The UAFC

Nightsoil wrote:

BaggyTrousers wrote:

Nightsoil wrote:Just on the propping issue and bringing back Paddy Mac - that can only be done season after next, and season after next, we'll probably have an NIQ slot free from losing Franco and a project slot for Herbst having done his time. The IRFU will probably block another top lock, tighthead's usually a sore spot for them, we already have a top NIQ back row, hooker's fine.

But loosehead has plenty of depth in the Ireland squad. I think if there's one spot they'll let us bring in a quality player, it'll be loosehead.

Of course, this is complete speculation. And we could bring in a top NIQ loosehead and Paddy, particularly if Warwick moves permanently to tighthead. But maybe there wouldn't be room for both.

Here is a thought. If the IRFU are jumpy about TH props being brought in, does the class not feel they should then have a duty to redistribute the talent rather than having most of it festering in D4? Tricky one I know but if they can tell you you can't have one in case you block "pathways" then where is the logic in 3 of them in Mexico & only 2 getting a game for most of the season.

Suppose they will tell Ulster that we have acquired an international TH for next season ...............even if he had sipped to 3rd or 4th choice at Connacht.

As for Andrew Warwick, I see no way they will absolutely convert him to TH, we don't have enough options for LH either, though allegedly Rodders does both.

Haven't we all heard this is one of Deadly Dave's intentions, solve log jams like this by getting players to where they were needed?

Which admittedly, he has, if you think the place a Irish tighthead needs to be is Wasps.

And that there's the problem, persuading the internationals getting forced out of their province to hang around in Ireland instead of going abroad for their pay day. Maybe if Deadly Dave could manage that, he'd be held in a bit less contempt.

A good start would be that Leinster back rower who's allegedly meant to be turning up here. That would be nice.

The one who played us off the park on Friday night?

I think Friday night was a bit of a reality check for many, or if it wasn't it bloody well should be. The fact we are having to play Reidy at 8 instead of letting him compete directly with Henry is an acute indictment of exactly where we are. On a greasy track Henderson was our only carrier of high regard, Browne tried gamely but he's just not big enough. The rest aren't carriers, simple as that.

Our new South African friend who's currently recovering from surgery is not a like for like replacement for Nick. Great player but he's not an out and out brutal carrier in the Williams or even Hendo mode.

In other areas our TH stocks are a concern. The need for Ah You to be an instant hit couldn't be more pressing. I hope he can be this but I wouldn't put the house on it.

People can say what they like about Soft J but he'd have walked into our pack from Friday night at 8 and he'd have given us something much more useful than what we had.

Get the rosary beads out and hope Treadwell, Tuohy and O'Connor all arrive to pre-season ready to rock and roll. VDM has had to put in a serious shift this season and I think he looked clean bucked. The backrow needs either Soft J or Conan and badly. They might not be the heavy hitters our European rivals are snapping up but they're a damn sight better than having to play an openside at 8 ffs.

Treadwell looks and sounds the part. Over 2 metres tall, athletics background, 119kg... only problem is I've never seen him play.

According to quins website he has a grand total of 140 mins of 1st team rugby. The problem I foresee is that he isn't where we need him to be, which is ready to hit the ground running. I'm not convinced that he will be the answer to our prayers straight away but certainly has the potential given his impressive physical stats. Our pack desperately needs something you can't coach. We need a physically imposing specimen that can kill dead things and carrying through brick walls. Not much to ask for I know. Henderson is one but one is not enough. Couple of enforcers in the pack would be great. Paddy Mac would be another.

BuckRogers wrote:I think Friday night was a bit of a reality check for many, or if it wasn't it bloody well should be. The fact we are having to play Reidy at 8 instead of letting him compete directly with Henry is an acute indictment of exactly where we are. On a greasy track Henderson was our only carrier of high regard, Browne tried gamely but he's just not big enough. The rest aren't carriers, simple as that.

Our new South African friend who's currently recovering from surgery is not a like for like replacement for Nick. Great player but he's not an out and out brutal carrier in the Williams or even Hendo mode.

In other areas our TH stocks are a concern. The need for Ah You to be an instant hit couldn't be more pressing. I hope he can be this but I wouldn't put the house on it.

People can say what they like about Soft J but he'd have walked into our pack from Friday night at 8 and he'd have given us something much more useful than what we had.

Get the rosary beads out and hope Treadwell, Tuohy and O'Connor all arrive to pre-season ready to rock and roll. VDM has had to put in a serious shift this season and I think he looked clean bucked. The backrow needs either Soft J or Conan and badly. They might not be the heavy hitters our European rivals are snapping up but they're a damn sight better than having to play an openside at 8 ffs.

Jordi didn't look so saft as I recall- not sure where this epithet comes from?

He wasn't saft on Friday but he's been the subject of a mild to moderate dose of derision from these parts and I believe, though could possibly be wrong, some idiot even have the temerity to suggest Diack was actually a better player than him.

Dave wrote:Treadwell looks and sounds the part. Over 2 metres tall, athletics background, 119kg... only problem is I've never seen him play.

According to quins website he has a grand total of 140 mins of 1st team rugby. The problem I foresee is that he isn't where we need him to be, which is ready to hit the ground running. I'm not convinced that he will be the answer to our prayers straight away but certainly has the potential given his impressive physical stats. Our pack desperately needs something you can't coach. We need a physically imposing specimen that can kill dead things and carrying through brick walls. Not much to ask for I know. Henderson is one but one is not enough. Couple of enforcers in the pack would be great. Paddy Mac would be another.

Donnan's as big.... I'm 115kg and just under 2m, so no guarantee of quality...
We have three academy locks all of Ireland under 20 standard- there is something amiss if we can't get one through- not a good hit rate...

BuckRogers wrote:He wasn't saft on Friday but he's been the subject of a mild to moderate dose of derision from these parts and I believe, though could possibly be wrong, some idiot even have the temerity to suggest Diack was actually a better player than him.

Diack isn't saft either, just not a dynamic carrier or tackler.. he can do everything else. Diack, to be fair, has very good hands. There is a place for him in the wider Squad.

Not if if we want to win play-off semi finals/finals or the Super Duper. He's also unquestionably soft, both mentally and physically. At this stage it's not even up for debate IMO.

Really, really nice guy by the way but you know the oft trotted out line about where nice guys finish...

CIMANFOREVER wrote:

Dave wrote:Treadwell looks and sounds the part. Over 2 metres tall, athletics background, 119kg... only problem is I've never seen him play.

According to quins website he has a grand total of 140 mins of 1st team rugby. The problem I foresee is that he isn't where we need him to be, which is ready to hit the ground running. I'm not convinced that he will be the answer to our prayers straight away but certainly has the potential given his impressive physical stats. Our pack desperately needs something you can't coach. We need a physically imposing specimen that can kill dead things and carrying through brick walls. Not much to ask for I know. Henderson is one but one is not enough. Couple of enforcers in the pack would be great. Paddy Mac would be another.

Donnan's as big.... I'm 115kg and just under 2m, so no guarantee of quality...
We have three academy locks all of Ireland under 20 standard- there is something amiss if we can't get one through- not a good hit rate...

Three? Thompson, Donnan, and who's the third?

CIMANFOREVER wrote:

Dave wrote:Treadwell looks and sounds the part. Over 2 metres tall, athletics background, 119kg... only problem is I've never seen him play.

According to quins website he has a grand total of 140 mins of 1st team rugby. The problem I foresee is that he isn't where we need him to be, which is ready to hit the ground running. I'm not convinced that he will be the answer to our prayers straight away but certainly has the potential given his impressive physical stats. Our pack desperately needs something you can't coach. We need a physically imposing specimen that can kill dead things and carrying through brick walls. Not much to ask for I know. Henderson is one but one is not enough. Couple of enforcers in the pack would be great. Paddy Mac would be another.

Donnan's as big.... I'm 115kg and just under 2m, so no guarantee of quality...
We have three academy locks all of Ireland under 20 standard- there is something amiss if we can't get one through- not a good hit rate...

Clarke out

CIMANFOREVER wrote:

Dave wrote:Treadwell looks and sounds the part. Over 2 metres tall, athletics background, 119kg... only problem is I've never seen him play.

According to quins website he has a grand total of 140 mins of 1st team rugby. The problem I foresee is that he isn't where we need him to be, which is ready to hit the ground running. I'm not convinced that he will be the answer to our prayers straight away but certainly has the potential given his impressive physical stats. Our pack desperately needs something you can't coach. We need a physically imposing specimen that can kill dead things and carrying through brick walls. Not much to ask for I know. Henderson is one but one is not enough. Couple of enforcers in the pack would be great. Paddy Mac would be another.

Donnan's as big.... I'm 115kg and just under 2m, so no guarantee of quality...
We have three academy locks all of Ireland under 20 standard- there is something amiss if we can't get one through- not a good hit rate...

Why? Most other provinces have mucked up three academy locks of Ireland U20 standard recently enough and that's because reaching that level is no guarantee of being good enough for the pro game.

I a world where all things are equal you'd say that if Donnan is good enough he will get his chance with Ulster however I simply cannot say that with any real confidence with the current coaching staff, namely Clarke, who has shown time and time again to pick his favourites if allowed to go unchecked. I think Thompson is still probably a season or two off being physically ready to play Pro12, he is only in his second year out of school to be fair.

It really boils down to badly, no desperately, needing one of Jordi Murphy or Jack Conan to make our backrow look something close to acceptable.

CIMANFOREVER wrote:We also need to talk about Andy Warwick- I'd like clarity on whether we're using him as break glass tighthead, or if if we're seriously at making the conversion. if so, let's get, as has been said, a world class scrum coach in, even if just for some intensive working sessions for a few weeks, and get these young lads the proper scrum coaching they don't seem to be getting at Ulster imo. It could bring them on leaps and bounds, Herbst's little problem included. AW is worth persisting with, but struggled on Friday, understandably.

Greg Feek is already on the IRFU payroll.

Surely Ulster (Les) could request him for a few weeks specialist coaching.

The new role includes the coaching of the National team scrum as well as being involved in the National Scrum Development Programme.

Through the National Scrum Development Programme, Greg will be working with the provincial and underage scrum coaches to identify and develop scrum talent and will focus on improving players' general understanding of scrum mechanics and technique.

Although I'm sure our own little Napoleon probably wouldn't have took well to encroachment on "his" turf.

BuckRogers wrote:I a world where all things are equal you'd say that if Donnan is good enough he will get his chance with Ulster however I simply cannot say that with any real confidence with the current coaching staff, namely Clarke, who has shown time and time again to pick his favourites if allowed to go unchecked. I think Thompson is still probably a season or two off being physically ready to play Pro12, he is only in his second year out of school to be fair.

It really boils down to badly, no desperately, needing one of Jordi Murphy or Jack Conan to make our backrow look something close to acceptable.

Seeing Thompson and Donnan side by side for the A team there didn't look to be much in it.

BuckRogers wrote:Not if if we want to win play-off semi finals/finals or the Super Duper. He's also unquestionably soft, both mentally and physically. At this stage it's not even up for debate IMO.

Really, really nice guy by the way but you know the oft trotted out line about where nice guys finish...

Unquestionably? Definitively?

How many tackles do you see Diack miss? Not breaking the gain line consistently or not dumping people backwards a la Hendo of Fez is not the definition of Saft. How many times have we saw McCloskey mill boys smaller than himself with GLU style horizontal levelling tackles? Me, I can't- are we saying he's soft cos he prefers the choke tackle? (although I'd prefer more of the former.) So lets not deride a player via a flawed definition of Saft when it's flawed technique. I've rarely seen Diack shirk a tackle or put his head or body in the line of fire if it was needed- at pro level, that doesn't suggest lack of bottle.