Ulster Rugby 2017-18

by geoff999rugby Thu 12 Oct 2017, 2:35 pm

First topic message reminder :

Rory Best (hamstring)
Marcell Coetzee (knee)
Craig Gilroy (back)
Chris Henry (larynx)
Rob Lyttle (shoulder)
Al O'Connor (concussion)
Jared Payne (headaches)
Dave Shanahan (hamstring)
Nick Timoney (ankle)
Schalk van der Merwe (shoulder)

by **rodders** Tue 19 Dec 2017, 10:35 am

Carbery was born in NZ...

by Pete330v2 Tue 19 Dec 2017, 10:37 am

Cheers Marty, I got sick of filling my days with work.

You'd have to imagine it's Donald seeing as we were in advanced talks with him already. I'd like to think it'll be more than a season filler unless UR are holding out hope for Jackson's return.
KOTH did say it was a 'big named' player.

by Pete330v2 Tue 19 Dec 2017, 10:39 am

rodders wrote:Carbery was born in NZ...

He'd do well but sadly he's not an All Black Rodders. KOTH can be cryptic enough sometimes, I'd love Carberry to come.

by marty2086 Tue 19 Dec 2017, 11:02 am

Is Donald a big name? I know he scored the winning points in the RWC but does he fit the big name bracket?

by Pete330v2 Tue 19 Dec 2017, 11:05 am

He's bigger than Peter Nelson Wink

by carpet baboon Tue 19 Dec 2017, 11:07 am

Sopoaga?

by Kingshu Tue 19 Dec 2017, 2:43 pm

Could he mean a big name as in a long name like Anton Lienert-Brown

by marty2086 Tue 19 Dec 2017, 2:45 pm

Pete330v2 wrote:He's bigger than Peter Nelson

I won't ask how you know that Pete Whistle

by marty2086 Tue 19 Dec 2017, 4:10 pm

Three players picked up injuries during Ulster's Champions Cup win versus Harlequins on Friday.

Chris Henry has a hamstring strain and is doubtful for this weekend's match against Connacht.

Charles Piutau has bruising on his lower leg and will miss the trip to Galway.

Rob Herring suffered a concussion against 'Quins and will follow the return to play protocols.

This trio join the following players on the current injured list:
Rory Best (ankle)
Luke Marshall (Achilles)
Tommy Bowe (hamstring)
Marcell Coetzee (knee)
Johnny Simpson (wrist)
Kyle McCall (shoulder)
Rodney Ah You (wrist)
Jean Deysel (neck)
Jared Payne (headaches)

by **rodders** Tue 19 Dec 2017, 4:24 pm

marty2086 wrote:
Rory Best (ankle)
Luke Marshall (Achilles)
Tommy Bowe (hamstring)
Marcell Coetzee (knee)
Johnny Simpson (wrist)
Kyle McCall (shoulder)
Rodney Ah You (wrist)
Jean Deysel (neck)
Jared Payne (headaches)

Fun fact, all the injured players are either over 30 or South Africa or wear a scrum cap. What can we conclude from that?

by marty2086 Tue 19 Dec 2017, 4:45 pm

rodders wrote:
marty2086 wrote:
Rory Best (ankle)
Luke Marshall (Achilles)
Tommy Bowe (hamstring)
Marcell Coetzee (knee)
Johnny Simpson (wrist)
Kyle McCall (shoulder)
Rodney Ah You (wrist)
Jean Deysel (neck)
Jared Payne (headaches)

Fun fact, all the injured players are either over 30 or South Africa or wear a scrum cap. What can we conclude from that?

Fun fact, Jonny Simpson is 27, born in Lisburn and doesn't wear a scrum cap Cool

by Redman Tue 19 Dec 2017, 10:04 pm

Game at the weekend I'm assuming we're sending a kids side to face Connacht?

Given the main side has had 2 tough games in 6 days against Quins and Connacht aren't in our Pro14 conference a loss wouldn't be too painful.

Alternatively we flog the lads this week and next for Munster and then send the kids to Leinster the week after. Tricky bit of squad management coming up.

Thoughts?

by Redman Tue 19 Dec 2017, 10:05 pm

marty2086 wrote:
rodders wrote:
marty2086 wrote:
Rory Best (ankle)
Luke Marshall (Achilles)
Tommy Bowe (hamstring)
Marcell Coetzee (knee)
Johnny Simpson (wrist)
Kyle McCall (shoulder)
Rodney Ah You (wrist)
Jean Deysel (neck)
Jared Payne (headaches)

Fun fact, all the injured players are either over 30 or South Africa or wear a scrum cap. What can we conclude from that?

Fun fact, Jonny Simpson is 27, born in Lisburn and doesn't wear a scrum cap

Lisburn is a lot like South Africa in fairness.

by marty2086 Wed 20 Dec 2017, 9:02 am

Redman wrote:Game at the weekend I'm assuming we're sending a kids side to face Connacht?

Given the main side has had 2 tough games in 6 days against Quins and Connacht aren't in our Pro14 conference a loss wouldn't be too painful.

Alternatively we flog the lads this week and next for Munster and then send the kids to Leinster the week after. Tricky bit of squad management coming up.

Thoughts?

Possible team for the game? Im sure Connacht will have earmarked the game as one they can get a win from and building on their games against Brive

vDM/Warwick
Andrew
Kane
Dalton
Diack
Rea
Reidy
Timoney
Cooney/Marshall
Lealiifano
Lyttle
Cave
Ludik
Trimble
Nelson

by **rodders** Wed 20 Dec 2017, 9:43 am

marty2086 wrote:
rodders wrote:
marty2086 wrote:
Rory Best (ankle)
Luke Marshall (Achilles)
Tommy Bowe (hamstring)
Marcell Coetzee (knee)
Johnny Simpson (wrist)
Kyle McCall (shoulder)
Rodney Ah You (wrist)
Jean Deysel (neck)
Jared Payne (headaches)

Fun fact, all the injured players are either over 30 or South Africa or wear a scrum cap. What can we conclude from that?

Fun fact, Jonny Simpson is 27, born in Lisburn and doesn't wear a scrum cap

Bang goes that theory then.

by neilthom7 Wed 20 Dec 2017, 10:36 am

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42424497

Ulster are unsure when Payne will play again? I am becoming more and more sure the answer to that question is never

by clivemcl Wed 20 Dec 2017, 1:38 pm

I’m sure by this stage they will have gotten him every test done possible. They either diagnosed it and are treating something they don’t want public, or the tests have shown nothing in which case surely their conscience is clear and decision to play should go to Jared himself.

by neilthom7 Wed 20 Dec 2017, 2:02 pm

The decision to play should absolutely not be left in Jared Paynes hands. We know rugby players are too tough for their own good, he would most likely go on.
Even if they have run every test imagineable and found nothing if he is still having the headaches then it should be a no go. What if it is something they couldn't see and he plays and something happens to him, absolutely not.
The whole reason HIA's were introduced was tot ake the player off the field and allow a medical team to assess them and not allow them to just make up their own mind that they are ok.

by marty2086 Wed 20 Dec 2017, 2:04 pm

It was said last month it was all down to his neck and head and comes after a heavy training load, reads as too much information to be a cover for something else but still weird that they haven't been able to address the underlying cause. These things are usually muscular and easy enough to sort with the right treatment

by clivemcl Wed 20 Dec 2017, 2:23 pm

Not being able to make a diagnosis is a bit mad though. But surely the tests they do should be able to give them enough confidence that nothing is badly wrong with his brain. Surely they fact nothing shows up shows there's no risk in playing him?

I'm not talking about machines that spit out the names of ailments. They are looking very closely at physical tell-tale signs. No tell-tale signs = no danger.

No? Headscratch

Unless of course the problem is that the headaches are severe enough that they interfere with his ability to think and play properly.

by marty2086 Wed 20 Dec 2017, 2:37 pm

From all that has been said it seems it has been diagnosed but they don't seem able to treat it to the extent that Payne can train for a week headache free

Im guessing if he can go a week, they'll need to see if he can play again without a headache coming on before making a decision. In the modern climate they can't risk playing him, even if it's a mild one the extra intensity and physicality of a game could bring on a severe one.

Should we find any correlation between it being workload related and it occurring on a Lions tour where there have been complaints about the training regime?

by marty2086 Thu 21 Dec 2017, 3:12 pm

EPCR has today confirmed the dates and kick-off times for Ulster's remaining Champions Cup pool stage fixtures, including the home tie versus La Rochelle.

With the 5 pool winners and the 3 best runners-up set to book their places in the quarter-finals, the games against La Rochelle (home) on Saturday 13th January (1.00pm) and Wasps (away) on Sunday 21st January (3.15pm) are sure to generate high tension and drama.

by Redman Fri 22 Dec 2017, 12:22 am

KOTH on the other forum has suggested whoever we've signed is "better than Gopperth".

Interesting if true. I quite like Gopperth. Limited sure, but a 'does what it says on the tin' sort of player. Better than that and we'll be doing ok.

The question is have we just spunked a lot of money (Coetzee's insurance money perhaps?) on a marquee All Black to do us till the end of the season? Or have we got someone in till at least the end of 2018/2019?

by Redman Fri 22 Dec 2017, 12:35 am

The other chat is we could be sent Carbery.

I'd be fairly indifferent to that. If he was sent just to sort us out till June then it really only benefits him and Leinster in the long run. Yes he's a step up from what we have but you know he'll be off down the motorway first chance he gets. Ulster would be giving up their 10 position to assist the development of a great talent, but an incredibly raw one ... all the while having to listen to what a great favour Leinster, the IRFU and Nucifora have done to help us out for 4 whole months.

If he was with us for 2018/19 though ... it'd be a different story.

by carpet baboon Fri 22 Dec 2017, 7:06 am

I can't see Leinster letting carbery go, not with sexton taking a shot to the head again at the weekend.
But who knows the lad himself may want to

by Pete330v2 Fri 22 Dec 2017, 8:58 am

The name currently bouncing around there would be a fantastic signing but I'll believe it only when officially announced. Anyway we wouldn't want to be ridiculed by the arrogantly obnoxious on here for our excited anticipation.
On the Carberry subject, it would have been a perfect solution for all parties if he were to come north for a few months. Solid rehab, starting at 10 every game, Ulster's outhalf void sorted. Sexton's injury will surely make Leinster's grip on Joey all the tighter.

by marty2086 Fri 22 Dec 2017, 9:55 am

If the name going around signs, then Bryn deserves a job for life but given that Lealiifano has to go back for other commitments I can't see this player forgoing his to come to Ulster for a few months unless its encouraged by the NZ hierarchy to provide a foreign experience to improve him as a player

by Pete330v2 Fri 22 Dec 2017, 12:14 pm

Ulster Rugby team to play Connacht, Saturday 23rd December at The Sportsground, kick-off 7.35pm (live on BBC NI & TG4):

(1-8): Andy Warwick, John Andrew, Wiehahn Herbst, Matthew Dalton, Robbie Diack, Iain Henderson (Capt), Sean Reidy, Nick Timoney;
(9-15): John Cooney, Peter Nelson, Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Louis Ludik, Craig Gilroy, Jacob Stockdale.

Replacements (16-23): Adam McBurney, Schalk van der Merwe, Ross Kane, Matthew Rea, Clive Ross, Paul Marshall, Johnny McPhillips, Rob Lyttle.

by marty2086 Fri 22 Dec 2017, 12:17 pm

Connacht team

(15-9) Tiernan O’Halloran, Niyi Adeleokun, Bundee Aki, Tom Farrell, Matt Healy, Jack Carty, Kieran Marmion, (1-8) Denis Coulson, Shane Delahunt, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Quinn Roux, Eoghan Masterson, Jarrad Butler, John Muldoon (Capt)

Replacements (16-23): Tom McCartney, Peter McCabe, Conor Carey, James Cannon, Naulia Dawai, James Mitchell, Eoin Griffin, Darragh Leader.

On a side note, O'Halloran has signed anew deal with Connacht

by Pot Hale Fri 22 Dec 2017, 1:50 pm

That’s a tough side from Connacht. The famous back three from 2015 playing again.

by marty2086 Fri 22 Dec 2017, 2:01 pm

One of the r*** charges against Ulster and Ireland rugby player Stuart Olding has been dropped.

The 24-year-old, from Ardenlee Street, Belfast, had faced two r*** charges over an alleged incident in June 2016

He was accused, alongside fellow Ulster and Ireland player Paddy Jackson, of raping the same woman in south Belfast.

However, a pre-trial hearing heard the prosecution is not proceeding with one of the r*** charges against Mr Olding due to additional forensic evidence.

Both men deny all of the charges against them.

Mr Olding attended the hearing in Belfast Crown Court on Friday as the r*** charge was dropped.

On direction of the judge, a statement was released on behalf of the prosecution and his defence team.

It said: "The prosecution is not proceeding with this count as a result of additional forensic evidence now available."

by Don Alfonso Fri 22 Dec 2017, 2:14 pm

Interesting about Olding.

Rubbish team - hope Dalton gets a good hit out and that Lyttle is as good as he was before. Good for McPhillips to get a crack, and interested to see Jacob at 15. I predict a frustrating loss. Not a lot of points in it, but well outplayed.

by marty2086 Fri 22 Dec 2017, 2:22 pm

Don Alfonso wrote:Interesting about Olding.

Doesn't bode well for the case against him

by marty2086 Fri 22 Dec 2017, 2:23 pm

Don Alfonso wrote:
Rubbish team - hope Dalton gets a good hit out and that Lyttle is as good as he was before. Good for McPhillips to get a crack, and interested to see Jacob at 15. I predict a frustrating loss. Not a lot of points in it, but well outplayed.

I was thinking it was a decent team that might be able to play at a high tempo and take on Connacht

by clivemcl Fri 22 Dec 2017, 3:41 pm

marty2086 wrote:
Don Alfonso wrote:Interesting about Olding.

Doesn't bode well for the case against him

Na, not much has changed really. Don’t think there was any disputing about where they had put their willies. As it often is, this is likely coming down to consent.

It did make me wonder is the count of exposure to the other lad because he was standing there too waiting his turn’?

by marty2086 Fri 22 Dec 2017, 4:01 pm

Maybe best not to speculate on the events clive

by clivemcl Fri 22 Dec 2017, 4:36 pm

Marty, the article states the defence disputed vaginal r*** from Olding. And the evidence backed that up. It implies the defence did not disputed the oral r***. Or at least it’s bad journalism not to state that if true. To me it reads they disputed one case and got it dropped, so they concede the oral act did in fact occur.

Perhaps it’s wrong to speculate that McIlroy was present at the incident, I concede that. Seems odd though that he was charged of this at the same address on the same night if not present at the alleged event.

by marty2086 Fri 22 Dec 2017, 4:42 pm

Yeah Im talking about the charge for McIlroy and things in general, I deliberately didn't post the article with some of the sordid details because we've done well to avoid them on here

by clivemcl Fri 22 Dec 2017, 4:47 pm

It is what it is Marty. No point whitewashing it. Nobody is questioning their guilt at this point which is the only line I’d expect not to be crossed.

It’s sad of course that these details are made public if the lads are in fact innocent.

by Redman Sat 23 Dec 2017, 1:05 am

clivemcl wrote:
marty2086 wrote:
Don Alfonso wrote:Interesting about Olding.

Doesn't bode well for the case against him

Na, not much has changed really. Don’t think there was any disputing about where they had put their willies. As it often is, this is likely coming down to consent.

It did make me wonder is the count of exposure to the other lad because he was standing there too waiting his turn’?

Consent will be an issue, as will whether the girl was in a position to give it.

I read the exposure charge slightly differently though sadly your interpretation could well be correct.

As time goes on I'm more disgusted by how we've gotten to this situation. I hinted at it previously and no one picked up on it but I had heard that Wilson's drink drive charge was in Jackson's car, with the boy wonder unconscious in the back. 3rd hand gossip of course but if true what were Ulster doing? Add in the "blacking up" incident it really suggests that there was a group of them that were a law unto themselves. The warning signs were there but I'm guessing our management thought they couldn't read them the Riot Act for risk of losing them to offers aboard .... or worse, just plain old weakness.

by toml Sat 23 Dec 2017, 3:14 am

Who is the name going round for the 10 shirt?

by Pete330v2 Sat 23 Dec 2017, 11:04 am

toml wrote:Who is the name going round for the 10 shirt?

Capital of Peru followed by..........can't think of a clue for his surname.

by Standulstermen Sat 23 Dec 2017, 11:48 am

That would be an ‘out of this world’ signing to the point I just can’t see it. Makes Lealifano look like small fry

by clivemcl Sat 23 Dec 2017, 11:49 am

With additions of Moore and Murphy, and the crazy good breakthrough of a star like Stockdale... add in a potential signing of Sopoaga and suddenly we are a team likely to compete in Europe again, or at least regain lost season ticket holders.
If only Coetzee and Payne could return to full health!

by Artful_Dodger Sat 23 Dec 2017, 2:32 pm

Stephen Donald is out of contract so I think some may be disappointed if they are expecting Sopoaga. We can but only hope.

by clivemcl Sat 23 Dec 2017, 2:53 pm

Is Stephen Donald better than Jackson? Headscratch

by carpet baboon Sat 23 Dec 2017, 2:57 pm

I honestly thought Donald had retired.

by Artful_Dodger Sat 23 Dec 2017, 3:03 pm

carpet baboon wrote:I honestly thought Donald had retired.

Nope he's been at the Chiefs in New Zealand, they have decided not to renew his contract however. So he is probably on the market and Ulster have signed an All Black 10 by all accounts. I really hope it's Sopoaga, it's not inconceivable that he would leave for 500k odds as Piutau did. However Sopoaga is as far as I know in contract and Donald is not.

by clivemcl Sat 23 Dec 2017, 3:19 pm

Contract till when? Are we assuming we are talking about someone next month to replace Lealfano? Or will we be making do with Nelson till another Super season passes and bring new guy in like October next season?

by carpet baboon Sat 23 Dec 2017, 4:07 pm

Well that's the million dollar question.
If I remember correctly someone from Ulster (Bryn?) Said they had plans for when Christian left in Jan. Now I hope he means a replacement as I like Nelson but we still need another 10.
If that's Donald till the end of the season that wouldn't be to bad, another 10 signed for next season even better. If that ten is Lima then flip me that would be impressive

by Sponsored content