Ulster Team Talk Thread IV... Go On My Henderson...

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118566487#Comment_118566487

Good point awec.

Good sign though if he was interesting other parties and Ulster thought he was worth a 4 year contract to ward of other suitors.

launish116

Won't be long until the first choice 15 won't have anyone in there thirties in it. Feeling old!

bilston

There's a good chance Aaron Sexton may get a start this weekend if Gilroy is banned.

The next question is who moves to the bench?! Only one I can think of is Conor Rankin. Anyone else in the mix?

Paul Smeenus

So, missing:

Warwick

Herring

Roberts

Moore

O'Toole

Henderson

Treadwell

Izuchukwu

Rea Sr

Murphy

Timoney

Cooney

McCloskey

Marshall

Hume

Moore S (?)

Stockdale

Baloucoune

Gilroy (more than likely)

Addison

Lowry

Yikes.

launish116

Uafc saying Moore available again. Moxham to wing? Sexton on bench.

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118566850#Comment_118566850

Ah forgot about Moore.

Sounds about right then.

As said earlier we MIGHT get Hume or Lowry back as well for this one. Can't see either being in the Ireland 23 and they can't both be 24th/25th man.

By the same reasoning Herring and Timoney could be about, although I think they'll keep them both.

launish116

KingoftheHill saying on UAFC that Azzur Allison got the chop before Xmas, shame was always hoping he'd finally push on.

Leaves current U20 captain Crothers & Sheridan are only back row prospects currently in academy. Haven't seen Crother's, but been impressed with Sheridan.

Potential U20 backrowers to keep eye on James McNabney.

Locke_Lamora

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567370#Comment_118567370

He's been fairly critical of our academy selection as well - Carson got selected ahead of Postlethwaite, Rankin and Sexton ahead of McIlroy and Moxham leapfrogging players brought in ahead of him.

Lsdrugbyfan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567703#Comment_118567703

doesnt rate many of the current u20's either.

Paul Smeenus

Disappointing but not surprising about Allison.

Listening to the Tele Ulster podcast, the two forwards mentioned are second row John Glasgow and James McNabney. Both getting very good reports from AIL league. McNabney has looked like a serious operator for the Ulster U19s when I've seen the videos; apparently Glasgow is an aggressive, physical ball-carrier that has been improving all season and is highly regarded.

I became a big fan of Sheridan during the last U20s - not the biggest lock but as the competition went on he became more noticeable and dominated opposition that was bigger than him. Think he was a blindside that was playing there because of injuries?

Apparently Murphy, Rea Sr and Izzy are actually potentially available for selection? Although it's backs where we're stretched.

bilston

I know nothing of John Glasgow, so looking forward to seeing him if he plays in the 6Ns.

I've only seen video highlights of McNabney but he looks big and athletic, I think he's a year young for the U20s as well.

Crothers must have something about him as this is his second year with the Irish 20s and he is captain.

And clearly Postlewaite is highly rated given he has just been given a 4 year contract.

So there are three or four players who sound like they could be ones to watch.

Hey boy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118567879#Comment_118567879

Don’t agree with him on this.

launish116

Ireland U20s (v Wales):

2. James McCormick (Ballymena RFC/Ulster)

3. Scott Wilson (Queen’s University Belfast/Ulster)

6. James McNabney (Ballymena RFC/Ulster)

7. Reuben Crothers (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)(Captain).

Replacements:

16. Josh Hanlon (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)

5 forwards in the team to play Wales, don’t know anything about Wilsono or Hanlon. Though KOTH from UAFC said he thought Wilson was one to watch!

McNabney looked good in highlights and is a year early to U20s? surely says a lot?

Locke_Lamora

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118572069#Comment_118572069

Well, we're about to get a look at them anyway. Any you particularly like?

I can be a stickler for size so I don't rate Crothers as high as others, but he's been made captain which has to count for something. Postlethwaite was the only one I really liked coming into the season - soft hands, physical and a fairly big lad, just not sure what his best position is.

Hey boy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118572574#Comment_118572574

McCormick

Postlewaite

McNabney

plus a few not selected for whatever reason. Coaches know best.

bilston

Sounds like we might have a few more options than we were expecting for tomorrow.

Interesting team announcement ahead

launish116

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118574832#Comment_118574832

Ulster team to play Connacht Rugby, United Rugby Championship Round 8, Friday 4 February at Kingspan Stadium, 8.15pm kick-off, live on BBC NI, TG4 & Premier Sports: 

(15-9) Mike Lowry, Robert Baloucoune, Angus Curtis, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy, Billy Burns, Nathan Doak;

(1-8) Andrew Warwick, John Andrew, Gareth Milasinovich, Alan O’Connor (Capt.), Sam Carter, Greg Jones, Marcus Rea, Duane Vermeulen. 

Replacements: Declan Moore, Callum Reid, Ross Kane, Mick Kearney, Nick Timoney, David Shanahan, Ben Moxham, Rob Lyttle.

Paul Smeenus

Disappointed for Baloucoune (and the others in fairness), but very happy to see him lining out for us. Good team overall. Interesting to see Curtis at 13, and presumably Lowry is covering ten

Lost Ormond

Gilroy 4 weeks ban. 6 weeks with 33% mitigation

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118582198#Comment_118582198

Can't really argue with that.

Other than to wonder why Zebo wasn't banned at all for his hit on Lowry?

Not related incidents other than Ulster were involved in both and somehow managed to come out on the wrong side of the citing commissioners on both occasions. Not that Zebo being banned or not would have had any effect on Ulster.

launish116

Entertaining game!

Good to see Milasinovich get more game time.

Fair play to Declan Moore, looks likes a lump. Line out needs a little work just!

Locke_Lamora

Moore is a good player for a depth signing, he looked up for it.

Lowry was sensational but him and McIlroy got caught a couple of times trying to do too much.

Neither side could secure their own ball at ruck time, lost track of the amount of turnovers, conor oliver was doing my head in.

launish116

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118584228#Comment_118584228

Was underwhelmed by his signing. Considering how he got here to basically being parachuted into a full 80 mins! If he can sort his throwing, he mighten be a bad find! Definitely added some physicality and looks like a lump. I’d be worried if I was Andrew!

awec

Moore was very busy I thought, went at it full throttle for 80 minutes and was always willing to take the ball or clear someone out.

Brewster

Good win by Ulster. Might be an important point come end of season.

jacothelad

Oliver was the pick of the forwards but others did well too. Baloucoune looks imperious when at full speed but drifted out of the game a bit....or maybe it was one of those games which existed mainly on the other wing. It happens. I have always thought that the natural flow of a game is right to left as most players are right-handed and therefore the natural and more accurate and aggressive passes are right to left. Do left wings get more possession and score more tries than right wings?

I wasn't expecting Moore to be any good given the comments and observations from Munster supporters. I thought he did really well. He played the full 80 and at full throttle. If he keeps that up and gets up to speed in the line out codes etc we have got a bit of a bargain.

launish116

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118584446#Comment_118584446

Indeed if he maintains that want to work, he could do very well! Adds a built of bulk to our forwards also!

Paul Smeenus

I don't know what's going on with Andrew or Stewart, but watching McCormick for the U20s there, there won't be many average players blocking his way for long.

bilston

Always nice to get a bonus point winner another province.

We probably left a couple of tries out there as well.

Not sure why they kept McIlroy on, he was visibly struggling from about the 15 minute mark and spurned a couple of tries.

Moore was busy, the lineout was shaky enough early on, bit seemed to improve as the match went, he got turned over quite a bit breaking off the back of the maul as well, a bit of patience was maybe required, but that can be fixed, overall he was fine.

Doak, Lowry and Baloucoune all starred obviously, and Curtis again had a decent game, he's a pretty steady character in the midfield.

Top of the league so mustn't grumble!

Locke_Lamora

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118572086#Comment_118572086

So, some brief thoughts after re-watching the first game:

McCormick - looks like he has a great lineout throw and carries well enough. He's not as dynamic as Tom Stewart or as good a tackler, but he's a bit bigger and moves really well.

Wilson - he's not the biggest for a tighthead, but he locked out the scrum really well against a much larger pack. Need to see him against another team because the welsh just didn't have power behind their size tbh. Looks quite mobile and can hit a good line. Still another year at this level which is great.

Crothers - I can see why he gets a lot of credit from coaches, he's a typical workhorse. I'm still unsure about him as a prospect because of size concerns and he doesn't really have a standout skillset or something that sets him apart from other players in the senior squad. Got knocked back in the tackle a few times as well. This write up comes across as overly negative but he actually had an impressive outing - he was involved in everything.

McNabney - didn't really standout tbh. He looks a big lad but didn't really use it much this game, I wouldn't be surprised if he's the main backrower that will be rotated. Still a year young so plenty of time.

Hanlon and McNamee didn't get much of an opportunity, trying to form an opinion wouldn't really be fair.