Leinster v Ulster #ThrowbackThursday
Leinster play Ulster this Saturday in Navan in the first of the pre-season games on home soil. A look back at the same match in August 1997 has been well received on social media today.
#tbt – As it’s @leinsterrugby v @UlsterRugby this Saturday here’s the teams from August 16th 1997 pic.twitter.com/yv91PLqs57
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) August 11, 2016
The first thing that catches your eye when you read down the team sheets is the involvement of two current Leinster coaches, Kurt McQuilkin and Girvan Dempsey.
On the Ulster side Stan McDowell is now development coach for the IRFU national Sevens programme.
McQuilkin captained Leinster for the match and Dempsey was listed on the bench as 16 – though he definitely wasn’t the sub front row!
His recently retired former team-mate Kevin McLaughlin picked up on this fact:
@IrishRugby Girv was covering tighthead that day? wow has he changed body shape! #pinner
— Kevin McLaughlin (@KMcLaughlin6) August 11, 2016
Subs numbers were obviously a little looser in those days as Ireland star Gordon D’Arcy pointed out:
@IrishRugby @KMcLaughlin6 my first Irish cap was as no. 16 (although you would have been forgiven if you thought I was a front row ?)
— Gordon D’Arcy (@Gordonwdarcy) August 11, 2016
D’Arcy made his debut against Romania in the 1999 Rugby World Cup and this photo from the match proves that he was definitely not a front row:
@Gordonwdarcy @KMcLaughlin6 See – the old days Kev! October 15th 1999 to be precise. pic.twitter.com/Ita0lJRFPv
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) August 11, 2016
The Leinster players pen pics also proved popular:
No @UlsterRugby pen pics in the 1997 programme but some of these @leinsterrugby boys haven’t aged a bit #tbt pic.twitter.com/HVCR9cr10Z
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) August 11, 2016
Former Leinster and Ireland hooker Shane Byrne remembered sneaking the win as he tweeted:
@IrishRugby Jaysus?#blastfromthepast Think that was a cracken game! Just snook it?#memories @UlsterBankRugby @leinsterrugby @trevorbrennan1
— Shane Byrne (@shanebyrneoffic) August 11, 2016
Meanwhile, an eagle eyed supporter spotted that prop Angus McKeen would have made even Devin Toner look small:
.@IrishRugby @UlsterBankRugby @leinsterrugby @shanebyrneoffic @trevorbrennan1 I know Angus McKeen is a tall fella, but 9’11”? I doubt it!
— Peter Kavanagh (@TheKavOfficial) August 11, 2016
Leinster and Ireland prop Jack McGrath also got in a dig at his team-mate Jamie Heaslip – a man known for his injury-free run for province and country. Could Jack be suggesting that Jamie is really that old?
@IrishRugby @leinsterrugby @UlsterRugby @shanebyrneoffic @trevorbrennan1 @McdowellStan was @jamieheaslip injured?? #oldmanriver
— Jack McGrath (@jackmc100) August 11, 2016
For the record, Leinster won 26-25 back in 1997. Tickets for the pre-season match this weekend in Navan are available on ticketmaster.ie – click here.