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

Wow. But really, “the famous white jersey”!?

Seriously though, that is one hell of an upgrade on Nakawara. And was kept very quiet.

Well we didn't see this coming!

He's no spring chicken, but he is still a massive upgrade on our back row. It will be huge for someone like David McCann as well to learn from him.

Good work by Bryn and company.

Without the doom and gloom, this wait till he arrives fit!

Ps how different our pack looks now with addition of Vermeulen and Kearny!

Jesus, that's real a game changer.

Really good signing for Ulster. Not great for the URC. South African sides haemorrhaging players already. Hopefully he stays fit.

Rita! Glazed!

What a signing.

Reasonably pleased with that.

Alright, calm down there Paul. Jesus.

Going to be some serious combination dilemmas for Dan going forward.

Ulster Rugby team to play Munster, Development Interprovincial game, Saturday 18 September at IRFU High Performance Centre (4.00pm):

(15-9): Shea O’Brien, Conor Rankin, Ross Taylor(u19), Ben Carson(u20), Conor McKee, James Humphreys, Lewis Finlay;

(1-8): Callum Reid, James McCormick(u20), Joe Mawhinney(u20), Harry Sheridan (Capt), Adam McNamee(u20), Lorcan McLoughlin(u20), Reuben Crothers(u20), David McCann.

Replacements: Josh Hanlon, Scott Wilson, Ryan McMahon, Paddy Browne(u19), Jack Milton(u20), Ross McKay(u19), James McNabney(u19), Zac Ward, Jude Postlethwaite(u20)

Good to see McNabney there.

The Ulster depth chart: A World Cup winner and the thrilling back three

https://the42.ie/5551551

I'd agree with all of that. I'd add Stewart Moore to my list - I rated him higher than Hume coming through but he's had a rough time with injuries and it's hard to deny there's an obvious gap between the two right now. With Marshall out and McCloskey and Hume potentially away with Ireland, he'll have all the game time he needs to improve.

I'd definitely want McCann to start pushing for a starting place later this year. He may only be 21 but the players ahead of him aren't exactly stand-outs, and I know players like Coombes come through at different rates, but quite frankly he was competing against much better players.

To a lesser extent I'd want to see if Treadwell can win his place ahead of O'Connor. AOC plays his heart out, but Treadwell's best games are better than his imo and he adds more to the pack around the park.

Two names I would've had on the list if not for injury are Izzy and Tom Stewart. Bradley Roberts had now emerged which will add another hurdle to Stewart coming back from injury and he's playing too well not to keep playing. Izzy's injury came at the wrong time, he was really adding a bit of physicality that we needed and his lineout didn't look bad for someone who's barely played the position. But as he said himself, he's barely played and he needs to play as much as possible to improve.

Only saw the first half. Did he go off injured? May have been an HIA?

It really is amazing how 2 signings can boost the moral of the fans! Our pack is slowly building.

Forwards

• Loosehead - Only area of concern short term, with Reid's scrummaging suspect and not fully tested yet. The return of McGrath combined with some form could be the final piece of the puzzle.
• Hooker - Seemed to be blessed here, ultimately Herring is first choice. But on the little we've seen of Roberts, there is going to be serious competition for a bench spot. That's not even including the constantly earmarked Stewart, hopefully he will finally over come injury and we might get to see some of him.
• Tighthead - the cupboard aint so empty, Milasinovich needs to put his hand up now he is fit and show Ulster why he is here
• 2nd Row - Have we ever had so much depth? I know Treadwell/Izzy are injured but the siding of Kearny has been very smart. On what I've seen of Kearny he is exactly what we have lacked in a 2nd Row, I expect him to be used more than the stop gap fans maybe thought he was signed for. Hopefully he gets an extension, was very impressed with him and O'Connor pairing up.
• Backrow - Another position we haven't had as much competition in who knows how long? albeit some fresh faces finally arriving. Blindside & open side to some degree are there for the taking. The addition of Vermeulen, means Rea Snr really needs to sort his consistency out or he could be leap frogged! I've never been a huge Jones fan, but he offers a little more now with Vermuelen/Kearny's ball carrying. Not to mention McCann can offer something different all together and will be wanting exposure. Sheridan albeit a second row currently, could turn out a very good blindside in the future.

All in all there is some serious competition in all positions, which can only raise the game a cross the line. With some actual academy players now appearing and a few more in the background ticking along. Balancing Vermuelen's game management/rotation will be interesting. Would really like to see a 6/2 split a few times.

Backs

• Scrum half - Cooney is potentially out of contract at end of season and no international caps in sight, this season needs some forward planning. Shanahan has shown if he isn't stuck box kicking, he can seriously up the tempo and is almost like a new signing. We have Doak now in the rear mirror, skilled beyond his years, though more a Murray type scrum-half! if he can speed up his game we've won the lottery at 9 again. The outlier in Finlay, I really want to see him given opportunities. A Doak/Finlay head to head could potentially set Ulster for the next decade.
• Outhalf - Burns/Madigan solid choices, with Madigan on the wind down. Will Lowry/Curtis be seen here a little more this season? is Burns the future or do we roll the dice and Lowry push on?
• 11-15 - to much to discuss. Some real young talent coming through. Biggest issue will be exposure and continuity. Competition is fierce and constant rotation is disruptive. The ulster factory continues to produce, with world class wingers, the ever impressing McIlroy (hopefully locking down 15) and that's not even considering Addison.

All together, we're definitely going in the right direction with a lot of young talent yet to mature. Will this be the season we stop thinking of Rea/McCann/Reid as academy players? and start looking over their shoulders at the next crop developing in the academy behind them.