Ulster 2015/16

[simonokeeffe]

Ulster: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Luke Marshall, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Craig Gilroy, 10 Peter Nelson, 9 Paul Marshall, 8 Nick Williams, 7 Willie Faloon, 6 Roger Wilson, 5 Franco Van der Merwe, 4 Dan Tuohy, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Rob Herring (c), 1 Andrew Warwick.
Replacements: 16 John Andrew, 17 Ricky Lutton, 18 Bronson Ross, 19 Peter Browne, 20 Clive Ross, 21 Sean Reidy, 22 David Shanahan, 23 Sam Arnold.

Ospreys: 15 Dan Evans, 14 Kristian Phillips, 13 Jonathan Spratt, 12 Ben John, 11 Tom Grabham, 10 Sam Davies, 9 Tom Habberfield, 8 Gareth Delve, 7 Lloyd Evans, 6 Joe Bearman, 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Lloyd Ashley (c), 3 Dmitri Arhip, 2 Sam Parry, 1 Marc Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Scott Otten, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Cai Griffiths, 19 Rory Thornton, 20 Dan Baker, 21 Sam Underhill, 22 Brendon Leonard, 23 Ashley Beck.

on BBC NI/W or iplayer for the naughty

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Ulster: Louis Ludik; Andrew Trimble, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy; Peter Nelson, Paul Marshall; Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring (capt), Wiehahn Herbst; Dan Tuohy, Franco van der Merwe; Roger Wilson, Willie Faloon, Nick Williams

Replacements: John Andrew, Ricky Lutton, Bronson Ross, Peter Browne, Clive Ross, Sean Reidy, David Shanahan, Sam Arnold.

So Trimble actually is fit. They look to be in real trouble at ten, desperately need an improvement in the back row too. Interesting to see how Marshall goes at 13 although hard to see him shining outside Nelson.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Well that was a waste of my copy and paste skills, screw you Simon!

[simonokeeffe]

somewhat appropriately we've partitioned the Ulster thread

[simonokeeffe]

You take the home matches, Ill take the away ones

[LeRouxIsPHat]

[johng]

Trouble at 10? Undrestatement of the year. I thought they might try L Marshall there

[simonokeeffe]

Trouble at 10? Undrestatement of the year. I thought they might try L Marshall there

So did everyone, apparently Nelson had played there a bit at A level last year and they seem quite keen on Marshal at 13 or at the very least McCloskey at 12

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I know this isn't exactly news but the number of centres they have is amazing. Regardless of his age, Arnold has been involved with the first team for a while now and has looked brilliant but is only on the bench despite them missing Cave, Payne, and Olding.

Someone really will need to move at some stage and Arnold being from England probably seems the most likely. It'll be very interesting to see where himself and Henshaw are in a couple of years.

[simonokeeffe]

I know this isn't exactly news but the number of centres they have is amazing. Regardless of his age, Arnold has been involved with the first team for a while now and has looked brilliant but is only on the bench despite them missing Cave, Payne, and Olding.

Someone really will need to move at some stage and Arnold being from England probably seems the most likely. It'll be very interesting to see where himself and Henshaw are in a couple of years.

Regardless of whether Henshaw gets ants in his pants theyve some big decisions in Ulster and Nucifora is going to have to get his hands bloody. I think Olding stays as he can play 10, 12, 13, 15 (when hes fit) so he could play 22 at worst even with McCloskey as 23. Luke Marshall presumably behind McCloskey and Cave for 12 plus Payne and Cave for 13 so he'd be the obvious candidate with Munster the obvious destination

[darkside lighteside]

Regardless of whether Henshaw gets ants in his pants theyve some big decisions in Ulster and Nucifora is going to have to get his hands bloody. I think Olding stays as he can play 10, 12, 13, 15 (when hes fit) so he could play 22 at worst even with McCloskey as 23. Luke Marshall presumably behind McCloskey and Cave for 12 plus Payne and Cave for 13 so he'd be the obvious candidate with Munster the obvious destination

We are certainly reasonably stocked in our backs outside 10 - however I actually don't think we'll lose any of them, for a couple of reasons. Firstly injuries - if we have 9 front line players covering 11-15 (Olding, Marshall, Cave, Payne, McCloskey, Trimble, Gilroy, Bowe & Ludik) we can expect about 25% of to be injured at any one point in time (and if we have a repeat of the last couple of seasons, that could be conservative) so in practice 5 (+1 sub) from 9 is more like 5+1 from 6 or 7 for most of the season, and fewer still during internationals. In fact rather than being 'over-stocked' we are simply adequately stocked in our backs, if we have any aspirations to be competitive against English & French opposition in Europe, and for all that Nucifora will take a strategic view, weakening just about the one section of our squad where we have meaningful coverage in order to prop up Munster, for example, would seem to be an odd priority.

Secondly, I don't think there is any appetite among any of the players for a move - yet. They know from last season that they will all get a shot, and I genuinely think that there are no sacred cows for the coaches (possible Payne being shoe-horned in at 13, under pressure from on high), if they perform, they're in the side. Obviously if they all miraculously stay fit all year, and someone falls off the radar, that could change.

But right now the only guys I think we might lose for next season are possibly Ludik (with Piutau coming in), and unless Nelson and Scholes have a big breakthrough year they might look elsewhere for gametime (with Owens and Stockdale very highly rated coming up behind them. Btw Ludik would be a great signing for Munster, a smashing and under-rated player, and I believe just a year away from being IQ under the current system.

[Donny B.]

Nick Williams? I thought he'd signed for Quins??

[Dave Cahill]

Nick Williams? I thought he'd signed for Quins??

There isn't a good Rotisserie Chicken Restaurant in Twickenham

[Dave Cahill]

Nick Williams? I thought he'd signed for Quins??

Perhaps his ban put them off? It only expired this week

[Donny B.]

Nick Williams? I thought he'd signed for Quins??

Perhaps his ban put them off? It only expired this week

Perhaps it fell through because of it?

[Donny B.]

Nick Williams? I thought he'd signed for Quins??

There isn't a good Rotisserie Chicken Restaurant in Twickenham

Twickenham eateries and for the most part drinkeries are generally of a dire standard.

Although the only good thing about my day trip to Quins last season was my discovery of the White Swan, a charming little pub by the river.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Regardless of whether Henshaw gets ants in his pants theyve some big decisions in Ulster and Nucifora is going to have to get his hands bloody. I think Olding stays as he can play 10, 12, 13, 15 (when hes fit) so he could play 22 at worst even with McCloskey as 23. Luke Marshall presumably behind McCloskey and Cave for 12 plus Payne and Cave for 13 so he'd be the obvious candidate with Munster the obvious destination

We are certainly reasonably stocked in our backs outside 10 - however I actually don't think we'll lose any of them, for a couple of reasons. Firstly injuries - if we have 9 front line players covering 11-15 (Olding, Marshall, Cave, Payne, McCloskey, Trimble, Gilroy, Bowe & Ludik) we can expect about 25% of to be injured at any one point in time (and if we have a repeat of the last couple of seasons, that could be conservative) so in practice 5 (+1 sub) from 9 is more like 5+1 from 6 or 7 for most of the season, and fewer still during internationals. In fact rather than being 'over-stocked' we are simply adequately stocked in our backs, if we have any aspirations to be competitive against English & French opposition in Europe, and for all that Nucifora will take a strategic view, weakening just about the one section of our squad where we have meaningful coverage in order to prop up Munster, for example, would seem to be an odd priority.

Secondly, I don't think there is any appetite among any of the players for a move - yet. They know from last season that they will all get a shot, and I genuinely think that there are no sacred cows for the coaches (possible Payne being shoe-horned in at 13, under pressure from on high), if they perform, they're in the side. Obviously if they all miraculously stay fit all year, and someone falls off the radar, that could change.

But right now the only guys I think we might lose for next season are possibly Ludik (with Piutau coming in), and unless Nelson and Scholes have a big breakthrough year they might look elsewhere for gametime (with Owens and Stockdale very highly rated coming up behind them. Btw Ludik would be a great signing for Munster, a smashing and under-rated player, and I believe just a year away from being IQ under the current system.

Think you're forgetting one important thing, doesn't have to be another province that they move to. I agree that using players as pawns on a chessboard won't work and I know of one player who turned down a move this summer, but big money from elsewhere could change things.

Agree to an extent about there not being an immediate need for someone to move (not quite as well stocked as the Leinster back row for example) but still think there's enough that one player should move next summer.

[simonokeeffe]

Nick Williams? I thought he'd signed for Quins??

There isn't a good Rotisserie Chicken Restaurant in Twickenham

Twickenham eateries and for the most part drinkeries are generally of a dire standard.

Although the only good thing about my day trip to Quins last season was my discovery of the White Swan, a charming little pub by the river.

Nick Easter has worn a serious ass grove into his seat in that dressing room

[johng]

Unbelievable try from McCluskey with assistance from his mate Hugh.

Last name Jandoff

[johng]

Yerman Nelson has a great boot on him