Ulster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

backawaygo onahead

I'm pretty sure you saw plenty of scrummage power last week, with McComb on Tom's Right arsecheek & Henderson on the left cheek & with a little effort from TC himself they shattered the tighthead side of the Caaaaaaaaaaaaaadiff pack.

It often revolves around what happens on JA's side of the scrum, not last week. Must say something about the boys behind TC. Kudos to both.

Fooker

Henderson certainly has potential to fill in for Muller and O'Connell eventually. Note that POC was quite fast and more athletic at his age..

CIARAN_BOYLE

Props Afoa Black Court Fitzpatrick Lutton Macklin McCall
Hookers Best Brady Herring
Locks Henderson McComb Muller Stevenson Tuohy
Backrowers Diack Doyle Ferris Henry McComish Williams Wilson
SHs Heaney Marshall Pienaar
OHs Jackson NOC
Centers Allen Cave Marshall Farrell Wallace
Back Three Bowe D'arcy Gilroy Nelson Payne

HEC squad just in case anyone hasn't had a look at it yet

thomond2006

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Props Afoa Black Court Fitzpatrick Lutton Macklin McCall
Hookers Best Brady Herring
Locks Henderson McComb Muller Stevenson Tuohy
Backrowers Diack Doyle Ferris Henry McComish Williams Wilson
SHs Heaney Marshall Pienaar
OHs Jackson NOC
Centers Allen Cave Farrell Wallace
Back Three Bowe D'arcy Gilroy Nelson Payne

HEC squad just in case anyone hasn't had a look at it yet

Luke Marshall is in there too. I thought Farrell was supposed to be gone till next season?

Cpt_Blackbeard

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Props Afoa Black Court Fitzpatrick Lutton Macklin McCall
Hookers Best Brady Herring
Locks Henderson McComb Muller Stevenson Tuohy
Backrowers Diack Doyle Ferris Henry McComish Williams Wilson
SHs Heaney Marshall Pienaar
OHs Jackson NOC
Centers Allen Cave Farrell Wallace
Back Three Bowe D'arcy Gilroy Nelson Payne

HEC squad just in case anyone hasn't had a look at it yet

Has Farrell not been ruled out for the remainder of the season?

CIARAN_BOYLE

thomond2006 wrote: »

Luke Marshall is in there too. I thought Farrell was supposed to be gone till next season?

true but Farrell is named in the squad
http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/matchcentre/ulster_rugby.php?section=2

Podge_irl

Perhaps he might be back for the end of the season and Ulster simply have no other centres worth giving a place in the squad to?

bilston

Podge_irl wrote: »

Perhaps he might be back for the end of the season and Ulster simply have no other centres worth giving a place in the squad to?

The squad was announced last week, maybe it was submitted before Farrell's injury, although that was 2 weeks ago. The only other backs that I can think that could have been added in his stead are Chris Cochrane and Stuart Olding but Cochrane is a winger, Olding can play centre of course but they've decided not to name him. I don't think there is anyone else unless we went for someone like Stuart McCloskey who is a good AIL centre who has played a bit for the Ravens.

awec

Has anyone bought the new home jersey?

What's that 70 quid edition like? What's the fitting like?

Wouldn't mind getting one but can't get to Ravenhill any time soon and all ye can buy down here is Leinster and Munster.

bilston

awec wrote: »

Has anyone bought the new home jersey?

What's that 70 quid edition like? What's the fitting like?

Wouldn't mind getting one but can't get to Ravenhill any time soon and all ye can buy down here is Leinster and Munster.

You should be able to buy it on-line via SS Moores surely?

Personally I like the black away kit, anyway I think I've mentioned it enough times to the wife to expect it to be on Santa's list this year!

bilston

So obviously we're awaiting with bated breath the fitness of Nick Williams. It's potentially a problem for us this weekend as I assume Wilson and Diack are out.

What are our options then if Williams is injured?

One possibility is to move Henry to 8 and play Doyle at 7 so our back row would be Ferris/Doyle/Henry.

Personally I'd be reluctant to move Henry from 7 as he really is such an important player to us. I'd be tempted to shift Fez to No.8 and either move Tuohy to 6 and start Stevenson or in order to avoid too much disruption bring Henderson in at 6.

Is a back row of 6) Henderson 7) Henry 8) Ferris viable in the event of NW being out? The questions being can Henderson cope with the physicality of the HEC so early in his career (I think he can) and would Ferris work at No.8. He played there plenty at age grade level and I think started there for Ulster way back when.

Ironically we could be without our three No.8s this weekend only to find Pedrie Wannenberg lining up at No.8 for Castres...funny how things work out!

thomond2006

Diack played so well in the opening game I wouldn't be worried for Ulster if he was at number eight.

CIARAN_BOYLE

thomond2006 wrote: »

Diack played so well in the opening game I wouldn't be worried for Ulster if he was at number eight.

Diack is injured at the moment but afaik he is likely to return for next week

Doyle is injured as well and will be out for six weeks

awec

bilston wrote: »

You should be able to buy it on-line via SS Moores surely?

Personally I like the black away kit, anyway I think I've mentioned it enough times to the wife to expect it to be on Santa's list this year!

I can buy it online but that's why I'm asking what the fitting is like etc.

Is the 70 quid one the tight stretchy one the players wear?

thomond2006

Ferris, Henry, Williams (if fit) with Henderson/Wilson on the bench

If Williams and Wilson are both unavailable, then it will probably be Henderson, Ferris, Henry in that order.

irishbucsfan

If Williams is out I'd imagine Sean Doyle would play 7.

thomond2006

irishbucsfan wrote: »

If Williams is out I'd imagine Sean Doyle would play 7.

Check earlier posts, Doyle is out for six weeks.

irishbucsfan

Hadn't heard that, Ulster having a tough run in the back row..

Is Ali Birch fit? They might need him on the bench!

bilston

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Hadn't heard that, Ulster having a tough run in the back row..

Is Ali Birch fit? They might need him on the bench!

I think someone said earlier that Diack should be fit for the weekend and that Wilson was due to play for the Ravens in the B & I Cup so it may not be crisis time yet but we'll get a better idea in the next day or two.

Hype710

Think you're all forgetting McComish! I reckon he'll start at 7/8 if Williams is out with Henderson on the bench.

thomond2006

FORWARDS (16):
Rob Herring, Rory Best, Nigel Brady,
John Afoa, Tom Court, Adam Macklin, Callum Black,
Johann Muller, Dan Tuohy, Lewis Stevenson, Neil McComb
Stephen Ferris, Mike McComish, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Nick Williams.

BACKS (11):
Ruan Pienaar, Paul Marshall, Michael Heaney,
Paddy Jackson,
Paddy Wallace, Darren Cave, Luke Marshall,
Andrew Trimble, Tommy Bowe, Craig Gilroy, Jared Payne

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/10863.php

the_doctor199

Ulster Rugby today confirmed that Iain Henderson will remain at the club until June 2015 after signing his first full contract...

Link

GerM

thomond2006 wrote: »

FORWARDS (16):
Rob Herring, Rory Best, Nigel Brady,
John Afoa, Tom Court, Adam Macklin, Callum Black,
Johann Muller, Dan Tuohy, Lewis Stevenson, Neil McComb
Stephen Ferris, Mike McComish, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Nick Williams.

BACKS (11):
Ruan Pienaar, Paul Marshall, Michael Heaney,
Paddy Jackson,
Paddy Wallace, Darren Cave, Luke Marshall,
Andrew Trimble, Tommy Bowe, Craig Gilroy, Jared Payne

Heaney to drop out of the backs and Brady, McComb and Henderson to drop out in the pack pending injuries? Would like to see Henderson to get into the match day squad but can't see it happening based on selections thus far.

thomond2006

the_doctor199 wrote: »

Link

Never in doubt that he was going to get a pro contract but great news nonetheless.

bilston

thomond2006 wrote: »

the_doctor199 wrote: »

Link

Never in doubt that he was going to get a pro contract but great news nonetheless.

It's effectively a 3 year contract as well which is unusual for someone coming out of the Academy. Great news.

bilston

Team Up:

15 Jared Payne
14 Tommy Bowe
13 Darren Cave
12 Paddy Wallace
11 Andrew Trimble
10 Paddy Jackson
09 Paul Marshall
01 Tom Court
02 Rory Best
03 John Afoa
04 Johann Muller (C)
05 Dan Tuohy
06 Iain Henderson
07 Chris Henry
08 Stephen Ferris

Bench - R Herring, C Black, A Macklin, L Stevenson, M McComish, R Pienaar, L Marshall, C Gilroy.

CIARAN_BOYLE

massive game for henderson

shuffol

Going by the teamsheet on Ulsterrugby it looks like Ferris is at 8 which I'd agree with, there's a lot of beef and mobility in that backrow, interesting to see how it clicks. Lot of height from 4-8 too. Henry's smallest at 6"3.

CIARAN_BOYLE

shuffol wrote: »

Going by the teamsheet on Ulsterrugby it looks like Ferris is at 8 which I'd agree with, there's a lot of beef and mobility in that backrow, interesting to see how it clicks. Lot of height from 4-8 too. Henry's smallest at 6"3.

Ferris and McLoughlin (whose blueprints are still on that team in terms of personal) have both claimed that 6"3 is a sensible minimum height for backrow players.

Personally I wonder what SOB, Wallace ect thought about that claim but its interesting

**** me what a pack 1-8.

Hands and feet everywhere!