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

19-10-2018 10:19PM

That's a good result for Ulster, a massive effort tomorrow could put Ulster in the driving seat for that pool. It's a big prize on offer.

bilston · 19-10-2018 10:24PM

Deleted User wrote: »

That's a good result for Ulster, a massive effort tomorrow could put Ulster in the driving seat for that pool. It's a big prize on offer.

The Scarlets are ALMOST dead and buried, but didn't they lose their first two pool games last season.

It's a shame our double header wasn't the other way round as they'll probably feel they have a lot to play for in Rd 3 at Parc Y Scarlet

ionadnapóca · 19-10-2018 10:48PM

Deleted User wrote: »

That's a good result for Ulster, a massive effort tomorrow could put Ulster in the driving seat for that pool. It's a big prize on offer.

A loosing bonus point would be as much as Ulster can hope for.
Racing prob looking for a bonus win to get this group done early.

bilston · 20-10-2018 08:40AM

ionadnapokot wrote: »

Deleted User wrote: »

That's a good result for Ulster, a massive effort tomorrow could put Ulster in the driving seat for that pool. It's a big prize on offer.

A loosing bonus point would be as much as Ulster can hope for.
Racing prob looking for a bonus win to get this group done early.

I expect Racing to win by north of 15 today. But if they have a bad day, things go right for us and then you never know what might happen.

This is a free hit. We need to win our 3 home games, win one on the road and nick a LBP somewhere and get to 17/18 points. If we are really lucky we might get two away wins, (its possible to beat both Leicester and Scarlets).

Either way today shouldn't affect our chances of progression too much.

awec · 20-10-2018 09:50AM

bilston wrote: »

I expect Racing to win by north of 15 today. But if they have a bad day, things go right for us and then you never know what might happen.

This is a free hit. We need to win our 3 home games, win one on the road and nick a LBP somewhere and get to 17/18 points. If we are really lucky we might get two away wins, (its possible to beat both Leicester and Scarlets).

Either way today shouldn't affect our chances of progression too much.

Bookies too, the spread is 16.

Scythica · 20-10-2018 10:15AM

Shananananahan to put in 14 points and win motm.

Sha na na nanana na ULSTER

ionadnapóca · 20-10-2018 11:26AM

bilston wrote: »

I expect Racing to win by north of 15 today. But if they have a bad day, things go right for us and then you never know what might happen.

This is a free hit. We need to win our 3 home games, win one on the road and nick a LBP somewhere and get to 17/18 points. If we are really lucky we might get two away wins, (its possible to beat both Leicester and Scarlets).

Either way today shouldn't affect our chances of progression too much.

A free hit is a good way of puttingit. It’s all about the away game to Scarlets on the 7th Dec. Win that and one of the runner up spots is definitely up for grabs.
Racing in Ravenhill will be some game....hopefully!

stephen_n · 20-10-2018 01:24PM

awec wrote: »

This is why I am frustrated with him so much. If he was just useless it'd be one thing, but the guy is actually enormous and totally incapable of using his size to any sort of advantage.

He should be running over the top of people in contact and melting players out of rucks, but he usually gets stopped dead and is ineffective in general.

I don't really know how you fix that. How do you coach a player to throw their weight around?

Lock him in a room for a month with POC, teach him some pashun and manic aggression.

Heymans · 20-10-2018 06:06PM

Scythica wrote: »

Shananananahan to put in 14 points and win motm.

Sha na na nanana na ULSTER

He’s already half way there. He’s very good so far - good call

lambayire · 20-10-2018 06:07PM

Who is the Irish commentator on this one?

Heymans · 20-10-2018 06:17PM

lambayire wrote: »

Who is the Irish commentator on this one?

Hugh Cahill. I spent a summer in San Francisco with him and his mates when we were twenty

Dog Botherer · 20-10-2018 06:19PM

Heymans wrote: »

Hugh Cahill. I spent a summer in San Francisco with him and his mates when we were twenty

MATE BIAS

Scythica · 22-10-2018 07:20AM

Was trying to think of a way of discussing my thoughts on Ulster but frankly Baggy over on UAFC covered the major bits - so bit of a C&P job here.

The prime requirement for these guys is that they fight the bit out for 80 minutes, they did that.

Only an utter clown would have expected any better than that performance, I'm quietly pleased with it. A little better decision making under pressure and they could have got that TBP which realistically was all that was going to be available against one of the best-resourced clubs in Europe with a hell of a squad.

We had a hotchpotch of nippers, a few stars and a few players who realistically have no business out there. Shanners for example & yet for the second game in a row I'm left thinking, is he really a total dud? Might he actually do ok if he had people feeding confidence into him? Certainly, he was not atrocious and amidst his struggles, he coped bloody well under intense pressure at times.

Lowry, mainly good decisions, the odd bad one, but what potential he has. I take Colon's point about his ability to do really well at 15 but for me, that is almost certainly down to his skillset and it would be an absolute calumny for his supposed ability to run a game from 10 to be wasted. If he is as good as I'm told I want to see his goods at 10 before long. The injury crisis in the centres and fullback have given him this opportunity and I'm certain he's glad of it.

So look, little to be said, they went, they fought, they got chinned, just as expected but I tell you, they played some very good rugby in patches, I remain encouraged at the direction of travel, I hate it when we pack it in during a game, that hasn't happened this season, not even when destroyed in Toemund.

Scythica · 22-10-2018 07:21AM

Delete

bilston · 22-10-2018 07:45AM

You certainly can't point at Shanahan and say he is making many mistakes. However I still think he struggles to control the breakdown. But it's hard when an opposition pack is that bit more powerful and savy.

We are moving in the right direction Ulster have brought through a lot of young players this season...O'Sullivan, McBurney, O'Toole, Curtis, Kernohan and Lowry. Leinster did something similar two or three years ago and look at them now. They suffered a few beatings along the way. There is one difference, virtually every single young Leinster player that came through is now a Grand Slam winner or at least an Irish squad member. Of the players I named above I see at best three becoming Ireland internationals i
the future (O'Toole, McBurney and Lowry) But then it's useless comparing ourselves to Leinster.

Paul Smeenus · 22-10-2018 10:28AM

Thought Shanahan was decent and Treadwell was significantly better than usual - some good hard tackling from him and a some good work putting Racing under pressure. You can see Lowry's potential, and even inexperienced, out of position, he looks to be better than Nelson already. Addison is excellent, very authoritative and aware. Bill Burns mixed his game up more than he did in the first three games combined. Maybe he's starting to find his feet. Gilroy had a notable stinker. It happens.

Obviously set-pieces let us down. That's what they started scoring from. I was unpleasantly surprised to hear the commentator say that we have statistically the second worst scrum in the Pro 14. I knew it was bad, but that I was not prepared for. The line-out, good against Leicester, hinted at the the shambles of old, and we were terrible at the restarts - an issue I thought we had ironed out.

I am still pretty sanguine. We were better than the scoreline suggested, and I can see us making a major leap forward next season with three new signings possible (assuming we renew Marcell). But without getting too far ahead of ourselves, it feels utterly different to Kiss' reign. It feels like there's a plan that folk are getting their heads around.

There are some players with good, broad experience, but they are all getting used to The Plan, and their new team mates. Addison has 4 Ulster caps, Burns 8, Moore 2, Murphy 3. Kernohan has 7, McBurney 9, Lowry has 3, O'Sullivan 8. O'Toole has 10. That's nine players in an away European Cup game - against a team that's been a beaten finalist in two of the last three years - each with ten or less appearances for this team. And for McBurney, Kernohan, Lowry, O'Sullivan and O'Toole, that's ten or less senior appearances in professional rugby. (Marcell has 12!!)

And yet there's clearly more purpose and coherence than last year, when we had Diack, Trimble, Bowe, Piutau and Paul Marshall.

bilston · 22-10-2018 10:51AM

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Thought Shanahan was decent and Treadwell was significantly better than usual - some good hard tackling from him and a some good work putting Racing under pressure. You can see Lowry's potential, and even inexperienced, out of position, he looks to be better than Nelson already. Addison is excellent, very authoritative and aware. Bill Burns mixed his game up more than he did in the first three games combined. Maybe he's starting to find his feet. Gilroy had a notable stinker. It happens.

Obviously set-pieces let us down. That's what they started scoring from. I was unpleasantly surprised to hear the commentator say that we have statistically the second worst scrum in the Pro 14. I knew it was bad, but that I was not prepared for. The line-out, good against Leicester, hinted at the the shambles of old, and we were terrible at the restarts - an issue I thought we had ironed out.

I am still pretty sanguine. We were better than the scoreline suggested, and I can see us making a major leap forward next season with three new signings possible (assuming we renew Marcell). But without getting too far ahead of ourselves, it feels utterly different to Kiss' reign. It feels like there's a plan that folk are getting their heads around.

There are some players with good, broad experience, but they are all getting used to The Plan, and their new team mates. Addison has 4 Ulster caps, Burns 8, Moore 2, Murphy 3. Kernohan has 7, McBurney 9, Lowry has 3, O'Sullivan 8. O'Toole has 10. That's nine players in an away European Cup game - against a team that's been a beaten finalist in two of the last three years - each with ten or less appearances for this team. And for McBurney, Kernohan, Lowry, O'Sullivan and O'Toole, that's ten or less senior appearances in professional rugby. (Marcell has 12!!)

And yet there's clearly more purpose and coherence than last year, when we had Diack, Trimble, Bowe, Piutau and Paul Marshall.

The set piece is a massive issue.

I was watching Leinster yesterday and at times their lineout was a thing of beauty. Throw to Ruddock at 6, off the top ball to McGrath, fire it out to Sexton, smash Henshaw up in and around the 12 channel. It sounds so simple, and it is, but if you do it with the accuracy that Leinster do it with you are straight over the gainline and the defence are on the back foot. Ulster on the other hand get scrappy ball, Shanahan either gets tangled up or shovels on s*** or we don't win the ball at all. Straight away we lose a massive attacking platform in the game.

Utah_Saint · 22-10-2018 02:06PM

bilston wrote: »

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Thought Shanahan was decent and Treadwell was significantly better than usual - some good hard tackling from him and a some good work putting Racing under pressure. You can see Lowry's potential, and even inexperienced, out of position, he looks to be better than Nelson already. Addison is excellent, very authoritative and aware. Bill Burns mixed his game up more than he did in the first three games combined. Maybe he's starting to find his feet. Gilroy had a notable stinker. It happens.

Obviously set-pieces let us down. That's what they started scoring from. I was unpleasantly surprised to hear the commentator say that we have statistically the second worst scrum in the Pro 14. I knew it was bad, but that I was not prepared for. The line-out, good against Leicester, hinted at the the shambles of old, and we were terrible at the restarts - an issue I thought we had ironed out.

I am still pretty sanguine. We were better than the scoreline suggested, and I can see us making a major leap forward next season with three new signings possible (assuming we renew Marcell). But without getting too far ahead of ourselves, it feels utterly different to Kiss' reign. It feels like there's a plan that folk are getting their heads around.

There are some players with good, broad experience, but they are all getting used to The Plan, and their new team mates. Addison has 4 Ulster caps, Burns 8, Moore 2, Murphy 3. Kernohan has 7, McBurney 9, Lowry has 3, O'Sullivan 8. O'Toole has 10. That's nine players in an away European Cup game - against a team that's been a beaten finalist in two of the last three years - each with ten or less appearances for this team. And for McBurney, Kernohan, Lowry, O'Sullivan and O'Toole, that's ten or less senior appearances in professional rugby. (Marcell has 12!!)

And yet there's clearly more purpose and coherence than last year, when we had Diack, Trimble, Bowe, Piutau and Paul Marshall.

The set piece is a massive issue.

I was watching Leinster yesterday and at times their lineout was a thing of beauty. Throw to Ruddock at 6, off the top ball to McGrath, fire it out to Sexton, smash Henshaw up in and around the 12 channel. It sounds so simple, and it is, but if you do it with the accuracy that Leinster do it with you are straight over the gainline and the defence are on the back foot. Ulster on the other hand get scrappy ball, Shanahan either gets tangled up or shovels on s*** or we don't win the ball at all. Straight away we lose a massive attacking platform in the game.

Who is looking after the Scrum and Set Piece?
Is the scrum an issue with lack of Bulk?, poor technique? or simply players don't get it. To be the second worst scrum in Pro14 is fairly shocking. You'd think its something they would be pressing hard to fix. Teams can almost count on us c0cking up on our own feed. They don't even have to work hard to get possession from Ulster

Dubinusa · 22-10-2018 02:42PM

A quality loose head would go a long way to fixing the scrum. Warwick is not euro standard. Moore had only played once, so time will tell.
As the younger props get more experienced, the set piece will improve imo.
They need to recruit a top line lh. Experience and tested at the top level. They also need another 2nd row. Maybe Dalton should be given a run. Thompson also should get a look.
It's a young side and they are going as expected. I believe they will improve and be a contender within 3 years.

Utah_Saint · 22-10-2018 03:37PM

It will be post-work cup before we can get a top quality LH...

bilston · 22-10-2018 05:20PM

Utah_Saint wrote: »

It will be post-work cup before we can get a top quality LH...

Our recruitment for next season should be interesting.

We only have two NIQs this season in Coetzee and Deysel, Speight is here until Christmas and I believe Schalk Van Der Merwe is a project player and all contracts are up at the end of the season.

The hope is Coetzee signs a new contract, if he does we still have space for at least 2 NIQs, maybe 3 depending on the rules.

LHP is an obvious area of need. We did have two age group prospects at LH in Callum Reid and John McKee, unfortuantely Reid doesn't seem interested (fair play, entirely his choice) and McKee cleared off to Leinster to become a hooker...

Warwick isn't up to scruff, McCall is permanent crocked and O'Sullivan looks decent, but is very inexperienced. So a NIQ LH has to be top of the agenda.

Second Row could do with strengthening. Hendy is world class and O'Connor never lets us down. Treadwell is still worth persevering with even if he frustrates the hell out of me. I'm not sure about the youngsters, Dalton hasn't kicked on yet and Thompson hasn't featured either.

Back row may not be too bad provided we retain Coetzee. It would be come if one or two of our academy players started to step up. Marcus Rea and Aaron Hall for example. Their progress will probably be the key in deciding if we need to strengthen here or not.

I don't see any half back signings. Despite my misgivings, Shanahan is proving himself worthy of a contract. I still have higher hopes for Stewart though. Burns, McPhillips and particularly Lowry at 10 is fine. We'll maybe find out whether Bruce Houston is any use as well.

Centre and back three should be ok. We have brought through a few youngsters this season and have a couple more to come in Stewart Moore and Aaron Sexton next season as well

So get on the look out for a LHP and a second row Bryn.

jacothelad · 22-10-2018 05:50PM

bilston wrote: »

Our recruitment for next season should be interesting.

We only have two NIQs this season in Coetzee and Deysel, Speight is here until Christmas and I believe Schalk Van Der Merwe is a project player and all contracts are up at the end of the season.

The hope is Coetzee signs a new contract, if he does we still have space for at least 2 NIQs, maybe 3 depending on the rules.

LHP is an obvious area of need. We did have two age group prospects at LH in Callum Reid and John McKee, unfortuantely Reid doesn't seem interested (fair play, entirely his choice) and McKee cleared off to Leinster to become a hooker...

Warwick isn't up to scruff, McCall is permanent crocked and O'Sullivan looks decent, but is very inexperienced. So a NIQ LH has to be top of the agenda.

Second Row could do with strengthening. Hendy is world class and O'Connor never lets us down. Treadwell is still worth persevering with even if he frustrates the hell out of me. I'm not sure about the youngsters, Dalton hasn't kicked on yet and Thompson hasn't featured either.

Back row may not be too bad provided we retain Coetzee. It would be come if one or two of our academy players started to step up. Marcus Rea and Aaron Hall for example. Their progress will probably be the key in deciding if we need to strengthen here or not.

I don't see any half back signings. Despite my misgivings, Shanahan is proving himself worthy of a contract. I still have higher hopes for Stewart though. Burns, McPhillips and particularly Lowry at 10 is fine. We'll maybe find out whether Bruce Houston is any use as well.

Centre and back three should be ok. We have brought through a few youngsters this season and have a couple more to come in Stewart Moore and Aaron Sexton next season as well

So get on the look out for a LHP and a second row Bryn.

Sexton is a fantastic prospect......We all know about those though. JJH and Billy Dardis being prime examples of hyped players who fail to deliver. There are many more.

Utah_Saint · 22-10-2018 06:00PM

bilston wrote: »

Utah_Saint wrote: »

It will be post-work cup before we can get a top quality LH...

Our recruitment for next season should be interesting.

We only have two NIQs this season in Coetzee and Deysel, Speight is here until Christmas and I believe Schalk Van Der Merwe is a project player and all contracts are up at the end of the season.

The hope is Coetzee signs a new contract, if he does we still have space for at least 2 NIQs, maybe 3 depending on the rules.

LHP is an obvious area of need. We did have two age group prospects at LH in Callum Reid and John McKee, unfortuantely Reid doesn't seem interested (fair play, entirely his choice) and McKee cleared off to Leinster to become a hooker...

Warwick isn't up to scruff, McCall is permanent crocked and O'Sullivan looks decent, but is very inexperienced. So a NIQ LH has to be top of the agenda.

Second Row could do with strengthening. Hendy is world class and O'Connor never lets us down. Treadwell is still worth persevering with even if he frustrates the hell out of me. I'm not sure about the youngsters, Dalton hasn't kicked on yet and Thompson hasn't featured either.

Back row may not be too bad provided we retain Coetzee. It would be come if one or two of our academy players started to step up. Marcus Rea and Aaron Hall for example. Their progress will probably be the key in deciding if we need to strengthen here or not.

I don't see any half back signings. Despite my misgivings, Shanahan is proving himself worthy of a contract. I still have higher hopes for Stewart though. Burns, McPhillips and particularly Lowry at 10 is fine. We'll maybe find out whether Bruce Houston is any use as well.

Centre and back three should be ok. We have brought through a few youngsters this season and have a couple more to come in Stewart Moore and Aaron Sexton next season as well

So get on the look out for a LHP and a second row Bryn.

SVDM is a project player signed on a 3 year contract, but I've more chance of play for Ulster than he does. Warwick is kinda there by default. He's a LH and not injured so he's get plenty of games but unfortunately not up to the standard required.
Hopefully we will be allowed to offer Coetzee an extra year but i'd expect that would be the most we'd get. Also depend on Marcels ambitions. He is great to have around as we aim to bring through the young back rows.

bilston · 22-10-2018 06:13PM

jacothelad wrote: »

bilston wrote: »

Our recruitment for next season should be interesting.

We only have two NIQs this season in Coetzee and Deysel, Speight is here until Christmas and I believe Schalk Van Der Merwe is a project player and all contracts are up at the end of the season.

The hope is Coetzee signs a new contract, if he does we still have space for at least 2 NIQs, maybe 3 depending on the rules.

LHP is an obvious area of need. We did have two age group prospects at LH in Callum Reid and John McKee, unfortuantely Reid doesn't seem interested (fair play, entirely his choice) and McKee cleared off to Leinster to become a hooker...

Warwick isn't up to scruff, McCall is permanent crocked and O'Sullivan looks decent, but is very inexperienced. So a NIQ LH has to be top of the agenda.

Second Row could do with strengthening. Hendy is world class and O'Connor never lets us down. Treadwell is still worth persevering with even if he frustrates the hell out of me. I'm not sure about the youngsters, Dalton hasn't kicked on yet and Thompson hasn't featured either.

Back row may not be too bad provided we retain Coetzee. It would be come if one or two of our academy players started to step up. Marcus Rea and Aaron Hall for example. Their progress will probably be the key in deciding if we need to strengthen here or not.

I don't see any half back signings. Despite my misgivings, Shanahan is proving himself worthy of a contract. I still have higher hopes for Stewart though. Burns, McPhillips and particularly Lowry at 10 is fine. We'll maybe find out whether Bruce Houston is any use as well.

Centre and back three should be ok. We have brought through a few youngsters this season and have a couple more to come in Stewart Moore and Aaron Sexton next season as well

So get on the look out for a LHP and a second row Bryn.

Sexton is a fantastic prospect......We all know about those though. JJH and Billy Dardis being prime examples of hyped players who fail to deliver. There are many more.

There are no guarantees, but he has lit the Celtic Cup up, so next step is the Pro 14 (well for him it's the Schools Cup) so we will find out.

bilston · 22-10-2018 06:16PM

jacothelad wrote: »

bilston wrote: »

Our recruitment for next season should be interesting.

We only have two NIQs this season in Coetzee and Deysel, Speight is here until Christmas and I believe Schalk Van Der Merwe is a project player and all contracts are up at the end of the season.

The hope is Coetzee signs a new contract, if he does we still have space for at least 2 NIQs, maybe 3 depending on the rules.

LHP is an obvious area of need. We did have two age group prospects at LH in Callum Reid and John McKee, unfortuantely Reid doesn't seem interested (fair play, entirely his choice) and McKee cleared off to Leinster to become a hooker...

Warwick isn't up to scruff, McCall is permanent crocked and O'Sullivan looks decent, but is very inexperienced. So a NIQ LH has to be top of the agenda.

Second Row could do with strengthening. Hendy is world class and O'Connor never lets us down. Treadwell is still worth persevering with even if he frustrates the hell out of me. I'm not sure about the youngsters, Dalton hasn't kicked on yet and Thompson hasn't featured either.

Back row may not be too bad provided we retain Coetzee. It would be come if one or two of our academy players started to step up. Marcus Rea and Aaron Hall for example. Their progress will probably be the key in deciding if we need to strengthen here or not.

I don't see any half back signings. Despite my misgivings, Shanahan is proving himself worthy of a contract. I still have higher hopes for Stewart though. Burns, McPhillips and particularly Lowry at 10 is fine. We'll maybe find out whether Bruce Houston is any use as well.

Centre and back three should be ok. We have brought through a few youngsters this season and have a couple more to come in Stewart Moore and Aaron Sexton next season as well

So get on the look out for a LHP and a second row Bryn.

Sexton is a fantastic prospect......We all know about those though. JJH and Billy Dardis being prime examples of hyped players who fail to deliver. There are many more.

There are no guarantees, but he has lit the Celtic Cup up, so next step is the Pro 14 (well for him it's the Schools Cup) so we will find out.

bilston · 22-10-2018 06:16PM

jacothelad wrote: »

bilston wrote: »

Our recruitment for next season should be interesting.

We only have two NIQs this season in Coetzee and Deysel, Speight is here until Christmas and I believe Schalk Van Der Merwe is a project player and all contracts are up at the end of the season.

The hope is Coetzee signs a new contract, if he does we still have space for at least 2 NIQs, maybe 3 depending on the rules.

LHP is an obvious area of need. We did have two age group prospects at LH in Callum Reid and John McKee, unfortuantely Reid doesn't seem interested (fair play, entirely his choice) and McKee cleared off to Leinster to become a hooker...

Warwick isn't up to scruff, McCall is permanent crocked and O'Sullivan looks decent, but is very inexperienced. So a NIQ LH has to be top of the agenda.

Second Row could do with strengthening. Hendy is world class and O'Connor never lets us down. Treadwell is still worth persevering with even if he frustrates the hell out of me. I'm not sure about the youngsters, Dalton hasn't kicked on yet and Thompson hasn't featured either.

Back row may not be too bad provided we retain Coetzee. It would be come if one or two of our academy players started to step up. Marcus Rea and Aaron Hall for example. Their progress will probably be the key in deciding if we need to strengthen here or not.

I don't see any half back signings. Despite my misgivings, Shanahan is proving himself worthy of a contract. I still have higher hopes for Stewart though. Burns, McPhillips and particularly Lowry at 10 is fine. We'll maybe find out whether Bruce Houston is any use as well.

Centre and back three should be ok. We have brought through a few youngsters this season and have a couple more to come in Stewart Moore and Aaron Sexton next season as well

So get on the look out for a LHP and a second row Bryn.

Sexton is a fantastic prospect......We all know about those though. JJH and Billy Dardis being prime examples of hyped players who fail to deliver. There are many more.

There are no guarantees, but he has lit the Celtic Cup up, so next step is the Pro 14 (well for him it's the Schools Cup) so we will find out.

stl.ire · 22-10-2018 06:37PM

Utah_Saint wrote: »

It will be post-work cup before we can get a top quality LH...

And a 2nd row. Those are the obvious spots for a big NIQ signings. If Ulster got those right, and player development goes well this season, we could actually have a strong enough pack fairly quickly.

Dundon is scrum coach. He’s been in place since Kiss took over. Probably needs things to improve soon.

Hands Like Flippers · 22-10-2018 07:21PM

Bilston

We have three v large front rowers selected for Irish Schools camp next week but we are not allowed to discuss names etc even though Sexton is discussed.

awec · 22-10-2018 07:23PM

Hopefully the jokers in D4 let us keep Coetzee.

The Lost Sheep · 22-10-2018 07:38PM

Utah_Saint wrote: »

Who is looking after the Scrum and Set Piece?
Is the scrum an issue with lack of Bulk?, poor technique? or simply players don't get it. To be the second worst scrum in Pro14 is fairly shocking. You'd think its something they would be pressing hard to fix. Teams can almost count on us c0cking up on our own feed. They don't even have to work hard to get possession from Ulster

Isnt Dundon scrum coach? Dont know how you could say lack of bulk is reason for scrum being poor. Mix of maybe technique(know a few very good scrum coaches... will ask them next time i see them) and other reasons..

bilston wrote: »

Our recruitment for next season should be interesting.

We only have two NIQs this season in Coetzee and Deysel, Speight is here until Christmas and I believe Schalk Van Der Merwe is a project player and all contracts are up at the end of the season.

The hope is Coetzee signs a new contract, if he does we still have space for at least 2 NIQs, maybe 3 depending on the rules.

LHP is an obvious area of need. We did have two age group prospects at LH in Callum Reid and John McKee, unfortuantely Reid doesn't seem interested (fair play, entirely his choice) and McKee cleared off to Leinster to become a hooker...

Warwick isn't up to scruff, McCall is permanent crocked and O'Sullivan looks decent, but is very inexperienced. So a NIQ LH has to be top of the agenda.

Second Row could do with strengthening. Hendy is world class and O'Connor never lets us down. Treadwell is still worth persevering with even if he frustrates the hell out of me. I'm not sure about the youngsters, Dalton hasn't kicked on yet and Thompson hasn't featured either.

Back row may not be too bad provided we retain Coetzee. It would be come if one or two of our academy players started to step up. Marcus Rea and Aaron Hall for example. Their progress will probably be the key in deciding if we need to strengthen here or not.

I don't see any half back signings. Despite my misgivings, Shanahan is proving himself worthy of a contract. I still have higher hopes for Stewart though. Burns, McPhillips and particularly Lowry at 10 is fine. We'll maybe find out whether Bruce Houston is any use as well.

Centre and back three should be ok. We have brought through a few youngsters this season and have a couple more to come in Stewart Moore and Aaron Sexton next season as well

So get on the look out for a LHP and a second row Bryn.

Is Henderson world class? Warwick may not be a top class option but necessary squad player. No? Sexton has potential but still is only an u19 this season. Wouldnt want to rush him

jacothelad wrote: »

Sexton is a fantastic prospect......We all know about those though. JJH and Billy Dardis being prime examples of hyped players who fail to deliver. There are many more.

Yeah. Way too much made of schools cups .....

bilston wrote: »

There are no guarantees, but he has lit the Celtic Cup up, so next step is the Pro 14 (well for him it's the Schools Cup) so we will find out.

In some ways would it not be better for him if he was able to play some AIL this season as well as schools rugby? AIL would be far better standard than any of the friendlies he'll play with his school.

awec wrote: »

Hopefully the jokers in D4 let us keep Coetzee.

He'll be irish qualified at end of his contract in 2020 so why wouldnt he be allowed stay?

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

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