Putt gets short shrift: Former Terenure College and London Irish scrumhalf Kevin Putt has been sacked by South African Super 12 side the (Natal) Sharks. The New Zealand native knew the sands of time were running out and had felt the match against the Brumbies might be his last in charge of he didn't turn things around immediately.
But having selected the team to play the champions and just taken a training session, Putt was called in and told to clean out his desk. He was replaced by one of his former team-mates in the highly successful Natal team of the 1990s, Dick Muir. The former Natal coach Ian McIntosh has been lured out of retirement to assist Muir.
Putt was effectively gone as coach the week before, when the Highlanders scored the bonus-point try just 19 minutes into their 43-7 defeat of the Sharks.
Putt fumed: "I felt severely let down by the players. I know this is what ultimately led to the sack. The lack of commitment and desire among some players on that day was terribly sad.
"All I had asked of the players was to give it a full go. But they could not do it. I suppose, though, if I could not get it out of them maybe changing the coach was the way to go."
The Sharks beat the Brumbies.
Stade show flair
Max Guazzini, the flamboyant owner of Stade Français, has shown himself to be shrewd when it comes to getting support for his team and pumping colour into the occasion. The first time the club made it to the French Championship final, he noticed how his team's opponents, Perpignan, brought colour to the occasion with their flags.
The next time Stade made the final, Guazzini put a Stade Français flag on every seat in the stadium.
For Saturday's Heineken European Cup quarter-final he repeated the ploy. And, worried the notoriously fickle Parisian public might not come out to support the team in the 40,000-capacity Parc des Princes, he sold some tickets for the princely sum of 5. It worked.
Ronan makes name
It seems young Leinster and Lansdowne flanker Niall Ronan made quite an impression at the recent World Cup Sevens in Hong Kong. Lately acclaimed as Leinster's player of the month, the former under-21 international made a big contribution to Ryan Constable's team, his athleticism and ball skills drawing praise from several coaches and commentators.
After a difficult opening day in the competition, Ireland improved significantly, beating Tonga, and were very fortunate to lose to Samoa in the plate, a last gasp-try saving the Pacific islanders.
Others who impressed were Ian Humphreys (David's younger brother), Andrew Maxwell and UCD's Kevin Croke. Setanta TV's rugby packages continue to stand out and their night-long highlights coverage of the tournament was hugely enjoyable.
The IRFU's decision to take part could also provide a great platform to develop young, gifted athletes in the abbreviated form of the game.
IRUPA thank sponsors
IRUPA have announced Esat BT are to become title sponsor of their annual awards. The ceremony, which takes place in the Burlington Hotel on Wednesday, May 4th, will honour those players who have excelled in the last 12 months.
Money raised through the award ceremony will go toward the IRUPA Injured Players Fund.
Niall Woods, CEO of IRUPA, thanked Esat BT for their support, which, he said, was an endorsement of the calibre of the event.
The award categories are: Esat BT IRUPA Players' Player of the Year; IRUPA Hooke & MacDonald Unsung Hero of the Year; IRUPA Barker Insurance Hall of Fame Award; IRUPA Green Giant Newcomer of the Year; IRUPA Tyrone Crystal Try of the Year; IRUPA Irish Life Special Merit Award.
All 150 members of IRUPA will vote.
Solly takes his chance
Solly Tyibilika has become something of a cause célèbre in South African rugby. The Sharks flanker is highly regarded by national coach Jake White but at provincial level was pretty much shunted around from Billy to Jack - that is until a storming performance in a recent Natal victory.
Tyibilika accepted an offer from Griquas to play his rugby out of Kimberley in the 2005 Currie Cup season. That meant he effectively transferred to the Cats region. But when the Super 12 squads were finalised the flanker's name was missing.
Cats coach Chester Williams said he did not require his services. Sharks coach Kevin Putt (now former Sharks coach) said Tyibilika was no longer part of the Sharks franchise, since he had already joined Griquas - who are in the Cats franchise.
The South African Rugby Union stepped in and forced the Sharks to select Tyibilika in their Super 12 squad, yet he continued to spend most of his time on the bench. That was until Dick Muir took over and Tyibilika had a brilliant game.
The moral is, obviously, never to give up hope.
