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

As it currently stands for next season:

• Connacht: 39 players (41 this season, 9 joining, 11 leaving)
• Ulster: 38 players (44 this season, 5 joining, 11 leaving)
• Leinster: 43 players (47 this season, 3 joining, 7 leaving)
• Munster: 45 players (45 this season, 5 joining, 5 leaving)

Munster & Leinster haven't finalised their squads as of yet though. I'd say the only unknown still in the Leinster squad is James Lowe (though Ronan Kelleher's status seems oddly ambiguous too atm).

With Munster - I have 5 leaving at the moment: Niall Scannell, Jean Kleyn, John Ryan, Michael Ala'alatoa & Thaakir Abrahams.

There is probably scope for more to go, potentially Paddy Patterson (rumoured), Roman Salanoa, Oli Jager, Tony Butler, Fionn Gibbons, Shay McCarthy. Some of these guys are under contract for next season I think but are allegedly in the cohort that've been told they can go if they can get a contract elsewhere.

Definitely look a bit short at both prop positions based on how it's shaking up.

The current squad would have the following senior contracted props:

LHP: Sam Crean, Callum Reid, Eric O'Sullivan

THP: Tom O'Toole, Scott Wilson

Looks incredibly light, even if McAllister is promoted to join the senior squad (as he likely will be?)

Those are three good THPs, and Wilson & McAllister have a great age profile. It does look like there's logic in Tom O'Toole switching to LHP maybe?

Really thought Graham and Kenny could’ve been good, but that’s professional rugby.

Also thought McGuire was a shrewd signing at the time but Leinster never rated him either I suppose

Another way of framing this IMO is looking at the total minutes the departing players accounted for this year.

With Ulster - it's a chunky enough 2,869 mins to be replaced - but 67% of those mins is just Werner Kok (45% of total mins) and Angus Bell (22%).

All of John Andrew (52 mins), James Humphreys (70 mins), Ben Moxham (105 mins), Rory McGuire (21 mins), Bryan O'Connor (65 mins), Marcus Rea (160 mins), Sean Reffell (138 mins) and Dave Shanahan (77 mins) really weren't factors this year at all. Matthew Dalton contributed a bit more (263 mins) - but James McNabney will be back to take those mins and more (by facilitating Izuchukwu playing more at lock).

Even though there is only 5 players on the list of guys confirmed to be leaving Munster, they've accounted for 621 more mins (3,490 total) than the 11 leaving Ulster; with Michael Ala'alatoa & John Ryan playing well over 70% of all the minutes at THP (Jack Aungier expected to pick up a lot of this slack), and Jean Kleyn (863 mins) and Thaakir Abrahams (914 mins) all playing big mins too.

Leinster are losing 4,114 mins from this season from the 7 players confirmed leaving - Rieko Ioane (1,023 mins), Ciaran Frawley (951 mins) and Luke McGrath (762 mins) probably the biggest losses.

The 11 players leaving Connacht combined for 4,181 mins, but of those only Joe Joyce (878 mins), Chay Mullins (784 mins) and Jack Carty (606 mins) were over the 500 min level. Mack Hansen & Ciaran Frawley should take the latter two's mins (plus more), but harder to see who takes the Joe Joyce minutes.

I think they’ve signed an ex-All black tighthead (who was rumoured to be having cold feet moving to Europe) but it wasn’t to be announced until the end of either our season or Super rugby.

only time will tell though

Ulster announced 4 of 5 academy players will leave - Kenny, Graham, Berman, De Klerk off the top of my head.

If said player is having cold feet about coming to Europe then is that not a major red fleg?

We're definitely a few players short. Our Avademy intake should be good next season, but I don't think those guys are going to be ready for a year or two.

I think the selection last night clearly shows that in the coaches minds the win or bust game is next week not last night.

This is mental talk.

He’s overseen virtually an entire overhaul of the playing squad in 2 seasons: out have gone Will Addison, Billy Burns, John Cooney, Alan O’Connor, Kieran Treadwell, Matty Rea, Dave Ewers, Steven Kitshoff, Luke Marshall, Marty Moore, Andy Warwick, etc - all largely replaced with young, homegrown players who’ve played a really good brand of rugby and are improving all the time.

It would be utter stupidity to move on from him at this point.

he’s a very loose player. The final pass to Ward was so poor.

Jamie Benson can’t come quick enough

The squad isn't anywhere near big enough to compete on two fronts and that is why we've struggled in the league since New Year. Even the games during the 6Ns when we were missing players to Ireland we found it tough in Wales.

Last season we finished 14th, this season we'll be either 8th or 9th with a European final to play. We have more players in the Ireland set up than at any point in about 10 years and we are playing some cracking rugby. We are without question moving in the right direction under Richie Murphy and his coaching team.

Ulster need a scrum coach.

Just seen that Munster side, apart from Crowley, that Munster side is pure dirtbag.

I really thought Munster were gonna do us a solid here - poor starting team, two yellow card, losing Crowley, disallowed try…

No suck luck I guess, just have to beat the 2nd ranked French side so salvage everything.