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

Jump_In_Jack

Has Michael Lowry ever been tried out as a scrum-half? With his burst of speed he could be brilliant there, I'd assume his passing is good as has played a bit at out-half. Playing him at 9 with Doak at 10 would be an interesting experiment, though not now, maybe try it in a pre-season friendly.

Lord Palmerston

Not having a go, but it kind of baffles me the frequency with which posters suggest quite difficult positional switches for guys in their mid twenties who've been pros for years.

There's a huge difference in the quality of passing you need for the role he'd have occupied as a sometimes 10 to what you'd need for a top tier 9, not to mention the multiple other parts of the game. It would be madness to me to try and make that transition at this point in his career. Should have happened a decade ago.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149184#Comment_122149184

If it's either that or give up on a pro career then it would be something to try. FWIW I don't think it would take him long to work out.

Locke_Lamora

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149624#Comment_122149624

Why would Lowry want to move? He gets regular game time, has been our best player in several European games and has played for Ireland. Even if he never plays for Ireland again he can still go on to have an excellent career and make himself a lot of money doing exactly what he's doing. Asking him to move could potentially kill his pro career - he'd be making a risky move with little reward as his game time is unlikely to increase anyway.

Didn't Leinster try something like this with Hugh O'Sullivan - he was a highly rated schools fullback but played 9 for age-grade interpros in the summer. Wasn't long before he was let go at a time when Leinster were crying out for a 3rd string scrumhalf. It's not an easy position no matter how small and nippy you are. Michael McDonald was captain of one of Australia's best u20 sides of recent years but came here as he couldn't make the step up and couldn't get any game time down south. It's not a simple position.

Lord Palmerston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149624#Comment_122149624

FWIW, I think the likelihood that he would ever become even an AIL 1A quality scrum half is highly unlikely, much less a guy who is going to start for Ulster there. You're doing a massive disservice to the difficulty of being an elite scrum half.

It's patently not a case for him either where his options are that or give up on a pro career - he's racked up 863 mins this year for Ulster despite having some injury problems, and, at just 25, he's played over 100 times for Ulster and been capped for Ireland.

Hey_Ho_Lets_Go_3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149768#Comment_122149768

Leinster ruined O'Sullivans career by not letting him play scrumhalf enough at AIL level. Was ridiculous.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149768#Comment_122149768

Back three of Stockdale, Baloucoune and Kok for next season, plus Sexton, McIlroy and Moore to cover them.
Is Lowry going to focus more on out-half perhaps?
Callum Sheedy is only a tiny bit bigger and seems to get away with it, perhaps Lowry could too.
Just seems to me a small elusive speedy runner with footballing skills could be made better use of as a scum-half than anywhere else. If he can't convert at 25 then leave him at out-half I suppose.

Lord Palmerston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149994#Comment_122149994

It's not just size though that determines why people play a certain position.

On his limited appearances for Ulster at 10, he's absolutely struggled to control the game and to show any kind of distribution game. You're talking about shoehorning a guy who has made 90% of his career pro starts in the back three into arguably the two most important positions on the field from a strategic, experience and game management perspective, with virtually zero experience at senior level in either.

Also - of all the guys you listed there, really only McIlroy and Moore are alternatives at 15. None of Kok, Baloucoune, Stockdale, Sexton are realistic options at 15.

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149624#Comment_122149624

He's not going to have to give up his pro career. He's still a great option in back three.

I'd agree it would have been interesting see him try it at 19/20/21.

Other than maybe prop, 9 and 10 are the hardest positions to develop i think. You really need just a volume of candidates and then hope some of them pop. Right now we don't even have the volume.

Locke_Lamora

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149994#Comment_122149994

Sexton was playing last night against the New England Free Jacks academy.

Not sure what you mean by leave him at out-half when he only ever plays there in emergencies. I see no problem leaving Lowry where he is - he may have huge flaws in his game but he adds great depth and versatility to the backline.

Hey boy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149994#Comment_122149994

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149994#Comment_122149994

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122149994#Comment_122149994

UR don’t want a zippy 9.

Burkie1203

...

https://twitter.com/RugbyKino/status/1791806081473364084?t=l3-tp0bkMXYDtd-Y48-vYw&s=19

Paul Smeenus

Yeah,has been discussed on T'Other Forum. Ulster own it but a property management firm lets it.

Paul Smeenus

Well, that was a good evening. Unorganised, floating observations -

Best home atmosphere in I don't know how long. Everyone completely up for it, lots of folk had been drinking in Belfast during the day,and had nicely loosened vocal chords. Brilliant buzz about the place. Weirdly, there were a load of French folk, and quite a few over from across the water. Also met some people who didn't know much about rugby, or were at their first game - they seemed won over. Let's see if they stick around for a Dragons game in mid-January.

Cooney and Addison butchering tries let Leinster off the hook big time. What the hell were they thinking - particularly Cooney, who changed his angle to run into the Leinster nine?

Poor Mikey Lowry. Two non-tries in five minutes. But I loved seeing him dump out Deegan. Never stopped for one minute. In fact, our defence -which could generously be described as "porous" since Bell came back - looked commited and resolute last night.

Cannot believe they didn't look at Moloney's head contact on McCann.

Is Harry Byrne just coasting on his underage reputation? If we had been getting rid of Burns because he was coming North, I think I'd have been very frustrated next season. Hopefully Morgan comes.

Ryan is a not a great captain. I've said it before. Turning down the three points ta that would have necessitated us scoring a try seemed foolish, and so it proved.

Mentally, we look like a different team. Still rough, still not world-beaters, but players are playing much closer to their levels of ability.

bilston

Summer Rugby is hard to beat. Some atmosphere last night and a cracking game of rugby. (The URC is just getting better and better).

Cooney to the rescue again, and in a way we could lament the fact that we crawled over the line against a Leinster B team (even though it clearly was stronger than that).

I know he is injury prone, but I wish there was some way we could nail Addison down to a new contract. He was great on both sides of the ball.

I liked the balance of the back three last night. McIlroy is very solid at the back, Stockers is always a threat and Lowry looks at home on the wing now, playing that Mack Hansen role and next season it will be interesting to see who starts between himself and Baloucoune.

Anyway top 8 rugby secured and given we play last in Rd18 (don't agree with that, games should be at the same time) we might even be able to almost pick our play off opponents. Obviously we may still need to finish 7th for Europe, and financially this is crucial.

On we go.

Locke_Lamora

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122155986#Comment_122155986

Didn’t catch the game but great to hear about the atmosphere. It was always something to be proud of but the last few times I made a game it felt a little dead, almost reflective of our results and attitude on the pitch.

jacothelad

Any observations on Sheridan playing at 6. He's a brute. He and Izzy seem ideal foils for each other. As usual though, we desperately need props.

Paul Smeenus

I've thought since the U20s that Sheridan punches well above his weight. He's not big for a second row, but I noticed that he was a tough customer at underage level, and didn't seem phased by being a bit shorter. He's the same now. He'd be much more of an enforcer than Izzy, say, who's a couple of inches taller. To be honest, I think it's just important that we plan around getting them both on the pitch at the same time.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122157445#Comment_122157445

Izzy is certainly the more athletic player and I think his long term future is the back row.

I think Sheridan is more grunt, and I don't think he is quite athletic enough to be a modern back row. Second row for him.

Rugbyf565

It amazes me how many years Will Addison was wasted at fullback when he should have been playing 13 alongside McCloskey at 12

Paul Smeenus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122159883#Comment_122159883

I'd agree and, sadly for Harry, I think being 6'5" might count against him making it to international level.

Paul Smeenus

So who would we like to see / who do we think has earned a call-up to the Emerging Ireland tour?

ljsulster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122160648#Comment_122160648

From Ulster I’d say Izzy, Wilson, Sheridan, McNabney and Stewart will travel in the pack

Jude P and Ethan McIlroy in the backs

Dont think Doak or Moore will travel this time as they will be needed for URC etc

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122160648#Comment_122160648

A few names that come to mind (not the full squad obviously)…

lh: Paddy McCarthy, Temi Lasisi

h: Lee Barron

th: Ronan Foxe

sr: Conor O'Tighearnaigh

br: Lorcan O'Loughlin, James McNabney, Liam Molony

sh: Matthew Devine, Fintan Gunne

oh: Sam Prendergast

ic: Jude Postlethwaite, Ben Brownlee

oc: Hugh Cooney

w: Aaron Sexton, Chay Mullins

fb: Jack Kelly

Wouldn't mind seeing Kelly brought in from the 7s to play in this.

You get the sense Munster aren't really on board with the whole team Ireland thing. So do you let them off to do their own thing? Or do you try to force them to see the light, that the route to success is buying into their players making it as Ireland internationals? Whatever the approach, I think Foxe would be a good pick. He's got a lot of pedigree as an underage player, and he probably wouldn't be playing URC anyway.

Edit: thought I was reading the Ireland thread here

Paul Smeenus

I have a nagging impression that bringing Aaron Sexton in would be a waste of time, to be honest. But I do think if Ulster can spare him, Scott Wilson is a very obvious prospect to go at TH.

I suppose an important factor is whether anyone goes a second time. Seems like that'd be a waste of time to me, in all honesty.

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122161393#Comment_122161393

I was thinking Wilson would be too important for Ulster to not have in the URC. I think he should be close to actually touring with the main squad against the Springboks.

Sexton, yeah. His pace though… it's worth giving him every opportunity. And Ulster probably wouldn't be playing him much anyway. So he's one of those ones whose absence wouldn't hamper the province, but who has enough potential upside to make having a closer look at him for Ireland worthwhile.

Paul Smeenus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122161438#Comment_122161438

Two good points.

And Maybe Murphy can bring Sexton on a bit as well.

pickarooney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122160303#Comment_122160303

bit of a moot point since he spendt 90% of his time at Ulster rehabbing.

bilston

Possible Ulster players for this Emerging Ireland squad

Scott Wilson

Cormac Izuchwuku

Harry Sheridan

David McCann

Reuben Crothers

Nathan Doak

Jude Postlethwaite

Ethan McIlroy

Mike Lowry

Something like that, but depends on level of players they want to bring. Im working in the basis that it will be guys not in the extended Ireland squad. That said it might be a level below some of those guys, so maybe players like James McCormick and James McNabney will get a look.

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122163288#Comment_122163288

I don't think they'd make us give up that many back rows at one time. The last time there did seem to be some bargaining to not leave teams light. I also think we might really need wilson.