Transfers rumours

[profitius]

Michael Collins looked good for the baby blacks last summer.

 

[munstermuffin]

Richardt Strauss. Jared Payne too before the year is out.

I agree with you though. I'd rather see Ireland invest in developing it's own players that picking up players from elsewhere with next to no affinity for the country before they set foot here.

While I'd agree with that I'd say Strauss and Payne are decent but nothing better than what we have ie Best is still best hooker with not a lot between next few in pecking order. And while Payne will be a good addition we don't need him desperately.
Feic is right we have academies now that are producing crazy talent. Look at 4 years ago we had 1 Tighthead prop now we've buckets of props each side and plenty of hookers

 

[Peat]

Nobody needs to encourage Humph snr to go looking for IQs abroad and Ulster would not be in the position they're in if he hadn't. The likes of D'Arcy, Herring, Tuohy etc.etc. have filled important gaps in the squad where Ulster could not produce. I'd sign Michael Fitzgerald tomorrow on Darwin's recommendation tbh, Ulster need another lock and it doesn't seem to be coming from the home ranks. Who cares if he's good enough for international duty, if he's good enough for provincial duty and counts as IQ that's good enough for me. I'd love for Ulster to fill a team entirely from Ulster but it's not happening yet. Ireland may be producing talent like never before but it doesn't mean Ireland has produced enough for three strong squads on the money available. This means players need to come in and the IRFU want them IQ.

I appreciate your desire for homegrown, your confidence in what you're producing and so on. But the provinces need these players. I hear the argument about development but success today is what keeps the conveyor belt rolling and enlargening. And yes, Sean Doyle is better than Ali Birch and Rob Herring better than Niall Annett. These little things do make the difference.

I suppose the IRFU could just sanction NIQ squad filler... personally, I think they're right to ensure that as many players who get the chance can be used by the National team as possible. Just seems sensible to me. It's not great, but I just don't see it as a weapon that can be left unused in Rugby's arms race.

edit: Bet Humph has a longer list than that one Snoopy posted.

 

[Groundhog]

Just don't let that Michael Collins lad anywhere near Cork and he'll do fine here.

 

[Darwin]

Michael Collins looked good for the baby blacks last summer.

Keep your hands off Collins. He may never be an All Black (or even a Super Rugby player) but he looks like he will be a key player for Otago over the next few years.

 

[munstermuffin]

I thought if you played for Baby Blacks that ties you down to NZ.

 

[ruggabee]

Ireland are welcome to all the players on the list apart from Fitzgerald, O'Connor, Christie, and Collins (though I wouldn't consider any of them international quality players). The rest of the players aren't even Super Rugby standard, and many of them barely ITM Cup standard (they would make Michael Bent look pretty good ).

The only guy I recognise in the shortlist is Declan O'Donnell. Looks more exciting than the wingers coming through in Ireland at the moment. You didn't mention him so has his succession not continued from sevens to super rugby Darwin?

 

[Feicarsinn]

You're right, the 4 Lions available on the wings (none of whom even featured in the 6 nations eh?) should all be cast aside in favor of this kid.

 

[ruggabee]

You're right, the 4 Lions available on the wings (none of whom even featured in the 6 nations eh?) should all be cast aside in favor of this kid.

I'm talking about those just coming out of the academies and in the academies. I haven't seen any of those do what that kid can do. Who said anything about casting players aside?

 

[Gavin]

The only guy I recognise in the shortlist is Declan O'Donnell. Looks more exciting than the wingers coming through in Ireland at the moment. You didn't mention him so has his succession not continued from sevens to super rugby Darwin?

I wouldn't take O'Donnell above any of our young wingers. O'Donnell is 23 whilst Gilroy is 23, Zebo 24 and Dave Kearney 24. We do not need to attempt to bring anyone in, our wings are in good stock.

 

[Feicarsinn]

I wouldn't take O'Donnell above any of our young wingers. O'Donnell is 23 whilst Gilroy is 23, Zebo 24 and Dave Kearney 24. We do not need to attempt to bring anyone in, our wings are in good stock.

Earls and Fitzgerald aren't exactly old either. We're reasonably stacked on the wings at the moment.

 

[ruggabee]

Earls and Fitzgerald aren't exactly old either. We're reasonably stacked on the wings at the moment.

No doubt Ireland are well stocked. Leinster certainly are. I was wondering because if he was showing what he was doing at sevens but in super rugby I can see a space for him in the other 3 provinces. Anyway, this is getting a bit off topic from transfer rumours but it will be interesting if there is truth to that shortlist.

 

[Peat]

I was wondering about that. If he's played for NZ in sevens, as he has, he's tied to them. Baby Blacks doesn't tie, but Sevens do. Surely the IRFU realise that? So what would he be doing on any list?

Anyway, there's no space for him at Ulster. We've got a pretty mean first choice back three and three wingers with genuine international aspirations bubbling under in Gilroy, Allen and Scholes. I'm pretty excited about Scholes, he's big, he's quick, he's got a massive boot, at the very least we should get Trimble plus out of him and some of his U20 tries hinted at more. Don't think he'd improve our options and money is tight elsewhere. Plus some of the most hyped schools players are back three - Stockdale and Owens. Ulster are fine at wing, particularly if Peter Nelson corrects whatever's wee'd off the Cowboy. Now, if O'Donnell had been a scrum half...

Not sure a province with Earls, Zebo and Conway with O'Shea in the academy is really struggling either. Still, better than Hurley I guess. Save for not being IQ.

 

[ruggabee]

I was wondering about that. If he's played for NZ in sevens, as he has, he's tied to them. Baby Blacks doesn't tie, but Sevens do. Surely the IRFU realise that? So what would he be doing on any list?

Anyway, there's no space for him at Ulster. We've got a pretty mean first choice back three and three wingers with genuine international aspirations bubbling under in Gilroy, Allen and Scholes. I'm pretty excited about Scholes, he's big, he's quick, he's got a massive boot, at the very least we should get Trimble plus out of him and some of his U20 tries hinted at more. Don't think he'd improve our options and money is tight elsewhere. Plus some of the most hyped schools players are back three - Stockdale and Owens. Ulster are fine at wing, particularly if Peter Nelson corrects whatever's wee'd off the Cowboy. Now, if O'Donnell had been a scrum half...

Not sure a province with Earls, Zebo and Conway with O'Shea in the academy is really struggling either. Still, better than Hurley I guess. Save for not being IQ.

Funny you say scrum half! His brother Kylem O'Donnell is on the list. Interested? Regarding Ulster I can't see Allen being anything more than a hard working fringe international. Also could possibly swap out Cochrane? He's 25 or something now isn't he? But yeah there is no dire need for a project player short list but in saying that I wouldn't have a problem with bringing in players if they were evidently better than an Irish counterpart.

 

[Peat]

Funny you say scrum half! His brother Kylem O'Donnell is on the list. Interested? Regarding Ulster I can't see Allen being anything more than a hard working fringe international. Also could possibly swap out Cochrane? He's 25 or something now isn't he? But yeah there is no dire need for a project player short list but in saying that I wouldn't have a problem with bringing in players if they were evidently better than an Irish counterpart.

If he's any good yeah - I imagine Humph has had tracker chips implanted in every IQ scrum-half with professional pretensions tbh, our need is somewhat desperate.

No argument about that being about Allen's potential but when that's what your third best prospect is like, it's a pretty good excuse not to go shopping. Cochrane should be shipped out, but we're now talking about replacing the 6th choice winger slot, and the first requirement there has to be they'll do it for super cheap - doubt that's O'Donnell. The wage budget only goes so many ways.

 

[Darwin]

Funny you say scrum half! His brother Kylem O'Donnell is on the list. Interested? Regarding Ulster I can't see Allen being anything more than a hard working fringe international. Also could possibly swap out Cochrane? He's 25 or something now isn't he? But yeah there is no dire need for a project player short list but in saying that I wouldn't have a problem with bringing in players if they were evidently better than an Irish counterpart.

Kylem has played for the NZ Sevens team already so wouldn't be eligible (just like his brother Declan).

I was wondering about that. If he's played for NZ in sevens, as he has, he's tied to them. Baby Blacks doesn't tie, but Sevens do. Surely the IRFU realise that? So what would he be doing on any list?

The fact the O'Donnell brothers have both Sevens for NZ (and are hence ineligible of Ireland) does make me question whether this list is legitimate (or simply a list someone has made of NZ rugby players with Irish surnames).

The only guy I recognise in the shortlist is Declan O'Donnell. Looks more exciting than the wingers coming through in Ireland at the moment. You didn't mention him so has his succession not continued from sevens to super rugby Darwin?

O'Donnell impressed at 7's several seasons ago but has barely been seen since. He was in the Chiefs squad in 2012 but featured in only a single match, and didn't play any rugby in 2013 after shoulder surgery (he was contracted with the Highlanders). I understand he is back playing rugby now, so he may get a chance for Waikato during the ITM Cup (though has never really impressed that much in the 15 man game).

 

[Peat]

The fact the O'Donnell brothers have both Sevens for NZ (and are hence ineligible of Ireland) does make me question whether this list is legitimate (or simply a list someone has made of NZ rugby players with Irish surnames).

Could be! You'd imagine the IRFU would have identified a few Australian players as well...

 

[ruggabee]

The wage budget only goes so many ways.

Somehow the salaries slipped my mind. Good point.

 

[lynam1104]

Considering Darwin has ruled out about half the list already I think we can its pretty bull****, we're at a point now where we're exporting a lot of players I cannot see the need to bring in sub par NZ players.

Peat if Ulster desperately need a scrum half surly they're looking at Hart, seems to be doing well in France.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Tom Biggs' move to Hull FC has fallen through and he's supposedly signed with Worcester.