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

Has it been reported that Kitshoff and Burns etc are being offloaded for financial reasons, or is this speculation?

I know the guy has had a torrid time but even if we were swimming in cash there’s no argument to renew Addison.

I am going to assume Ulster are signing a new out-half, and the budget issue is that they can't pay both Burns AND the new guy, whoever he might be.

Surely the plan for next season isn't Doak and Flannery?

You underestimate Ulster's stupidity

AFAIK James Humphreys has a development deal for next season. They need bodies to train against and is a cheap option can be there only thinking, he isn’t going to make it as a pro.

Jack Murphy is not ready for pro rugby yet either be that in Leinster or Ulster as I believe he has offers from both for the academy.

You'd like to think so.

Part of me wonders whether the Barrett signing is linked to this. He essentially covers every position Frawley plays, but then that's only a six month contract and Frawley is now a regular in the Ireland 23 so not sure there is much incentive for him to leave Leinster and join Ulster, unless he wants to play 10 every week.

I'd be happy with that, wished it had happened two years ago, but he is still relatively young (wasn't he Ryan/Stockdale/Porter/Keenan U20 vintage?) and hopefully hungry.

It's worth mentioning, that any Leinster player who would have moved to Ulster, would have seen their career nosedive under the tutelage of MacFarland! Would ye consider that?

I've said it before, but Max Deegan must be looking forlornly at Nick Timoney's number of caps.

Also, if they were there during the part of McFarland's tenure when James Hume, Robert Baloucoune and Michael Lowry were getting their first caps, they might have gotten some caps.

Before Peel left, Ulster were rocking over nicely. I know it's complicated to deal with the fact that a province's fortunes can change under one head coaches' tenure, but it's true.

Beside, if they were trusted, like Henderson, McCloskey and Herring, they would have continued to have gotten Irish caps as those fellas have, regardless of how Ulster were performing.

Looking at that article, Cruden is 35 and has two kids under 5, that is not a good profile. If he relocates to the other side of the globe, I'd say he would only be looking for a last pay check and would have little incentive to perform well (would retire after anyway). Good chance he'd be phoning it in, particularly if things aren't going well (not just him, I'd say the same about anyone in that situation).

I'd be fairly sure that the money required to get Cruden to Belfast would have kept BB there.

Ulster thinking a marque name will sweeten fans and paper over the issues.

I'd Rather we found 2 or 3 dum lumps capable of running hard and flattening things, ideally South African. Did Jason Jenkins ever confirm his departure?

We almost need a back up in most positions or capable starter for rotation.

Props/Row/9/10/15 gonna get flogged next season

Rumours

Ed Byrne leaving (could be north bound)

Ruddock retiring

Ben Murphy leaving (connacht)

Alex Soroka leaving (connacht)

Deegan leaving (rumoured to be north bound)

Ngatai leaving

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Confirmed

Molony off to Bath

Jenkins off to Sharks

Alaalatoa off to Clermont