The UAFC

I think Ward looks absolutely class, a MOTM contender against Wales for me. Not that big, but cracking ball carrier, he literally hasn’t gone backwards once all tournament, also made a smashing line break and showed great pace. Got a great physique to be a poach threat, maybe lacks a bit of instinct...

I’ve come to think that I’m very optimistic about the rest of the season and the Murphy appointment, in spite of everything. Of course it could be a disaster, and on balance of probability will likely be a mixed bag with some good and some bad, but here’s the case for optimism: Murphy the man for th...

I do love rumours and speculation as much as your next man, the problem at the minute is that the IRFU / Ulster have (once again) mis-managed a situation, such that a massively exaggerated doom spiral of leaks and rumours have broken out. They need to get a grip of the messaging, and rolling Petrie ...

Yeah and tbh there’s a lot of BS flying around, not even just Ulster-related, last week the big splash was that Huw Jones to Montpellier was a ‘done deal’ this week he signs an extension with Glasgow (who posted in French ‘don’t believe everything you read online’ which is pretty apt!) It feels as i...

My theory on Petrie is that the IRFU are keeping him about until the end of the season as a kind of emergency swab, in case the Murphy inter-regnum is an absolute fiasco. If it all works out and Ulster have a strong finish to the season then it’ll be ‘Jonny has made a great contribution to Ulster Ru...

We may have won 6 from 9 of the games he’s played, but I’m not sure I can think of any which were much down to him. Even the game (can’t remember which) where he was MOTM I remember being a bit underwhelmed. I’m maybe guilty of rushing to a judgment, time will tell, but I think he’s been a big disap...

Bryn Ward is having a smashing tournament, I really like the look of him - nuggety build and a cracking carrier, and a real grafter. Hopes playing well too. Interesting that Sheehan has been dropped the last 2 games, his lineout throwing has let him down, interested to see how Walker does

Irrespective of who we have as coach, if we have to rely on the quality of Lowry, Flannery and Doak at 10 we may as well disband. I think that’s my biggest concern atm. There’s a bit of a feeding frenzy on Ulster atm in the media - I know this kind of turmoil is a good story so in any case they’d b...

POM and CM have been offered contracts by Munster plus an IRFU top-up. Must be money in the IRFU purse. But I can't see them throwing anything but crumbs in our direction In fairness Hendy also got an IRFU top-up but the broader point stands, Ulster are nowhere near confrontational enough in fighti...

The more I think about Murphy the more I like the fit - pros: * Extensive experience in elite high-performance environments, namely Leinster and Ireland. Admittedly mostly under Schmidt, whose reputation suffered a bit on his way out of Ireland, but who nevertheless was extremely effective for Leins...

Things never tend to end well and I guess it’s frequently six of one and half a dozen of the other. Until the last few games, I’d always got the impression that the players were still giving it 100% on the park and when it looked like that had changed then the IRFU seem to have acted decisively. If...

I think that this ‘player revolt / toxicity’ thing is a bit overblown. From what I’ve heard toxicity, to the extent there was any in camp, came from the top - and in fact I don’t really like that word although I’ve probably been guilty of using it in the past myself about McFarland / Ulster. Others ...

Richie Murphy is an interesting one, he has certainly kept the standards up with the U20s. I’m not a fan at all of these bodged together interim tickets, because it’s basically a roll of the dice, but needs must, and it speaks to a lack of confidence in anyone else in situ being able to step up (whi...

Ulster need a seasoned head coach. The last 3 Head coaches have been inexperienced in their role. Kiss, Gibbs and McFarland have never been head coach until they took over here. I was thinking this myself - Ulster have a good squad of players, I think we need an experienced head coming in with a tr...

Bart S wrote:I wouldn't totally trash Dan's legacy. The first 3 seasons were pretty good, all things considered. Problem was not only an inability to kick on but serious regression.

I agree, in fact I think the first 3 years were excellent..