The News Review:
- New faces seeking to add sparkle
- Kelly will captain depleted Munster
- Meehan impressed by English skill
- Bricks in place for Sheridan’s return
New faces seeking to add sparkle
Telegraph.co.uk – Aug 31, 2006
Now there are no excuses. All eyes will be on the opening fixtures and perhaps more importantly the numbers going through the turnstiles. Munster’s success in last season’s Heineken Cup and various arrivals during the summer has heightened interest around the Celtic nations. However if the competition is to make headline news the four Welsh regions and three Scottish districts must end last season’s Irish domination when Ulster Leinster and Munster finished in positions one two and three. “It was a good season for the Irish last time around now it’s up to us to challenge them” said Dai Young the coach of the Cardiff Blues who after a dreadful start finished as the best-placed Welsh team. Cardiff like the other three regions in Wales have been busy in the transfer market with the former All Black Ben Blair and current Fijian wing Mosese Luveitasau among their new faces. Newport-Gwent Dragons have picked up Colin Charvis American Eagle Paul Emmerick and Nottingham’s No 8 Nic Fitsemanu while Llanelli Scarlets have brought back Stephen Jones as well as signing Scottish lock Scott McCleod and New Zealand prop Deacon Manu.
Kelly will captain depleted Munster
RTE.ie – Aug 31, 2006
Kelly will play in the centre along with James Downey who makes his competitive debut. Munster ended their campaign last May with a huge win over the Blues at Thomond Park on a night of celebration a week after the Heineken Cup success. But coach Declan Kidney is without all his international squad members though Tomas ‘Leary is available at scrum-half and will partner rising star Jeremy Manning. Welsh international Chris Wyatt will face his former team-mates in his first competitive game for Munster. Trevor Halstead Jerry Flannery and Eugene McGovern have been sidelined by injury. MUNSTER v Cardiff Blues Friday 1 September Arms Park 7.
Meehan impressed by English skill
BBC News – Aug 31, 2006
“It is talked up a bit but the skill levels at Bath are better than when I was initially involved with Stade. Australian Meehan who started his coaching career with Queensland worked with ex-Springboks coach Nick Mallett and former French scrum-half star Fabien Galthie at Stade before being lured to the Rec. He won two French championship titles and reached the 2005 Heineken Cup final during his time in Paris but believes the Premiership will provide a bigger test than the Top 14. “The Premiership is obviously a very intense competition” he said. “There is no place to rest or hide. “The need to manage your squad is very important in order to keep the players fresh both physically and mentally… The upheaval was a setback for a club that had progressed so impressively under Ashton during the second half of last season. Meehan who is assisted by forwards coach Mark Bakewell originally joined as a backs coach but was promoted to acting head coach at the start of August. And skipper Steve Borthwick says he has been impressed by the new coaching set up and has called on his side to end their barren run of 10 years without a trophy. “Whenever there is change there is a period where you have to adapt but all credit to Steve and Mark they have not drastically changed things” he said. “They have gradually brought in new ideas to take our game forward and the players have really embraced that. “It is not ideal when you have wholesale coaching changes but it has been handled very well. “As players now we really need to step up and deliver the consistent level of performance that we have seen glimpses of over the last couple of years.
Bricks in place for Sheridan’s return
Telegraph.co.uk – Aug 31, 2006
“But the pain didn’t go away and a scan a week later at Sale showed that it was a prolapsed disc. I wouldn’t blame anyone for the injury as there was no conclusive evidence at the time of the injury that it was major. ” Instead of playing in a Heineken Cup quarter-final and the Premiership final he started a three-month rehabilitation programme having consulted two specialists about the best course of treatment. ne wanted to operate but Sheridan opted to take the advice that proper rest – no running or weights – would heal the disc. “An operation would have been very tricky and would have meant a long period out of the game” he said. ne player facing two months on the sidelines is Mark van Gisbergen. Wasps confirmed yesterday that the England squad full-back has broken his jaw in a pre-season match.