European Rugby Champions Cup

[blockhead]

Edinburgh beat Quins with a BP.

[Ruckedtobits]

Ensei have two wins in a row having beaten Worcester & Dragons - with a bonus point. A new horizon opens up?

[neiliog93]

Ulster pretty unconvincing in victory over Exeter. Henderson went off at half time and the whole pack looked underpowered. Best was superb for 80 minutes, but Ah You is still not an Irish contender.

Jackson showed great composure to win the game with a late drop-goal, but his general play was a mixed bag. Piutau was the difference for Ulster really. Trimble didn't have a great game, the likes of Zebo and Adeleokun will be happy looking ahead to November Irish selections.

[rooster]

Our pack has been underpowered for several seasons now and shows no sign of improving, just what everyone thought decent backs but we can't provide them with go forward ball or suck in and defenders to make space

[Oldschool]

Our pack has been underpowered for several seasons now and shows no sign of improving, just what everyone thought decent backs but we can't provide them with go forward ball or suck in and defenders to make space

On the bright side at least you're still in the competition.

[neiliog93]

In fantasy land where the 4+1 rule exists but Nucifora does not, to fix Ulster for next season you'd need:

1) Be allowed to keep Pienaar or recruit an NIQ scrum-half of similar quality.
2) A fit Coetzee.
3) An upgrade on Van Der Merwe in the second row, he's a solid NIQ signing but not good enough at the top European level.
4) Keep Piutau obviously.
5) Wiehann Herbst to stay fit and in form and for Ah You to continue improving for tighthead depth.
6) With Herbst and Ludik IQ, you could bring in a promising project player loosehead, who could hold his own in the loose and the scrums at Euro Cup level to a greater level than McCall or Warwick.

[Ruckedtobits]

In fantasy land where the 4+1 rule exists but Nucifora does not, to fix Ulster for next season you'd need:

1) Be allowed to keep Pienaar or recruit an NIQ scrum-half of similar quality.
2) A fit Coetzee.
3) An upgrade on Van Der Merwe in the second row, he's a solid NIQ signing but not good enough at the top European level.
4) Keep Piutau obviously.
5) Wiehann Herbst to stay fit and in form and for Ah You to continue improving for tighthead depth.
6) With Herbst and Ludik IQ, you could bring in a promising project player loosehead, who could hold his own in the loose and the scrums at Euro Cup level to a greater level than McCall or Warwick.

Also need Copeland to go North for depth and innovative carrying.

[rooster]

In fantasy land where the 4+1 rule exists but Nucifora does not, to fix Ulster for next season you'd need:

1) Be allowed to keep Pienaar or recruit an NIQ scrum-half of similar quality.
2) A fit Coetzee.
3) An upgrade on Van Der Merwe in the second row, he's a solid NIQ signing but not good enough at the top European level.
4) Keep Piutau obviously.
5) Wiehann Herbst to stay fit and in form and for Ah You to continue improving for tighthead depth.
6) With Herbst and Ludik IQ, you could bring in a promising project player loosehead, who could hold his own in the loose and the scrums at Euro Cup level to a greater level than McCall or Warwick.

We tried to upgrade VDM but Nucibollocks said no but let us keep him for another year instead

[neiliog93]

Yeah, I'd agree, Ulster could also do with Copeland and/or Dom Ryan for back-row depth. Roger Wilson is on contract for next year (when he'll be nearly 37 by the end of the season) and as much of a warrior as he is, age catches up with most players at that stage. Brad Thorn, O'Connell, Chris Masoe etc are rare exceptions.

[rooster]

Yeah, I'd agree, Ulster could also do with Copeland and/or Dom Ryan for back-row depth. Roger Wilson is on contract for next year (when he'll be nearly 37 by the end of the season) and as much of a warrior as he is, age catches up with most players at that stage. Brad Thorn, O'Connell, Chris Masoe etc are rare exceptions.

Wilson is almost done as it is after 20 mins, him getting another contract is indicative of us not really replacing him.
As for forwards it won't really matter if we don't get a decent 9

[Pendragon]

Ensei have two wins in a row having beaten Worcester & Dragons - with a bonus point. A new horizon opens up?

Can't see as many getting on the plane east to play in Russia as there is to get on the one west and play in the USA !

[Oldschool]

Ensei have two wins in a row having beaten Worcester & Dragons - with a bonus point. A new horizon opens up?

Can't see as many getting on the plane east to play in Russia as there is to get on the one west and play in the USA !

Ensei in the Pro12.
The Russians could park one of big Air Craft Carriers off the Shannon estuary, lay a synthetic grass pitch on the surface and play a few of their Irish pronvinces home games on it.

Massive tourist attraction.
I could see a lot of new American touriists, in particular, being attracted to this kind of thing.
And if that worked out they could do same in the North Sea and Bristol Channel for the Scots and Welsh home games.

[Flash Gordon]

In fantasy land where the 4+1 rule exists but Nucifora does not, to fix Ulster for next season you'd need:

1) Be allowed to keep Pienaar or recruit an NIQ scrum-half of similar quality.
2) A fit Coetzee.
3) An upgrade on Van Der Merwe in the second row, he's a solid NIQ signing but not good enough at the top European level.
4) Keep Piutau obviously.
5) Wiehann Herbst to stay fit and in form and for Ah You to continue improving for tighthead depth.
6) With Herbst and Ludik IQ, you could bring in a promising project player loosehead, who could hold his own in the loose and the scrums at Euro Cup level to a greater level than McCall or Warwick.

The other possibility is get the academy to be even moderately productive. There was a time when it was spitting out Paddy Jackson, Chris Henry, Nevin Spence, Luke Marshall, Iain Henderson, Craig Gilroy, Stuart Olding in a very short space of time but the supply has slowed dramatically despite having some of the best facilities in Europe and a very large schools player based.

[neiliog93]

Yeah, the academy has been terrible in producing forwards, good for backs though.Even very recently the likes of Stockdale, Lyttle etc have shone.

[simonokeeffe]

Yeah, the academy has been terrible in producing forwards, good for backs though.Even very recently the likes of Stockdale, Lyttle etc have shone.

the backrow issue is especially odd as all 3 other unions have no problem there, youve 3 starting every match and locks at underage who end up playing there, even in general the size & shape of backrowers is just a very common/easily produced type of athlete

[rooster]

In fantasy land where the 4+1 rule exists but Nucifora does not, to fix Ulster for next season you'd need:

1) Be allowed to keep Pienaar or recruit an NIQ scrum-half of similar quality.
2) A fit Coetzee.
3) An upgrade on Van Der Merwe in the second row, he's a solid NIQ signing but not good enough at the top European level.
4) Keep Piutau obviously.
5) Wiehann Herbst to stay fit and in form and for Ah You to continue improving for tighthead depth.
6) With Herbst and Ludik IQ, you could bring in a promising project player loosehead, who could hold his own in the loose and the scrums at Euro Cup level to a greater level than McCall or Warwick.

The other possibility is get the academy to be even moderately productive. There was a time when it was spitting out Paddy Jackson, Chris Henry, Nevin Spence, Luke Marshall, Iain Henderson, Craig Gilroy, Stuart Olding in a very short space of time but the supply has slowed dramatically despite having some of the best facilities in Europe and a very large schools player based.

Perhaps our school system is actually the problem, lot of the kids want nothing to do with rugby outside the schools cup.

[John23]

All the more reason to dislike Toulon. Ashton leaving Saracens to hook up with Mourad.

[simonokeeffe]

All the more reason to dislike Toulon. Ashton leaving Saracens to hook up with Mourad.

One less reason to hate Saracens too which is even more loathsome

[leinsterfan100]

They've also sacked Dominguez. Mike Ford stepping up to main coaching role.

[curates_egg]

They've also sacked Dominguez. Mike Ford stepping up to main coaching role.

I reckon we will soon have an announcement about his son joining him there too.