Pool 5 (Bordeaux, Clermont, Exeter, Ulster)

[UlsterRugby2012]

This is spot on but strangely. They've argubally the best pool as more years than not Ulster Schools Rugby is seen as strong as Leinster's schools. But academy output doesn't seem to be on same levels. I've wondered is the issue even more down line too.
Like your spot on about Clarke but is it also a string of issues

I'm really not sure that's the case. Been about 3 years since I was involved in schools rugby, so maybe it's a little different now, but I remember far too many hidings from down south. Methody really the only consistent contender but even then I'm pretty sure they ended up losing most of the time. Can't imagine it's changed too much.

Sloppy performance but after this recent run it's not unexpected. Been told personally by people who've been coached by him that Allen Clarke is completely incompetent, although you probably don't need me to realize that

 

[Groundhog]

Would say the strength of schools teams from what I saw went 1. Leinster 2. Ulster 3. Munster. The thing I will say though is that the guys who you hear about in schools in Munster often seem to be identified early by the Munster setup, put into youth teams and relatively few guys fall through the cracks. No idea how it is in Ulster, but I know their school standard is quite high, and there's usually a few teams in the mix, yet Ulster seem to bring in a lot of journeymen from outside the province, and often bring in young IQ guys from elsewhere (eg Herron, Treadwell). Ulster have quite a large squad, but they could probably do with slimming it down a bit.