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

Demented Mole discuss Ulster, worth a listen https://soundcloud.com/dementedmole/molecast-113?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Izuchukwu playing for Ballynahinch today (3 year Ulster contract). Joe M’Carthy being compared to Etzebeth and in line for Ireland team against France.

I don’t hear too much about Postlethwaite I am sure he would like to be starting or benching consistently at his age. I don’t know if he is playing atm.

To think that Doak, Hume, Baloucoune, Lowry were some of the hottest backs in Europe 2 years ago.

These players are very, very good and I want them to do well.

I'll listen to this later, but from what you're saying there is a lot of merit to it. There have been loads of Ulster players in the dominant Irish U20 set ups over the last 5 years, yet they just aren't kicking on like their Leinster and Munster compatriots.

Although the two players named have had their injury woes.

Just listened to the Demented Mole podcast. Lots of good points made. I think Ulster need be looking beyond McFarland at this stage. I hadn’t realised he’s been there for the guts of 6 years. And unfortunately Ulster seem to be getting further away from where they should be.

Have the players downed tools to a degree or just attitudes become a bit lax under McFarland? Either way, a few fresh voices would probably do them a world of good as there’s plenty of potential and established talent there.

I don't think he was earmakred at all tbh, he was a project player we took on because we were crying out for a second row. He was never particularly close to a Leinster academy place and he was playing amateur rugby in scotland because he had never played second row before leaving school. Players grow a different rates so none of this particularly matters, but I take issue with mentioning him in the same vein as Ahern or McCarthy because it implies we have somehow ruined a comparable promising talent when, if anything, he exceeded expectations here.

However, I am disappointed with his lack of game time after his initial breakthrough. He is not a better player than Treadwell, AOC or Sheridan but you would've thought there would be space to squeeze more minutes in given Henderson's injuries and Sheridan seems to be more of a 6. There was a rumour on uafc about a falling out with Dan and while it's easy to just blame the coach, I can't just lay it all at his feet without knowing details. Sometimes a foot needs putting down.

Sheridan is the one I'm most disappointed by. Looked very abrasive and strong which is just what we need more of. Didn't seem to be in injury reports but couldn't get a look in after playing in the champions cup last season. We signed Ewers and McCann has finally broken through which might've affected his minutes but one has been injured and the other keeps sitting on the bench for Matty Rea.

McCann was superb in the early part of the season before he got injured. Sheridan looked good last year, had completely forgotten about him.

How’s Aaron Sexton getting on? Haven’t seen too much of him since he lost the ball over the line against Leinster last year. Did that set him back or has he had a few injuries?

I suppose bringing in a beast like Ewers was going to hamper somebody's development. It's understandable, imo. Sheridan will get his time. He's going to be a really important player too.

Ulster's conversion rate from u20 to senior really needs examined. How many times have we seen a forward excel at u20 never to materialise. We're now seeing Crothers, McNabey, McGloughlin, Wilson thought that's more to our hand being forced.

Demented Mole made a very valid point about Sexton, albeit he's had fair criticism here. If he was at Leinster they would have a plan for him.

We take our resources for granted and to many junior players have been squandered! Players who had been playing elsewhere could of made a go of it.

This is my view as well. I’d change our coaching staff but honestly our talent or talent ID is the problem. Or was the problem. The last couple of years it has improved imo.

The Izuchukwu stuff seems like revisionist history to me. Ahern alone was a way more hyped prospect. I really like Izuchukwu and i think its super weird that he is on a three year deal and playing so much AIL, but he was never considered that level of prospect imo.

Sexton is a tricky one. I almost feel like he should go to Pro D2 and play ALOT and then check back in on him. The irish academy system kind of requires you to be ready to be URC level almost by year three. Some guys just take a lot longer and need game time to get there. Leinster get a ton of guys at 19/20 who are already pretty highly developed.

Not sure what is to be achieved by bringing Leinster into this, apart from maybe trying to drag down Leinster in order to make things seem a bit better at Ulster.

Leinster can take a "let the cream rise to the top" approach due to the sheer numbers in the system, the guys coming out of school are already well developed for that age and they have plenty of top players anyway so can wait an extra year or two for a guy worth investing serious game time in. "Sink or swim" can work under those conditions.

Ulster have to churn a lot harder to produce the cream. They need to be turning a higher percentage of high potential lads into pro-level players. They need to be better at identifying the flaws in individual player's games and actively trying to rectify them. No doubt they are already doing that but they need to be better at it. It may mean taking less players into the academy but focusing more resources on each player.

Not going to name any names because I don't think that's fair but some guys seem to have been brought in despite being unlikely to be able to compete at pro level, seemingly in hope and/or to make up numbers (similar seems to happen with mid-20s front rowers). After academy, very questionable to be paying lads but leaving them play amateur level, why give a contract if you don't think they warrant meaningful URC gametime? Why not let them play amateur and if standing out there, then bring them into the pro set up? Seem to be relying on numbers and competition to improve lads which isn't enough when you have a good few average players in the squad.

Jackman hinting/saying burns to munster?

Maybe we are getting frawley? The Frawley part is just my speculation.

Which Burns, Freddie is IQ now too.

Anyone believe Jackman?