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

We have Farrell and Marshall for 12 though and paddy isn't retiring just yet. Payne will be replaced in time by Nelson . He has signed a 2 year deal so his finish corresponds with paynes I believe.

You are basically saying we need to hang on to our 4th choice 12 as he may be 3rd choice when paddy retires. If it is necessary and prudent I am sure ulster will look at bringing him back.

Standulstermen wrote:According to Uafc, Joyce played very well yesterday.


Payne- D'arcy - Nelson
Bowe - Cochrane
Cave - Spence
Wallace - Marshall
Trimble - Gilroy
Jackson - humph
Pienaar - Marshall- Farrell
Wannenburg - Wilson- Diack
Henry - birch
Ferris - McComish
Tuohy - barker- McComb
Muller - Stevenson- henderson
Afoa - Macklin
Best- kyriacou - Brady
Court- mcallister- black

That's as good as i can do off the top of my head. Jackson in front of humph is my own little hope

I have to say, looking at that, it would be nice to have Faloon and Whitten. But then part of me also thinks they are too good not to be starting XV regulars with someone. Maybe though, did we have to cut a few contracts to pay for Bowe and the Anscombe?

Rodders don't you think Whitten might have had some input into it? Don't you think he would want to be playing regularly in his preferred position?
Sorry but you can't really have cake and eat it as they say.

Mark Amscombe? Now that's a curveball DH. Geoff have you had this independently confirmed yet? We know what the beeb are like just like at the EOS dropping Ulster hint story.

The Faloon thing is interesting. For most of the season a lot of you have been saying we lack a strength in depth in our backrow. Whilst Faloon out and Wilson in is a better personel change in terms of numbers we are still one short. Surely we can't rely on this Birch lad to take up the flack. Furthermore Ferris in our league team will be a pretty rare occurrence thanks to the IRFU management programme. So having a Wannenburg-Wilson-Henry starting is okay but Diack or McComish on the bench? No thanks.

I wouldn't have thought that cutting Faloon and whitten would pay for them Clive.

It's about managing a squad. Birch is obviously rated above Faloon which would mean he is our 3rd choice 7 and 6th choice backrow at best.

Whitten is clearly regarded as our 4th choice 12.

Thems the breaks, there are numerous academy players that I haven't named or dont know. Joyce coming through for example seems to be highly though of and I heard a report that Neil Faloon was very good yesterday for the ravens. Dominic Gallagher was also playing. Not sure ifhe has finished his studies though.

Standulstermen wrote:Whitten is clearly regarded as our 4th choice 12.

If this is Ulster Rugby's view, then why have they been using whitten instead of Luke Marshall. He's been taking a VERY long time to get back on form, and from what I hear, he still isnt there. (although he scored for Ravens other day didnt he?). Ulster still must have plenty of faith in Marshall being a hot prospect. But the first team hasnt wanted anything to do with him this season.

I think Marshall is viewed as a better prospect long term. I also think Whitten has the option of staying, but knows if he moves he'll play more and get paid more so...

How many games has whitten started this season by the way? More than half surely, would I be right?

Rava wrote:Geoff is Jerry Cronin away at the end of this season?

Yet to be decided - it would not surprise me. Only really brought in when Macklin was ruled our for the whole of last season which left us with only 2 TH and both of them - Fitzpatrick and Botha - were injury prone.

Marshall broke his jaw and then injured himself again. He missed half a season and came back against munster A. It's not unreasonable to trust whitten in front of him in this regard but at he end of last season and the start of this one Marshall was preferred at 12 to whitten(albeit spence was preferred to both at 12)

Apparently marshalls try for the ravens was a corker yesterday. if we are out of the running in the Rabo I think we will see some of Marshall. Other than that we will wait and see what the new coach thinks. From what I have seen Marshall is capable of delivering a much more complete performance from a 12 than whitten. Think Cardiff at ravenhill last year.

He might have started half (although I think it is less) but I think the majority of his starts have been on the wing,

Well, I just would like to see some more of marshalls magic just to put my mind at rest. I hope it wasnt all just a flash in the pan. Will we continue playing Whitten for the remainder, or try to involve Luke more now? We can't afford to play less than the best possible XV.

Can't believe the whinging over this

Luke Marshall and Chris Cochrane will replace Ian Whitten from next season. We're showing some faith in talented young players here. Same thing happened with Tommy Seymour last season; he had the option of staying but knew he could play more elsewhere.

I'd love to have Seymour and Whitten in the squad next year but they would be kicking their heels in the stands and playing AIL rugby- because once Marshall starts delivering on his potential Whitten will be third choice 12 and third choice 13. Chris Farrell, another great talent, can fulfil that role.

roddersm wrote:

Standulstermen wrote:
Rodders we have paddy, cave, spence, Farrell and Marshall as centres with Bowe, trimble, Payne who can all fill in.

Time forthe youngsters I think.

Paddy is 33, Payne is only here for 3 seasons and he along with Marshall, Cave and Spence have spent large chunks of this season out injured.

Spence as I am regularly reminded cannot play 12, nor can Trimble or Bowe. If the IRFU get their way from 2014 Payne will have to stay at the back.

I do not see the logic of setting a guy go who is only 24 and can cover both centre positions as well as the wing when we only have Wallace, Cave and at a push Spence and Trimble who are proven centres at this level.

A number of points:

Paddy is 32 not 33. Also with him fading from the Irleand scene will become more available.
Just because Payne, Marshall, Spence and Cave were injured this year doesn't mean they will be next. Bottom line is we have the following who can play centre next year - Spence, Wallace, Marshall, Farrell, Cave, Payne, Bowe - that more than adequate.
Spence can play 12 it just isn't his best position
If Payne stays beyond 2014 he can paly where we like as he will be IQ. The new rules are irrelevant as far as he is concerned.
Only 4 centres ??? - see above I make it 5 with 2 very talent youngsters as well

WillyGilly wrote:Mark Amscombe? Now that's a curveball DH. Geoff have you had this independently confirmed yet? We know what the beeb are like just like at the EOS dropping Ulster hint story.

willy their pushing the story pretty hard so seems they have confirmation short of an official announcement

Without Whitten, we have 5 centres plus 3 back three players who can play centre...

EXactly if Trimble is your 8th choice centre you are more than adequately covered

geoff998rugby wrote:If Payne stays beyond 2014 he can paly where we like as he will be IQ. The new rules are irrelevant as far as he is concerned.

Is there any liklihood in this Geoff? Is it possible Payne will ever want to be an IQ who remains and even a possibility for Ireland? Surely he will be straigh back to NZ when he's done the three years.

Rava wrote:Rodders don't you think Whitten might have had some input into it? Don't you think he would want to be playing regularly in his preferred position?
Sorry but you can't really have cake and eat it as they say.

If so fair enough but I doubt it. I'd be surprised if this was his call.

Not sure what you mean about having cake and eating it? We complain about not having depth then let valuable squad players go? Sorry but I don't get that. If Whitten and Faloon hardly played this year I'd understand it but they've featured quite a bit, especially Whitten, due to injury and rotation.

Munster don't let players like Hurley, Ronin and Murphy go because they aren't first or even second choice. They keep them because they know they will give their all when they are needed.

clivemcl wrote:

geoff998rugby wrote:If Payne stays beyond 2014 he can paly where we like as he will be IQ. The new rules are irrelevant as far as he is concerned.

Is there any liklihood in this Geoff? Is it possible Payne will ever want to be an IQ who remains and even a possibility for Ireland? Surely he will be straigh back to NZ when he's done the three years.

What makes you say this? There isn't any evidence that he will. There's certainly little evidence that the All Blacks wanted him to stay in NZ.

Rava wrote:

clivemcl wrote:

geoff998rugby wrote:If Payne stays beyond 2014 he can paly where we like as he will be IQ. The new rules are irrelevant as far as he is concerned.

Is there any liklihood in this Geoff? Is it possible Payne will ever want to be an IQ who remains and even a possibility for Ireland? Surely he will be straigh back to NZ when he's done the three years.

What makes you say this? There isn't any evidence that he will. There's certainly little evidence that the All Blacks wanted him to stay in NZ.

The support he received from some of his teammates when he got injured will surely endere the place to him and with Anscombe coming in, someone he knows and has worked with before might play a factor in his future

I guess I just always saw the project thing as an excuse to get another quality foreigner. I never considered we were trying to capture a future Ireland international with this move. Would be great though!

Standulstermen wrote:Anscombe then. Any chance he can bring his son to play 10

Interesting appointment. I eagerly await to see who his technical coaches will be.

Stand, no need to be greedy now. You have the father, and we'll look after his son (as your official development academy!!)

roddersm wrote:

Rava wrote:Rodders don't you think Whitten might have had some input into it? Don't you think he would want to be playing regularly in his preferred position?
Sorry but you can't really have cake and eat it as they say.

If so fair enough but I doubt it. I'd be surprised if this was his call.

Not sure what you mean about having cake and eating it? We complain about not having depth then let valuable squad players go? Sorry but I don't get that. If Whitten and Faloon hardly played this year I'd understand it but they've featured quite a bit, especially Whitten, due to injury and rotation.

Munster don't let players like Hurley, Ronin and Murphy go because they aren't first or even second choice. They keep them because they know they will give their all when they are needed.

Ronan is first choice. He was in front of POM this season. The other two are clearly 2nd choice players.

roddersm wrote:

Rava wrote:Rodders don't you think Whitten might have had some input into it? Don't you think he would want to be playing regularly in his preferred position?
Sorry but you can't really have cake and eat it as they say.

If so fair enough but I doubt it. I'd be surprised if this was his call.

Not sure what you mean about having cake and eating it? We complain about not having depth then let valuable squad players go? Sorry but I don't get that. If Whitten and Faloon hardly played this year I'd understand it but they've featured quite a bit, especially Whitten, due to injury and rotation.

Munster don't let players like Hurley, Ronin and Murphy go because they aren't first or even second choice. They keep them because they know they will give their all when they are needed.

But as has been explained above we do have loads of strength in depth.

Why would you be surprised if it was his call to leave? We aren't talking dictatorship here. These guys are allowed to make up their own minds. If anything, the gametime Whitten got this season was probably the spur to his leaving. He will have realised (if he needed to) that he can cut it as a professional elsewhere. Good luck to the lad. We have to move on. There are trophies to be won.

They are both being replaced by younger players who the coaches believe have the potential to be better players. If Whitten and Faloon stayed, would we all be on here complaining about the lack of gametime for Luke Marshall and Ali Birch?

Sometimes I feel like you guys will take every and any chance to have a whinge

Ronan is first choice because Wallace is injured. He likely wouldn't make the starting 22 with everyone fit.

O'Mahoney and Dave O'Callaghan are likely to surpass him for a bench spot.

Again with Howlett and Jones back and Laulua and Downey there next year the likes of Murphy and Hurley will get limited gametime.

Look we'll agree to disagree, I think Whitten and Faloon are very valuable squad members and if we want to compete for silverware and have depth and competition for places we shouldn't be letting such players leave.

But it's not like we're weaker without them? I mean, realistically neither of them where ever going to see much gametime next year unless there were injuries. Both are on the verge of being supplanted by younger players.

Of course we are weaker without them. how can you lose two players from your squad and not be weaker?

Rava if it was Whittens descision to leave then good luck to him. If it was ours then I think it was a bad one. I don't know either way, I can only guess that Whitten would rather play for us than Exeter.

Because the players coming into the squad to replace them are going to be better? No Whitten and Faloon = More gametime for Marshall, Cochrane and Birch.

I'm disappointed to see Whitten leave, but he knows he won't be getting many chances next year so has taken the best option for his career. Whitten is a good solid pro at this level; Luke Marshall is a guy with the potential to become a future international.

Notch if Marshall, Cochrane, Birch etc. are good enough then they'll get gametime whether Faloon and Whitten are there or not.

Its just speculation as to whether they will be better than the two outgoing players next year, or indeed ever, or not.

This was tipped to be Marshalls breakthrough year...and hes hardly played due to injury. Spence and Gilroy have had a touch of second season syndrome.

If these guys all kick on next season and Whitten and Faloon are not getting gametime then fair enough they are surplus to requirements. However this season they've proved very valuable and it is just an assumption that next season will be different.

Payne may well go home after 3 years but if he does we will have aNIE spot free. Either way his situation is not constrained as to where he plays and therefore if we want to select him as a centre we are free to do so.

I do think there has to be a sense of realism re squad side - just maybe Whitten and Faloon are off to cut our cloth to what we can afford. It is fairly obviously we invest more into NIQ players than Munster or Leinster. As part of that policy we have a smaller squad - you cant have one without the other. Fortunately, in most positions, we have promising kids coming through.

Mark Anscombe confirmed as coach. The 100 dollar question; who else is going to be on that coaching ticket? Matt Sexton? Stefan Terblanche? Neil Doak? Jonny Bell? Willie Anderson? Allen Clarke? A. N. Other?

Terblanche please!

Hopefully terblanche is in there.

Pity we dont have room for Terblanche in the playing squad hes been great to watch his last ditch defence has been amoung the best ive seen he seems to make players think theyve got him eat and he brings them down
His taking of high balls is up there with Kearneys and that drop goal attempt from his own half showed some stones

He was retired Marty. Was persuaded back here shirt term. Don't think he wants to play on. Hope he does stay in Ireland though. Massively knowledgeable player.

Terblanche has been an inspired signing, he seems like a real leader in the backs and does the simple things exceptionally well. He seems to know his physical limits and doesn't try anything spectacular.

I'd love to see him stay in some capacity.

For those that can't access the UR website,

Ulster Rugby today confirmed that Mark Anscombe has been appointed as Head Coach from season 2012-13 on a two year contract...


Mark has just finished a three year term as Head Coach of the Auckland ITM Cup side and has combined that role with a number of positions in the very successful NZ U20 squad. Last year, Mark was Head Coach as they again triumphed in the Junior World Championships in Italy.
“It has been a long and detailed process but we’re now delighted to confirm that Mark will be joining us next season.” commented Ulster’s Director of Rugby David Humphreys.

“We all believe that he has the experience, ability and knowledge to build on the success of the last 2 years.

We were all very impressed with Mark during the interview process, he know what it takes to get the best out of players and has an in-depth understanding of the game. He has strong leadership qualities and will challenge both the players and staff in ways some of them haven’t been challenged before.

As well as an experienced Head Coach, he is a high quality technical forwards coach with a proven track record of delivering competitive, physical forward packs. He will be instrumental in developing some of the young forwards already in our system to ensure they become key players for both Ulster and Ireland."

Mark Anscombe commented;

“I’ve been keeping an eye on Ulster for a while now and I’m very impressed with the plans and what’s happening at Ulster Rugby and I’ve very excited about the prospect at being involved in that.

“It goes without saying that the job will present me with an exciting challenge. Ulster have been developing over the past few years, they’ve had some new players come in to strengthen the squad so the foundations are there but there’s a lot of work to be done in terms of moving on to the next stage and that will be a challenge for me and for all of us

Anscombe is familiar with both John Afoa and Jared Payne who he has worked with at Auckland;

“They’re both good men with a lot to offer. In the short time that John has been at Ulster he’s already impressed the rugby public there. Jared was very unfortunate with the Achilles injury but I’m sure if he had remained fit they would have been singing his praises also.

David (Humphreys) has recruited well so far, he’s brought in quality people and I’m looking forward to working with them.”

Anscombe (54), who is married with three children will arrive in Belfast on 1st June.

Standulstermen wrote:He was retired Marty. Was persuaded back here shirt term. Don't think he wants to play on. Hope he does stay in Ireland though. Massively knowledgeable player.

I fully understand that just think hed be a great asset to have but hopefully he does stay behind the scenes guys like D'Arcy and Humphries could do with watching how he sets himself up defensively against big guys

I tell you what, I like the cut of this guys jib. Sounds like the kind of guy to take us to a new level!

Tell you what .... a few quid on us being the first province to win 3 , yes you did hear me right, three, HEC titles might not be a bad investment...... .....

Imagine he won the Heineken Cup after coming out of retirement at 37! Is it his first time playing in Northern Hemisphere?

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