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The future balance of Irish provincial rugby - Neil Best

By Neil Best

The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart

Expect Irish rugby to return to business as usual this weekend after a difficult Six Nations, with the return of Champions Cup Rugby. Three Irish provinces are in the quarter-finals on Saturday of the main event, with Munster traveling to Edinburgh and Leinster hosting Ulster. Whilst Connacht are at Sale on Friday night flying the flag for Irish Rugby in the European Challenge Cup.

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Of course, four from four simply isn’t possible this weekend, but don’t rule out three from three. These clubs are vastly experienced at this level with Munster and Leinster consistently amongst European Rugby’s elite in recent seasons. Both Leinster and Munster have been semi-finalists in each of the last two seasons whilst Connacht, although losing quarter-finalist last season, have grown their depth and quality this season.

Of course, the tie of the round for Irish rugby fans has to be Ulster’s trip to Dublin. Only but the most optimistic of Ulster fans would concede that they do not expect to win – yet the question remains, is an upset possible?

Ulster’s forwards are unquestionably more abrasive and competitive this season, and the set piece has improved under Dan McFarland. But is that enough? Some of Leinster’s players have lost a little form through the Six Nations, but the depth of options available to Leo Cullen is beyond that of many if not all his rivals.

The Belfast team won comfortably in the end against the Southern Kings in the Pro 14 last weekend with talismen Stuart McCloskey and Marcell Coetzee once again to the fore. But they picked up injuries to add to injuries, and may be light at outside centre come Saturday, unless Luke Marshall finds himself not only match ready but away to Leinster European Cup quarter-final match ready.

They also need to have some returnees in the forwards, most notably Eric O’Sullivan, Rory Best, Iain Henderson and Jordi Murphy.

In contrast, Leinster lost at Edinburgh last Friday night, but only the most casual observer would read anything of substance into that result. Leinster have dominated both their Pro14 conference and their European Champions Cup Pool. They remain massive home favourites this weekend.

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Yet there is always hope. Ulster have a growing number of young players who hold belief and little fear. Robert Baloucoune grows by the week, Rob Lyttle seems equally deadly kicking or finishing, Michael Lowry may be the true heir to David Humphreys, Eric O’Sullivan is the one who got away and Jacob Stockdale – for the time being at least – is the jewel in the crown.

Saturday may prove to be a window on the future balance of Irish provincial rugby. Ulster remain the biggest and best supported rugby side in Ireland – and in the quiet opinion of many Ulster fans – it’s only a matter of time before their return to the top again.

I always liked to be the underdog, it brought out the best in me, let’s hope it brings out the best in them.

If there be no enemy there’s no fight. If no fight, no victory and if no victory there is no crown.

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J
Jon 9 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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