Ulster squad additions

First topic message reminder :

All of the following will be contracted to Ulster next year - I don't know the nature of each contract though

Niall Annett
Jerry Cronin
Craig Gilroy
Paddy Jackson
Adam Macklin
Luke Marshall
James McKinney
Ian Porter

Will supply a fully list shortly - still no mention of Bryan Young. Also no mention of Gaston yet

clivemcl wrote:Is there any substance to the discussions on terblanche remaining as a coaching role? Or is this highly unlikely?

I wish someone would announce something. UR do tend to forget tehres fans out here who like to know stuff. We don't even ever hear much detail about injuries and progress.

I think that is wishful thinkinbg.

However having said that I would be delighted. The young guys have found him a big help

clivemcl wrote:Also, could you know delete that post before other people see it? lol

you're a bad man clive......

Geoff I'd be delighted if Terblanche stayed on. I was totally against him coming at first but he's won me over. He's been an inspired signing and has had a huge impact. Great player.

So Terblanche is staying on... until the end of the season. Signed a new short-term contract today.

I thought that was announced several days ago. Anyway it was fairly inevitable given we are still in the HC.

Absolutely love the guy . Strikes a blow for us oldies

Terblanche is all class, man. Top player. Love the way he does the simple things so well. Would love to see him stay next year.

Plus he gives me hope that I can still make a comeback someday....

Time is still on your side Rodders........... me, I'm fecked

The Paul Scholes of rugby.

Terblanche, that is. Not rodders.

darn it I thought you meant me there Notch....

Rava I'm sure you could still run rings around the lot of us!

Richard Mulligan on twitter is a primary source of rumour mongering on Ulster Rugby (as he would be, trying to sell the rag of a paper he works for!) he's tweeted that Ulster are in negotiations with Wannenburg over a new contract and Bowe may be confirmed this week.

Of course, he also said Pat Lam was spotted at Ravenhill the same weekend Lam was coaching the Auckland Blues in a televised game in NZ. Oops!

Bowe was in belshaft yesterday I've heard. Getting things finalised hopefully!

Well I think we now know the reason for the delay - Tommy has renegotiating his contract so that he takes hardly any pay cut.

He appears to have negotiated for himself a three contract that will make him one of the highest players in the land. Not only is he getting a central contract he is getting one for three years and it is a whopper (Ulster will not be paying most of his salary).

So much for claims he is not going to get a central contract.

Sin é wrote: You claim he is getting a central contract, yet you don't know why he hasn't signed even though he is going to Ulster ?

Well we now know why - he was negotiating the length and size of the central contract not whether or not he got one.
The outcome being a big one and for three years - Dublin obviously think he is very valueable

Yeah over 1 million dollars (raises pinky to corner of mouth) for the 3 years. I suspect he is probably smiling inside after the 2nd try in Paris

As long as he is announced as an Ulster player this week the IRFU can pay him what ever he wants from the central contract :-D

He is getting back to a bit of form, and he showed his class again at the weekend, also the cutting edge our wingers currently lack but something they can learn from him if (when) he comes home

Even the Daily Telegraph has got hold of this story!

'Meanwhile, Ireland wing Tommy Bowe is on the verge of signing a three-year deal worth over £1 million to move from the Ospreys to Ulster next season.

According to sources close to the Irish Rugby Football Union, the deal will make Bowe, 28, one of the highest paid players in the British Isles. The IRFU will fund the move as home-based Ireland players are all on national contracts.

The Lions wing is set to be released from his current contract even though it still has a year to run as the Welsh region look to cut their costs.'

Worth every penny too...get that contract signed Tommy lad! SUFTUM!

roddersm wrote:Worth every penny too...get that contract signed Tommy lad! SUFTUM!

Wow, that's a helluva lot of money, is he really worth that to Ulster?

He's what, 28 now? That's a massive amount to be spending on a winger, even one as good as Tommy Bowe. I mean that is international class tighthead money and even then most of them aren't getting that much. Who is funding this the IRFU or Ulster RFC?

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:

roddersm wrote:Worth every penny too...get that contract signed Tommy lad! SUFTUM!

Wow, that's a helluva lot of money, is he really worth that to Ulster?

Unquestionably yes. Hes the best back in Ireland along with Kearney, BOD and Sexton and has been for some time.

He is versatile enough to play across the 3/4 line (even if the Irish management don't realise it) and is a proven world class level finisher. I'm sure he has huge marketing value too and will help bring on our talented young backs.

He's the best signing we could have made in my opinion and I'm delighted.

formerly known as Sam wrote:He's what, 28 now? That's a massive amount to be spending on a winger, even one as good as Tommy Bowe. I mean that is international class tighthead money and even then most of them aren't getting that much. Who is funding this the IRFU or Ulster RFC?

Sounds like a combination of the two, Sam, but mostly loaded to the IRFU

Very, very much loaded towards the IRFU I'd imagine. Ulster Rugby will pay only a nominal amount if at all similar to other central contracts.

It's similar to what he's on at the Ospreys. Reportedly £350,000 a year there. I would say his bargaining position has been massively strengthened by the IRFUs new policy limiting NIQ players. That's just pushed up the demand for IQ players in a big way.

Asbo, the question is not what he's worth to Ulster- his primary employer is the Irish national team. Happily he will be available to play for Ulster for much of the season too, including our Heineken Cup campaign

Notch wrote:Very, very much loaded towards the IRFU I'd imagine. Ulster Rugby will pay only a nominal amount if at all similar to other central contracts.

It's similar to what he's on at the Ospreys. Reportedly £350,000 a year there. I would say his bargaining position has been massively strengthened by the IRFUs new policy limiting NIQ players. That's just pushed up the demand for IQ players in a big way.

Asbo, the question is not what he's worth to Ulster- his primary employer is the Irish national team. Happily he will be available to play for Ulster for much of the season too, including our Heineken Cup campaign

I'm guessing that another player(s) will have their central contract revoked or not renewed as a result - any ideas/thoughts on who that might be?

Paddy Wallace, Jerry Flannery, David Wallace, Denis Leamy, Tomas O'Leary?

There are a lot of players on central contracts who have little or nothing to do with the current squad through injury or simply because they are out of favour.

Very, very much loaded towards the IRFU I'd imagine. Ulster Rugby will pay only a nominal amount if at all similar to other central contracts.

I thought the agreements were seperate and that the club would agree a contract and then the IRFU would offer a contract once the player became a regular international, allowing the club to avoid the inevitable request for a wage increase that goes with the international status? Presumably Ulster will paying something, if the IRFU are paying out say £300k of their own cash isn't that going to go badly when it comes to the likes of POC, Sexton etc wanting similar on their contract renewals?

Notch wrote:Paddy Wallace, Jerry Flannery, David Wallace, Denis Leamy, Tomas O'Leary?

There are a lot of players on central contracts who have little or nothing to do with the current squad through injury or simply because they are out of favour.

Paddy Wallace is kept on one because hes back up to ROG and Sexton and is a decent international inside centre as well, it allows Kidney to get him gametime at 10 for Ulster when he wants to sharpen him up

Yeah it's likely to go badly. I think they've made a rod for their own back. By introducing very rigid measures against NIQ players they've greatly inflated the market value of IQ players.

Ulster will be paying something but the vast brunt of the contract will be payed by the IRFU. I'm not sure I understand your first point. Tommy Bowe is already a major international? He's dealing directly with the IRFU in contract negotiations. Part of his international contract will be what province he plays at.

marty2086 wrote:

Notch wrote:Paddy Wallace, Jerry Flannery, David Wallace, Denis Leamy, Tomas O'Leary?

There are a lot of players on central contracts who have little or nothing to do with the current squad through injury or simply because they are out of favour.

Paddy Wallace is kept on one because hes back up to ROG and Sexton and is a decent international inside centre as well, it allows Kidney to get him gametime at 10 for Ulster when he wants to sharpen him up

That is true, but his contract expires soon- he signed a one year extension after the RWC. He's out of favour now so it's hard to see them renewing his contract again.

formerly known as Sam wrote:
I thought the agreements were seperate and that the club would agree a contract and then the IRFU would offer a contract once the player became a regular international, allowing the club to avoid the inevitable request for a wage increase that goes with the international status? Presumably Ulster will paying something, if the IRFU are paying out say £300k of their own cash isn't that going to go badly when it comes to the likes of POC, Sexton etc wanting similar on their contract renewals?

POC has recently signed a renewel and Sexton, BOD, ROG and Heaslip have all played hard ball with the IRFU in the past to negotiate big contracts.

With BOD, POC, ROG etc coming to the end Bowe will likely become and even more important player for the IRFU over the next few seasons. Its a good deal for all parties.

Interesting, I though the split would have been more £200k Ulster and £150k IRFU. Appears I'm off the mark, no wonder the Irish provinces are so good at retaining their players when the IRFU are giving them that level of backing.

I believe it is far more than most Irish posters here do Sam. I would basically flip you figures and you will not be far of the mark. Dublin are not paying anything like 300 pounds of this a year.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Interesting, I though the split would have been more £200k Ulster and £150k IRFU. Appears I'm off the mark, no wonder the Irish provinces are so good at retaining their players when the IRFU are giving them that level of backing.

A central contact means exactly that sam. Remember this is only for a handful of key players at each provinces, 20(?) in total across the 4 teams. The rest of the players are contracted to the provinces only.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Interesting, I though the split would have been more £200k Ulster and £150k IRFU. Appears I'm off the mark, no wonder the Irish provinces are so good at retaining their players when the IRFU are giving them that level of backing.

Cuts both ways - If a player doesn't get a central contract then they are more likely to leave. Bowe left in 08 because he wasn't in Eddie's plans and therefore had no chance of a central contract.

No - Bowe left because of the fact that Ulster was a shambolic mess with a lot of internal spite doing the rounds.

geoff998rugby wrote:No - Bowe left because of the fact that Ulster was a shambolic mess with a lot of internal spite doing the rounds.

Is that a feeling of Déjà vu that I am getting?

Rava wrote:

geoff998rugby wrote:No - Bowe left because of the fact that Ulster was a shambolic mess with a lot of internal spite doing the rounds.

Is that a feeling of Déjà vu that I am getting?

I don't get that impression at all Rava, not from the current squad. If there is any tension it must be at the coaching level, not the playing level and when Bowe signs there will be a new set-up in place.

Rava wrote:

geoff998rugby wrote:No - Bowe left because of the fact that Ulster was a shambolic mess with a lot of internal spite doing the rounds.

Is that a feeling of Déjà vu that I am getting?

confused

http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/25815.php


Confirmed

MrsP wrote:

+ 1

Notch wrote:I don't get that impression at all Rava, not from the current squad. If there is any tension it must be at the coaching level, not the playing level and when Bowe signs there will be a new set-up in place.

Oh ignore my ramblings. It was only a tongue in cheek remark and more to do with the goings on with the coaches than anything else.

The signing is finally confirmed.

"We all dream of a team of Tommy Bowes, a team of Tommy Bowes, a team of Tommy Bowes..."



With Tommy and big Roger Wilson coming home, this team should kick on again next year but this time the big names driving us forward are homegrown. So thats great.

Rava you called it way back buddy! Geoff thanks for the constant updates!

This is the best news ever! Roll on the HEC QF!

Ulster will have proper marquee players at TH, Lock, Flanker, SH, Wing and Fullback next year. Seriously impressive.

And Hooker!

Ah slow down. I said marquee, not international.

Notch wrote:And Hooker!

Don't forget the Hooker

The 3/4s in particular will be very competitive but hopefully whoever the new coach is will use squad rotation to good effect.

This will certainly keep Gilroy and Trimble on their toes!

Flip sake though get that lad Whitten a contract!

Welcome home, Thomas.

I’ve just given myself shivers imagining the roar when, for the first time next season, the Ravenhill announcer bellows

“14- Tommy Boooooooooooowe”