Ulster 2016/2017

by **Notch** Tue May 24, 2016 6:08 pm

First topic message reminder :

The build up to Ulsters gloriously successful 2016/2017 campaign starts here!

Allow summer optimism to get the better of you or discuss why we are in crisis right here on this thread- before weary resignation over the quality of forwards we have sinks in once again.

by SecretFly Wed Jun 15, 2016 1:20 pm

It would be good though, billy. Also the talk about POC getting involved somewhere/someplace. These guys have the knowledge - better to be sharing it with young players now than waffling in an RTE studio as a pundit.

Time for BOD to put his money in his back pocket now and lay off the cushy TV stuff, and get his head down again as a coach. Talent doesn't just stop on the day of retirement.

by neilthom7 Wed Jun 22, 2016 5:44 pm

The Ulster squad for next season has been confirmed today http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/15004.php#.V2q_4qKeGyx what do we think?

by **Notch** Wed Jun 22, 2016 6:15 pm

They're saying we're not going another back row.

Which is terrifying, really.

by marty2086 Wed Jun 22, 2016 8:10 pm

Maybe see more of Henderson in the back row, Henry, Henderson and Reidy wouldnt look too shabby, maybe see some of Treadwell there too

by Rory_Gallagher Wed Jun 22, 2016 9:04 pm

It would be good if Lorcan Dow steps up this season. Does he seem likely to do so?

by Don Alfonso Thu Jun 23, 2016 12:09 am

So, the following players are gone:
Paul Jackson (Hooker)
Ruaidhri Murphy (LH Prop)
Bronson Ross (TH Prop)
Lewis Stevenson (Lock)
Willie Faloon (Flanker)
Frankie Taggart (Flanker)
Nick Williams (Number Eight)
Paul Rowley (Scrum Half)
Ian Humphreys (Out Half)
Sam Arnold (Centre)
Rory Scholes (Wing)

Quare amount of dead wood there, but Scholes is a loss, and I didn't think Bronson Ross went too bad at times last season. Arnold wouldn't have featured much anyway. Faloon was/is broken. Fat Nick is the most problematic absence, obviously.

by **rodders** Thu Jun 23, 2016 10:01 am

Notch wrote:They're saying we're not going another back row.

Which is terrifying, really.

Not swapping Piatua for George Smith was a big mistake Cool

by clivemcl Thu Jun 23, 2016 2:47 pm

I'm very curious if rumours were completely untrue, or if we got turned down. Maybe it's not helpful. But certainly, Nucifora's performance should be in the public light, and if its the case, I'd like to know who did we approach and did we get turned down (again)?

by **rodders** Thu Jun 23, 2016 2:58 pm

I blame the referendum.

by Guest Thu Jun 23, 2016 4:09 pm

I blame PRO12.

by SecretFly Thu Jun 23, 2016 5:43 pm

I blame Hitler.

by **Notch** Thu Jun 23, 2016 5:53 pm

SecretFly wrote:I blame Hitler.

You know the more I learn about that guy, the more I don't care for him.

(© Norm Macdonald)

by **rodders** Wed Jun 29, 2016 10:08 am

So looks like Piutau made it across - I hope the weather doesn't put him off.

by clivemcl Wed Jun 29, 2016 10:13 am

He'll need to get in the gym straight away to bulk up for his number 8 shirt...

by JmD Wed Jun 29, 2016 12:01 pm

Rory_Gallagher wrote:It would be good if Lorcan Dow steps up this season. Does he seem likely to do so?

Dow looked impressive in his very limited game time, not sure why he wasn't used down the stretch.

Love the Norm reference Notch, that's my next 26 minutes sorted.

by **Notch** Wed Jun 29, 2016 12:22 pm

JmD wrote:
Rory_Gallagher wrote:It would be good if Lorcan Dow steps up this season. Does he seem likely to do so?

Dow looked impressive in his very limited game time, not sure why he wasn't used down the stretch.

Love the Norm reference Notch, that's my next 26 minutes sorted.

Fair warning; a long portion of that is Norm, Adam Get and Glbert Gottfried riffing on the Nazis and Anallingus

by clivemcl Fri Jul 01, 2016 11:40 pm

https://youtu.be/Rn_iiMPwoNI

Oh and we signed a scrum half replacement for Rowley apparently - just it seemingly wasn't worth announcing.

by **Notch** Sun Jul 03, 2016 12:05 pm

clivemcl wrote:https://youtu.be/Rn_iiMPwoNI

Oh and we signed a scrum half replacement for Rowley apparently - just it seemingly wasn't worth announcing.

I had heard about it to be fair- thought it was through an official announcement but I must have just read about it on another forum.

by JmD Sun Jul 03, 2016 1:19 pm

Rumour's going about that Henry is out for a few months. Can we have that temporary signing yet, Nucifora?

by Guest Sun Jul 03, 2016 1:29 pm

Out until the beginning of October. Not ideal, but could be worse. Nelson apparently out until Christmas.

by **Notch** Sun Jul 03, 2016 7:36 pm

JmD wrote:Rumour's going about that Henry is out for a few months. Can we have that temporary signing yet, Nucifora?

Seriously- maybe some good will come out of it now if he does let us. Sean Reidy and Iain Henderson will be starting pre-season much, much later due to the tour.

This means Robbie Diack is now the only back rower available to Ulster for Round 1 of the Pro12 who I believe has the potential to perform to the standards of a title contending side right from the offset, and he hasn't shown that form since the season before last.

by Pete330v2 Mon Jul 04, 2016 10:50 am

Holy Schmidt, are we to continue with constant injury woes? It seems we're cursed with injuries and out injury jokers too. Nucifora, wakey wakey, we need a little something to help us out here.

by Don Alfonso Mon Jul 04, 2016 7:58 pm

This is going to be a really, really tough season. Dan Tuohy apparently not fixed either.

Worried about backrow and who's going to be our ten for the start of the season? Jackson and Olding won't be available for the first three weeks or a month, Nelson is injured, Humphreys is gone.

by **Notch** Mon Jul 04, 2016 8:03 pm

Treadwell or Browne to 6?
Brett Herron or Ruan Pienaar at 10?

My bet is;

1. Black
2. Herring (c)
3. Herbst
4. Van der Merwe
5. Treadwell
6. Browne
7. Timoney/Dow (?)
8. Diack
9. Marshall
10. Pienaar
11. Stockdale (?)
12. McCloskey
13. Cave
14. Bowe (?)
15. Piutau

by **Notch** Mon Jul 04, 2016 8:04 pm

We've put out worse on paper this time of year before.

by trustedwomble Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:46 pm

It seems that Lewis Stevenson didn't get on well at Exeter...

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/15024.php?#.V4PokrgrLIU

by JmD Thu Jul 21, 2016 12:30 pm

Herbst now out with a groin injury for potentially 4 months. The pack gets thinner; we're at the mercy of that clown of a performance director.

by Pete330v2 Thu Jul 21, 2016 3:41 pm

I was just reading about that, bleedin bloody hell, we need a squad to start the season without huge chunks missing. I read a few comments about Tommy Bowe not looking terribly good, none of them were optimistic either Sad

by SecretFly Fri Jul 22, 2016 11:25 am

Is Tommy now prolonging an inevitable announcement - like Fitz had to make? He's becoming a continuously 'broken down' player, he's 32 - there are now younger alternatives propping up every year....

by clivemcl Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:00 pm

I've a real good feeling about this season boys. Because look, sure even Rory Best is saying 'we've so much more to come', and have you ever seen such confidence. - 'we are aiming for big things here'.

http://www.planetrugby.com/news/were-aiming-for-big-things-best/

This is finally it lads!

It will be so sweet to end a season without having to hear Rory say the words 'gutted' or 'regroup' or 'take a long hard look at ourselves'.

Rolling Eyes

by marty2086 Wed Aug 03, 2016 3:21 pm

http://www.pro12rugby.com/news/19963.php#PzsrwmyDm5rDloG6.97

Tommy Bowe believes a new culture is being developed during pre-season at Ulster and expects it to pay dividends when the new Guinness PRO12 season kicks-off in September.

The winger is currently in Portugal with the rest of the Ulster squad preparing for the new season having managed just one appearance in the league last year.

Serious knee ligament damage sustained during Ireland's World Cup quarter-final sidelined Bowe for the majority of last season but he's slowly getting back to fitness and form.

And he said the excitement ahead of the new campaign in the camp is reaching fever pitch following the hard work completed already.

"Everyone is very enthused about what we've done so far in pre-season," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"In the past, we've always had strong squads but we're building a new culture that I think is going to bring everything together.

"We'll put things on the line for each other and we want to do whatever we need to do.

"I'm very excited about the squad and excited by the coaches that we have here. Hopefully that will keep building in the weeks and months ahead."

Bowe bagged a brace of tries in his sole Guinness PRO12 appearance last season but the injury flared up again.

That meant he missed the season run-in which saw Ulster finish fourth before losing to Leinster in the play-off semi-final.

And while the 32-year-old says he is feeling fresh and ready to go, he won't be rushing back into action to add to his 148 Ulster league appearances.

"I think you're always eager to play and you want to be out there but you have to get yourself right," he added.

"I definitely feel refreshed. I've hardly played so I'm fresh and ready to go.

"It's just slowly building everything up and making sure not to rush things. We're progressing nicely at the minute and I'm making steps forward.

"It has been a pretty frustrating time and to miss such a chunk last season was very disappointing, especially when I thought I was in good form.

"I'm all the more excited now about the season that we have ahead. We've got Les Kiss here and he's putting in building blocks that are going to be here for a very long time."

by Keesie_kee Sun Aug 21, 2016 1:50 pm

Where are all the Ulster fans?

Thoughts on the pre-season games.....Im trying to be positive and I know its about looking at the larger squad but to hear Kiss talk about being bullied at the breakdown sends alarms bells ringing.

Have we any strength and depth coming through at 6-8?

by Guest Sun Aug 21, 2016 5:30 pm

Keesie_kee wrote:Where are all the Ulster fans?

Thoughts on the pre-season games.....Im trying to be positive and I know its about looking at the larger squad but to hear Kiss talk about being bullied at the breakdown sends alarms bells ringing.

Have we any strength and depth coming through at 6-8?

We're chillin Cool

by clivemcl Mon Aug 22, 2016 7:42 am

No sweat. We gonna win everything. Nothing to talk about really...
Run

by Rory_Gallagher Mon Aug 22, 2016 9:17 am

Pre-season blues. Did anyone here catch any of the friendlies? I see that Piatau played in one.

by Golden Mon Aug 22, 2016 12:09 pm

Who did you play apart from Leinster?

by Guest Mon Aug 22, 2016 1:20 pm

Exeter. We play Saints next week.

by marty2086 Mon Aug 22, 2016 3:27 pm

Seen Treadwell played in the back row against Exeter, be interesting to see if thats where we will see most of him

by Don Alfonso Thu Aug 25, 2016 7:15 pm

WAKEY WAKEY ULSTER FANS!

Ulster A for Canada A tomorrow evening
(15-9): D Busby; C Kelly, M Best, R Butler, A Cairns; J McPhillips, A Lloyd;
(1-8): K McCall (captain), Z McCall, C Trenier, K Treadwell, A Thompson, N Timoney, C Boomer, S Mulholland;
Replacements (16-25): A McBurney, T O'Hagan, M Lagan, P Cooper, A Burke, A Hall, M Rea, J Stewart, A Magrath, C Field.

Ulster for Northampton immediately after
(15-9): C Piutau; L Ludik, D Cave, S McCloskey, R Lyttle; B Herron, P Marshall;
(1-8): A Warwick, R Herring (captain), R Ah You, P Browne, F van der Merwe, R Diack, C Ross, R Wilson;
Replacements (16-24): J Andrew, C Black, R Kane, A O'Connor, C Joyce, M Rea, D Shanahan, S Windsor, J Stockdale.

Apparently it'll be streamed on YouTube, according to the sages on The Other Foum. Senior team will get reamed, but that's no real concern as two or three of them would be first choice starters, and Northampton have a seriously strong squad over. Nearly time for a 2016/17 Season thread.

by Guest Thu Aug 25, 2016 8:07 pm

Yep, we will get hammered but, as long as Piutau isn't injured, I'm not too concerned.

It will be interesting to see if Lyttle adds to a good outing last week, and hopefully Kane has a great game when he gets a run. Apparently Rea has shown promise, so that's another to keep an eye on.

by marty2086 Fri Aug 26, 2016 8:58 am

Reas playing both games?

by Pete330v2 Fri Aug 26, 2016 12:27 pm

marty2086 wrote:Reas playing both games?

No, Matthew on the senior bench, Marcus warming the A team bench.

by Guest Fri Aug 26, 2016 6:43 pm

The Saints game is live on YouTube > Ulster-v-Saints

by Don Alfonso Fri Aug 26, 2016 8:22 pm

Rob Lyttle.
Dan and Tommy's commentary.

Entertaining is too small a word. But I'm wary that they're trying to trick me into believing this season...

by clivemcl Fri Aug 26, 2016 8:32 pm

Rob Lyttle looks handy. Perhaps Ulster aren't total idiots letting Scholes go - they just knew that not only do we have plenty of depth there, but there is no danger of that position drying up in talent in the future.
Hope Scholes has a great season at Edinburgh - well apart from when he plays us!

by marty2086 Fri Aug 26, 2016 8:50 pm

Piutau for all he has going forward, he looks just as good in defence

Lyttle is looking good, yet another quality back from the Ulster academy

by clivemcl Fri Aug 26, 2016 9:18 pm

Charles is one class class act! I am giddy with excitement to see him play this season.

by Guest Fri Aug 26, 2016 9:31 pm

That was very entertaining, and the win against my expectations. The commentary from Bowe and Tuohy was hilarious.

Piutau is sublime. The Try he created for Stockdale was a thing of beauty. Lyttle is a great prospect. A talented player, and can he kick! Also thought Rea had a good game. He looks a serious unit.

Rodney Ah You take a bow. Proving the doubters wrong with a very good game.

by The Great Aukster Mon Aug 29, 2016 1:42 pm

Ludik - broken finger

by **Notch** Mon Aug 29, 2016 2:37 pm

Feck. Well, it will mean plenty of opportunities for Lyttle and Stockdale.

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