Clubs Vs Provinces

Clubs vs Provinces , the ultimate question in Ireland the Ulster Bank League vs  The Rabodirect Pro 12. I challenge anyone to name all of the Munster clubs involved in the Ulster Bank League , the reason I ask this question is off the back of a comment from Donal Lenihan last when he said that the clubs were no more in relation to a question that was posed  about what club Simon Zebo came from.( the answer by the way is Cork Con).To hear this from Donal Lenihan was very surprising given the fact that he is a staunch Con man himself.

It does pose the question however is the gap between the professional game and the club game getting bigger or is it getting smaller? In the last 12 months we have seen 3 players make the step up from club to the professional game , Darragh Fanning , Craig Ronaldson and Barry O Mahony have stepped up to take up contracts from Munster , Leinster and Connacht. This just goes to show that the club game can still produce players for the professional ranks.

The academy systems that are in place at all four provinces are producing players for the pro game but if the clubs are let fade out of existence then the game in this country will die a slow and painful death. We have seen the turmoil in Wales the row between the regions and the WRU. I know that this row won’t happen in Ireland down to the fact that the IRFU look after the provinces so well.

Back to the clubs, they are the early breeding grounds for all players, even if the schools like to think that they are the be all and end all. You only spend 5 years in the schools system but you will spend double that with your club. I know the quality of training and strength and conditioning is of a real top quality but I do think that the clubs are catching up in terms of coaching and strength and conditioning. A new generation of coaches are being brought through to coach underage teams.

So I just feel that the club should be the bedrock of the game and everyone should go and watch some of the top talent involved in The Ulster Bank League. Finally after many years the provinces seem to be using in The Ulster Bank League to give some of their young talent a chance to shine. Also with the British and Irish Cup it gives some young talent a chance to play in competitive fixtures throughout the year. So lets hope the club will stay at the centre of the game in Ireland.

By

Cian Mc Gibney.

25-02-2014.