The Ulster Thread

[OhEastBelfast]

Just popping in to say hello....Ulster Fan...just joined today

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Just popping in to say hello....Ulster Fan...just joined today

Welcome! Get into the Ireland England thread and start complaining, you'll for in in no time!

 

[BPM]

Not one Ulsterman in the XV for Saturday

 

[munstermuffin]

Not one Ulsterman in the XV for Saturday

In fairness there is but he's listed as a Munster man

 

[BPM]

Aye right enough. To be entirely truthful, had Burns started, it would have been somewhat inaccurate to call him an Ulsterman. Let's stick with 'no Ulster players in the XV'.

 

[Groundhog]

Welcome aboard fella!

 

[paddybrown]

Hello. Another new member saying hello.

Rugby was always my dad's game, and watching Ulster and Ireland matches at his house (and occasional trips to Ravenhill - never call it "Kingspan" in my dad's presence) was a kind of father-son bonding activity. Now he's moved to England I find I miss it, so I've signed up to Premier Sports to watch Ulster in the Pro14.

Ireland: I thought the Ulster players who came on as subs did themselves no harm against England. The lineout was much better when Herring and Henderson came on, Burns showed more initiative in his 10 minutes than Byrne had in the first 70, and Stockdale took his try well. I dare say Stuart McCloskey might have made more gains running into tackles than Chris Farrell did, and might even have scored the try Farrell didn't.

BPM, Billy Burns may be English, but Rob Herring's Sith Ifrican and nobody complains about him playing for Ulster and Ireland. Besides, he totally has the face of a Belfast lad so he's an Ulsterman in spirit.



John Cooney's a Dubliner, and that doesn't stop Ulster fans clamouring for him to play for Ireland, because he's one of ours. I suspect the reason he doesn't is that he's a control freak who insists on running the game, and Ireland already have one of them in Sexton. But with Sexton injured, there was a distinct lck of creativity between Gibson Park and Byrne, so maybe Cooney would add something.

 

[OhEastBelfast]

Hello. Another new member saying hello.

Rugby was always my dad's game, and watching Ulster and Ireland matches at his house (and occasional trips to Ravenhill - never call it "Kingspan" in my dad's presence) was a kind of father-son bonding activity. Now he's moved to England I find I miss it, so I've signed up to Premier Sports to watch Ulster in the Pro14.

Ireland: I thought the Ulster players who came on as subs did themselves no harm against England. The lineout was much better when Herring and Henderson came on, Burns showed more initiative in his 10 minutes than Byrne had in the first 70, and Stockdale took his try well. I dare say Stuart McCloskey might have made more gains running into tackles than Chris Farrell did, and might even have scored the try Farrell didn't.

BPM, Billy Burns may be English, but Rob Herring's Sith Ifrican and nobody complains about him playing for Ulster and Ireland. Besides, he totally has the face of a Belfast lad so he's an Ulsterman in spirit.

View attachment 8898

John Cooney's a Dubliner, and that doesn't stop Ulster fans clamouring for him to play for Ireland, because he's one of ours. I suspect the reason he doesn't is that he's a control freak who insists on running the game, and Ireland already have one of them in Sexton. But with Sexton injured, there was a distinct lck of creativity between Gibson Park and Byrne, so maybe Cooney would add something.

Face of a Belfast lad

We may be biased, but i agree.....Cooney should be up there

 

[BPM]

My post was meant to be tongue in cheek ...

 

[Groundhog]

Dwayne Peel is leaving Ulster for Cardiff. Think he did a pretty decent job with Ulster in his time there.

 

[The Seeker]

PRO14 play resumes December 26th and 27th. Yay!

 

[big ginger 8]

Short highlights of Ulster A vs Munster A.

 

[WaterboySA]

Started to look at some Pro 14 games on the Pro 14 site. The young Ulster 10 looks promising, stocky lad...he in the Ireland group yet?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Started to look at some Pro 14 games on the Pro 14 site. The young Ulster 10 looks promising, stocky lad...he in the Ireland group yet?

Ian Madigan?

 

[paddybrown]

Started to look at some Pro 14 games on the Pro 14 site. The young Ulster 10 looks promising, stocky lad...he in the Ireland group yet?

I guess you mean Michael Lowry, who started at 10 in the opening match against Benetton. He's played a lot this season, but mostly at full back. Dangerous runner, lots of fun to watch, but I always get a little nervous at how keen he is to run into tackles given his size and injury record. I think everybody sees his future at out half, but he's behind Billy Burns and Ian Madigan, and probably Bill Johnston, at that position at the moment. He might get more game time at 10 now that Stockdale's back from Ireland duty and can play full back.

Here's a great try he scored againts Cardiff:



Hasn't been called up for Ireland, but he's played at U19 and U20 level.

 

[big ginger 8]

That's Coetzee gone so, must be a significant buy out since his contract is until 2022.

Imagine one of Conan or Deegan will head north and possibly Josh Murphy.

 

[paddybrown]

That's Coetzee gone so, must be a significant buy out since his contract is until 2022.

Imagine one of Conan or Deegan will head north and possibly Josh Murphy.

That's a shame. He's probably been our best player this season.

Maybe we could convert Stuart McCloskey to number 8? He's kind of a back row forward in the back line.

 

[paddybrown]

Teams have been announced for the Connacht game tomorrow. Coetzee's out - concussion protocols. Stockdale, McCloskey, Burns and Herring are on the IRFU player management list. Ulster lineup is:

Ulster

1. Kyle McCall
2. John Andrew
3. Tom O'Toole
4. Alan O'Connor (capt)
5. Kieran Treadwell
6. Greg Jones
7. Jordi Murphy
8. Nick Timoney
9. Alby Matthewson
10. Ian Madigan
11. Ethan McElroy
12. Stuart Moore
13. James Hume
14. Craig Gilroy
15. Michael Lowry

16. Andrew Warwick
17. Bradley Roberts
18. Marty Moore
19. David O'Connor
20. Matty Rea
21. Dave Shanahan
22. Ben Moxham
23. Matt Faddes

So no Cooney - I assume he's being rested, there's no mention of him in the injury or player management list, but he's not on the bench either. Lowry will presumably be cover for Madigan. McElroy starts - we'll get to see what he can do. Andrew has looked good at hooker this season, Bradley Roberts performed well as a replacement against Edinburgh, so we've got good cover for Herring. Ben Moxham is a new face on the bench, not listed in the senior team or academy on the Ulster Rugby website, According to All Rugby he's 19 and a centre, and according to Irish Rugby he's played on the wing for Ireland U20.

 

[big ginger 8]

Ulster confirm new contracts for Baloucoune, Marshall, Sexton and O'Connor https://the42.ie/5335096

 

[paddybrown]

Leone Nakarawa will join Ulster next season, and Herring and Madigan sign new contracts: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/55819651