Ulster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

phog

Buer wrote: »

3 year deal for a 33 year old, if true. It would be hard to turn down.

I didn't realise he was so "old"

I just saw a tweet saying he's 33, well for him a 3 year deal would be mad to turn down.

Jaggo

Well, we could trade you a Leinster Loosehead for an Ulster centre???

ssaye2

Jaggo wrote: »

Well, we could trade you a Leinster Loosehead for an Ulster centre???

O'Connell for Marshall - No Problem

:pac:

niallerm

Jaggo wrote: »

Well, we could trade you a Leinster Loosehead for an Ulster centre???

O'Connell for Olding?

Tbh i'd swap any Leinster LH not named Healy for Olding..

.ak

Massive loss for Ulster - whatever you want to say about him at international level he's a truly destructive prop against most club sides.

Buer

phog wrote: »

I didn't realise he was so "old"

I just saw a tweet saying he's 33, well for him a 3 year deal would be mad to turn down.

Equally mad to offer him one, to be honest.

ssaye2

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/latest/2013/11/tom-court-to-leave-ulster.aspx Official

Teferi

Best of luck to him. Big blow for Ulster. You'll be making a few big prop signings in the coming months I'd imagine.

thomond2006

Ulster will take the NIQ loosehead spot I'd say. Someone who could play both sides would be ideal given Fitzpatrick's constant injury problems, assuming Afoa leaves which is surely happening.

It's a loss to Ulster but Court is 33 so he is winding down anyway.

niallerm

with afoa leaving and court now gone.. they will hardly be allowed sign two NIQ props..

awec

Buer

Massive loss. With Afoa and Muller departing, Ulster really need to hang on to the experienced, first choice players they have.

Court is very under appreciated. He gives a hell of a lot of power around the park and works his arse off. Always seemed a really nice bloke too.

He took up rugby late and leaves Ireland with a grand slam, a hatful of caps, a Lions call up and a nice wedge of cash. Well done to him and thanks for his efforts over the 6 years he will have spent here.

overshoot

niallerm wrote: »

with afoa leaving and court now gone.. they will hardly be allowed sign two NIQ props..

loosehead NIQ & project tighthead?
still.... massive loss

niallerm

Lets look at Ulster's props next year:

TH:
Declan Fitzpatrick - good player but very injury prone.
Ricky Lutton - decent player
Adam Macklin - coming back from long term injury, serious questions over his scrummaging.
Brondon Ross - development player.

LH
Paddy McAllister - coming back from long term injury
Callum Black - good player

Academy players:
Kyle McCall - LH primarly but has played TH
Chris Taylor - TH primarly but had played LH
Andrew Warwick - LH

phog

Buer wrote: »

Equally mad to offer him one, to be honest.

Well someone doesn't think so.

I suppose that why I think it's an offer he couldn't refuse if he was actually offered three years.

MugMugs

Any idea what Premiership team Court is going to?

phog

MugMugs wrote: »

Any idea what Premiership team Court is going to?

According to rumour it's LI, I mentioned it earlier

Ah lads

phog

Paddy Wallace tweeted

Paddy Wallace ‏@paddywallace12 11m
Sad to hear @TomCourt1 is heading to @LiRFC unfortunately the nature of the business these days. Best of luck to TC and Cath

MugMugs

Huge loss for Ulster and quite surprising too. Always thought he'd finish in Ravenhill

awec

Was Court on a central contract?

bilston

phog wrote: »

Paddy Wallace tweeted

Pity when you consider we're losing Afoa and Muller as well, but I'm informed by someone who usually gives me reliable information that I won't be disappointed by Muller's replacement.

As for who we are left with Callum Black is playing very well and will do a good job and if we could ever get Paddy McAlistair fit it would be a major boost as well. I believe Kyle McCall is highly rated within the Ulster Academy as well so we'll see how he gets on.

Newsletter journo Richard Mulligan says we're after a Project Player prop next year as well.

phog

Tom Court to leave Ulster at the end of the season

Tom Court to leave Ulster at the end of the season
Loosehead prop, Tom Court, will leave Ulster at the end of this season after he agreed a new long-term contract with an Aviva Premiership club.

Court joined Ulster at the start of the 2006/2007 season and has made 135 appearances for the Province.

He was born in Australia but is qualified to play for Ireland through ancestry and has won 32 international caps. He represented the British and Irish Lions in the summer and played 35 minutes for the tourists in the win over the Melbourne Rebels.

The 33 year-old has been a cornerstone of the Ulster scrum in recent years. He played in both the 2012 Heineken Cup Final and last season’s RaboDirect PRO12 final. He was a stand out performer in last month’s wins over Leicester Tigers and Montpellier.

Commenting on his reasons for leaving Ulster, Tom Court said: ”I feel that this is the right decision with regards to me and my career at this stage.

“It is going to be very sad when the time comes to actually leave and finish up, but there is a lot of rugby left for me with the Province. There are six months remaining of this season, so there is even more motivation for me to make the most of it while I am here and to try and help Ulster win something.”

awec

Someone find me a corner to crawl up into and weep.

I had heard a few hints that he wouldn't get a new Ulster contract a few months ago.

irishbucsfan

Any chance of John Andress coming back?

RobbieRuns

Really, really surprised by that. Thought that Ulster would keep hold of him

niallerm

33 year old prop, looking for a multi year deal... usually not a good idea..

Denis Buckley would be an interesting player, seems like him and Lam had a falling out

jacothelad

RobbieRuns wrote: »

I do not think that is an accurate rumour..... Court is not going anywhere

Ulster have confirmed the move.

ssaye2

bilston wrote: »

Pity when you consider we're losing Afoa and Muller as well, but I'm informed by someone who usually gives me reliable information that I won't be disappointed by Muller's replacement.

As for who we are left with Callum Black is playing very well and will do a good job and if we could ever get Paddy McAlistair fit it would be a major boost as well. I believe Kyle McCall is highly rated within the Ulster Academy as well so we'll see how he gets on.

Newsletter journo Richard Mulligan says we're after a Project Player prop next year as well.

Does that Bronson Ross (?) player play at all for reserves or anything

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/team/squad-profiles-list/bronson-ross.aspx

Regarding Mullers replacement, Ulster have been the best province in getting their 5 top class foreign players so the replacement will probably be right up there.

niallerm

wait Muller is being replaced by an NIQ?

was looking forward to a Henderson and Touhy partnership..