A heartfelt apology to Nick Williams

[Cornerfleg]

It is annoying to still hear the fat nick jibes,stop it now,your acting like stupid snobby brats. Nick is a great asset for ulster and well deserved MOTM..............

Hey Baggy I think yer man here wants me to stop calling Fat Nick, Fat Nick .... I fear he may have a long season ahead of him. Personally I think Fat Nick is feckin awesome ... and have been a convert from day one - I didn't diss Fat Nick when he was announced as coming here - but I wasn't blown away either. But I'm sure glad FN decided to sign now. Vive Fat Nick - an icon for us Fat Lads!

[BaggyTrousers]

Aye Fleg, they must be young and svelte of figure, Fat Nick is a triumph for us fuller figured chaps. For the thin& witless - though these terms aren't necessarily linked - let me point out that "Fat Nick" is used as a term of endearment, just thought I'd mention that in case the big stout lad happens to join UAFC for a gleek.

Okay Fleg, see you & Fat NIck at Burger King usual time?

Lots of crap written about Nick with many bias appraisals of his performance. Roger Wilson will have a hell of job dislodging him from the team. Is anyone is seriously making a case for dropping the guy who has made more carries and beaten more defenders than any other player so far over someone we haven't even seen play yet?

Don't forget to include his turnovers Dave, the fat lad has a defensive skill set as well as his trade mark "basketball trundle".

I don't believe that we need any pro-FN or pro-RW factions, if anyone has yet to notice, what is abundantly clear from the first four Rabo games is that Ulster are emerging as a very serious squad of players rather than a definite first team as we have had for the last few years. Teams who win trophies, by & large, are clubs with decent squads.

[Kofi Annan]

"I'm fat, but I'm thin inside... there's a thin man inside every fat man"

[Snipe Watson]

"I'm fat, but I'm thin inside... there's a thin man inside every fat man"

There's two in some of them.

[Beattiespastie]

Nick Williams has been outstanding thus far and I am more than happy to take him making the odd error in contact when he continues to carry,defend and score tries like he does. Williams passion for the game and his appetite ( on the field ) is fantastic and is having a great knock on effect with the rest of the team. Off the pitch he is a gentleman and he fits beautifully into this Ulster side and his off loading style of rugby is fantastic to watch. Some of the posts on the big lad thus far have left me scratching my head in in disbelief? .....

[BaggyTrousers]

"I'm fat, but I'm thin inside... there's a thin man inside every fat man"

Only if you've eaten him, frankly I am full-figured and completely happy with it from the aesthetic viewpoint. My GP does not concur however, neither does my vascular consultant with whom I meet on Tuesday & I fear major changes are in the offing.

[BaggyTrousers]

Nick Williams has been outstanding thus far and I am more than happy to take him making the odd error in contact when he continues to carry,defend and score tries like he does. Williams passion for the game and his appetite ( on the field ) is fantastic and is having a great knock on effect with the rest of the team. Off the pitch he is a gentleman and he fits beautifully into this Ulster side and his off loading style of rugby is fantastic to watch. Some of the posts on the big lad thus far have left me scratching my head in in disbelief? .....

I generally concur but lets be honest, he is a major plus but he isn't flawless. Were he, he would currently be in the Argentine but he isn't for a reason.

Then again, he is far from the only guy with flaws to play for Ulster & he does excite me as a player. I'd go further and say he is just what the Doctor ordered - literally.

[againstthehead]

Nick Williams has been outstanding thus far and I am more than happy to take him making the odd error in contact when he continues to carry,defend and score tries like he does. Williams passion for the game and his appetite ( on the field ) is fantastic and is having a great knock on effect with the rest of the team. Off the pitch he is a gentleman and he fits beautifully into this Ulster side and his off loading style of rugby is fantastic to watch. Some of the posts on the big lad thus far have left me scratching my head in in disbelief? .....

the 'odd' error is fine but I think he made 5 V cardiff and a number V Munster. Too many in my book. That said, when it comes to the big games, error counts tend to drop dramatically. I'd rate him a 7.5 out of 10 so far this season. As I said the good has been outstanding and the bad has been at times diabolical. eg throwing the ball over his head against Munster with no support having a chance of getting near it. Against the top sides, possession is hard enough to come by and you just can't give it away so cheaply.

Don't get me wrong - I'm on the whole, a big big fan. His ball carrying is generally superb and I'm not sure I've seen an 8 bounce so many tacklers off. Just improve a notch on the decision making and looking after the ball better in contact and he'll be up there amongst the best 8's.

[BaggyTrousers]

As I said the good has been outstanding and the bad has been at times diabolical. eg throwing the ball over his head against Munster with no support having a chance of getting near it.

Against, now consider this please. We aren't talking about Brian Habana, we're talking Fat Nick. He's not slow but he is no Usain Bolt either. Against Munster, I don't recall the precise incident of which you speak but I do recall saying to mates "Why are there not runners supporting FN?" He is obviously now the main focal point for bursting hard yards, why there is not always at least one guy following in his wake to snap up offloads I cannot understand.

There are few more effective tactics than offloads from the tackle, he is a master of taking hits and making the ball available but guys have to get there to play off that. Hey, you know what, its early days, maybe it will all gel given time.

Waddya say?

[Cornerfleg]

I'd love someone to give us a breakdown over previous seasons as to how much time we spent in the oppo 22 without scoring. I've always thought it a real Achilles heal for us not to be able to grab points when there was a chance. I'm 100% convinced that Fat Nick or the threat of Fat Nick now makes us potent in the kill zone. He's been used as a decoy on more than one occasion and scares the bajeeez out of back rows. That is priceless when you have backs such as Bowe and the mercurial Payne.

If I'm being honest apart from last Fridays champagne display we have ... dare I say it won a few games ... smash and grab style, collecting points with limited possession or field position. Winning ugly is cool - winning big when you dominate a game is and has been the preserve of really good teams. I'm excited and proud of the guys - it is early days, but winning is a good habit and with Fat Nick on board now I expect to see some serious demolition jobs if we get front foot ball, Ferris in 'go go gadget mode' and St P releasing the backs.

I do believe that Fat nick is the missing cog we've been screaming for one we tried to get with Big Xav 'change of circumstances' Rush and one not really filled but not disrespect to the leg P3.

My main issue here is not with Fat Nick, Humph, Logie, MA or the great job McL is doing with the Academy ... but the total humour malfunction going on about typical Belfast banter and local sarcastic humour that somehow is not permitted when talking about our great wee team or it's players.

[Dave]

the 'odd' error is fine but I think he made 5 V cardiff and a number V Munster. Too many in my book.

ATH, to be fair to the player you would really to identify exactly how many and what nature they were. Like a knock on is a bad error as it is a straight turn over of posession. A few times he managed to controll the ball well from the base of the scrum and others he didn't quite manage what is a difficult skill, in staying bound and controlling the ball. A few times the ball came out and he picked it up and the ball wasn't turned over. I wouldn't necessarily say that is an error as we scored from an instance like that with a break from beagle. It is important to be balanced and accurate in appraising any players performance.

[Bart S]

Personally I'm just delighted that we're now discussing real selection issues for Ulster, because guys have really stepped up and put their hands up for consideration for the 1st XV. Last season we had a very good 1st XV, but tbh, there weren't many selection debates and we were certainly exposed in a number of positions. Of course it's going to be virtually impossible to replace an injured Ferris, Best,Muller or Afoa but around the team we now have guys who can still come in and do a very good job. For example, we now have some real back row selection discussions whereas last season a disappointing Falloon was 1st cab off the rank behind 1F,Henry and Pedrie. Nick Williams, Diack and Henderson have all made a real impression so far.

At the very least we should be able to cope with injuries better and manage our squad in Dec/Jan without having to just give up games like we had to at the RDS last year when we put out virtually a kids team.

Building a sqaud was rightly recognised as a major priority for Ulster and it looks like this is being addressed well so far. MA's selection policies have encouraged this and we're seeing a number of guys getting a good crack of the whip by playing alongside experienced players, thereby allowing them to really show their worth.

[darkside lightside]

All you ejits who were badmouthing Nick before his arrival.

Here is your chance to do the decent thing..........

I haven't been able to come on here much recently, but was coming on this morning to start a new thread entitled 'The Nick Williams word-eating thread', but I see that you have saved me the bother - when I heard his signing rumoured, I cussed him up and down as a mediocre, lazy waste of space, and possibly the signing that marked a turning point in Ulster's ambitions - I've never been happier to have to eat my words... assuming he can stay fit (which remains my only concern) this could be one of the most astute signings of the lot...

I don't think he's the finished article, in terms of what Anscombe will want him to do for Ulster, but that will come in time, he's still at the bedding down stage. I'm not too concerned about him over-doing the harlem globetrotter offloads etc - he's still trying to make an impression, but through the course of the season if he starts doing daft low-percentage things all the time, he'll get dropped. We have plenty of options, so he'll know himself he has to walk the line between doing what he can do best (and not many other 8s in Europe can..) and not turning ball over by show-boating..

But what has impressed me every bit as much as the eye-catching stuff is that he is increasingly doing the 'other stuff' pretty well - he seems to be in great shape fitness-wise, lasting 80 no problem, and he is basically a one man ruck. He's a great player in support of a ball carrier who is a little isolated, because he can tie up 2 or 3 counter-ruckers and buy time for players to arrive. And in fringe defence he is a bit of a wall (even though I think his tackling technique could do with some work). The other thing I like about him is that he seems to have that kind of assurance that is inherent to some guys who have been used all their life to being much huger than other guys - you quite often see him marching round before scrums doing a bit of geeing up and butt-whacking and that kind of thing.

He hasn't been perfect, but I think the more he settles in and gets bound in to Ulster's gameplan - so maybe a bit more discipline in choosing when to pick and go (he just wants to have the ball in his hands all the time, which is a good sign, but obviously if he carries at every single opportunity, it'll become easier to defend), choosing his offloads etc - he can be an amazing asset if he stays fit, and be a genuine contender for a starting berth... which is far from what I expected I'd be saying at this stage - consider my words well and truly eaten!

[Cornerfleg]

I really would not like to be doing the washing for the team who plays against Fat Nick taking flat ball close to the line or being a decoy for Fez to take it further back at full tilt. How many player do you put on those two .... and then we release Afoa ... !

[Rooster]

I really would not like to be doing the washing for the team who plays against Fat Nick taking flat ball close to the line or being a decoy for Fez to take it further back at full tilt. How many player do you put on those two .... and then we release Afoa ... !

You still calling Fat Nick fat ?