Ulster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

RuPi

jacothelad wrote: »

Kyle McCall Prop
Chris Taylor Prop
Jake Caulfield Prop
Alan O'Connor Lock
James Simpson Lock
John Donnan Lock
Conor Joyce Blindside Flanker
Chris Farrell Centre
Rory Scholes Wing/Fullback
Peter Nelson Fullback

Other guys possibly involved:
Ross Adair Wing
Ben Alexander Backrow
Russell Blair Lock
John Andrew Hooker
John Creighton Scrumhalf

Jonny Murphy is still in the academy or else he got a development deal as he has been training with the squad, Farrell is on a development contract.

bilston

jacothelad wrote: »

Kyle McCall Prop
Chris Taylor Prop
Jake Caulfield Prop
Alan O'Connor Lock
James Simpson Lock
John Donnan Lock
Conor Joyce Blindside Flanker
Chris Farrell Centre
Rory Scholes Wing/Fullback
Peter Nelson Fullback

Other guys possibly involved:
Ross Adair Wing
Ben Alexander Backrow
Russell Blair Lock
John Andrew Hooker
John Creighton Scrumhalf

I've heard good things about the two in bold although I haven't seen either play. I think Adair played a handful of games for the Ravens last season as well.

Wasn't there a winger at Campbell last year that was being touted as an up and comer? I think his surname is Owens, his first name was either James or Jordan or Jonathan or something beginning with J anyway.

Here's a funny one. Referencing the Munster Thread.

Lets set a scenario, say 2015/2016 season.

Ulster have finished in the top 4 for 4 years in a row in the Rabo, they've been in 3 HEC finals in the last 5 years with 1 winners medal and 1 Rabo.

Connacht have qualified ahead of AN Other province (on merit) by being the third best Irish team in the Rabo in the 2014/2015 season.

What happens to the Christmas Inter-Pros?

bilston

Deleted User wrote: »

Here's a funny one. Referencing the Munster Thread.

Lets set a scenario, say 2015/2016 season.

Ulster have finished in the top 4 for 4 years in a row in the Rabo, they've been in 3 HEC finals in the last 5 years with 1 winners medal and 1 Rabo.

Connacht have qualified ahead of AN Other province (on merit) by being the third best Irish team in the Rabo in the 2014/2015 season.

What happens to the Christmas Inter-Pros?

Not sure I understand Emmet? Will I get a clue if I read the Munster thread?

Edit - Meh, it's an old argument from last Christmas, to be fair Ulster play BOTH Munster and Leinster at Christmas where as they play us and Connacht so leaving Connacht to the side for a minute we definitely have a tougher pair of games at Christmas than Munster and Leinster. Given the matches are sandwiched between rounds 4 and 5 of the HEC it's no wonder Ulster have to juggle their squad about a bit.

Anyway as I pointed out on the Munster thread Munster very rarely send a full strength side to Ravenhill. ROG hardly ever played at Ravenhill over the years.

Effectively what I'm saying is that if we have a "flip" of the power in the provinces (over the last 10 years), in that Connacht and Ulster become the two dominant forces, would we see a change in the fixture list (unlikely imo) or would we see a change in the protocols for the Welfare Progamme?

jm08

bilston wrote: »

Anyway as I pointed out on the Munster thread Munster very rarely send a full strength side to Ravenhill. ROG hardly ever played at Ravenhill over the years.

You might not have seen a lot of ROG but Warwick is fairly handy, you also got Munster's NIQs like Howlett, Jean de Villiers, Christian Cullen, Tipoki etc.

RuPi

bilston wrote: »

I've heard good things about the two in bold although I haven't seen either play. I think Adair played a handful of games for the Ravens last season as well.

Wasn't there a winger at Campbell last year that was being touted as an up and comer? I think his surname is Owens, his first name was either James or Jordan or Jonathan or something beginning with J anyway.

Jack Owens has another year at school so he is involved with the Under 19's this summer but he is highly regarded. Blair had a few injuries this year but he only made the bench for the under19's last season. He is a big lad with not a bad skill set but fairly soft.

Ross Adair did play for the Ravens and Ireland U19 last year, has moved from Queens to Ballynahinch so at least is testing himself and we will see how he copes at 1A level.

bilston

RuPi wrote: »

Jack Owens has another year at school so he is involved with the Under 19's this summer but he is highly regarded. Blair had a few injuries this year but he only made the bench for the under19's last season. He is a big lad with not a bad skill set but fairly soft.

Ross Adair did play for the Ravens and Ireland U19 last year, has moved from Queens to Ballynahinch so at least is testing himself and we will see how he copes at 1A level.

Jack! I knew it began with J.

Someone was saying on another MB that he scored 4 tries in one game against Inst last year so his name has stuck with me ever since (or at least his surname has...)

CatFromHue

Is Russel Blair any relation of Mark, the HEC winning lock?

Stanza2

CatFromHue wrote: »

Is Russel Blair any relation of Mark, the HEC winning lock?

No relation. Wish that he was as good as him

awec

Pre-season game against Leinster announced then.

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/11596.php

Ulster Rugby will host inter-provincial rivals Leinster on 23rd August (kick-off 19.30) in a pre-season match that will see two new stands at the ground open to spectators for the first time.

durkadurka

awec wrote: »

Pre-season game against Leinster announced then.

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/11596.php

Ulster Rugby will host inter-provincial rivals Leinster on 23rd August (kick-off 19.30) in a pre-season match that will see two new stands at the ground open to spectators for the first time.

Are there any up to date photos floating around of how the stadium is looking now?

postitnote

Click on that link and you'll see an aerial pic

bilston

13,500 capacity for next season then which means no Pro 12 final and that wouldn't do for a home HEC Q/F either but maybe come next April there may be ways around it.

Still good to see progress being made. Shame the stadium will be finished after Pienaar, Afoa, Muller and Williams have left!

irishbucsfan

iHumph has signed a contract extension with LI. I guess he'll be retiring there so.

Buer

irishbucsfan wrote: »

iHumph has signed a contract extension with LI. I guess he'll be retiring there so.

Always seemed like a smart enough cookie. I wouldn't be surprised if he's angling for a job when he finishes. Most likely a defence attack coach.

overshoot

durkadurka wrote: »

Are there any up to date photos floating around of how the stadium is looking now?

its in that slow stage now where theres lots of work but it looks like bugger all. finishing off the end stands and removing the rubble of the old grandstand and digging & putting in the founds take ages. once they start moving up though it will fly!

lurtz

jacothelad wrote: »

Kyle McCall Prop
Chris Taylor Prop
Jake Caulfield Prop
Alan O'Connor Lock
James Simpson Lock
John Donnan Lock
Conor Joyce Blindside Flanker
Chris Farrell Centre
Rory Scholes Wing/Fullback
Peter Nelson Fullback

Other guys possibly involved:
Ross Adair Wing
Ben Alexander Backrow
Russell Blair Lock
John Andrew Hooker
John Creighton Scrumhalf

Dave Shanahan reportedly joining

bilston

Have I missed something or is Ulster's only pre-season match against Leinster? Surely there must be other matches? Anyone heard anything?

Paul Smeenus

Away to Leicester, afternoon of Saturday the 31st of August.

http://www.leicestertigers.com/news/17035.php

bilston

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Away to Leicester, afternoon of Saturday the 31st of August.

http://www.leicestertigers.com/news/17035.php

Cheers

So we're playing potentially our biggest league and HEC pool rivals in pre season games. Interesting choice!

Paul Smeenus

We've played Leicester quite a few times in pre-season - there's a good relationship there. Keeps us familiar with them. Smart move. We're playing regularly against the big boys we need to beat when it matters.

Paul Smeenus

ThinkIng about it, isn't it this pre-season when a game's supposed to be played in Derry?

Hagz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t976a_P41Wg

RuPi

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

ThinkIng about it, isn't it this pre-season when a game's supposed to be played in Derry?

Doubt it, they trained up there last year and they are doing a pitch session in Strabane this year.

awec

Hagz wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t976a_P41Wg

Wouldn't look out of place in a Village People video with that attire.

awec

Fixtures are out. Total and complete farce. :mad:

Leinster and Munster at Christmas AGAIN.

Leinster and Munster at the end of the season in a row.

Last 4 fixtures are 3 interpros and away to Glasgow.


Time for them to start rotating these fixtures about. What a load of fcukin bollocks.

Buer

Ulster's run in is ridiculous. Does each team not have a representative involved in determining the fixtures?

molloyjh

awec wrote: »

Fixtures are out. Total and complete farce. :mad:

Leinster and Munster at Christmas AGAIN.

Leinster and Munster at the end of the season in a row.

Last 4 fixtures are 3 interpros and away to Glasgow.


Time for them to start rotating these fixtures about. What a load of fcukin bollocks.

Yeah I'd be seriously pissed off if I were an Ulster fan. Having Glasgow away before the Leinster and Munster games at the end of the season is huge as well. After the way they finished last season they'll be tough.

.ak

Paddy Jackson's replacement is ticking along nicely....