Issue 44
   
22 January 2007
       
"Shit Hits the Fan!"

It was a great first half. Both sides had played attractive running rugby, there were only three points in it and the jousting between the rival sets of fans had given the game a tremendous atmosphere. The Ulster fans "Stood Up", the Toulouse fans brought out the big drums and whipped up their support. The air was crackling for what was a nothing at stake pool game.

Things got better. At half time I was visited by a couple of Toulouse supporters who I had met in Belfast at the group opening fixture. I'd given one of them my Ulster shirt in Belfast and made very vague arrangements that he would return the favour in Toulouse. Much to my astonishment, and delight, here he was returning the favour. New shirt in hand we went off to the bar under the stand to queue for a drink.

Ten minutes later the shirt was forgotten and the game was meaningless, I'd just witnessed an astonishing and vicious attack on a rugby supporter by a player.

As I returned to my seat I noticed that Brennan was warming up in the corner and I heard a few of the Ulster supporters joke about his bar being shit. I saw Brennan walk calmly towards the wall between the pitch and the supporters and watched as he jumped the wall and walked up four or five rows.

I was expecting Brennan to carry on the banter with the supporters and I was completely unprepared as he rained down blow after blow on the helpless Ulster supporter in his sickening attack. A women was struck by his wild blows, children were stunned as they were forced to witness this act of thuggery.

Eventually Brennan was restrained by a mix of supporters and security staff, but what was astonishing was that after this sickening assault was that Brennan was released by the security staff and allowed to saunter back onto the pitch where he was justifiably berated by the Ulster supporters who had witnessed the assault. It is to their eternal credit that all the supporters threw was a couple of pints of lager.

What happened next was nearly as distasteful as the incident itself. I and many other supporters asked for the police to be called so witness names could be taken and Brennan could be restrained. The Stade Toulouse Security and subsequently the Stade Toulouse Officials refused to call the police or take the names of any witnesses. One official shrugged his shoulders and said "Sure you call him bad things". This man had been no where near the incident when it occurred but this was the sort of crap that they started to pedal almost immediately.

As we made our way around the city that night it wasn't long before the sectarian angle was being spouted. Who did this come from? Not from anyone who witnessed the events. In the morning papers the French press were displaying the Ulster supporters as protestant extremists. Where did this come from? From Stade Toulouse?

I'd used to like Brennan. He'd been a thug when he was thrown out of the Ireland side but he'd appeared to change when he went to Toulouse. He'd worked hard and made what appeared to be a great life for himself. It appeared he'd matured and left the dirt behind.

After Sunday I have nothing but contempt. I've tried to understand what he did. This was not a heat of the moment attack but a pre-meditated assault. Was it for some perceived sectarian comment? Was it because of some deep down hatred of the "Orange Ulster"? Was it because he was pumped up on adrenalin and other "performance" drugs? Was it because he's a genuinely sick man? I don't know it may be none of these and I'm sure hundreds of other reasons will be made up over the coming weeks and months.

What I do know is that I will still wear my Ulster shirt with pride. I'll also wear my new Toulouse shirt with pride and as a mark of respect for the great friendship between rugby fans throughout Europe. I also know that until Brennan confronts the demons inside him and faces his real enemy he will never know what pride is.


Starts to walk over to wall.
       

Letters to the Editor.

 

Dear Ed,

Further to the comments aired on this website earlier, I feel the need to submit my first post.
On ‘reading’ what the Toulouse papers have said about Ulster fans and alleged sectarianism, I can barely contain myself.
As a Roman Catholic and a supporter of Ulster for many years, I can honestly say that in all that time, and having been a season ticket holder since their inception, I have NEVER ONCE heard a sectarian comment made either at a home or away game, no matter where it was being played.
Many of us will remember the banners of support on the south side of the border on the way to Dublin for the Final in 1999, which may have surprised many outside rugby, but which were no surprise to those of us who have followed it for many years. Sectarianism is not a problem in Irish Rugby and especially not in Ulster. Such insinuations by anyone such as Brennan or his management (if that is indeed where they came from) should be treated with the disdain they deserve.
The most recent reports now have Brennan saying that his mother was insulted, probably due to the sectarian slant that has been put on it not being able to stick – I wonder what next?
We can only hope that such printed comments are not allowed to sully the good name of rugby in Ulster and Ireland in general and that all those reading them will know them simply to be untrue and an attempt to get Brennan off with what is surely coming from a wiser ERC… we await the verdict with anticipation.

I was sitting only 5 rows behind Patrick Banford when the assault (nothing ‘alleged’ about it!) took place. I heard very clearly that he shouted “Hey Brennan, your bar’s shit” (an accurate assessment in my view having been to “De Danu”) and that was it. This of course only happened after Brennan himself had made gestures to the crowd to keep the banter up.
Following the incident (which I won’t describe again), the guy sitting next to me with his family, including a four-year-old, was visibly upset that his young family should have to witness something of this nature, only feet away. Trevor Brennan should receive a life ban from rugby as well as a class action for the trauma he inflicted on countless people in the immediate vicinity of his vicious and largely unprovoked assault.
While I personally think that the relatively swift action of nearby security personnel and fans saved Mr. Banford from a worse beating, the follow-up action or lack thereof, is a disgrace in itself. There was a very obvious attempt to sweep the matter under the carpet quickly by Toulouse officials, security personnel as well as local Police, which should not be allowed to happen.
As for the Welsh postman’s attempt to emulate what he must have seen as acceptable behaviour, what can I say? With Thomas as a close friend of Brennan and acting in the same aggressive manner, surely the ERC will call for a drug test on both of these two so-called professionals?
We can only hope that the ERC ensure that a clear message is sent out to the likes of Trevor Brennan and the Toulouse management, with appropriate sanctions.
There can simply be no evidence at all to back up anything Brennan or the Toulouse management are reported to be saying as it simply did not happen and hopefully TV and/or video footage will prove that to be the case. I can only hope that neither I, nor my family witness anything so disgraceful in the coming years as we continue to support a fantastic sport, and team in Ulster Rugby.
In closing I would like to agree with the previous comments in relation to the Toulouse fans who were welcoming and friendly and who will be extended every courtesy should they be lucky enough to travel back to Ulster in the future.

Yours etc,

N.M.

 

Dear Ed,

I realise it was a bad week all-round for many, BUT I did score SIX correctly, not five as per the table.

These were Cardiff, Perpignan, Stade, Llanelli, Biarritz and Toulouse. Can you please correct this?

Cheers,

tok.
Ed . No problems Kimmy. The FRU encourages everyone to check thier scores.

       
INTISTA Predictions League Week 19

Also played this week Cole 4 - Scored 8 Points.



Ardmhic may be on top of the world, but he's not top of the INTISTA Predictions League (yet).

Kimble has a bad week and Ardmhic and Hound (below) take advantage.

Grumpy continues to plumit!

       
News from Abroad!
The FRU were informed earlier today that the Ulster Defence Taliban has issued a fatwa against the French and Irish news media.

Speaking from his Black Taxi UDT leader Osama bin Billy stated,
“The French and Irish news agencies have gone out of their way to misrepresent the people of Ulster as bigots and extremists. This is totally out of order as that is our job.


"I had that Trevor Brennan in the back of my cab once. Lovely bloke. Gave me a right good hiding he did.”

In a largely unrelated story the French and Irish press have called for Trevor Brennan to be made a saint.

Speaking with his head in the sand a spokesman for Stade Toulouse a Mr Isee Rien said,
“Surely we should call this man St Trevor of Toulouse as he single handily drove back the protestant hordes of men, woman and children – well families really – as they made the loud noises supporting their team. This sort of behaviour gives rugby a bad name. How I praised god each time I saw Trevor's hand smite the innocent supporter."

 
       
   
       
   




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