Ulster 2016/2017

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."

Redman wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

geoff999rugby wrote:2 Ulster born players and only 1 born in Scotland

3 NZ born players, 1 born in Australia, 1 in Tonga, 1 in the US and one in Scotland

There are more Irish farmers going than Scotsmen and more members of the Faletau/Vunipola family than Scotsmen too

I'm presuming Hogg is the Scottish born, but aren't there strong Northern Irish family connections there?  Is he reducible to 1/2 Scottish or maybe 3/4s?

geoff999rugby wrote:Indeed true an Irish granny who comes from George Bests family

3rd cousins once removed - or something like that

Munchkin wrote:

geoff999rugby wrote:Indeed true an Irish granny who comes from George Bests family

3rd cousins once removed - or something like that

He's the spitting image of him, right enough.

SecretFly wrote:

Munchkin wrote:

geoff999rugby wrote:Indeed true an Irish granny who comes from George Bests family

3rd cousins once removed - or something like that

He's the spitting image of him, right enough.

What?  Are you suggesting Hogg wouldn't get the dozen of super-models in one night???  You cad, Munch!

marty2086 wrote:Ross and Shanahan have shown they have the ability to work to a decent level, they just need to do it consistently

geoff999rugby wrote:

marty2086 wrote:Ross and Shanahan have shown they have the ability to work to a decent level, they just need to do it consistently

Nice guys, both try, but the brutal truth is neither is up to the standard required

I think we'll see him in the red and green jersey next season.

At six-foot-five and with his variety of skills, he has something to offer at national level that we haven't seen. The guy is the same size as Joe Rokocoko or Donnacha Ryan and he's playing in the centre.

His passing game, left to right and right to left, is really good. He's working with an under the radar coach in Mike Prendergast down at Grenoble and he has been mentoring him for two years. He has been drilling skills into Chris; he's not just a gym monkey.

Don Alfonso wrote:Realistically, how were we supposed to entice him?

Under coaches who don't have fistfights at training, I dare say Marshall and McCloskey will get back some form, hopefully Olding puts his woes behind him, and we have Cave and Payne. To say nothing of Stockdale.

He'll walk straight onto the Munster team, if he's that good.

marty2086 wrote:Ulster team & replacements to play Ospreys, Guinness PRO12, Saturday 29th February, Liberty Stadium (3.00pm kick-off, live on BBC NI & Sky Sports):
(15-9): C Gilroy, A Trimble (Capt), L Marshall, S McCloskey, C Piutau, P Jackson, R Pienaar;
(1-8): A Warwick, R Best, W Herbst, K Treadwell, A O'Connor, I Henderson, S Reidy, R Diack;
Replacements (16-23): R Herring, C Black, R Ah You, F van der Merwe, N Timoney, P Marshall, S Olding, J Stockdale.

marty2086 wrote:ROG speaking about Farrell and his going to Munster, have we missed a trick in not resigning him?

I think we'll see him in the red and green jersey next season.

At six-foot-five and with his variety of skills, he has something to offer at national level that we haven't seen. The guy is the same size as Joe Rokocoko or Donnacha Ryan and he's playing in the centre.

His passing game, left to right and right to left, is really good. He's working with an under the radar coach in Mike Prendergast down at Grenoble and he has been mentoring him for two years. He has been drilling skills into Chris; he's not just a gym monkey.

Pete330v2 wrote:"Honestly, this "every province is beezer except us" is getting genuinely tiresome. We're in a mess at the moment. Absolutely."

All Marty asked was if we'd missed a trick.

marty2086 wrote:clive, that seems to be the problem.

Geoff, watching Farrell last season he seemed on power with if not better than McCloskey and didn't rely as much on his bulk to break through defences. If his passing has improved then it seems he may be a better option. It seems petty from Ulster to turn their noses up at him because he snubbed them, he took himself out of his comfort zone and has excelled and improved. Given the lack of development at times with Ulster he maybe had the right idea.

marty2086 wrote:ROG speaking about Farrell and his going to Munster, have we missed a trick in not resigning him?

I think we'll see him in the red and green jersey next season.

At six-foot-five and with his variety of skills, he has something to offer at national level that we haven't seen. The guy is the same size as Joe Rokocoko or Donnacha Ryan and he's playing in the centre.

His passing game, left to right and right to left, is really good. He's working with an under the radar coach in Mike Prendergast down at Grenoble and he has been mentoring him for two years. He has been drilling skills into Chris; he's not just a gym monkey.

Redman wrote:

marty2086 wrote:clive, that seems to be the problem.

Geoff, watching Farrell last season he seemed on power with if not better than McCloskey and didn't rely as much on his bulk to break through defences. If his passing has improved then it seems he may be a better option. It seems petty from Ulster to turn their noses up at him because he snubbed them, he took himself out of his comfort zone and has excelled and improved. Given the lack of development at times with Ulster he maybe had the right idea.

I have similar but slightly different memories of Farrell.  His handling was poor and he looked nervous when he played for the senior side, but all the hype at the junior grades was he had excellent hands.  I remember being really disappointed with his handling and passing when seeing him live because he'd been talked up as much more than a 6'5'' bosch merchant.  It's possible he just didn't show the skills he had when given the opportunity.

Don Alfonso wrote:

Pete330v2 wrote:"Honestly, this "every province is beezer except us" is getting genuinely tiresome. We're in a mess at the moment. Absolutely."

All Marty asked was if we'd missed a trick.

Well, without being narky, no, he also referenced Munster and Leinster's ability to keep players. Which is as patchy as ours. I appended a list of players that they had lost. Not many of them come up North, but there's a  decent amount of movement otherwise. I don't  think we're particularly bad at it.

I also think, given that contacts have to be seen out and players paid, we couldn't afford to have yet another centre on our books. If we have brought  in Sean Dougall with the money we could have used to bring in Chris Farrell, that's a much better use of funds. Farrell might be a better player in his position, but we desperately need back rows.

I don;t think we missed a trick, no. Even if Farrell is better than everything we have, we still have excellent centres (on form) already, and poor back row stocks. Money better spent elsewhere.

marty2086 wrote:

Don Alfonso wrote:

Pete330v2 wrote:"Honestly, this "every province is beezer except us" is getting genuinely tiresome. We're in a mess at the moment. Absolutely."

All Marty asked was if we'd missed a trick.

Well, without being narky, no, he also referenced Munster and Leinster's ability to keep players. Which is as patchy as ours. I appended a list of players that they had lost. Not many of them come up North, but there's a  decent amount of movement otherwise. I don't  think we're particularly bad at it.

I also think, given that contacts have to be seen out and players paid, we couldn't afford to have yet another centre on our books. If we have brought  in Sean Dougall with the money we could have used to bring in Chris Farrell, that's a much better use of funds. Farrell might be a better player in his position, but we desperately need back rows.

I don;t think we missed a trick, no. Even if Farrell is better than everything we have, we still have excellent centres (on form) already, and poor back row stocks. Money better spent elsewhere.

I referenced it in that some players seemed to enjoy home comforts over the money and opportunity, we have a case in Pienaar of a guy turning down a big payday to stay in Belfast. I used broad terminology but thought people would know I wasn't meaning every player was the same.

Dougall would be a good signing and I think give some real competition in the back row and one other back row signing wouldn't go a miss either.

For next season though we are losing Wilson, Pienaar and vdM and bringing in another vdM, Cooney and Botha, without knowing the figures my guess is that there would be some room in the budget though that may depend on making the play offs and what happens with Trimble.

You mentioned Ryan leaving Munster earlier, Im betting we see him stay there but he is hoping to get more money out of the IRFU and Munster are hoping to have one less cost but will take the hit if it means keeping him.

clivemcl wrote:Any inside info on Dom Ryan yet? 27 and the only IQ backrower not tied up for next year. Where do you put his out of interest in a pecking order? Better or worse than Clive Ross? My hunch is better, but I've not really ever watched him closely.