The rule of three in psychology supposes that the brain recognises patterns easier in threes. So therefore we have three little pigs, three coins in the fountain and in speech we have Pearse’s famous “The fools, the fools, the fools” or Lincoln’s “ Of the people, by the people, for the people” …… and in sport we have three strikes and you’re out or even kids playing 3 and you’re in, with a soccer ball and jumpers thrown down for goals.
I only raise this because the power of three was on show on Saturday in Belfield. Dylan scored three tries, not to be outdone Con hit the post three times, with conversion attempts and Ivan detonated a three kiloton thermonuclear device in the away dugout which cleared the bench, scorched the pitch, and set off house alarms on the Clonskeagh Road.
The game was a twitchy affair. UCD are unfortunate victims of their successful recruitment and scholarship programme, which left their AIL side without a substantial heft of Irish under 20’s, as many were involved with the recent heroic win against England in Bath and remain unavailable to their club.