Ulster Team Talk Thread III: Les Miserables SEE MOD WARNING POST #1924 + #2755

bilston wrote: »

Ah here launish, leaving stats aside, you can't be judging a player at the age of 19 on the basis of his debut which lasted 62 minutes. Plenty of people were writing Stockdale off after his first two or three Ulstet matches. You need a much bigger sample size. Unless they are out of their depth then I'd argue any player needs at east a season, and probably two.

This is sadly another issue at Ulster, hear a player being hyped up he gets a game and is never seen again.

Marty Moore got absolutely hammered today in the scrum by Ellis Genge in Wasps v Leicester. Genge only just back from injury. It was really uncomfortable viewing at times. Wasps fans on other sites asking if Ulster could take him early

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

The Black Stags wrote: »

It (would hopefully) achieve putting in someone at the helm who understands what they are doing and how they want to achieve it. Sounds like Logan has made a lot of bad decisions especially concerning the things Ferries talked about in his 42.ie interview.

He's been in charge nearly a decade and he knows what he's doing and Ulster were going very well for quite a while but there's issues around domestic game that are knocking on in player development and while overall CEO is who is responsible for lack of success there you must look elsewhere as well as to why same issues keep coming up

In that decade that he has presided over they have massively declined, to perhaps the lowest level in the history of the club in the professional era.
Now look, I'm not and have never said he is the sole cause of all the problems, but based on what ex-players have been saying who are much more in the know than I am, it sounds like his decisions have not helped the province in terms of it's ability bring through and find talent.
Someone else may do a better job, he's had ten years and as I said the club is now at it's lowest level in the professional era.

awec wrote: »

I suppose in fairness we rarely get it wrong, I can't think of anyone who went on to prove us wrong. If he leaves and we want to keep him that's disappointing but nothing we can do about that. If we're happy to let him go then Willie Anderson and Johnno Gibbes have obviously decided he's not worth the effort.

Either way it looks bad for Ulster.

Steenson, Seymour, Whitten, Arnold, Farrell and McAlistair have all done pretty well since leaving us. Although that's not to say (Steenson excepted) we were happy to see those guys leave.

Someone above mentioned a number of promising Ulster back row prospects at U19 and U18 level and we have Agnew doing well at U20 level so there are irons in the fire, but Hall would be ahead of them all, or at least on a par with Agnew at the moment and we don't have time to waste to build our back row stocks up.

awec wrote: »

Today’s rumour: McPhillips wants to move to England.

But he's getting first team rugby for Ulster, why would he want to leave? Would he be guaranteed that at a decent English club?

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Because he is English and Ulster is a mess.

Toby Flood is starting for Newcastle, they might see McPhillips as a potential longer term replacement. He'd probably be on the bench for Newcastle. They're doing well at the moment too.

I didn't know he was English. That makes sense so. Crap for Ulster all the same.

cantwbr1 wrote: »

It also suggests that Ulster are not selling themselves as a good location for him to get game time and to further his development

He only moved over here in the last few years though. He played U18 for England (which I obviously didn't know until this morning) and then U20 for Ireland. You'd imagine his first choice would be to play in and for England so if he's getting the right messages from over there he'd be jumping at the opportunity.

awec wrote: »

If he leaves the next cab off the rank is Lowry I think but this is his first year out of school and there has always been questions about his size so not sure he’d be anywhere near ready.

Don’t think you can blame this one on Ulster being a mess (if it’s true).

Yeah, the out half situation isn't Ulster's fault at all. They have no control over the Jackson situation. Of course they do have control over attemtping to resolve it and to be fair they did well with Lealifilano. Their hands are tied with regards to next season because they may need to sign someone or under certain circumstances they may keep Jackson. It's hard to sign someone in that situation and by the time they decide they do need someone who will be available this close to a WC. The guy who signed for Wasps from the Chiefs was probably the one to sign.

Bazzo wrote: »

bilston wrote: »

Lowry and Curtis are the next two. Jackson may be available of course, but if not we HAVE to sign a 10.

Curtis has looked pretty good for the U20s, one of their best players actually, but1 he has been playing 12. I wouldn't be surprised if he got a run for the seniors before the end of the season.

Lowry is very talented but as awec says he is 5'6/5'7. Has there ever been a player that height in the Pro game outside of scrum half? He's only 19 so he might potentially add an inch if he's really lucky, but it has to be a concern which is a real shame.

Matteo Minozzi, the Italian full back who has just had an excellent 6 nations, is 5'7".

Really! Flip I would never have thought that. He is a serious player.

Bazzo wrote: »

Matteo Minozzi, the Italian full back who has just had an excellent 6 nations, is 5'7".

Wikipedia has him down at 5'9, but stats on there have been exaggerated in the past.

Damien McKenzie is another notorious shortarse. Matthew Morgan has a handful of Welsh caps and he's tiny as well.

sydthebeat wrote: »

jason robinson was tiny... kyle eastmond is 5' 7", Cheslin kolbe,

obviously shane williams

and jason emery is only 5' 8" which is tiny for a center.

Ngani laumape is 5’7 and look what he did in super rugby and to the lions