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43
ROD NAWN
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!