Neil Francis

[Itchy]

Can't be arsed engaging anymore, you are both entitled to your opinion, pretty obvious we disagree and I am not going get anywhere, I didn't join the board to talk rugby but I will defend the sport, in fact I would pretty much defend all sports. Anyway that's fine, not going fall out over it, just moving on, is that ok?

100%!

[Dinny Breen]

Can't be arsed engaging anymore, you are both entitled to your opinion, pretty obvious we disagree and I am not going get anywhere, I didn't join the board to talk rugby but I will defend the sport, in fact I would pretty much defend all sports. Anyway that's fine, not going fall out over it, just moving on, is that ok?

100%!

Sound. Up Tipp!

[Itchy]

Can't be arsed engaging anymore, you are both entitled to your opinion, pretty obvious we disagree and I am not going get anywhere, I didn't join the board to talk rugby but I will defend the sport, in fact I would pretty much defend all sports. Anyway that's fine, not going fall out over it, just moving on, is that ok?

100%!

Sound. Up Tipp!

You've finally lost me, Tipp?

[jmk]

I will indulge

Top of my head passing skills

left, right, pop, spin, cat-flap, flat, short, long, disguised, "off the ground pop", "off the ground pass" "during the tackle",  "at full pace", under, over, switch, screen, wrap "off load one hand" "off load two hands", "rip and pop"

I'm sure I could add more if was engaged but I'm not so final thing now add a defined tackle where you have a heap of decisions to process and try do those skills listed above under that kind of pressure. No doubt you think the best athletes in the world (NBA) are just throw, catch and pass merchants too. There's a reason why GAA coaches rob ideas from Rugby and Basketball. My last piece of advice, unwanted no doubt, is never be dismissive of other sports other ideas especially in front of children. Kids are generally repelled by that kind of negativity, if they are playing others sports it's because they enjoy them, they don't need their choices questioned.

everything that's wrong with rugby encapsulated by giving a list of bulls**t phrases

[Dinny Breen]

Can't be arsed engaging anymore, you are both entitled to your opinion, pretty obvious we disagree and I am not going get anywhere, I didn't join the board to talk rugby but I will defend the sport, in fact I would pretty much defend all sports. Anyway that's fine, not going fall out over it, just moving on, is that ok?

100%!

Sound. Up Tipp!

You've finally lost me, Tipp?

Sorry Ballina in my head. Up Down!

[Jinxy]

Keep going Dinny, you'll get there in the end.

[Crete Boom]

the reason Tugby would not be that worried about the GAA is the natural catchment areas are so very different .  protestants, professional, wannabes and shopkeepers make up the majority of the rugby senior teams team in the west of Ireland with a few corrowed from the winter from the GAA,
I used to play/ train with ballina for a few winter in a vain attempt at staying fit and thin and its a fine club very welcoming and were very early in importing foreign coaches and players who made a huge difference to the club , But there is always a sense of those who belong v tourists  and the bar afterwards was always like the vicarage tea party .
also interesting to note they now employ a fine GAA journalist as a PR agent how many GAA clubs with a paid PRO?

Lad, you are way off the Mark. Maybe 20 years ago but no more. Check out where the U18s on Ballina Town club come from today.

It was way off the mark in my time there which started 25 years ago.

really so are you still a member there ?
my point  they will take the players from anywhere as you would professionals , but they know who belongs there and who will be gone as soon as they stop playing unless they coach like the undertaker.
i'm not slagging them off just pointing out facts
Not all country rugby team are manned by protestants but  all protestants have some connection to the rugby club . nowhere so much as Ballina .

Yeah I'm still a member as are a good few of my teammates and there was no protestants on my team and only one lad went to Roscrea with the rest incarcerated in Muredachs, and the last president is a plasterer who was captain of the senior team when you were playing. You are not pointing out facts just pointing out what you perceived to be what Ballina RFC or rugby was to you just like somebody saying the Stephenites or Crossmolina was made up of republican knuckle dragging farmers. There was the same cliques in Ballina RFC as Cross or Knockmore or the Stephenites or anywhere where committees were in Mayo at that time and those same people tried to decide whether you belonged or didn't due to who your farther was or did or the family you came from and they were all the same people who went to the same schools and did many of the same types of jobs!! There was just as many solicitors or professionals in all those clubs and it was nothing like the traditional rugby clubs I played against in say Galway or Ulster or Cork or south Dublin, there I admit I definitely felt I wasn't wanted!!
One of the benefits of  growing up in Ballina then was that I got to play any sport I wanted as did nearly all my friends and we all had good and bad experiences in every sport but it was down to individuals we encountered not due to any of our backgrounds or what religion we were!! I am also a member of the Stephenites and my Dad's business is the main sponsor of the hurling club as that is his main love in sport. He also sponsors the Stephenites and the rugby club too cause he has friends involved in both as well as Knockmore and Cross but he could never bring himself to sponsor either as it was Ballina and the Stephenites where he was rared!!
As for Protestants being connected to the club they did tend to go to protestants schools where rugby would have been the main sport just like football was the main sport in Muredachs but alot of those Protestants played football no more so than in Crossmolina as you probably know the family I am thinking of.