Correct. They should be producing more players than the other provinces and they are. Quality of the rugby and the more expansive style in leinster senior cup has improved hugely recent years. Top class coaching in there
Of course. But you have to take advantage. I wouldn’t call 20 schools taking rugby seriously a massive advantage though. Leinster should be credited with how they’ve exploited it, look at how many club players there are. Even guys like Carberry are basically club players even if his school he attended for one year will get most of the credit.
Ulster have underachieved big time imo.
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It is really. You’d have maybe 4 rugby schools in Munster, 2 in Connacht and 6 in Ulster.
At least 6 if not 7 different winners of the Munster senior cup in last 20 years
Nah.
That’s a poor post Fagan, I’ve come to expect better than that from your good self.
Forgot few obvious ones. Marty Moore and Brendan Macken both featured for Wasps. Ian McKinely started for Treviso
Keatley and Conway for Munster
Farrell, Coulson, thornbury, cian kelleher for connacht
O connor, timoney, and cooney for Ulster.
15 plus the 20 that featured for Leinster across one weekend. Not counting those at lower levels across europe and the injured.
Phenomenal
Full-time professional coaching will do that in fairness
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Not all of it is full time professionals though. The Clongowes coach of late was a teacher. Same with the Blackrock coach. It’s only very recently that Belvedere took on a coach from outside who wasn’t a teacher. Michaels has mostly been teachers, albeit they clearly have hired teachers with a view to them being rugby coaches.
Most schools take outside coaching of some sort and have done for 20 odd years. The big difference in a place like St Michaels is their whole school approach with a Director of Rugby. Pretty sure he still teaches too.
Glenstal are even doing it
You say it like it would be a bad thing.
Every single school in Munster could get a development officer in for a few hours a week if they wished. Most have no interest. No idea why you would turn down a free resource
In fairness Tim, the likes of Phil Wehrahiko hardly factored in the Leinster Schools Cup as part of his career plan. Still, it’s there, and they have produced big time relative to the playing population.
I didn’t say there weren’t pro coaches though, just that it isn’t true to just say it’s all full time coaches. I would say most are teachers with a sprinkling of full time guys like Werahiko, who make a lot of their living off the AIL, and past pupils. Werahiko was a full time coach before he went to Belvedere. The way they do game these things is by bringing in people who are going to be rugby coaches as well as teachers. I doubt St Michaels allow guys to run even C and D first year teams if they don’t have some sort of pedigree or someone with input looking over their shoulder. 20 years ago schools were still throwing those types of teams to pimple faced country lads in their first year teaching, rocking down in GGA shorts.
Still the case somewhat in Limerick I think. Intercounty footballer from Clare with no rugby was training Munchins junior cup team afaik
You wouldnt be allowed train a club u 14 team without some of the coaching courses done now.
Be very surprised if he didnt have the coaching courses done. Plenty fellas coach underage without having played themselves.
Thought Farrell came from Ulster via Grenoble?
The coaching course have improved no end tbh, it was still mandatory to go to them in most schools if you were going to be a head coach of any team 10 years ago but they’re a mile better now.
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You’re thinking of Chris Farrell.
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Talking bout Tom farrell in connacht. Also a centre
Ah right sorry just read your post properly. My bad.
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