It was hardly the most fitting of final
games for the modern day legend of Ulster Rugby, however
the warmth and affection from the crowd was evident when
Davy limped off after ten minutes of this season ending
fixture.
It's a pity Davy couldn't have finished
his illustrious career on the back of a win after supplying
a delicate chip for the winning try but it's the professional
era now and things like that just don't happen. In fact
as rugby becomes faster and more physical we should all
be thankful that we had the opportunity to see his mercurial
talent at all.
The reception from the crowd when he
came on and when he limped of were a fitting tribute to
a man who has given so much to this wee Provence of ours.
Thanks Davy for everything!
Unfortunately the rest of the match went
the way of too many this season. Good in parts, but a
some woeful lapses of concentration undid an awful lot
of hard work.
This was a game we should have won and
I think everyone was relieved to hear the final whistle
and put an end to a disappointing season. So no more Simon,
no more David or Bart or Kieran and for a while at least
no more Neil, Neil, Roger, Justin and Tommy. Good luck
to you all and thanks for the good times.
All credit to the players for staying
around afterwards and especial credit must go to Justin
Harrison who stayed out on the pitch for a good hour after
the game signing autographs and greeting fans.
For this match we could do nothing else
but award the FRU Man of the Match
to David Humphreys, pictured
right with two of his biggest fans. If only he had protection
like this in the past I'm sure he would be playing for
a year or two yet.
And so with the season over it was time for the highlight
of the year:-
The Front Row Union Annual Awards.
This year the awards were held in Newforge
Country Club and they were quite a hoot! I would like
to thank Jayne at Newforge for all her help in organising
the awards, Alan at The Eagle Bars, Larne and Davy at
Kilmore Jetworks, Lisnaskea for their continued support
of this spectacular event.
Suzanne Fleming
(centre left) and players from Cooke Ladies RFC
who added a touch of glamour to The Front Row Union
Awards. Pictured with award sponsor Philip McMurtry
Huge thanks to Justin Fitzpatrick, Matt McCullough,
David Pollock and Thomas Anderson for supporting this
event and I hope to see you back next year, but the biggest
thanks must go to Cooke Ladies (above) for just being
gorgeous. (I think they'll be getting a few more supporters
next season - eh Stately?)
The prizewinners on the night were: -
The Front Row
Union Player of the Year 2008 - Matt
McCullough £100
will be donated to Action Cancer on Matt's behalf.
Thanks to The Eagle Bars, Larne for this donation.
The Predictions
League 2008 -
Tight Head Prod £100 will
be donated to The Southern Area Hospice on Tighty's
behalf. Thanks to Kilmore Jetworks, Lisnaskea for
this donation.
The Cooke Ladies Team Player
of the Year 2008 - Suzanne
Fleming
The University of
Wisconsin Panthers Team Player of the Year 2008
- Brittany Biedenbender
The Front Row Union Most
Popular Story 2008 - Dunny
The Front Row Union Looky
Likey 2008 - Dergman
The Fruettes Top Totty
2008 - Pervy Fan
Click on image for larger picture.
We've added
a further three galleries. Check them out by clicking
on the name below.
We've tidied
up a further six galleries. Check them all out by going
to our Gallery Page here.
~
~ ~ ~
~ ~
Meet
The Lanzas
If you fancy
a day out this weekend there is only one event to go to:-
Larne President's Select
v Lanzarote RFC
Sat
17th May. 2pm KO at the Glynn Playing Fields.
Match sponsored by Alan Young of The Eagle Bars, Larne
The FRU select Man of the Match.
This is your big chance to see some aging
legends run out for the Larne President's Select. Bring
your boots you may even get a game.
Quality food will be available thanks
to Derek Lough and the LRFC Bar Committee.
FA Cup Final follows immediately after on the big screen
in the clubhouse.
Lanza RFC will be staying in the clubhouse for a few hours
then returning to Belfast.
There are a few seats left on their bus!
Thanks to Joe Eagleson (Ulster Branch Secretary) for his
invaluable help in enabling this match to go ahead.
Thanks to Larne RFC for hosting.
For
those of you wishing to meet up with The Lanzas their itinerary
is as follows -
Friday 16th May
Morning at leisure to wander through the
peaceful grounds of Trinity, contemplating what exactly
did happen last night, and just how did that kebab get into
my back pocket ?!
13.00 – all aboard as the wheels on the
bus go round & round to take us Ulster-bound
14.30 – all-important re-fuelling stop –
any suggestions as to an appropriate place to stop?
16.00 – arrival into Botanic Avenue
19.00 – pasta-fuelled dinner, cup of cocoa
& early to bed, said Zebedee
Saturday 17th May
Morning at leisure around Belfast city centre
& en-masse invasion of SS Moore’s end of season sale,
before a boke-inducing spin around the Belfast Eye.
14.00 The Match (just to let you there will
be a couple of spaces on the coach if anyone wants a lift
from / to Belfast )
16.00 Post match feed (in Spanish: Tercero
Tiempo) followed by our ‘Tribunál Canguro’ i.e. Kangaroo
Court
19.00 Back up to Belfast & see if the
Bot & Welly Boot will let us back in after Friday night
….
Sunday 18th May
10.30 – leave for George Best Int’l Airport
for flights back to Lanzaland via Leeds Bradford.
How Could You Not Want
to Meet These Boys?
~
~ ~ ~
~ ~
Rugby on
TV
Friday
16th May
19:30 Brive v Stade Francais Top 14 British Eurosport 2
(19:30-21:15)
Saturday 17th
May
08:30 Crusaders v Highlanders Super 14 Sky Sports 3 (08:30-10:30)
10:30 Reds v Waratahs Super 14 Sky Sports 3 (10:30-12:30)
17:10 Final Konica Minolta Cup S4C (from 17:10)
18:00 Sharks v Chiefs Super 14 Sky Sports News (from 18:00)
Sunday 18th
May
06:00 Japan v Hong Kong Asian Five Nations British Eurosport
2 (06:00-08:00)
14:00 Wasps v Bath Guinness Premiership Semi-final Sky Sports
2 (13:30-16:00) Sky Sports HD2 (13:30-16:00)
16:30 Gloucester v Leicester Guinness Premiership Semi-final
Sky Sports 2 (16:00-19:00)Sky Sports HD2 (16:00-19:00)
Friday 23rd
May
08:30 Semi-final Super 14 Sky Sports 2 (08:30-10:30)
19:30 TBC Top 14 British Eurosport 2 (19:30-21:15)
Saturday 24th
May
08:30 Semi-final Super 14 Sky Sports 2 (08:30-10:30)
09:00 Twickenham Sevens Twickenham Sevens BBC Interactive
(09:00-19:00)
16:30 Munster v Toulouse Final Heineken Cup Sky Sports 3
(16:30-19:30) Sky Sports HD3 (16:30-19:30)
Sunday 25th
May
11:00 Twickenham Sevens Twickenham Sevens BBC Interactive
(11:00-19:30) BBC2 (17:30-19:30)
12:00 Bath v Worcester European Challenge Cup Final Sky
Sports 2 (12:00-14:30)Sky Sports HD2 (12:00-14:30)