Ulster 2014/2015, Part 3

First topic message reminder :

Continue to discuss Ulsters lack of back row options and season in general

Well, injuries are injuries. We can't change what happens if there are more.

Yeah Pienaar has played fullback before so that would work, I'm sure he wouldn't mind it for a match or 2. As Notch says injuries are injuries if they happen they happen and you just got to make the most of what you can. I'll be cheering on no matter who plays where

Pienaer won't be playing 15

Ulster shouldn't play Pienaar in this game at all - he can't be risked. They should consider playing Reidy at centre as defence is going to be important!

Reidy isn't in the squad.

Eactly the reality is we have only 4 backrowers fit and registered - Ross, McComish, Wilson, Diack

We have only 4 definite players (11 to 15) fit - Bowe, Gilroy, Payne, Cave

We do have 4 Scrum halves though ! - Pienaer, Marshall, Heaney, Shanahan

Desperate times.
In reality I would expect one or more of Marshall, Olding, Allen to pull through
if not Heaney on the wing and Gilroy 15 would be my bet

We will play the strongest team available this game is too high profile and a weakened team at home in the HC is considered unacceptable.
We have 3 weeks to the next Pro12 game.

The reality is the club are expecting a drop in Season Ticket holders next year - at least a 1,000 possibly 2,000 if we finish poorly.
That is a hugh worry - a lot of people brought ST's to get to the Saracens game - many of those will not renew.
A big performance against Leicester could go a long way to reduce that impact

This was always the problem with attracting the 'fair weather' fans. As soon as things don't look quite as rosey off they crawl to where their real interests lie. I know 3 guys who bought last year in order to get to the Saracens match and not one of them has even made a match this season. They won't be renewing so that three I can definately account for

We are really scraping the barren bottom of the barrel for players now so the short break before the next Pro12 game will be a blessing. Can anyone remember such a depth of injuries in the past, this must be one of the worst to date?

I think 2000 would be a low estimate for drop offs if we don't make the play offs or even worse the top 6.

So, we are really rubbish atm - do we have any chance of avenging Jan 2012?

Yes.

We are in disarray and may not even be able to get a backline out - may have to play a scrum half on the wing.

You should win

LondonTiger wrote:So, we are really rubbish atm - do we have any chance of avenging Jan 2012?

You have the chance to really turn us over on our own soil like never before. At the rate we're going you could be watching us 606v2 members warming up on the touchlines.

Apparantly

"The first 15 supporters through the door will get a unique match day experience and will get an unrivalled opportunity to meet the Leicester team up close"  

(sadly cant claim originality on the above)

Paddy Jackson out for 10 to 12 weeks (dislocated elbow)
Stuart Olding out for 10 to 12 weeks (ligament damage, elbow)
Louis Ludik 'expected to be back playing before the end of February' (fractured ribs)

No word on Michael Allen. Olding and Jackson both require surgery.

Notch wrote:Paddy Jackson out for 10 to 12 weeks (dislocated elbow)
Stuart Olding out for 10 to 12 weeks (ligament damage, elbow)
Louis Ludik 'expected to be back playing before the end of February' (fractured ribs)

No word on Michael Allen. Olding and Jackson both require surgery.

Grim  


Our only real available 12 for next two months is a guy who picks up a concussion every other week. I guess Allen can play there, or Cave if Nelson plays at 15.

Thats is it we totally ******

Best we can do now is finish in the top 6

If Luke Marshall doesn't have a run of games we are screwed .

Over the 6 Nations taking into account Irish call ups our backs will be
Pienaer, Humphreys, Allen, Marshall, Cave, Scholes, Nelson

Bench: Marshall, Andrew, 'first one through the turnstiles'

Murphy, Another, Herbst, Tuohy, Raaymaker, Henderson, Williams, Henry
AnOther, Jackson, Trimble, Marshall, McCloskey, Ludik, Olding

Not a bad team we have there..............on the medical table


We must surly be allowed some temporary contracts to see us through.
A few more injuries and we may not be able to fulfil fixtures

We are done and dusted.

Might get a ticket for the Lecester game if there's some still available.

Lads need me guldering them on like never before.


SUFTUM

Tickets still available.

Dead rubber - first time a HC game at home to someone other than Italians has not been all ticket for a few years now

geoff998rugby wrote:Apparantly

"The first 15 supporters through the door will get a unique match day experience and will get an unrivalled opportunity to meet the Leicester team up close"  

(sadly cant claim originality on the above)

Cracker! Wouldn't fancy being in the first 3 anyways!

Gutted for Olding, especially - was hoping to see him form a dream team partnership with Henshaw in the run up the RWC....

Freaking hell we are down to less than bare bones.
We'll have to lay siege to the academy gates.

This situation must be unprecedented. I can't remember our injury list being as extensive. I think it's actually time to remove the dust covers from the 'Ulster in Crisis' headline.

Can the IRFU not help out and chuck us a few Connacht players

I truely believe even a top 6 finish may be too much with the challenging end of season we have. Mind you we might have some players back off the injury list by that time. I will be more than happy with a top 6 finish and a back to the drawing board attitude for the next season.

Pete330v2 wrote:I will be more than happy with a top 6 finish and a back to the drawing board attitude for the next season.

Just keep this in mind on the 24th of April.

We should see Henderson, Tuohy, Trimble, Herbst and maybe Williams soon

Backs have become more of a long term worry and keeping Humphreys fit has become key

Thought now might be an appropraite time to repost this...

Connacht run in:
Scarlets, Dragons, Treviso, Cardiff, Munster, Ulster, Glasgow, Zebre, Ospreys

Ulsters run in:
Treviso, Edinburgh, Scarlets, Dragons, Cardiff, Connacht, Leinster, Munster, Glasgow

We've only won one more game than them this season so far. 6 points difference in the table.

At least we aren't in a position to sign any foreigners this year anyway, so we don't need to worry about the lack of Champions Cup attracting big names....

And would we even take the Challenge Cup seriously if we were in it?

geoff998rugby wrote: keeping Humphreys fit has become key

On that note Geoff, whats the consensus on O'Hagan? A good prospect?

I see the rumours on t'other forum about Henderson maybe making an appearance this week. Any truth in said rumours Geoff?

Can we wrap Luke M's head in bubble wrap please.

For that matter can we have the remaining player wearing zorbs or inflatable sumo costumes for the rest of the season.

Henderson is close but I dont see the point.
Bring him back against Treviso in 3 1/2 weeks time - why risk it.

O'Hagan is considered a good prospect but nowhere near ready - 2016-17 maybe

We may just be a little lucky, ok we have the worst injury list I have ever know, but the next group of games do not contain any other top 6 sides. If we can just get though the next group of games keeping within touching distance of the top 5, we may be able to make a push for the last section


13th Feb Treviso (h)
20th Feb Edinburgh (a)
27th Feb Scarlets (H)
8th Mar Dragon (a)
27th Mar Cardiff (h)

If we can be within shouting distance of top 6 after the prevoius run of games and have a lot of the injuried players back we could make great strides with this next group.

11th Apr Connacht (a)
24th Apr Leinster (h)
8th May Munster (h)
15th May Glasgow (a)

or more likely, we pick up even more injuries in the first group, the current injuried players take longer to recover than expected and we suffer some really embarrassing defeats in the last group of games.

There is a growth of optimism looking at that group of games.
If we could have our injured players back and have a full panel to select from for the final four games it could all be alright after all.

Yeah true Geoff, no point in rushing him back when we've got a break before the next Pro12 game to regather and prepare.

I would just like to say when I posted a while back that I could play 10, 12, wing and fullback it is true so if Neil Doak is reading this you know where to find me lol I stop short of playing in the front 3 though

Remember two teams have to pass us to deny us top European rugby and Edinburgh and Scarlets are 11 points behind us - effectively they have to win 3 more games than us to get above us.

I reckon we need 4 wins from the list above to be safe.
Win the next 3 home games and away to Edinburgh and we will be fine
That should be our total focus

Edinburgh and Scarlets would then need to win 7 out of their other 8 games - ain't going to happen

geoff998rugby wrote:Remember two teams have to pass us to deny us top European rugby and Edinburgh and Scarlets are 11 points behind us - effectively they have to win 3 more games than us to get above us.

I reckon we need 4 wins from the list above to be safe.
Win the next 3 home games and away to Edinburgh and we will be fine
That should be our total focus

Edinburgh and Scarlets would then need to win 7 out of their other 8 games - ain't going to happen

Is it not Connacht and Edinburgh who need to pass us?

I see though Edinburgh and Scarlets are on equal points and thankfully you are correct - It will take a blinder for either of those teams to push us down to 7th position.

Looks like Henderson will take some part and maybe Herbst as well

That's good news. Any academy backs that you think may cope being thrown in?

Good, put him in the back row!

By the way it's so weird that he has such a big beard and still looks so baby faced.

Plenty of Academy backs I have faith in but no registered for the HC.

Some players like Arnold, Busby, Stockdale and Owens may get chances during the 6N they could only dream of
Time to put their hands up

geoff999rugby wrote:Plenty of Academy backs I have faith in but no registered for the HC.

Some players like Arnold, Busby, Stockdale and Owens may get chances during the 6N they could only dream of
Time to put their hands up

I agree that the fringe backs will be fine, it's the forwards that concern me and have all season.

But the forwards are at least on the way back

Henderson now
Williams and Herbst very close
Tuohy mid/late Feb

Only Henry long term

Raaymaker and Murphy I don't know but in a sense they don't matter

There is a chance that Williams will be back this weekend too apparently.

Isn't it typical of our season that we signed Raaymaker as a medical joker and it turns out he was one

We, just might, be ok - forwards coming back and enough young talent in the backs to cope.

The key, as I said earlier, is we simply cannot afford Pienaer or Humphreys getting injured.

You can't help but feel that Pienaar has not recovered fully from his injury and keeps getting tweaks or is that just my pessimism talking to me?
I've been happy enough with Humphreys so far this year. He has even made a few tackles and at least once gained us a penalty from a ruck. Not things I thought I'd ever see. That's my more optimistic side talking now.

Extended Ireland squad for 6 nations and Wolfhounds announced. 8 Ulster players in it
Rory Best, Rob herring, Iain Henderson, Robbie Diack, Darren Cave, Tommy Bowe, Craig Gilroy and Jared Payne

Can't believe McComish snubbed after his recent form...

neilthom7 wrote:Extended Ireland squad for 6 nations and Wolfhounds announced.  8 Ulster players in it
Rory Best, Rob herring, Iain Henderson, Robbie Diack,  Darren Cave, Tommy Bowe, Craig Gilroy and Jared Payne

Well deserved by Gilroy, who looks back to his best - Herring really stood up against Toulon too so great they got recognized even if unlikely to make the cut.

clivemcl wrote:Can't believe McComish snubbed after his recent form...  

Much like the question of Schrodinger's cat, did McComish really play well in that match or di we all just have too much of the that day? I mean what I saw says he had a good game but what I know off McComish makes me believe it's not possible.

I find it interesting that Hendo made the squad after being out so long presumably he will only play for the Wolfhounds?

neilthom7 wrote:

clivemcl wrote:Can't believe McComish snubbed after his recent form...  

Much like the question of Schrodinger's cat, did McComish really play well in that match or di we all just have too much of the  that day?  I mean what I saw says he had  a good game but what I know off McComish makes me believe it's not possible.

He was like Stevie Ferris and Neil best combined. Ferris body and Bests hair.

rodders wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:

clivemcl wrote:Can't believe McComish snubbed after his recent form...  

Much like the question of Schrodinger's cat, did McComish really play well in that match or di we all just have too much of the  that day?  I mean what I saw says he had  a good game but what I know off McComish makes me believe it's not possible.

He was like Stevie Ferris and Neil best combined. Ferris body and Bests hair.

wow wow wow thou shalt not take 1F name in vain, you wash your mouth out Rodders or don't I'm not really that bothered lol
McComish does have great hair though I'll give him that

I'll see your 1F and raise you 2Ms.