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

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123510984#Comment_123510984

Maybe it's just Murphy's call to bring in people who have worked with him and been successful before, albeit at a much lower level.

But as you say, the difference is stark. Someone like Lancaster could work wonders for us. Pity he hadn't come available at the time we were hunting, but I doubt we'd have had the mind to go for him.

Then again, him and Murphy basically do the same job if I'm not mistaken so not sure having both would make sense.

Paul Smeenus

Yeah - I don't think think Lancaster is coming in to work under Murphy.

I normally get pretty exasperated at provincial supporters huffing and puffing about their province getting a raw deal - we all do it (including the most delusional Leinster supporters.) But Nienaber, MacMillan and now Lancaster are all orders of magnitude more experienced and respected globally than Murphy.

Having said that, a coach is not a success because of their reputation. Yes, I'd be punching the air if MacMillan or Lancaster was appointed the head coach at Ulster, but nary a ball has been kicked yet under their tenure. Let's wait and see whic of them actually delivers.

I suspect a substantial element of the reason Murphy and his whole U20s coaching set-up were shifted to senior men's rugby at Ulster is as much about visibly (and genuinely) rewarding a very successful U20s coaching team by giving them opportunities, as much as it was about finding the right coach for Ulster. It's entirely possible Murphy is basically seen as an interim coach until our finances are steadied - and if so, he should be a good one in organisational terms; bringing talent through and refocusing on youth.

I expect next season to be better - hopefully markedly better - with Murphy more at home, and with Sexton and a pre-season for Faloon. Hopefully Soper's role means that the transition to the senior team happens for more talented youngsters.

It feels like we have been tasked primarily with just saving money rather than being high-table nearly-rans for a season or two, which means there might not be a great deal happening on the pitch to shout about. Then, more investment when we're in the black.

But the coaching will need to improve for us to even stand still next season. We have shed a spine of experienced, competent operators over the last couple of seasons that two (albeit excellent) signings won't - can't - compensate for.

Warwick, Moore, O'Connor, Treadwell, Cooney, Burns, Addison, Marshall - that's an awful lot of experience to shed in a few seasons.

Our (deservedly) first-choice flyhalf is twenty, and would otherwise be in his first year in the Academy. His lack of experience alone (not talent) will lose us games next season. There's no way around that.

Next season will be tough. But I think there's green shoots, and hopefully next season isn't too early to see some blooms.

Paul Smeenus

Ulster Rugby Academy Squad 2025-26

Year 1:

Forwards:

Connor Magee (Hooker)

Tom McAllister (Prop)

Flynn Longstaff (Prop)

Backs:

Daniel Green (Fly-Half)

Josh Gibson (Wing/ Full-Back)

Year 2:

Forwards:

Bryn Ward (Back Row)

James McKillop (Back Row)

Backs:

Clark Logan (Scrum-Half)

Sam Berman (Centre)

Jonathan Scott (Centre)

Wilhelm De Klerk (Centre)

Year 3:

Forwards:

Jacob Boyd (Prop)

Henry Walker (Hooker)

Josh Stevens (Back Row)

Tom Brigg (Back Row)

Backs:

Ethan Graham (Wing/ Full-Back)

Lukas Kenny (Wing)

Aitzol Arenzana-King (Wing)

sydthebeat

Delighted to see arenzana-king find a home. Ulster could mould a diamond there

awec

Augustus in the Bok squad for their summer tests. 🙄

Paul Smeenus

Ulster 'A' side v Ireland U20s, Friday 6th June, 5.30pm, Malone RFC

1. Niall Carville
2. James McCormick
3. Joe Mawhinney
4. Harry Sheridan (C)
5. Charlie Irvine
6. James McKillop
7. Josh Stevens
8. Bryn Ward
9. Conor McKee
10. Owen O'Kane
11. Ethan Graham
12. Jonny Scott
13. Fraser Cunningham
14. Lukas Kenny
15. Josh Gibson

Replacements:

16. Connor Magee 17. Paddy Moore, 18. Blake McLean, 19. Callum Johns, 20. Tom Brigg, 21. Toby Gribben, 22. James Kerr, 23. Zac McConnell.

With apologies and cap-doffing to Paddybrown22, who produced this breakdown for the Ulster Rugby subreddit -

4 senior players: James McComick, Harry Sheridan, Charlie Irvine, Conor McKee

9 academy players: James McKillop, Josh Stevens, Bryn Ward, Ethan Graham, Jonny Scott, Lukas Kenny, Josh Gibson, Connor Magee, Tom Brigg

6 club players: Niall Carville (City of Armagh), Joe Mawhinney (Ballymena), Fraser Cunningham (QUB), Paddy Moore (Blackrock College), Callum Johns (Dungannon), Toby Gribben (Dungannon)

1 from Ireland sevens: Zac McConnell

3 schoolboys: Owen O'Kane (Rainey Endowed), Blake McLean (RBAI), James Kerr (RBAI)

Replacement loosehead Paddy Moore is from Leinster and an Ireland U20 international.

Ireland U20 Men’s Squad (v Ulster ‘A’)

1. Billy Bohan (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
2. Henry Walker (QUB RFC/Ulster)
3. Alex Mullan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
4. Mahon Ronan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
5. Conor Kennelly (Highfield RFC/Munster)
6. Éanna McCarthy (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
7. Bobby Power (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
8. Luke Murphy (Shannon RFC/Munster)
9. Clark Logan (QUB RFC/Ulster)
10. Tom Wood (Garryowen FC/Munster)
11. Derry Moloney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
12. Eoghan Smyth (Cork Constitution FC/Munster)
13. Ciarán Mangan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
14. Paidi Farrell (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
15. Todd Lawlor (Lansdowne FC/Leinster)

Replacements

16. Mikey Yarr (UCD RFC/Leinster)
17. Alex Usanov (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
18. Tom McAllister (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster)
19. Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
20. David Walsh (Terenure College RFC/Leinster)
21. Will Wootton (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)
22. Sam Wisniewski (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
23. Connor Fahy (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
24. Gene O’Leary Kareem (UCC RFC/Munster)
25. Chris O’Connor (Terenure College RFC/Leinster)
26. Oisin Minogue (Shannon RFC/Munster)
27. Donnacha McGuire (UCD RFC/Leinster Rugby)

Paul Smeenus

Ireland U20s 22 v. Ulster 07

Ulster look like what they are - four disparate groups - Senior + Academy + Club Players + Schoolboys. I'm fairly convinced no-one knows the other players' surnames.

U20s still don't look well enough coached to beat many of their contemporary teams. But at least they recognise each other in a crowd.

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123521133#Comment_123521133

Anyone at all stand out?

Why is Harry Sheridan playing in these games? I really don't understand why he is so far down the pecking order at Ulster.

Paul Smeenus

He was down the pecking order because he had studies at Trinity to complete.

Ward and Irvine look pretty physical and both nines looked good. The Ireland 13 as well.

Paul Smeenus

Very difficult to judge. But a fun watch.

Locke_Lamora

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123521133#Comment_123521133

I think I expected a lot more from us, especially as there are players in that backrow and back three that I'm looking forward to seeing more of, and we are going to have to rely more on Irvine and Sheridan more next season. The Ireland u20's pack are still missing three of their best players and generally looked overmatched in some of their games against their contemporaries in the six nations.

In hindsight, we had a poor front row and our centres struggled against their opposite numbers which made defending out wide quite difficult. Add in some characteristic knock-on's and abject one-on-one tackles and there we have it.

Pretty difficult to really assess any individual Ulster player when the team plays like that.

bilston

Just read something on the red hand podcast (not a member so can only see the headline) suggesting McNabney has picked up a serious knee injury and will miss most of next season.

Presumably this happened when he was part of the fecking "training panel" at Ireland camp.

If this is true then that is absolutely terrible punch to the guts for him personally and Ulster in general.

Clucking Bells

Edit - confirmed by Ulster. I said it at the time the squad was announced but what the f**k was the point in having training panellists for this tour anyway?!

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123560129#Comment_123560129

The Irish News has it. ACL done, needs reconstruction. IRFU have just confirmed he's out of the tour.

It's not an understatement to say this is absolutely disastrous for Ulster.

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123560148#Comment_123560148

Total disaster.

He was never even on the f*****g tour in the first place, he was just a training panelist which just pisses me off.

Paul Smeenus

If it wasn't for bad luck, we'd have no luck at all. Fully expected him to be in a lot of matchday 15s next season.

Hopefully that means Izzy gets more game time at six. That's the only possible ray of light. Maybe Bryn Ward or McLoughlin gets some time.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123560188#Comment_123560188

McNabney is easily in our strongest 23 at this point He'd be involved in all the big games.

McCann will need to try and find the form he was showing previously, this is a big opportunity for him.

Paul Smeenus

Hopefully Gusty's injury isn't too bad either. Bloody hell.

Jump_In_Jack

That's awful news, McNabney is an outstanding prospect for both Ulster and Ireland.
An ACL can be recovered from in under 6 months nowadays if all goes well (average takes between 9-12 months though unfortunately).
Could be back by January 2026 hopefully.
Fingers crossed he can get back to 100%.
Pieter-Steph du Toit had a couple of them on the same knee as inspiration, he got back to being world player of the year afterwards.

Lost Ormond

TThought it might suit this thread rather than 20s but interesting to see Queens are entering the jp fanagan league next season. Under 20s club league. So we'll have clubs from 3 provinces jn 1 league and then Munster on their own. A step closer to a full all ireland league at under 20s/21s level?

salmocab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123563340#Comment_123563340

that’s interesting, would Queens be far ahead normally at u20?
It's a lot of travel, I barely left Dublin when I was u20 in fact think Clontarf or maybe Sutton might have been as far north as we’d travel.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123563541#Comment_123563541

Ulster doesn't really have an under 20s league certainly not in same way as the other provinces. It is a bit of travel but in the main it will be dublin and maybe galway so not that bad and don't think dublin clubs will see it as an issue. I'm sure players will enjoy the longer trips!

salmocab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123563730#Comment_123563730

ah right cheers, didn’t actually think anyone would be too put out by the travel was more observing it’s quite a big area.
watched a few u20 club matches last season and the standard was excellent and some of the young lads were enormous.

Paul Smeenus

COOOO-NEEEEY

COOOO-NEEEEEEY

https://www.instagram.com/p/DLHspQPNBvT/?hl=en-gb

awec

Ulster

Cardiff

Cheetahs

Stade

Racing

Exeter

Of course we get the strongest pool by a mile, it's like a champions cup pool. 🙄

Assume we play everyone except Cardiff.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123595664#Comment_123595664

It's 4 group games. Isn't it so cardiff or Cheetahs is who ye don't play

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123595702#Comment_123595702

How are the Cheetahs handled here since they aren't in any of the leagues?

Is it just random who we don't play?

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123595721#Comment_123595721

Brain fart from me forgot it was Cheetahs. Maybe Cheetahs act like a second English side so 2 urc 2 French and then Cheetahs and chiefs.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123595886#Comment_123595886

Yes this is exactly it, Ulster won't play against Cardiff and Cheetahs are using an English "slot" if you will so Exeter will avoid them

Paul Smeenus

Can't wait to get back to the Affidea Stadium in September to see Ulster play.

Locke_Lamora

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123602252#Comment_123602252

Have to say, I definitely ended up calling it Kingspan stadium a lot more than I claimed I would. Had a ring to it.

But I reckon it might be back to good ol' Ravenhill for a while.