Rush to Ulster.

Orizio

Xavier Rush to Ulster. Signing a NIQ player in their strongest area with Henry in fantastic form?

XAVIER RUSH will leave the Blues at the end of the season to join Irish province Ulster.

The Kiwi No 8 has signed a lucrative two-year deal believed to be worth £200,000-a-year to join the former Heineken Cup winners.

The eight-times capped former All Black, who led the Auckland Blues to the Super 12 title, has emerged as one of the most wanted back-row players around.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/cardiffonline/cardiff-rugby/2010/02/07/blues-star-xavier-rush-signs-ulster-deal-91466-25778206/

crisco10

Its interesting alright. Henry in fantastic form, on top of the signing of Muller with the young 2nd rows also in good form. Seems bizarre, would they not prefer to use their NIQ quota on a full back or scrum half?

PhatPiggins

What a pointless signing, they need a scrum half, fly half cover and will need a full back when Clint retires at the end of the season.

They sign an 8 when they already have Henryand Diack :mad:

Retarded imo

thomond2006

They've got Ferris, Henry, Pollock, Faloon and Diack.

Why the **** do they need to sign Rush?

He's a very good player, but Ulster don't need him (unlike Johann Muller for the second row).

Backrow was the last place they needed to fill with an NIQ player, what about scrumhalf and fullback?

Can't believe the IRFU let this happen.

JustinDee

thomond2006 wrote: »

They've got Ferris, Henry, Pollock, Faloon and Diack.

Why the **** do they need to sign Rush?

To replace long-term injury Diack I'd say.

wixfjord

Rush is a great player who ive always rated and a good signing. But its wasting resources that could have been used elsewhere. If im correct thats 5 NIQ? so no new scrumhalf. Would have been better going after someone like Peel. (has he recently signed a new contract?) Will be good for the younger backrows I presume aswell.

Hype710

Rush is a good player and will enhance Ulster's Heineken credentials but you wouldn't want him to be first choice ahead of Chris Henry, fast emerging as a top no 8.
Is botha staying does anyone know?

razorblunt

Rush is a great player I think, is it possible Henry/Ferris might be leaving in the summer?

bamboozle

as long as Ulster keep Henry and Ferris then the signing of Rush will ensure they'll have top quality backrows in all games. Wouldnt be suprised if Paul O'Donoghue goes up there to replace Boss...

PhatPiggins

Hype710 wrote: »

Rush is a good player and will enhance Ulster's Heineken credentials but you wouldn't want him to be first choice ahead of Chris Henry, fast emerging as a top no 8.
Is botha staying does anyone know?

Yup Botha is staying all right. Ulster took a fairly hard line on any suggestions of an early release.

Co45

razorblunt wrote: »

Rush is a great player I think, is it possible Henry/Ferris might be leaving in the summer?

Possible Henry might be going to Munster. Assuming Quinlan has at most another season left then Leamy could slot in 6 with Wallace 7 and Henry at 8.

PhatPiggins

Co45 wrote: »

Possible Henry might be going to Munster. Assuming Quinlan has at most another season left then Leamy could slot in 6 with Wallace 7 and Henry at 8.

If only, but there's no way Ulster will let him leave.

Co45

PhatPiggins wrote: »

If only, but there's no way Ulster will let him leave.

I would of said the same thing about Bowe.

PhatPiggins

Co45 wrote: »

I would of said the same thing about Bowe.

I dont think you can compare the two to be honest. When Bowe left Ulster were crap and he went abroad.The team was in transition and there was a fairly big player turnover and a change of management.

They have a decent team now, are much more settled and they wont be letting their co captain go to another provence. He's not going to get more money at Munster, I cant see why he'd do it.

Co45

PhatPiggins wrote: »

I dont think you can compare the two to be honest. When Bowe left Ulster were crap and he went abroad.The team was in transition and there was a fairly big player turnover and a change of management.

They have a decent team now, are much more settled and they wont be letting their co captain go to another provence. He's not going to get more money at Munster, I cant see why he'd do it.

Fair point.

stephen_n

It would seem that the Ulster management know something we probably don't, which would suggest that one of the current backrow players will be on the move. As for not letting players go to other provinces, what about Boss?

Spaceman Spiff

Even if nobody (significant) is leaving Ulster the move still has obvious merits.

Ferris is unavailable for at least 2 months a season with Ireland duty, Henry has also worked his way into the mix and will miss time as well, this doesn't include the general injuries the team seems to face in its backrow. That's a lot of skill and leadership for a young team to be missing for that length of time. Rush fills both holes. He's also better than Diack, so whether or not he's coming off the bench or he's in the starting lineup (Henry-Rush-Ferris isn't anything to scoff at, even if the idea of bumping develloping players like Falloon and Pollock to the bench isn't ideal) the squad has improved. And I can't help but think that a guy like Rush will do nothing but help the current backrowers.

And when it comes to depth, in those games that fall around the internationals, having a guy like Rush being able to fill the large leadership void left by the unavailability of Ulster's best players, and for a team that wants to make even larger strides in the Magners League and in Europe, you can't leave everything to the youngsters in those games.

And then of course if either Henry or Ferris (or both :eek: ) are leaving, the move is that much more important.

Ciaran-Irl

It does suggest that someone might be leaving. I'm going to try to convince myself that Ferris is coming to Leinster.

Then again, given how injury prone Ferris is, it might make sense as a move. Odd if nobody leaves though.

PhatPiggins

stephen_n wrote: »

It would seem that the Ulster management know something we probably don't, which would suggest that one of the current backrow players will be on the move. As for not letting players go to other provinces, what about Boss?

Boss is no longer centrally contracted and Ulster didn't want to pay his wages, different situation to Henry.

thomond2006

Ciaran-Irl wrote: »

It does suggest that someone might be leaving. I'm going to try to convince myself that Ferris is coming to Leinster.

With Quinny at 35 and Wallace at 33, I wouldn't be surprised if he went to Munster to be honest.

anonymous_joe

I'd be fairly annoyed if Munster or Leinster nicked Ferris. I'd love to see him playing for Leinster obviously, but fcuking over Ulster wouldn't be right.

bamboozle

thomond2006 wrote: »

With Quinny at 35 and Wallace at 33, I wouldn't be surprised if he went to Munster to be honest.

i cant see Ferris or Henry being allowed go to another Irish province. Ferris's contract with ulster is until June 2011

Crash

I'd see it a good move from an injury point of view actually - Pollock hasn't had the best track history, neither has Ferris (Diack I'm unsure of) which leaves you a backrow of Henry, Faloon and AN Other (sorry, cant think of an Ulster 6 right now) with academy subs for main matches. I'd consider this a Hines style signing - all fit, Leinster can realistically function without him, but he's a great player, and he sorts out injury worries majorly. Ulster can't be expected to field Irish players in every position, much like the other provinces can't.

Hype710

Crash wrote: »

I'd see it a good move from an injury point of view actually - Pollock hasn't had the best track history, neither has Ferris (Diack I'm unsure of) which leaves you a backrow of Henry, Faloon and AN Other (sorry, cant think of an Ulster 6 right now) with academy subs for main matches. I'd consider this a Hines style signing - all fit, Leinster can realistically function without him, but he's a great player, and he sorts out injury worries majorly. Ulster can't be expected to field Irish players in every position, much like the other provinces can't.

Thomas Anderson is a six and has played a good bit this year. Hopefully Henry and Ferris will stay. Either way i think its a fairly decent signing, although Pollock has been showing some excellent form and you wouldn't neccessarily want to see his development stalled.

PhatPiggins

I've no problem with signing Rush as a player I just think they've tied up a lot of money and one of their NIQ quota in a position they already have good cover in.

Are they going to end up playing another Leinster 3rd choice scrum half and an academy player at 15 next season.

stephen_n

PhatPiggins wrote: »

I've no problem with signing Rush as a player I just think they've tied up a lot of money and one of their NIQ quota in a position they already have good cover in.

Are they going to end up playing another Leinster 3rd choice scrum half and an academy player at 15 next season.

There are a few players in the Leinster Academy that Ulster could take because it is unlikely they will get their chance with Leinster, doesn't make them bad players and it would be better for Ireland in the long run as Felix Jones going to Munster was!

PhatPiggins

stephen_n wrote: »

There are a few players in the Leinster Academy that Ulster could take because it is unlikely they will get their chance with Leinster, doesn't make them bad players and it would be better for Ireland in the long run as Felix Jones going to Munster was!

No doubts but good for Ireland long term isn't necessarily good for Ulster in the short term.

It'll be interesting to see how this one plays out

bamboozle

Munster in their pomp in Europe had backrower players such as Jim Williams, Tony Foley, Quinlan, Wallace and Leamy breaking through, they were able to dominate matches thru strength in their back row, Ulster will have a top quality pack now with the additions of Muller and Rush to what is already a top quality pack.

I'd imagine Rush will be there to help bring on the backrowers at Ulster in the same manner that Ollie Le Roux had at Leinster and Jim Williams at Munster.