Ulster Rugby vs Barbarians

ARTICLE BY ROD NAWN FREELANCE JOURNALIST AND SPORTS ENTHUSIAST @RODNAWN1

Les Kiss, reshaping Ulster as he rededicates himself to giving the supporters and the whole ‘Team Ulster’ machine the success which has so tantalisingly evaded Ravenhill for too long. That he has the talent at his disposal is unarguable, the cream heading for summers in Lions and Irish shirts, but Kiss is an intelligent and honest character who will tonight want to offer a glimpse of a very different future. John Andrew, Ross Kane and Matthew Rea are just some players who will play major roles in years to come, and they will thread into a line-up which has Craig Gilroy, Stuart McCloskey, Rob Herring, Clive Ross and the relentless Roger Wilson to offer no little ability and experience of the very highest level. There’s also the hope that the ‘long goodbye’ to the genius that is Pienaar will continue, and hopefully he will have come through the clash with England to switch kit and don the Ulster shirt for what will, definitively, be his last appearance as a player at Kingspan. What is exciting, truly exciting, about tonight’s game is that this huge pool of talent will be encouraged to express themselves, to use the open spaces and to let their rugby intelligence push past the expected and into areas of risk and entertainment. The Barbarians’ DNA insists it plays with a ‘buckle and a swash’, Ulster’s team will be determined to put the negativity of the past few weeks in the dustbin and let its obvious rugby gifts flourish. For the fans this is a night to relish, seeing their favourites take on players who many will have only admired from afar but who hold special pegs in rugby history’s dressing room.

Next season will arrive very swiftly, and a new coaching team will be in charge, and Kingspan Stadium should be ready to appreciate those who will be working elsewhere after tonight. So to Allen Clarke a sincere ‘thank you’ for a meticulous approach to his role in recent years, and to Neil Doak the warmest of farewells after his decade and more of providing some of his sides’ most exciting, thrilling moments. So, take your seats, and your place on the terraces, and feast on the talent which pours out of the tunnel this evening, and appreciate how lucky we are to have such occasions and to be in the presence of sporting greatness. It’s going to be a wonderful night out, and just now we must be more than grateful for that privilege. Stand up for the Ulstermen, but stamp your feet as well as your hands in what will be a rugby celebration, the like of which we have not witnessed for over 50 years. And you are allowed – for one night only – to be a Barbarian!

ROD NAWN

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