Ulster Rugby 2022/2023

First topic message reminder :

Thought it was time for an update on the thread so this is the new all things Ulster thread.

I don't think the IRFU care about Residency qualified players, as long as they are have completed their residency they are just the same as other players in their eyes. Though the numbers in Munsters squad would be concerning about their acamady.

I'm quite pleased with what I feel is a pretty logical team selection for tonight; resting a few guys up front for next week as well as McCloskey. Perhaps the only surprise for me is that we're playing our 3rd choice full-back. Still, I suppose games like this give him the opportunity to earn himself a place in the team. If anyone sees him make a tackle with his shoulder, let me know.

Lowry stripping on the ground perhaps lost us the game only minutes after we thought he’d won it for us.

Think OConnors argument to the ref was that the TMO was looking for where the ball first touched green, but that the point where downward pressure was applied, it was on the dead ball line.

Bit of a stretch, but I did think on first look it was touching the dead ball line when grounded.

Fair play to Connacht. Exciting game. Plenty of mistakes though from both sides.

From Ulster point of views, fantastic to see Addison’s running attacking threat back.

Ulster certainly coughed up 2/3 clear opportunity with dropped balls or not giving the pass/inaccurate pass.

Rory Best is off to coach in USA alongside Allen Clark in Seattle, that's a bit of a shame that they aren't having hims do more here

Kingshu wrote:I don't think the IRFU care about Residency qualified players, as long as they are have completed their residency they are just the same as other players in their eyes. Though the numbers in Munsters squad would be concerning about their acamady.

The academy is doing fine now. Dont get me wrong there's always room for improvement but there's been 14 promotions to the senior squad between this season and next. It remains to be seen whether that was just a bit of luck or not. Theres hardly any players coming through from limerick these days which is a massive failure.


Re the squad, DDA, Snyman and Jenkins are all signed with private money. The irfu turned down the signing of PS du Toit. In general van Graan tends to sign as many players as he can. It results in a bloated squad imo.

(15-9) Jacob Stockdale, Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy, Billy Burns, John Cooney;
(1-8) Eric O’Sullivan, Rob Herring, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (Capt.), Matty Rea, Jordi Murphy, Nick Timoney.
Replacements: John Andrew, Andrew Warwick, Tom O’Toole, Kieran Treadwell, Sean Reidy, Alby Mathewson, Michael Lowry, Will Addison.
Almost as good a team as we've got and Reidy and O'Toole could be useful coming off the bench. I hope Stockdale proves me wrong but I've got absolutely no confidence in his defence.

Really quite disappointing from Ulster the past few weeks. Yea, we can’t complain to not win them all. We aren’t the finished product, we all knew that. It’s more the nature of the defeats that’s concerning. Really taken the shine off the season which for the most part probably was categorised as hopeful and promising. Unfortunately I feel the season will now be tainted with some concern. Yes, some individual glimpses of talent from young ones, but ultimately it all has to fit together as a team performance and a well executed game plan.

Ulster were in possession inside the Munster 22 from minute 63 to 72 and claimed no points in that time. That is very sobering.

Saved myself some money by cancelling Premier Sports last month, didn't really care about Rainbow cup.

Ulster have since justified that decision for me

The second half v Leicester was poor, there will be things to work on over the summer and lets hope the coaches are on top of it

As a team effort the lads just didn't seem as 'up for it' as Munster. Munster played with an intensity that Ulster couldn't match but at times, a lot of times, it looked more like they didn't even want to. Munster just looked so hungry for the win, almost desperate, and Ulster, despite the effort, just didn't. I can't blame them in a way, as a fan I can't even force myself to care about this failed tournament, it has thrown up some lovely games and even as an Ulster fan, Munster were a joy to watch, but will I remember this cup in a few months?
The loss to The Tigers knocked the mojo out of Ulster and they just haven't retrieved it. They will but we're going to need to improve a lot over the summer, next season's going to be a lot tougher I reckon, we don't have the depth needed to eat at the top table and the only player of note coming is Nakarawa or is he Knackeredawa. Has he even played since he was taken off at halftime against Leinster? After the game Danny Wilson told him he needed to get fit. He turned up late to preseason for them. He was sacked by Racing for "a total lack of team spirit and marked insubordination" after showing up late after the World Cup. Will Dan be able to change his mindset? Fingers crossed. We'll need more than him to step things up a level.

I still look back over this season and feel immense pride for what Ulster have done, silverware would have been a nice cherry on top but it's not the 'be all end all' for the season. We've been going in the right direction so let's just hope the upwards curve continues or things could get messy.

The brutal truth is from 4 to 8 we simple don't have the fire power, Henderson apart.
Izzy was the one player coming through who looked capable of going to a new level, but he is knackered till well into the new season.
Reidy and Murphy are decent players but they are the wrong side of 30 and are not going to improve.
Timoney has shown some flashes in patches.
We need some youngsters to stop being good prospects and start to make a mark - Rea Jnr was our best player(alongside Henderson) against Munster but needs game time.
McCann in particular has a big season ahead of him this year - he needs to start to deliver on the promise.
Nakarawa actually getting fit would be another plus, as would Carter staying fit.

Recent matches have shown the over reliance on Coetzee this season.

Genuinely thought Henshaw’s tackle was illegal on Balacoune. Commentators kept talking about where shoulder contact was. Head on head collision is illegal too. Both count as dangerous tackle. Every angle I seen showed the two players heads touched. Hendshaw even went off for HIA a minute later.
Awful decision and poor understanding of the laws IMO.

I couldn't believe the Balacone call either. Henshaw's shoulder is slightly higher then Balcone and his head clearly goes back with more force then a simple stop. Henderson was right to be upset and glad he pointed it out to the ref. Felt it was a yellow when I saw it and the replays didn't change that view.

Ulster have been unlucky in two games and could have beaten either Connacht or Leinster if things had of gone in their favour.

Just on a poor run but think will win their last two games.

Louis Ludik has confirmed his retirement today. Great servant to Ulster Rugby down the years

Worst kept secret - great servant of the club.

Bryn described him as THE model professional

I can see why, he really always gave his best. You rarely got a terrible game out of him and played across several positions without any fuss

He'll always be missed from the squad, always gave 100% and never disappointed.
He's another Saffer that'll always be an Ulsterman wherever he goes although it looks like he's staying here with his Hellbent range.

4 Ulster players positive for covid, game v Scarlets is off, bit sad for anyone who was due to attend the game but correct call made

Just a semi permanent farewell.

I enjoy discussing rugby with other but sadly there are to many on this website I cant be arsed to debated with.
Life is to short.

As many of you know/suspect I have been in the very lucky position of being able to meet a number of club people at a ftf level (at least pre Covid).
My contact in the current set up have significantly diminished over the last couple of years.
I am down to one player next year - the people I know are virtually all ex players.

I will chip in next summer if I hear any contract gossip.
I will confine my contribution to Ulster only threads - way to much poison elsewhere.
Not least this is because I should be able to talk to real live people at matches next year  

As a final sign off I would like to say that most players have been a real pleasure to know
McCall, Trimble, Danielli, Wallace, Henry, Rory Best -  were the stand outs personalities for me

I get that Geoff, and to be honest I rarely look at other threads. As an avid ulster fan who doesn’t know very many other avid fans, I always am looking for somewhere to discuss things Ulster related. Sadly though this last season has been the quietest yet on here and it is probably at deaths door.
It’s a pity, but not really enough contributions and I’ll probably check in less and less.
Always appreciated the thoughts, insights and insider information from others - particularly yourself.
I guess I will just have to read about things when they finally hit the news outlets now instead.

If anyone knows if a better place to chat Ulster rugby let me know. Social media is full of people who know very little, and that other forum is full of sarcastic vicious types who think they know everything.

Sorry to see you go Geoff but I very much understand where you are coming from.

Outside the Ulster threads I often have to decide if I really want to get involved in it or not, hopefully this thread retains some life to it in the coming seasons

geoff999rugby wrote:Just a semi permanent farewell.

I enjoy discussing rugby with other but sadly there are to many on this website I cant be arsed to debated with.
Life is to short.

As many of you know/suspect I have been in the very lucky position of being able to meet a number of club people at a ftf level (at least pre Covid).
My contact in the current set up have significantly diminished over the last couple of years.
I am down to one player next year - the people I know are virtually all ex players.

I will chip in next summer if I hear any contract gossip.
I will confine my contribution to Ulster only threads - way to much poison elsewhere.
Not least this is because I should be able to talk to real live people at matches next year  

As a final sign off I would like to say that most players have been a real pleasure to know
McCall, Trimble, Danielli, Wallace, Henry, Rory Best -  were the stand outs personalities for me

Shame to see a good poster go but all the best Geoff and hopefully we will hear from you again.

Just popped in to make all aware

Nakarawa has failed his medical - he wont be joining us.
To be honest I'm not too disappointed.
He looked like a has been this year.

Yes saw that this morning, if he couldn't pass a medical then I'm glad he isn't coming

However the question now is will Ulster try to make another signing or just leave it as is?

Part glad, part sad. Was hoping he'd recapture some of form but as Geoff said earlier, he's looked woeful all year. I wonder if ulster will go out and sign someone else now or will they see it as some money saved. If they see it like that, it leaves ulster a little light in the backrow. What it does give though is an opportunity for some of the younger lads to have go such as McCann.

Not overly surprised.
I guess it's a sign of professionalism and high standards for the club not to take a player who is under par physically.
At the same time though, it does feel like a little bit if a 'fail' - a faux-pas if you like.

Too late to expect anyone else at this point. And yes, I get it, the intent all along is to become a team where we produce our own talent etc and not rely on big names...

But at the same time... I'm not too sure we will hang with the big boys next season with what we have. Maybe I'm being too pessimistic and the way the season ended probably doesn't help.

Yes, we are 'building' but also, we have to be aware, some of our key players will be tempted away if they are overlooked by Ireland and we have another lacklustre season in both comps.

If we lose 2/3 of our key players, suddenly things may look grim.

Dodged a bullet there I'd say.

In other news we are talking to James Cronin.
He is leaving Munster.
I would suggest it is between us and Connacht.
I would also suggest that this means what I have long suspected Jack McGrath is not going to make it.
In 17 months he has started 4 games and been on the bench 4 times.
He needs a hip operation which will keep him out for the early part of next season.
Retirement beckons next summer I reckon.

As to Nakarawa replacement - looking at Leinster the only maybe is Deegan.
Otherwise we will be going abroad, or we start with Timoney and the Rea brother and McCann get serious game time.
I reckon our wage bill for next year is now down to the £6.6 million mark (including the 2 CCs)
That is well below Munster, let alone Leinster

What's the chances Nakarawa goes elsewhere for next season and has a cracking season, a bit like Arno Botha.

I do hope Ulster go the replacement route rather than the money saving one.

We are down to Reidy, Timoney, Murphy, Rea x 2, McCann and Jones in the backrow.
No one else coming through who will be ready for next year.
In the 2nd row its just - Carter, Henderson, Treadwell O'Conner x2 and Izzy (out till Xmas)

That is a very thin quad - not great at Prop or SH either.

clivemcl wrote:  Not overly surprised.
I guess it's a sign of professionalism Yes, we are 'building' but also, we have to be aware, some of our key players will be tempted away if they are overlooked by Ireland and we have another lacklustre season in both comps.

That is not a concern I share - with one exception.
John Cooney.
I do not believe any other IQ player has that mindset.
To be fair to Cooney I would not blame him for cashing in with a big pay cheque in France or England.
He has been treated disgracefully by Farrell

Maybe, if we're not going to get a Nakarawa replacement, Ulster could use that saving to keep Cooney interested in staying. He's even more essential now.

I wonder would Connacht be interested in loaning us Papali'i until Xmas

Bradley Roberts has been a good discovery - and also kudos to a player moving half way across the world to play AIL and work in a coffeeshop in the hope of attracting the attention of Ulster. You have to applaud the lad.

For me, best case scenario would be a Leinster cast-off - one a cut above - a John Cooney type who then flourishes.
I'd love for Leinster to regret letting a player go to us.

But failing that, I do think we ought to be making some signings.

Like I say, another lacklustre season and I wouldn't be surprised at all if we begin to lose the likes of Cooney, Stockdale, McCloskey, Reidy... who want better opportunities and to cash in before retirement.

You can only keep saying you are 'building' for so long...

clivemcl wrote:
Like I say, another lacklustre season and I wouldn't be surprised at all if we begin to lose the likes of Cooney, Stockdale, McCloskey, Reidy... who want better opportunities and to cash in before retirement.

..

Stockdale has a central contract for the next two years, and he wants to play for Ireland, and will be going nowhere
Reidy will retire an Ulster player. He does not command big money and is happy here.
McCloskey does not blame Ulster for his lack of Irish caps - he is just confused why Schmidt and Farrell haven't give him a fair crack of the whip.
His contract is up next year but I am convinced he will sign on.

On another note during the last 12 months  we reached a Pro14 final, we had the second best record in the current Pro12 season.
It is true Europe and the shambles of the Rainbow Cup didn't work out.
Its also true that he two loses against Gloucester and Leicester hurt but I don't think you can say it was a lucklustre season over all.
Covid made a mess of it but overall we did ok

Ah folks. We've fallen so far and so hard.

Many moons ago, we'd have (rightly) been going daft on this forum.

First caps for Timoney, O'Toole, Hume and Baloucoune! Addison back for the international team! Henderson captaining the (mid-week) Lions! A raft of lads in the U20s (Doak and Sheridan being the pick)!

I see Petrie said we'd dip into the player market if the right fella became available. I hope so, because, honestly, after a season that had a relatively rough end (oo-er), there'll be a lot of grins and high morale in September.

SUFTUM

Has been a good summer for Ulster players involved elsewhere alright.

Lets just hope that everyone is ready to go in September and if they do bring in another player now Nakarawa is not coming I'm sure nobody would say no to that

Too true.

Personally never looked forward to a new season so much.
Remember 31st July deadline for all ST renewals.

Delighted for the lads and hopefully will get to see the game.

To be honest that game apart I'm switching off till September - I'll be in Galway/Mayo during much of the summer.
Will almost certainly miss the Lions tests - not that bothered if I'm honest.

Regarding players being ready the only two who wont be are McGrath and Izzy.
Everyone else will be ok - baring fresh injuries of course

Well that went pretty well for the lads.

Timoney was fine, but given our depth in the back row, I'd be surprised if he saw another cap. He was better against 15 than Boyle was against 14, but as I say, there's a lot of excellent players there - we'd two playing for the Lions today.

TOT showed up really well. Held his own in the scrums, excellent handling including playing scrumhalf at a ruck or two, always in the thick of it to latch on.

McCloskey took a wee bit too much on himself, but noticed he often took the ball at first receiver - presumably taking pressure off Carberry (who I thought was no great shakes).

Hume looked assured - strong carrier, alert, some beautiful passing in his armoury.

Baloucoune - to the manner born.

Addison - a Paynesque Rolls Royce of a player.

Coombes, Casey and Kelleher were the pick of the crop, probably, even if they don't come from Ulster.

10 is an issue, as is James Ryan.

[quote="Don Alfonso"]Ah folks. We've fallen so far and so hard.

Many moons ago, we'd have (rightly) been going daft on this forum.


The Ulster thread used to be the liveliest but it's died a slow death during this last season. Not altogether sure why because it had been relatively troll free. Perhaps it's an unexpected side effect of a pandemic.

The Ulster lads did wonderfully in green at the weekend, it was the kind of performance I've waited a long time to see from Ireland. Offloads, heads up rugby etc. it had the lot.
It was pretty insulting to have the game ignored by Channel 4 in favour of the 1966 England soccer match. That was 2 fingers up to Irish rugby fans in Northern Ireland. Thankfully I found it on Youtube just before the kick off. Thanks CH4

I was able to watch Nakarawa against the ABs earlier in the day and I think we actually have dodged a bullet. He walked through the 80 mins and seemed to avoid the ball. When he did eventually go for a typical Nakarawa style pickup and go he was turned over. He looked lazy and rather uninterested.
Fingers crossed someone might arrive on the market yet looking for a bit of game time. Maybe Izzy will make a miraculously quick recovery. Maybe....

Bring on next season, cannot wait!!

Confirmed today that Faddes, Matthewson, McCall, McBurney and Johnson have left Ulster.

Also, an article about Cooney's neck injury and his recovery. He might not be ready to start pre-season. If he's not, and we don't ha e a brutal opening couple of games, given his performances in the U20s 6N, would really want to see Doak feature, if not start.

https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ulster-rugby/john-cooney-it-was-kind-of-similar-to-what-happened-to-conor-murray-i-couldnt-even-pass-a-ball-40648380.html

Yeah Doak should definitely feature if Cooney isn't fit, with Mathewson gone we would only have Shanahan anyway at scrum half so I'd be surprised if Doak wasn't involved without Cooney

Doak will go past Shanahan early in the season, in the pecking order.
I actually think Cooney will be ok

Other good news McGrath is actually training - which comes as a nice surprise.

That is good news, hopefully he finds his feet this season and discovers form

As for Doak he was fantastic in u20's 6 nations so if he can keep up the development we will have a real player there

So, I finally took a proper look at the new look United Rugby Championship. I kinda had it in my head that Ulster might see Pienaar line up against them, but then I see Cheetahs are not one of the added teams from SA.
Granted, I've not been following Southern Hemisphere club competition for many years, but in my head I always thought Cheetahs were higher in the pecking order than Lions.
Am I wrong? Or did they simply swap places at some point?
What now for Cheetahs? Currie cup just?

I'm so out of the loop - is there no SA clubs in super rugby now?

Whilst I'm at it and showing my poor world rugby awareness - more questions!
Did Super rugby continue with the Argentine and Japan teams? Jaguares wasn't it?

Is Japan club rugby getting better?

I'll attempt some answers

The Lions were in Super 15 Cheetahs weren't. The teams in the URC are the SA Super 15 sides
Expanded list of SA teams will play in the Currie Cup, that includes the Cheetahs
There are no SA teams in Super Rugby - big bust up between Aus/NZ and SA
Argentina and Japan teams also ditched
Jaguars will pay in the Super Liga Americana de Rugby essentially the best teams in South America
Japan just has its own league
Talk of Japan joining the SH International competition to make it 5 countries
Japanese club rugby is probably marking time, not getting better or getting worse

Thanks Geoof! A fount of knowledge as always!

The Lions had passed the Cheetahs a little while ago, actually made it to a couple of Super Rugby finals but then lost the likes of Faf De Klerk and their other stars to Northern Hemisphere during the drain of South African talent. (Probs another reason SARU were interested in this competition for the chance at more money and keeping their players)

They will be good to watch, like to throw the ball about and play open attacking rugby, given the way Ulster like to play the game with the Lions could be a real belter to watch.

Super Rugby has ditched Argentina and Japan and looks like it will just be 5 aussie, 5 new zealand sides with 2 sides from the pacific islands joining as well

Of the lions starting 15 of the last final they reached in 2018 only about 6 of them are still playing for the lions. The others are playing in Europe or Japan.

Kind of gives you a good look at the talent drain.

That doesn’t even count du Klerk who had left before then

Squad confirmed.

Anyone have any idea when we last had only 1 NIQ player in the squad ?
I believe not since 2001, at least.
Kempson and Sexton were both playing in 2002.

We've certainly gone above and beyond Nucifora's remit in regards to NIQs which is unprecedented. Can we get some kind of accolade from Mr N, perhaps in the form of a couple of world class players in the backrow/second row? That'd be nice. If Izzy could have some kind of miraculous return to fitness it'd do though, perhaps we should be calling AWJ's doctor.