chip on the shoulder

Tim Robbins

profitius wrote: »

And I bet if they went to the public schools theres very little chance they'd be professionals today.

But isn't that very wrong?

irishbucsfan

Tim Robbins wrote: »

But isn't that very wrong?

There is no way around it. Unless schools rugby was dismantled and the IRFU move all the funding into club rugby (which is never going to happen).

maherro

irishbucsfan wrote: »

There is no way around it. Unless schools rugby was dismantled and the IRFU move all the funding into club rugby (which is never going to happen).

Yeah Ithink the best thing the IRFU can do is to concentrate on a few schools that have a chance of breaking into the top 6 (from a Leinster point of few). The more top schools we get the more top players we get. Simples.

danthefan

Everyone can't have the same opportunities in life unfortunately, it's not the way the world works.

Tim Robbins

danthefan wrote: »

Everyone can't have the same opportunities in life unfortunately, it's not the way the world works.

I don't know whether that sounds more defeatist or protectionist.

danthefan

Tim Robbins wrote: »

I don't know whether that sounds more defeatist or protectionist.

Fact is what it is.

themont85

The schools fund the rugby themselves for the most part and the various Branches make lots of money of having the schools cup games at Donnybrook and the RDS. This is why Irish rugby owes a massive debt to the schools, maybe 25 of them around the country who take the game seriousely.

Just to point out that Crescent, Munchins and Pres Bray to name a few are 'public' schools and all three have a big contribution to Irish rugby. It doesn't matter if it's not fee paying, you can have a rugby pedigree. Even look at the current under 20s for Leinster, Andrew Boyle the winger played club rugby and went to Clonkeen. It's suprising that he didn't move to the 2 rugby schools within a couple of miles and the 5 or 6 near too but there you go. He's made it this far, shows it's not such a closed shop.

Dismantling schools rugby would be stupid and unispired. Ask Neil Francis, he trained better at school than with Ireland in the ameteur days. These days it's the same, can the clubs have them training at 4 o'clock everyday? Early morning sessions ect. All this combined with their studies. No way. We can still have club guys but we should have rugby in more schools ideally.

Tim Robbins

danthefan wrote: »

Fact is what it is.

Well it's a good thing Rosa Parks had a different attitude.

amacachi

Blut2 wrote: »

Its a tad disingenuous to use Scotland as a ticket price comparison these days. Scottish rugby can't fill Murrayfield, thats why prices are so low. If Rugby was a dying sport in Ireland and the IRFU had a 67k capacity stadium to fill I'm sure prices would be rather low here too.

Really, its a 20euro price jump due to an almost halved stadium capacity. Clearly demand will rise so prices do also. The article is just more pointless whining in my opinion.

Why did they end up with a smaller stadium? Because the older fans didn't want to have to travel.

Foxtrol

profitius wrote: »

And I bet if they went to the public schools theres very little chance they'd be professionals today.

Public/Private isn't really the issue as its down to the simple fact that different schools focus on different sports, and its unfortunate that the ones who focus on Rugby are generally private schools which causes this idea of "elitism" or that in Rugby money gets you further. I think its just as likely that many potential professional soccer players have fallen through the net due to Private schools putting their funding into rugby and because of this the students focus on rugby rather than other sports which they may have been more gifted or interested in. If the students have that much of an interest they'll join a local rugby club like those in many private schools do for GAA and Soccer.

JustinDee

amacachi wrote: »

Why did they end up with a smaller stadium? Because the older fans didn't want to have to travel.

What???
Strange notion

profitius

Tim Robbins wrote: »

But isn't that very wrong?

It is. All talented players should have a chance to make it.

maherro wrote:

There is no way around it. Unless schools rugby was dismantled and the IRFU move all the funding into club rugby (which is never going to happen).

They should be concentrating on strengthening the weak areas. If theres fewer players coming from clubs then its better to solve that problem than ignore it and concentrate even more on the schools.

Theres only a handful of schools and if Irish rugby wants to develop world class players it needs to cast a wide net. At the moment the net really only covers schools.

danthefan wrote:

Everyone can't have the same opportunities in life unfortunately, it's not the way the world works.

If Irish rugby is to move forward they have to give opportunities to a larger number of players.

If the number of club players is increasing and the provinces still ignore the clubs it'll be for nothing. Thankfully they seem to be working more with the clubs.

thebaz

my initial point was why have a crack at Pres and Christians - there is more to Leinster schools than the big 6 - for instance Gonzaga and Newbridge seem to be producing better players than most of them - also this week saw some quality players playing for Newpark , and there is great talent at club level under 19's around Leinster

themont85

thebaz wrote: »

my initial point was why have a crack at Pres and Christians - there is more to Leinster schools than the big 6 - for instance Gonzaga and Newbridge seem to be producing better players than most of them - also this week saw some quality players playing for Newpark , and there is great talent at club level under 19's around Leinster

Its amazing just how many players Newbridge have playing currently. Gonzaga have a couple too. More amazing when you think that schools like Terenure who do well in Cups have nobody in the Leinster squad currently and nobody coming through. Some great JCT sides coming through but they won't be pro rugby level for 4/5 years!

thebaz

themont85 wrote: »

Its amazing just how many players Newbridge have playing currently. Gonzaga have a couple too. More amazing when you think that schools like Terenure who do well in Cups have nobody in the Leinster squad currently and nobody coming through. Some great JCT sides coming through but they won't be pro rugby level for 4/5 years!

Newbridge are unfortunately breeding them for all provinces - but at least they give us the best - Jamie

Blackrock due to its size and tradition will always give us a backbone - but thankfully there is more to leinster rugby than the big 6 - where are all the recent Michaels players for instance ? Despite last nights result, Leinster rugby has never be healthier , with players coming in from all parts, club and school

themont85

thebaz wrote: »

Newbridge are unfortunately breeding them for all provinces - but at least they give us the best - Jamie

Blackrock due to its size and tradition will always give us a backbone - but thankfully there is more to leinster rugby than the big 6 - where are all the recent Michaels players for instance ? Despite last nights result, Leinster rugby has never be healthier , with players coming in from all parts, club and school

A lot of it's just luck. In 4 or 5 years we could be looking at a few from Michaels Terenure and a few of the other schools who have nobody atm and none from some schools who do have guys in there currently. Swings in roundabouts.

amacachi

JustinDee wrote: »

What???
Strange notion

Really? Any time I heard people compain about the size of the new stadium and asking why they didn't move location there was a chorus of people from the area saying that the stadium should stay at Landsdowne Road because that's where it always was. I'd rather not get onto the whole stadium debate again because there's so much about it that annoys me. :P