Ulster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

It's John Lacey being lynched by Awec

$ausage$ wrote: »

I think its a statue of Payne in the HC getting his yellow

If only it was a yellow

awec wrote: »

Lots of players set to be released by Ulster soon.

Logan wants Henry gone, management want him to stay. Would be crazy if Logan gets his way.

Who, Chris Henry???

That's worrying news.

What is Logan's issue? Is he worried for Henry or concerned Ulster could be facing some kind of insurance payout if Henry has to prematurely retire.

Typical Doak apologists crawling out of the woodwork!

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Typical Doak apologists crawling out of the woodwork!

I'm just letting a few results go to my head!

Buer wrote: »

Certainly didn't have a great opening half to the season but they've consolidated and benefitted from a clean bill of health for a little while now with the team getting a good run together. They've only lost once since the Toulon demolition away to the Dragons when they fielded and experimental side.

They've a very solid and settled starting side now with No. 8 being the only position I think is a real concern (Wilson was awful for Te'o's try at the weekend) and are well placed win the league. All they need is a top 2 finish given the final is in Belfast.

They're well poised for next season with Kiss coming on board and Doak under less pressure. They do need to address their depth up front though which has been their biggest issue for years now. It cost them badly this season and will do so again if they can't develop some cover. When you look at the side that hosted Toulon and went to Welford Road in October, they were never going to win.

Next year will be hard for all the provinces and World Cup years are hard to predict. The first 6-8 games will be played without the internationals and then those same players will be held back again in during the 6Ns. Depth will be tested for all sides.

There is talk of another big signing in the works, reading between the lines on UAFC it may possibly be a South African back row. You said it, we need an 8. No idea who it is (if it's happening) assuming it isn't Vermuelen (if only!) what other No.8s would make a difference?

2016/17 could be a big season for us, obviously Best, Trimble, Bowe and Henry will be kicking on by that stage but that is when I think we could be serious contenders in Europe again.

stl.ire wrote: »

The last few games have been encouraging for Doak (and his staff - the defence against Leinster was a sea change to some of the stuff we've seen). Obviously the upcoming run in will be a big test and will reveal a lot. The fact is, Ulster probably have the most complete squad in Ireland and really should show that when they have most of their big players available, so while Doak deserves credit I'm still a little skeptical.




Vermuelan is strangely still available even though Toulon are supposed interested. I'd imagine he'll end up there on a crazy contract or back in SA. It would be awesome though.
For Ulster more realistically from the other big Bok names are Kankowski and Alberts. Both were expected to leave and both are from the Sharks (like Muller, Pienaar, Herbst, Terblanche and even Ludik and Van der Merwe for a bit). Willem Alberts would be a huge addition. I saw something about Wasps trying to get him signed so he's definitely looking. Fingers crossed!
Of course Pierre Spies might be available and fits our injury history!!

I'd love to agree with you on that but we simply don't have the quality in all areas of our 'reserves' that would support your argument. Back row in particular. When we have to play guys like McComish etc we show our weakness in that area.

I suppose when we have under rated players like Herring, Black, Warwick, Diack and tyros like O'Connor in the forwards we are doing o.k. I think Warwick and O'Connor could become significantly important players in the near future and Herring is fast approaching Best's level but Black and Diack are probably at their ceiling - really high as it is in the case of Black. Our greatest worry is the fact that our academy is surprisingly fruitless in bringing forward high quality operators for the pack. We have also let some possibles slip through the net. Chris Taylor for example. Also, I heard a rumour that O'Hagan is going back to England. Something which I hope is wrong.

Our biggest weakness is at 9 and 10. Beagle is great now and again but we've all had our heads in our hands at times when he blows really cold....being polite. Losing O'Hagan seems to be really careless. iHumph is a really good back up 10 most of the time and can be really sublime one minute and shocking in the same move.

We need consistently good 9s and 10s and we don't have them in the reserves.

I would agree that in the outside backs we are as well served as most European clubs. Ludik, Payne, L. Marshall, Olding, McCloskey, Cave, Gilroy, Trimble, Bowe, Scholes etc are pretty high quality and behind them we have guys like Sam Arnold, jack Owens, Jacob Stockdale and Conor Young who look the biz. What we need is Lorcal Dow and Frankie Taggart to come through and we are getting somewhere in the back row.

1 Black Warwick
2 Best Herring McCall Andrew
3 Herbst Ross
4 Tuohy O'Connor Stevenson
5 Van Der Merwe Henderson
6 Henderson Browne Diack
7 Henry Faloon
8 Wilson Williams*
9 Pienaar Marshall Rowley Heaney
10 Jackson Humprheys Windsor Heaney
11 Bowe Gilroy
12 Cave McCloskey Arnold Olding
13 Payne Marshall
14 Trimble Scholes
15 Ludik Payne, Gilroy

That's pretty much next season's squad. No doubt I've left a couple out and maybe some of those fringe guys will move on. Hopefully the likes of Dow and Taggart come through and we clearly need more cover at TH and in the back row in general.

The drop off from Pienaar and Jackson at half back is scary! And we know they will be missing until November.

Maybe Rory McIlroy will leave another blank cheque book behind the bins at Ravenspan and you can buy Vermeulen and Read. Plus they'll need cover so you'll also buy Louis Picamoles.

Warwick is a very decent player. Not ECC winning standard but I rate him. I suppose I judge him on the basis that if it's the week of a ECC semi final against Clermont or Toulon and your first choice player breaks his leg, would you see Warwick as a potential weakness? Maybe I'm being overly harsh (or not informed enough) but I would.

Ryan and Murphy...couldn't fathom those signings at the time and still can't. Both have proven track records of not making the grade. Ulster were sold a pup in particular with Murphy.