Ulster Rugby 2013/2014

[ronk]

Shame about Humphreys. Still I suppose there wasn't much further he could go with Ulster. He's not going to get a national job from there.

[simonokeeffe]

would love to find out if it includes benefit in kind too

Officially or unofficially?

http://www.premiershiprugby.com/premier ... ry_cap.php

forgot it had gone up, basically its now 5 millions pounds plus easily another million in marquee player (trickery) plus up to 400k on replacing players injured for more than 12 weeks, wonder if its players loaned in or out it covers
works out to about 8 million euros with f all limits on players that can be signed, no IRFU rest/positional requests

Amounts that are excluded

International match fees, bonuses, etc.
Legitimate and reasonable expenses
Player's personal private medical insurance including Rugby Care scheme
Benefit Year (testimonial)
Education fees (e.g. university tuition fees, joinery course fees etc.) for the player
A season long Loan Player x 3 players
A player who is Injured for the entire season

[Oldschool]

It's been a bad week for you guys and it's still only Tuesday.
So you all know what to do.

Show Spoiler:

STAND UP FOR THE ULSTERMEN

[rooster]

It's been a bad week for you guys and it's still only Tuesday.
So you all know what to do.

Show Spoiler:

STAND UP FOR THE ULSTERMEN

Cheers Oldschool, but I am not so sure we are having as bad a week as some think, Humphs liked a lot of control and that stifled our ability to get top coaches interested so we may well get someone good interested now, we have our NIQ quota for the next 2 seasons so no real searching to be done there, the deal with Kingspan is generally thought to be around £400k per year so if we can't get a decent coach with that then something is badly wrong, also Humphs and Afoa were both reputed to be on £320k per annum so that is more cash in the pot, the corporate stand is almost paid off, they could probably sort it from the petty cash box actually !
The buck eejits in the government up here have given us a 18k capacity stadium and our previous budgets were worked out on 8k crowds so the finances are probably the best of all the provinces.

Now the downsides, a coach who may well not be up to scratch, I won't be surprised if he gets the boot before the end of next season, we are a few players short of a decent squad, a 7 is crucial at present but there may be one signed, on the other hand had Humphs actually done a deal ?

ERCC draw today, Leicester, Toulon and Scarlets, bring them on

[simonokeeffe]

It's been a bad week for you guys and it's still only Tuesday.
So you all know what to do.

Show Spoiler:

STAND UP FOR THE ULSTERMEN

Cheers Oldschool, but I am not so sure we are having as bad a week as some think, Humphs liked a lot of control and that stifled our ability to get top coaches interested so we may well get someone good interested now, we have our NIQ quota for the next 2 seasons so no real searching to be done there, the deal with Kingspan is generally thought to be around £400k per year so if we can't get a decent coach with that then something is badly wrong, also Humphs and Afoa were both reputed to be on £320k per annum so that is more cash in the pot, the corporate stand is almost paid off, they could probably sort it from the petty cash box actually !
The buck eejits in the government up here have given us a 18k capacity stadium and our previous budgets were worked out on 8k crowds so the finances are probably the best of all the provinces.

Now the downsides, a coach who may well not be up to scratch, I won't be surprised if he gets the boot before the end of next season, we are a few players short of a decent squad, a 7 is crucial at present but there may be one signed, on the other hand had Humphs actually done a deal ?

ERCC draw today, Leicester, Toulon and Scarlets, bring them on

leicester and Toulon should fill the ground too

[ronk]

Ulster upped their spending a few years ago, I think their spending is possibly reasonably accounted for. I wouldn't expect them to be badly off in any way either.

An exodus of players like that would point towards tightening budgets.

Ulster have the worst group but a runner up slot is on. Scarlets will be focusing on the Rabo, they can do Leicester if they have to and they're one of the sides with the best chance of beating Toulon at home.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I'm not sure how good Ulster can be with their new front five, wouldn't be surprised if they did really well, or if they get torn apart in a couple of the HC (can't change that yet) games. Really could go either way.

I think what will make or break next season, and Anscombe's tenure, is how they manage things out wide. I think there's a backline that most fans would pick, and then one that the IRFU would pick and that could totally mess things up. Had things been steady up front or upstairs then I think it would be mitigated, but as it is I think their success hinges on it.

It's a given that Payne will play a lot at 13, but my worry is that we'll NEVER see him moved back to 15, even during games, and that the knock on effect of that will be hugely negative.

[paddyor]

Ulster upped their spending a few years ago, I think their spending is possibly reasonably accounted for. I wouldn't expect them to be badly off in any way either.

An exodus of players like that would point towards tightening budgets and Afoa losing form.

Ulster have the worst group but a runner up slot is on. Scarlets will be focusing on the Rabo, they can do Leicester if they have to and they're one of the sides with the best chance of beating Toulon at home.

FIFY
Seriously though he wasn't worth the money he was getting with all his absences. He was taking up development time for young props too who might not be world class but could develop into handy options too. I'd actually consider Court a bigger loss than Afoa.

With Tuohy Henderson and Stevenson they're okay at lock. It's Prop that'll be a concern. Nice backs though.......Looking like tomorrows Scarlets

[simonokeeffe]

I'm not sure how good Ulster can be with their new front five, wouldn't be surprised if they did really well, or if they get torn apart in a couple of the HC (can't change that yet) games. Really could go either way.

I think what will make or break next season, and Anscombe's tenure, is how they manage things out wide. I think there's a backline that most fans would pick, and then one that the IRFU would pick and that could totally mess things up. Had things been steady up front or upstairs then I think it would be mitigated, but as it is I think their success hinges on it.

It's a given that Payne will play a lot at 13, but my worry is that we'll NEVER see him moved back to 15, even during games, and that the knock on effect of that will be hugely negative.

what MOC (out) leaked this season was joe/IRFU could tell them who to pick where for league games but HC was entirely coaches call

[rooster]

I'm not sure how good Ulster can be with their new front five, wouldn't be surprised if they did really well, or if they get torn apart in a couple of the HC (can't change that yet) games. Really could go either way.

I think what will make or break next season, and Anscombe's tenure, is how they manage things out wide. I think there's a backline that most fans would pick, and then one that the IRFU would pick and that could totally mess things up. Had things been steady up front or upstairs then I think it would be mitigated, but as it is I think their success hinges on it.

It's a given that Payne will play a lot at 13, but my worry is that we'll NEVER see him moved back to 15, even during games, and that the knock on effect of that will be hugely negative.

what MOC (out) leaked this season was joe/IRFU could tell them who to pick where for league games but HC was entirely coaches call

If that is true then Joe will probably request that Payne reverts to his best position at 15 to provide cover and put pressure on Kearney

[UlsterMan]

HC has always been provinces' call. IRFU have been very clear that they do not wish to intervene and potentially hinder a team's chances.

If you see Payne at 15 this season ironically it will be Schmidt's call. Anscombe has publicly admitted he sees Jared as a 13 (the only one who does) and thus I would be surprised to see him not playing there. It's a shame, his talent is very much wasted there.

Front 5 may surprise people this season. Not world beaters, but Callum Black is our first choice LH and should have been this season too, Rory Best is Rory Best, and Wiehahn Herbst is something of a dark horse - he's third choice for the Sharks and that's no mean feat with du Plessis and Oosthuizen ahead of him. van der Merwe at lock will offer more on the pitch than Muller, but not his irreplaceable leadership.

Anscombe will not last beyond this season bar winning the double. It is a slight concern though - how committed will he be to the cause. Like Rooster, I can envisage him departing Ravenhill - sorry, Kingspan Stadium - before the end of the season for one reason or another.

[rooster]

I can envisage Anscome going before the start of the season !

[LeRouxIsPHat]

My mind has gone blank, why has Anscombe's star fallen so much over the last few months?

[Peg Leg]

My mind has gone blank, why has Anscombe's star fallen so much over the last few months?

He's their Mancini, Humphries had nothing to do with it.
I don't know why Ulster expected to be successful with a team built around a potentially v. good out-half.

[ronk]

My mind has gone blank, why has Anscombe's star fallen so much over the last few months?

He's their Mancini, Humphries had nothing to do with it.
I don't know why Ulster expected to be successful with a team built around a potentially v. good out-half.

I don't get it at all.

[goreyguy]

MA has made some odd decisions.. Cave to 12, Payne to 13, turning Marshall into a bosh merchant..

hasnt really developed much depth to the squad either

[simonokeeffe]

Nelson, Andrew, Allen, Heaney, Lutton and Warwick all got decent gametime this season
McCloskey, Scholes, Joyce all featured a bit too
and they were already strong in most positions

Marshall tactics definitely odd given his strengths

[goreyguy]

Still massively reliant on couple of players that have been there for ages along with their NIQ'd players.
Have had 1 forward emerge in last 2 years(Henderson) who would breakthrough under any coach.
Almost all the backs who have emerged were already blooded and developed under previous regime(Jackson,Marshall).
Jackson has gotten better, Marshall has become a bit one dimensional.
Gilroy has gone backwards, needed to sign a NIQ'd player for fullback cover.
Desperately needed to sign a NIQ'd prop(Herbst) along with two low rated irish props(Murphy,Ryan) to cover lack of homegrown options.

I'm probably being a tad harsh but I can see the frustration they may have..

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Think that's very harsh alright.

Black has become a much better player over the last couple of seasons.
Lutton and Warwick have been getting game time and improving. I'd hardly blame Anscombe for them needing another NIQ prop given what he's tried and the injuries to McCallister, Macklin and Fitzpatrick. Herring has also improved and become a really good player. He might be lucky to be touring Argentina because of injuries but I do think he's climbing the ladder on merit too.

Henderson has obviously emerged but Touhy has also improved and got a shot with Ireland despite there being much more competition now.

Diack is twice the player he was a couple of years ago. Henry has improved massively too. He's also got the best out of Nick Williams which is a fantastic achievement really.

He hasn't done much with the halfbacks alright. Although Olding just missed the entire season and could have been considered at ten.

They've got great options in the centre now. He's certainly blooded Olding and McCloskey. Allen too. I wouldn't just mention Jacksoon in passing, regardless of him being blooded by BMcG, he's shown great improvement. Not really sure that Marshall has regressed as many say, he's only ever been brilliant in patches and I certainly think his best form has come in those last two seasons even if his recent form has been average enough.

Scholes has started ahead of Gilroy. Don't think you can blame Anscombe for Gilroy losing his zip and he seems to have got it back now anyway. Don't see what the issue is with signing an NIQ fullback. Both first choice wings are likely to be away with Ireland and Payne will be at 13 so they'll need someone else.

There have been some questionable tactics and they haven't turned up in a few big games over the last couple of seasons but I don't think that developing the squad has been an issue.

[rooster]

The strange team picks at times is a worry but not as much as some of the totally crazy game plans and substitutions, the worst example being the playoff against Leinster