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The Ulster Thread

On Olding - Could be he's a 12, although good luck shifting Skywalker, and he's a bit small for it at the top levels. Position I've liked most on him so far is 15! But good luck shifting Payne. I'm beginning to think, given we surely can't keep St P forever, maybe he could play 9... he seems to be able to play everywhere else...

On Henderson - He can be a little in and out, but I maintain he's looked stand-out and has always had big contributions to make all season - from 6. The locking's been the curse of him.

The dip - It's a worry but I've accepted it. We have been very unlucky this season and this is the first season since I've been a fan when we've contributed wholesale to the international team. What's been left behind has fallen behind, but so be it. We know where we stand, we'll rebuild, and hey - there's a lot of rugby still to play after this break, including all the important matches. I'd rather try playing a Rabo Semi-Final in Dublin or Glasgow with our full team than in Ravers with this lot. The HEC QF is a little close though...
 
I cannot begin to agree enough. Those two - along with Best, Henry and Pienaar - are the heart, soul and brain of our team. And of them, Muller is the biggest leader. With Pienaar playing like he is, Payne's possibly the most intelligent too! I suppose I should be happy that we can lose 4 of our 5 most important players, have the fifth suffer a drop in form, and still get draws against decent teams.
Without Payne, Ulster's back line is still very good but he has the ability to hit a great line and rip teams apart taking Ulster up a notch. I don't rate Ricky Andrew one bit as an alternative. Very soft in defence and not up to much going forward. Muller is very like Leo Cullen for Leinster. He's a great leader who allows others to shine by doing the dirty work.

Olding looked sooooooo good. Even as a Jackson fan, the ginger prince is already under pressure for his shirt.
I'd like to agree with this but don't just yet. Olding is clearly ahead of Niall O'Connor now thankfully. He'll get plenty of chances to start while Jackson is on international duty. Jackson is the more polished of the two young flyhalves but Olding brings more spark to the action. They could become an excellent 1-2 tandem.

[/QUOTE]Henderson is just a horrific freak of nature. At 20, he's already about the most powerful man on any rugby pitch he goes onto. That's just sick.[/QUOTE]
It'll be interesting to see how he develops. Given Ferris' injury, Henderson will remain at 6 for the remainder of the season. Longer term second row is the position Ireland most need help in and given Henderson's size, he'll probably end up there. I'd like to see him partner up with Muller as soon as possible to see what he can learn of him.
 
On Olding - Could be he's a 12, although good luck shifting Skywalker, and he's a bit small for it at the top levels. Position I've liked most on him so far is 15! But good luck shifting Payne. I'm beginning to think, given we surely can't keep St P forever, maybe he could play 9... he seems to be able to play everywhere else...

On Henderson - He can be a little in and out, but I maintain he's looked stand-out and has always had big contributions to make all season - from 6. The locking's been the curse of him.

The dip - It's a worry but I've accepted it. We have been very unlucky this season and this is the first season since I've been a fan when we've contributed wholesale to the international team. What's been left behind has fallen behind, but so be it. We know where we stand, we'll rebuild, and hey - there's a lot of rugby still to play after this break, including all the important matches. I'd rather try playing a Rabo Semi-Final in Dublin or Glasgow with our full team than in Ravers with this lot. The HEC QF is a little close though...
I agree, he's always looked great when playing from the backrow. The problem is that it would be beneficial long term for both Ulster and Ireland for him to be playing at lock, where theirs a lot less depth than there is at backrow.
 
Without Payne, Ulster's back line is still very good but he has the ability to hit a great line and rip teams apart taking Ulster up a notch. I don't rate Ricky Andrew one bit as an alternative. Very soft in defence and not up to much going forward. Muller is very like Leo Cullen for Leinster. He's a great leader who allows others to shine by doing the dirty work.

Met up with a friend and his family after the game. Suggested we start a betting pool on when Ricky Andrew will pass the ball. Vehement agreement. My friend, who was no mean full-back in his day, is not a fan. And neither am I. Although, in fairness - Payne; injured. Bowe/Gilroy; injured/unavailable. D'Arcy; injured. Nelson; injured. Given he's about our fifth choice, he's done kinda ok... and agreed on the rest. We mightn't miss Payne so much if we had Bowe, but... feh.

I'd like to agree with this but don't just yet. Olding is clearly ahead of Niall O'Connor now thankfully. He'll get plenty of chances to start while Jackson is on international duty. Jackson is the more polished of the two young flyhalves but Olding brings more spark to the action. They could become an excellent 1-2 tandem.

Olding's not quite there yet, but he's clearly stated his intent - feel it's a matter of time. They'd be a superb 1-2 tandem, superb way to cover Marshall too... just hope we can keep them all happy.

It'll be interesting to see how he develops. Given Ferris' injury, Henderson will remain at 6 for the remainder of the season. Longer term second row is the position Ireland most need help in and given Henderson's size, he'll probably end up there. I'd like to see him partner up with Muller as soon as possible to see what he can learn of him.

I've probably said this a thousand times before, but as it is one of my favourite topics...

I think Henderson's best position will be 6. Or possibly 8. I think his explosive athleticism and ball handling will be largely wasted in the second row. What makes him freakish is the fact he brings second row style power to the situations he encounters moving at blindside pace; but as a second row, he'd only be mid-rank. He's no Botha or Shaw or Thorn; at least not yet, but I suspect not ever. You can make a very good lock of course out of a very athletic player, Joe Launchbury is textbook (I would give somebody else's ******** to watch them play together) but... in Henderson's case, the things that impress me the most scream 6. And I think, given his possible potential, he's probably a player you want in his best position. With as little hyperbole as possible, I think he might be the blindside of his generation - anywhere. He's a Ferris-style athlete, but with a top lineout game, and is further ahead in the development curve than Fez was at the same age according to everyone I know. It's like god deliberately built a human's genetics to order for a blindside.

But maybe Ireland will need him in the second row. He'd debatably improve this injury hit one. And maybe Kidney would give him more carrying responsibilities in the row than Anscombe does, and it'd look great, and I'd look an utter fool. And gods know he's young and who knows how much more development he has, and what it might do for him. But I think long term, Ireland might be able to get good enough second rows that he won't be needed. McCarthy has a few years, Ryan has plenty, Tuohy and Stevenson could be useful, and there's some lads in the next generation who might have it. Mick Kearney at Connacht for one, people tell me good things about Flanagan at Leinster, and I think a Quinn Roux style project might end up playing a large part in the equation. Or another exile like Tuohy or McCarthy (just better) - or Thornbury and Donnan look good this year, as did Beirne and O'Connor the year before.
 
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But maybe Ireland will need him in the second row. He'd debatably improve this injury hit one. And maybe Kidney would give him more carrying responsibilities in the row than Anscombe does, and it'd look great, and I'd look an utter fool. And gods know he's young and who knows how much more development he has, and what it might do for him. But I think long term, Ireland might be able to get good enough second rows that he won't be needed. McCarthy has a few years, Ryan has plenty, Tuohy and Stevenson could be useful, and there's some lads in the next generation who might have it. Mick Kearney at Connacht for one, people tell me good things about Flanagan at Leinster, and I think a Quinn Roux style project might end up playing a large part in the equation. Or another exile like Tuohy or McCarthy (just better) - or Thornbury and Donnan look good this year, as did Beirne and O'Connor the year before.
Getting away from Ulster for a second, Ireland's problem is lack of ball carriers in the tight five. Against Scotland, Tom Court, Rory Best, Mike Ross, Donnacha Ryan and Donncha O'Callaghan manned the tight five. They all have their strengths but bludgeoning the opposition with ball in hand isn't one of them. I feel Henderson alongside Ryan long term would be a well balanced second row partnership. Ryan smashes rucks, Henderson carries and works the lineout.

For Ulster, Dan Tuohy and Lewis Stevenson are decent players. I'm delighted for Stevenson being called into the Ireland squad. With Johann Muller probably gone at the end of the 13/14 season, are Tuohy and Stevenson good enough as a partnership to propel Ulster to European glory? I don't think so. Henderson partnered with one of them could be once Henderson gains some experience.

On Stuart Olding, game time won't be a problem. It's likely that Luke Marshall and Paddy Jackson will be in most Ireland squads from now on. As such they'll be subject to the player management programme. Olding will rotate in and out of the team with the, especially in the Pro 12 as will Paddy Wallace or Chris Farrell should Wallace retire.
 
Why take what will be a world class 6 and turn him into a middling 4/5?


Agree with pretty much everything else that has been said. Ricky Andrew is great at catching the ball... pity he doesn't know how to release it in a passing motion! Also, his shaping of the attack is very poor. Payne runs our attacks from full back. Ricky Andrew just joins in.


We need our big guns back... then we'll see how we're shaping up for Sarries.
 
Why take what will be a world class 6 and turn him into a middling 4/5?
I don't view him as a middling 4/5. I view him as potentially a top class second row in the mould of a Nathan Hines. Strong, aggressive, great workrate in attack and defence, a ******* to play against.

My perspective is coloured from an Irish point opf view rather than an Ulster point of view. rom an Ireland perspective, there's a glut of excellent backrow prospects coming through and very little beyond average in the second row. I can understand Ulster fans wanting him to remain in the backrow since Ulster are a bit short in that area right now.
 
I don't view him as a middling 4/5. I view him as potentially a top class second row in the mould of a Nathan Hines. Strong, aggressive, great workrate in attack and defence, a ******* to play against.

My perspective is coloured from an Irish point opf view rather than an Ulster point of view. rom an Ireland perspective, there's a glut of excellent backrow prospects coming through and very little beyond average in the second row. I can understand Ulster fans wanting him to remain in the backrow since Ulster are a bit short in that area right now.

i remember Peat ages ago when he played I think his second lock game said 'he was blowing out of his arse at he end of the game'.

Which is so true, you can't expect him to carry and make breaks, as well as use all his energy up in the scrum. He is no where near as effective at 4/5.


On another player, people seem to be mentioning Stevensons name a good bit, how come? He's still a long way behind Tuohy who is a great all-round player, and at 27 he's 1 year younger than Stevenson. Do people rate Stevenson more than Tuohy?
 
i remember Peat ages ago when he played I think his second lock game said 'he was blowing out of his arse at he end of the game'.

Which is so true, you can't expect him to carry and make breaks, as well as use all his energy up in the scrum. He is no where near as effective at 4/5.


On another player, people seem to be mentioning Stevensons name a good bit, how come? He's still a long way behind Tuohy who is a great all-round player, and at 27 he's 1 year younger than Stevenson. Do people rate Stevenson more than Tuohy?

You can expect it though there are plenty of tight five forwards that do. He did it at u20 level. He can't quite do it yet but I believe some time in the future he will be able.

Don't think people rate Stevenson higher than Tuohy just his improvement is worthy of comment.
 
I am open to the argument that Stevenson is the better player. He's certainly in better form, but so far I think both have posted HEC form the equal of the other over their Ulster careers. Tuohy's Ireland career has been so-so. Tuohy's the quicker, more athletic man, but Stevenson is a brute and is really making an impact in the tight. I'm interested to see what happens when he gets bigger games. I also think there's a good HEC pairing there, not right at the top but good enough. Will be interesting to see what happens when Muller's time runs to an end, that is for sure.
 
Trimble's on a new central contract it turns out.

I'm not sure that's entirely sensible.
 
Ulster's jersey is red/white. These colours are from the flag of "Northern Ireland". However, this is not appropriate since that flag is sectarian and does not represent all 9 Counties of Ulster. The flag of 9-County Ulster is yellow/red. So I hope that Ulster change the jersey colour to yellow/red.

Ulster 9-County flag.jpgUlster 6-County flag.jpg
 
Ulster's jersey is red/white. These colours are from the flag of "Northern Ireland". However, this is not appropriate since that flag is sectarian and does not represent all 9 Counties of Ulster. The flag of 9-County Ulster is yellow/red. So I hope that Ulster change the jersey colour to yellow/red.

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dear lord man
lets just leave the can of worms closed

and northern ireland doesnt even halve a flag
the "ulster banner" is defunct

regardless of any political opinion etc
a mainly yellow and red jeresy would look awful
 
Ulster's jersey is red/white. These colours are from the flag of "Northern Ireland". However, this is not appropriate since that flag is sectarian and does not represent all 9 Counties of Ulster. The flag of 9-County Ulster is yellow/red. So I hope that Ulster change the jersey colour to yellow/red.

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Oh bog off.
 
Ulster's jersey is red/white. These colours are from the flag of "Northern Ireland". However, this is not appropriate since that flag is sectarian and does not represent all 9 Counties of Ulster. The flag of 9-County Ulster is yellow/red. So I hope that Ulster change the jersey colour to yellow/red.

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What is the background colour to the shield with the red hand of O'Neill on it?

**** off you ****-stirring clown. [Said as an Irish catholic from Down who has won more than a few medals playing Gaelic football.]
 
There white in both flags and everyone knows Ulster Rugby is nothing to do with any political/religious issues so leave them be.
 
Mods, can we just delete this and pretend it never happened?
 
Haw peat - leave our funny accents alone.

[although right enough, when you listen to someone from derry whine on... ye can't help but laugh :D]
 
Haw peat - leave our funny accents alone.

[although right enough, when you listen to someone from derry whine on... ye can't help but laugh :D]

Do I have to? :( I don't think I've even been exposed to the Derry one yet... best one I've heard yet was from Bangor.

Time I change that part of the sig again anyway, I like to keep 'em rolling.
 
Do I have to? :( I don't think I've even been exposed to the Derry one yet... best one I've heard yet was from Bangor.

Ban-gor?

Derry is a hundred times funnier. Its a fecker (that is usually whining) sounding just like... a whiney fecker.


Naw, tear away - I'm lucky enough to have a pretty neutral accent so don't care. Its the boys from ballymena (hi) at ravenhill ye need to look out for. :lol:
 

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