Munster – Fans and Transfers

In the past week or so, the Munster fan base has been questioned because of the poor numbers that were at the Champions Cup game against Treviso last Saturday. They were supposedly over 17,000 at the game a long way from the 26,000 you would get in the early days after it was redeveloped. I realise things have changed in the country since the heady days of the Celtic Tiger , coupled with fact Munster have not been as successful in recent years as they had been.

 They were Magners League winners in 2011, beating Leinster in the Grand Final at Thomond Park. Since then they have had mixed fortunes while being consistent in making the knock out games in both Europe and in the Pro 12. This it seems isn’t enough anymore for certain sections of support. They feel we don’t compete at the top table anymore and that outside investment is the ultimate solution. While on the face of it outside investment is one solution another is letting things develop from within each of the Provincial structures and let the academies develop their own talent.

Connacht are a prime example of this , with players like Jack Carty , Robbie Henshaw , Ultan Dillane to name just three players that have come through the hands of Nigel Carolan in the Connacht academy. In Leinster , players like Cian Kelleher , Luke Mc Grath and Cathal Marsh have come into the Leinster set up this season along with Gary Ringrose from whom big things are expected. In Munster guys like Stephen Fitzgerald , Sean Mc Carthy and John Madigan have come through although the latter has suffered a number of niggly injuries in the recent past. In Ulster lads like , Peter Nelson and Sam Arnold have broken into the starting XV this season.

 So the work been done at academy level is producing quality players all the time. Maybe not fast enough for people’s liking , In Ireland you are working from a very small player base that has to compete with the GAA , Soccer and a number of other sports. So please be fair to each of these academies and let them continue the work they have been doing.

Moving onto the Transfer system that the IRFU employs , it allows each of the provinces to sign 4 NIQ’s or Non Qualified Irish players to me and you. Munster were the latest team to fall foul to this particular agreement in the past few days when they approached them to rubber stamp a move for Stephen Moore the Australia skipper from next season. David Nucifora the man in charge of all the transfer activity in Ireland decided against this particular move as he felt it would block the development of the Hookers in the current squad , namely Mike Sherry , Kevin O Byrne , Niall Scannell and Duncan Casey.

I can see the reason behind this move to block it although from a Munster point of view it is disappointing and they could have done with his experience as the leadership group within the squad has been decimated by the departures of Paul O Connell , Donnacha O Callaghan and the unfortunate retirement of Felix Jones. So Munster will have to look for new leaders like Conor Murray , Donnacha Ryan and CJ Stander.  Yes it is annoying that the IRFU allow more flexibly with player transfers but it is the same for all of the provinces. Look at this way , would you rather the IRFU system or let each Province go into private ownership and the IRFU have no say so in what happens !!

This system was put in place so our National team could compete , take one look where French rugby is at the moment and you will see that while the Irish system has it faults , it has been to the benefit of Irish rugby , Joe Schmidt has delivered two Six Nations titles in 2014 and 2015. Tell me honestly who wouldn’t mind a third title next March…

By

Cian Mc Gibney

19/11/2015

Jonah – A Tribute

Late last night the news began to filter through that All Black Legend Jonah Lomu had passed away at the age of 40. He will be remembered for his performances in an All Blacks shirt that saw him make his World Cup debut against Ireland in South Africa in 95 scoring two tries and announcing himself on the International stage. Later in that same tournament Jonah ran rough shod over England and scored 4 tries on the way to a 45-29 win for New Zealand in the World Cup semi-final.

He went to his last World Cup in 1999 and was again part of the New Zealand team that made another Semi Final that was played in Twickenham against France, this was another memorable game that saw New Zealand go in as favourites but France had not read the script on the day and fought back to send New Zealand backing from another World Cup. He played in two World Cup’s in 1995 and 1999 and scored 15 tries over the two competitions.

He and Bryan Habana are now level on 15 tries each with Drew Mitchell in second with 14 tries another ex All Black team mate Doug Howlett is 3^rd with 13 tries and Chris Latham in 4^th with 12 tries. He was of course the first real global superstar in Rugby Union , mention Jonah Lomu and everybody knew who you were speaking about , like Usain Bolt or Lional Messi.

He was 19 went he earned his first cap , he was 18 stone , 6 foot 5 and could do the 100 metres in in 10 seconds. He was a real problem for defences who now had to deal with a player in the back line that was like a forward in most teams. He has been a role model for a new generation of rugby players in New Zealand and abroad. He was capped 63 times and scored 37 tries in that time.

Jonah Lomu will be missed by not just the global rugby community and his family and friends but he will also be missed by organ donation awareness campaigns because he was a role model for organ donation and also dialysis. Since his body rejected his transplant kidney in2011 he has been on dialysis to help keep himself alive since then.

Earlier this year he revisited South Africa to see some of the men he faced in 95 and also visit his old friend Joost Van Der Westheizen who has been battling Motor Neurone Disease. This documentary showed the caring sensitive side to Jonah. He is fondly remembered in South Africa 20 years after the tournament.

Today Rugby lost a true gentleman and a real legend of the sport, he will be sadly missed by family , friends , supporters , team mates and the wider rugby public. Thanks for all the wonderful moments Jonah , Rest In Peace…

By

Cian Mc Gibney

18/11/2015

Ireland – Euro 2016 Bound!!

So Martin O Neill has masterminded a place at Euro 2016 with a 3-1 aggregate victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. After getting the all important away goal in Zeneca on Friday night, Ireland knew any sort of win or draw without conceding a goal was going to be good enough to see Ireland secure a place in France alongside Northern Ireland , Wales and England.

The “Home Nations” will have a serious following heading to France next June.  In the last few weeks , Ireland beat Germany 1-0 and were held to a 1-1 draw in Warsaw. They managed to secure a 3^rd place finish with a little help from a 1-0 win for Georgia over Scotland.

Heading into this 2 legged affair with Bosnia we were hopeful that we could at least get an away goal and maybe a victory to set up a winner takes all clash at the Aviva Stadium. Robbie Brady provided the moment of magic in Zeneca that almost secured a precious 1-0 win for the boys in green, Edin Dzeko the Roma striker pegged Ireland back with a goal in the 86^th minute.

Ireland made one change for the 2^nd leg with Robbie Brady moving to full back with Stephen Ward dropping out , Ireland looked like a team that were ready for anything and defended really well for the 90 minutes and will be well set for France in 2016. Jon Walters has been crucial in the last 3 games with 2 goals tonight. The campaign started back in Tbilisi with the first late goal by Aiden Mc Geady , one of many that would be critical to Ireland eventually making  it to France in 2016 , John O Shea scored a peach of a goal in Germany , while Shane Long had two major interventions scoring late against Poland and Germany. 3 keepers were used with Darren Randolph , Shay Given and David Forde all playing big parts in Ireland’s march to Euro 2016.

Unsung hero’s like Glen Whelan , James Mc Carthy emerged and provided the steel and protection for the little magician Wes Hoolahan to make some very telling passes that would help to see Ireland through some tough patches in particular against Germany in Dublin on a number of occasions he came deep and gave his back four an option to help them out of trouble. The pity is that Wes Hoolahan is over 30 and although he will go to France , Ireland will not be able to build a team around him. That aside he has been ably assisted in mid field by Jeff Hendrick with James Mc Clean and Seamus Coleman providing the width when needed.

Tonight saw Ireland score 2 goals and deny Bosnia any real chances, they were the customary hairy moments as has become common place , but that aside tonight is a night to celebrate another Irish appearance at a major finals to go along with Euro 88 , Italia 90 , USA 94 , Japan and Korea in 2002 , Euro 2012 and now major final number 6 , France Euro 2016 , how sweet does that sound in particular after the defeat to Scotland back in June.

Martin O Neill, Roy Keane and the rest of the Ireland management can now bask in the glory of achieving the goal they set out to when the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign began in September 2014 in Georgia.

To the Irish support, enjoy tonight and the next few days, get the calendar out and mark June 2016. Book your holidays now. Get the Credit Union books out, clear out that jar behind the couch and book your seats to France. December 12^th is another date for the diary when Ireland will find out who they will take on.

In the last two home games, the old Lansdowne Road Roar came back with vengeance and long may that continue. Roll on Euro 2016…

By

Cian Mc Gibney

16/11/2015

Ian Mc Kinley – Back from the Brink

The name Ian Mc Kinley may not ring a bell with many rugby fans but he was part of the Leinster squad in 2010 when he suffered an eye injury that would change the course of his life both sporting and everyday life.

 He was playing for UCD against Lansdowne when a stray boot connected with his left eye and he lost the sight in his eye. This injury didn’t just slow down his sporting career, it had a major impact on his everyday life. He couldn’t drive, he had trouble doing jobs around the house. He also couldn’t catch a ball while training. He did regain 70% of his sight but after 18 months he lost all of the sight in his left eye.

Ian then decided with the help of his brother to look into how he could continue playing the sport he loves. He got in touch with The National College of Art and Design and Medical Device Design. He was then put in touch with John Merrigan who produced the goggles in conjunction with Enda O Dowd.

In January 2014, World Rugby began to trial them and Ian has been able to continue playing the sport he loves thanks to these specially designed goggles. He managed to get back playing in the Professional game with Italian side Zebre and is part of their squad that plays in the Pro 12 and the European Challenge Cup. He has done incrediably well to fight his way back to full fitness and these goggles have given Ian the chance to continue to play sport.

The IRFU have of course stopped Ian from playing on these shores and banned the use of the goggles from all grades of Rugby in this country. The IRFU has said it is not happy to insure people that use them and also the safety of the user of the goggles and also his or her opponent.

From a personal point of view I would call on the IRFU to reconsider their decision and let every person no matter what their personal circumstance play the sport they want to. Ian Mc Kinley was on the fringes of the Leinster squad when this injury happened, who knows how things may have turned out if he hadn’t suffered this injury. The injury happened in Ireland and yet after he turned things around, He was then brought in as a permit player by Zebre to cover for players that were away at the World Cup. As far as I am aware I can’t see the harm in these goggles and I would like to help Ian get this decision overturned. Ian Mc Kinley truly is a man that came back from the brink.

By

Cian Mc Gibney

10/11/2015

Sam Burgess – Rugby League Great, Union Scapegoat

As Sam Burgess leaves Rugby Union behind and re-joins the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL , His 12 months will be remembered for a number of reasons. The great hype that greeted his arrival in Rugby Union was very much over the top and probably set the tone for his time in the game.

During his year, he firstly had to learn the rules of the game in a high pressured situation of the Premiership and even though he played a few A games for Bath where he was tried in the back row and he was quite successful. Yet when England came calling he was shifted in the inside centre role and was asked to learn the game in a very technical position and every move he made was scrutinised.

Bath felt they could put Burgess in whatever position they saw fit, as there owner Bruce Craig had paid the transfer fee of 750,000 pounds to release him from his contract with the Rabbitohs and he then signed a 3 year deal with Bath.

From the first day he played for Bath there seemed to be confusion as to where was his best position was , He wasn’t involved with England in November 2014 but he did play for the England Saxons down in Cork in January 2015. This was the first real signal that England were serious about having him involved later in the year at the World Cup.

He was seen as a superman figure , he was christened “ Slammin Sam” straight away , this after his exploits in the NRL Grand Final that saw him finish on the winning side with a broken cheek bone. He was really on a hiding to nothing , because he had to try and learn the game on the fly without any real support from either Bath or the RFU who were singing from two different hymn sheets from the off.

You had Burgess trying to master the Blindside role while playing for Bath and he seemed to be getting to grips with the role and things looked up until he played for the Saxons and came on for the last 20 minutes down in Cork in the centre and seemed to cope alright. He played against Leinster in the Aviva Stadium and had his best game in Union on the Blindside Flank.

He was selected in the extended squad for the World Cup that comprised of 50 players including Danny Cipriani who was exiled from the England set up since 2008. The squad went to Denver for warm weather training and reports suggested that Burgess was coping well with the demands being placed on him.

He was eventually selected in the 31 man squad ahead of the likes of Luther Burrell and Kyle Eastmond. This selection caused people to question Stuart Lancaster and his coaching team. People forget that Sam Burgess is not the first League player to make the cross over and play Union. In 2001 Jason Robinson did it and won the World Cup in 2003 and was in the squad that made the 2007 decider , Andy Farrell crossed over and made the 2007 squad , Ireland had their own cross over star Brian Carney made the move from the NRL and joined up with Munster .

He like Burgess came to Union with a big reputation and after a season in Union, his feats in Rugby League seem to have been forgotten about. It just goes to show that whatever you achieve in another sport it is quickly forgotten by those who only want to see success.

To Sam Burgess , thanks for the memories and go back to Rugby League and enjoy being at the top of that sport because no matter what you did in Union it was never going to be enough. He is one of the best ever Rugby League players and now back in Sydney with his brothers Tom and George he can get back to becoming a legend of the game in Rugby League that is !!

By

Cian Mc Gibney

06/11/2015