Ulster Team Talk Thread IV... Go On My Henderson...

Locke_Lamora

Dubinusa wrote: »

There are lots of unsigned players floating about. Not sure if there's any gems out there, but with the Nakawara deal falling off the money is there. I think that McCann can do the job. Alongside Timoney and Reidy, he can prosper. It's worth noting that Nordi is also highly rated at 8. I think Ulster just need another back row, a superstar would be grand, but unlikely. Crothers is probably a couple of years away. He is fairly small and would need to develop physically.

Is Jordi Murphy highly rated in any position anymore? He had a few games where he turned up for us but he went missing for large parts of the season. McCann is good but hasn't looked like he will improve the backrow massively yet, but I'm all for giving him more game time.

We are in a lot of trouble if we go into to next year with the same backrow imo.

awec

We need signings if we have expectations to compete.

stephen_n

Is Mathewson gone? Doak needs to be fast tracked through, looks like a serious prospect.

thomond2006

stephen_n wrote: »

Is Mathewson gone? Doak needs to be fast tracked through, looks like a serious prospect.

Yes he's gone.

Dubinusa

Sheridan looks the business too!

Neil3030

Not to be putting too much pressure on Doak, but after tonight, me and my mates have decided he's somewhere between Gareth Edwards and Joost Van Der Westhuizen, so if ye could get him some gametime next season that'd be great.

launish116

Dubinusa wrote: »

Sheridan looks the business too!

Indeed! Good balance of aggression and niggle.

launish116

https://supersport.com/rugby/rainbow-cup/news/210625_Sharks_revamp_coaching_group_in_preparation_for_new_challenge?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=ss-alwayson&utm_term=ss-int-ctw-jun-21&utm_content=other_web-alwayson_rugby&fbclid=IwAR3sNRQCg8SokhA0eJ_itqnSTOAiqjouRt6jlD9ajxlA9T4pyYnI90ZN-Bw

Anyone wanting to choke on their food and laugh simultaneously please read.

Paul Smeenus

launish116 wrote: »

https://supersport.com/rugby/rainbow-cup/news/210625_Sharks_revamp_coaching_group_in_preparation_for_new_challenge?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=ss-alwayson&utm_term=ss-int-ctw-jun-21&utm_content=other_web-alwayson_rugby&fbclid=IwAR3sNRQCg8SokhA0eJ_itqnSTOAiqjouRt6jlD9ajxlA9T4pyYnI90ZN-Bw

Anyone wanting to choke on their food and laugh simultaneously please read.

John McFarland was born in Belfast, I'd imagine that has added to confusion.

Paul Smeenus

https://dementedmole.com/2021/06/28/dont-cry-in-front-of-the-mexicans-ulsters-2020-21-season-and-how-they-must-keep-twirling-twirling-twirling-towards-freedom-in-2021-22/

Verbose, but a good, coherent analysis. Not sure about Treadwell at 6 (or Izzy) but just reading the names of our 11-15 backs is mouthwatering.

And I fully endorse the Ulster Globetrotter "conservatism be damned" model moving forward.

Richie_Rich89

I would be thinking 6. McCann, 7. Reidy/Murphy, 8. T money; 20. Murphy/Reidy is the way forward.

Then Matty Rea and Marcus Rea as back up at blindside and openside, respectively. Not sure about back up no. 8.

Paul Smeenus

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

I would be thinking 6. McCann, 7. Reidy/Murphy, 8. T money; 20. Murphy/Reidy is the way forward.

Then Matty Rea and Marcus Rea as back up at blindside and openside, respectively. Not sure about back up no. 8.

That is very light. We need a bruiser, especially given neither Carter nor Henderson are behemoths.

Richie_Rich89

Izuchukwu tried at 8 for a few games would be interesting, if he's not getting time in the second row.

Richie_Rich89

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

That is very light. We need a bruiser, especially given neither Carter nor Henderson are behemoths.

Light as in not enough bodies? - or the players are too lightweight?

Wiki has McCann down as 108kg - you'd imagine he could get to 110kg+ without too much difficulty - and T money is listed in different places at weights ranging from 110 kilos to 113 kilos.

TRC10

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

Izuchukwu tried at 8 for a few games would be interesting, if he's not getting time in the second row.

Maybe not 8, but I definitely think Izuchukwu could a great job at 6.

Paul Smeenus

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

Light as in not enough bodies? - or the players are too lightweight?

Wiki has McCann down as 108kg - you'd imagine he could get to 110kg+ without too much difficulty - and T money is listed in different places at weights ranging from 110 kilos to 113 kilos.

A bit of both, actually.

Maybe "light" in terms of weight is misleading. We need a destructive carrier. McCann looks to have serious nous and skills, but I don't know that he's ever going to send any tackler barrelling out of the way.

Locke_Lamora

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

https://dementedmole.com/2021/06/28/dont-cry-in-front-of-the-mexicans-ulsters-2020-21-season-and-how-they-must-keep-twirling-twirling-twirling-towards-freedom-in-2021-22/

Verbose, but a good, coherent analysis. Not sure about Treadwell at 6 (or Izzy) but just reading the names of our 11-15 backs is mouthwatering.

And I fully endorse the Ulster Globetrotter "conservatism be damned" model moving forward.

Agreed. If we're gonna lose then I would rather lose while watching Baloucoune and Timoney race each other up and down the touchlines.

Locke_Lamora

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

A bit of both, actually.

Maybe "light" in terms of weight is misleading. We need a destructive carrier. McCann looks to have serious nous and skills, but I don't know that he's ever going to send any tackler barrelling out of the way.

This is what I make of McCann as well. He's not underpowered by any means but he's not the go-to man for hard yards. He's got great hands around the contact area and will shine with a more balanced backrow imo. Things probably aren't going to change much next season, but the management better be waving the cash for the right backrower(s) - although I'm not even sure who's available.

bilston

Two years from now, my dream scenario for our packing something like this

1 Callum Reid
2 Tom Stewart
3 Tom O'Toole
4 Iain Henderson
5 Cormac Izuchwuku
6 David McCann
7 ???
8 ??? (Although game by game Nick Timoney continues to confound my expectations of how high his ceiling is)

That front row will do plenty of ball carrying.

Paul Smeenus

bilston wrote: »

Two years from now, my dream scenario for our packing something like this

1 Callum Reid
2 Tom Stewart
3 Tom O'Toole
4 Iain Henderson
5 Cormac Izuchwuku
6 David McCann
7 ???
8 ??? (Although game by game Nick Timoney continues to confound my expectations of how high his ceiling is)

That front row will do plenty of ball carrying.

McCann at 8, Sheridan at 6? Have been impressed with him during the U20s, playing at second row. Given he's a six, really, packing down on the TH side is particularly good going.

bilston

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

McCann at 8, Sheridan at 6? Have been impressed with him during the U20s, playing at second row. Given he's a six, really, packing down on the TH side is particularly good going.

Yes, good shout

Paul Smeenus

By the way, now that the Joe-lice have departed, there's a lot of really good stuff in that Tuohy interview. Talks frankly about Ulster as well - the switch between different coaches' reigns and just how haphazard it could all be. Well worth a listen.

Locke_Lamora

bilston wrote: »

Two years from now, my dream scenario for our packing something like this

1 Callum Reid
2 Tom Stewart
3 Tom O'Toole
4 Iain Henderson
5 Cormac Izuchwuku
6 David McCann
7 ???
8 ??? (Although game by game Nick Timoney continues to confound my expectations of how high his ceiling is)

That front row will do plenty of ball carrying.

Good in theory, but a few points:

Need to wait and see how Izzy recovers - ACL's can ruin careers. Pity, he was looking to be just what we needed.

Need to wait and see how Stewart and Reid take to senior rugby. I'm a bit fan of Stewart though. McCann hasn't shown much yet but I'm confident he'll be a good player as long as we put together a good backrow.

Love how we're just collectively ignoring next season lol

Richie_Rich89

6 seems to be a better fit for McCann, based on what I've seen. He's good at doing that grafting work.

Paul Smeenus

Locke_Lamora wrote: »

Good in theory, but a few points:

Need to wait and see how Izzy recovers - ACL's can ruin careers. Pity, he was looking to be just what we needed.

Need to wait and see how Stewart and Reid take to senior rugby. I'm a bit fan of Stewart though. McCann hasn't shown much yet but I'm confident he'll be a good player as long as we put together a good backrow.

Love how we're just collectively ignoring next season lol

I think it's just a wee day-dream skip down fantasy lane for Bils - you have to let a man dream.

A new Muller and to be honest, I think we'd start making real inroads. We have a fantastic array of backs. With Doak we have a >whisper it< Pienaar-esque petit general coming through. For me, the real gaps are in the back row, and in leadership.

launish116

Locke_Lamora wrote: »

Love how we're just collectively ignoring next season lol

Summary of what we’ve been doing for the last 5 years, waiting on a hyped up academy player to never appear. Looking hopelessly forward to following season hoping one will get more than one cap.

McCann at blindside for me! Also high hopes for Sheridan, been impressed so far.

We’re still at least 2 back-rowers short for the season. We’ve seen Timoney add sum timber, no reason why some others can’t.

bilston

Marcus Rea is a bit of an enigma. There's times I think he could be really good, and then other times were he misses a tackle or does something dumb. He's still young enough. Next season could be a big one for him.

Hopefully him and McCann make big strides anyway. Throw in a marquee signing for 2022/23 and we'll be suckin' diesel

launish116

bilston wrote: »

Marcus Rea is a bit of an enigma. There's times I think he could be really good, and then other times were he misses a tackle or does something dumb. He's still young enough. Next season could be a big one for him.

Indeed, is he a little under powered? Thought the ref was harsh on him the last game when it came to turnovers.

Him & Jones are really playing for their Ulster futures next season.

Dubinusa

I think Timoney can do the job for Ulster. He's really upped his physical game.
I agree re: Sheridan. Serious prospect and he's already looking very comfortable. Rea, I don't think will ever be a top level 7. He reminds me of Conor Oliver, but a lesser player!
McCann is also a serious prospect. I doubt he's the hard charger required. But, he certainly has the skills and tools to be a really good player!

Utah_Saint

Dubinusa wrote: »

I think Timoney can do the job for Ulster. He's really upped his physical game.
I agree re: Sheridan. Serious prospect and he's already looking very comfortable. Rea, I don't think will ever be a top level 7. He reminds me of Conor Oliver, but a lesser player!
McCann is also a serious prospect. I doubt he's the hard charger required. But, he certainly has the skills and tools to be a really good player!

I always though Timoney could try to emulate what simmonds does for Exeter. Although i suspect Simmonds does not need to do as much no8 grunt work as he has a great pack around him.
Timoney is listed as taller and heavier than simmonds....although probably just as fast.