Talk To Joe competition

We try not to have more than one competition running at a time but I reckon here we can make an exception…

UPDATE JAN 10 - it seems the 5pm kickoff time for the Q & A is putting people off so we probably need to simplify the rules!

amendments in yellow

 

Will you be free to visit the Aviva Stadium next Wednesday, January 15 around 5pm? 

If so, would you like to attend a special Q & A session with Joe Schmidt & his coaching staff?

The Irish Rugby Supporters Club have kindly offered as many as TEN pairs of tickets to the event just for HarpinOnRugby readers!

Normally we run competitions using what we call an “unriggable raffle” (click here to learn about the latest one) but as there are to be ten different winners this time around, we’re using a more conventional format…hopefully you also appreciate there still won’t be any “rigging” going on! :-)

Here’s how to enter…

1. Come up with a witty caption for the photo above featuring the Ireland coach along with Les Kiss
2. OR if you’d rather skip the creative part but would still like to go, just put the phrase “I’d like to talk to Joe” in the body of your email entry
3. Email your entry to paganoblog@gmail.com and MAKE SURE THE SUBJECT LINE HAS ONLY THESE THREE WORDS >>> Talk To Joe 
4. Get all this done by 12 noon on Sunday, January 12th

The best (and not too dirty!) caption will be made into a meme and published on the HarpinOnRugby Facebook page - the author plus nine other entrants will receive a pair of tickets to the event.  Note - preference will be given to those who offer captions, BUT at least one who enters without one will win a pair of tickets.

 

So get your thinking caps on and have a go!  Best of luck! JLP

A few unfortunate but necessary rules…

• By entering the competition it is assumed that you will be able to attend the event in question - tickets will not be exchangeable for another prize.
• We cannot stress enough the importance of using “Talk To Joe” (without the quotes) in the subject line of your email.  It is the only way you can guarantee your entry coming through.
• You can submit as many captions as you like but no single email address can win more than one pair of tickets.
• The ten winners will be chosen by HarpinOnRugby and all decisions pertaining to this competition will be final.

Thanks once more to the
Irish Rugby Supporters Club
for yet another excellent prize!

Let The Schmidt Hit The Fan - Rd 5 (ULS)

Bringing our 5th round of Ireland selections to an end we have our Ulster blogger Laura Johnston…

Click this link for her last selection and these for the latest from Munster, Leinster & Connacht.

Remember…the general rule is to select a team based on current fitness for a test match to be played the following weekend.  The contributors are allowed some leeway however, since it’s all to get debate going.  Once it’s friendly debate of course! JLP

The first rugby blog of 2014. I wonder what sort of year it will be for Irish rugby.

The month of January could play a big part, in how successful the first half of the New Year will be for the Irish provinces. Over the Christmas period, we saw some good old Irish inter-pro rivalry.

This weekend however sees the start of rounds 5 & 6 of the Heineken cup. Big games for all four provinces. Wouldn’t it be great if we get 3 out of four qualified? It would be amazing If Connacht can sneak through too. Hopefully they all come away with wins and no injuries, so we can go into the six nations with the best team as possible

1. Jack McGrath :- Unfortunately for Cian Healy he picked up a nasty ankle injury and will more than likely miss the start of the six nations, if not all of it. I think McGrath is the right person to fill his boots. He has played well for Leinster recently and silenced his critics (including me) during the Autumn internationals when he was picked over Court and Kilcoyne.

17. The number 17 shirt could be filled by a few people, Court, Kilcoyne, Black or Moore. I would give David Kilcoyne the shirt as he is young and will probably make the next RWC team, and all the experience he can get in a green shirt will do him no harm.

2. Sean Cronin: - Unfortunately Rory Best is injured, although he may be fit in time for Ulster’s game against Montpellier this weekend. But until he returns Sean Cronin is my starting hooker, for his experience and pace with ball in hand.

16. My replacement hooker would probably have been Damien Varley, but having seen him after the game on Friday night on crutches and in quite a bit of discomfort, I am afraid he will be out for a few weeks. Therefore my replacement hooker is Mike Sherry. Although Rob Herring is certainly filling Bests position well at Ulster at the moment.

3. Mike Ross: - Mike hasn’t performed the greatest recently, but I don’t see anyone stealing the starting jersey off him, when he is fit. Although Marty Moore, Declan Fitzpatrick and Stephen Archer are all currently performing well, for their provinces at the moment.

18. My replacement tight head prop is Declan Fitzpatrick.

4. Paul O’Connell
5. Dan Tuohy: - The two locks in Ireland for me at the minute. Both are excellent ball carriers and commanders of the lineout. They had a good tussle at Ravenhill on Friday night.

19. Iain Henderson for his versatility at lock and backrow.

6. Peter O’Mahony:- For me it was between Peter and Robbie Diack. Both are playing outstandingly for their provinces. I have picked POM because I think he will more than likely get picked and desirably so. Robbie has been outstanding for Ulster recently and is now Irish qualified. An Ireland cap could be round the corner for him at some point.
7. Chris Henry: - Seven this year has been between Sean O’Brien and Chris Henry. Unfortunately Henry got injured in the Autumn internationals, so SOB was the first choice and now SOB is injured, Henry is first choice and will hopefully start at 7 in the 6 nations.

8. Jamie Heaslip: - Heaslip and Wilson are the best no 8’s at the moment. Roger has been preforming well for Ulster as has Heaslip for Leinster. I have picked Jamie at 8 for his experience and he is the more likely of the two to pull on the green no 8.

20. The replacement backrow for me Is Kevin McLaughlin

9. Eoin Reddan: - Conor Murray is injured at the moment, although he will hopefully be back in the next few weeks for Munster. I have picked Reddan for his experience and Kieran Marmion as his replacement as he is an up and coming Ireland star in my opinion

21. Kieran Marmion

10. Jonny Sexton: - Still Irelands first choice 10 when fit, he is a lion after all. His journey with Racing Metro hasn’t been a huge success so far, and his hectic playing schedule doesn’t help matters either when it comes to Ireland. But he is still Irelands No1 fly half.

22. The best kicker at the moment in Ireland according to the stats is JJ Hanrahan. He is the rising star at both 10 and 12. Although I think Jackson and Madigan are better replacements for Sexton at the moment, just for their experience. Jackson is my replacement fly half on the grounds that he has played more game time at 10 than Madigan recently.

11. Luke Fitzgerald: - When fit my starting wings would be, Zebo and Bowe but they are both injured at the moment. Luke has shown form of late similar to the form he had in 2009, that got him on the Lions tour. Hopefully he can stay injury free, and play a good few games for Leinster this season.

12. Luke Marshall: - Gordon Darcy has performed well at 12 recently Leinster. I see Luke Marshall as the future at 12 for Ireland, the more game time as he can get at 12 for Ireland the better for him. I hope he manages to stay injury and concussion free.

13. Brian O’Driscoll:- He is still an amazing player even if he is getting more injury prone with age. Darren Cave has shown recently why he could be a good replacement at 13, as have Jared Payne and Robbie Henshaw. I will stick with the master for just a little bit longer.

14. Craig Gilroy: - It was a tough decision between Gilroy and Kearney. I have gone for Gilroy, because of his pace and his ability to break the first tackle.

23. Dave Kearney

15. Rob Kearney: - A safe pair of hands for Ireland at the back, the 15 shirt is safely his, although Robbie Henshaw and Jared Payne could challenge him next season for it.

My Ireland 15.

1. Jack McGrath
2. Sean Cronin
3. Mike Ross
4. Paul O’Connell
5. Dan Tuohy
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Chris Henry
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Eoin Reddan
10. Jonny Sexton
11. Luke Fitzgerald
12. Luke Marshall
13. Brian O’Driscoll
14. Craig Gilroy
15. Rob Kearney

16. Mike Sherry
17. David Kilcoyne
18. Declan Fitzpatrick
19. Iain Henderson
20. Kevin McLaughlin
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Paddy Jackson
23. Dave Kearney

@LauraJ2803 is a Ulster rugby season ticket holder and has been for the past 7 years, she has been there through the highs and the lows and is hoping there are plenty more highs to come

NEXT WEEK … WITH JOE SCHMIDT’S SIX NATIONS DEBUT GETTING CLOSER OUR PROVINCIAL BLOGGERS KICKOFF THEIR SIXTH ROUND OF SELECTIONS AS WE HEAR ONCE MORE FROM @CONNACHTMAN87!

How an “unriggable raffle” works

CLICK HERE TO EMAIL US IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR AN "UNRIGGABLE RAFFLE" BEFORE THE END OF THE SEASON

CLICK THE GRID FOR A BETTER LOOK

Throughout the rugby season we run a unique style of competition here on HarpinOnRugby known as an “unriggable raffle”.  It takes a bit of getting used to, but it is quite straightforward once you get the hang of it.

Here’s a run down of how to take part.

1. FOLLOW HARPIN ON RUGBY ON SOCIAL MEDIA - it can be Twitter Facebook or Google+
2. READ THE INTRO POST CAREFULLY - A new competition is usually launched with an introductory post on this HoR2 blog, which usually publishes on a Saturday evening.  This will give you details on the sponsors, the prize and the rules specific to that particular competition.
3. QUALIFY FOR THE GRID - You can only win the competition if you’re on the “unriggable raffle” grid.  To do this you must be one of the first to follow the instructions on a social media post on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ on selected nights during the week (details given on the Intro post)
4. MAKE NOTE OF YOUR GRID LOCATION - In the photo above, there is a grid we ran for a competition in November 2013.  As you can see there are numbers & letters running down the side and along the top.  If you qualify for the grid, it is usually published on the Friday evening at 9pm, so you can jot down the position/s that are relevant to you.
5. FIND OUT IF YOU WON! - Each competition relates to a particular rugby match - the one in the grid above used the Rabo Pro12 match between Leinster and the Scarlets.  The winner of the competition is the person who owns the square which corresponds to the FINAL SCORE WHEN YOU USE ONLY THE LAST DIGIT.  So in this case, the final score was Leinster 36 Scarlets 19, which meant the winning square was L-6 S-9.

Of course if you have any questions, be sure and email we’ll be happy to explain. 

Why not have a go at the next one?