Ulster v Connacht, Fri 5th May, URC QF

[jezzer]

With Leinster dominating the club game (vis a vis the other provinces) and the test side, it takes a special kind of unity and common purpose to get the other three provinces to maximise their potential and push for trophies.

And if you look at the occasions that has worked for the other provinces and the occasions it hasn't, you can't help but be struck by how important positive, happy, progressive coaches with attacking styles are to your chances of contending.

The more positive and more progressive the coaching set-up in any of Ulster, Connacht or Munster, the better the results have been. It makes total sense, as we're an island who develops and retains our own players rather than builds sides on the international market.

Is Dan McFarland one of those guys?
Well, he's worked with a who's who of top, positive coaches Lam, Carolan, S Easterby, Gregor T...

But the feeling persists that he's more a Kieran Clarke, Van Graan, Jonno Gibbes type (all great coaches, but whose style didnt fit) than a Lam/Kiss/Friend/Erasmus type.

There are enough examples on both sides to suggest pretty strongly that - no matter what your club DNA is - you need an energetic, positive and innovative head coach.

Dan has the background in rugby to be that guy. Does he have the personality? I dunno.

When things were going well for Ulster under Dan, maybe it was Payne who was filling that role. Hard to tell. .. The environment could certainly do with an injection of purpose and forward-thinking.

Or alternatively maybe they need a Michael Chieka type coach to knock them into shape. The individuals are better than the collective up there and some of the staff both on and off the pitch are underperforming not just because of the technicalities of coaching but because of attitude and motivation. That's a fairly similar situation to us in the 2000's, great players underperforming for Leinster because we had a culture and attitude issue, Checks sorted that out. Leo and Joe got a lot of credit for what they did at Leinster and rightly so but they couldn't have done it without Checks' foundation.

Not sure the Checks Hairdryer will work on Millenials!!!! Ask them to push a car up Stormont Hill and theyll probably tell you cars are outmoded forms of transport and push an electric scooter instead.

[Oldschool]

With Leinster dominating the club game (vis a vis the other provinces) and the test side, it takes a special kind of unity and common purpose to get the other three provinces to maximise their potential and push for trophies.

And if you look at the occasions that has worked for the other provinces and the occasions it hasn't, you can't help but be struck by how important positive, happy, progressive coaches with attacking styles are to your chances of contending.

The more positive and more progressive the coaching set-up in any of Ulster, Connacht or Munster, the better the results have been. It makes total sense, as we're an island who develops and retains our own players rather than builds sides on the international market.

Is Dan McFarland one of those guys?
Well, he's worked with a who's who of top, positive coaches Lam, Carolan, S Easterby, Gregor T...

But the feeling persists that he's more a Kieran Clarke, Van Graan, Jonno Gibbes type (all great coaches, but whose style didnt fit) than a Lam/Kiss/Friend/Erasmus type.

There are enough examples on both sides to suggest pretty strongly that - no matter what your club DNA is - you need an energetic, positive and innovative head coach.

Dan has the background in rugby to be that guy. Does he have the personality? I dunno.

When things were going well for Ulster under Dan, maybe it was Payne who was filling that role. Hard to tell. .. The environment could certainly do with an injection of purpose and forward-thinking.

Or alternatively maybe they need a Michael Chieka type coach to knock them into shape. The individuals are better than the collective up there and some of the staff both on and off the pitch are underperforming not just because of the technicalities of coaching but because of attitude and motivation. That's a fairly similar situation to us in the 2000's, great players underperforming for Leinster because we had a culture and attitude issue, Checks sorted that out. Leo and Joe got a lot of credit for what they did at Leinster and rightly so but they couldn't have done it without Checks' foundation.

Not sure the Checks Hairdryer will work on Millenials!!!! Ask them to push a car up Stormont Hill and theyll probably tell you cars are outmoded forms of transport and push an electric scooter instead.

A kick up the hole is still a kick up the hole.