Tommy Bowe set to return home

First topic message reminder :

Just heard the news whilst in the shower this morning....

according to Today FM Tommy Bowe is set to return home and sign for Ulster

This is probably where they heard / read the news...

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0207/1224311401072.html

Its interesting ( and very positive) to note that Gerry Thornley is the author of the article as he clearly has the "inside track"

Anyways lets hope I wasn't having a Bobby Ewing moment......

Sin é wrote:

Notch wrote:And I'm saying where is the evidence IRFU want this

I never said I had any evidence as to what the IRFU wanted - I'm pointing out that it might suit them. They have their quota of wingers already on contract (don't forget, Bowe has not been on the IRFU's payroll for the last couple of years). Bear in mind that Sean O'Brien doesn't have a central contract, while Paddy Wallace does. It looks to me as if they give the central contracts on the position played and how important it is to the team. Ireland have plenty of wingers.

Now, can you give me an explaination as to why Tommy Bowe would make very public his desire to play Outside Centre for Ireland?

Yes Sin, when that happens I will give you an explanation. For what it's worth I think Bowe would be very happy to play 13 for Ireland. That doesn't mean he doesn't want to play on the wing.

roddersm wrote:For those who didn't watch the show Sheehan, Wallace and Thornley suggested playing Bowe at 13...they didn't just say that Bowe wanted to play there.

Interesting that Sheehan and Wallace thought Bowe was a better option than Earls....and if your story about the IRFU wanting him to play 13 is true (I doubt it) then clearly they think he is too, if they wanted Bowe at Munster

.... you left that out Sin.....

Your telling porkies Rodders. Sheehan was the only one who made a big deal about Bowe playing 13.

(Thornley said, when asked about next week - that Bowe or Earls could come in). Wally said nothing (other than the defence needs to be sorted).

Exact quote from Frankie:

"I spoke to Tommy, I know that he would love to have a go at 13 himself."

I left lots of stuff out rodders - like according to Gatland, the Welsh backs were an average of 9kg heavier than Irish counterparts.

I suggest you rewatch the progamme here: http://www.rte.ie/player/#!v=1134644

The segment about Tommy/outside centre is about 48 mins in.

Hopefully I won't be left waiting around too long for your apology.

Sin you are comedy gold man you really are!

Assuming Bowe does leave the Ospreys, Williams has annouced his retirment at the end of the season and Walker (due to being injury) has been linked with a move back to Edinburgh.

Fussell is also out of Contract so potentially the Ospreys could be losing all 4 wingers.

That only leaves them with Luke Morgan, Eli Walker & Kristian Phillips. All have promise but no big names there.

What Sheahan said;

"I spoke to Tommy, I know that he would love to have a go at 13 himself."

What Tommy probably meant;

"I'd love to play 13 for Ireland, I'd get my hands on the ball a bit more but I'm pretty much happy to be on the team. Ulster are great. Yeo! Get her bucked."

What Sin interpreted Tommy Bowe as meaning;

"I MUST play all my rugby at 13. It's simply not possible a player like me would relish playing two seperate positions. Lalalalalala, fingers in ears, can't hear you, lalalala!"

Notch I think you have hit the nail on the head by the way - 'I wouldn't mind giving it a go' has morphed into 'I must play there'

What the phrase'...and sixpence we are going to a dance'

2 FACTS for you all.

Tommy Bowe will be an Ulster player next year
Tommy Bowe will have a Central contract for at least 2 year.

It is my understanding there is no ambiguity in either of these points

Sin, how did you possibly end up with these conclusions:

"Notch, I'm repeating what Frankie Sheahan said on Against the Head. He claimed on national tv that Tommy Bowe told him he wanted to play 13 for Ireland."

"Now, can you give me an explaination as to why Tommy Bowe would make very public his desire to play Outside Centre for Ireland?"

From Frankie Sheahan saying this, posted by yourself:

"I spoke to Tommy, I know that he would love to have a go at 13 himself."

Is that honestly your proof that Bowe has publicly announced his desire to play 13?

Well Notch, your well entitlted to (mis)interpret what you think I think/say, just as much as I'm entitlted to think that Bowe has a better chance of playing for Ireland at 13 if he gets to play for a club there.

How are you entitled to support Munster then city boy?

Sin, that is the first time you have even said anything like that you haven't said anything about Bowe having a better chance at 13 for Ireland if he played there for his club! You said Bowe has been saying how he wants to play 13 for Ireland so much and that Sheahan said so, when that wasn't actually what he said.

Sin é wrote:Well Notch, your well entitlted to (mis)interpret what you think I think/say, just as much as I'm entitlted to think that Bowe has a better chance of playing for Ireland at 13 if he gets to play for a club there.

He should of went to Munster then sin, sure they're desperate for a decent 13 down there ....

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Sin, how did you possibly end up with these conclusions:

"Notch, I'm repeating what Frankie Sheahan said on Against the Head. He claimed on national tv that Tommy Bowe told him he wanted to play 13 for Ireland."

"Now, can you give me an explaination as to why Tommy Bowe would make very public his desire to play Outside Centre for Ireland?"

From Frankie Sheahan saying this, posted by yourself:

"I spoke to Tommy, I know that he would love to have a go at 13 himself."

Is that honestly your proof that Bowe has publicly announced his desire to play 13?

Getting Frankie to say it in public is a far better way than doing what Luke Fitz did (saying it himself in interview that he wanted to play fullback!)

Tommy has said in the past that one of the reasons why he left Ulster in the first place was because he needed to challenge himself (it was all too easy for him in Ulster). Maybe this might be his new challenge for himself - becoming an outside centre.

Glas a du wrote:How are you entitled to support Munster then city boy?

I'm not a city boy if its me you are referring to (though I'm not sure being a city boy would preclude anyone from supporting Munster - though there are three cities in Munster for the record - Cork, Limerick & Waterford).

Sin é wrote: Tommy has said in the past that one of the reasons why he left Ulster in the first place was because he needed to challenge himself (it was all too easy for him in Ulster).

That might what he said publically but the real reason was the club was badly run, unprofessional and the dressing room was riven with desention. It was doing his head in and he just wanted out

Sin é wrote:
Getting Frankie to say it in public is a far better way than doing what Luke Fitz did (saying it himself in interview that he wanted to play fullback!)

Isn't that what Earls did as well?

I agree the best way to get selected in a position is to get Munsters ex-third choice hooker to mention it on an obscure Monday night TV show that hardly anyone watches. Brilliant.

roddersm wrote:

Sin é wrote:Well Notch, your well entitlted to (mis)interpret what you think I think/say, just as much as I'm entitlted to think that Bowe has a better chance of playing for Ireland at 13 if he gets to play for a club there.

He should of went to Munster then sin, sure they're desperate for a decent 13 down there ....

We're fairly thin on the ground with centres ok. Barry Murphy and Rua Tipoki have not really been replaced. It would be a risk taking Bowe, but we'd cope if the IRFU were paying his wages

as an aside - Leamy & Earls have signed new 2 year contracts today.

roddersm wrote:

Sin é wrote:
Getting Frankie to say it in public is a far better way than doing what Luke Fitz did (saying it himself in interview that he wanted to play fullback!)

Isn't that what Earls did as well?

I agree the best way to get selected in a position is to get Munsters ex-third choice hooker to mention it on an obscure Monday night TV show that hardly anyone watches. Brilliant.

No, Earls said he would be happy to play Prop if it got him selected for Ireland.

I can think of some first choice hookers for their club who would have been happy with the career Frankie had. Pity it was ruined by injury.

Sin just reminded me - if Bestie plays every Six Nations game, he'll be the most capped Irish hooker.

Did anyone read Hugh Farrelly in the Indo praising Rory to the skies for his captaincy skills? Watch out POC - your days are numbered! (Cue Sin's high-pitched shriek - "he's not even captain of Ulster!)

Don Alfonso wrote:Sin just reminded me - if Bestie plays every Six Nations game, he'll be the most capped Irish hooker.

On the subject of all time greats (ish) if Tommy scores just another two tries in this Six Nations (which isn't impossible) - he'll leapfrog Shane Horgan to become Ireland's third top try scorer of all time behind BOD and Denis Hickey. That is not a bad place to be! I hope he does it

Sin é wrote:

roddersm wrote:

Sin é wrote:
Getting Frankie to say it in public is a far better way than doing what Luke Fitz did (saying it himself in interview that he wanted to play fullback!)

Isn't that what Earls did as well?

I agree the best way to get selected in a position is to get Munsters ex-third choice hooker to mention it on an obscure Monday night TV show that hardly anyone watches. Brilliant.

No, Earls said he would be happy to play Prop if it got him selected for Ireland.

http://www.munsterfans.com/archive/index.php/t-25615.html

"In this, a World Cup year, attention is always going to be on the young back’s shoulders. In previous seasons Keith has been picked to play for Ireland and Munster in a variety of positions from full back to centre to wing. This season however, Keith has his eyes on one prize.
“People in the press have been asking me what position I will be looking for with Ireland now that Luke Fitzgerald is coming back and Andrew Trimble is there too, I have said now that I don’t want to be a winger anymore. I want to play at 12 or 13. Obviously if selected in another position, for Ireland or Munster, I would give my all, but this year I want to play at 12 or 13. I hate the name utility back. You do not want that 22 jersey. I want to lay down my marker this season in the centre”."

...now what was it Bowe and Fitz were supposed to have said? ........

Earls made the comment about playing prop for Ireland at his first Ireland press conference when getting his first cap.

Obviously hanging out with Luke & Co. who all get what they ask for, and he being moved from billy to jack made him realise that he better say where he wanted to go.

Oh and why not highlight this bit: Obviously if selected in another position, for Ireland or Munster, I would give my all, but this year I want to play at 12 or 13. I hate the name utility back. You do not want that 22 jersey.

Don Alfonso wrote:Sin just reminded me - if Bestie plays every Six Nations game, he'll be the most capped Irish hooker.

Did anyone read Hugh Farrelly in the Indo praising Rory to the skies for his captaincy skills? Watch out POC - your days are numbered! (Cue Sin's high-pitched shriek - "he's not even captain of Ulster!)

Taking away being labeled captain works better for some people. ROG (who plays in a similar type position) is a much better leader when he isn't captain. Best is playing really, really well at the moment, his throwing has been great and will hopefully stay that way, but if it does go wrong, its not a great position for your captain to be in. Woody was exceptional in that way, he didn't give a rats arse if he missed (often for him), he just went off on a barnstorming run instead.

The Welsh regions have a playing budget of £3.5m a season, Tommy Bowe wants more than his current £350k a season to stay.

That £3.5m has to stretch to a 38 man European squad so using more than 10% of our budget on one player is madness.

It;s best for everyone if Tommy goes back home, especially as the Ospreys have about 5 talented young wingers in their system who deserve a run in the team.

Goodbye and good luck Tommy.

Sin é wrote:
Oh and why not highlight this bit: Obviously if selected in another position, for Ireland or Munster, I would give my all, but this year I want to play at 12 or 13. I hate the name utility back. You do not want that 22 jersey.

...because it wouldn't have been as funny thats why ....you're not the only one who can be selective about what they choose to hilight you know

AlynDavies wrote:The Welsh regions have a playing budget of £3.5m a season, Tommy Bowe wants more than his current £350k a season to stay.

That £3.5m has to stretch to a 38 man European squad so using more than 10% of our budget on one player is madness.

It;s best for everyone if Tommy goes back home, especially as the Ospreys have about 5 talented young wingers in their system who deserve a run in the team.

Goodbye and good luck Tommy.

I don't think he wants more, he's going to be taking a pay cut on what he is currently earning in the Irish system.

As Notch says Tommy will be taking a pay cut - a fair bit too. Still will be one of the best paid 6 or 7 players at Ulster though

I don't think Tommy's motivation is money at all. It's not why he came to the Ospreys. If his main concern was money, he'd be off to France.

I'll always be grateful for the time he's spent in Wales. He did a super job with the O's but if he wants to go home where he'll be settled and happy then that's good enough for me. It means he'll continue to thrive in his rugby and that means I'll get to see more of him internationally I wish him all the luck in the world, but I'd be a liar to say my heart won't sink once he goes.

Cari think of all those great trips to Belfast you can have now!

Reminds me of a trip down to Cork a few years back. Me and my mate were talking to Mark McCall after the match. When our chat was over two young ladies came up and ask if we could get them introduced to Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble, when I explained that the lads were getting back on the coach and going back to Belfast they lost all interest.

Can't think why

Maybe they wanted Trimbs to bless their rosary beads...?

geoff998rugby wrote:When our chat was over two young ladies came up and ask if we could get them introduced to Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble, when I explained that the lads were getting back on the coach and going back to Belfast they lost all interest.

Amateurs! I would've got on that bus without even asking...!

Rodders - yes I'm looking forward to seeing the state sights of Belfast already