Ulster 2018-2019

[kermischocolate]

He is indeed. Currently in Munster we have great weakness in depth at out half.

Any more 10's in Munster and you'll win the Strictly Glitterball!

[johng]

There are a couple of North and South stand tix on the ticket exchange.

https://teamexchange.ticketmaster.com/h ... PR06&CNTX=

[blockhead]

Bad Bobby Baloucoune gets a two game ban for his slightly late (or early) tackle on Sweetman.
Free to play again on the 6th of Jan. We play Ulster on the 5th.

[TrapperChamonix]

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 87663.html

Herbst moving back to SA. McFarland continues to clear house. That must be 5 or 6 hes pushed out the door since he arrived. There is a lot to like about the direction he is taking.

[neill_m]

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 87663.html

Herbst moving back to SA. McFarland continues to clear house. That must be 5 or 6 hes pushed out the door since he arrived. There is a lot to like about the direction he is taking.

This one remains in the rumour column for now. Story denied by Ulster Rugby.

[rooster]

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 87663.html

Herbst moving back to SA. McFarland continues to clear house. That must be 5 or 6 hes pushed out the door since he arrived. There is a lot to like about the direction he is taking.

More like prudent financial pruning and anyway Herbsts contract is up at the end of the season. It looks like McCall is out for the season after he was carried off with leg injury so that may also mean Herbst kept for the remainder of this season anyway

[sunshiner1]

This has me scratching my head. Herbst is IQ and while on good money I can't see him breaking the bank. Ulster have Moore (whose injury prone) and O'Toole (a talent but young) who else it there? Who would be replacing Herbst if he went? Are they going NIQ?

[dropkick]

This has me scratching my head. Herbst is IQ and while on good money I can't see him breaking the bank. Ulster have Moore (whose injury prone) and O'Toole (a talent but young) who else it there? Who would be replacing Herbst if he went? Are they going NIQ?

I'd say Ulster don't want to pay him much because he is injury prone and they've Moore and the 2 young lads (Kane and O'Toole) have potential. There's also the NIQ angle.


With that in mind going home might start to be more appealing to Herbst.


When Herbst came all the talk was him playing for Ireland down the line. Thankfully we've plenty of options now. If Herbst did make it to Ireland level then he would have earned a nice wage.

[sunshiner1]

by dropkick » January 9th, 2019, 5:56 am

sunshiner1 wrote:
This has me scratching my head. Herbst is IQ and while on good money I can't see him breaking the bank. Ulster have Moore (whose injury prone) and O'Toole (a talent but young) who else it there? Who would be replacing Herbst if he went? Are they going NIQ?

I'd say Ulster don't want to pay him much because he is injury prone and they've Moore and the 2 young lads (Kane and O'Toole) have potential. There's also the NIQ angle.


With that in mind going home might start to be more appealing to Herbst.


When Herbst came all the talk was him playing for Ireland down the line. Thankfully we've plenty of options now. If Herbst did make it to Ireland level then he would have earned a nice wage.

Herbst did excellent the first season for Ulster, after that it seems like he got figured out by the other teams and while still decent he was never close to that level again. Also like you said the injuries but he's still IQ which makes him attractive to keep. If I was McFarland I'd think long and hard before getting rid of him.

[rooster]

by dropkick » January 9th, 2019, 5:56 am

sunshiner1 wrote:
This has me scratching my head. Herbst is IQ and while on good money I can't see him breaking the bank. Ulster have Moore (whose injury prone) and O'Toole (a talent but young) who else it there? Who would be replacing Herbst if he went? Are they going NIQ?

I'd say Ulster don't want to pay him much because he is injury prone and they've Moore and the 2 young lads (Kane and O'Toole) have potential. There's also the NIQ angle.


With that in mind going home might start to be more appealing to Herbst.


When Herbst came all the talk was him playing for Ireland down the line. Thankfully we've plenty of options now. If Herbst did make it to Ireland level then he would have earned a nice wage.

Herbst did excellent the first season for Ulster, after that it seems like he got figured out by the other teams and while still decent he was never close to that level again. Also like you said the injuries but he's still IQ which makes him attractive to keep. If I was McFarland I'd think long and hard before getting rid of him.

He spends longer on the physio table per week than he does on the pitch per season

[Oldschool]

Ulster v Racing 16-10 at HT.
Ulster need to protect the ball better in the second half if they are going to win.
As usual the last 20mins will tell a tale about fitness but Ulster haven't been able to stretch Racing as much as Leinster did against Toulouse.
Racing, unfortunately, are likely to win.
Ulster need to get something out of the game and then who knows next week.
Ahem
48mins
Stockdale gets third Ulster's try.
23-10
Oops
59mins
23-15 Three conversions missed by Russell.
Racing have wind in 2nd half.
Fook
64mins
23-22
Racing try BP looking ominous.
FT
Ulster win but Racing got two BPs.
Ulster have one foot in an away QF.
Could even be against Racing.
Think Racing tired a bit in the last ten minutes.

[neill_m]

Great win for Ulster. May need another point or 2 to lock up a QF spot.

[blockhead]

Great win for Ulster. May need another point or 2 to lock up a QF spot.

It really was, missing Hendo and Cooney!
Addison is a great addition, not sure about Burns though.

[Jackie Brown]

Great win for Ulster. May need another point or 2 to lock up a QF spot.

It really was, missing Hendo and Cooney!
Addison is a great addition, not sure about Burns though.

Lowry's time has come

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[Ruckedtobits]

Well done to the men with the Red Hand. That was a wonderful victory, born out of a simple game plan and typical Ulster stubborness and refusal to be overrun. To watch the last 20 minutes was to remember the days when Irish teams could only survive against big French teams through will powere and sheer grit.

McFarland has really done a fine job coaching these players and given them a clear picture of how they can get results. But, above all, congrats to the players like Shanahan and Lowry, like Ludik and Addison, like O'Connor & Treadwell. These guys were magnificent as were all their team-mates. A great result and I hope you can complete the job next weekend.

[Aird]

Who would have thought this time 12 months ago that this would be possible, however even with the the loss of two head coaches, five or six senior players through retirement or transfer, the forcing out of two key players to France, and a heavy injury toll at the start of the season that we woul£ be here today.
I was surprised at so many dismissing our chances when you look back at the french sides who have come unstuck Ravenhiil / Kingspan. Even during our turmoil last year La Rochelle foundered on the same rock.
There. Is no argument that there is more to do but McFarland is building a team, maybe not of stars but one which work well to get her.
Kiss produced some startling selections which rarely seem to bell or at least get time to bell. Dan appears to be prepared when injuries permit to stick with combinations. He has shown that he is prepared to take a chance on youngsters and this has largely paid off.
Jared Payne has been a breath of fresh air in his defence coaching role, and Peel looks a lot happier and effective under the new regime.
Finally the addition of Dan Soper to the coaching staff has improved the skills level and with his recent schools experience acts as a good link from the acedemy to the senior team.
The cutting away of dead wood has also helped to sharpen a few minds

Ulster may not be paradice but it has certainly become a happier place this season. Yes we have had some setbacks especially in the Pro14 but there is progress

[FLIP]

Some speculation elsewhere that this post by Zebo is him saying he was racially abused: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsi6SXMhHyP ... twgal2u305

From what I've heard from Ulster fans all he got was panto boos and chants of who ate all the pies because of how he acted in Paris.

[hugonaut]

Some speculation elsewhere that this post by Zebo is him saying he was racially abused: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsi6SXMhHyP ... twgal2u305

From what I've heard from Ulster fans all he got was panto boos and chants of who ate all the pies because of how he acted in Paris.

If he was racially abused he should take the charge to a more serious authority than Instagram.

[FLIP]

Some speculation elsewhere that this post by Zebo is him saying he was racially abused: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsi6SXMhHyP ... twgal2u305

From what I've heard from Ulster fans all he got was panto boos and chants of who ate all the pies because of how he acted in Paris.

If he was racially abused he should take the charge to a more serious authority than Instagram.

My thoughts exactly. My own view is that he can't take what he gives out.

[ronk]

Who would have thought this time 12 months ago that this would be possible, however even with the the loss of two head coaches, five or six senior players through retirement or transfer, the forcing out of two key players to France, and a heavy injury toll at the start of the season that we woul£ be here today.
I was surprised at so many dismissing our chances when you look back at the french sides who have come unstuck Ravenhiil / Kingspan. Even during our turmoil last year La Rochelle foundered on the same rock.
There. Is no argument that there is more to do but McFarland is building a team, maybe not of stars but one which work well to get her.
Kiss produced some startling selections which rarely seem to bell or at least get time to bell. Dan appears to be prepared when injuries permit to stick with combinations. He has shown that he is prepared to take a chance on youngsters and this has largely paid off.
Jared Payne has been a breath of fresh air in his defence coaching role, and Peel looks a lot happier and effective under the new regime.
Finally the addition of Dan Soper to the coaching staff has improved the skills level and with his recent schools experience acts as a good link from the acedemy to the senior team.
The cutting away of dead wood has also helped to sharpen a few minds

Ulster may not be paradice but it has certainly become a happier place this season. Yes we have had some setbacks especially in the Pro14 but there is progress

The run of results last season to secure Heineken Cup left no doubt in my mind about Ulster’s fortitude. The signings addressed critical areas. IRFU have learnt their lesson with coaches and have mandated them for building, not results (van Graan not so much). McFarland has bought into that, and kinda had to.