Ulster squad additions

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All things relating to Ulster squad changes

Can't see Leinster letting Jennings go....no chance...hes one of their best players.

Surprised he hasn't signed a contract extension though?

Dom Ryan looks like hes up for grabs though.

Any of the Connacht lads available? Muldoon would be a good signing for us or Munster.

Dom ryan will be a great signing for any team... he looked fantastic last season (much better than that lump Ruddock). Think he got injured and struggled for game time this season.

Lads. Lads. ALL our back rows are in contract until 2014. Bar Ryan (2013) and McLaughlin (2015) hands off.

Forget it Jen......Shane Jennings is getting fitted out for his Ulster kit as we speak! ......

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:Lads. Lads. ALL our back rows are in contract until 2014. Bar Ryan (2013) and McLaughlin (2015) hands off.

Thanks for the clarification.

Reinforces my gut feeling we are talking a NIQ backrower and a IQ, or just maybe, a Project 10.
Could be a SH 10 with an Irish granny

Looks like a NH backrower plus Staunton then which would be a bit of a kick in the bollix.....

I wouldn't mind seeing Niall O'Connor back, certainly he's preferable to Staunton.

For the most part Jackson and Ruan will start next season with Ruan covering 10.

If one of them is injured, the other will play 10 with paddy wallace as 10 cover.

The new 'squad player' 10, whoever he may be, will hardly get his bum on the bench. We DO NOT NEED TO WORRY ABOUT HIM BEING FANTASTIC.

Take Staunton, pay him peanuts, get a decent backrower, have faith in Jackson.

End of.

Clive Jackson is only 20, theres no way he can play the entire season.

We need another 10 who can be relied on to win us games. Not some waster to turn out for the Ravens and make up numbers.

Pienaar is far better at 9 and can't play every game either.

Whoever comes in must be good enough to start at 10 as per required and to me Staunton isn't.

With ruan covering 10, and marshall continuing to merit a sub appearance one of the 10s willmiss out on the matchday squad completely. I don't think Jackson deserves that to be him.

As for the notion of two equal ability 10s taking it in turns to play. I cant see that working. If we bring in another 10, either that 10 or Jackson will have a quiet season.

Unless we start subbing Pienaar off the pitch when Marshall comes on. Which is actually maybe a decent solution.

rodders wrote:Looks like a NH backrower plus Staunton then which would be a bit of a kick in the bollix.....

I wouldn't mind seeing Niall O'Connor back, certainly he's preferable to Staunton.

... bit like deciding whether you'd rather have the gallows or the Chair.

Why can Ulster not see that the outhalf is a crucial element in the success of the team? Surely David Humphreys can see that? Jackson isn't ready to play a full season as starting 10 and the associated pressure that would bring. Every other position in the team Ulster have a Test class player, yet the choices for playmaker at 10 is between a developing youngster and bringing back failed journeymen! If the IRFU can't see that allowing Ulster to sign a decent Test proven 10 would help Jackson far more than hinder him then they are truly dinosaurs.

The Great Aukster wrote:

rodders wrote:Looks like a NH backrower plus Staunton then which would be a bit of a kick in the bollix.....

I wouldn't mind seeing Niall O'Connor back, certainly he's preferable to Staunton.

... bit like deciding whether you'd rather have the gallows or the Chair.

Why can Ulster not see that the outhalf is a crucial element in the success of the team? Surely David Humphreys can see that? Jackson isn't ready to play a full season as starting 10 and the associated pressure that would bring. Every other position in the team Ulster have a Test class player, yet the choices for playmaker at 10 is between a developing youngster and bringing back failed journeymen! If the IRFU can't see that allowing Ulster to sign a decent Test proven 10 would help Jackson far more than hinder him then they are truly dinosaurs.

No one is suggesting that Humphreys isnt going to sign a proven player but when exactly did NOC fail?
He struggled at Ulster at times but he went to Connacht and has improved and matured, his game is far better than it was but signing a proven 10 is difficult unless Sexton or ROG want a change of scenary as there is 1 NIQ spot left for next season that they have been working to make that a backrower

I'm not sure that Pienaar could manage all season with Jackson at 10.

Don't get me wrong, he is a very fine player and will get better but the 2 games I have seen this season where Ruan looked exhausted at the end where the ganes when Jackson started. He works so hard to take the pressure off his young colleague.

Clearly this is something that will become less of an issue with time.

geoff998rugby wrote:

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:Lads. Lads. ALL our back rows are in contract until 2014. Bar Ryan (2013) and McLaughlin (2015) hands off.

Thanks for the clarification.

Reinforces my gut feeling we are talking a NIQ backrower and a IQ, or just maybe, a Project 10.
Could be a SH 10 with an Irish granny

Payne would have to leg it to get you a Project. So either you have to sign a high profile NIQ at 10 or (far more likely) back row.

O'Connor is probably your best bet (Parks to Connacht would free him up) unless you can unearth a 10 with an Irish granny that has never played for another country's full, A or 7s team.

marty2086 wrote:No one is suggesting that Humphreys isnt going to sign a proven player but when exactly did NOC fail?
He struggled at Ulster at times but he went to Connacht and has improved and matured, his game is far better than it was but signing a proven 10 is difficult unless Sexton or ROG want a change of scenary as there is 1 NIQ spot left for next season that they have been working to make that a backrower

In his last season NOC was nothing short of dreadful. His confidence was totally shot and his continued selection was baffling, while Humphreys grew a beard in the wilderness. It was a relief for everyone when Ian was finally called into the side despite his own rollercoaster form. NOC seems to have regained some confidence at Connacht but hasn't played that much rugby this season. He will continue to learn from Elwood and now Parks so it would be in his interests to stay put.

Ulster have Ferris, Henry and Wilson who are all Test class players in the backrow. They don't have a Test class 10 - the only position in the team where they don't. If Ulster are looking to progress they should be looking to replace any leaving player with one at least as good. NOC and Stan aren't as good as iH so that would be a backward step.

As I said I think there is a, slight, chance we would be allowed to have a 2nd project provided we stuck to a commitment not to replace Muller or Afoa in 2 years time and thus have an all Irish squad at Prop and Lock.

Looking into my crystal ball I think 6 to 9 are the position Ulster will need NIQ players in 3/4 years time. If we play ball in the front 5 I think Dublin may give us some slack at 10.

Geoff you said a while back IH was on peanuts right. A friend has just told me he's on around 200k and has consequently freed up quite a fair amount of funds.

WillyGilly wrote:Geoff you said a while back IH was on peanuts right. A friend has just told me he's on around 200k and has consequently freed up quite a fair amount of funds.

Did he tell you on the 1st April?

The Great Aukster wrote:If Ulster are looking to progress they should be looking to replace any leaving player with one at least as good. NOC and Stan aren't as good as iH so that would be a backward step.

+ 10 million.

No offence but your friend is talking rubbish.

That sounds like the entire contract - not just one year.

rodders wrote:

The Great Aukster wrote:If Ulster are looking to progress they should be looking to replace any leaving player with one at least as good. NOC and Stan aren't as good as iH so that would be a backward step.

+ 10 million.

More and more I do think this was not a planned exit. Not unless Ulster knew/know of a replacement prior to giving Ian the heave ho.

Ulster would not have chosen this panic 10 search if they could have helped it.

I suspect you could trace the decision back to the time this season when he just seemed to completely give up on even making an attempt to look like he was thinking about tackling.

There was a match, maybe Cardiff, when he visibly turned away from tackling several times.

I think the decision had been made by then.

No inside info on this you understand, just my own feelings.

ULSTER IS IN CRISIS!

rodders wrote:ULSTER IS IN CRISIS!

Note that nothing has been announced on the club website (either Ulster or LI) so you never know, when they do announce it maybe it will be as a footnote to us having pulled off another great signing

"So Mark, its a done deal then?, your in?"

"Yes David, I'm in... On one condition, your brother out and my son in!..."

"Oh, ok then, but mummy will be very cross with me for a while!"

We're haemorrhaging squad players and really need to make these next two signings count. They'd better be good players, because we don't just need bodies at backrow and outhalf; we need real quality players in BOTH positions.

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

iHumph deal just confirmed on BBC site. Shocked at that move!

Shane Gerahty and iHumph at Irish, they must be hoping when ones out of form the other will be in some! Both shaky 10's!

Imagine a Humphreys/geraghty axis. A back rowers dream

clivemcl wrote:With ruan covering 10, and marshall continuing to merit a sub appearance one of the 10s willmiss out on the matchday squad completely. I don't think Jackson deserves that to be him.

As for the notion of two equal ability 10s taking it in turns to play. I cant see that working. If we bring in another 10, either that 10 or Jackson will have a quiet season.

Unless we start subbing Pienaar off the pitch when Marshall comes on. Which is actually maybe a decent solution.

Pienaar is a world class 9, yet Marshall has improved dramatically this season, and has got a lot of game time.

Standulstermen wrote:Imagine a Humphreys/geraghty axis. A back rowers dream

I am pretty sure that I saw the LI/English fans on these forums suggesting that Geraghty could make a claim for the 12 shirt. That could be a very realistic combination honestly, until they realise why their team has suddenly imploded upon itself!

And don't forget O'Leary

Perhaps Ulster could bring in this Munster player at 10: Declan Cusack?

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Perhaps Ulster could bring in this Munster player at 10: Declan Cusack?

Highly doubtful

1F'sgonnagetya! wrote:iHumph deal just confirmed on BBC site. Shocked at that move!

Shane Gerahty and iHumph at Irish, they must be hoping when ones out of form the other will be in some! Both shaky 10's!

BBC have been reporting it all day but Ulster have confirmed it and hes getting a 3 year deal from sounds of it thats what swung it for him.

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/10502.php

Ulster maybe reluctant to give him a new contract after recent performances?

I have to say I think that UR are being very unfair on their supporters here. I don't care what reasoning they have, if they have signings done and sealed, then they should announce it now.

I don't want to go into a HC final knowing my team is clearing out 14 players as it stands and only bringing in 2!!!

This is not good for my nerves David! Make an announcement for petes sake!!!!

think you need to put yourself in for this clive

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/10495.php

you can get all the inside info and put yourself at ease knowing how things are going then feed all the gossip back to us

clivemcl wrote:

rodders wrote:

The Great Aukster wrote:If Ulster are looking to progress they should be looking to replace any leaving player with one at least as good. NOC and Stan aren't as good as iH so that would be a backward step.

+ 10 million.

More and more I do think this was not a planned exit. Not unless Ulster knew/know of a replacement prior to giving Ian the heave ho.

Ulster would not have chosen this panic 10 search if they could have helped it.

Clive the only person panicking is you ............

Relax Clive it won't be difficult to attract top players once we are European Champions, we'll be fighting them off...thats why Leinster were so keen to nail down their players with contracts, they obviously are expecting an exodus North to the green pastures of Ravenhill.

I would reckon a good time to announce them would be next week when they aren't in the country and won't be distracted by any transfer rigmarole

clivemcl wrote:I have to say I think that UR are being very unfair on their supporters here. I don't care what reasoning they have, if they have signings done and sealed, then they should announce it now.

I don't want to go into a HC final knowing my team is clearing out 14 players as it stands and only bringing in 2!!!

This is not good for my nerves David! Make an announcement for petes sake!!!!

Thats not a true reflection though is it

We are shipping out 9 Full Professionals and 5 from the Academy/Development area

If you include Terblanche as an out then for consistancy sake you must include Payne as an in.
If, as I am certain, we have 2 to come in then that makes 5 new full professional contracts.
The difference between 5 and 9 will be made up by development/academy players being given full contracts.

Bottomline is we will have the same number of Full Professionals and I suspect the same number of Development/Academy players as this year.
It will have a more youthful look as we would have replaced a number of mid range players with more promising young players - not necessarily a bad thing.

I see Stuart Olding specifically mention - I reckon thats him on a development contract.
He would not have been mentioned otherwise

Munster flyhalf Declan Cusack is joining Ulster.

He's a promising talent alright, Staggy

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:He's a promising talent alright, Staggy

He is a good AIL club player and a decent reserve player. He's played 3 games for Munster but overall I think he'll be a decent 3rd/4th choice for Ulster.

The 10 will be IQ
The backrower will be NIQ

red_stag wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:He's a promising talent alright, Staggy

He is a good AIL club player and a decent reserve player. He's played 3 games for Munster but overall I think he'll be a decent 3rd/4th choice for Ulster.

geoff999rugby wrote:The 10 will be IQ
The backrower will be NIQ

Geoff - something tells me you know who the back row is..

One of these days Stag is actually going to get a scoop on Ulsters latest signing and no-one will believe him!

Oh, what am I saying? Everybody always seems to believe him

I have a good idea - we are talking squad players not top flight players.

geoff999rugby wrote:I have a good idea - we are talking squad players not top flight players.

Can we hear your idea?

Given the performances of Henderson and to a lesser extent Birch yesterday do we actually need another backrower?

Personally I think strengthening our halfbacks should be the priority.