WhItten to the Chiefs

Ian Whitten has signed a two-year deal with Exeter Chiefs from Ulster. He follows in the steps of a number of Ulstermen, including Gareth Steenson, Dan Tuohy, Lewis Stevenson and Jon Andress, of whom the middle two have since returned to the Irish outfit. Look forward to hearing from Ulster posters what we might expect from him

Too small for a flanker, not enough football for a centre.

Good player - I'm sorry we're losing him. Strong runner, looks to straighten up the line, but decent skills - not just a bosh merchant. Robust in defence. Has played wing for us a couple of times this season, where he was surprisingly good.

With all the excitement about younger players, he's a bit of a forgotten man (at the grand old age of 24!, which is ridiculous. Very worthwhile addition, I'd say.

Thanks, Don - we'll sort him out for you and return him to you much improved in a couple of years (a la Tuohy and Stevenson)

A point of order sir.

I don't think Dan Tuohy was at Ulster before he went to the .

Very sorry to see Ian Whitten go. I think he has come on well in the last couple of seasons. Look after him please.

oh yes, he was, but you had to send him to us to turn him into the player he is now! You should try that with a few more - not all the South Africans tho, we don't want them

Are you sure?

About Tuohy I mean?

Tuohy never started at Ulster.

As for Whitten he is a very decent 12 and he has the skill to be an effective player for you. Will do a good job.

Don't recall Tuohy at ulster pre-chiefs. Good player is Whitten though. Whilst I dont want to sound disparaging my overriding feeling is one of relief. Whitten is a good, solid player who will never let you down. But he is therefore the kind of player a coach can turn too instead of Marshall or farrell for big games.

Whilst I wouldn't say for certain that he won't improve with regular gametime and a new coach/set up I don't think he has that spark to be a truly great centre. What I would say Is that he is a very good centre and if I can compare him to Downey I don't think he quite has the same physical attributes in terms of carrying but he has more pace, more awareness and a better range of passing/offloading so I think he could do very well in the jeff.

In a perfect world ulster could keep him but it is time we ma our bed and put our faith in the marshalls, Jacksons, farrells, nelsons of the world. If we are going to enjoy prolonged success we need these guys to be as good as we feel they can be.

Best of luck to whitten and Exeter though. I now have a team to follow in the jeff.

Stand I agree.

We have lost a solid dependable player but the flip side is youth with far greater potential will be given its head.

Very sorry to see him go, he's been a very valuable member of the squad this season, performing well at 12, 13 and on the wing when called upon. Did reasonably well against Rougerie down in Clermont too and totally dominated Mafi in the xmas derby with Munster.

Hes a big lad with decent skills and reasonable pace which makes him a precious commodity in Ireland. Unfortunately hes become a forgotten man and is very underrated.

Still only 24 hes a great signing and hopefully he'll kick on with regular gametime.

Best of luck to him, he couldn't have done any more to prove his worth to Ulster this season. I think we've made a huge mistake letting him go.

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:oh yes, he was, but you had to send him to us to turn him into the player he is now! You should try that with a few more - not all the South Africans tho, we don't want them

MrsP wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:oh yes, he was, but you had to send him to us to turn him into the player he is now! You should try that with a few more - not all the South Africans tho, we don't want them

An apology will suffice, As Long As it's written on the back of a £100 pound note!

Whitten would have been a good signing for us. Am a little disappointed that he is going to the Chiefs.

Wish he'd gone to Munster or Connaught

Whitten is a very dependable, physical, hard running player who has become steadily more versatile and less one dimensional over the past few seasons. His best rugby is ahead of him and the generally slow paced unimaginative brand of rugby played in England will suit him just fine. Whilst primarily a hard runner, his handling and kicking is good enough for him to be able to mix it with teams like Quins and Gloucester as well as smash it up the middle against your Sarries and various relegation battlers.

More than anything he is a player with a huge work ethic and a great deal of consistency. Wishing him all the best

Probably feel like Munster have missed a trick going for James Downey over Whitten tbh. Similar kind of player but Whitten is slightly better and has his best rugby ahead of him.

Munster should have signed him instead of James Downey. I'm really disappointed to see him go. He's really become one of Ulster's most consistent and reliable players no matter where he is on the pitch. Hopefully he'll finally get a good run of games at 12 to show everyone what he can do.

JmD wrote:Munster should have signed him instead of James Downey. I'm really disappointed to see him go. He's really become one of Ulster's most consistent and reliable players no matter where he is on the pitch. Hopefully he'll finally get a good run of games at 12 to show everyone what he can do.

+1

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

JmD wrote:Munster should have signed him instead of James Downey. I'm really disappointed to see him go. He's really become one of Ulster's most consistent and reliable players no matter where he is on the pitch. Hopefully he'll finally get a good run of games at 12 to show everyone what he can do.

+1

+ 1

Well, delighted to have him at the Chiefs, think he could be a very good signing for us - physical, quick, decent hands, strong at the breakdown and able to play across the backline in a couple of positions. Welcome Ian

Whitten must have the best strike rate of any current international at a try per game!
He has played 10 at club level so does have a kicking game, but will be a darling of Barnes and Co on Sky as he has all the attributes to do well in the AP.
However he's not getting enough gametime for his age at Ulster and won't either as there are just too many better Pro12 options, with much higher aspirations. He has always had to adapt and fit in to circumstances around him by moving around the backline and playing with ever changing personnel inside and outside him. My criticism of him is that he has never had (or been given) the confidence to play instinctively himself, so he is a coach's dream.

Nah, he's signed for the Chiefs- he's not going to be on TV much!

Aukster, that's gold news - Rob Baxter and AlI Hepher really like a player that is still developing with plenty to give

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Aukster, that's gold news - Rob Baxter and AlI Hepher really like a player that is still developing with plenty to give

He's good player and still developing. Decent skills for a big fella and has a very good work rate. He had a cracking game few weeks ago on the wing were he seemed to be everywhere. Struggled a wee bit against Rougerie defensively down in Clermont but theres no shame in that as he was just thrown in there at 13 against one of the best around.

Ireland don't have many naturally big powerful backs so I hope he kicks on if he gets regular gametime. I always thought he was fairly limited but hes really won me over this season and I think his best rugby is ahead of him.

At 24 the next couple of season will be make or break so I hope he really steps up to the plate over there.

I personally think he's better than Downey, not so much a bosh merchant as Downey, but still in same mold but with better ball skills, the fact that this season he's played on the wing and done well, shows the he has a better skill set. I think Chiefs have got a player they will really like, and hopefully as there arn't many physical 12's in Ireland we can get him back an even better player.

I had hoped that he would go to Connacht, but they already are building a good centr partnership with McSharry and Griffin, so Chiefs may be the best move for him, onward and upward for the Chiefs good reciutment there.

JmD wrote:Munster should have signed him instead of James Downey. I'm really disappointed to see him go. He's really become one of Ulster's most consistent and reliable players no matter where he is on the pitch. Hopefully he'll finally get a good run of games at 12 to show everyone what he can do.

+1

I am very disappointed we missed out.

How has Whitten being playing?

I've only watched highlights and so it's difficult to get a sense. But the fact he is starting is quite impressive to me. Must be doing something right.

Off topic but I have to eat my words re: James Downey.

I asked Exeter fans on the Tigers V Exeter thread, got 2 good replys.

Seams to be playing well, moved to wing for one game (same happened at Ulster) they same hes in the top 3 centers at Chiefs, and will get plenty of games and they will prob pick him as first choice depending on team and gameplan.

I think we might see him coming back to Ulster next year, if he can get released, and he'll be a better player after the Exeter spell.

Then again I suspect that Chiefs will want to keep hold for him, and he may feel he could play a bigger role at Chiefs than at Ulster and want to stay.

Red Stag Chiefs fans will be good to judge about that,

So Chiefs would you rather have had Downey or Whitten?

Personally I think Whittens age edges it for me.

I understood why Whitten moved, but I thought it was a shame. Good player, some great performances last season, covers 11-14.

But why would he come back early? I like that there are a number of English clubs that we have a good relationship with, and that a number of our younger players have gone across to play for them. But I don't think Whitten was going away for a couple of years to learn his trade and probably return, like McKinney. He's doing well at the Chiefs - he's not waiting for his senior career to start properly - he's doing it.

And next season Farrell will be back. Allen, who seems similarly able to shift around the backline, will have a year's more experience.

The need for Whitten is current. And he’s elsewhere, doing well. He’s not on loan – he looks to have invested emotionally in the Chiefs and his team-mates.

Kingshu wrote:I asked Exeter fans on the Tigers V Exeter thread, got 2 good replys.

Seams to be playing well, moved to wing for one game (same happened at Ulster) they same hes in the top 3 centers at Chiefs, and will get plenty of games and they will prob pick him as first choice depending on team and gameplan.

I think we might see him coming back to Ulster next year, if he can get released, and he'll be a better player after the Exeter spell.

Then again I suspect that Chiefs will want to keep hold for him, and he may feel he could play a bigger role at Chiefs than at Ulster and want to stay.

Red Stag Chiefs fans will be good to judge about that,

So Chiefs would you rather have had Downey or Whitten?

Personally I think Whittens age edges it for me.

Whitten pls, every time

Don Alfonso wrote:I understood why Whitten moved, but I thought it was a shame. Good player, some great performances last season, covers 11-14.

But why would he come back early? I like that there are a number of English clubs that we have a good relationship with, and that a number of our younger players have gone across to play for them. But I don't think Whitten was going away for a couple of years to learn his trade and probably return, like McKinney. He's doing well at the Chiefs - he's not waiting for his senior career to start properly - he's doing it.

And next season Farrell will be back. Allen, who seems similarly able to shift around the backline, will have a year's more experience.

The need for Whitten is current. And he’s elsewhere, doing well. He’s not on loan – he looks to have invested emotionally in the Chiefs and his team-mates.

He does seem to have done that, Don - I think that Rob Baxter makes it very easy for newcomers to settle in when they are prepared to give it their all - he is a huge respecter of work-rate, and Whitts has shown the dedication that Baxter looks for

Right Don. People seem to assume if we wanted Whitten back we'd just have to snap our fingers... he has a contract! And what says he wants to come back? He's at a club that suits him very well where he's playing regularly.

It's sad that we have a vacancy in the midfield department due to unforeseen tragedy but I think we will have to look in house to fill it.

I'm glad that Whitten is doing well. He has the right attitude, he works hard, always committed and physical. Very much like the centre we so sadly lost last week.

Its me who said we could want him back, but also said that he may feel he could play a bigger role at Chiefs than at Ulster and want to stay.

Players still seam to get released from contracts easily if they want to, Henson Sarries, Noc Connacht that English outhalf going to France.

Personally, I'm glad he's going well, and will be a real assest to Chiefs, whereas if he stayed at Ulster he would have a less important role than he does now.

Also good to see, ALAB100OU say "Whitten pls, every time", when given a choice between Downey and Whitten.

I think Ulster fans would agree but if you asked Munster fans and Saints fans it may be a different answer.