Ulster 2014/2015, Part 2

First topic message reminder :

Part 1; https://www.606v2.com/t53882p950-ulster-2014-2015

We've been rocked with the seismic revelation David Humphreys is leaving the province- indeed has already left- for Gloucester. Anscombe was slated to be seeing out the last year of his contract before being quietly let go but the Humphreys bombshell left him as the odd man out, and he's been pushed out the door. The decision was partly because he was hired to work under a Director of Rugby and Ulster are looking for someone with more experience in the market to take on Humphreys role in addition to the coaching responsibilities. As usual, the rumour mill is on overdrive and opinions are polarised- but this is Ulster Rugby after all. Les Kiss is our interim Director of Rugby and it seems Allen Clarke is filling the role of forwards coach in the short term. More changes or appointments could be forthcoming.

If all that wasn't enough we've been dealt a real group of death in the new Champions Cup- double-winners Toulon will brave the Ravenhill roar along with old friends Leicester Tigers and old foes the Scarlets. All in all, this team should be capable of securing a Top 4 finish at the very least in the Pro12 and we need to target the top two, our prospects in Europe look more occluded- it might come down to best runners-up and our pool promises to be tight and competitive.

Our pre-season concludes when we take on Exeter Chiefs at Ravenhill on Friday the 22nd August and then travel to Donnybrook to face Leinster on Friday the 29th August. It'll be a big relief to see the action at Ravenhill moving from the headlines to the pitch

Players Out
Johann Muller (retired), Paddy Wallace (retired), Stephen Ferris (retired), Chris Cochrane (retired), Chris Farrell (Grenoble), Niall Annett (Worcester), John Afoa (Gloucester), Tom Court (London Irish), James McKinney (Rotherham), David McIlwaine (Rotherham), Paddy McAllister (Aurillac), Sean Doyle (ACT Brumbies), Adam Macklin (Rotherham), Ian Porter (Connacht)

Players In
Franco van der Merwe (Golden Lions), Louis Ludik (Agen), Wiehahn Herbst (Natal Sharks), Ruaidhrí Murphy (ACT Brumbies), Dave Ryan (Zebre), Ian Humphreys (London Irish), Charlie Butterworth (Lansdowne), Sean Reidy (Counties Manukau)

Hookers
Rory Best, Rob Herring (Jonny Murphy, John Andrew*)
Props
Callum Black, Ruaidhrí Murphy, Andrew Warwick, Declan Fitzpatrick, Wiehahn Herbst, Dave Ryan, Ricky Lutton, Bronson Ross, Kyle McCall(?)
Locks
Iain Henderson, Dan Tuohy, Franco van der Merwe, Lewis Stevenson, Neil McComb
Backrow
Robbie Diack, Conor Joyce, Chris Henry, Mike McComish, Sean Reidy, Charlie Butterworth, Nick Williams, Roger Wilson (Clive Ross**)
Scrum-half
Ruan Pienaar, Paul Marshall, Michael Heaney
Outhalf
Paddy Jackson, Ian Humphreys
Centres
Luke Marshall, Stuart Olding, Darren Cave, Stuart McCloskey
Wings
Michael Allen, Andrew Trimble, Tommy Bowe, Craig Gilroy
Fullback
Louis Ludik, Ricky Andrew, Jared Payne, Peter Nelson

*Academy hookers training with first team squad
**Clive Ross, cousin of Mike, is on trial

Opening fixtures

F; Exeter Chiefs (H)
F; Leinster (A)

Pro12; Scarlets (A)
Pro12; Zebre (H)
Pro12; Cardiff Blues (A)
Pro12; Zebre (A)
Pro12; Edinburgh (H)

ECC; Leicester Tigers (A)
ECC; RC Toulon (H)

Rory Best is Captain for next year.

Notch wrote:I don't honestly think the coaches are sitting down brainstorming about who should be in the photoshoots. It doesn't mean a whole lot if he has a stinker in his first few games.

Yet Mike McComish never seems to be included   

Don't think its much to do with the coaches more the marketing department and who they see as recognisable to the public

Heheh. Yeah, pretty much.

Who is seen as the 'face of the franchise' so to speak.

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Who is seen as the 'face of the franchise' so to speak.

David Humph.............I mean Our Wee Tommy
It has to be Tommy, Rory ain't purdy enough

I see Nigel Brady is pictured in Ulster gear at the training sessions in Portugal. Would be interested to know the story behind that.

Intersting indeed Notch.
I wonder will there be a coaching element to Brady's future or is he just there as one of the old lads who brings a load of experience to some coaching sessions out of loyalty to his old employers?

I was reading through the 'other' forum and my word the hatred towards Jared Payne is inreal. They have a first choice squad thread running there and almost all of them have Payne either on the bench or a few have him dropped altogether. The mind boggles.

Yeah, its filled with idiots that place.

I have to say that despite having a new stadium, famous crepes, an excellent squad and every chance of winning the league this year, there is a distinct lack of something on this thread.

Happiness. That's the word.

Yeah... I think that we are past the best years of being an Ulster fan. I still haven't enjoyed any season as a season ticket holder as much as 2007/2008 when Ulster were a bottom two side in the league because there was no pressure. It was just a case of me being a rugby purist and enjoying going every week to watch rugby and taking pride in my team win or lose. Just enjoying being at a live game with other rugby nuts while the casual fans and critics stayed away.

The fact we have had such an excellent squad and still won nothing, but have lost a bit of the identity we cherish with the team becoming increasingly commercialised and the stadium being renamed, and more and more people coming on corporate tickets or for a cheap night out while a rugby match goes on in the background makes it, y'know, different from the bad old days.

Now if we lose at home in the Pro12, thats always unacceptable given the resources we have so you can't just relax and enjoy the games as much. And you're likely not surrounded by people who will sing and chant the whole game through like we used to get regardless of the game so it's just... not the same.

The old games where the atmosphere is as good as it used to be are in Europe. Thats where the old Ravenhill roar still lives on, although I'm not sure the Ulster Rugby marketing department will even allow us to call it that.

Notch - for experimentation/analysis purposes, please describe what you see here:

Is that the new iPhone?

Golden wrote:Absolutely agree Pete can't wait to see him get a run in the team. Just think it's unusual that a young propect would be included in a media campaign like that. Usually it's the best, most recognisable players. The fact he as included ahead of players like piennarr, cave (even henderson would be a more established player) would indicate to me that they're counting on him having a prominent role in the team. Can't wait

Is he popular with the kids? They are the ones who pester their parents for the new jersey?

Pete330v2 wrote:

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Who is seen as the 'face of the franchise' so to speak.

David Humph.............I mean Our Wee Tommy
It has to be Tommy, Rory ain't purdy enough

Rory is a hell of a lot prettier than Leo Cullen who Leinster liked to use to front their campaigns (though they were trying to get away from their ladyboy image).

This year Leinster are using Gordon D'Arcy (old dog), Sean O'Brien (hardish loved by everyone), and Jimmy Gopporth (Kiwi glamour).

Munster have Peter O'Mahony (hard man), POC (icon), Zebo (loved by the kids), Conor Murray (recognisable).

George Carlin wrote:Notch - for experimentation/analysis purposes, please describe what you see here:

It's a glass thats half-empty, moreover, it appears to be full of tears

I am honestly very excited and optimistic about the 2014/15 campaign. There has been a lot of upheaval but the enforced changes turn out to be for the positive (big if I know) then we certainly have the quality in the squad to make for a successful season.

Sin é wrote:

Pete330v2 wrote:

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Who is seen as the 'face of the franchise' so to speak.

David Humph.............I mean Our Wee Tommy
It has to be Tommy, Rory ain't purdy enough

Rory is a hell of a lot prettier than Leo Cullen who Leinster liked to use to front their campaigns (though they were trying to get away from their ladyboy image).

This year Leinster are using Gordon D'Arcy (old dog), Sean O'Brien (hardish loved by everyone), and Jimmy Gopporth (Kiwi glamour).

Munster have Peter O'Mahony (hard man), POC (icon), Zebo (loved by the kids), Conor Murray (recognisable).

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder Sin é

Pete330v2 wrote:I am honestly very excited and optimistic about the 2014/15 campaign. There has been a lot of upheaval but the enforced changes turn out to be for the positive (big if I know) then we certainly have the quality in the squad to make for a successful season.

Here here.

Anyway- we were talking about it earlier, what would your starting team for the first game against the Scarlets be?

I'd have to go with;

1. Callum Black
2. Rory Best (c)
3. Wiehahn Herbst
4. Franco van der Merwe
5. Dan Tuohy
6. Robbie Diack
7. Chris Henry
8. Roger Wilson
9. Paul Marshall
10. Paddy Jackson
11. Craig Gilroy
12. Stuart Olding
13. Jared Payne
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Louis Ludik

16. Rob Herring 17. Andy Warwick 18. Ricky Lutton 19. Iain Henderson 20. Charlie Butterworth 21. Michael Heaney 22. Ian Humphreys/Luke Marshall 23. Andrew Trimble

And re-integrate the international over the next few weeks. Nick Williams won't be fit. R.Murphy, Henderson, Best, Trimble, Marshall and Cave miss out due to them starting pre-season later than the others after the tour- I'd honestly have Herbst, Robbie and Chris rested too except we can barely afford too.

Notch wrote:

George Carlin wrote:Notch - for experimentation/analysis purposes, please describe what you see here:

It's a glass thats half-empty, moreover, it appears to be full of tears

Many thanks.  

I'd be more than happy to see that match day squad Notch, the unknowns will have to be taken on face value and we can only assume they are going to be great assets to the team. Herbst will have to set out his stall early as the now caffeine-free Fitzy will make the number 3 shirt his own given a half chance. Olding and Payne is the combination I have been dying to see develop. If they could get onto mutual mindreading terms they could be a killer combination and we'd see Payne play at 13 like he did for the Blues oh so long ago.

Notch wrote:

Pete330v2 wrote:I am honestly very excited and optimistic about the 2014/15 campaign. There has been a lot of upheaval but the enforced changes turn out to be for the positive (big if I know) then we certainly have the quality in the squad to make for a successful season.

Here here.

Anyway- we were talking about it earlier, what would your starting team for the first game against the Scarlets be?

I'd have to go with;

1. Callum Black
2. Rory Best (c)
3. Wiehahn Herbst
4. Franco van der Merwe
5. Dan Tuohy
6. Robbie Diack
7. Chris Henry
8. Roger Wilson
9. Paul Marshall
10. Paddy Jackson
11. Craig Gilroy
12. Stuart Olding
13. Jared Payne
14. Tommy Bowe
15. Louis Ludik

16. Rob Herring 17. Andy Warwick 18. Ricky Lutton 19. Iain Henderson 20. Charlie Butterworth 21. Michael Heaney 22. Ian Humphreys/Luke Marshall 23. Andrew Trimble

And re-integrate the international over the next few weeks. Nick Williams won't be fit. R.Murphy, Henderson, Best, Trimble, Marshall and Cave miss out due to them starting pre-season later than the others after the tour- I'd honestly have Herbst, Robbie and Chris rested too except we can barely afford too.

Surely Best and Henry can't be in the team for the reasons you add at the end, and possibly Diack too. Joyce may have to step up or the unforgettable McComish. If Sean Reidy does well in pre-season he might get an early taste of the G12.

I'd hope Best and Henry aren't in need of being 'rested'. They are the kind of players that could do a job without a pre-season let alone simply being a bit late for it. One can but hope.

Yeah, I don't know. It's not like we have other options- I would give those guys the game in the first weekend and then rest them in the two games against Zebre.

Do the IRFU not dictate availability of tourists?

I think so, but all the guys are in full training- I think its flexible enough. If Les Kiss wants them in the first game, and to rest them later, then that'll happen. He'll have the final call. It wasn't as arduous a tour as a Lions series or a three-test tour in New Zealand or South Africa.

Remember the lads who all went to the IRB Nations Cup as well- that was actually after the Argentina tour. If we had all the guys who toured in the summer unavailable we wouldn't be able to field a team.

Good to see Ulster taking the game out of NI again- an open training session in Monaghan.

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/News/LatestNews/TabId/149/ArtMID/793/ArticleID/1670/Ulster-to-hold-opening-training-session-at-Monaghan-RFC-.aspx

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/News/LatestNews/TabId/149/ArtMID/793/ArticleID/1674/Ruaidhri-Murphy-starts-life-at-Ulster-Rugby.aspx

Ruaidhri has arrived- the only new player we haven't heard about yet is Herbst now!

Got to say there are some right pillocks on bake book. Some guy commented on the story of Ulster having an open training session moaning about how Ulster would probably charge £15 like for the family day. UR replied the family day was £5 and all the money went to Cancer Research and the open training session will be free. Burn.

Bakebook warriors grind my gears, the severe lack of knowledge on any subject they discuss on there boggles the mind.
What's the story with Herbst, is he having second thoughts?

What? No, I don't think there's any evidence for that!

No evidence just wild speculation Notch. I find it odd there's been no mention of him, is he quietly gettin on with the pre-season? Is he in the country? He's played very little rugby in a while, does he have injury issues? My speculation is rife

He would only be due to start this week at the earliest for goodness sake Pete.

Notch wrote:He would only be due to start this week at the earliest for goodness sake Pete.

Why's that? He's not been utilised by the sharks in a while, would they simply not release him even though he's surplus to requirements? I just thought he'd have needed to be intergrated into the squad before now. I just have a forboding inkling is all

Herbst was used by the sharks in their penultimate match In super rugby Pete (albeit I think as LH cover). Not sure but he definitely got gametime the match before they went over to NZ and lost. Probably entitled to a week or two off after aswell.

Cheers Stand

Pete330v2 wrote:

Notch wrote:He would only be due to start this week at the earliest for goodness sake Pete.

Why's that? He's not been utilised by the sharks in a while, would they simply not release him even though he's surplus to requirements? I just thought he'd  have needed to be intergrated into the squad before now. I just have a forboding inkling is all

Because Sharks were in the semi-finals of Super Rugby. He was only one injury away from the match day squad at all times. He would have a week or two off, missing the training camp in Portugal and then for the last three days the boys have been in pre-season camp with Ireland.

So really he should be starting in the next few days. Same time as Ruaidhri Murphy who was in a semi with the Brumbies. Actually was looking at the other forum just now, and the guy who normally presents himself as having inside info says Herbst is on his way over to Belfast today.

One man we won't be seeing soon is Ruan Pienaar who starts for the Boks at the weekend.

There you go Pete, Herbst put a photo up on his twitter with Anton Bresler and their two wives en route to the NH... Bresler is heading to Edinburgh

Damn, my speculative BS will now have to end. I'll never make it as a tabloid journo.

Sez on leinsterfans that Ulster have signed this IQ saffer lad.

https://www.sporple.com/devin-montgomery#.U-5M18k1iBZ

If he can play back row he's in, basically!

We've taken Charlie Butterworth from Lansdowne, Sean Reidy on trial (Irish qualified Counties Manuaku back row), Clive Ross on trial (Mike Ross' brother who plays in the back row)

So we're basically taking on any Irish qualified back rowers we can hoping at least one can make the grade.

He's a 4,5,6,8, just like copeland.

He'll be utilised in the back row I'd say. Good that he's a big lump.

I see he's been up north before. Spent three months with Scarlets academy inbetween university semesters. Young too - Here's hoping he becomes a solid and loyal squad member!

Rooster. That nice friendly farmer chap from uafc was on leinsterfans to say that this was an old rumour that had re surfaced and that he was not heading to Ulster after all.

Fair enough.

A bit of 'Through The Keyhole' with The Mullers before they left. Not an Ulster PR video, so a bit more personal. If you’re felling nosey.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynYRlQJ4lEs&safe=active

I'm going crazy with rugby withdrawal symptoms. Roll on Friday night...

Good lord. I've checked in again and this thread hasn't cheered up at all.

I think there are just so many unknowns George.

We just need to see a few performances to reassure us a little! The sooner the better. I'm fed up being asked how I think Ulster will do this season - I've literally got no idea.