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Irish Times
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Matt Williams: Irish rugby should value the URC above the faltering Champions Cup
It is no crash that if we charted the rise of the Irish national team alongside the introduction of our indigenous provincial club competition, the two lines would almost overlap. In the amateur era, the AIL club competition was dominant in Ireland, with the provincial teams playing only a handful of representative games. This structure placed Irish rugby and the national team in an extraordinarily weak position during Ireland's transition to professionalism in the late 1990s. While I am a great supporter of our AIL clubs and believe that today, they are our rugby community's lifeblood, in the late 1990s the AIL structure spread Ireland's elite playing talent far too thinly across the many clubs. READ MORE It was the introduction of the original multinational provincial competition in 2001, titled the Celtic League, that created a meaningful season-long playing programme for our provincial teams, which triggered the sudden rise of Irish rugby. For over a century, South African provinces competed for the Curry Cup. Since 1904, the New Zealand provinces had fought over the Ranfurly Shield, which eventually evolved into their National Provincial Championship competition. In France, winning the Bouclier de Brennus in the French championship has always been regarded as the pinnacle of their sport. While in Australia, before the formation of the Brumbies in 1996, the contests between Queensland and New South Wales not only spilled a lot of blood but produced the Wallaby players who won the 1984 Grand Slam and the 1991 World Cup. When I arrived in Ireland 25 years ago, Irish rugby desperately required a meaningful, season long, provincial competition and the Celtic League delivered that. Today's United Rugby Championship is the grandchild of the Celtic League. Since its conception, it has morphed into a unique rugby polyglot competition containing an extraordinarily diverse array of teams from Italy, South Africa and the three Celtic nations. Extraordinarily, the URC spans both hemispheres. So it is being played simultaneously in summer and winter. In the same round, games can be played in the heat of a southern summer, at altitude on the South African Highveld, with another game being played on a cool crisp evening in Milan, or a contest under a torrential lashing from an Atlantic gale in Galway. Munster's Jean Kleyn training in Durban. Photograph: Steve Haag/Inpho Supporters who journey to follow their team could be sipping magnificent wine from the Constantia Valley while enjoying the culinary wonders of a South African Braai. Or perhaps sampling the delights of a local restaurateur's Italian Nonas recipe from northern Italy. Or the gastronomic joys that can be found along Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way or in the mist of the Scottish Highlands. So, with all of these unique points of difference, why does the Irish rugby community not hold the URC in far more prestige? Many in Ireland are clinging to the memories of an era that has now passed, wrongly obsessed with the bisected remains of the once great Heineken Cup. Today's Champions Cup is a competition that has been designed by British and French administrators to limit the possibility of Irish provincial teams' success. In creating the Round of 16, the Champions Cup has failed to ensure the most basic of sporting competition principles, that teams actually need to win games before they make the playoffs of the competition. After a rigorous 18 rounds of hard fought, high-quality home and away fixtures in the URC, the rigorous competition has required the Scarlets, who are the lowest qualifying team for the quarter-finals, to accumulate 48 competition points, made up of nine wins, a draw and 10 bonus points. The lowest qualifier in the URC is required to have a winning record of 50 per cent across an arduous 18 games. The Champions Cup provided Ulster with a place in the Round of 16 with a winning record of one win in four games. A 25 per cent gets you into a Champions Cup playoff. What a joke. The URC has created a competition structure of the highest quality, which has empowered Irish provinces with the opportunities to select the next generation of players like Jack Crowley and Sam Prendergast. While at the same time it has enabled our great players such as Peter O'Mahony, Jonny Sexton and Conor Murray to prolong their careers. They would not have enjoyed the longevity of playing for Ireland into their mid-thirties if their careers had been spent under the heel of owners in the Top 14 or the English Premiership. A general view of the URC trophy in Pretoria. Photograph: Steve Haag/Inpho There is no doubt that the addition of the South African teams has created logistical difficulties. Last week, Munster played at home. This week they are in Cape Town. Next week, they could remain in South Africa or be back in the north. That is problematic for all involved. However, the inclusion of the South African teams has lifted the standard of play inside the URC by a considerable margin. The quality of rugby that has been played across this season in the URC has been exceptionally high. In today's URC, winning away from home against Benneton, Glasgow or in Pretoria or Llanelli is exceptionally difficult. There is also no doubt that the defection of the South African teams to the URC has significantly weakened the standard of the Super Rugby competition. The South Africans would be welcomed back to the south in a Super Rugby heartbeat. Here we should take a leaf out of French rugby's play book. To the French, the Top 14 remains their pinnacle. Several French players have told me they regard winning the Top 14 above winning the World Cup. Even as Bordeaux are still celebrating their Champions Cup success, those players will tell you that trophy remains a significant step below the Bouclier de Brennus. Irish rugby needs to respect, nurture and value the URC above all else because it is the fuel that is powering rugby across the island.
Miami Herald
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Russia adds Amnesty International to list of ‘undesirable' list
May 19 (UPI) -- The Russian government announced Monday that the nonprofit Amnesty International is no longer welcome within its borders. The Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation put out a statement that it "has made a decision to recognize the activities of the international non-governmental organization Amnesty International Limited, registered in London, as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation." The agency then claimed that while "the organization positions itself as an active conductor of human rights protection in the world," it alleges that "the London headquarters of AIL is the center of preparation of global 'Russophobic' projects, paid for by accomplices of the Kyiv regime." It then further purported that Amenesty International has not only worked to "intensify the military confrontation in the region," but has also justified "the crimes of Ukrainian neo-Nazis," and has sought an increase for funding of Ukraine as it insists "on the political and economic isolation of [Russia]." "The organization's members support extremist organizations and finance the activities of foreign agents," the agency said. The Amnesty Eastern Europe and Central Asia regional office responded Monday with a warning that the Russian declaration means "any participation in our activities, including donations and reposts, is punishable in the Russian Federation." "If you read us from Russia, or are planning to be there, please refrain from sharing our online and offline materials," it said. "We will continue to protect human rights in Russia and in the world, and we will keep you informed," before a final wish for readers to take care. According to AIL, its Moscow office has been shut down since April of 2022 by Russian authorities after the Russian Ministry of Justice delisted it from the register of the representative offices of foreign nongovernmental organizations and international organizations. This allegedly came after Russia's media regulator blocked access to Amnesty International's Russian-language website. Russia has a list of over 200 "undesirable organizations," which includes the Clooney Foundation for Justice, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Greenpeace. Russian citizens can receive as many as five years in prison for funding or working with any of the groups that have been banned. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia adds Amnesty International to list of ‘undesirable' list
May 19 (UPI) -- The Russian government announced Monday that the nonprofit Amnesty International is no longer welcome within its borders. The Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation put out a statement that it "has made a decision to recognize the activities of the international non-governmental organization Amnesty International Limited, registered in London, as undesirable on the territory of the Russian Federation." The agency then claimed that while "the organization positions itself as an active conductor of human rights protection in the world," it alleges that "the London headquarters of AIL is the center of preparation of global 'Russophobic' projects, paid for by accomplices of the Kyiv regime." It then further purported that Amenesty International has not only worked to "intensify the military confrontation in the region," but has also justified "the crimes of Ukrainian neo-Nazis," and has sought an increase for funding of Ukraine as it insists "on the political and economic isolation of [Russia]." "The organization's members support extremist organizations and finance the activities of foreign agents," the agency said. The Amnesty Eastern Europe and Central Asia regional office responded Monday with a warning that the Russian declaration means "any participation in our activities, including donations and reposts, is punishable in the Russian Federation." "If you read us from Russia, or are planning to be there, please refrain from sharing our online and offline materials," it said. "We will continue to protect human rights in Russia and in the world, and we will keep you informed," before a final wish for readers to take care. According to AIL, its Moscow office has been shut down since April of 2022 by Russian authorities after the Russian Ministry of Justice delisted it from the register of the representative offices of foreign nongovernmental organizations and international organizations. This allegedly came after Russia's media regulator blocked access to Amnesty International's Russian-language website. Russia has a list of over 200 "undesirable organizations," which includes the Clooney Foundation for Justice, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Greenpeace. Russian citizens can receive as many as five years in prison for funding or working with any of the groups that have been banned.
RTÉ News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Ben Martin named as new Leinster Women head coach
Ben Martin will take over as head coach of the Leinster Women's senior team ahead of this summer's Vodafone Interprovincial Championship, replacing the outgoing Tania Rosser. Martin represented his native Australia on the Sevens circuit during his playing career. He served as a player-coach at Kanturk in the AIL before taking over UL Bohemians Women, where he won the AIL title and picked up the 2019 Women's Coach of the Year award. He guided Blackrock College RFC's Women's team to two AIL finals, lifting the trophy in the 2022/23 campaign. Most recently, he served on Neill Alcorn's coaching ticket in the Celtic Challenge as the Wolfhounds won nine of their ten games to claim the crown. "It's an exciting time, obviously, with a Women's World Cup on the horizon," said Martin, who has Michelle Claffey and Charlie Doel as backs and forwards coaches, respectively. "There's a chance to potentially unearth some diamonds that haven't been found yet within the pathways of women's rugby. "I'm excited. It's a big challenge. There's a nice history with what's happened, especially in the recent history, with Leinster being back-to-back champions, so that puts a little bit of pressure on us." Leinster begin the defence of their Interprovincial crown against Ulster at Energia Park on 10 August. Women's Interprovincial Championship Fixtures: Round 1: Sunday, 10 August Leinster v Ulster at Energia Park (kick-off 2.30pm) Munster v Connacht at Virgin Media Park (4.15pm) Round 2: Saturday, 16 August Leinster v Munster at Energia Park (2.30pm) Connacht v Ulster at Dexcom Stadium (4.15pm) Round 3: Saturday, 23 August Connacht v Leinster at Dexcom Stadium (2.30pm) Ulster v Munster at Kingspan Stadium (4.15pm) Finals Day: Saturday, 30 August Games will be played at Energia Park.
Irish Examiner
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Tyler Bleyendaal on Sam Prendergast: 'He just has to keep chipping away'
There's just something about out-halves. Just like the quarterback in the NFL, or the striker in football, rugby's No.10s have an outsized orbit that draws in much more attention than pretty much any other position. They're all the rage this season, whether it be the battle between Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley for the green jersey, Andy Farrell's choice of playmakers for the British and Irish Lions, or the news that Carlos Spencer is coming to Terenure. Spencer is 49 now, 21 years removed from the last of just 44 caps he won for the All Blacks, but Tyler Bleyendaal knows just how big it is for his iconic countryman to be coming to the AIL club in the guise of head coach. If the Leinster attack coach was more of an Andrew Mehrtens man because of their shared Canterbury links, then he still offers words like 'rockstar' and 'legend' to sum up a player who lit up the game. 'He was actually coaching at the Hurricanes before I went there. He was a great player, but he has also been in that coaching scene as well. He has been successful with the Blues women's team as well. 'If he came along [to Leinster's training base] I'm sure it would be pretty exciting. Hear his thoughts and see where he thinks the game is at. What he thinks around developing the young players. It's pretty exciting.' Bleyendaal spent some time coaching in the AIL at the back end of his own playing days with Munster, when helping out with Garryowen. He did a small bit with Glenstal Abbey too. The domestic league has always played a formative role in developing coaches and players. Prendergast played AIL with Lansdowne not so long ago but has since shot up the ladder to the very top of the game. Well, almost the very top. Confirmation that the Leinster out-half wasn't selected on Farrell's initial 38-man Lions squad for the summer tour to Australia was expected after a mixed bag of performances in the Six Nations and a difficult day in the Champions Cup semi-final. The 22-year old still managed to fire off two exceptional passes in setting up of two Leinster tries against Northampton Saints that day, but his defensive work is being targeted by opposition players and by critics alike. 'He just has to keep chipping away, it's not something that you have to overload,' said Bleyendaal. 'It's part technical, part just application in the moment. I don't feel he will explode it into a bigger issue than it is. 'There's tens in all competitions that get targeted or put under pressure defensively and very rarely do you see dominant tens. Sammy will want to perform better on the defensive side, he is operating well in the attacking space and providing assists and making some nice breaks for himself.' Leinster still managed to have a record 12 players named on Farrell's Lions squad last week. A good day for the club after the loss to the Saints and Bleyendaal made the point that 'one poor performance' should not define their season. The inference is clear. Yes the Northampton loss was a major disappointment. And yes the Lions tour is a major carrot for so many of them. But the focus now is on finishing the regular URC season in the right style against Glasgow in Dublin this weekend. And as for Prendergast, and Robbie Henshaw, who was another from the province to miss out on a golden ticket Down Under, there is still hope of a slot opening up this next month and more. 'They're pretty disappointed. You can never expect anything, you're not entitled to a position on the Lions and the guys will be disappointed. Robbie and Sam have responded well, they have both been upbeat. They're just straight back into work. 'The tour hasn't started yet, so they will be thinking, 'How can I keep improving myself?' 'How do I play well for Leinster and how do I keep putting my best foot forward if something was to happen?' 'I can imagine there were some pretty close calls and decisions in that squad announcement.'
