Irish Provinces NEWS & GOSSIP thread 2015-16-17

[Sin é]

First topic message reminder :

What it says in the title - a place to put all bits of news not worth starting a thread for the Four Proud Provinces of Ireland such as new signings, interviews that maybe of interest to others etc.

I've just added on 17 as its not a huge thread.

[geoff999rugby]

Madigan will be nowhere near the Irish set up next year.

Only players who fill a serious gap in the squad make it - Bowe, Murphy, Easterby, Sexton
Madigan comes nowhere near that criteria

[eirebilly]

This is a big mistake on his part. He will be shown to be weaker than his opposite number at 12 in Ireland alone but I also think Sin e is right, Henshaw will probably be retained at 12 for Ireland and this move will cement his place.

Obviously this is just speculation at this point but I think it is likely. If he is at Leinster I sincerely doubt he will be played at 15 at any stage.

No, he won't. The plan will be to turn Ringrose and Henshaw into the next Ireland BOD & D'Arcy who will be undroppable for the next 10 years. Jackson needs to move to Leinster to get a look in. He will only be involved in this 6Ns if Sexton is injured.

I agree with Rory regarding Henshaw, he will be played at 12 but will eventually be outshone by others at 12 as he is simply not as good as them at 12, 13 is a different story.

It does seem like they are trying to make the D'Arcy / BOD partnership thing happen with Ringrose though which could work but would seriously divide opinion.

I have no idea what Jackson has done wrong to be overlooked by Schmidt, he has been the best performing 10 in the provinces and even if Sexton does get injured, he will only feature on the bench behind Madigan.

Marmion has been in some excellent form for Connacht, such a classy player he is.

[Sin é]

Strings just got another year contract extension with Sale.

Thats a total of 376 games of professional rugby (including 98 international caps). He is 38 now. Reckon he will make the 40.

[SecretFly]

Strings would speed up our backline.....................still

Do the right thing, Joe............... call the man. He's still a baby. Look at his head...no hair yet.

[asoreleftshoulder]

Ian McKinley starts at 10 for Zebre v Leinster at the weekend,great to see him make such a comeback.He was such a fantastic player and would probably have had a few international caps by now if it wasn't for his injury.

[geoff999rugby]

Strings would speed up our backline.....................still

Do the right thing, Joe............... call the man.  He's still a baby.  Look at his head...no hair yet.

Not such a silly idea - would still take him over the alternatives, as backup to Murray, any day.

[wolfball]

adding this from someone on the connacht supporters forum... love it...



Also, there is only 1 single game we didn't get at least 1 point from...Its wild. Now home play off has to be the aim.

[profitius]

Amazing season from Connacht. At the end of every month you'd wonder can they hang on but they're top of the league heading into march!

[VinceWLB]

Connacht have a formidable squad only at loosehead (where the drop in quality is quite huge behind Dennis Buckley) and 8 do they have real weaknesses. I have been surprised by their crowd numbers earlier this season but it seems it has gone up lately.

Anyway i will support them among the Irish teams for the title but i think Leinster will win the competition this year.

[formerly known as Sam]

Strings would speed up our backline.....................still

Do the right thing, Joe............... call the man.  He's still a baby.  Look at his head...no hair yet.

Not such a silly idea - would still take him over the alternatives, as backup to Murray, any day.

He's still got it. Bath fans are lamenting the fact thy key him go last summer and brought in Matawalu. Sale fans are happy because he's brought out the best in Cipriani (even if Cipriani can't seem to kick off the tee recently). Easy decision for Sale.

[Sin é]

Anyone want a link to Trviso v Munster (its 8 mins into 2nd half)

http://www.freeintertv.com/view/id-1541/Italy-Sport-2-1

[Geen sport voor watjes]

Unfortunately Munster are playing like Shannon circa late 90's....in the image of their coach.

[Geen sport voor watjes]

Well that was dire as usual from Munster...

[geoff999rugby]

Talk of Ian Porter moving back to Ulster so we can get rid of Rowley who is worse than useless

[Notch]

Talk of Ian Porter moving back to Ulster so we can get rid of Rowley who is worse than useless

I'm not sure why Porter was ever let go, he's actually a good player with good fundamentals.

[geoff999rugby]

The theory seemed to be Heaney could cover 9 as well as 10 and therefore was the better option.

Silly mistake - go for the best player in each position not a jack of all trades.

[Geen sport voor watjes]

Not sure if there are any Munster supporters on here as didnt see a thread for the game this evening but while the result was never in doubt there is still a lot missing. Still possibility of Fourth while playing dross is not a the worst place to be....

[Marshes]

Not sure if there are any Munster supporters on here as didnt see a thread for the game this evening but while the result was never in doubt there is still a lot missing. Still possibility of Fourth while playing dross is not a the worst place to be....

Haven't seen a great deal of Munster this season Geen? Where are the problems? Coaching? Weak Links?

[profitius]

I'm a Munster fan. Dross would be the best way to describe it. They look like 15 lads playing together for the first time. Fans are voting with their feet but Foley gets an extension still!!! You couldn't make it up.


They beat the Dragons and are challenging for 4th place because they overpower the weaker teams in the league and have few internationals missing.

[Guest]

Prof', are Munster getting a DoR, soon? Think Foley will only be in place until that happens?

[Sin é]

Prof', are Munster getting a DoR, soon? Think Foley will only be in place until that happens?

Next January - which suggests that the new DOR is someone from SH/Japan.

Foley (if you believe the internet) has got a 1 year extension and they are just waiting to announce it.

I think Foley will be staying on as head coach after that. He seems to be highly rated as a coach. Marcus Horan said on TG4 last night that Foley isn't getting enough time actually coaching - too much other stuff going on.

[Sin é]

I'm a Munster fan. Dross would be the best way to describe it. They look like 15 lads playing together for the first time. Fans are voting with their feet but Foley gets an extension still!!! You couldn't make it up.

They beat the Dragons and are challenging for 4th place because they overpower the weaker teams in the league and have few internationals missing.

Dragons have some very close losses this season (i.e., Connacht beat them 29-23). The only team to beat the Dragons by more points than Munster is Leinster.

Our halfbacks are poor (and we were missing Ryan, POM, CJ, Murray & Earls). Most teams would miss those players.

[Guest]

Prof', are Munster getting a DoR, soon? Think Foley will only be in place until that happens?

Next January - which suggests that the new DOR is someone from SH/Japan.

Foley (if you believe the internet) has got a 1 year extension and they are just waiting to announce it.

I think Foley will be staying on as head coach after that. He seems to be highly rated as a coach. Marcus Horan said on TG4 last night that Foley isn't getting enough time actually coaching - too much other stuff going on.

Thanks, Sin é.

With it being January, you would have to think they have got their man, whoever that may be. Maybe a coaching DoR?

I'm not doubting Foley's coaching credentials, but maybe the move to head coach was too early for him. Bringing in a DoR will take a lot of pressure of Foley, if he stays, and maybe Munster will get true value out of him.

[St John The Enforcer]

It's Todd Blackadder.

[profitius]

It's Todd Blackadder.

That's one name being mentioned but there could be dozens of contenders. I'd agree with Sin é that it looks like someone from the southern hemisphere.

[profitius]

Connacht have signed tighthead, Conor Carey from Nottingham.

[Guest]

Is he any good?

[profitius]

Is he any good?

Havnt a clue. He used to be with Ulster but was let go. That's no indication of talent though! 24 is young for a tighthead .

[SecretFly]

Connacht are fast becoming not a joke!!!!!!!!!!

Okay lads back in the box! There was a honeymoon period there when we were all delighted yis were starting to win games and look as slick as a bucket of eels doing so... but that's enough now.
Yous are little people...yous are country coast dwellers in thatched cottages with potatoes on the boil..... stop it now...it's no fun no more. City type rugby needs its bistros thriving again to the coins of our more well-to-do banker and wa........ water company chief exec types. Yis have had your fun now start getting bad again.....

Yours in all graciousness, Dub4 Pink Jumper

[Guest]

Is he any good?

Havnt a clue. He used to be with Ulster but was let go. That's no indication of talent though!  24 is young for a tighthead .

Can't remember anything about him, but see that he was on the bench for a Ravens game, in 2013.

No, it's certainly not an indication of talent, but maybe Lam sees something in him. If he turns out to be any good, we want him back

[The Great Aukster]

CC was the same year as Paddy Jackson at Methody and played u20s.

I remember he was a bit headstrong at school and got sent off once for swearing at a Ref. If I was asked for a comparison at the same age I'd say: John Andress mark II.

I always thought Chris Taylor had a lot more about him, but he has disappeared off the radar completely!

[LeinsterFan4life]

Connacht have signed tighthead, Conor Carey from Nottingham.

This is becoming a farce! They are clearly trying to buy EPRC. The next Toulon. I really hope Phill doesn't see this.

[Marshes]

Signed Heffernan to a new deal as well. Himself and McCartney both great options in the front row! Don't know anything about Carey to be honest, but we do have White, Bealham, O Donnell, and Loughney can play there, so good depth in that position. More signings to come too apparently, hope that isn't to cover for big names leaving (although looks like Muldowney is on the way out).

While on the subject of Connacht Tightheads, Ah You came on at half-time against Edinburgh, wandered around for 20 minutes looking disinterested, gave away a scrum penalty and was taken off again. Really poor showing, seemed totally disinterested, real shame he isn't finishing the season out strong before his move. He better sort out that attitude for Ulster or he could be in trouble.

[Sin é]

Interview with Philip Browne here. Some interesting info on the Provinces:

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/philip-browne-interview-trying-to-spread-the-jam-evenly-387047.html


Philip Browne Interview: Trying to spread the jam evenly

Saturday, March 12, 2016
By Tony Leen
Sports Editor

Placating the clubs and provinces is one thing. Convincing World Rugby to award the World Cup to Ireland another. IRFU chief executive Philip Browne is caught somewhere in the middle. And that’s before we get to a disappointing Six Nations and today’s must-not-lose clash with Italy. He spoke the business of rugby with our sports editor...

PHILIP BROWNE doesn’t need enhanced acoustics in his second floor office on Lansdowne Road to catch the mood at the Aviva Stadium. But if Ireland come up short against Italy in the Six Nations this afternoon, the downdraught will sweep up from the ground and in his door.

If projections aren’t everything to the chief executive of the Irish Rugby Football Union, they’ll do until everything arrives. Ticket projections. Provincial projections. World Cup bid projections. Winning projections.

“For our budgets, we project to come fourth in the Six Nations, so anything better than that keeps us ahead. Each country gets merit-based payments, depending on where you finish. When you get up towards the top end of (the table), you are talking about a couple of million. Winning the Championship is worth a serious seven figure sum.” As in around €2m.
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The Union’s conservative projection has proved unfortunately accurate this year, with England, Wales and France looking down on Joe Schmidt’s Ireland ahead of the penultimate round of the championship. Winning the last two games at home to Italy and Scotland may get Ireland no higher than fourth. Allied to a bad season for our provinces in Europe...

“A bad year for the clubs in Europe won’t directly impact the IRFU, but obviously down the track may do if they don’t financially make ends meet. We are the lender of last resort,” Browne underlines.

And the provinces cost a lot. It’s a testy issue outside the cushioned seats of Leinster, where the population centre and corporate income greases the wheels of the provincial and club game. When there’s mouths to feed, things can get prickly.

Browne tacitly acknowledges the likes of Munster and Connacht — and to a lesser extent Ulster — are not operating on the same above-water playing field as Leinster these days. However, further interrogation of the issue provides no indication this will be rectified by artificial intervention in the short term. The need for balance — remembering the provinces are in competition — is fundamental, he indicates.

“There is an issue, of course, with the relative commercial strengths of the provinces,” he says. “Leinster has 50% of the overall and the rugby population. Munster, a big area but smaller in rugby population, has about 20%, Connacht 10% and Ulster another 20%. How do you marry all of this up together?

“The great danger is that we spread the jam too thin, in which case the tide lowers for everyone. Everything can’t just be focused here in Leinster, but in the current economic climate, it is becoming tricky. Also, the provinces are running the amateur game - you aren’t comparing apples with apples when people start equating the provinces to the French Top 14 clubs.

“You’ve got clubs in France with budgets of €30 million, while we have a total budget for Rugby in this country of €110 million. We have to run the professional and the amateur game, and there are a lot of mouths to feed — all of whom are feeling the pinch. It is tricky. We put money in to each province in terms of players and technical staff. The Union is putting in at least 50% in terms of turnover into each of the provinces.”

He puts the pudding on the table for slicing. “Let’s say a province is spending around €12m per annum. It’s P&L (profit and loss) comes from gates of, say €6-7m, there’s expenditure of around €12m which requires a subsidy from the IRFU of around €6-7m. They are rough figures, but we are subsiding the provinces to that tune each year.

“Obviously Leinster has greater earning potential to recoup its spend than the others. The difficulty Munster, for example, now have, is that they don’t have the ability to raise money around attendances to the same extent now. The economy in Munster was badly impacted over the last decade. The revenues generated in Leinster and Ulster...there is a gap, so when it comes to financing players....

“Then you ask the question: ‘Is the Academy system in Munster as effective as it should be?’ The same issue is relevant for all four provinces.”

With so many units tugging at it, Lansdowne Road cops flak for many things. When it goes down with a cold, the provinces hunker down. If only the Union would open the door to private investment, to a benefactor. It’s really that easy?

“There would be no problem. We have an open mind in relation to any proposition. There is no issue there.”

In fact, there is.

“The issue is, what are they going to get in return,” Browne shrugs. “The shareholders in each branch are the clubs, that’s the way it is. In France, someone comes in and buys the club — as in the players, the brand, the physical facilities, the whole shooting match. Gloucester, for instance, has just been sold by the Walkinshaws for around £12m, and a new owner, Martin St Quinton, has bought the controlling shares.

“Now compare that to Munster: Thomond Park is owned by the clubs and by the branch. You can’t sell that. The players are owned and controlled by the IRFU, the revenue streams aren’t sufficient to cover the costs of running the professional game — so whoever is going to invest in professional rugby in Ireland is essentially writing cheques for €1m and continue doing that until they get bored.

“What happens then? You have to find someone else to write the cheque. How many such folk are out there with that level of discretionary income, who are prepared to simply be a sugar daddy. Therein lies the difficulty. The Walkinshaw family could either have sold Gloucester as a going concern (which they did) or just sell the place and build houses.

“Whatever investment is made in Ireland, it can’t be secured against anything. Give them a seat on the Board? If someone gave €5m, are they going to give it next year? So they go out and buy a clatter of good players. What about the contracts in 2017?. Also there is the issue of selling off the playing assets of the professional game here. What would finance the club and schools game in that case?”

Of course, there is private money being invested in the game here. Business man David Shubotham helped build Leinster’s training centre at UCD, but if it’s an ownership thing, it’s either a million into the yacht in the Med or a million into the rugby club down the road.

“The shareholders in each branch are the clubs, that’s the way it is,” the CEO explains in a way that indicates it’s not the first time this proposition has been lobbed in from the cheap seats. Another such is contracts and the sword of Damocles that is the daily (newspaper-ventilated) threat export of Ireland’s brightest talent.

“It’s not a science, even though it’s great entertainment for the media,” he smiles. “There are three parties to every contract — us, the agent and the player. In an ideal world, it would all run smoothly. There is no particular formula for making it happen. What we try to do is engage as early as we can - we might engage a year ahead for certain players but there are circumstances where it doesn’t suit the players to engage with us (a dip in form, for instance). For other players, injured ones and the like, you have to wait. Then others might emerge that you have to deal with.

“This season we couldn’t start contracts talks with the players until after the World Cup, for obvious reasons. So effectively from July through to October last year, they were tied up.

“Let’s say, there’s a turnover of six contracts a year, we’d be happy we have dealt with them as best we can. At times you have to introduce a dose of reality to a conversation as well. Players may go abroad for a number of reasons - 1) if they find they are not getting sufficient rugby (Ian Madigan), 2) some go for money and that’s their prerogative. We do our best,” says Philip Browne, “If we can keep the majority of the national team here, that’s what we are going to try and do.”

80% of the revenue generated by the IRFU comes on the back of the national team. The provinces and clubs reluctantly agree with the hierarchy of country, province, club.

“The key is finding a workable balance between the aspirations of the national team and the provinces,” Browne underlines. “That becomes difficult in a situation where we have four professional clubs and our national team is drawn from one or two provinces to a greater extent than the other two. In England or France, you are talking about the national team being drawn from 12 or 14 clubs.

“So the impact of the national team on Leinster, for example, is significant, particularly when you add the Ireland Under 20’s being cherry-picked around the same time. In the past Munster were in that situation and it may be Ulster in the future. It goes around.

“The biggest issue, therefore, is to have a body of players, and a depth of players that allows us to continue to be successful at provincial as well as national level. The reality is if succession isn’t sorted out and we don’t have depth at provincial level, we are not going to have it at national level.”

Which is where David Nucifora, the IRFU’s Performance Director, comes in.

“He must make sure we have the best possible pathway to produce better players, quicker than we have been. This notion that Irish players don’t mature until their mid-20’s...I have never heard such rubbish,” Browne argues. “The reason we are behind the other nations in terms of physical conditioning and skills is because we are not actually getting to the players with the right technical coaching and skills development early enough. We have to respect the pathways there in terms of clubs and schools, but we have to be conscious that when they do get into the academies, they are more ready for it.”

The Union’s relationship with the Schools system has often been described as icy. Where Lansdowne Road requires earlier intervention, the schools put up the shutters at the prospect of their competitions being compromised.

“David’s view is the High Performance system doesn’t engage early enough with players. The two have to work together, there have been meetings with the schools. Everyone must understand what we are trying to achieve here, which is not to denigrate the schools system, but work with them for the benefit of the kids. The fundamental issue is twofold,” he adds. “One is to provide the supports around players at a younger age that allows them understand where they are in the pathway and how they can develop along it. Secondly make that pathway relevant to the professional game. It’s about giving everyone - schools included - the clarity about where they fit.”

And the clubs? The runt of the litter? “There is a disjoint or fractured line between the clubs and the professional game. Some clubs would be of the view that they don’t want the professional players playing in the club system, because it distorts it. Others say they would really like to be playing at the top level with some of their pro players. But then you have the professional game and the academy system saying ‘the best coaching they are going to get is in the professional environment’.

“Neither are right or wrong. But can we find a solution that allows you to stitch up that interface between both.”

WHERE bidding for the 2023 Rugby World Cup comes in the hierarchy of priorities for Lansdowne Road is a debate in itself, but it’s a pitch that unspools rapidly and embarrassingly if not whole-heartedly engaged with. Street wisdom says South Africa is favourite on the principle of ‘your turn’. The southern hemisphere won’t have hosted an RWC since 2011. However the IRFU CEO and his Board has put together an aggressive and savvy bid team. Unturned stones won’t be a problem.

“It’s still way too early to judge where we are in the pecking order. South Africa and France — who have both run RWC’s and Soccer World Cups, and Italy, which has hosted Soccer World Cups and European Championships, are there, so we are up against it.

“But the advantage of being a small country is that we can really make things happen if we work hard at it. The most encouraging thing is both Governments, north and south, have fully embraced the project. There is no divisive elements at play at all. Completely the opposite in fact.

“World Rugby look for a legacy, both for the sport and the country: Is there a compelling merit behind your bid? We’ve got a very good team, run by Kevin Potts here at the IRFU (project manager). We have Deloitte Sport UK, would have been involved in a number of successful bids, including the 2012 Olympics and the consultancy involved in the last three successful Olympic bids. We’ve as good a team as we could have.

“This is being done in a very serious manner. We are well placed, therefore, to put a good bid together.”

The Bid documentation process will be issued by RWC in May. Strictly speaking, the Union doesn’t yet know the final criteria, but they have more than a fair idea. At this stage, it’s down to the bed linen. A pre-qualification phase of basic criteria will be dealt with by the autumn and the full bid has to be submitted by May 2017. World Rugby make their decision by September-October of next year.

“So it’s not that far away,” he says.

Sepp’s shenanigans in FIFA issues has raised the bar of the process in terms of transparency and open dialogue. “From our point of view, we have to be able to show to the rugby community 1) we have the stadia, 2) the physical infrastructure to get people around the country.

“Most people going to a rugby match are coming to Dublin and that it is two hours from Cork, Limerick, Galway and Belfast by motorway, and there is ferry ports in Dublin, Belfast, Rosslare, Cork as well as airports all over the country. The Government are making a financial commitment, but the reality is that it is still going to cost the IRFU a seven-figure sum, even if we are unsuccessful. It’s an opportunity we either grasp or we let it go. It provides an opportunity to showcase the game. We will need around 40 training grounds so that will create an opportunity for investment in the club game in terms of upgrading.

“From a national perspective, across the island, it’s potentially a game-changer in terms of portraying around the world what Ireland in the 21st century is about. That opportunity? You just couldn’t buy it. And then there is extremely significant tourism benefits. We are talking about 400,000 people coming into the country.”

To that end, next year’s Women’s World Cup in Ireland is being seen, and used, as a dry run. “We have made a big commitment to that. It’s a great showcase for the women’s game. We will be under some scrutiny from World Rugby. We may not win the 2023 World Cup next year, but we could lose it. We have a full time project manager and that’s his sole job.

“You apply to host the World Cup, you are looking at legacies, and we will full engagement from every stakeholder, including the public and the supporters. What does it leave rugby as a sport? And what does it do for the the country. It is, in many ways, a no-brainer.”

[rodders]

Great interview.

“He must make sure we have the best possible pathway to produce better players, quicker than we have been. This notion that Irish players don’t mature until their mid-20’s...I have never heard such rubbish,” Browne argues. “The reason we are behind the other nations in terms of physical conditioning and skills is because we are not actually getting to the players with the right technical coaching and skills development early enough. We have to respect the pathways there in terms of clubs and schools, but we have to be conscious that when they do get into the academies, they are more ready for it.”

Have heard this before, it was something Brian McLaughlin tried to help sort out up north.

[profitius]

Thanks for that sin é. I'll read it when I've time.


Meanwhile Connacht have made a big signing. Lions outhalf Marnitz Boshoff.

[GunsGerms]

Thanks for that sin é. I'll read it when I've time.


Meanwhile Connacht have made a big signing. Lions outhalf Marnitz Boshoff.

Is he a project player? I see he has been capped once by SA so I guess he isn't. Good signing.

[profitius]

Thanks for that sin é. I'll read it when I've time.


Meanwhile Connacht have made a big signing. Lions outhalf Marnitz Boshoff.

Is he a project player? I see he has been capped once by SA so I guess he isn't. Good signing.

He's supposed to be a good kicker. That's one thing Connacht have lacked, though Ronaldson isn't too bad lately.

[Marshes]

Thanks for that sin é. I'll read it when I've time.


Meanwhile Connacht have made a big signing. Lions outhalf Marnitz Boshoff.

Is he a project player? I see he has been capped once by SA so I guess he isn't. Good signing.

He's supposed to be a good kicker. That's one thing Connacht have lacked, though Ronaldson isn't too bad lately.

Neither Ronaldson MacGinty or Carty are at the required standard from the tee. Don't know anything about Boshoff, but he has turned out from SA twice i think. so not a project player

[profitius]

Foley signs a 1 year extension with Munster.

[LeinsterFan4life]

Dom Ryan has all but confirmed he is leaving Leinster when his contract runs out and says he'd be open to joining another province. Do any of the other provinces have room for him?

[Guest]

Well, Ulster are rumoured to be signing a backrow from Leinster (believe it when I see it), and with Coetzee playing at 8 there would be room for a blindside.....

....... We're not fussy. Tell him to grab his boots

oh, and he has to leave Leinster a season early.

[LeinsterFan4life]

Well, Ulster are rumoured to be signing a backrow from Leinster (believe it when I see it), and with Coetzee playing at 8 there would be room for a blindside.....

....... We're not fussy. Tell him to grab his boots

oh, and he has to leave Leinster a season early.

That could definitely happen, given how unhappy his is with the amount of game time he is getting this season at Leinster.

[Engine#4]

I understand that after his two last night, Simon Zebo has just become the Munster all-time leading try scorer with 43? Phenomenal achievement at his age.

[geoff999rugby]

Dom Ryan has all but confirmed he is leaving Leinster when his contract runs out and says he'd be open to joining another province. Do any of the other provinces have room for him?

Well it is generally acknowledged Ulster are going to sign a Leinster player so seems to fit.
It will be primarily as a 6

[Guest]

Well, Ulster are rumoured to be signing a backrow from Leinster (believe it when I see it), and with Coetzee playing at 8 there would be room for a blindside.....

....... We're not fussy. Tell him to grab his boots

oh, and he has to leave Leinster a season early.

That could definitely happen, given how unhappy his is with the amount of game time he is getting this season at Leinster.

Would take him in a heartbeat.

If there is any truth in the rumour, of a Leinster backrow moving to Ulster, I doubt Ryan has been approached. If he was then why go public with his statement? Who knows though? I can only hope.

[Golden]

Anyone else wathing this top of table clash? Connacht 7-0 up with a good Marmion try. Leinster scrum is getting absolutely blitzed at the moment. Bealham giving Healy a torrid time

[Golden]

Who had 38 minutes? Luke injured again!!

[Rory_Gallagher]

Connacht have a real aggressive edge in defence and play a high pace game in attack. It is great to see.

[Golden]

You have to admire their will to run the ball but there's times where Connacht just need to clear their lines. No point playing the ball there at this stage of the match

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