Backline and Backrow Analysis

Backline:

The signing of Timoci Nagusa, announced at the end of last month for those of you who have been living under a rock, with their eyes closed and their fingers in their ears, completed a close-season of drastic change for the Ulster back division. Cillian Willis, Clinton Schifcofske and Ian Humphreys join Nagusa, for those of you who were under a rock on Mars, while Tommy Bowe and Mark Bartholomeusz have sought pastures new and Adam Larkin, not to mention the legendary Dr David George Humphreys MBE, have hung up their boots and gone off to stud.

With all this change, The Archipelago takes up the challenge of predicting a first choice Ulster back division for the coming season:

Fullback: Clinton Schifcofske

No one can argue with Bryn Cunningham’s contribution to Ulster Rugby in recent seasons but the requirement of the Ulster fullback has drastically changed. We’re not talking about the attacking ideals epitomised by Mark Bartholomeusz’s coupling of exciting ball in hand abilities and last-line defence that would make René Higuita squirm here. We’re talking about goal kicking. Last season, Ulster had the embarrassing record of missing almost half of all kicks at goal – although Keiron Dawson didn’t really help matters. With Ian Humphreys not exactly bringing a history of consistent goalkicking success to the ‘Hill, it was no surprise that Matt Williams’ eyes turned elsewhere.

He found Australian rugby league convert Clinton Schifcofske; an 80% - 90% kicking success rate stands as an important figure in Ulster’s context but with a solid defensive record, a decent tackle and a side-step that may fool the odd opponent, he brings a balanced mix of attacking and defensive fullback play to Ulster that has been missing at Ravenhill in recent times.

Right Wing: Simon Danielli

Danielli’s performances with Ulster over the past season saw one of our adopted Scottish sons return to a starting berth in the 6 Nations for the first time since 2005. Powerful runs into space defined a debut season that surpassed the expectations granted to him upon his signing from the defunct Borders. While Danielli’s season may well be most remembered for an embarrassing knock-on over the try line, there can be little doubt that he has done enough to deserve the white shirt of Ulster.

Left Wing: Timoci Nagusa

Completing the international flair in the back three is Fijian Timoci Nagusa. The apparent epitome of a flying Fijian, he comes with a big step and a strong finish. Having scored two tries in his first three international caps, Nagusa’s potential, raw ability and pace cannot be doubted and he is an obvious starter for Ulster in the coming season.

Inside Centre: Andrew Trimble

With Rob Dewey established at international level for his native Scotland as an inside centre and with Paddy Wallace having given an excellent account of himself in the Ireland 12 shirt this past summer, it may seem counterintuitive to name our great outside centre hope in the inside channel but bear with me here.

Ulster fans have been debating just where Trimble could be best deployed for a majority of his career so far. Much of the debate has focused between the left wing and outside centre positions. Let’s make this clear; Trimble is not a winger. He looks lost on the wing, has a tendency to drift infield and simply doesn’t have ability to clear the ball under pressure. So why isn’t Trimble an outside centre? Simple; he has the good hands of an international 12 but not the distribution ability to make it as a top quality 13.

Let’s face it; the absolute best performance we saw from Trimble last year wasn’t in the white of Ulster but the green of Ireland. To be precise, Ireland vs. Scotland; this game epitomised exactly what is good about Trimble’s game – a hard tackle, great support play in the open and the ability to make ground in the contact situation - all came to the fore in that game. Trimble’s biggest tackles came when he was defending the 12 channel, his best support play when he was attacking 12 and his best ground made when he was coming onto the ball at first receiver. Just look at Tommy Bowe’s first try that day if you want proof.

Outside Centre: Rob Dewey

Okay, so as if naming Trimble at 12 wasn’t a warped enough concept, I’ve gone and labelled Rob Dewey, considered as little more than a battering ram of an inside centre by a misguided few, at outside centre but consider this:

Dewey was, arguably, the player of the tournament at this summer’s Churchill Cup. Those performances came while he was playing at 13. Indeed, his best performances in the full Scotland international shirt have come from 13, with Henderson playing inside at 12. There is no doubt that Trimble offers more variety and pace than Henderson but they are both strong, direct players built from the same mould.

Dewey is more than a battering ram; he’s big and strong but he offers more than the Kevin Maggs school of crash-ball play. He may use his bulk and speed to get through the first tackle but we’re dealing with a player that picks intelligent and dangerous lines, who can make his presence felt and who works incredibly well off a destructive inside centre. Not only that, but he has exceptionally quick hands and has the ability not only to break the line but also to draw defenders in and set those around him away.

Trust me; Dewey at 13 and Trimble at 12 is best Ulster have and, with both on top form, is enough to strike fear into any other team in the Magners League.

Outhalf: Paddy Wallace

With Ian Humphreys arriving and Niall O’Connor continuing his development, it may not make any sense to stick with Wallace, given his apparent failure in the 10 shirt last season. With the imminent and disturbing arrival of the ELVs and a serious defensive and placekicking boot coming from fullback, there are worse things in the world than a running 10 on the park however, especially a running 10 with Wallace’s great appreciation of space and excellent distribution skills. There can be little doubt that with Trimble, Dewey and now Wallace all proved as international qualities, that Ulster’s best backline must involve all three players and sliding Wallace in at 10 makes much more sense that shoving Trimble onto the wing.

Scrumhalf: Isaac Boss

Isaac Boss had a real bear of a season last time out. There is no doubt that the failure of the Ulster pack up front and the inexperience and inconsistency outside him at 10 had a negative impact on Boss’ game. That said, his failure to get the backline going and his often poor decision-making indicated a personal loss of form. All of this, of course, stands in glaring contrast to the abrasive scrumhalf play that saw Isaac work his way into the Ireland matchday 22 in 2006. We know what Boss is capable of. We know that he’s better than his performances in the last season. We know all about his ability to break from the base, we know he can get our backs going and we know all about what he offers in defence. Boss is a class act who has gone through a dip in form and while he will face added pressure for the shirt from the quickly developing Marshall and Willis, he is my tip to be wearing the number nine come the 11th of October.

Who would make up your backline for the coming season?

Backrow:

If Ulster’s backline has experienced drastic change in the close season, then the backrow has undergone the rugby equivalent of a full facial transplant. Four players that featured for Ulster last season have packed their bags and trumped off across the Irish Sea to England and Wales. With new arrival Robbie Diack adding to Ulster’s diminished numbers and Chris Henry expected to play a greater role, these changes, in numbers at least, represent not just one, but two backrows.

While Grant Webb was never anything more than a stopgap in the white shirt, the loss of Messers Best, McMillan and Wilson, all originally labelled as future internationals, is the loss of the entire backrow that looked and sounded so promising just a few short years ago. Arguably, Neil Best is the sole member of this triumvirate to reach the giddy heights predicted but that doesn’t change the fact that the loss of these three players represents the loss of a very talented, well-balanced and, most importantly, entirely Ulster-born backrow.

It’s not all doom and gloom, of course. The emergence of Stephen Ferris and David Pollock as two incredibly bright lights in this next generation of backrow adds a glint of happiness to what has, thus far, been a tale of woe. With rumours abound that Diack qualifies for Ireland through grandparentage, the story becomes positively rosy. An all Irish-qualified backrow with an average age of 22, that has heaps of potential and has what could prove to be the exceptional balance of a big ball carrier at 6, a link and support man at 7 and an enforcer at 8… Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

But just how will Ulster’s backrow fit together next season? Again, The Archipelago puts his clairvoyance to good use.

Blindside Flanker: Stephen Ferris

While Ferris’ season was mostly spent holding tackle bags at the World Cup or on the physio’s table, his return to the park against the Dragons coincided with Matt Williams’ arrival at Ravenhill. Ferris’ performance that night was, arguably, the best any individual Ulsterman managed in 2007/8 and set the precedent for a season that closed with Ferris starting for Ireland against the Barbarians and being awarded his fifth Ireland cap against Australia. While all of this was achieved from Ferris playing at Number 8, his versatility is well known and has saw him play in all three backrow positions for Ulster and Ireland. With Diack coming with a reputation as a specialist Number 8, Ferris’ versatility will be put to good use in the coming season.

Openside Flanker: David Pollock

Starting the inexperienced David Pollock ahead of older heads like Keiron Dawson may raise a few eyebrows but Pollock’s progress in the past season cannot be doubted. While it culminated in strong performances at this summer’s Churchill Cup, who could forget his counterrucking and the turnovers he affected in an otherwise dreadful night at Musgrave Park? Pollock is built in the mould of a young Neil McMillan; great link play between forwards and backs, strong support play, a real presence at the breakdown and on the floor and a penchant for ball-winning are all staples of the game that Pollock is building. At just under 16 stone, Pollock may not have the bulk to offer a real ball carrying threat but with Ferris and Diack, he doesn’t really need to. His talents bring balance and attributes otherwise missing from the Ulster’s backrow repertoire and that is enough for me.

Number Eight: Robbie Diack

More than one South African pundit had already labelled former Stormers Number 8, Robbie Diack, as a future Springbok long before Ulster had captured his signature. Topping the scales at over 18 stone, Diack is a forceful ball carrier with great acceleration from the back of the scrum and has all the makings of a certain starter in the coming season. Having already indicated his desire to represent Ireland at international level and arriving on an initial three-year deal, Diack appears to be at Ulster for the long-run and will provide the final piece of what could, in the coming seasons, become one of the finest backrows in Europe.

Who would make up your Ulster backrow for the coming season? Does a backrow of Pollock, Ferris and Diack have greater potential than that of Best, McMillan and Wilson?

The Archipelago