Thanks but it is time to move on

We are now at that time of the year where players are moving, new contracts are being signed etc but who is your team keeping but who is, at best, nearing the end of their shelf life?
I must say that Chunk Jacobsen falls into that category. Great player on his day (which was yesterday, not today) but is now a penalty conceding machine and is always a bit of back chat away from a card.
Quit when you are ahead, big fella.
Anyone else who you feel may be getting a contract purely on the strength of past performances?

I think Billy Twelvetrees is past his best and its high time Tigers were rid of him

Joking aside, George Chuter. Hes so far past it hes nearly ended up coming back around.

Ronan O'Gara, Gordon D'arcy and Donnacha O'Callaghan are very lucky boys to have IRFU contracts imo.......

Fau Filise and Xavier Rush.

Stuart Barnes .... sorry ! :-)

Both pretty harsh IMO. Yes they were late and clumsy but the only way they should have been reds was if they were head height, which they weren't.

I think we'll quickly see this season whether chunk still has it. He has had a long break over the summer and will have a full pre-season under his belt so should be in great shape (well, relative to what he's like normal!).

It's whether he's still got the enthusiasm and desire though - he's not massively ancient for a prop

Should we move this thread to the club site?

Moved it to the Club Section, As.

Cheers, bud

Looking at the Scarlets I don't think we have anyone over 28 anymore.

wales606 wrote:Fau Filise and Xavier Rush.

Maybe, but you need in them in your squad.

Problem with losing Chunk is who replaces him over the season? John Yapp is an average squad player and behind that we have Robin Hislop, who is a baby in scrummaging years.

Even with chunk we're short on props!

There's not that many at Ulster as we have a very young squad. Not many players over 30 at all. Johann Muller, Nigel Brady, Roger Wilson, Tom Court and Paddy Wallace are the only 5 out of about 36, 37 players.

What there is is a bit of a push-pull situation with the national team. The likes of Tom Court and Paddy Wallace have little to offer at international level but are still comfortably good enough to hold down a first team spot at their province. I'm sure the IRFU would like if Paddy McAllister and Luke Marshall could push on ahead of them but from an Ulster PoV, they'll have to work hard to oust two of our more consistent performers. Muller and Wilson still have loads to offer.

Maybe only Nigel Brady is on his way out now we've signed young IQ hooker Rob Herring and have the promising Niall Annett coming through the Academy. We have two good young hookers behind Rory Best and Brady, a great servant to Ulster, may decide to move on at the end of the season.

Agree with PSW about Chutes, the guy is a bit of a legend and is a funny guy. He has refound some form from somewhere to keep himself going a bit longer but he really is on his last year now as a pro. I hope he can be kept on at the club in the PR or media sector as the guy really can keep a crowd entertained and write an intelligent and funny article.

Same can be said for the AP's greatest ever 15 Geordan Murphy, the pace that sent him searing through defences in his younger days has left his aging body and although there is still genius in that true rugby playing brain of his the body has little time left. Thankfully Murphy has already got a job lined up working in the academy and if he can pass his vision and genius on to a couple of youngsters in the next couple of years the Tigers backline will be better for it.

Other than that the Tigers team is mostly under 30 with only Newby and Deacon into their third decade (I think, off the top of my head). Despite some nasty injuries I think both should have a couple more seasons in them yet.

Don't agree on your original post Injured. Chunk has got at least another couple of seasons in him, poss more for Embra. For Scotland I think we might see him being used as a 50/60 min player, or perhaps more likely as an impact sub as he remains good in the loose, especially since we're moving to 23 man squads for internationals.