TOMMY BOWE MADE his long-awaited return from injury this afternoon as he featured for Ulster Ravens in their 38-31 win over Munster A.
The Ireland winger has been sidelined since being stretched off during the World Cup defeat to Argentina last October.
He sustained a serious knee injury and was due to miss the entire season but Bowe made his first appearance in six months at Naas Rugby Club earlier.
The 32-year-old came through 40 minutes unscathed and could still feature for Ulster during the Pro12 run-in, with their next fixture not until next week away to Zebre.
Bowe wasn’t the only player to make his comeback from injury with Munster’s Duncan Casey returning to action for the first time since November.
The hooker suffered a long injury lay-off after rupturing his pectoral muscle in Munster’s Pro12 win over Treviso in Limerick.
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‘It’d be remiss of the whole organisation if we stood back and went ‘Oh, we’re happy”
Great to have him back for the run in
Just at the right time.
I think we need to move past tommy at this stage. As good as he is he’s not the future. We have a few young singers who could do with a game or two
We need to move past a lot of players, Tommy among them but not top of the list.
Rochelle slipping in under the radar with his usual bolloxology and snapping up a few likes. Well done you big eejit.
What singers? Tommy did a fine job with
Black Velvet Band in ’09
Shane Buckley, a blindside flanker, played as sub hooker today, had a great game too.
I hope he has his summer empty. If he looks remotely close to his best form, I would have him in the team for the first test.
Haha, we’re not even allowed to like Tommy Bowe any more. You’re dead right though, Andrew. Tommy Bowe could be a serious asset against SA.
Depends on the objectives for the tour.
If it’s win at all costs, and Bowe hits form, he’d be a serious contender.
If it’s develop the younger lads re RWC19, he wouldn’t fit.
It is likely to be a combination of both, with a bias towards experience – which could see Tommy in the squad/team.
On Off The Ball recently Keith Wood and Gerry Thornley were both making the point that this SA tour is crazy: it will make for 17 international matches in the season, on top of League and cups. Both pundits suggested that after RWC, the following summer should be one for resting players. I’d have to agree: a few weeks in camp would be better.
The problem is the SH teams need/want the revenue. In return we’d have to skip another November series too presumably. We already lose out during the world cup and do before the world cup. Taking more tours out won’t do.
Then take new players – rest the RWC squad? Potentially mad to go to the High Veld with rookies, of course
And New Zealand. Also they’re trying to sell these games to sponsors, t.v. and fans. Seeing irish kids heading to Dunedin to lose by 80 points is hardly going to entice any of the above
We took our full compliment to NZ last time post RWC and that’s exactly what happened in the final test: annihilation.
We need to expand our pool of international players. Here’s a XV of guys who are, or who should be, or who could be on the cusp of the national side:
Dennis Buckley, Rob Herring, Finlay Bealham, Alan O’Connor, Mick Kearney, Eoin McKeon, Eoghan Masterson, Jack Conan, Luke McGrath, JJ Hanrahan, Stu McCloskey, Luke Marshall, Craig Gilroy, Matt Healy, Tiernan O’Halloran
9 is a big, big issue for Ireland next season. I don’t see Luke McGrath as anything other than a league scrum half for Leinster. Obviously, I hope I’m wrong but I haven’t been convinced most times I’ve seen him play. I know he’s young and I will give him time
Completely agree with the post WC tour needing to be lighter. They could do 1 or 2 games vs the 4nations and 1 or 2 vs the pacific nations (3 total). In turn, NZ and Co. could do the same but with 6Nb. It’d give everyone a chance to try out the younger guys, give the experienced guys a rest and develop the tier 2 nations.
It is also an alternative to changing the 6 nations, cause they could say, “look, tier 2 are getting plenty of big games!”
They should scrap the Lions instead if they want to free up a summer, it’s only a load of bollox in the professional era. Ireland and the other 6N teams need to tour these SH countries on a more regular basis if they want to compete with them in the World Cup. Patching a Lions team together two years before a World Cup might provide 6 weeks of ‘banter’ for the players but it does absolutely nothing for the development of the northern hemisphere teams.
Michael – I take your point about the Lions being something of a relic from the amateur days. However, I couldn’t disagree more with you about scrapping it: the fact that it is a throwback is one of the many things that makes it so good.
I was on some of the last tour in Australia and, whilst some of the (non-test) games were poor, the atmosphere wherever you went was outstanding and the test series was thrilling. Traveling fans, home supporters, players – everyone loves it. It is also, in a very real way, the pinnacle of B&I rugby: “our” best players against the odds, and something that very few players ever get to experience.
AMF – yeah, I hear you. I’d wonder will McGrath even be first choice at Leinster. I could well imagine them recruiting a “Gopperth” in the summer, assuming they let Reddan leave (which seems mad).
Tbh there are a few players on my list that were stretches – both second rows, probably.
What about when we go to Argentina? Play Uruguay? And when we travel to south Africa? Play Namibia? The schedule definitely favours the bigger nations but at the end of the day, we get 3 or 4 home internationals in November but we’re asking the SH to have 2. It won’t work.
Darren Cave playing for the Ravens?
Probably for minutes. Marshall has been a star at 13 since Cave was injured and it’s really Luke’s shirt to lose now.
The World Cup was the worst thing that happened to him. His absence opened the door to a McCloskey Marshall centre partnership and the two of them have excelled. The Ravens represents (at the moment) his best chance of game time.
Feel really sorry for him, he’s an absolutely quality player but unfortunately for him his peak at 13 probably came at a bad time due to BOD. And then any time hes got an opportunity in green he hasn’t had his best games. But he’s a superb player, he’s got a very well rounded game with a great head for it. Really rate him
Agreed – fine player. Will he stay at Ulster, though? So much competition at centre there, and ever-decreasing chances of playing for Ireland again. I could imagine an overseas move would be financially beneficial for him, and lots of clubs would want him.
If I were him, I’d absolutely go abroad. When Schmidt picked the RWC side he took him saying Henshaw/Payne was a bit manufactured and he wanted a natural center. Then, they select at Earls at 13.
It’s no comment on Earls, but the bottom line is that it was all set up to select Cave in his natural position in an otherwise full team (which he hadn’t been picked in before) and they opted for more manufacturing. He’s not going to become a 6N/RWC Ireland player, at least not beyond very few minutes.
Ulster have the younger group coming through and shining and, at 29, Cave can be a real asset to a European team and set himself up financially. It’s a shame- nothing fell right for him.
It’s amazing that Ireland is developing so many players these days that we don’t mind seeing some go in certain positions. If Grenoble or London Irish managed to sign a few more Irish Guys they could get a really big following over here. At the moment very few of us watch those leagues, so we’re a big market to tap into
Neil, Rudiger – shame for Cave alright, and hard to see things improving for him at home. A Grenoble, Oyanax or Pau would love him. Madigan was rumoured to be on only €80k at Leinster – Cave could well be in a similar spot. France/England would be ideal for him.
Certainly so, Brian.
Tommy hasn’t been in his best form under Joe at national but I’d still have him as my first choice winger if he is fully fit. Good in the air, a great finisher and defensively the best wide man available to us. Wrong side of 30 but as long as his injury hasn’t caused him to lose pace he’s still the best we have at the moment.