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

McKee joined at the same time. Was promoted last year a year early onto a development deal

Ulster playing the Queensland Reds at Ravenhill next February.

Unfortunately, Saunderson has had to retire due to concussions.

https://ulster.rugby/content/ulster-rugby-confirm-george-saundersons-retirement

Is this now confirmed? That O'Toole is converting to LH?

I wonder is this a wise move. I don't think he's ever played there?

Did anybody else watch the Champions Cup draw? Bloody hell.

If we win any match I'll be surprised.

Ideally we get Leicester and Exeter at home.

Hopefully we're away to Toulouse as I don't think we'd beat them at home in any scenario at the moment.

We don't play Sharks.

I think this article is worrying from an Ulster pov;

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2024/0710/1459146-irfu-to-block-niq-front-row-signings-after-this-season/

Humphreys confirming that Farrell wants TOT to play LH. How much he will play LH for Ulster remains to be seen but surely to be able to cover the position at international level, he'll need a lot of game time there. He's also saying that NIQ front-rows won't be signed.

Andy [Farrell] can't go out and sign foreign players, so we have got to find ways to make sure that, yes, we have a national responsibility, but that starts with the provinces and the pressure will be on them: 'You have got to deliver those players to make you be competitive’

I think this is pretty stupid tbh. Ulster took a guy who wasn't picked up elsewhere and he is now an international TH. It is pretty unfair for the IRFU to then decide that they want him at LH, you can't sign a NIQ replacement so you can get into a bidding war for the few available IQ THs for next season. He then says it's up to Ulster to solve the problem he is creating for them and has decided to add extra constraints also; 'You have got to deliver those players to make you be competitive’.

TOT was a big prospect at underage, he was brought in from Australia, he wasnt some sort of unknown overlooked player that Ulster developed into an intl.

I don't think it really matters to the IRFU how it happened, what matters to them is that they have players of sufficient quality available for the national team. They then deciding that they have enough THs and that TOT should move to LH as it suits them is a bit much. Why not Bealham, he's nearing the end of his career anyway, or Jager?

The issue really is that a replacement TH is going to be very diffiicult to find if Ulster can't look at NIQ players. Leinster are signing Slimani despite having a decent depth-chart. The no NIQ rule will mean they will be hoarding front-rowers from now on. Slimani would be perfect for Ulster as a replacement for TOT and facilitating Wilson's development.

The current policy will likely lead to Wilson getting flogged which could hamper his development. If Wilson is ripping it up for Ulster, I'm sure Farrell will take him into Ireland squads which means less availability for Ulster. Ulster look to be getting the thin end of the wedge in every respect.

Humphreys is pushing the problem onto the provinces but I think the national team management need to be actively part of the solution too. Farrell needs to bring a few young LHs into his squad, even if they aren't at international standard yet, the national team management can help them get there. Sticking with Healy and playing Porter 70+ minutes only prolongs the problem. It's the same at SH, Farrell should be helping to develop Doak, god knows McFarland wasn't going to do it.

Claiming "Ulster are getting the thin end of the wedge in every respect" is a big stretch.

TOT is presumably open to switching position, as he's being told his Ireland prospects are better at LHP. I don't know for sure if that's the case, but it looks logical. He had a great season in the Grand Slam campaign back in 2023, but has struggled to make much impact for Ireland since, and Jager's emergence has probably nudged him further down the depth chart. Jager is never going to much to LHP as he is far bigger than TOT and less mobile/dynamic. As you say, Bealham is near the end of his career, so what would be the point of him switching now?

Ulster have had absolutely no shortage of NIQs for a long long time, and, simply put, for the talent available to them underage, are not producing enough players for the Irish team.