Ulster 2016/2017

by marty2086 Mon 13 Feb - 20:43

First topic message reminder :

And it's been confirmed

Ulster Rugby has today announced that Jono Gibbes will join the Province as Head Coach ahead of the 2017/18 season, having signed a two-year contract.

The former New Zealand player is currently Forwards Coach at French giants ASM Clermont Auvergne and he previously held a similar position at Leinster Rugby.

Gibbes joined Leinster in 2008, helping the squad to win three Heineken Cup titles during a six-year spell in Dublin. The first of those successes came under the stewardship of Michael Cheika in 2009, before he assisted Joe Schmidt in the 2011 and 2012 triumphs.

He moved to France in 2014 and was part of a coaching set-up that guided Clermont to the Top 14 and Champions Cup finals in his debut season.

In addition to his expertise in forward play, the 40-year-old has also gained valuable experience in coaching other aspects of the game, such as attack, during his stints at Leinster and Clermont.

Gibbes said that there were many contributing factors in his move back to Ireland:

"The respect that I have for Les (Kiss), as a coach and as a person, was one of my main reasons for making this decision. He really sold his vision of where he wants to take Ulster over the next few years.

"Ulster is a team that I know well, having come up against them on a number of occasions. The Clermont-Ulster games this season gave me an insight into the strengths of the squad and it's exciting to think that I'll be part of that environment from next season.

"With 6 years at Leinster and 3 years at Clermont in the Top 14, I've been afforded many different experiences, working with some very talented coaches and players. I hope to apply what I've learned to the role at Ulster and my family and I are looking forward to integrating into a strong community in Belfast."

Welcoming the news, Director of Rugby Les Kiss, added:

"Jono's CV speaks for itself and I know that he's looking forward to joining Ulster and working with the team. Jono has vast experience on both the playing and coaching fronts, having worked in many different environments such as Super Rugby, PRO12, the French Top 14 and European competitions.

"Since his retirement from playing, Jono has had an integral role in the coaching teams of two of European rugby's most successful sides. He was a key part of the Leinster set-up that won three Heineken Cups in four years and he has continued to be hugely successful during his time in France.

"Jono's expertise as a Forwards Coach is obvious, however his wealth of knowledge in other areas of the game will be really important for us."

"A review of the coaching structure is ongoing ahead of next season and the appointment of Jono as Head Coach is the first part of that process. A further announcement will be made in the coming weeks, which will focus on getting the right balance in our coaching team."

by marty2086 Fri 7 Apr - 0:39

Rory_Gallagher wrote:I really hope that Timoney gets more than a minute at the end. He was considered a really impressive prospect when he came into the Leinster academy. Since moving to Ulster I've barely heard a word about him. It is sad that this is the case.

I thought he didn't make it into the academy and that's how he ended up in Ulster, more to do with the abundance they have rather than his ability or potential

by Don Alfonso Fri 7 Apr - 2:14

In other news -

Ireland U19 Squad (France Tour 2017)

Prop
Jordan Duggan (Naas RFC)
James French (Bandon Grammar School)
Tom O'Toole (Campbell College)
Bryan O'Connor (Presentation Brothers Cork)

Hooker
Diarmuid Barron (Garryowen RFC)
Alexander Clarke (Ballymena Academy)

Lock
Matt Dalton (Belfast Royal Academy)
Jack Dunne (St. Michael's College)
John McCusker (Rainey RFC)

Backrow
Jack Cooke (London Irish RFC)
Aaron Hall (Ballynahinch RFC)
Max Kearney (Belvedere College)
Sean Masterson (Corinthians RFC)
Jack O'Sullivan (Presentation Brothers Cork)

Scrumhalf
Hugh O'Sullivan (Belvedere College)
James Kenny (Gonzaga College)

Outhalf
Michael Lowry (RBAI)
Angus Curtis (Queen's University RFC)

Centre
David McCarthy (Garryowen FC)
James Hume (RBAI)
James Newey (Bristol RFC)

Back Three
Mark Keane (Instonian's RFC)
Corey Reid (Marist College)
Michael Silvester (Dublin University FC)
Peter Sullivan (St. Andrew's College)
Conor Wharton (Leeds Beckett University)

That's nine Ulstermen out of twenty-six. Mark Keane, Aaron Hall, and John McCusker all from clubs rather than schools.

Someone on another forum (very much in the know) says that a number of the Ulster young forwards are being given until December to impress - hence Timoney's chance. Apparently there are indeed quite a few talented Ulster forwards coming though at under-age and there is a clearout afoot to make space for them.

Could things be looking brighter? Is that allowed?

by Guest Fri 7 Apr - 2:53

It's good that Ulster have so many in the U19s, and it's great to have a few forwards in there.

Why is it just now that some forwards are being given the chance? Something to do with Clarke moving, or maybe a lack of promising forwards until now?

by Don Alfonso Fri 7 Apr - 3:11

I think they're making space for a highly-rated group coming through. I read elsewhere that Dow is being let go. Certainly Joyce hasn't delivered.

by Rory_Gallagher Fri 7 Apr - 4:03

Has Dow even had a chance to play for the seniors?

by Guest Fri 7 Apr - 4:59

Don Alfonso wrote:I think they're making space for a highly-rated group coming through. I read elsewhere that Dow is being let go. Certainly Joyce hasn't delivered.

Real shame about Dow. He showed a lot of promise early on, but for some reason hasn't made the step up.

Excellent that we have a highly rated group. It's been all doom and gloom with regards our forwards, for so long. Maybe someone's doing something right now, and we won't have to rely so much on forwards from outside the Province. Though it has to be said that some of our academy players would never have had the chance but for injury to senior players. I can't help feel that Dow should have been given more of a chance. Kane is a real prospect, I believe, who wouldn't have had a chance but for injury. Matty Rea should probably have had a few games under his belt now.

I'm moaning again Smile

I will enjoy the positive news, and trust it's a sign that Ulster are making progress in producing forwards. We will also have Gibbes join us soon, and I fully expect him to make a huge impact on Ulster's problems with the pack, and elsewhere.

by Rory_Gallagher Fri 7 Apr - 5:18

How could we possibly know he hasn't made the step up without giving him a chance at senior level? That is what I don't understand. Has he really been that unimpressive for the Ravens or whatnot?

by clivemcl Fri 7 Apr - 5:50

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We are not replacing Dow etc with other guys who will breakthrough immediately.
Anyone brought into the academy goes in at step 1. I don't see any reason to believe the hype any more than we may have heard 'good things' about Dow, Joyce etc... when they first came into the academy.
It's a gamble, same as always. If the 'new class' of hopefuls are given the same coaching and similar opportunities (or lack thereof), we could see ourselves no further forward after 2/3 years.
Sorry to be so negative, but its difficult to be enthusiastic at u19 representative level. They need to get acadamy selection, a senior debut, impress, and then kick on from that before it amounts to even being a 'valuable squad player'.
A long journey ahead for any potential 'The Next Steven Ferris'.....
censored

by Don Alfonso Fri 7 Apr - 6:07

For a start, both Joyce and Dow were exiles, brought into the system. Timoney is a Leinster man. Those boys listed are all Ulster natives, apart from Curtis and, I think, O'Toole. So maybe there's been an improvement in our systems. We're actually producing talented young forwards, rather than just pouncing on young IQ lads from elsewhere when the opportunity arises.

by **profitius** Fri 7 Apr - 8:16

clivemcl wrote:Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We are not replacing Dow etc with other guys who will breakthrough immediately.
Anyone brought into the academy goes in at step 1. I don't see any reason to believe the hype any more than we may have heard 'good things' about Dow, Joyce etc... when they first came into the academy.
It's a gamble, same as always. If the 'new class' of hopefuls are given the same coaching and similar opportunities (or lack thereof), we could see ourselves no further forward after 2/3 years.
Sorry to be so negative, but its difficult to be enthusiastic at u19 representative level. They need to get acadamy selection, a senior debut, impress, and then kick on from that before it amounts to even being a 'valuable squad player'.
A long journey ahead for any potential 'The Next Steven Ferris'.....

I can see why you're being cautious but the word on the street Cool

is that its a very good crop of players. You can also look at it another way. The standard of underage rugby players throughout the country is continuing to rise all the time which means players making Ireland U19 squads these days cannot be too bad. How many make next years U20s will be more revealing.

by marty2086 Fri 7 Apr - 18:40

Don Alfonso wrote:For a start, both Joyce and Dow were exiles, brought into the system. Timoney is a Leinster man. Those boys listed are all Ulster natives, apart from Curtis and, I think, O'Toole. So maybe there's been an improvement in our systems. We're actually producing talented young forwards, rather than just pouncing on young IQ lads from elsewhere when the opportunity arises.

Indications are that we aren't looking to the schools for players, particularly forwards, this would seem to be the benefits of it coming to fruition to an extent.

by Kingshu Fri 7 Apr - 21:43

I think with the young forwards coming through, and if we can add Dominic Ryan and Sean Dougall we will have a better squad overall for next season, Scum half will be worse off but overall I think we will be stronger and hopefully much better coached.

by marty2086 Fri 7 Apr - 21:57

Kingshu wrote:I think with the young forwards coming through, and if we can add Dominic Ryan and Sean Dougall we will have a better squad overall for next season, Scum half will be worse off but overall I think we will be stronger and hopefully much better coached.

With a better pack our scrum half will have an easier ride, Munster pack helped Duncan Williams look top class at the weekend and had me wondering if he has a contract for next season as he wouldn't be a bad back up for Cooney

by Don Alfonso Fri 7 Apr - 22:33

Pienaar will obviously be a huge loss. Massive. Having said that, we will have Coetzee (for more than three games) and Botha, and if we get Dougall as well, that's a real net gain. The only forward we're losing that has really featured for us is VdM. If Kane and McCall come back hale and hearty, that's a much healthier looking forwards squad.

by carpet baboon Fri 7 Apr - 23:44

As for tonight's game I'm working , so i hope when i check the score we have humped the Poopie out of them bluuuus . And big nick hasn't hurt anyone.
And maybe timoney gets some decent game time and looks impressive.
Don't think that's to much to ask.
Oh and a good performance

by marty2086 Sat 8 Apr - 0:03

Don Alfonso wrote:Pienaar will obviously be a huge loss. Massive. Having said that, we will have Coetzee (for more than three games) and Botha, and if we get Dougall as well, that's a real net gain. The only forward we're losing that has really featured for us is VdM. If Kane and McCall come back hale and hearty, that's a much healthier looking forwards squad.

Speaking of healthier squads, with the likes the number of injuries we pick up in the forwards, are we more injury prone than other teams?

It can be hard to tell sometimes when you aren't focusing on your own team and not so much on others and others do tend to do a bit of rotation. I know the S&C guys and medical staff get plenty of praise but would some changes there help us or is it maybe the coaching that's the problem?

by Guest Sat 8 Apr - 1:03

marty, sometimes I think the injuries are a result of a lack of physicality. If players aren't fully committed in tackling they can pick up injuries, and our pack has looked anything but committed for most games. Just a thought, and I could be wrong, but sides who have very aggressive packs don't seem to pick up as many injuries as we do. I suppose when the opposition is faced with an aggressive pack they are more concerned with defense than attack though.

by marty2086 Sat 8 Apr - 1:29

You could be right, it's just guys like Herbst, McCall and Kane are constantly getting injured. Either they are injury prone or something is not right somewhere

by clivemcl Sat 8 Apr - 4:53

Watching Pienaar and Jackson for first try was a thing of beauty. Great vision from both of them. Jackson was hitting that space full tilt trusting Pienaar saw the space in behind too.
Sickening to slit up that partnership.

by marty2086 Sat 8 Apr - 4:54

Ian Davies as awful as usual, two good turnovers ignored and Ulster penalised

by clivemcl Sat 8 Apr - 5:02

I do try my best not to be a cliche and blame refs. But there has been 4/5 dodgy decision or lack of decisions and only 20 minutes gone.

by Pete330v2 Sat 8 Apr - 5:05

He's asking the TMO every time he has to make a decision against Cardiff, like the high tackle penalty that we didn't get awarded in the end. He takes no time to penalise Ulster. It's ridiculous reffing.

by marty2086 Sat 8 Apr - 5:06

The Jenkins lazy run was a blatant penalty and Hoeata hanging Jackson upside down by the ankles isnt even an infringement?

by Rory_Gallagher Sat 8 Apr - 5:47

I don't get it - you can't rip the ball out in the tackle?

by Rory_Gallagher Sat 8 Apr - 5:51

Olding - Marshall just isn't working. Let's stop moving players out of position. Cave or Payne at 13 from now on please. Perhaps Stockdale.

by toml Sat 8 Apr - 5:53

Luke Marshall is desperate. 13 is supposed to be a defensive captain but he is all over the show. Sometimes he is up in a dog leg, sometimes he is missing. That sliced kick led straight to the last try. I just wonder is there much going on up top with Luke.

by Golden Sat 8 Apr - 5:55

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Olding - Marshall just isn't working. Let's stop moving players out of position. Cave or Payne at 13 from now on please. Perhaps Stockdale.

by Rory_Gallagher Sat 8 Apr - 5:57

He just isn't a 13.

by Rory_Gallagher Sat 8 Apr - 5:59

Golden wrote:
Rory_Gallagher wrote:Olding - Marshall just isn't working. Let's stop moving players out of position. Cave or Payne at 13 from now on please. Perhaps Stockdale.

Cave - always a 13
Payne - played 13 primarily in NZ/moved primarily to 15 here/plays 13 mostly for Ireland
Stockdale - claims 13 is his natural position

by neilthom7 Sat 8 Apr - 5:59

Thats a definate yellow. Has this clown forgot his cards or something

by marty2086 Sat 8 Apr - 6:00

Rory_Gallagher wrote:I don't get it - you can't rip the ball out in the tackle?

It wasnt a tackle though was it? He didn't go to ground

The refs constantly calling tackle and the player has to be brought to ground for it to be a tackle

by marty2086 Sat 8 Apr - 6:05

Our defence all game has been atrocious, if Cardiff had made better decisions in the first half they would be out of sight already

by Rory_Gallagher Sat 8 Apr - 6:06

Awful.

by Rory_Gallagher Sat 8 Apr - 6:07

I hope Stockdale moves so that we don't ruin him.

by Pete330v2 Sat 8 Apr - 6:07

On a bright note at least we'll now have less games to watch up to the end of the season. To be honest I can't watch any more of this sh7te this season. Utterly gutless, brainless crapola.

by Rory_Gallagher Sat 8 Apr - 6:13

"Oh, you have lots of pace and you like space? Here, the pitch is yours!"

by Rory_Gallagher Sat 8 Apr - 6:16

That's excellent from Luke Marshall. If he was able to keep that sort of consistency he would be a cert on the team.

by Rory_Gallagher Sat 8 Apr - 6:33

No confidence. No intensity. No passion for the shirt.

by marty2086 Sat 8 Apr - 6:37

Marshall and Olding have meet before tonight haven't they?

Gaping holes in the defensive line, falling off tackles, standing off Cardiff, backrow AWOL for large parts and doesn't help we're dropping more balls than at a teenage disco

by Artful_Dodger Sat 8 Apr - 6:43

Olding badly, badly found out in defense tonight. A couple of his mistakes were basic one on one tackles.

by clivemcl Sat 8 Apr - 7:01

A night like that makes me doubt if Olding should be considered a centre, and maybe his future is simply our backup 10 or something. Defence let us down badly tonight. Stockdale cause trouble every time he takes the ball. Tonight, too many of our players were looking for the tackle, not the gap.

by Guest Sat 8 Apr - 7:12

Low tempo for most of the game, with Ulster only really pressing in the last 15.

Tackling is really soft. Herbst and, I think, Wilson both tried to tackle Anscombe. Wilson slips off and Herbst injured his head. Meanwhile, Anscombe offloads, and jogs through ....

The centre pairing was abysmal, with Marshall having another poor game, until the last 15 minutes when Ulster finally realised they were playing a game.

Defense all over the place, and far to many silly errors.

No chance we will make the last 4 now. Well, there's a slight chance, but what's the point. We don't deserve to be in top 4, and certainly wouldn't make the final.

The ref wasn't great, but he's not the reason we lost. We lost because we are a mess. No heart and no spine.

I still look forward to next season though, and fully believe our fortunes will change Smile

by Guest Sat 8 Apr - 7:12

Rory_Gallagher wrote:No confidence. No intensity. No passion for the shirt.

Re. The Blues thread: you didn't lose! It was a draw Smile

by Guest Sat 8 Apr - 7:13

Meh, we lost it.

by Guest Sat 8 Apr - 7:15

Good to see big Nick though. Pity he was playing for the opposition. I miss big Nick Sad

by glamorganalun Sat 8 Apr - 7:16

Did anyone else notice the clock was stopped at every breakdown and not started until the ball was in mid field. I only noticed this when the blues took the lead around 60mins. Did this happen throughout the game as it seemed a long Game?
The penalty try looked harsh as it showed on the replay that the maul was not pulled down by the non existent blues defence.

by marty2086 Sat 8 Apr - 7:19

glamorganalun wrote:The penalty try looked harsh as it showed on the replay that the maul was not pulled down by the non existent blues defence.

Disagree, Hoeata was the culprit he was clearly pulling it down and Filise initially got the blame even though he just got there as it went down

by Rory_Gallagher Sat 8 Apr - 8:00

Griff wrote:
Rory_Gallagher wrote:No confidence. No intensity. No passion for the shirt.

Re. The Blues thread: you didn't lose! It was a draw

Yeah, quite a funny mistake. To be fair, it felt more like a loss as the other half is from Cardiff.

by Geen sport voor watjes Sat 8 Apr - 8:54

Ulster fans forum. The only thing that can beat Dads Army reruns

Captain Mainwaring: What's that Jones.
Jones : Don't panic do not panic.
Fraser: We're doomed I tell you.

by SecretFly Sat 8 Apr - 10:30

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:Ulster fans forum. The only thing that can beat Dads Army reruns

Captain Mainwaring: What's that Jones.
Jones : Don't panic do not panic.
Fraser: We're doomed I tell you.

...as in 'Who gave Kidney (and Ulster) a Kiss?'

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