBW I'm not convinced that he's even 6'5.

As in any position, if you are good enough then you are big enough. If Tuohy can stay injury free then he has the potential to be the best 2nd row in Ireland behind O'Connell in my opinion. Not that that would be too hard these days...

I wouldn't write off Ian Nagle just yet - just reading that match report of Munster v Australia XV and he got Man of the Match.

I notice that wiki think Tuohy is 6'6"! Why would anyone change that I wonder?

Thats what I'm saying Pete. I work in the rugby marketing world myself and we don't hire extra people. Its just part and parcel of my job to promote things. I'm sure it would be the same for Leinster.

Oh alright I thought you were being sarcastic above.
Apologies.
I think a great scheme by Leinster, worst case scenario they wasted a bit of money on the event and some money in training, best case scenario we get a guy who turns into animal who hasn't played rugby before now someone liek Chabal, Ryan and Hayes didn't really play til they were 18/19 or so anyway.

Would be hilarious if the only player they got out of this project turned out to be a wing!!!!
haha!

Sin you dont half talk some absolute garbage mate.

red_stag wrote:Thats what I'm saying Pete. I work in the rugby marketing world myself and we don't hire extra people. Its just part and parcel of my job to promote things. I'm sure it would be the same for Leinster.

High profile companies will hire agencies though. Most marketing/brand/PR managers for companies basically co-ordinate the activity for the company - and Leinster would have a huge volume of that as they have quiet a lot of sponsors. Added to that they have the matchday stuff to deal with as well.

The agency I worked for had clients like Guinness & Coca Cola who had massive marketing dept with every one of their products having a brand manager - but they had about 4/5 agencies working for them at any one time coming up with concepts and putting them together.

Leinster's marketing manager is also their commercial manager and I see they have her flogging ads in the matchday programme as well.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Oh alright I thought you were being sarcastic above.
Apologies.
I think a great scheme by Leinster, worst case scenario they wasted a bit of money on the event and some money in training, best case scenario we get a guy who turns into animal who hasn't played rugby before now someone liek Chabal, Ryan and Hayes didn't really play til they were 18/19 or so anyway.

Would be hilarious if the only player they got out of this project turned out to be a wing!!!!
haha!

Don't get me wrong - I'm all for Leinster rugby spending money on marketing
Its a good way of doing it - other than that its going around to a load of club gaa/soccer matches to see if there are any giants around.

I think it's great tbh and don't really see much expense in sending out press releases to radio stations and newspapers, advertising in things you already own like certain billboards, match day programmes etc.

What would the agency in question actually do?
Like it will be Leinster training staff on the day who are doing the main work putting this group of giants through their paces.

Either way it's a pretty good sceme and hopefully some lads will come along and turn out to be the next big mal.

I come from Tallaght, we didn’t have rugby in our school at all but we did have a few monsters who would have been perfectly suited to the game. there was one particular fella that even looked like Trevor Brennan, but they never would have even considered going to Terenure, Templeogue or Rathmines to join a team. I think that scheme’s like this will catch that type of player nowadays. It’s a great plan.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:I think it's great tbh and don't really see much expense in sending out press releases to radio stations and newspapers, advertising in things you already own like certain billboards, match day programmes etc.

What would the agency in question actually do?
Like it will be Leinster training staff on the day who are doing the main work putting this group of giants through their paces.

Either way it's a pretty good sceme and hopefully some lads will come along and turn out to be the next big mal.

What would the agency do?

First of all be briefed by Leinster Rugby about it. Brainstorm the concept as to how to present it (usually group of people would get together and brainstorm some ideas and Route 66 would have been thrown up here). Then you have to think about how you present it to the general public, use the Poolbeg station in the background, who to use, negotiate image rights with Devon Toner or Mal O'Kelly etc. Then organise photoshoot (hoping you get a good day on Sandymount beach!), hire photographer. Someone has to write up the copy for posters, advertisements. Then it would have to go to graphic designers for layout etc. Then to be all approved. Then target media you want to publicise it in, ie, local radio, maybe do a viral utube campaign, use the internet. Write up press releases and send out photographs. Try and get Mal or who ever onto some of the local radio shows around the province that young people might listen to.

Leinster Rugby wouldn't own any billboards that would be of any use in this particular incidence which means a media company would have to actually select the sites for them and hope they are available for when they want them (they also have to pay for them as well).

A lot of work goes into this kind of event if its to be effective.

I don't know why you all think this is so much effort?

The only thing i've seen about it has been what's on the website, which made it into their ezine too, so i got it in an email. That's about it. Sure they need a photographer and the like, but i don't see what the big deal is.

Agree with Mick. Seems perfecly normal to me.

I'm the same it doesn't look as intricate as that too me

So how exactly are they going to attract people from other sports then if they don't do more than stick it up on their own website?

Will those lads you talked about out in Tallaght get an email about it Mick? Or perhaps the GAA are going to put it in one of their newsletters for them?