Ulster Rugby – The Season Ahead

Ulster Rugby – The Season Ahead

Picture the scene. In May 2011 over a four week period, Ulster had just lost to Northampton Saints in the Heineken Cup Quarter Final and had put up a gutsy performance in the RDS in going down to a strong Leinster team in the Magners League semi-final playoff. Was this a season of overachievement or a sign that this Ulster team had arrived?

Fast forward 12 months and we are in the final of the Heineken Cup on the back of some fantastic performances including an historic home group win against Leicester Tigers and that never to be forgotten quarter-final triumph in fortress Thomond.
The result at the home of rugby against Leinster is now confined to the history books and although disappointing it would be very easy to say that last season was an improvement. But was it? Teams are usually judged by their performances in the league over the course of a season and with ten losses and a sixth place finish it was, quite simply, not good enough. The soft underbelly that was a lack of squad depth was cruelly exposed at times and with the Heineken Cup taking precedence towards the end of the season our efforts to get into the playoffs were jettisoned.

Cue the new season. A new head coach is in place with a reputation for being a bit of a hard task master and, perhaps more significantly, an expert at the breakdown. This is one area where we can improve. I suspect that Anscombe will have been set a healthy target in his first season. I would expect that greater league success will be paramount.

David Humphries, as ever, has worked his magic in the recruitment department with some stellar signings, not least the welcome return to a white shirt of Tommy Bowe. Equally significant though may be the return of Roger Wilson and Niall O’Connor, as they should be available for selection throughout the season without the constraints of the IRFU player welfare programme which will restrict the appearances of our established Internationals to the Heineken Cup and a handful of league games. How pleasing it is that we have been able to attract some promising young Irish Qualified players to the ranks. This has been a positive response to the restructuring policy announced last season in the IRFU.
I’m sure there are many Ulster supporters, like myself, who look forward to the day when we field a competitive team of only IQ players.

With this recruitment and the emergence of some young talent from the Academy there will be increased competition in nearly every department, with more strength in depth to cope with the loss of the International players in autumn and spring and during periods of absence due to the welfare programme. The coach is on record a saying he will target a win in every game we play this season. We can only do this on the back of a strong and determined squad. The noises coming out of the training camps and the success in the first pre-season friendly against Bayonne in France are encouraging.

So what of the players then? Enough has been said about the likes of Afoa, Best, Ferris and Pienaar, who along with Bowe would surely be in most peoples Fantasy Teams. We need the second layer guys to deliver results.
Fringe Internationals such as Tuohy, Cave and Henry must continue the upward progression as they will be crucial, along with Muller and Payne, to ensuring we have a successful season. Add experience from Wilson, Diack, Williams, Wallace and O’Connor and we have the core of a side to compete on both league and cup fronts. Time will tell if trusting Paddy Jackson with the 10 shirt is a bold move but having Niall O'Connor, Pienaar and Wallace as parachutes should limit any potential damage.
I will leave the potential shirt tug of wars at 13 and 14 for others to debate but it can only be healthy to have such competition for a starting place.
We have so many young and promising players just ready to make the cross over from Academy to senior ranks. I predict that we will see a lot more of Ali Birch and Luke Marshall this season as well as the exciting lock/flanker Iain Henderson, of whom a great deal is expected.

This year we have avoided a “group of death” in the Heineken Cup. Of course we still have difficult games to play and there will be no room for complacency. However with the players at our disposal for that competition we should surely be looking at a home quarter final.
In the league we play Glasgow, Ospreys and Munster in our first three games. All three of these sides finished in the playoff places last season and the results of these games could potentially shape our season. By the time Castres arrive in October for the first HC match Ulster would hope to be in the top four if not already on pole.

It promises to be a huge season ahead for Ulster on the pitch and I can’t wait for the season to start. As for off the pitch it will be interesting to watch the ground redevelopment as it happens when the Contractors get started in November. Success on both fronts would be phenomenal in the current climate and put a huge smile on the faces of Ulster Rugby fans.

SUFTUM

5* effort.

Lovely balanced piece conveying the fans' passion in an objective and inclusive manner.

The Scarlets will have you of course, but that's a different matter...

Thanks Glas. Looking forward to the horn lock with Scarlets as per

Let's pray that it's decided by the players (although we will probably have a moan even then...)

Yeah Glas, our players!

Very good effort Rava. Not much to quibble with there! Wish I had had time to do a proper preview myself.

One thing I've heard is that Sean Doyle is going well in training. So it's going to be an interesting tussle for that 7 shirt between himself, Ali Birch and of course Chris Henry hasn't gone anywhere either.

I'm very excited about Saturday. First live rugby since Twickenham for me. Hopefully a very different outcome!

What I'm excited about this season is seeing how Iain Henderson and Peter Nelson do.

After seeing some of the games they've been involved in with Ulster last season and them in the U20s, I believe both are ready to make the step up. Sure, they are young and will make mistakes but they are also majorly talented. They should be involved in matchday squads this year in the Pro12.

I think Henderson could well be a good bet for our starting blindside whilst Ferris is out and Nick Williams is going through hell trying to get his visa sorted.

A backrow of Henderson, Doyle and Diack may be unheralded but I believe it could take some people by surprise.

Roger Wilson has apparently been injured but hopefully he will be available to start in the mix as well.

Fantastic piece Rava. Sums thing up nicely. Not much else to add.

I actually think the standout performance last season was the away game to Clermont. That showed we really could go head to head with the top teams, home or away. The HEC final brought us down to earth with a bump but I think we will gain a lot from just being in the final.

In terms of this season. I'm very excited, I think we look a fair bit stronger in most areas but you always need a bit of luck in the HEC so I won't be looking past the group stages at this point.

The 1st XV is very strong but as you say its about the 2nd, and even 3rd tier stepping up a few levels and showing they can get results when the big guns are out.

Things are looking very good though.

SUFTUM .

Outstanding article, embodies the passion you have for your team and the journey Ulster have made. I won't be putting it up more than likely (out of action until next week) but it will go up great work Rav. We would be more than happy to have you writing on here.

Great piece Rava

Cheers Neil. Just hope we do well again this season

So do I Rava so do I and I have to say i'm quite optimistic think its a better squad. course I could be slightly blinkered, i mean i heard that Leinster team are not bad but they are getting old now i think they've lost it lol

Great article from one who knows.

If I'm honest, I think Ulster making the HC Final last year, will be detrimental to them achieving a steady and solid rise now. Don't shoot me, but I do believe it will be. It may take years to reach those heights again and it will be constantly referred to, at every given chance by the meeja and some fickle fans looking for instant gratification. It doesn't work that way. So, it will be a ready-made noose around the neck of Anscombe. His heart must have dropped when he saw them make the Final.

"How do I follow that? Will I be given the time by the Board and fans to regenerate, after that?"

My answer would be to press internal reset on it and ignore it. It was an anomaly. Continue to rebuild the Ulster base, in Humphries' image. Humph is the Man, so he will give Anscombe the time to do it.

Hard thing to do and accept for the fans who tasted it, but long-term, its the right way to go.

For this season, he has to make his own personal mark on the province. Alter it to begin a lasting legacy. Have the players, the Board and the fans, fully informed as to what his style, ethos and ambitions are. If it is positive & visible on the field and around the club, they'll buy into it. Like Cheika did at Leinster. It took him 4 years to get there.

PRO12 Playoffs and HC knockouts - must be a minimal target. As well as developing the local talent and having the wherewithal to hold on to and to continue to attract - the quality foreign players, to supplement the whole gig.

Everything after that, should be considered an early bonus this season.

Be patient and Believe.

Plenty of wise words there, most of which I would agree with. Not too worried about any negative consequences of making the final though. I understand totally the logic of your point, but I thnk every Ulster supporter knew that we had fluked a final way ahead of schedule - and it was quite clear there was a bit of a gulf between us and Leinster. There can't have been an Ulster fan watching that game who didn't think, "we're not there yet". Had it been a much closer contest, I think we'd face the issues you're talking about. As it was, it was a frustrating, tough watch for proud Ulsterfans, and that will keep feet planted on the ground. The memories of Treviso handing our behinds to us at home is a potent reminder as well, and a catalyst for the rumbling concern I think every Ulsterfan feels -"where are we without the big guys?"
At this stage, it looks like the answer is "in a better place than last season" but it's still very much at the "wait and see" stage.

I am thinking of the fans, here, though. Those of us who watched the lads scrap it out with Connacht for the third HEC place just a season or two before that. The bandwagoners - the thousands that had a day out in Dublin watching us play Edinburgh - may get restless. And we do need them if we are to continue the upward swing in our fortunes. But I'm not worried about the party hardcore.

Interesting days.

Excellent OP as well, by the way.

If that's the case why do you have a rant when your boys aren't picked for Ireland?

Erm... Wha'?

explain glas i don't understand?

Don Alfonso wrote:Plenty of wise words there, most of which I would agree with. Not too worried about any negative consequences of making the final though. I understand totally the logic of your point, but I thnk every Ulster supporter knew that we had fluked a final way ahead of schedule - and it was quite clear there was a bit of a gulf between us and Leinster. There can't have been an Ulster fan watching that game who didn't think, "we're not there yet". Had it been a much closer contest, I think we'd face the issues you're talking about. As it was, it was a frustrating, tough watch for proud Ulsterfans, and that will keep feet planted on the ground. The memories of Treviso handing our behinds to us at home is a potent reminder as well, and a catalyst for the rumbling concern I think every Ulsterfan feels -"where are we without the big guys?"
At this stage, it looks like the answer is "in a better place than last season" but it's still very much at the "wait and see" stage.

I am thinking of the fans, here, though. Those of us who watched the lads scrap it out with Connacht for the third HEC place just a season or two before that. The bandwagoners - the thousands that had a day out in Dublin watching us play Edinburgh - may get restless. And we do need them if we are to continue the upward swing in our fortunes. But I'm not worried about the party hardcore.

Interesting days.

Don, with fans like you backing them, your province will become a constant European force. Its only a matter of time. With Humph at the helm, no other outcome will be tolerated. He's highly intelligent, ambitious and ruthless. The return of Bowe, O Connor and Wilson, is a great plus. Ulstermen, returning to a resurgent Ulster, brings with it, its own passion and objective experience. Hard to quantify it, but it is huge I believe. I saw its effect at Leinster when Jennings and Cullen came home. They stirred the rest of the squad up and we won the Holy Grail with their experience and nous.

I saw its effect at Leinster when Jennings and Cullen came home. They stirred the rest of the squad up and we won the Holy Grail with their experience and nous

Don't mention it. Ever!
Grrrrr.

neilthom7 wrote:explain glas i don't understand?

The Paddy Wallace debate.

Glas a du wrote:If that's the case why do you have a rant when your boys aren't picked for Ireland?

you need a rodders its ok buddy im with ya on this

It's mock indignation Neil, it's an old joke done for its own sake...

Glas, I understood you. Only just mind.

The Paddy Wallace conundrum has turned into the Dan Tuohy and Craig Gilroy mystery. Tuohy not being of required height hinders him slightly.....

Thomond wrote:Tuohy not being of required height hinders him slightly.....

He's probably like a small kid trying to get on a roller coaster at Ireland camps

I'd say the 2nd rows all go off to do their training and Tuohy gets thrown in with the backrows. Doesn't fit in with either group..... Just the tall outcast.

Doomed to wander the earth, looking for the perfect wave.

oh i see I understand now, never mind me sure i'll just go find Dan Tuohy and give him a good home, I believe in rescuing lost rugby players lol