Saw a clickbait to a Neil Francis article about the infamous letter about no tackling in rugby. In typical fare, he plays the man and not the ball. He devotes 2 small paragraphs at the end to how there is some merit in what they say, but the whole rest of it is dedicated to dismissing the authors of the letter on the basis of their history and background.
Personally, I disagree with the majority of what they are saying too, but do feel there is merit in what they say and not just for rugby, but for all sports. But Francis is again displaying an arrogance and a head in the sand mentality and doesnt see the wood from the trees on it. He should have spent more time talking about the merits or not of the letter and then a paragraph or 2 at the end dismissing the authors. If the letter is such bullshit, then he should find it easy to argue against it, whereas instead he rubbishes it because some of the doctors are American or Swedish who must never have seen rugby.
Finlay Bealham. 
Neil Francis was talking about doping in rugby and concussions long before anyone else.
Franno is life.
Who is he?
A left footer I reckon.
But who the fuck is he? I never heard that name before
An assumed name no doubt, a ringer if ever I heard one.
I see Avonmore has started an advertising campaign with your man Ian Madigan. I wonder is it because he’s a Milk Bottler?
If say it’s because he likes the cream.
Pity they didn’t use that sour cunt Heaslip
By FOTF Niamh Horan:
The Leinster Senior Schools Cup has had pride of place in a cabinet in the heart of Cistercian College Roscrea for 12 months now - and today the students are back to defend the title.
The school will take on Belvedere College - which it defeated on St Patrick’s Day last year to take the trophy home for the first time.
Drawing a parallel with a the Nelson Mandela biopic, Seamus Hennessy, director of admissions at the college, described last year’s win as the school’s “Invictus moment”.
Quoting the William Ernest Henley poem: “I am the master of my fate/ I am the captain of my soul”, Mr Hennessy described the momentous voyage that the students will make.
"We exit by the lovely large gates, with the eagles at either side almost tipping their wings towards us as we leave.
“We are making an almost ‘O Suilleabhain Beara’ journey. Or like Eleanor, the Countess of Desmond, would have done during the Desmond Rebellion.”
He said the students had been in rehearsals "from the green room to the concert hall, getting the chants ready.
“We have an inspirational talk nearly every morning when we assemble in the college chapel for morning prayer.”
Mr Hennessy went on to explain the school motto: “(It) loosely translates as ‘our eyes on heavenly things and our feet firmly placed on the ground’ and behind the motto of the college is the eagle, who is soaring upwards, taking off and presiding over us, facing towards heaven.”
Describing the emotional feeling as the coveted silver cup was about to leave the grounds of the school to go on temporary display in Limerick, he said: “(The students) will be gathering to have one last evening sharing their memories, seeing it off and hopefully preparing for its return, with the help of God.”
Again, a group of monks, some in wheelchairs, some almost 100 years old, will get special permission to gather around a television set in order to watch the unmissable game.
As there is no television on the sacred grounds of the monastery, they will venture out to the nearby college to gather around the box to tune in to Setanta Sports.
Mr Hennessy added that regardless of the outcome today, the college had prepared the boys with the best start in life: “Win, lose or draw, the young men from all over Ireland who tog out on Sunday will leave the school in June as well-rounded individuals - just like people you would like living next door to you.”
The Leinster Schools Senior Cup Final kicks off at 4pm at the RDS.
Sunday Independent
You would need to know the said Mr Hennessy.
Mr Hennessy sounds like a nutter.
A fine set up there. Many’s the time I had a puck around in the grounds there with my Roscrea relatives.
“Lose and we come 5th but win and we could potentially get as high as 3rd. That top half of the table finish is a pretty solid result.” - Joe Schmidt on Six One News there. These lads have a very amusing ability to redefine and reset goals.
It’s unbelievable… They will have to show huge courage to get a top half finish tho.
Ireland scoring what was in their mind the try of the “championship” so far has made up for loitering around the bottom of the standings for many guys who support the team.
