Ulster squad additions

First topic message reminder :

All things relating to Ulster squad changes

We had an official at a Toulon game recently - no idea why.

Also I dont think we are signing a Brussow, Pocock, Kaino type just a decent honest backrower who will do us some credit.

Just dont want expectation too high.

Steffon Armitage??

Jonny??

Isn't there a Jonny Wilkinson rumour already doing the rounds?......

Rava wrote:Steffon Armitage??

Rava was just watching the highlights of the Toulon game last night thinking he'd be a bloody good signing for Ulster but shame he's probably looking forward to the family reunion next season instead of playing for the European Champions

Anyone know whats going down with Luke Marshall? He scored 6 points for Ballymena at the weekend apparantly.

rodders wrote:Anyone know whats going down with Luke Marshall? He scored 6 points for Ballymena at the weekend apparantly.

Rodders, I wouldn't read too much into that. He wasn't in the Ulster match day squad and Ballymena were in the Final of the knock-out cup so it would be good sense to have him play

Didn't see the game but they got thumped in the end. No clue about Marshall but he is well off the radar. Needs to refocus for next year and get the head down and work hard.

Someone like deysel or kankowski from the sharks I would think is the kind of profile. Alberts is being mentioned on Uafc but he is more than likely too high profile

rodders wrote:Anyone know whats going down with Luke Marshall? He scored 6 points for Ballymena at the weekend apparantly.

I caught most of the 2nd half of the game in the bar. Aside from 2 penalties he had a bit of a shocker. He made a few silly mistakes and didn't really stand out in a positive way. From what I saw Callum Black didn't have a great day in the scrum either.

Luke Marshall got injured and was behind others fitness wise - Whitten, Spence.

I think they decided about Christmas time to forget this year and get him up to speed for the start of next year.

Right Geoff this is getting serious now. As notch has just said in the pub we lack a serious amount of strength in depth. A 10 and backrower needed urgently. Give us the ear of your wisdom (that didn't sound right). Will Amscombe have any say in these new signings or has he bought an extra plane ticket for one of his fellow countrymen.

And, is he bringing his son to play 10 for us?

Next year we have

PROPS
Court, McAllister, Black, Afoa, Fitzpatrick, Macklin
HOOKERS
Best, Brady, Annett
LOCKS
Muller, Tuohy, Stevenson, McComb, Henderson
BACKROW
Ferris, Henry, Wilson, Birch, Diack, McComish
SCRUM HALF
Pienaar, Marshall
OUTHALF
Jackson
CENTRES
Wallace, Marshall, Spence, Cave, Farrell
BACK THREE
Trimble, Bowe, Gilroy, Cochrane, Gaston, Payne, D'Arcy

We are bloody weak at backrow AND outhalf now. We definitely need at least two more signings.

We're very strong in the back 3 though Notch so possibly Bowe or Trimble could end up in the centres with Luke Marshall or Paddy Wallace covering 10 with Jackson and Pienaar?

But then we're playing two guys out of their best position just because we couldn't be arsed holding on to one of the THREE Irish outhalfs we've released in the last calendar year.

Humphreys, McKinney and O'Connor aren't good enough to start but every squad needs guys who can come in and play in the Pro12 without too much of a drop off... we have a cracking first XV then our second XV is awful.

We will be signing a 10 and a backrower.

One will be IQ and one will not.

Mulligan says we are looking at Madigan, NOC and Steenson
They all have contracts for next year and Steenson in particular is very happy where he is.
Madigan is too good to be true.
Maybe McKinney wont go after all

I am surprised Humphreys is going as he had a contract - it has surprised a number of players as well.
Having said that, as I pointed out after the Connacht game, his team mates were losing patience with his pathetic defence and were vocalising
as much in no uncertain terms.

Hamilton was the guy at the Toulon match by the way

As I mentioned 14 will leave - so now we have
Kyriacou, Wannenberg, Danielli, Cronin, Barker, Humphreys, Porter, Terblanche, Whitten, Faloon + 4 Academy players I assume

In - Bowe, Wilson, Payne (effectively) - 2 to come

MrsP wrote:And, is he bringing his son to play 10 for us?

Blues are having a poor Super XV I suppose so he may want to move to a succesful club!

Notch you can add McIlroy at 9 and Nelson at 15 to your squad list above.
Probably Joyce at 6 as well

Well Notch Trimble and Bowe can't both play 14 which is their best postion, neither like it on the left wing which Gilroy has made his own.

It's not unforseeable that one of those guys will move in a position, probably Trimble, which would free up Marshall or even Wallace to cover 10.

I suppose it will come down to Anscombe but also what the IRFU expectations are of Bowe, Wallace and Trimble.

If we sign Madigan I'm buying a to every Leinster man at Twickenham on the 19th......

It would be very harsh on Cave if either Trimble or Bowe were moved to 13.

But in fairness, I was delighted we signed Bowe, But I did kind of know it was unneccesary. With Cave on the brink of an Ireland call up, surely we can't ambush his chances by moving Trimble or Bowe there?

I also think it would be harsh on Gilroy to lose out. Similarly I'd feel for Jackson if we signed Madigan.

Like I said, our back up 10 will not even get the bench with Ruan there.

One iq and one not??


The odds of getting a IQ ten are very slim, Madigan signed a new contract this week, Steeno may be sulking starting in the bench for Exe and he might be an option but in my opinion he wouldn't bring much to ulster


IQ backrow would probably be more likely, probably one of the spares Leinster have lying around and if you could get someone who balances well with 1f that would be superb


So who's the 10 ??

Hoog didn't all the Leinster backrowers sign extensions too? Ruddock got 1 year and McLaughlin 2? What about Dom Ryan?

clivemcl wrote:It would be very harsh on Cave if either Trimble or Bowe were moved to 13.

Wont be happening.

It 2 from 3 - Gilroy, Bowe, Trimble. Trimble has got a fight on his hands.

As mentioned elsewhere Staunton is a possibilty.
I am still convinced the NIQ player wil be a backrower unless one of the Leinster boys (Ruddock ?) has done a 180 degree turn from last year.

I'll bet a at Ravenhill that either Bowe or Trimble end up playing a significant amount of gametime in the centre under Anscombe next year......

Either that or Gilroy will miss out on the 1st XV.

Whoever ends up playing where it isnt a bad dilemma to have to be able to leave out an international winger is the kind of problem Ulster need rather than worrying about who can come in if someones out

Your on

I'll go further - next year Cave will be the first name on the team sheet in the threes, along with Bowe.
I actaully can see Trimble on the bench if Gilroy continues to improve.

He is the best 13 by some considerable distance.

If the Irish coach has half a brain he will be a regular in next years squads.

.... make that two ..... I'm feeling bold about this one.....

geoff998rugby wrote:Your on

I'll go further - next year Cave will be the first name on the team sheet in the threes, along with Bowe.
I actaully can see Trimble on the bench if Gilroy continues to improve.

He is the best 13 by some considerable distance.

If the Irish coach has half a brain he will be a regular in next years squads.

Well we already know the answer to this...

Lets not forget that Payne is as much a 13 as a 15. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it!

One thing we should consider.
An extra project at 10 - if no IQ players are prepared to come north we may be allowed a Project 10 on the understanding that we have a plan iin place to have an Irish only front five squad in 2 years times.

Just a thought

rodders wrote:Hoog didn't all the Leinster backrowers sign extensions too? Ruddock got 1 year and McLaughlin 2? What about Dom Ryan?

Rodders, here's the list




Leo Auva’a – two years
Isaac Boss – two years
Fionn Carr – one year
Andrew Conway – two years
John Cooney – one year
Leo Cullen – one year
Gordon D’Arcy – two years
Aaron Dundon – two years
Mark Flanagan – one year (development)
David Kearney – two years
Brendan Macken – one year
Ian Madigan – two years
Kevin McLaughlin – three years
Isa Nacewa – one year extension
Eoin Reddan – two years
Rhys Ruddock – two years
Thomas Sexton – one year (development)
Heinke van der Merwe – one year




So Dom Ryan could be a possibility

Why would Madigan leave? He will get plenty of gametime with Sexton on IRFU duty, and who else have Leinster to step up? Playing with a Ireland SH will also improve his International chances.

If Ulster sign a 10 it should be a high profile NIQ player, there is no point in signing someone who is no better than Jackson or McKinney. Ulster have enough viable flyhalf options, but what they have needed for the past 5/6 years is an experienced Test class 10.

geoff998rugby wrote:One thing we should consider.
An extra project at 10 - if no IQ players are prepared to come north we may be allowed a Project 10 on the understanding that we have a plan iin place to have an Irish only front five squad in 2 years times.

Just a thought

If the project was to play second fiddle, would they be happier still?

Or does that kind of defeat the purpose of a project if he's not go international potential?

If he is young enough the guys could share the role with Jackson.
Younger players often need a mental rest especially in a high profile position like 10.

I would be absolutely gob smacked if we are allowed to sign a NIQ 10.
Just cant see it happening. Project maybe, a NIQ player no.

The only reason I mentioned Madigan is because Mulligan did.
He would get more game time at Ulster than at Leinster.
To be clear I cant see it happening though.

Projects are brought in for tyhe beenfit of the province not the national team - a common misconception.
Not one Project player has put on the Green shirt

Thanks Hoog

So McLaughlan, whos a Leinster starter now and Ruddock are out for sure.

Dom Ryan is a possibility though?? Any thoughts Geoff?

Another guy not on that list is Mr Jennings......

The Great Aukster wrote:Why would Madigan leave? He will get plenty of gametime with Sexton on IRFU duty, and who else have Leinster to step up? Playing with a Ireland SH will also improve his International chances.

Madigan has just signed a 2 year contract, its not even worth discussing.

What about anscombe? Is that a definite non starter?

Slightly worried we could end up with someone like Staunton signing. I would actually prefer humph over him.


Oh and London Irish

TOL, humph half backs.

Or.....

Back up 10....... Paddy Wallace?

Geoff, what do you reckon about the humphries decision? When was this decided? Do you think the decision to back Jackson was made easier because they knew iHumph was on his way out? Or did iHumph look to get out once he realised he was likely to drop behind Jackson next season?

Was this a club decision or a personal decision from Ian? Would the club have chose to shift him on knowing the lack of depth?

Jackson will be 1st choice with Ruan moving to 10 quite often. If we sign another 10, we will rarely see him. Even on the bench. Neither Jackson or Ruan will have international duty. Both of them would need to be injured at the same time for our lack of depth to show us up.

clivemcl wrote:Geoff, what do you reckon about the humphries decision? When was this decided? Do you think the decision to back Jackson was made easier because they knew iHumph was on his way out? Or did iHumph look to get out once he realised he was likely to drop behind Jackson next season?

Was this a club decision or a personal decision from Ian? Would the club have chose to shift him on knowing the lack of depth?

Jackson will be 1st choice with Ruan moving to 10 quite often. If we sign another 10, we will rarely see him. Even on the bench. Neither Jackson or Ruan will have international duty. Both of them would need to be injured at the same time for our lack of depth to show us up.

Also isnt Paddy Wallace still under central contract? So may end up seeing more time at 10 than any signing we were to make

Is there any possibility that Luke Marshall will be seen as a 10 next season?

Isn't he playing there for Ballymena?

Given the depth in the 3/4s he is going to struggle to get gametime there I think.

Ulster need to find either:
1. a Test quality 10 who will start HEC games, and who can develop Paddy Jackson.
or
2. an IQ player who costs next to nothing who will be prepared to see no gametime unless there are about three injuries.

The Great Aukster wrote:Ulster need to find either:
1. a Test quality 10 who will start HEC games, and who can develop Paddy Jackson.
or
2. an IQ player who costs next to nothing who will be prepared to see no gametime unless there are about three injuries.

Baring in mind that a Test quality 10, with ruan moving to 10 occassionally will mean our young talent of jackson will rarely see even the bench...

Jenno to Ulster!!
Do we get Gibbo as well.

So we're all agreed then.... Jennings and Wilkinson it is......

The Great Aukster wrote:Ulster need to find either:
1. a Test quality 10 who will start HEC games, and who can develop Paddy Jackson.
or
2. an IQ player who costs next to nothing who will be prepared to see no gametime unless there are about three injuries.

Haha, imagine The negative press if we signed up Morne Steyn as our new NIQ!

It will be a NIQ backrow and maybe NOC I reckon. Watching him at Connacht he looks solid with a decent kicking game... If a little uninspiring. Definate improvement from when he left

As I say I think a NIQ 10 is a non starter.
My view is Humphreys is going because his mental and tackling weaknesses have just seen the managment give up on him. (Interestingly of course big brother is the key man in all that). I think Ulster have lost patience - remember he has thrown a couple of hissy fits whilst here.

Jennings or Ryan in the backrow with a Project 10 - I think that would be great if possible. It would actually fit with the rumour I am hearing that the backrow is decent but not a top signing.

As I say the 10 and Jackson could share the responsibility.
I agree far more attractive than a journeyman 10 - Staunton, NOC, Steenson etc

In fairness Geoff I would class Jennings as a bit better than decent!!

Dom Ryan would be perfect but might he end up at munster??

No thoughts on L Marshall playing 10?

Signing NOC would be a backward step for him and Ulster. He has a chance at being first choice for Connacht and might actually learn from Parks. He's no better than Jackson now and is unlikely to ever be Test class, so signing him would be a bad move.

Why would it be bad for Ulster to sign a NIQ 10? Neither Munster nor Leinster have one, and he could really bring Jackson's game on. Ulster have been lucky with Pienaar staying injury free, but his workload should also be taken into consideration. He should play 9 and run the game from there, but if he were to get injured then Ulster are in deep doodoo. I'm a big Jackson fan but he needs to be nurtured rather than exposed too early (the way NOC was). Remember he's only 20 and needs to let his body become accustomed to the weekly physical pounding in a controlled way.

Seems Munster will be looking for a back row as well.. might be a bit of a battle there for the likes of Jennings or Ryan. I think we would do better with signing Jennings, and with Ryan going to Munster. We need a top quality 7, and Munster need a versatile option to replace Wallace/Leamy.

The IRFU do not want the provinces signing NIQ 10

ROG is about to go to the great Rugby retirement in the sky
Keatley is coming up short
Sexton is in the role
Madigan is the player best placed to step up but is at the same Province as Sexton
Humphreys is not good enough
Jackson needs a lot of game time before he is ready
There is no way Dublin will allow Jacksons development stunted for a NIQ player
That would mean Madigan would be the only viable alternative to Sexton

This is a perfect example of why the new rules are coming in