One F

[Russ]

France would be a terrible option for him regardless of money.

Japan would be ideal, the BBC had a feature on Shane Williams living out there running on their website for a while, was a good little watch and he was raving away about how the step down in physicality from the ML and HEC was allowing him to enjoy his rugby again.

Wait until he runs into 1F again

[ruckover]

It's a shame that I'm not concerned he's linked with a move away. Shows how much he's declined in a year or two.

[Mac]

Times

Ireland flanker less than enamoured with new deal offered by IRFU

Stephen Ferris is set to leave Ulster and Irish rugby to sign a one-year deal with a Japanese club.

The 27-year-old Lions flanker is apparently less than enamoured with a much reduced central contract from the IRFU and although negotiations are still ongoing it is apparently highly likely that Ferris will accept a more lucrative offer from Japan.

Ferris, who won the last of his 35 caps for Ireland this weekend last year, and who played the last of his four games for Ulster this season in November, has recently undergone a secondary minor operation to clean out his ankle and the prognosis is for a full recovery next season.

As with Jonny Sexton’s departure, Ulster’s hands are tied in the negotiations and therefore like Leinster they are unable to improve the IRFU’s offer in order to keep their hugely popular figure who, for the time being at any rate, has played the last of hi 102 games for the province.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/i ... -1.1324280

[Harold7]

It's a shame that I'm not concerned he's linked with a move away. Shows how much he's declined in a year or two.

A bit OTT there methinks. He's played three games this season and sure wasn't his usual self but it's less than a year since he had a great game against Munster, since then he's played maybe 5 or 6 games. His injuries are obviously a worry but I think I'd need to see more evidence before declaring he is in decline.

Anyway I agree I wouldn't be as concerned about him leaving, but that's mainly down to Henderson's emergence and the fact we've lived pretty well without him this season.

[promsandwich]

It's a shame that I'm not concerned he's linked with a move away. Shows how much he's declined in a year or two.

A bit OTT there methinks. He's played three games this season and sure wasn't his usual self but it's less than a year since he had a great game against Munster, since then he's played maybe 5 or 6 games. His injuries are obviously a worry but I think I'd need to see more evidence before declaring he is in decline.

Anyway I agree I wouldn't be as concerned about him leaving, but that's mainly down to Henderson's emergence and the fact we've lived pretty well without him this season.

I don't get this attitude at all. Yes he hasn't played much part this season. Yes, he is still injured. But 1F is world class, a real game changer, a man who is Ulster through and through, who didn't take any lucrative offers to leave us when we were pure Tom Kite. Very few players in the forwards can have a game changing impact on their own, be it a carry or a tackle. 1F is one of those. I agree that we are fortunate that our back row depth has been strengthened in recent years but our back row will undoubtedly be weakened if 1F leaves. Ferris, Henry, Williams is fantasy league stuff and I hope we get to see it again next year.

If his injury is the concern I don't see why the IRFU don't incentivise his earnings structure and or insure themselves against wages lost due to him being injured. This may well simply be the IRFU cutting back funding across the board now they have:

(a) got the international team into such a poor state that natives aren't busting a gut to get to the Aviva; and
(b) struggling to cope with the drop in revenue from Thomond Park now the turnips are rotting away.

Sad times if true.

[ColinM]

Times

Ireland flanker less than enamoured with new deal offered by IRFU

Stephen Ferris is set to leave Ulster and Irish rugby to sign a one-year deal with a Japanese club.

The 27-year-old Lions flanker is apparently less than enamoured with a much reduced central contract from the IRFU and although negotiations are still ongoing it is apparently highly likely that Ferris will accept a more lucrative offer from Japan.

Ferris, who won the last of his 35 caps for Ireland this weekend last year, and who played the last of his four games for Ulster this season in November, has recently undergone a secondary minor operation to clean out his ankle and the prognosis is for a full recovery next season.

As with Jonny Sexton’s departure, Ulster’s hands are tied in the negotiations and therefore like Leinster they are unable to improve the IRFU’s offer in order to keep their hugely popular figure who, for the time being at any rate, has played the last of hi 102 games for the province.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/i ... -1.1324280

IF he is to make a full return, a one year soujourn to Japan could be a tremendous thing. It would be a year getting himself mended and back up to fitness without the attrition he endures in the game here.

IF he manages to do that for a year over in Japan and puts the injury doubts to bed, then all he has to do is name his price and pick his club in Europe this time next year.


Now, somebody phone Japan: they're going to need more weights in the gym

[rocky]

Times

Ireland flanker less than enamoured with new deal offered by IRFU

Stephen Ferris is set to leave Ulster and Irish rugby to sign a one-year deal with a Japanese club.

The 27-year-old Lions flanker is apparently less than enamoured with a much reduced central contract from the IRFU and although negotiations are still ongoing it is apparently highly likely that Ferris will accept a more lucrative offer from Japan.

Ferris, who won the last of his 35 caps for Ireland this weekend last year, and who played the last of his four games for Ulster this season in November, has recently undergone a secondary minor operation to clean out his ankle and the prognosis is for a full recovery next season.

As with Jonny Sexton’s departure, Ulster’s hands are tied in the negotiations and therefore like Leinster they are unable to improve the IRFU’s offer in order to keep their hugely popular figure who, for the time being at any rate, has played the last of hi 102 games for the province.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/i ... -1.1324280

I don't buy this crap. If the assholes in D4 won't give him a decent central contract, what is there to stop Ulster Rugby from offering him a contract - granted it couldn't be as good as the one he was on with Ireland but it could be pretty decent and one that would be worth staying for. I also think the talk that he is finished is hugely premature. There is no reason why he won't make a complete recovery from the ankle injury. He will always have a dodgy knee but that's a known thing. I think UR should be working to make certain that the D4 mafia don't drive him out against the wishes of Ulster Rugby, Ulster fans and the man himself. It will be a sad day when 1F leaves Ulster.

[ruckover]

I know Ferris can reject an IRFU contract, but now he has rejected that, can Ulster offer him a contract independently?

[promsandwich]

Times

Ireland flanker less than enamoured with new deal offered by IRFU

Stephen Ferris is set to leave Ulster and Irish rugby to sign a one-year deal with a Japanese club.

The 27-year-old Lions flanker is apparently less than enamoured with a much reduced central contract from the IRFU and although negotiations are still ongoing it is apparently highly likely that Ferris will accept a more lucrative offer from Japan.

Ferris, who won the last of his 35 caps for Ireland this weekend last year, and who played the last of his four games for Ulster this season in November, has recently undergone a secondary minor operation to clean out his ankle and the prognosis is for a full recovery next season.

As with Jonny Sexton’s departure, Ulster’s hands are tied in the negotiations and therefore like Leinster they are unable to improve the IRFU’s offer in order to keep their hugely popular figure who, for the time being at any rate, has played the last of hi 102 games for the province.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/i ... -1.1324280

I don't buy this crap. If the assholes in D4 won't give him a decent central contract, what is there to stop Ulster Rugby from offering him a contract - granted it couldn't be as good as the one he was on with Ireland but it could be pretty decent and one that would be worth staying for. I also think the talk that he is finished is hugely premature. There is no reason why he won't make a complete recovery from the ankle injury. He will always have a dodgy knee but that's a known thing. I think UR should be working to make certain that the D4 mafia don't drive him out against the wishes of Ulster Rugby, Ulster fans and the man himself. It will be a sad day when 1F leaves Ulster.

about £250,000 of wages not budgeted for.

[breakdown]

If it is a 1 year deal, anyone think that he could go there to play some less physical rugby for a year to see how his body copes while earning millions, if he remains in tact then he has proved he is ready to again make a step up?

[Neil F]

I think Ruck makes a fairly valid point, actually; even if the wording of the post could do with some improvement. Four seasons ago, Ulster fans couldn't believe the team could even win a game without Ferris; three seasons ago, fans couldn't believe Ulster could compete with quality opposition without Ferris and Irish fans believed his fitness significantly improved Ireland's chances of winning a game in Paris. I don't think many think of Ferris in those terms, any more. He is not the talisman he once was at Ulster; this isn't really to do with his fitness concerns this season - simply a reflection that Ulster have improved so significantly that they can perform without Ferris. The emergence of Henderson, I think, reinforces this.

The loss of Ferris now is not the same as the loss of Ferris three or four seasons ago; now, we face the loss of an exceptionally talented rugby player but not of a figure who was, at least perceived to be, single-handedly pulling us through the mud. Ulster have options and if Henderson can improve his discipline, he'll rival everything Ferris has achieved in the game. I hope this is the point Ruck was making; there is validity to that.

That said; I do care about the loss of Ferris. Look at the performance in the Heineken Cup quarter final, last season, against Munster - he epitomised Ulster's performance and, in the end, could have been the difference between the sides. That is the sort of talent we are dealing with and there is no rugby club in the world that wouldn't miss that kind of player. If there are truth to these reports, Ferris is a BIG loss and a loss we should all care about.

That said, I think a couple of posts in this thread are eminently sensible - a year in Japan could well be what Ferris needs, if he is to return to seriously competitive rugby. At the moment, Ferris seems like a champion boxer pulling himself up off the canvas in a world title fight; giving up that fight, going away and building himself up against weaker opposition might tell Ferris a lot about what his body is now capable of and also about whether or not he can stand the rigours of top flight rugby again. If Ferris goes to Japan and injury problems continue, he has no chance of playing for Ulster again. If he goes and puts together a series of performances that build up his fitness and confidence, then I would expect him to return to Ulster and to challenge for further Ireland honours. Ferris is 27 - he's got plenty of years left on paper. A year in Japan might not be the disaster some are predicting.

[Rooster]

If it is a 1 year deal, anyone think that he could go there to play some less physical rugby for a year to see how his body copes while earning millions, if he remains in tact then he has proved he is ready to again make a step up?

That would be my thought, decent years wage, if fit he can come back if not well more cash in pocket and a year with less physical hits would keep him fit and give his body a partial rest.

[Madiba]

someone get onto that wee blert mcilroy

[ruckover]

Thanks Neil, that was the point I was making, although looking back I did word it extremely poorly!

However, I would still say that Ferris isn't as good as he was. When he does play he definitely does not make the impact he did say 3-4 years ago and his injuries obviously don't help his long term prospects either. I don't agree he plays in an attempt to stay injury free but there is definitely something missing from his game.

It's a shame that he's on the slide when we're on the up. If he had his form from 3-4 years ago now then he'd be arguably the best player in the world.

I agree with some. Maybe give him one year out in Japan and then bring him back if that goes well? I still think he needs a year of "easy" rugby i.e. just short appearances, and then get him back into the game. It's just got to the stage where every time he comes back he gets injured again.

[Joe Schmo]

If it is a 1 year deal, anyone think that he could go there to play some less physical rugby for a year to see how his body copes while earning millions, if he remains in tact then he has proved he is ready to again make a step up?

That would be my thought, decent years wage, if fit he can come back if not well more cash in pocket and a year with less physical hits would keep him fit and give his body a partial rest.

Of course this would be making one big assumption, that UR & IRFU want him back. No reason not to have him back if he proves his fitness, which would explain a 1 year contract, but it may be that other teams come looking when they see he's fit again, if that was the case UR would be relying on IRFU generosity or 1F would and should do a Sexton.