The UAFC

I hear the rumour that UR is about to stun the rugby world by finally accepting that not everyone can actually become a swan when they are rugby's ugly ducklings. I also hear tales than several previous shoo-ins for a new contract are to be disappointed.

Perhaps someone would like to hazard a guess at who the "has beens" will be and who the "never will bes" will include.

Let's start with the most obvious man to be shown the door, who Kiss very clearly wants to be rid of.........

Darren Cave

I will not be surprised if the two old wingers join him. More complex is which forwards will see their P45. Cave at least should have no difficulty finding a contract elsewhere though his treatment by FOLK is hardly helping his cause.

The most obvious "never will be's" ..................

Dave Shanahan
Barbara's sidekick, Heron

From info received the brush will have to be enormous for the number of shitebaxs to be swept out the gate.

BLack
SImpson
Browne
SVDM
TRimble
Bowe
cave
SHannahan
Herron
P
Cotzee
Jackson
Olding
Patterson
CRoss
Warwick

I expect all these to not be here next season maybe forgot a few

Fair call Ger

Big Licence

And how are we replacing them? With real Ulstermen? Or scouring the world for the great plastic paddies.

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Are PJ and Olding not ditched already? Hope we're not paying them.

The treatment of Cave has been disgusting

Paul Marshall will never leave.

CRoss and Browne not proved themselves as solid squad players?

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Jackie Brown wrote:And how are we replacing them? With real Ulstermen? Or scouring the world for the great plastic paddies.

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There is the problem. People are slating the academy, were Carins and Stewart any worse than p or Shannahan ?

Jackie Brown wrote:Are PJ and Olding not ditched already? Hope we're not paying them.

The treatment of Cave has been disgusting

Paul Marshall will never leave.

CRoss and Browne not proved themselves as solid squad players?

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Why would we not pay them ? Any employer would.

If cave has any sense he will sit back take the cash and build his Coffee and Bun empire, King of the East .

PJ and Olding won't play for Ulster again whether they 'win' in court or not. I'd be surprised if either of them play professionally again.

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Agreed. We need to get on with it.
Cave should go if he's any sense and not to Connacht. Disgraceful treatment.

Lets hope the one name missing from the list is FOLK. I'm not even sure how good Peel is, given FOLKs influence. Jonno at least has pedigree with the right material. How about the academy coaches as well as a job lot?

Cairns is 24, so 1/3 of a normal pro career wasted til now behind P? Stewart has potential. But then so did Heaney. All better than P.
Right the season off and blood some of these guys. Cairns was decent until the pack hung him out to dry, bit like Shanners last year at home to Bordeaux.

Jackie Brown wrote:PJ and Olding won't play for Ulster again whether they 'win' in court or not. I'd be surprised if either of them play professionally again.

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When they are acquitted there is no reason why the two young gentlemen will not play rugby again, just not much chance of it being at Ulster.

On purely rugby grounds you would want Paddy all day long, pity he had not paid more notice to the words of Doc Dave about the people he mixes with. Olding will have a much harder road to travel with his injury profile.

Of course Ulster is paying them, albeit in Olding's case almost certainly next to nothing given his pay to play contract plus a very meagre stipend, have we never heard of the innocent until proven guilty routine?

Wonder what odds you'd get on Paddy to Bristol to join his manservant Big Dan, he of the big shoulder and expertise at the fireman's lift?

Jackie Brown wrote:And how are we replacing them?

That is the real question Jackie, I hope it will be taking a punt on young Ulster/Irish players.

The simple fact is that the vast majority of the academy players tried have done at least 50/50 in terms of those who have been good enough. Higher would be better of course but some of the failures have specifically been those hauled in from England, not many Tredders have come through.

It's the oldest marketing ploy - Buy Local.

100% correct innocent until proven guilty. Reality is if acquitted, mud sticks. If guilty, then deserved. I doubt it will be "clean" either way, and that will force UR's hand.
Shields would have PJ at Saints in a heartbeat.

Innocent until proven guilty, but, sadly mud sticks especially in a small incestuous place like NI

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First to go should be Les Kiss followed by Kieron Campbell

1st team players to be released should be Callum Black, Pete Browne, Brett Herron, Paddy Jackson, Stuart Olding Dave Shanahan and Andrew Warwick, I would increase the academy intake and employ Brian McLaughlin as the academy DOR with full say....Would bust the bank to sign Ritchie Mo'unga, I would blood McCusker, O'Hagan, Regan, Dunleavy, Jones and anyone else McGlocks thought good enough. I'd rather watch a team of our youngsters who have the potential to get better than player who we know won't and players who would play for their province more than anything else....