Jack McGrath

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Could we not give them Peg Leg or 433 instead?

[TrapperChamonix]

Let's look at the Ulster team against Leinster and where they grew up:

1.Eric O'Sullivan (Leinster)
2.Rory Best (Ulster)
3.Marty Moore (Leinster, inc. playing at pro level)
4.Iain Henderson (Ulster)
5.Kieran Treadwell (England)
6.Nick Timoney (Leinster)
7.Jordi Murphy (Leinster)
8.Marcell Coetzee (South Africa)

9.John Cooney (Leinster, inc. playing at pro level)
10.Billy Burns (England)
11.Jacob Stockdale (Ulster)
12.Stuart McCloskey (Ulster)
13.Darren Cave (Ulster)
14.Robert Balacoune (Ulster)
15.Michael Lowry (Ulster)

16.Rob Herring (South Africa) 17.Andrew Warwick (Ulster) 18.Wiehann Herbst (South Africa) 19.Alan O'Connor (Leinster) 20.Sean Reidy (New Zealand) 21.Dave Shanahan (Leinster) 22.Luke Marshall (Ulster) 23.Angus Kernohan (Ulster)

With the exception of outside backs the Ulster academy is a disgrace and Ulster are completely losing their identity as a team.

I'm glad you are so concerned

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Most professional teams would be delighted to have 7 of their starting team coming from their locality. Calling them a disgrace is a disgrace.....

[Dexter]

I don't know I was approached rather aggressively by Schmidt and Nucifora last October on the 46A outside RTE and they told me that I had to move my season ticket to Munster for the good of Irish rugby (usually 12k empty seats in the white elephant known as Thomond was their case) I refused point blank and not a sniff of a Irish 6 nations ticket for me, previously I had done okay in draws and sourcing of tickets. I am a good chanter and would add to the fanbase on merit. The proof is in the pudding.

OMG, I think you're onto something!! I never suspected the reason for supply of Ireland tickets drying up to Leinster fans...

[deco]

and he played well in his 2 appearances in the AI's especially against the US where he got 60 mins or so and brought a lot of structure and composure to the pivot. Given his strong performance aginst Toulouse subsequently in January, it is difficult to see how he was omitted from the 6N's on form.

Was he omitted from the squad because he said no to Joe? If true, the message is clear.

I have no idea but I'd say that's making sh1t up to suit an agenda. Maybe Josef just had rugby reasons for choosing Carty. At least as plausible.

Very true, John. Both are plausible.

[Peg Leg]

Could we not give them Peg Leg or 433 instead?

I'm wanted for pen theft down there, they'd never take me.

"It was Mrs. O'Leary's cow"

[LeRouxIsPHat]

[paddyor]

Ah come on, Byrne's being doing it in Europe (consistently), Carty, not so much.

"It was Mrs. O'Leary's cow"

Behind a much better pack too...

I think Carty's been a revelation this season and he got the nod on foot of that as well he poses a bigger running threat than Ross which is important for a lot of our strike moves. Maybe not moving to Ulster was an icing on the cake but it was mostly former IMO.

[paddyor]

Was he omitted from the squad because he said no to Joe? If true, the message is clear.

If he said no last season then why was he used in the AIs?

There were still questions at the time whether Carty's form was a flash in the pan.

[johng]

Away tu fock with your logic and sense. It doesn't suit the narrative

[cormac]

Jack McGrath has announced his retirement from rugby.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2023/021 ... rom-rugby/

I feel I have given everything to my rugby career and I have no regrets or anything left to prove. It’s been a long road of rehabilitation after two hip resurfacing operations.

My main focus now is my family and I am excited for this next chapter with them.

I am in a position now where I have a comfortable, pain-free life and can be an active dad, which I have chosen over going back to play rugby.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Was just about to write this.

Prior to injury Jack was one of the best Looseheads in the world.

Thanks for the memories Jack

[blockhead]

Was just about to write this.

Prior to injury Jack was one of the best Looseheads in the world.

Thanks for the memories Jack

Fantastic player, in his day a world beater. Ousted Healy from his starting position for a while which in itself was a major deal.
Thanks Jack.

[brotheroffrank]

Great Player - great person off the pitch too - one of his next ventures is a very different environment ! https://www.openhive.ie/about-us
Thanks Jack!

[riocard911]

Great Player - great person off the pitch too - one of his next ventures is a very different environment ! https://www.openhive.ie/about-us
Thanks Jack!

That's class. Thanks Jack and best of luck for the future!

[Ruckedtobits]

Good luck to Jack in all his ventures. A great guy who really served Leinster and Ireland superbly but another, like SO'B, who was ultimately mullered by a Lions Tour.

[joooooe]

Good luck to Jack in all his ventures. A great guy who really served Leinster and Ireland superbly but another, like SO'B, who was ultimately mullered by a Lions Tour.

It can't be long before a player turns down a Lions call-up, recognising that it has ended or seriously curtailed the careers of some great players, all for the glory of representing BritainAndIreland.

Jack McGrath, though, what a player in his prime. One of the best looseheads in the world 6 years ago. I remember he came on at tighthead in a match against the Ospreys when he was about 20 and didn't look too shabby at all. Then went on to replace Healy for Leinster and Ireland, and was picked ahead of the likes of Mako Vunipola for BritainAndIreland. I loved his statement too; the glory of being a good dad.

[enby]

One of my favourite moments as a Leinster fan came just before half time in the 2012 Magners final v Ospreys. Van der Mauwe got a yellow from Poite and a young Jack had to come on to help defend a 5 m scrum. He did so to chants of "Ooh Ah Jack Mc Grath" and it helped him to get Poite to eventually give us a scrum penalty which allowed us to exit on half time.

Jack was a seriously good LHP and it is a shame to see his career torpedoed by injury. However it is good to hear that he is doing well now.

Ooh Ah Jack McGrath

[hugonaut]

Super player for us and a great guy. He accomplished an awful lot in Leinster and Irish colours. Wish that his career hadn't suffered so much from injury post 2017. It must have been a very long stretch for him. I can imagine that it is a relief to him that he has called it a day after all that rehab.