The News Review:
- Heineken Cup lures rugby’s southern elite
- Hill critical of players ‘disloyalty’
- Carey sees light at end of tunnel
- Kieran returns for Glasgow clash
Heineken Cup lures rugby’s southern elite
Telegraph.co.uk – Oct 31, 2007
While the television pictures of games such as London Wasps against Munster Leinster versus Leicester Tigers and Clermont Auvergne against Llanelli Scarlets will as usual be piped to the other side of the world many of the southern hemisphere players who featured in the recent World Cup will be sampling the competition for the first time. No longer in the shadows of the Super 14 the Heineken Cup which attracted a world record club crowd of 81000 for last season’s final in which Wasps beat Leicester is very much the box office event of the season. Derek McGrath the chief executive of European Rugby Cup said: “It’s a staggering figure but we will have more than 200 players from the World Cup turning out for the 24 teams next weekend. “The competition has gone from strength to strength in recent seasons. This season I believe we have the most competitive tournament since the competition was formed in the mid-Nineties. The arrival of so many of the game’s leading players has certainly increased the profile of the competition with South Africa’s World Cup winners John Smit and Percy Montgomery as well as All Blacks Doug Howlett and Byron Kelleher among those who will be in action.
Hill critical of players ‘disloyalty’
Ireland Online – Oct 31, 2007
However skipper Vickery who like Catt and Dallaglio was dropped during the tournament only to win his place back in time to lead the side during the knockout stages has insisted Ashton should be backed by the Rugby Football Union. Like him Hill believes the country should band together following England?s surprising surge to the final in Paris rather than focus on the negatives. Speaking at the launch of the Heineken Cup in Cardiff he said: ?I would endorse what Phil Vickery has said about Brian Ashton. A lot of things go on in rugby clubs and he made a very important point. ?As an example we?ve got 54 players at Bristol and you can never keep that number happy. ?And you can never keep the whole World Cup squad happy because everyone wants to play in the starting XV and even in that starting line-up they will have ideas about how they want to play or get their involvement in the game. ?They may not like the fact the coach is telling them ?you?re not going to be doing this? but you have to respect what the coach says and go along with it.
Carey sees light at end of tunnel
Belfast Telegraph – Oct 31, 2007
"I’ve talked with our physio Gareth Robinson and he said I may be able to get some game time around November 17 but I’m taking each day as it comes. "I’m trying to get back to running and I’m just setting myself small targets. "Last Friday was the hardest game to watch as it was a derby and there was a big crowd and it’s going to get tougher with the start of the Heineken Cup. " While it’s been hard for Carey especially with the poor start Ulster have made in the Magners League he can still look on the bright side. "I was in the gym with Neil Hanna and Matt Miles who are also injured and we’re joking that Ulster won’t be shopping in Division One again" laughed Carey. Carey is confident that despite one win from their opening five games Ulster can turn the corner starting with the away game at Glasgow on Friday night. "We’re disappointed but everybody is working very hard and there is a good buzz around the squad.
Kieran returns for Glasgow clash
Belfast Telegraph – Oct 31, 2007
McCall also must decide whether to bring Justin Harrison back into the starting line-up. The Australian lock also inspired the crowd when he came on last week and is pushing Ryan Caldwell and Carlo Del Fava close. McCall is hoping the side can go on from the draw and build confidence with a win at Glasgow before the Heineken Cup. "Hopefully that performance in the last half hour can be a sign of us turning the corner and we can back that up with a strong performance against Glasgow" he says. Ulster Squad: Backs: Mark Bartholomeusz; Isaac Boss; Tommy Bowe; Bryn Cunningham; Rob Dewey; David Humphreys; Kieran Campbell; Mark McCrea; Andrew Trimble; Paddy Wallace. Forwards: Neil Best; Rory Best (Captain); Stuart Philpott; Ryan Caldwell; Kieron Dawson; Carlo del Fava; Stephen Ferris; Declan Fitzpatrick; Justin Fitzpatrick; Justin Harrison; Roger Wilson; Bryan Young. Post a comment Limit: 500 charactersView all comments that have been posted about this article.