Loose Head - Van der Merwes (Hond) Signs

[rorybestsbigbaldnoggin]

Exciting 15 in terms of age; 3 Years Time

1 - Schalk Van Der Merwe (26)
2 - Rob Herring (26)
3 - Wiehahn Herbst (28)
4 - Kieran Treadwell (21)
5 - Iain Henderson (25)
6 - Marcell Coetzee (25)
7 - Sean Reidy (27)
8 - Arno Botha (25)
9 - John Cooney (26)
10 - Paddy Jackson (25)
11 - Craig Gilroy (25)
12 - Stuart Olding (23)
13 - Jacob Stockdale (20)
14 - Robert Lyttle (20)
15 - Peter Nelson (24)

Won't Marcell and Arno be gone in 3yr?

Whats this based on???

Possibly on the oft-quoted, rarely-followed IRFU rule that you can only sign a given NIQ for one contract?

[Russ]

Who would of thought?

Aye you're not to bad KOTH, any other stuff to tease?

I believe i broke the news

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[Russ]

Its worrying that he isn't a starter for the Kings. Though he is only 26 and hopefully is much better than what we already have.

The issue there Damo is that the incumbent loosehead at the Kings is their 33 year old captain, hard to budge a sitting captain as Herring has found out. I'd be more worried that his year at Montpellier only had six appearances, why I have no idea. But the guy can scrummage in a good pack as you will see in the 17 minute video, some or a lot of time when Franco VDM would have been one of the guys "up his-Brennan".

I also think that whilst he has been at a few clubs, hence heading down the path of journeyman, that at 25/26 it's very early days for a prop to be defined one way or another.

My guess is that he is a decent option for us from what was likely to be a very limited pool of opportunity, props being expensive creatures.

Cautious optimism is my choice for this one. I know Matt Stephens is no world-beater but in the 2014 Currie Cup semi, Hond retired him at halftime having ragdolled him for 40 minutes.

Half time coca cola will sort that out

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[EastTerraceUR]

The length of their contracts. Arno is 2yrs and Marcell has 2 left.

and they cant stay after that???

[damianmcr]

That's not up to us????

[scrum5]

Who would of thought?

Aye you're not to bad KOTH, any other stuff to tease?

I believe i broke the news

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Bravo, Bravo,

[Tender]

And so now we're willie waving.

[Russ]

And so now we're willie waving.

My willie is constantly john mcbride

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[Tender]

Hold the phone. I've just seen yer man's coupon in the Smellygraph. Methinks we've been buying snake
oil again. Have we bothered to check his birth certificate? FFS he looks older than me and I'm more than twice his age. I know front row fatties age faster than the rest, especially the show ponies on the wing, but if he's 26, he had one hell of a paper round.

[MCBwinwinwin]

They are waiting to mess up qualifying for the playoffs. Then they will announce that Pienaar is staying!


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[Tender]

I'd snatch yer hand off for that right now. The thought of Ruan with Coatzee, Arno and company would have me rushing to buy a season ticket for the 'prom' (helped).

[Joe Schmo]

Id say it's more a case of Ulster have asked Ruan not to announce where he's signed for until the season ticket discount deadline has passed.

[MCBwinwinwin]

Id say it's more a case of Ulster have asked Ruan not to announce where he's signed for until the season ticket discount deadline has passed.

What club would ever agree to that?


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[Joe Schmo]

Id say it's more a case of Ulster have asked Ruan not to announce where he's signed for until the season ticket discount deadline has passed.

What club would ever agree to that?


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no idea, I was just slaggin'.

I'm glad Ulster didn't sign a marquee player, better for the younger players to have a chance of getting regular first team experience. Of the home grown talent Big Licence has been disappointing for me this season, ah you, Lutton and black on the other hand have been even less impressive. I hope Jonno can bring something special to this pack next season. Everyone appears to be assuming VDM will be first choice but will that be case??

[UlsterNo9]

Last and probably least ........ Greg Jones.

Don't panic, don't panic!

Great hope for Greg Jones, he bate Max Deegan aff the No.8 position at Ireland U20 level when fit.

The Dublin meedya rave about Deegan