Ulster Rugby 2018-19

First topic message reminder :

https://www.606v2.com/t68145-ulster-rugby-2017-2018-part-2


Last thread was at risk of self combusting, so started a new one for you. 


Bye.

stevetynant wrote:When are you guys going to cut Aaron Sexton loose- just been watching some of his highlights on you tube- size, pace and balance he looks like a superstar in the making

He does look good, doesn't he?

Durning the international Window, Ulster should easily be the best team in the league.
Last years finalists with only 4 players on international duty (and unless players are not being released to stay in the bubble, we can expect McCloskey back).

The scottish, italians Scarlets and leinster are missing 10-15 players.
Munster, ospreys, cardiff missing about 7-10 players
Dragons and connacht about 5 or 6 players.
Ulster missing 4 players.
Realistically i think we should be expecting to win every game untill December. Which should give us a healthily league position.

Normally this is a time when Dragons and Connacht with normally fewer call ups get a run of points. Being a better team with even fewer call ups we really should be looking a very good points return.

Team up for Dragon's game.
Lyttle, Faddes, Hume, Moore, Ludik, Madigan, Cooney; O'Sullivan, Andrew, Moore, A O'Connor, Carter, Reidy, Murphy, Coetzee.

Replacements: McBurney, McCall, Kane, Treadwell, Timoney, Shanahan, Johnston, Lowry.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Faddes is downright woeful.

Maine man wrote:I've said it before and I'll say it again, Faddes is downright woeful.

You wouldn't be wrong. A poor NZ hire to date.

Pot Hale wrote:

Maine man wrote:I've said it before and I'll say it again, Faddes is downright woeful.

You wouldn't be wrong. A poor NZ hire to date.

I remember him with the Highlanders and he looked pretty decent. But since joining Ulster he's been poor. Does anyone know how long his contract is for?

His contract ends this season, so does Carters.
Faddes I am still unsure about, he was 2nd highest try scorer last season, behind Cooney. So does score its just none really stand out. Alot of players when moving from the SH have a poor first season. And last season was broken up witj covid and injury. Feel that this is the season we really should be judging him on.

Kingshu wrote:His contract ends this season, so does Carters.
Faddes I am still unsure about, he was 2nd highest try scorer last season, behind Cooney. So does score its just none really stand out. Alot of players when moving from the SH have a poor first season. And last season was broken up witj covid and injury. Feel that this is the season we really should be judging him on.

Fair enough - although James Lowe had a pretty good first season with Leinster.
But Covid has disrupted a fair bit so let's see how it goes by next June.

Gloucester and Toulouse then in the champions cup group stage this year

neilthom7 wrote:Gloucester and Toulouse then in the champions cup group stage this year

Both tough teams to get anything out of but we're definitely on the right path to be able to challenge them. Gloucester are beatable both home and away but it'll take our 1stXV to be fully stocked and running at 100%. Toulouse at the moment are very strong, probably too strong to be beaten in France but beating them in Belfast is a possibility. Optimism isn't my strong point but I'm trying to be positive

Anybody know a line out coach? Pretty sure Jonny Petrie is going to be wanting one soon

How many more times are ulster going to do the one out runner thing and go nowhere before they actually do something with the ball.

Gilroy is in acres of space, this is ridiculous Ulster, put the ball through the hands

Finally it goes to the backs and they score, Ulster have the rugby tactical ability of a ten year old, that try could have been scored 10 minutes ago

What's the word on Addison's injury?

Aaron Sexton could be on the bench tonight.

Luke Marshall off injured within 3 minutes. If it wasn't for bad luck he'd have no luck

When did we sign Keith Lemon??

Lol he has been called up to train for the last few weeks, he plays with Rainey up in Magherafelt, that is some facial and hair style choice lol

I like it! I'd be happy to see some more of him. He looked decent.
Late bloomer? Or is he a young cub?

Great result for the Ulstermen tonight.

Looking forward to the Xmas interpros.

Dwayne Peel set to leave Ulster at the end of the season for Cardiff.

Maine man wrote:Dwayne Peel set to leave Ulster at the end of the season for Cardiff.

I'd like to think the search for the replacement is well under way. There's little money to be had so the advert should specify "needs to be up for a challenge".

Good luck to him.
As a replacement I think Girvan Dempsey would be a good fit.
Or a South African scrum half who is about to retire and is loved in Ulster, do you know anyone who fits the description?

NO, he is back home.

He is fighting the cause for the Cheetahs, besides, he is injured. Out for a couple of months.

Pienaar has no coaching experience bar any he's done from a playing perspective. If he becomes a proven commodity then I'd love to see him back. I don't think Dan and Jonny are in the business of taking a wild punt.
We need someone with a track record that isn't too expensive....Ronan O'Gara

ROG would do it just out of his love for Ulster, wouldn't cost a penny

Ulster team to play Toulouse, Heineken Champions Cup Round 1, Friday 11 December 2020 at Kingspan Stadium, kick-off 8pm, live on BT Sport / beIN Sport:  

(15-9) Michael Lowry, Matt Faddes, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Ian Madigan, John Cooney;

(1-8) Eric O’Sullivan, Rob Herring, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor, Sam Carter (Capt.), Sean Reidy, Jordi Murphy, Marcell Coetzee.  

Replacements: John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Tom O’Toole, David O’Connor, Matty Rea, Alby Mathewson, Stewart Moore, Craig Gilroy.


A strong lineup, as strong as we could field and there's a fair bit of continuity within the squad.

However....

15 Maxime Médard; 14 Matthis Lebel, 13 Sofiane Guitoune, 12 Romain Ntamack, 11 Cheslin Kolbe; 10 Thomas Ramos, 9 Antoine Dupont;
1 Cyril Baille, 2 Julien Marchand (capt), 3 Charlie Faumuina; 4 Rory Arnold, 5 Joe Tekori; 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 7 Alban Placines, 8 Selevasio Tolofua.

Replacements: Guillaume Marchand, Rodrigue Neti, David Ainu’u, Emmanuel Meafou, Louis Madaule, Yannick Youyoutte, Pita Ahki, Alexi Bales.

Why oh why were we playing for points with less than a minute on the clock??? Stuff it up the jersey time surely. But no, a Rea knock on and five minutes later we lose the game.

Happy Xmas Ulster fans, Marcel is leaving us a year early. Bah Humbug!!!

Maybe we could get Conan or Deegan to move up north.

Our homegrown and Leinster cast offs just don’t cut it. Leinster deserve a lot of credit for their achievements from a mostly self produced player base. Truth is though, they are a rare occurrence. What other team has done so well with so little foreign big name signings?
Realistically, we lost to Toulouse because of individual brilliance, and I think even the best squad and coaching will always slip up and fall short of they don’t have special players who have the ability to make something out if nothing.

For me, Ireland come second you club for a few years now. I get the strategies to further the progress of the national team. But from a club supporter POV I want a replacement (high class) for Coetzee, and a few more on top. Faddes isn’t of the required standard. Bill Johnston doesn’t deserve his contract. Lowry probably too small for the pro game unless he’s moved to ten.

Ulster probably needed 3/4 of the best big name signings over past 6/7 years to all have been there at same time. That would have been the only way to have been competitive.

Piutau, Pienaar, Coetzee and Afoa. Heck, throw in Payne too and we may have won something. Unless you do that, we are unlikely to be competitive in Europe.

Maine man wrote:Maybe we could get Conan or Deegan to move up north.

Coetzee leaving a contract early? Did he have a clause? Or I wonder was this mutual agreement.
I wonder if Nucifora may have been working here to get somebody moved to another club but part of the deal was Coetzee doesn’t leaves to not block them. ‍�

Ulster CEO saying it player-driven with unsubtle encouragement from Bulls.

Ulster playing well in a feisty match at The Sportsground.

Yeah seems like Marcell was homesick a bit and that maybe then the Bull's encouraged him to try and find a way out so he could go back to south africa.
It's a big loss for Ulster and not at a great time in terms of their ability financially to replace him

Marcell leaving might have a lot to do with this Video , He spent 4 months of lockdown at Marloth Park.

clivemcl wrote:Our homegrown and Leinster cast offs just don’t cut it. Leinster deserve a lot of credit for their achievements from a mostly self produced player base. Truth is though, they are a rare occurrence. What other team has done so well with so little foreign big name signings?
Realistically, we lost to Toulouse because of individual brilliance, and I think even the best squad and coaching will always slip up and fall short of they don’t have special players who have the ability to make something out if nothing.

For me, Ireland come second you club for a few years now. I get the strategies to further the progress of the national team. But from a club supporter POV I want a replacement (high class) for Coetzee, and a few more on top. Faddes isn’t of the required standard. Bill Johnston doesn’t deserve his contract. Lowry probably too small for the pro game unless he’s moved to ten.

Ulster probably needed 3/4 of the best big name signings over past 6/7 years to all have been there at same time. That would have been the only way to have been competitive.

Piutau, Pienaar, Coetzee and Afoa. Heck, throw in Payne too and we may have won something. Unless you do that, we are unlikely to be competitive in Europe.

Thems the rules though. If you don't produce your own players then you have no choice but to get Leinster cast offs.


The irfu are taking a long term view of things by forcing the provinces to produce their own players. Munster (until recently) and ulster have been poor at it and that's why neither province has won anything for a long time.


The ideal model is have mostly quality local talent, a few from other provinces and have a few top quality foreigners, like Coetzee.

Marcell has also expressed hope to play against the British and Irish Lions

Old Man wrote:Marcell has also expressed hope to play against the British and Irish Lions

Erasmus’ time at Munster has proved to be very fortuitous for SA Rugby between the network of relationships he forged and tacit agreements reached.

I popped in for a browse of t'other forum and discovered there's either a terrible rumour that Cooney has been bought out of his contract by a French side. Please someone tell me it's someone's idea of a peestake.

Its been rumoured a while, no idea if its true, but I can believe it. Last big contract, and has been one of the best SHs in Europe but completely overlooked by Ireland. If he isnt going to get international recognition why not take the bigger paycheck?

With his kicking game he'll fit right in, in France. With him and Coetzee being allowed to leave early are Ulster trying to cut the budget before next season?

It would explain why he's been left out of the Ireland camp lately despite his form. Can Ulster sustain the loss of both Cooney and Coetzee? Unless there's some stunning work being done by Bryn I don't think we can.

That would be terrible news. On the other hand, perhaps Cooney is looking to have a negotiation edge when Nucifora and his emissaries start contract talks with the 90-odd players waiting until January to know what the future looks like.

If provinces are being asked to reduce their budgets to what they can afford under Covid restricted earnings, then you'd figure older/non-Irish qualified players and some middle/low-rank players will face greatest scrutiny, along with those NIQ coming to end of contracts.

At Ulster, who falls into that category?

Milasanovich, McGrath, Carter, Coetzee, Mathewson, Faddes, Ludik?

At other provinces, who might be dropped, encouraged to move?
Munster - Archer, Ryan, Holland, Cloete, O'Donnell, McCarthy, Sweetnam?
Leinster - Abdaladze, Bent, Cronin, Fardy, Toner, Murphy, Penny, H O'Sullivan, Frawley, C O'Brien, A Byrne?
Connacht - Mcallister, Papali'i, Healy?

From an Ulster point of view we could jettison Faddes and Ludik, possibly Milasanovich too. It'd be handy to retain Matthewson if Cooney is sodding off and getting Madigan to sign an extension would be ideal. We won't be replacing Coetzee, he's not replaceable but we might have funds to lure a half decent backorder that's looking some extra gametime.

Oh and John Cooney's twitter feed has disappeared.

Pete330v2 wrote:From an Ulster point of view we could jettison Faddes and Ludik, possibly Milasanovich too. It'd be handy to retain Matthewson if Cooney is sodding off and getting Madigan to sign an extension would be ideal. We won't be replacing Coetzee, he's not replaceable but we might have funds to lure a half decent backorder that's looking some extra gametime.

Oh and John Cooney's twitter feed has disappeared.

And Jean Cooné has appeared.

Pot Hale wrote:That would be terrible news.  On the other hand, perhaps Cooney is looking to have a negotiation edge when Nucifora and his emissaries start contract talks with the 90-odd players waiting until January to know what the future looks like.

If provinces are being asked to reduce their budgets to what they can afford under Covid restricted earnings, then you'd figure older/non-Irish qualified players and some middle/low-rank players will face greatest scrutiny, along with those NIQ coming to end of contracts.

At Ulster, who falls into that category?

Milasanovich, McGrath, Carter, Coetzee, Mathewson, Faddes, Ludik?

At other provinces, who might be dropped, encouraged to move?
Munster - Archer, Ryan, Holland, Cloete, O'Donnell, McCarthy, Sweetnam?
Leinster - Abdaladze, Bent, Cronin, Fardy, Toner, Murphy, Penny, H O'Sullivan, Frawley, C O'Brien, A Byrne?
Connacht - Mcallister, Papali'i, Healy?

Is it worth having McGrath on the books given he's probably on a substantial contract? Has he been performing well, he seems to have disappeared out of sight?

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:That would be terrible news.  On the other hand, perhaps Cooney is looking to have a negotiation edge when Nucifora and his emissaries start contract talks with the 90-odd players waiting until January to know what the future looks like.

If provinces are being asked to reduce their budgets to what they can afford under Covid restricted earnings, then you'd figure older/non-Irish qualified players and some middle/low-rank players will face greatest scrutiny, along with those NIQ coming to end of contracts.

At Ulster, who falls into that category?

Milasanovich, McGrath, Carter, Coetzee, Mathewson, Faddes, Ludik?

At other provinces, who might be dropped, encouraged to move?
Munster - Archer, Ryan, Holland, Cloete, O'Donnell, McCarthy, Sweetnam?
Leinster - Abdaladze, Bent, Cronin, Fardy, Toner, Murphy, Penny, H O'Sullivan, Frawley, C O'Brien, A Byrne?
Connacht - Mcallister, Papali'i, Healy?

Is it worth having McGrath on the books given he's probably on a substantial contract? Has he been performing well, he seems to have disappeared out of sight?

Agreed. should have added in Deegan or Conan onto the Leinster list with Doris nailing down the 8 position and Ulster will be looking for an 8 with Coetzee's departure.

Excellent win by Ulster again tonight against Munster 15-10. That makes 10 out of 10 for this season and looking good for making the final.

The interpro against Leinster next week should be a humdinger.

So another defeat by our nemesis. You’d think I’d get used to it!

Wonder what thoughts are on positionally where Ulster are struggling. Whilst it’s great to see younger players get a chance and show promise, do they need the older heads around them to be of a better standard?

I guess I’m thinking mainly of Faddes here.

Also, how many young wingers are Ulster going to get excited about only to shrug when they don’t develop to the potential we hoped for?
It effectively started with Gilroy. Yes, he has some international caps, but he certainly went backwards a bit and stagnated ever sense. The same could potentially be said for Marshall and McCloskey and perhaps the Leinster cast-offs.

Is there a problem with Ulster failing to progress players from good to fantastic?