Ulster 2015/2016

First topic message reminder :

Thought i would give ol' GC a helping hand and try and get Ulster types looking inward at what has been a tricky season and looking forward to next season and how we should improve. Dont have time to put down all my own theories but will do so later. This thread is a matawalu free zone btw!

Facebook fans can be very knee-jerk without actually thinking things through, but still hard to believe they are having a go at Kiss. Are they so dim that they don't realise that he has turned this team around in such a short time? He's been fantastic for us, and the future is indeed bright with him at the helm.
Would a different selection have made a difference during that first half v Oyonnax? Yes, I think it probably would, but that's not really why we failed to get the bonus point. The fault for that lies with the poor first half display of the forwards.

Herbst out for the rest of the season is bad news. Hopefully it isn't true, but he didn't look good coming off.

rodders wrote:It would take some imagination to invent a story about a Zimbabwean Aussie named David so I'd assume this one may have legs....

Ah yes, David Ackermann a farmer from outside Harare. Given he hasn't touched a rugby ball in his life you'd say he has the potential to improve exponentially

Notch wrote:

rodders wrote:It would take some imagination to invent a story about a Zimbabwean Aussie named David so I'd assume this one may have legs....

Ah yes, David Ackermann a farmer from outside Harare. Given he hasn't touched a rugby ball in his life you'd say he has the potential to improve exponentially

Well at least if he's done the shotput he might do a job at loosehead

Oooooo Rodders you naughty boy

Hope angry Tom isn't reading, sorry couldn't resist

rodders wrote:Hope angry Tom isn't reading, sorry couldn't resist

I think we established that Ulster players should read our informed opinions religiously earlier this week, right?

"Second row Lewis Stevenson has been released from his contract with Ulster Rugby by mutual agreement and he will join Exeter Chiefs with immediate effect."

I didn't know we had such depth in the second row to be releasing players mid-season ?????

Obviously something has happened behind the scenes because even though we have had injuries we would rather have Clive Ross or Robbie Diack play second row ahead of him.

Not pleased to see him go, but he was one of the players I thought was making bad mistakes every week and never being pulled up on those mistakes by the coaches under Doak and Allen Clarke. As soon as Kiss came in, Stevenson disappeared from the squad. Isn't that interesting?

What it does mean is that we will be seeing an injury replacement coming in soon. Good idea to release Stevenson if Exeter offered him a deal because if we stood in his way he wouldn't be happy unless he was playing and that makes things tense in the dressing room.

Notch wrote:Obviously something has happened behind the scenes because even though we have had injuries we would rather have Clive Ross or Robbie Diack play second row ahead of him.

Not pleased to see him go, but he was one of the players I thought was making bad mistakes every week and never being pulled up on those mistakes by the coaches under Doak and Allen Clarke. As soon as Kiss came in, Stevenson disappeared from the squad. Isn't that interesting?

I am now rubbing my chin and saying 'hmmmmmmmmmm'

I see his wiki page has already been updated! Must be someone in the know

He has been especially poor this season, despite plenty of opportunity with Tuohy and Hendo injured.

Maybe VdM is getting to stay after all, or have Ulster been told to get rid of dead wood and start a few of the youngsters? Has Peter Brown already gone?

Peter Browne is still here. I actually rate Browne higher than Stevenson.

With regards to the rumours on the other thread, I'm fairly certain the Siya rumour is plucked from somebodies arse. The Pocock one lives on, but purely because he's the only real 'top-class' option left out of contract. That and him being quite good mates with our Ruaidhrí. Pocock and his missus, have been to Belfast not long ago visiting Ruaidhrí. But in fairness, if you look at her instagram feed, they do a LOT of travelling when they can. A few days later they were in Bath. So...still very very paper thin that rumour.

I think somebody in the know once said it would be 'Ulster's greatest ever signing', others use the word 'World class', but the most recent mention from UR, used the words 'very good', which a lot see as a climb down.

So yea... who knows!

Last season, we would have been happy to take any old 'very good' replacement for Williams... but his stellar performances this season so far might just leave us a bit disappointed by a 'very good' replacement.

Also... Earls going to Saracens. Things like that make me nervous about keeping a hold of our backs. Not so much, that ours might go to Premiership, but that they might go to Munster to replace Earls...

Better than Pienaar? Or Muller? Or Grant Webb? Don't know.

I will believe Earls is away to Sarries when it's officially confirmed. For now I will believe that it's more rubbish being spouted during contract negotiations. The 'family reasons' are believed to be concerned with the length of contract, with Sarries, allegedly, offering 3 years. If that's true then I guess Nucifora isn't offering those terms.

Munchkin wrote:I will believe Earls is away to Sarries when it's officially confirmed. For now I will believe that it's more rubbish being spouted during contract negotiations. The 'family reasons' are believed to be concerned with the length of contract, with Sarries, allegedly, offering 3 years. If that's true then I guess Nucifora isn't offering those terms.

To be fair, thats also the reason Marty Moore left for Wasps supposedly.

I'm not saying it won't happen, Notch, just that when contracts are being negotiated it's usual to hear of players moving elsewhere (spin). I also think Earls is a Schmidt favourite, although I think Moore is more important to the Ireland team.
I don't want to annoy the Munster men, but Earls wouldn't be a huge loss to Ireland. He would be a big loss to Munster though, and I think if Nucifora fails to keep him at home, then that's bad business for the Province, and ultimately for IRFU, unless one of our backs is encouraged to go to Munster.

I'm not liking this Nucifora much.

I think what is happening is natural - fringe international players like Moore and Earls are getting offered better contracts elsewhere than the IRFU can or are willing to offer.

The IRFU need to keep their resources focused on the few most important players from a national perspective and with respect to Earls and Moore they are far from irreplaceable for Ireland - they can't be expected to foot the bill for all the provinces main players, even if they could.

Rugby certainly is a funny old world where things move very quickly. 'The other forum', who believe themselves to be an elite race of chosen people, looking down on facebook fans, can themselves be so fickle.

In a discussion on our centers not two months old, Luke Marshall's name is firmly the bottom of the pile. Cave pretty much nailed on. And they all said they couldn't give a rats ass if Payne went to Leinster.

One thing I've learned, is the louder and more enthusiastic a person tells you their opinion... the greater chance they are talking sh1te!

We all love to write people off don't we. Look at Reidy's recent performances despite being called the latest IQ failure, or Williams this season compared to last, Or Luke Marshall's resurgence.

When will we ever learn to shut up and accept that coaches and guys in charge of signatures probably do justify their salaries with some amount of know-how and ability.

That goes for me as much as anyone else by the way!

Whoever, and whatever is used to get the best out of players - it seems to be working right now! Keep it up! SUFTUM!

I agree with you, rodders, to a point. It isn't good for the IRFU if a Province like Munster can't compete. Worse still that one of that Provinces key players is moving to a club that is challenging for silverware in Europe.
I understand that the IRFU can't be expected to foot the bill to keep fringe Ireland players at home, but the Provinces are branches of the IRFU, and as much as the Provinces are dependant on IRFU, the IRFU are dependant on the Provinces. They need the Provinces to be competitive in Europe. How much has been lost due to none of the three Provinces getting through to the quarters?
Still, I'm not sure the fault would be down to IRFU mismanagement. Maybe the fault for that lies with Munster's management, right up to CEO, and lack of succession planning?

clivemcl wrote:thing I've learned, is the louder and more enthusiastic a person tells you their opinion... the greater chance they are talking sh1te!

We all love to write people off don't we. Look at Reidy's recent performances despite being called the latest IQ failure, or Williams this season compared to last, Or Luke Marshall's resurgence.

When will we ever learn to shut up and accept that coaches and guys in charge of signatures probably do justify their salaries with some amount of know-how and ability.

That goes for me as much as anyone else by the way!

Great post Clive

Here's why I think you're wrong

clivemcl wrote:'The other forum', who believe themselves to be an elite race of chosen people, looking down on facebook fans, can themselves be so fickle.

There are some fans on Facebook that deserve to be looked down upon. On the Stevenson announcement one guy came off with 'Utterly useless and no loss whatsoever in my option. Good bit of business by Ulster.'

This was the reply he got

Stephen Ferris wrote:This guy represented Ulster at schools, U19's, U21's and senior level. You don't make it to the top by being ' utterly useless'. Your entitled to your 'option' but believe me your totally wrong. I expected better...

Another was going on about conspiracies and secret societies

marty2086 wrote:

Stephen Ferris wrote:This guy represented Ulster at schools, U19's, U21's and senior level. You don't make it to the top by being ' utterly useless'. Your entitled to your 'option' but believe me your totally wrong. I expected better...

Seen that yesterday... watching the guy back pedal was funny, which was a pity because he was right in the first place... .....

rodders wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Stephen Ferris wrote:This guy represented Ulster at schools, U19's, U21's and senior level. You don't make it to the top by being ' utterly useless'. Your entitled to your 'option' but believe me your totally wrong. I expected better...

Seen that yesterday... watching the guy back pedal was funny, which was a pity because he was right in the first place... .....  

A case of leave my mate alone, and when that's who you got as your mate you back track pretty quickly

marty2086 wrote:

Stephen Ferris wrote:This guy represented Ulster at schools, U19's, U21's and senior level. You don't make it to the top by being ' utterly useless'. Your entitled to your 'option' but believe me your totally wrong. I expected better...

Another was going on about conspiracies and secret societies

Absolutely awesome! All hail the big man

I like Stevenson. He's a bit limited, but could be relied on to fight hard. He was our best player against Glasgow in the quarter-final last season. I'd 100% have him ahead of Browne.

The word appears to be that we are going to start using Donnan and Thompson more. This is Les Kiss. This is why our first choice loosehead is a now a kid in great form. This is why Nelson was second choice ten ahead of Humphreys and Windsor (sounds like a suit shop). This is why Stephen Mulholland has a few caps. Youngsters and fringe players are getting honest-to-God chances to show what they're made of.

1) Humphreys and Windsor
2) Suit shop
3) ???
4) Wedding Tackle

Someone finish the joke for me please.

Notch wrote:1) Humphreys and Windsor
2) Suit shop
3) ???
4) Wedding Tackle

Someone finish the joke for me please.

For your big day, get your suit at Humphreys and Windsor.

Where your wedding tackle is the only tackle.

Boom boom

Where your bride is the only perfect ten.

You're nailing this Don. Keep going

Ha ha - no, I'm done.
I keep picturing the two of them as the tailors from the Fast Show.

Or at least I would, if I could remember what Sam Windsor looked like.

Anyway, Olding at ten versus Terviso next week, please.

ok....

Let's hope his brother doesn't leave and start working at the other tailors down the road, taking all their XXLs with him...


Anyone? Points for trying?

If Olding is 10 next week he can tackle like Humphreys; just get through fit and well.

I think we will see Olding and Cave together, outside Pienaar and Humphreys. Then Gilroy, Scholes and... I'm not sure if Ludik is fit or not. Olding might start at 15 actually. We'll see some Ulster Ravens in the squad.

If things weren't bad enough for Munster, they've just signed Andress

Munchkin wrote:If things weren't bad enough for Munster, they've just signed Andress

Talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire.

clivemcl wrote:ok....

Let's hope his brother doesn't leave and start working at the other tailors down the road, taking all their XXLs with him...


Anyone? Points for trying?

A for Effort Clive

Another year for Franco.

Tuohy due back at some stage in the next six weeks, Herbst out for three months, Hendo supposed to be back for the end of the season. Pienaar out sick again this week, Henry still sore.

Don Alfonso wrote:Another year for Franco.

Tuohy due back at some stage in the next six weeks, Herbst out for three months, Hendo supposed to be back for the end of the season. Pienaar out sick again this week, Henry still sore.

What does that mean for the NIQ places then?

Notch wrote:

Don Alfonso wrote:Another year for Franco.

Tuohy due back at some stage in the next six weeks, Herbst out for three months, Hendo supposed to be back for the end of the season. Pienaar out sick again this week, Henry still sore.

+ 1 - really like this guy - he's no Muller in terms of leadership but he's still a solid,experienced, high quality lock at this level.

Pienaar
Piutau
Herbst? Has he been here 3 years or not?
Van Der Merwe

Piutau ain't coming, you heard it here first. Ulster will do a deal with Wasps and get George Smith.

Notch wrote:Pienaar
Piutau
Herbst? Has he been here 3 years or not?
Van Der Merwe

Herbst is only in his second season, so we are left short of a replacement for Williams or have the IRFU ditched the drop in NIQs? Or is there a IQ backrow coming in?

rodders wrote:Piutau ain't coming, you heard it here first. Ulster will do a deal with Wasps and get George Smith.

If Payne starts at 15 in the 6Ns it may be the case he doesn't come

rodders wrote:Piutau ain't coming, you heard it here first. Ulster will do a deal with Wasps and get George Smith.

That would... actually be quite good.

A player exchange. Good call. Wonder if we can get Martin Moore at tight head instead of Smith though?

Notch wrote:

rodders wrote:Piutau ain't coming, you heard it here first. Ulster will do a deal with Wasps and get George Smith.

That would... actually be quite good.

It would, so let's hope Les Kiss is reading

marty2086 wrote:Herbst is only in his second season, so we are left short of a replacement for Williams or have the IRFU ditched the drop in NIQs? Or is there a IQ backrow coming in?

God it seems like Herbst has been part of the furniture forever. Hard to believe its only 18 months or so.