Self confessed Rugby Nut and student of the game, Manus Lappin is the Editor of Emerald Rugby Magazine and has had the privilege of working in the rugby business since 2003. During his time with Emerald Rugby, Manus has had the opportunity to work with, and learn from some of the best players, coaches and rugby thinkers in world rugby.
A lifelong fan of the game, in playing terms you could say he was a late starter playing his first game of rugby at the tender age of 25!
Since then he has gone on to captain many a losing side with his local club Portadown RFC... and enjoyed every second of it. There have been several embarrassing moments which he would much prefer to forget like the time he passed the ball to the linesman who he thought was his winger (this was before he has laser eye surgery), or the time he fell out of the ambulance in front of the then Ulster coaches, after he banjaxed his knee during a club game against Ballymena... I’m still available for selection! There have been other embarrassing moments but none of them are printable...
Manus Lappin writes: The recent punishment of Ulster prop John Afoa will once again bring the point of 'tip tackles' back into the spotlight not least because neither assistant referees, nor match day referee picked up on the offence during the game... but that’s another story!
Manus Lappin writes: So the opening weekend of the 2011 Rugby World Cup is gone, but not without a hitch. The so called minnows of the game providing much of the entertainment not least Japan against France and the USA against Ireland (more on that later).
Manus Lappin writes: Even an optimist like myself must admit that 4 losses on the trot is not the ideal buildup to a World Cup however I still believe there isn’t much wrong with the Irish rugby team, if they can engage their rugby brains.
So we now know the 30 players that will carry Ireland’s hopes into the 2011 Rugby World Cup. No doubt Kidney et al didn’t sleep too well over the weekend knowing that they would have to cut their squad and inform the players who weren’t making the grade this time around.
Manus Lappin writes: from an Irish perspective it is mission accomplished from Murrayfield visit.
Manus Lappin writes: I’m remaining positive, despite my serious concerns about referee Romain Poite’s ability (or lack thereof) to marshal a game of Rugby, I believe that we are in for a classic Heineken Cup final in Cardiff this Saturday
Manus Lappin writes: It would be fair to say my heart sank when I read the press release from the ERC stating that Romain Poite would be taking charge of the Heineken Cup final.
OK, so the triple crown and Six Nations championship dream is gone for another year and you know what, the earth is still spinning and the birds are still singing so it’s not the end of the world as we know it.
There are two trains of thought when looking at Ireland’s opening game against Italy and their recent outing against Scotland.
Manus Lappin writes: I’m not for one second going to suggest that Ireland will or should be happy with the result against France yesterday. We lost the game, and it was ours for the taking. But by the same token we should not be blind to the marked improvement in the Irish performance.
