Oh no.....

[solidarity]

Personally I’d expect Faddes & Carter to leave at end of season.

both are average at best.
Who is scouting these imports?

Rumn.... (sorry Rumn )

Carter is a multi capped Oz international who captained The Brumbies, he suffered an injury setback against Bath and hasn't had any time to find rhythm. I think he will surprise a few once he gets going. I certainly remember him being a hard nosed grisly character when watching him play in Super Rugby.

Faddes covers 11 to 15, wasn't signed to be a super star but to add depth. Again he also has been hampered with injury. I think Ulster fans need to temper their expectations with Faddes. Appears to try too hard to impress and it doesn't always come off, the guy needs to relax.

All NIQs should be automatic starters. Neither of these two are.

That's the key point. What's the use of signing guys on big money just to provide depth? They ought to be added value guys whom we can't get at home... or in Leinster. Depth should be home produced.

[Dharper]

I think covid now is a game changer. Any “squad players” will be academies or provincial moves - NIQ really have to add value. To be fair to Faddes it was pretty obvious he was carrying an injury last yr - there is no way a kiwi super rugby player with that much game experience could miss that many tackles - fair play he even played. Yes he’s been moved around, but he can finish no doubt about that. Maybe he was signed to give a squad buffer to the pups. I actually think Balacoune for starters bolted quicker than anyone suspected. Hume is now ticking nicely too, maybe moore to follow. By end of season we just won’t need an NIQ to cover the outside backs. The only way I could see that happening is to replace Addison (I hope he makes it, he is quality and we are a different level with him in the back line). We need a pack that can punch a few holes for the pups to exploit. Carter hasn’t produced what his record suggests, hopefully that changes. That said he’s hardly hit the ground running coming back. I wouldn’t resign him on performance levels frankly. Hopefully the blatant hole in the BR this yr gives the pups a chance to break through. However no doubt about it we need improvements at lock and 6. The lineout is tom kite too.