Ulster 2021/22

[LeRouxIsPHat]

That reminds me that Crusaders have a ten named Fergus Burke and assuming he’s at least 99% Irish they should really be making him sign for Ulster whether he likes it or not.

[dougie the flanker]

Wasn't there talk that Ulster/IRFU were making a play for Bernard Foley with the intention of having Foley as an option for flyhalf leading upto the RWC. Hasn't played since the 2019 RWC so will be Irish eligible soon under the new laws.

Though I assume having signed Jake Flannery thats probably their signing at 10 for next year and this won't come to anything.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

It’s Toomaga Allen the Wasps tighthead who used to play for the Hurricanes. One year deal.

Seems a strange one with Moore and TOT on the books. Is there an injury we don’t know about?

[neill_m]

It’s Toomaga Allen the Wasps tighthead who used to play for the Hurricanes. One year deal.

Seems a strange one with Moore and TOT on the books. Is there an injury we don’t know about?

Ross Kane joined Ealing so only had 3 THPs for next season - Moore, TOT & Milasinovich.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

It’s Toomaga Allen the Wasps tighthead who used to play for the Hurricanes. One year deal.

Seems a strange one with Moore and TOT on the books. Is there an injury we don’t know about?

Ross Kane joined Ealing so only had 3 THPs for next season - Moore, TOT & Milasinovich.

Yeah but is it not strange for players of the quality of Moore, TOT, or Toomaga Allen to be left out for big games? I just would have expected a player of a lower profile. Maybe I’m overestimating how much JTA is costing tbf and I suppose it’s only a one year deal.

Certainly makes them stronger, good signing.

[dougie the flanker]

Great signing. SIck as a small hospital. I'd have loved to see him at Munster. I hadn't expected any province to get IRFU sign off on a TH this year.

[Dave Cahill]

MM and TOT are quality players, but have been seriously disrupted by injury the last while. I'd imagine the reason for this signing is that Ulster want to manage their load for a bit. They could have done that with Milasinovich but he is quite a bit off where Moore and O'Toole are, signing Toomaga Allen for a year allows them to manage the two lads without a significant drop off in quality.

[dougie the flanker]

MM and TOT are quality players, but have been seriously disrupted by injury the last while. I'd imagine the reason for this signing is that Ulster want to manage their load for a bit. They could have done that with Milasinovich but he is quite a bit off where Moore and O'Toole are, signing Toomaga Allen for a year allows them to manage the two lads without a significant drop off in quality.

Makes sense. Feel a LH would have served them better with Jack McGrath leaving though.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

MM and TOT are quality players, but have been seriously disrupted by injury the last while. I'd imagine the reason for this signing is that Ulster want to manage their load for a bit. They could have done that with Milasinovich but he is quite a bit off where Moore and O'Toole are, signing Toomaga Allen for a year allows them to manage the two lads without a significant drop off in quality.

Yeah I suppose there was no point in a Milasinovich 2.0 so if they could upgrade there and JTA is happy to not be guaranteed a spot in the first choice 23 then it's good for everyone.

[sunshiner1]

Ulster confirm all their signings are made for next season.

[dougie the flanker]

Ulster confirm all their signings are made for next season.

More than that. He also confirmed that Marty Moore is out for the rest of the season due to multiple concussions and needing a rest. I wonder if this has prompted the Tight Head signing.

[riocard911]

Ulster confirm all their signings are made for next season.

More than that. He also confirmed that Marty Moore is out for the rest of the season due to multiple concussions and needing a rest. I wonder if this has prompted the Tight Head signing.

Jaysus, that doesn't sound good. Here's wishing MM a speedy and full recovery.

[ronk]

(15-9): Stewart Moore, Rob Baloucoune, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy, Billy Burns, John Cooney;

(1-8): Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (Capt.), Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: John Andrew, Eric O’Sullivan, Gareth Milasinovich, Kieran Treadwell, Matty Rea, Nathan Doak, Ian Madigan, Ben Moxham.

Here is how the opposition, Munster Rugby, will line out...

(15-9): Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Keith Earls; Joey Carbery, Conor Murray;

(1-8): Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Peter O’Mahony (Capt.), Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Jason Jenkins, Thomas Ahern, Craig Casey, Ben Healy, Chris Cloete.

[munster#1]

It’s hard to see past Ulster for this game.
Looking at comments about them, Ulster are by far the best team, they have many more internationals and they play better rugby.

Munster in contrast are a team full of inexperienced players and devoid of a clear game plan.

If published opinions defined results then it will be Ulster by 46

[Ruckedtobits]

This should be a real contest with Ulster having the home-crowd advantage but Munster having the pack advantage and a better balanced bench.

However, this could be career defining for either Coaching Team.

A loss for Munster may be easier to take as they have already decided to move on with their coaching group. A loss for Ulster may consign McFarland to a similar destiny sooner rather than later.

The match-ups are interesting. Two of the most diagonal-running out-halves in Irish Rugby supported by pairs of potentially match winning centres. Five Irish back-row forwards who may all believe that their summer holiday plans could be decided by Andy Farrell. And finally, John Cooney, returning to his best form, competing with Conor Murray who is beginning to suffer the slings & arrows of his own supporters where they call for Casey's promotion.

A worthy match-up and too close to call with any certainty.

[wixfjord]

Two fairly well matched teams on paper.

Munster bench looks stronger, particularly up front.

Very surprised to see Conway start after him pulling up in the Aviva.

If Ulster can get Hume/Balacoune running in space against Farrell/Earls that could bring some joy for them.

[RoboProp]

Two fairly well matched teams on paper.

Munster bench looks stronger, particularly up front.

Very surprised to see Conway start after him pulling up in the Aviva.

If Ulster can get Hume/Balacoune running in space against Farrell/Earls that could bring some joy for them.

If I was Baloucoune, I'd be chomping at the bit to try and one-up Earls on the back of the 34 year old wingers recent central contract. I love Earls, but giving a 34 year old winger a central contract is Coco-pops

[riocard911]

Two fairly well matched teams on paper.

Munster bench looks stronger, particularly up front.

Very surprised to see Conway start after him pulling up in the Aviva.

If Ulster can get Hume/Balacoune running in space against Farrell/Earls that could bring some joy for them.

If I was Baloucoune, I'd be chomping at the bit to try and one-up Earls on the back of the 34 year old wingers recent central contract. I love Earls, but giving a 34 year old winger a central contract is Coco-pops

I concur!

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I think there’s something in Balcoucoune’s game that the Irish coaches don’t like but I can’t figure out what it is. Technically he’s a poor tackler but he very rarely actually gets found out. He was poor in the air in one game recently but to me that was a one off and it’s actually a strength of his.

Strange one for him not have got more games in green IMO. Granted there haven’t been that many opportunities either.

[Dave Cahill]

I think there’s something in Balcoucoune’s game that the Irish coaches don’t like but I can’t figure out what it is. Technically he’s a poor tackler but he very rarely actually gets found out. He was poor in the air in one game recently but to me that was a one off and it’s actually a strength of his.

Strange one for him not have got more games in green IMO. Granted there haven’t been that many opportunities either.

He had a bad run with injuries, ripped his hammer off the bone and then did an ankle on his return to training that cost him the best part of a year