The UAFC

Well if the reds get Pocock that will leave Beau Robinson out of a starting place, who would be another good signing despite (as mentioned by someone on here previously). Pocock is my favourite openside in world rugby at the minute, his strength, speed and skill are all immense, especially at the breakdown, and I believe that a signing like that would open a door for both Ulster and the IRFU for developing proper open sides for the future.

I've heard some on here say "why would you have an out and out openside when all that really matters is having a bigger, stronger back row" etc, well Pocock doesn't have the height but he has the skills of an openside and his upper body strength is unreal, talk about having the best of both worlds. He'd be the signing of the year in the northern hemisphere without a doubt.... can't see it happening though.

Windeos wrote:Completely far fetched I know (hence posting in the wish list thread) but what about going after David Pocock as our last NIQ signing.

He's out of contract for next season with the Reds trying to sign him from the Western Force, point being he hasn't signed a new contract. Would be an unreal signing that I can't see happening but to be fair I never believed St Ruan would sign for us either.

Just was reading up on the Aus openside Michael Hooper leaving Brumbies for Waratahs and came across the fact Pocock is out of contract.

I think signing frontline Australians at this stage would be incredibly difficult. Most of the players there are going to be gearing up for the Lions tour in a year or so and are likely to be hanging around to try and make the team.

I'd prefer Alberts from Sharks. Great 7, maybe not the best at the breakdown or the same skills as Pocock but puts himself around a bit, can play all over the back row I think, what he doesn't have in skills he certainly makes up in size. A back row of 6. Ferris7. Alberts 8. Henry/Wilson would be incredible

Nightsoil wrote: Also, am I the only man in the world happy with Henry at 7?

Have said it before. I don't think of Henry as an 8 anymore. he's our first choice 7 and a damn good one.

UlsterBok wrote:

Windeos wrote:Completely far fetched I know (hence posting in the wish list thread) but what about going after David Pocock as our last NIQ signing.

He's out of contract for next season with the Reds trying to sign him from the Western Force, point being he hasn't signed a new contract. Would be an unreal signing that I can't see happening but to be fair I never believed St Ruan would sign for us either.

Just was reading up on the Aus openside Michael Hooper leaving Brumbies for Waratahs and came across the fact Pocock is out of contract.

I think signing frontline Australians at this stage would be incredibly difficult. Most of the players there are going to be gearing up for the Lions tour in a year or so and are likely to be hanging around to try and make the team.

Great point about the Lions, forgot about that. Your completely right I can't see any top Aus players leaving when they have a once in their career opportunity to face the lions.

The fact is we need more back row cover & we have a few players who can play 6, Ferris, Henry, Diack, McComish & Touhy. At 8 Wilson, Henry, Diack but at 7 We will only have Henry & Birch.

We are very light in the back row going into next season & especially at 7. I'm just hoping we get a good player signed to the back row to help improve & add depth to the team.

Scranner wrote:

Nightsoil wrote: Also, am I the only man in the world happy with Henry at 7?

Have said it before. I don't think of Henry as an 8 anymore. he's our first choice 7 and a damn good one.

Agree wholeheartedly with this.
I also would wonder, because he has come so far, would the IRFU even let us sign an 'out and out' 7? Given that Ireland seem to have a bit of a problem at 7, Henry is really coming into his own, there may be a feeling that this could hold Henry back.

I think its more likely that we would sign a utility back rower. Also probably more important, as we all know that Ferris wont be playing that much in the pro12 between compulsory rest and International duty.

But as I have said before, I am really genuinely worried that the opportunity to sign one has now gone, we were genuinely not looking either assuming Pedrie would sign a year extension, or that we could get the IRFU to let us give him 2 years, and now that has fallen through, there may not be a suitable high standard player out there.

Agreed about Henry as our 7.

Would much rather see us go the Lesinter route and bring in a hard and grizzled Brad Thorn type player who can play 6/8 to give our pack what we're going to lack with P3 gone and Ferris rested/injured/international duty.

Priority has got to be a direct like for like replacement for Pedrie.

Henry is becoming a first rate no 7 with Ali Birch as cover (ie. no weaker than this season).

What we've been missing this year when Stevie wasn't available was a bit of grunt in the back row. Pedrie, for all his obvious strengths couldn't do the carrying work of two men. Roger Wilson will be a more than adequate replacement for Pedrie in many ways but we still need that 2nd ball carrier at 6/8.

Ideally our back row signing will be someone who's going to act as an enforcer. Pedrie would regularly have been the first man into a confrontation, and a first-choice back row of Ferris, Henry and Wilson looks completely toothless in terms of a scrap. Obviously, ball-in-hand Ferris is one of the most explosive players in the game, but he's not a man to get stuck into a fight. There's no-one in that back-row I can see as being dependable backup when things kick off.

Johann isn't scared to get stuck in, Tuohy too. I'd like any such Pedrie replacement to be a scrapper of sorts.

Ferris, Henry and Wilson look toothless in terms of a scrap????

I've heard it all now!!!!

Soemone needs to talk to a dentist!!!!!!! I'm with Al on this one.

OneMore wrote:Ideally our back row signing will be someone who's going to act as an enforcer. Pedrie would regularly have been the first man into a confrontation, and a first-choice back row of Ferris, Henry and Wilson looks completely toothless in terms of a scrap. Obviously, ball-in-hand Ferris is one of the most explosive players in the game, but he's not a man to get stuck into a fight. There's no-one in that back-row I can see as being dependable backup when things kick off.

Johann isn't scared to get stuck in, Tuohy too. I'd like any such Pedrie replacement to be a scrapper of sorts.

can I contest this idea that Pedrie is an 'enforcer'?? He clearly isn't - I don't think I have ever seen him engaged in fisticuffs, and even when handbags start, he isn't usually a key protaganist. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, he's extremely disciplined, nor am I saying that he is somehow 'soft' - I wouldn't like to be the guy who acted the horlix to his missus for example - but his 'hardness' manifests itself more through constantly sticking his hand up to do the hard stuff, taking the hits, making the hits, carrying the ball, sticking his body in harm's way; rather than strutting about the pitch trying to be the big lad, like Hartley or someone. For all we're losing when Pedrie goes, I don't think we're losing an 'enforcer'..

Big-al wrote:Ferris, Henry and Wilson look toothless in terms of a scrap????

I've heard it all now!!!!

In open play, Ferris is as likely as anyone to break someone in half. But say he was having his finger bitten at the bottom of a ruck, he would rather have words with the referee than make sure it doesn't happen again in his own way.

If the opposition forward is lying on top of all 3 of them after a ruck has cleared preventing them getting up, which one of our boys is going to make him regret his foul play?

I'm not saying they're not big, or hard or great back row forwards, but I don't see any of them with the bite (figuratively speaking of course) to lay down the law. On the pitch, off the ball, who's making sure we have the upper hand?

Am I totally on my own with this, that our back row is less "scary" in Pedrie's absence?

Big-al wrote:Ferris, Henry and Wilson look toothless in terms of a scrap????

I've heard it all now!!!!

Ferris, Henry and Wilson is a back row to be feared by most in the Rabo and many in the Heinie. My problem is that we won't have Fezfor at least half the Rabo games and I truly believe we are going to lose Henry to Ireland duty much more than we already have. He's now an international class 7.

darkside lightside wrote:

OneMore wrote:Ideally our back row signing will be someone who's going to act as an enforcer. Pedrie would regularly have been the first man into a confrontation, and a first-choice back row of Ferris, Henry and Wilson looks completely toothless in terms of a scrap. Obviously, ball-in-hand Ferris is one of the most explosive players in the game, but he's not a man to get stuck into a fight. There's no-one in that back-row I can see as being dependable backup when things kick off.

Johann isn't scared to get stuck in, Tuohy too. I'd like any such Pedrie replacement to be a scrapper of sorts.

can I contest this idea that Pedrie is an 'enforcer'?? He clearly isn't - I don't think I have ever seen him engaged in fisticuffs, and even when handbags start, he isn't usually a key protaganist. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, he's extremely disciplined, nor am I saying that he is somehow 'soft' - I wouldn't like to be the guy who acted the horlix to his missus for example - but his 'hardness' manifests itself more through constantly sticking his hand up to do the hard stuff, taking the hits, making the hits, carrying the ball, sticking his body in harm's way; rather than strutting about the pitch trying to be the big lad, like Hartley or someone. For all we're losing when Pedrie goes, I don't think we're losing an 'enforcer'..

Aye, look, maybe my impression is a bit out. It sometimes can be - I've been saying for a long time that Willy Falloon was over-rated in here, when I've been chastised for not appreciating all his unseen work. Though maybe they were referring to some charity work he does on weekends, rather than on the rugby pitch.

Was it the Clermont game at home this season, when Rory was taking a couple of digs on the ground about halfway, near the Terrace, and Pedrie was the only man to come and clear out the trouble maker. It's entirely possible that it wasn't Clermont. It may not even have been Pedrie, but I'm almost certain it was, and it was definitely Rory taking the digs. And the opposition went and ran in a score on the far side of the pitch from the same passage of play. Sketchy, I'll admit.