The UAFC

Here’s the team RTÉ picked as Ulster’s best XV in the professional era:

Court, Best, Afoa, Davidson, Muller, Ferris, Best, Williams, St Ruan, D Humphries, Trimble, Wallace, Cave, Bowe, Piutau.

I’d probably have Marcel edging Williams but when Fat Nick was on fire he was unstoppable, and Payne over Piutau. Agree with pretty much the rest with tight calls on Henry and McCloskey.

Steinmetz over Wallace and agree with you re. Payne.

Jackson over Wavy Davy

Imagine the fire power of 6 Ferris 7 Coetzee 8 Williams

All in their physical and form peak.

Though I'd go for Wannenburg ahead of Williams.

Andy Ward was professional era and should rightly be considered, with Henry 2014 a complete 7.

Not sure I would of had Best near it.

Jackson and Spence please

Humphries defence was far too suspect and the weakness too easily identified and same can be said of Paddy Wallace both are good attacking players but 50% of the game is defence.

Payne is definitely my full back of choice because Payne directed and ensured the Wings were correctly placed.

At his Peak and before he played silly bug-ers Best would be in my back row playing without the blond hair of course Nick to me was always, at maximum was 15 meter player, 5 meters from the line a great player but he was never going to run a try in from the 1/2 way Coetzee therefore would be my player of choice at 8.

The hardest choices to be made in my XV would the centres Ulster have had some brilliant centres and they all brought something different to the mix , the easiest to omit from the candidates for me was Paddy Wallace possibly the guy is the most obvious Bench if picking 23 but there are to many better all round centres for him to be a 1st choice.

Court Best Afoa
Henderson Muller (c)
Ferris Williams Coetzee
Ruan Jackson
McCloskey Cave
Trimble Payne Piatau

The lineout probably wouldn’t be the best. SMcC at 12 to give me gainline, and JP at 15 as a 2nd playmaker to compensate (absolute tragedy he wasn’t Ireland’s 15) CP too good a player to miss out for me (him and JP linking up would be a mare for any outside backs to defend). CP Straight on the wing, Trimble over Bowe for me better all round player. Can’t hide 10s defensively these days so I go for Jackson (we’ll never know how good he could have become)
Backrow: ferris is nailed on, as is Coetzee - he will be a legend. Pedrie was a top player and made ferris look better, as Pedrie could do the hard carries inside while ferris could carry a little further out making yards. That said Williams although not as good an all round player as Pedrie, was absolutely devastating at what he could do. I can’t think of a better carrier in very heavy traffic than him. Ferris & Coetzee to make up the difference in skill set. Pedrie on the bench.
Henderson although frustrating / inconsistent for Ireland at times is a massive player for UR - physically it’s a totally different pack depending on when he plays.

Not sure there’s really much debate in the other positions.

....and they’d have licence to offload!!!!!

For me D Humph would be ahead of Jackson in terms of what he delivered for Ulster and achieved overall. Sadly whilst Paddy Jackson may have surpassed him had things turned out differently if I look at actual performances then i would still have Humph ahead of him.

I’d have Wallace at 12. He added something different and was once of those players who made things easier for those around him.

Was Kempson a loosehead?

Bart S wrote: ↑Mon May 11, 2020 9:46 pm Was Kempson a loosehead?

Yep.

big mervyn wrote: ↑Mon May 11, 2020 10:00 pm

Bart S wrote: ↑Mon May 11, 2020 9:46 pm Was Kempson a loosehead?

Yep.

Would have him ahead of Court then.

Kempson, Rory, Afoa, Davidson, Johann, 1F, Marcell, P3, Ruan, PJ, Piutau, Steinmetz, Cave, Bowe, Payne

Its Humphreys..... not feckin Humphries, that boils my pish.

Other than Steinmetz and Coetzee, thats a team that I couldn't argue with

It would be a toss up for me between Stienmtz and McCluskey, Stienmtz was a real class act relying on his skill and footwork, but McCloskey has his physicality plus an under rated skill set which is still developing.
Cave would be a personal favourite but it is hard to overlook Marshall over the last couple of seasons now that he is catching the ball. There are not many that get past him and the little dinky kick through has paid dividends, you could include Jared Payne in the centre but it would the a waste of a superb fullback.
As for Pietua I wouldn’t have him near the team I admit he had skills but he was too much of a show pony and lacked commitment. I f we are talking about purely the Professional Era then can’t see past Trimble and Bowe for the two wing berths. They may have had some weakness in some people’s eyes in the skills department but both had 100% commitment and knew how to finish off a try. If all time favourites then Crossan and Ringland would surely feature.
Personally I would go for commitment every time over the flakey prima Donna.