The UAFC

Created to stop contamination of the Rumours thread with posts like "player blah blah blah is free, we should sign him" or "what about blah blah blah blah..."

Let's keep the rumours thread to real, or at least convincing sounding, rumours.

I know it is probably futile but anyway.

mikerob wrote:Created to stop contamination of the Rumours thread with posts like "player blah blah blah is free, we should sign him" or "what about blah blah blah blah..."

Let's keep the rumours thread to real, or at least convincing sounding, rumours.

I know it is probably futile but anyway.

+1

Thank feck............at last someone with more than a smattering
of grey matter between their lugs.

Mac wrote: +1

Thank feck............at last someone with more than a smattering
of grey matter between their lugs.

OFF TOPIC

I see no mention of who you'd wish Ulster to sign.

And to keep it on topic - I'd take Ian Madigan. The guy needs game-time to develop, and I'd say there's a fair chance he'd bet a bit of that at Ulster. He'd tide us over until Paddy Jack supersedes him as our starting 10. iHumph would be a great man to have on the bench.

So it's back to the 10 spot and the back row shortages then.

At the moment it's the 6-8 that worries me more. 1F has
played around 1/2Doz games in the Pro12 at most, then
he's off to Carton for 10 weeks after Christmas - also Henry
will be joining him again next year. Faloon is gone, P3 gone,
- leaving Wilson as our only tried and tested front line man.
Now that it in a nutshell...........now that's worrying!!

My only hope is DrH can work a miracle again as he did when
P3 can in for Rush.

OneMore wrote:

Mac wrote: +1

Thank feck............at last someone with more than a smattering
of grey matter between their lugs.

OFF TOPIC

I see no mention of who you'd wish Ulster to sign.

LOL ... it's a moral high ground shoot out!

Cornerfleg wrote: LOL ... it's a moral high ground shoot out!

Shootout is it? Often wondered who would win that one - John Wayne v Clint.
The Da always said the Roy Rogers would have them both!!

I wish Jackie Kyle and Philip Matthews were both 24 ..... fect

Yeah, Madigan looks prerry good... apparently he is the second highest try score in this year's Pro12, after Tim Visser.

It will be interesting to see if he is content to stay behind Sexton. I can see Munster coming a knocking as I'm sure they know Keatley isn't ROG's heir apparent. Ulster looks to have put their faith in Jackson.

I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller

btw I don't think there is any way Leinster would let Madigan go, the more I see him the more utterly excellent he looks, he is a kind of 10 that we have really not seen much before in Ireland, superb pace and break and great distribution. I'd say that Schmidt will try to put in place the kind of Boss/Reddan rotation system with him and Sexton for years to come. I'd say Madigan will tour with Ireland this summer - if not it will be another of Kidney's massive selection bloopers..

mikerob wrote: ...Ulster looks to have put their faith in Jackson.

This may be the case, but they've yet to "back" him in a sense, in terms of game time or even bench time for that matter. If there isn't another 10 acquired, we should be looking at getting Jackson in every match day squad early next season, with considerable game time. A start or two also would help. And Mark Anscombe hasn't been here for the last few years to work that out, so I hope he's in the mood to hit the ground running, as it were. We have little time to waste. Though, the flip side of a new coach is that he might go for Jackson as our starting 10, knowing there's a long game to be played here, then you wonder if iHumph is prepared to play second fiddle when he should be in the peak of his career. Maybe it's not time to cast iHumph aside for Madigan just yet, his form for the rest of this year could play a big part in next season's first few teamsheets.

Glad it's not my call to make to be honest.

Madigan will stay, as much as I wish he could come here. At Ulster we have two up and coming 10s in Jacko and McKinney, both of who have undoubted quality. Munster have JJ Hanrahan, who can play 10 and if his u20 performances are anything to go by, will make a fine 10/12 in a few years. Take Madigan out of Leinster, the only out half they have who has proved themselves is Sexton.

Regarding Paddy J, I do think the lad has potential but no more than that at the moment.
There in lies the crux of the whole issue - the lad is never going to improve without gaining
first team experienceand & with each game so important, both P12 & HEC, when is he likely
to get enough of a run to see what he's made of. Also in getting regular first team experience
it's the only way to find out if he's going to make the grade at all! Catch 22, but is Mark
Anscombe the man to take that risk when his own position will come under such close scrutiny
and when any drop in the clubs current progress will very quickly be jumped upon.

PJ is really our best option for the future, and considering MA was U20 coach for NZ I can see him working with a lot of younger guys and giving them a chance, be that PJ or Luke Marshall. With that, and the fact that McGlocks will be a class academy manager (if he stays) then we will have an even better crop of young players coming through, and the fact that Anscombe has experience with younger players I reckon that his appointment was also to do with building for the future when we will be relying on home grown players.

breakdown wrote:PJ is really our best option for the future, and considering MA was U20 coach for NZ I can see him working with a lot of younger guys and giving them a chance, be that PJ or Luke Marshall. With that, and the fact that McGlocks will be a class academy manager (if he stays) then we will have an even better crop of young players coming through, and the fact that Anscombe has experience with younger players I reckon that his appointment was also to do with building for the future when we will be relying on home grown players.

I hope PJ gets gametime as much as the next man, but to suggest that Anscombe is more likely to pick him because Anscombe has coached an under 20 side on the other side of the planet is ludicrous. If he'd coached a legends side in the past would you be expecting him to coax Dr Dave out of retirement.

He'll be doing what's right for Ulster, with a view to short term success and long term world domination. He won't be picking kids just because he used to coach a kids team. Gracious me.

I said he will be giving them more of a chance than McGlocks, not starting them every game!! I'm just saying that since he has coached a kids team will give him confidence to give them a few starts now and again and knows how to manage them better! Geez.. read the thing properly next time!