12/13 Ulster Academy

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mikerob
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12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by mikerob »

The academy squad section of the UR website now lists the 12/13 academy. There are no photos, profiles or anything useful like that, however.

On the big assumption that the UR website is accurate, the 12/13 academy appears to be as follows. The year when they entered the academy is in brackets.

Ricky Andrew (08/09)
Conor Carey (10/11)
Kyle McCall (10/11)
Neil Faloon (11/12)
Chris Farrell (11/12)
Conor Joyce (11/12)
Johnny Murphy (11/12)
Peter Nelson (11/12)
Sean O'Connell (11/12)
Stuart Olding (11/12)
James Simpson (11/12)
Jake Caufield (12/13)
Alan O'Connor (12/13)

Changes from last year's academy are:

Up to senior squad with development contracts (Henderson then got a full contract)
Ali Birch
Ian Henderson
Blane McIlroy
Michael Allen
John Burns
Chris Cochrane

Out
Ryan Jablinski
Dave O'Mahoney
David McGuigan
Conor Gaston

Is it a worry that there are no new entrants to the academy this year from Ulster? Caufield is English and Alan O'Connor from Leinster.
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rocky
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Re: 12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by rocky »

There may be a few more in the new year, I think.
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RuPi
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Re: 12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by RuPi »

You would have thought from such a succesful Under 20 Inter Pro series that more of them would have been in the academy, Scholes and Creighton are 2 that stand out who you would have imagined would have been there.
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ruckover
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Re: 12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by ruckover »

Four of those have already played for the Ulster 1st team and there's likely to be a couple more by the end of the season. Not bad.
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Deckard
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Re: 12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by Deckard »

My guess is that the list only contains the years 2-3 guys plus the outside recruits O'Connor and Caulfield, I would imagine that there will be another 7-8 at least.. For the last few years, Ulster's have maintained an academy of about 20 players, I can't imagine that they'd be cutting it back?
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ColinM
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Re: 12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by ColinM »

Surprised Neil Faloon is still in there
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rocky
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Re: 12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by rocky »

I think the new plan is to start looking at players from an earlier age and to have trimmed numbers more severely so that there will be a smaller academy. The hope is that at least 85% of academy players will graduate to full professional contracts eventually.
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mikerob
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Re: 12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by mikerob »

The numbers listed this year (13) are certainly smaller than previous years when there was 20 or so.

When I get time, I'll check what % of academy players have gone on to pro contracts for previous systems.
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darkside lightside
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Re: 12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by darkside lightside »

mikerob wrote:The numbers listed this year (13) are certainly smaller than previous years when there was 20 or so.

When I get time, I'll check what % of academy players have gone on to pro contracts for previous systems.
Don't waste any time, I'll send you my painstakingly maintained spreadsheet on Monday :D
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Gael
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Re: 12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by Gael »

Conor Gaston out, that's disappointing, I thought he was pretty good.

Just remembered he went to London Irish - doh!
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Lurgan Lad
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Re: 12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by Lurgan Lad »

Is Ricky Andrew the one that was in France? Is he still playing there? Rocky what do you mean by looking for players at an earlier age, will they get much more central coaching/weights/direction at the expence of less in the academy?
I do agree with looking at players at an early age but reducing the number in the academy strikes me of putting all your eggs in one basket, if the ones you have don't work out you are stuck.
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kingofthehill
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Re: 12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by kingofthehill »

Lurgan Lad wrote:Is Ricky Andrew the one that was in France? Is he still playing there?
Yes Ricky was in France and no he's not there now,he played for Ulster last week.
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rocky
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Re: 12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by rocky »

AFAIK, part of McGlock's job is going to schools nd picking up players aged 15 or 16. They then get more coaching and advice about nutrition, etc, and are monitored in an ongoing way. There will be a lot initially, gradually whittled down until a smaller number get into the academy.
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Lurgan Lad
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Re: 12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by Lurgan Lad »

kingofthehill wrote:
Lurgan Lad wrote:Is Ricky Andrew the one that was in France? Is he still playing there?
Yes Ricky was in France and no he's not there now,he played for Ulster last week.
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Re: 12/13 Ulster Academy

Post by fuzzylogic »

by Lurgan Lad » Sat Nov 10, 2012 8:18 am

I do agree with looking at players at an early age but reducing the number in the academy strikes me of putting all your eggs in one basket, if the ones you have don't work out you are stuck.
Generally a high percentage of the academy dont go on to play professional rugby. If BMcL etc go out and identify real potential earlier, then the cream of the crop can be identified at an earlier age and taken down the right path.

As an example, from 2006, look at the amount of players who failed to make it, think of the time and money wasted by UR trying to develop them.

If the real talent had been identified earlier then those 5 could have been developed even further, and the ones who have failed to make it could have been weeded out before the cost of the academy.
Ulster Academy 2006-07

Mark Robinson
Darren Cave
Mark McCrea

Michael Ferguson
Thomas Anderson
David Pollock
Niall O'Connor

Stuart Megaw
Christine Robb
David Drake
Owen McMurray
Phil Coulter
Neil Simpson
Stephen Douglas
Richard Fegan
Willie Falloon
Dale Black
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