Time to redefine our Project Players"

Peter Borlase, the Kiwi born prop who left Ireland this month after three years in Ireland summed up the current "project player" system quite well. His explanation was simple:

As close as "Project Player", Borlase came to international rugby

"I'm going to Ireland as a project player and that basically means you go through the IRFU. It doesn't necessarily mean I am going to play for Ireland but there is that option there".

Leaving aside the moral arguments doing the rounds amongst the rugby fraternity regarding this policy there must surely be questioned over the success of such a system. By definition you are targeting players that are not born in Ireland, who have no parents or grandparents hailing from the Emerald Isle while also never having played international rugby, international A rugby or rugby sevens for another nation. It will therefore be no surprise that this project has been a failure with none of these especially chosen project players ever earning a cap.

It makes me wonder whether there are not better projects that the IRFU could put in place; projects that would yield far great rewards to the national team. As that dreadful encounter in Twickenham proved, the cupboard is looking quite bare when it comes to scrummaging props. The whole project player scheme seems currently to be addressing our deficiencies in the front row but there is more than one way to skin a cat.

Identifying  players in Ireland who although not necessarily international class yet could be with resources from national team.

We have seen plenty of good scrum performances this season from Ulster prop Declan Fitzpatrick. However, he is too unfit to last a full 80 minutes and is a long way off the pace needed for international rugby. Rather than spent 3 years hoping that Peter Borlase or Rodney Ah You decides take the green, why not select Fitzpatrick as a project. Give him the chance and the resources to develop his fitness.

Was substituted by Hansen after 30 minutes for being unfit 

We need look no further than across the seas to our Celtic cousins the Welsh, who will be aiming for four wins on the trot over the Irish in the 6 Nations. Adam Jones was an overweight player labelled too fat for the professional game according to pundits such as Zinzan Brooke and former Wales coach Steven Hansen. However the help given to him by coaches Lyn Jones and Gatland turned the prop from the "30 minute man" into a truly world class tighthead with sound motivation. Rather than criticise his weaknesses they focused on what he could do - scrummage well - and maintained that fitness could be worked upon and improved. We did the same thing with Cian Healy following his absolutely disastrous Heinken Cup semi final performance against Toulouse in 2010 where he was scrummed off the park. Maybe the use of the carrot instead of the stick could work well in Ireland. If there is one thing I am noticing more and more it is that pundits, coaches and fans are focused more on what players do badly instead of do well. Declan Fitzpatrick is unfit, Ian Madigan doesn't kick goals as well as our other guys, Simon Zebo is a suspect defender, Darren Cave is a little too slow etc.

Ensure that our developing players are getting the game time that they need.

There is no substitute to gametime when it comes to player development. In years gone by a thriving All Ireland League when Shannon and Ballymena and Garryowen and St Marys would send out their provincial players on a regular basis. Now realistically this is now not always possible due to the Pro 12, British & Irish Cup, Heineken Cup, International Rugby etc. However despite reports of increased demands on players with more and more and more games, this is mainly true for the top class English and French players. If you are an average player for Munster / Leinster / Ulster how much gametime can you expect to see and is it really enough? Is the quality of the matches you are playing good enough? And can the constant stop-start nature of moving between club and provincial A team and provincial league team really lead to a top performer.

It is no problem to get game time when Irish internationals are your competition due to the intense rest periods they are afforded. However when you are up against foreign players whose only job is to play for the province it is a little harder to come by. And with BJ Botha, Wian du Preez, Heinke van der Merwe, Nathan White, Rodney Ah You, Peter Borlase and John Afoa all propping up our provincial front rows it is no wonder that props John Andress, Tony Buckley, Timmy Ryan and Dave Ryan have all moved onto pastures new as the likes of Peter Bracken and Mike Ross did before them.

Ensure that players who depart Ireland are not simply gone and forgotten.

This is also crucial. It is one thing for players to head abroad to learn new skills and develop their game with constant matches. However it is useless if they are forgotten about. To the IRFU's credit they have always tried to seek out the lads doing well abroad and bring them home to help the provinces. Leinster captain Leo Cullen and his deputy Shane Jennings brought new skills and a new mentality back to Ireland with them following their stint at Leicester Tigers. Eoin Reddan returned to Ireland from London Wasps as a proven performer with a Heineken Cup winners medal to his claim. Next season we will see Northampton Saints duo Roger Wilson and James Downey return to Ireland along with Tommy Bowe who has seen his best form for Ireland coincide with working with the fantastic Shane Williams at Ospreys.

Neglected: Andress' has just 1 appearance for Ireland A

While we have excellent foreign props with contracts lasting for the next few years, there is nothing to stop us looking at our guys playing abroad for the national team. John Andress who has been a staple of the English Premiership for several years with both the Exeter Chiefs and Harlequins could bring a lot to the national team. He will be at Worcester next season. Similarly there is surely fight in Timmy Ryan yet. Although he is one who has always flattered to deceive he proved his promise against the All Blacks in 2008-2009. Since then he has gone on to play in France, England, Italy and now Wales. I fear for the amount of gametime he will see for the Newport Gwent Dragons in the coming months. However I do think that it is worth keeping tabs on these players and ensuring they do not slip through our fingers.

As I say, although the current project player system seems to make sense for the IRFU, it is not yielding benefits. The only project player in our history who looks remotely likely to represent Ireland is Richardt Strauss who plays in a position we are already quite strong. Rather than provide the national team with new options at prop, it has in fact limited our options with foreign players while turning our back on guys who could be decent with the right work and dedication. They say that props are late bloomers - lets make these guys the projects of the future.

The Elephant in the Room

Rob Kearney: The Enfield Discussions

In 2009 a young man named Robert Kearney rocked the apple cart. He raised the question as to why Munster could produce all these miracle matches, create a fortress mentality and have a team greater than the sum of its parts. His theory was simple – that Munster players felt more passionate about playing for their province than any Irish internationals felt about the national team. Despite ruffling serious feather (I know Marcus Horan in particular was outraged by this suggestion) he meant it as a compliment rather than a slight. He called on all the Irish international to emulate the passionate Munster brought to the Heineken Cup. Irish coach Declan Kidney revealed that a lot of soul searching had been done and that the players were more of a team than ever before. We believed him. We believed him even more when Brian O’Driscoll was the first Irish captain to lift the 6 Nations trophy and a 61 year wait for a Grand Slam was achieved. But then something happened, something that wasn’t discussed in the Irish camp.

The Red Army offers its support to Munster

In May 2009, only 8 weeks after Ireland’s 6 Nations odyssey, Leinster were crowned Champions of Europe. Then they did it again two seasons later and Ulster began to qualify for the knockout stages of Europe. Bizarrely, the rise in success at European Cup level has actually seen a major decline in the results and performances of the national team. Professional rugby is a technical field and clearly the Irish coaching team has made some key errors in terms of tactics and selection. However I think what is now the elephant in the room is that every single player seems to bring more to their province than their country – not just the Munster players. We see the passion in all the key provincial games. However its only there in fits and spurts for Ireland. We just don’t see the players (or fans) turn up with same intensity. In an interview with Bea Asprey of Rugbyworld Magazine, the issue was discussed with stand in Ireland captain Rory Best.

“Its hard to know why Ireland have underperformed because it’s the same group of players as when they play for their provinces. There are a lot of good points when we come together, but because the three groups are so competitive sometimes it takes a wee bit of time to get into it. Its like being with the enemy and there are splits within the camp”.

Rory Best celebrates with Brian McLaughlin

Its disappointing to hear this from a man who captained his country against England only four weeks ago. However, is it really surprising? This season I have been to see Connacht, Leinster, Ulster and Munster all play in the Heineken Cup and I can tell you that the fans bring more energy, colour and passion to a Heineken Cup match than they will to an Ireland game. I don’t even think this is a point for debate. On a personal level I am more upset when Munster get knocked out of the Heineken Cup than when Ireland lose in the 6 Nations. Brian O’Driscoll lifting the 6 Nations trophy was a special day but 8 weeks later I heard Leinster fans describe it as second best when compared with their European Cup win in Murrayfield. Why should the players care more about Ireland when the fans don’t seem to?

Ronan O’Gara has made no secret that he prefers playing for Munster than playing for Ireland. This was enhanced by his poor experiences during the 2007 Rugby World Cup and the welcome the Thomond Park faithful afforded him on his return to the province. Andrew Trimble admitted after Ireland’s annihilation by England this year that “it’s difficult to hear yourself say this, but it felt like we gave in”. That is not something I have ever felt having watching a Heineken Cup game in recent years. Trimble also conducted an interview after the 6 Nations describing that while playing for Ireland is special, “there is nothing like playing for Ulster”.

4 Provinces; we need 1 team

Its time to stop seeing the national team as merely mashing the provinces together and hoping for the best. It does not have to be one or the other. Englands class of 2003 were built around the excellent Heineken Cup teams at the time, yet they could deliver for their country. South Africa and New Zealand have a very proud domestic game yet their players passion is never in doubt to me. A criticism of the Lions is that it is very hard to shove four passionate groups together and get them to replicate their passion and desire. Currently its no different for Ireland. I think its time for another rocking in the apple cart, a long hard look in the mirror by all players and fans and deciding that playing for Ireland deserves the same honour, passion and work ethic that playing for the provinces does.

The British & Irish Cup: An Insight

“It gives the team the advantage of playing in cross border competitions. This can only be of benefit to the Championship teams”. This is what the Cornish Pirates were quick to point out when asked about the British and Irish Cup by Red Stag Rugby. The tournament brings the Irish provinces ‘A’ teams together with the clubs of Scotland, Wales and England to play a Heineken Cup style competition. Last year saw an all English affair between Bristol and the Bedford Blues. The year before we saw the Cornish Pirates take on Munster ‘A’ in a match that the club will long remember. “We were proud and delighted to be the first winners of the British and Irish Cup”, the club pointed out to us. “The competition has been seen by some to be less important perhaps in the last two years but with the changes in format next season, extra interest should be rekindled”.

Cornish Pirates celebrating victory in 2010

This will be the first time in the competition’s three year history that a Celtic team will get their name on the trophy as welsh club team Cross Keys RFC take on the Munster ‘A’ team. I caught up with Mark Prangell, team manager for Cross Keys on his feelings on the subject ahead of their showdown with Munster. His feelings on the subject were simple:

“It is important for Premiership clubs to have the B&I Cup because it gives all players, coaches, physios and staff a direct insight into professional rugby and how we can, within budget, raise our club as a whole. Players are tested and put in the shop window. The younger ones are aspiring to be professional players and maybe future internationals. It benefits the club with increased media exposure. It helps the regions by being able to expose their academy players to a high level of rugby at no cost to them – either financially or result wise. It is also a reminder to the pro players of the ethos and values of club rugby”.

Back in Ireland however, Connacht fans are celebrating the competitions expansion and their province’s inclusion after being originally left out. It is yet another sign that the province is joining Ulster, Munster and Leinster on an equal footing and the benefits of inclusion in the competition is not lost on the fans. Posters on the Connacht Clan forum were eager to see fringe players getting a chance to prove their worth, while allowing established players returning from injury. There is no denying that the competition is a fantastic stepping stone as well as being a great competition in its own right. The Munster team who lost the final to Cornish Pirates in 2010 were drilled by the recently turned coach Anthony Foley and contained the likes of Simon Zebo, Mike Sherry, Peter O’Mahony and Tommy O’Donnell. Two years later, Foley is in the frame for the Musnter head coach role and has worked as forwards coach for Ireland. Similarly, that young quartet were all starting in the Heineken Cup quarter final against Ulster a few days ago. Connacht will be keen to provide an outlet and continue to develop their local talent.

Simon Zebo learning his trade at club level

It is interesting though that it isn’t club sides like Clontarf RFC or Shannon RFC but instead the provincial teams who represent Ireland and alternatively that the Welsh choose not to enter the regions in this competition. While there has been fantastic development for the Irish teams, a part of me feels that the club game could benefit more. The club game has long been the backbone of club rugby in Ireland. Munster and Leinster’s successes in the Heineken Cup have been well attributed to the impact of the club game and finding players who were late bloomers such as James Coughlan. Attendances are dwindling for the club sides and this could be the shot in the arm that gets punters into their local club and keeping the grassroots going. Also relevant is the amount of players who could get cross border exposure. Its no secret that Ireland are up the creek with no paddles when it comes to the search for props. With 4 provinces competing in the league we can only test so many players. By contrast there are 12 Welsh Premiership teams in the competition which exposures more players and cast the net that bit wider. Regardless of whether we have clubs, regions or provinces I have to agree with Cornish Pirates that interest in this competition will grow as it matures.

Where to now for Munster?

Looking firstly at the front row there are both positives and negatives. The first choice props of Wian du Preez and BJ Botha are solid scrummaging South Africans and Mike Sherry is an extremely promising prospect whose talents will not go unnoticed by Declan Kidney. However, there is a worry about the backups. At tighthead neither Stephen Archer nor Peter Borlase look properly ready. Loosehead Darragh Hurley, despite what is now years of injury worries, could emerge as a long term successful candidate; a return to fitness is an urgent priority as the cupboard looks bare otherwise.

It is the backrow where I can see quite big developments. Although James Coughlan is a superb player and a fan favourite, I think there is fight left in Denis Leamy yet. His cameos in the Heineken Cup this year were very promising and I can see him coming back with a bang after taking the time to treat his knee properly. The talented Peter O'Mahony will continue in the blindside position while it comes down to a straight battle between David Wallace, Niall Ronan and newcomer Tommy O'Donnell. Ronan had a handful of excellent Heineken Cup appearances this year and if he continues this next year is my shout for the openside jersey.

Link man, Niall Ronan, bags a try against Scarlets

I have a number of concerns about the halfbacks at Munster both in the short and long term. Whether it is Tomas O'Leary or Conor Murray, I just do not see them dictating the tempo of the game to the necessary levels. Service to O'Gara has been slow and awkward for much of this year. The return of Peter Stringer is a welcome development. Conor Murray has not been the same player since his return from the Rugby World Cup be it for Ireland or Munster. Stringer will be a welcome influence on him. Possibly more worrying is what our flyhalves are doing with slow ball. We are seeing poor decision making from O'Gara over when to kick, when to run and when to pass. He usually is able to figure it all out eventually, but we just don't seem to be able to get it right from the start and make the right calls as consistently as I used it.

The slow starts that Munster are making when push comes to shove are an absolutely massive worry in my opinion. The team are simply are taking too long to grow into key matches. In the Amlin semi final against Harlequins last year, they went 14-0 behind and simply couldn't recover. This year proved no different. You simply can't go 19-0 down in a knockout match and expect to win. Against both Castres and Scarlets in the pool stages they conceded early tries and had extremely poor opening periods required a spirited fightback to win. Although it may simply be that the team are slow starters and need time to get into the match, my own feeling is that they are taking too long.

The individual brilliance of Howlett has masked a poor attack

Above all else Munster need to really think about how they want to attack. I feel that, similar to the national side, the team is caught between a style of play that served them well in the past and a newer more fluid game to suit the players that they have. The likes of Doug Howlett, Keith Earls, Simon Zebo and Felix Jones are amazing finishers but there is a concern about the quality of the attacking play. We seem to be overly reliant on individual displays of flair or else the continuous peppering of the opposition with ball carrying pods. I would say that the only real creator in our backline this year has been Denis Hurley who enjoyed a fantastic pool stages in the Heineken Cup. Overall any new coach that comes in, must make a solid attacking gameplan his main priority. 

Red Stag Rugbys Players to Watch 2012/2013: Darragh Hurley, Niall Ronan, Denis Leamy, Ian Keatley, JJ Hanrahan, Casey Laulala

Red Stag Rugby's Munster XV for 2012/2013:

01 Wian du Preez

02 Mike Sherry

03 BJ Botha

04 Donnacha Ryan

05 Paul O'Connell (c)

06 Peter O'Mahony

07 Niall Ronan

08 Denis Leamy

09 Conor Murray

10 Ronan O'Gara

11 Simon Zebo

12 James Downey

13 Casey Laulala

14 Doug Howlett

15 Felix Jones

16 Damien Varley

17 Marcus Horan

18 Stephen Archer

19 Donnacha O'Callaghan

20 David Wallace

21 Peter Stringer

22 Ian Keatley

23 Keith Earls

Is the Pro 12 a Sustainable Model?

With yesterdays shocking news that Aironi Rugby have been removed from the Rabo Direct Pro 12 due to financial pressures the question must be asked. Is the Rabo Direct Pro 12 a financially stable league? Since the inception of the Celtic League in 2002 we have seen the Borders Reviers (Scotland), Celtic Warriors (Wales) and Aironi Rugby (Italy) kicked to the wayside. Aside from the Irish teams, the league has been characterised by low attendances and seen by many as a sideshow to the Heineken Cup competition. As a Munster fan who has seen his team win multiple European Cups and Celtic Leagues, I would be loath to suggest changing what is clearly a winning formula. However the question has to be asked is the league stable in the long run?

Aironi Rugby lost their Pro 12 licence yesterday

The Scottish teams Glasgow and Edinburgh are unable to keep a hold of their international class players. 14 of Andy Robinson's international Six Nations squad are playing outside of Scotland. It is no wonder that they attendances for the Pro 12 is not increasing. Italy had originally opted to include the Praetorians Roma instead of Treviso. However it was decided that they were definitely not a financially sustainable team. Alarmingly Aironi were considered to be the most financially stable team that Italy could produce. However they have only ever been able to draw 4,500 at a maximum to a Pro 12 game. By contrast they drew in nearly 9,000 fans to their match against Leicester Tigers this year. Now that they have been removed, the FIR have claimed that they will have a suitable Italian team to take their place in Pro 12 and Europe next year. Personally I don't see what team is financially sustainable enough to do so.

Wales remains a massive talking point. If the Welsh regions had healthy attendances and an appetite for the regional game there would be a lot less to this discussion. Despite a massively passionate following for their international game and a rich history of domestic rugby, the support for the Pro 12 teams has never really been there. The Welsh team who have always impressed me are the Scarlets. The Llanelli based region seems to be doing well in terms of ticket sales, support and hundreds of Scarlets fans are invested shareholders in the team through a  season ticket initiative. However it was revealed 6 months ago that the Scarlets are lumbered with a debt of £5.5 million. Even more alarmingly was the statement made by their chief executive Mark Davies who conceded that their "rugby revenue cannot cover their rugby costs" and they are running at at loss of about £700,000 per annum. He was quick to reassure fans that the Scarlets hope to break even next year. The WRU has commissioned financial agency Pricewaterhousecooper to investigate the state of the regions finances and there are talks of providing them with extra cash to sustain them, cutting one regions finances to create a development region.

Contrast between International and Regional Support

It seems that the Irish are the one anomaly and it is easy to see why. The provinces have won four Heineken Cups in the last six years and are likely to have two teams in the semi finals again this year. Munster, Leinster and Ulster are all attracting supporters to their Pro 12 games. The questions the IRFU needs to ask though is will the support keep coming if the provinces were to stop winning and what will happen the consequences for them be if the other unions suffer financial problems.

One of the main selling points of the Pro 12 is its efforts at player development. There is no relegation and Heineken Cup qualification is decided on individual countries not by league placings. This year Edinburgh are languishing in 11th place, yet they enjoy a home quarter final in Europe against Toulouse. Only three times this season have they been able to coax 4,000 fans to Murrayfield. In short the league needs to be seen as something worth coming to watch. For me it is a development league, however (as mentioned) I think thats brilliant as it acts as a conveyor belt and leads to continued success in Europe and Internationally. Ulster's Stephen Ferris has only played 4 games in the Pro 12 since September. I have no problems watching it as I have made my peace with this and don't need the superstar players to draw me to the matches. Will that be enough for the casual fan though? Maybe its time to look at qualification for Europe based on league position. It would be a massive sacrifice to make but in the long term maybe its the right call. Because right now the question remains, is the league as a whole a financially unstable model. 

Guide to Limerick: ERC Quarter Finals

Munster Rugby announced today that this weekend's match against Ulster will see the most travelling away support to Thomond Park ever. With this in mind Red Stag Rugby is happy to present a brief guide to Limerick City, giving tips to anyone travelling for restaurants, bars, entertainment and transport.

Recommended Restaurants:

The Hamptons, located opposite Dunnes Stores and next to the Savoy Hotel. This is a fantastic restaurants which specialises in grilled meats, vegetables and marinades. A three course meal costs €25 and I would highly recommend it.

Chocolat, set on O'Connell St in the heart of Limerick. A widely diverse menu makes this a very popular restaurant. The set three course evening menu is €25 and there is always excellent lunch offers too. A very busy restaurant, you may have to wait for a table.

Jasmine Palace, is opposite Chocolat and run by the same owners. As the name suggests it is a Chinese restaurant which does good set menus for €25 and a Sunday buffet lunches for just €19 for as much as you can eat. There is also a children and infant price and it is very family friendly.

Freddys Bistro, set a little off the beaten track this little gem is set in Theatre Lane. Just head to Lower Mallow Street and find Theatre Lane and Freddys Bistro. Freddys has won numerous awards for its high culinary standards and though it wont be open on match day it will be perfect for Saturday evening. 

Bella Italia, every city needs a top class Italian restaurant and while the likes of Milanos and Marco Polo provide good Italian grub, they aren't in the same league as Bella Italia I would say. Bella Italia is situation on Thomas Street and provides everything you could expect from a top class Italian restaurant, offering a €25 early bird special. Owner Caroline McMahon spent several years in Sardinia and this is seen in the restaurant and delicatessen.

Texas Steakout, a great steak house set in the heart of Limerick City. This O'Connell Street restaurant offers a specialised Sunday lunch at a great value of €19. This runs up until 22.00 so is perfect for a place to come Sunday evening after watching the quarter finals.

Recommended Bars:

The Locke Bar, if (please God) we get a sunny Easter weekend there is no better pub in Limerick than the Locke Bar. Set opposite the Granary, with ample outdoor river seating, it is a real social hub. It also serves seafood and will be showing the Munster v Ulster game.

Clohessys Bar, probably the quintessential rugby pub in Limerick City. Run by former Munster and Ireland prop Peter Clohessy this is set along the river front, a short walk from Thomond Park. In the evenings it opens up into the Sin Bin Night Club and will probably have the biggest gathering of rugby fans on match day.

Flannerys Bar, is located on Denmark Street and is very popular due to its central location and its proximity to the Limerick night clubs. It also has a large covered smoking courtyard complete with heaters and has a late bar licence so the fun can continue late into the night.

Nancy Blakes, is a real traditional Irish pub located next door to Flannerys. If you don't like busy, stay away. This place is always jam packed with people piled into the beer gardens. But if you don't mind standing and chatting with a pint in your hand then this is a great place to have a drink.

Quays Bar, Pier Hotel, breaks up the journey to Thomond Park. Located just as you leave the city centre on Sarsfield Bridge it is about 7 minutes walk to the stadium. Its a pub you'll be walking past on the way to the stadium from the city centre.

Ardhú Bar, remains something of an unknown. The one thing I feel Thomond Park lacks is some top pubs close to the stadium. However the Ardhú Bar is a great place for a pre or post match drink. Situated only a short stroll from the stadium the Ardhú and Munster bar is on the Ennis Road and offers a fully enclosed and fully heated courtyard.

Transport:

Q-Park has teamed up with Thomond Park and Munster Rugby to offer a match day parking of just €5 in Harveys Quay, Henry Street and Cruises Street car park. Parking will be very hard to get in Limerick City Centre so this is a fantastic price. It can be booked at www.q-park.ie

There are also several Park and Ride facilties in place in the suburbs of Raheen, Caherdavin and Castletroy so another option could be to park in the 'burbs and use the Park and Ride.

There should be no issues getting a taxi in Limerick. There are several taxi ranks dotted throughout the city centre mainly in O'Connell St. However you should be more than capable of simply flagging a taxi.

Entertainment:

There is a Munster Rugby exhibition in the city centre on the corner of Henry Street and Roches Street. You will be passing it on the way to the Stadium. Its a great collection of photos and memorabilia relating to Munster Rugby.

Thomond Park Museum will be open on match day from 11am on Sunday and only costs €3. If you have a bit of time to kill I strongly recommend it. It isn't quite the same as you won't be able to visit the dressing rooms and pitch but the stadium is also worth the visit.

If you want to take Sunday morning before the match a bit easy and get some fresh fruit and rich coffee into you, there is no better place than the Milk Market. Located just off Denmark Street, this market is completely covered so it doesnt matter if it rains. Fresh produce is aplenty here and it is a nice place to spend your morning.

Any other questions about Limerick, simply email redstagrugby@gmail.com

Set Piece and Fitness Battles to decide the Thomond War

On Easter Sunday the most highly anticipated game in Irish domestic rugby since the Leinster v Munster semi final of 2008 takes place. Ulster come to Thomond eager to put a poor away record to bed and leapfrog Munster in the provincial bragging rights battle. However with their best player Stephen Ferris a massive doubt, this will have dented their chances slightly. The flanker, who has been named on the ERC Player of the Year longlist has been included in the extended squad but races a race against time to get his fitness up after limping off against Aironi last year.

But it isn't a clean bill of health for the home side either. Seven internationally capped players sat out last weekends match with Leinster. All Black record try scorer Doug Howlett and Irish internationals Niall Ronan, Denis Leamy, Donnacha Ryan, Conor Murray, David Wallace and captain Paul O'Connell were all big losses. The latter four have been included in Munsters extended squad but it appears unlikely that all four will start for the men in red. The fitness battle will be absolutely key as a full strength Ulster team will seriously test a weakened Munster team. Likewise if Munster can key men fit they could take advantage of Ferris' absence. The battle for fitness will be a massive factor.

The other big issue will be the set piece. Munster had a horrible day at the lineout against Leinster last week but again it comes down to personnel. If Paul O'Connell and Donnacha Ryan come back to the team it will seriously strenghten the lineout. Johann Muller and Dan Tuohy are no slouches but we could be looking at Donnacha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell, Peter O'Mahony and Donncha Ryan all in the starting team. Without the return of key men, Munster's lineout becomes predictable and Ulster simply must take advantage of that.

BJ Botha: former Ulster prop, current Munster prop

The scrum must surely be the other facet of the game that holds a massive key. In Munster's last Heineken Cup match they shipped two penalty tries - which is fine when you are running 50 points past a deflated Saints team. In knockout rugby it is suicide. We saw how Leinster fell apart two years ago when the scrum let them down and more recently Ireland's capitulation in Twickenham. An interesting subplot will be how BJ Botha fares against his old club. No doubt that it will be a special day for the Munster #3 who still holds fond memories of his time in the North. Unlike many referees, match official Roman Poite fully allows the scrum to be used as an attacking weapon. Many referees have enough trouble at scrum time and try to keep things in their control. Poite allows a stronger scrum to attack, something which will not bode well for Munster.

Overall this is where the game will be won and lost along with the usual hallmarks of knockout rugby - goal kicking and discipline. Get the key men fit, win the set piece battle and play "knockout rugby". Rugby isn't a complicated game but its about winning a series of key battles.

The 5th Region - The Valleys

There are only a few places in the rugby world as passionate about the game as southern Wales. This is probably reflected in the location of the Welsh regions. The Dragons and Blues are only 15 miles apart as are the Scarlets and Ospreys. In fact if you popped into your car you could visit all four stadia in just over an hour. There has been a great deal of criticism regarding these teams from many of the Welsh fans who regard them as "superclubs" and certainly they do not attract anywhere near the support that the Welsh international team receives. There is now a proposal from the people of the Welsh valleys to introduce a rugby revolution, a 5th region; a team who understands the idea of being a region and having to ties to any particular club. Valleys Rugby is aiming to introduce a 100% supporters owned team into the domestic game by 2013/2014 and so far have got a small but passionate following from local business, rugby fans and politicians.

Unlike the other regions which all had the name of a town in the name (Neath-Swansea/Llanelli/Newport-Gwent & Cardiff) the Valleys would instead be more of a regional focus. They are aiming to be based primarily in Pontypridd but to play top class matches in other towns such as Methyr, Pontypool, Ebbw Vale and Colwyn Bay to ensure that there is a regional feel. The Valleys will also have an academy based in North Wales. The team would wear a green and black kit.

The Celtic Warriors;
the last 'Valleys Region'

One key feature of Valleys Rugby is that it would be owned by the fans. The team hopes to raise £1 million in capital by selling shares costing £100 each. In addition they will seek to earn money from local business and have already received pledges for hundreds of thousands of pounds from several local companies. They also hope to generate revenue from TV revenue, ticketing and of course support from the Welsh Rugby Union.

One of the glaring problems in my opinion is that those people who put their hand into their pocket and pay for shares in Valleys Rugby are the same people with the desire and commitment to attend the matches. But despite having paid out £100 they must now buy tickets too and could this be as step too far. However in an interview with Red Stag Rugby, one of the key men behind Valleys Rugby, Owen Smith M.P. was quick to quench any worries.

Shareholders in Valleys Rugby would clearly get significant discounts on match or season tickets. But people must remember that this is a still just a pilot proposal and we have had no indication as yet that the WRU will give us a fair wind. If they do, then the fine print will be filled in. We have been as good as our word to date and tabled a serious plan for consideration, if we get the green light to take it further then people can rest assured that we will produce the next level of detail in good time and good order."

There is no doubt that there will be some impact on the other regions. I simply can't see both the Dragons and the Blues both continuing to exist if a Valleys Region was to emerge. The WRU will use their heads and weigh up the pros and cons of introducing a new region as well as considering how well the Dragons and Blues are doing financially. The other factor to consider with be how marketable they are in the long term. The Ospreys and Scarlets seem to be very much on the right track and I would imagine both have a long term future unless they decide to amalgamate to form what would be a very successful team.

The business plan and vision put forward by Valleys Rugby has holes - however for now that it understandable. There will be those who claim that northern Wales is entitled to a region before anyone else and to be fair they do have a point. However, I think that there is a clear appetite for regional rugby in the Valleys and I can only applaud their efforts and hope that the transition from pipe dream to the top flight can be realised.

A Golden Generation for Northern Hemisphere Rugby

Looking at the international squads at the moment its seems to me that we could be entering a golden generation for Northern Hemisphere rugby. The last 7 or 8 years have been identified by inconsistency from the Welsh, Englands struggle to build a squad after the 2003 pinnacle was reached, France who have been chronically bipolar under Lievremont and Scotland and Italy who have been tough for 60 minutes but inevitably run out of steam. However in the last 12 months, we have seen a raft of quite talented players emerge on the international scene for these teams.

England recently fielded a front row with an average age of 23 years old (Alex Cobisiero, Dylan Hartley and Dan Cole). Also in the tight 5, we have seen a lot of young lock forwards sticking their hand up for selection. Courtney Lawes, Alyn Wyn-Jones and Riche Grey and Bradley Davies are all under the age of 25.

The English really look to be building a young squad with the likes of Croft, Cobisiero, Wood, Haskell, Ashton, Hartley, Tuilagi, Foden, Youngs, Flood, Lawes, Wilson and Cole all in their early to mid twenties. The squad looks extremely settled and the core is likely to remain for the next few years at least.

The young trio of Cobisiero, Hartley and Cole

In Wales there has been a recent shift to youth. Indeed I was actually worried whether their pack would have the experience to compete with the best. Outside of their front row, not one of them is over the age of 25. But Warburton, Falatau, Lydiate, Wyn-Jones and Davies have been excellent, even against the power of the big Springbok machine. In the backs, Priestland, North, Halfpenny, Davies have all been real finds and things are actually looking very good internationally for Gatlands men.

Scotland are a team who have come on leaps and bounds. Always a team who 'could' spring a surprise, these are happening more and more frequently. Victories over South Africa, Australia and multiple victories over Ireland have won them plaudits, while the performances from last seasons Six Nations against Wales and England have been very impressive. Although the likes of young men Barclay, Beattie, Ansboro and Grey have been centrally involved, the real credit must go to coach Andy Robinson.

I expect little to change with the French. Livremont constant tinkering and rotation has exaggerated the 'which French side will turn up cliché', but there is still likely to be an element of that under Phillipe Saint André's reign. He's bringing in some UK coaching experience but until they get their half back issues sorted out properly I expect to see a team capable of greatness who will show it on occasion.

Key Players: Healy and O'Brien

For all of Ireland's talk about golden generations, for me it isn't Paul O'Connell, Brian O'Driscoll or Ronan O'Gara who are the key men. Its newer, younger players like Sean O'Brien, Stephen Ferris, Jonathon Sexton, Cian Healy or Rob Kearney. Although the future looks grim at lock and we have not tried enough options at centre, there is young talent there and that is where our best chance of improvement lies. Integrating youngsters like Nevin Spence, Jamie Hagan and Conor Murray into our team. I saw that Jonathon Sexton suggested that the youngsters in the squad have less "baggage" that some of the more senior players.

Benvenuti and Semenzato: Both started in the team that beat France

It's no surprise to me that Italy have one of their best Six Nations in years shortly after the introduction of Aironi and Treviso to the Celtic League. We've seen Gori, Semenzato, Derbyshire, Bocchino and the exciting Benvenuti feature for the Azzurri and as time goes on the Italians are only likely to improve, as they realise the benefits of a top flight domestic game. I think its no harm that they are seeing the back of Mallet.

I really think that we are seeing the start of a top period of Northern Hemisphere rugby. We currently have a lot of young players who are key to their side. It makes for a very exciting Six Nations and also the Lions tour in 2 years time. We will be looking at a young but very experienced Lions teams taking on the Wallabies in 2013.

The Wrap Up Maul Tackle - Analysis

Ok so its the first week of September. The off season is over and its time for a return to Red Stag Rugby. Having received an e-mail asking about the legality and methodology behind the wrap tackle - or Irish style tackling as it has become since the 6 Nations - thats what we'll look at first.

The dynamics of the strategy are quite simple:

• Rather than trying to knock the opposition to the deck, Ireland try to hold him up.
• When they do this they a maul will usually form around them.
• It is now more often that not a win-wn situation for Ireland.
• If they successfully hold up the ball carrier, the opposition either will commit more men to the maul denying them options out wide or else Ireland will steal possession in the maul
• If the opposition manage to go to ground and the ball isn't immediately playable, it is an Irish scrum. This is a change in referee approach last season and the primary reason Ireland starting this tactic.

Check out the above video of the Maul Tackle in action against England in the 6 Nations Championship. If Ireland had a top scrum this tactic would be an especiallu potent weapon. To be honest it is a smart move by Ireland who lack a specialist openside like McCaw, Pocock, Brussow able to pinch and poach. This plays to the strenghts that the team have and is a shrewd means of slowing down the game and forcing a turnover. Especially when compared to 2009, winning breakdown turnovers legally has become so much harder.