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

Laugh while you can, thanks to Humphries we’re scouting St Michaels. You’re all ulstermen now

Well, we've got Murphy, de Klerk and Berman coming up to the Academy, don't we? Although we've obviously had Mexicans come up here for the Academy before,it feels like a bit of a sea change for me. Three highly regarded U20s.

Leinster have about 162 players in their squad. Not getting offered an Academy spot by Leinster doesn't mean you're not capable of playing pro rugby. For a start there are two such Ulster players in the current Ireland squad in SA.

What I've seen of Berman in particular suggests he's a real prospect.

I don't know how it will transfer to Ulster level, but some of those RBAI U18s never lost a game of rugby up to the end of their Medallion year, and that will have included games against Dublin schools. I think Ballymena Academy had a very good side as well.

Onviously there are different variables to consider such as players developing (or not) physically etc, but it will be interesting to see how they go.

I think most u18’s will have already played 1XV and will be going into lower 6th and RBAI were fairly well dealt with by most southern opposition. I remember watching the medallion final and thought they had some decent players, so it’s good to hear they match up well across the country.

I watched the schools cup semis and the final and I thought there was a clear gulf in class. It’s been talked at length as to why that’s expected so I’m not going to rehash it, but there was a noticeable difference in speed of play, intensity in defence and general back line play and handling.

Having said that, the u18 side played a game against Munster a few months ago and won by 50 points. Both sides were missing players due to the cups and Munster apparently put out a more experimental side so I’m not sure much can be made of that.

As you said there are other factors at play and realistically these teams are about finding and developing talent rather than winning games but the run we’ve been on the last couple of years doesn’t bode particularly well.

Roddy Grant away

Andrew Warwick will probably be repurposed as a tighthead if Tom O'Toole does make the switch to loosehead.

lh: TOT, Eric O'Sullivan, Callum Reid

th: Scott Wilson, Marty Moore, Andrew Warwick

…seems to be the best use of resources. I don't know much about the Academy props, though.

Isn't he a weak scrummager? I'm not conscious of having seen him play a lot, but I think that's the perception.

Transitioning one prop from one side of the scrum to the other would be difficult (just look at Porter), sending another prop in the other direction at the same time would be a monster task. You'd need a top class scrum coach working with them daily and you'd probably have to accept your scrum being a liability for a period (how long, impossible to say). Throw in bringing through a high potential youngster at the same time, I can't see it working out for all involved.

If it works out for two out of the three, that's probably a good outcome in general terms but actual success would depend on who it works out for. Looking at the permutations, there are more potential unsuccessful outcomes than potential successful ones. It'll come down to coaching, unfortunately.

I still don't see any logic in trying to get TOT to international LHP standard. When you look at Ireland's TH stocks, Bealham is getting on, Furlong is no spring chicken either and has had plenty of injuries, I'd be worried what way he'd be after a Lions tour next summer. If TOT moves over, there could well be more depth at LH than TH in two years time (a year out from the WC).

Zac Ward into 15s set-up when he gets back apparently. I've read in one place that he's coming in to train with the senior team, in another that he's going into the Academy, Year 1.

Yeah, saw the backline specified.