Ulster 2014/15

[Donny B.]

Obviously Rooster will know more than me but in the IT article about Clarke taking over as forwards coach it said that "Les Kiss will be taking charge for the season". I'm paraphrasing but that was the gist of it, certainly have the impression it wasn't just on a temporary basis whilst they get someone else in. With that said, the IT rugby lads are generally awful so who knows?

That clear?

I saw that myself, so wanted to ask Rooster cause frankly I'd trust him as a source more than the IT. I'd be surprised if the Ulster fans aren't up in arms about the coaching situation. I know we certainly would be.

[rooster]

Obviously Rooster will know more than me but in the IT article about Clarke taking over as forwards coach it said that "Les Kiss will be taking charge for the season". I'm paraphrasing but that was the gist of it, certainly have the impression it wasn't just on a temporary basis whilst they get someone else in. With that said, the IT rugby lads are generally awful so who knows?

That clear?

I saw that myself, so wanted to ask Rooster cause frankly I'd trust him as a source more than the IT. I'd be surprised if the Ulster fans aren't up in arms about the coaching situation. I know we certainly would be.

It is all a wee bit hazy how long Les is here for, at the start it was until a review of whether we should continue and replace Humphs and Anscombe or get a head coach who does both roles. Kiss and Doake have previously worked together on Ireland tours so whether that had a bearing in his appointment I don't know. I suppose if we got a new coach who could start in November then that would drop Kiss out but the appointment of Clarke for the year seems to say it will be next season before a new team is appointed. Clarke was doing the scrum coaching anyway and along with Muller the forwards so this just seems like making it official, will be interesting to see who takes over when Les is with Ireland as if Clarke it could be a sign that he might be in line for full job.

Think most are happy enough with the coaching situation to be honest as the players are happy with it anyway and that is what counts

[Donny B.]

Obviously Rooster will know more than me but in the IT article about Clarke taking over as forwards coach it said that "Les Kiss will be taking charge for the season". I'm paraphrasing but that was the gist of it, certainly have the impression it wasn't just on a temporary basis whilst they get someone else in. With that said, the IT rugby lads are generally awful so who knows?

That clear?

I saw that myself, so wanted to ask Rooster cause frankly I'd trust him as a source more than the IT. I'd be surprised if the Ulster fans aren't up in arms about the coaching situation. I know we certainly would be.

It is all a wee bit hazy how long Les is here for, at the start it was until a review of whether we should continue and replace Humphs and Anscombe or get a head coach who does both roles. Kiss and Doake have previously worked together on Ireland tours so whether that had a bearing in his appointment I don't know. I suppose if we got a new coach who could start in November then that would drop Kiss out but the appointment of Clarke for the year seems to say it will be next season before a new team is appointed. Clarke was doing the scrum coaching anyway and along with Muller the forwards so this just seems like making it official, will be interesting to see who takes over when Les is with Ireland as if Clarke it could be a sign that he might be in line for full job.

Think most are happy enough with the coaching situation to be honest as the players are happy with it anyway and that is what counts

Fair enough, but somehow I can see it coming under harsher scrutiny if you lose a few games...

[rooster]

I saw that myself, so wanted to ask Rooster cause frankly I'd trust him as a source more than the IT. I'd be surprised if the Ulster fans aren't up in arms about the coaching situation. I know we certainly would be.

It is all a wee bit hazy how long Les is here for, at the start it was until a review of whether we should continue and replace Humphs and Anscombe or get a head coach who does both roles. Kiss and Doake have previously worked together on Ireland tours so whether that had a bearing in his appointment I don't know. I suppose if we got a new coach who could start in November then that would drop Kiss out but the appointment of Clarke for the year seems to say it will be next season before a new team is appointed. Clarke was doing the scrum coaching anyway and along with Muller the forwards so this just seems like making it official, will be interesting to see who takes over when Les is with Ireland as if Clarke it could be a sign that he might be in line for full job.

Think most are happy enough with the coaching situation to be honest as the players are happy with it anyway and that is what counts

Fair enough, but somehow I can see it coming under harsher scrutiny if you lose a few games...

How the team goes this season is really down to how the front row settles in and at the start how some young players perform early season as we will be missing Pienaar, Jackson, Cave, Olding for September

[cormac]

What's up with Jackson, Cave and Olding?

[rooster]

What's up with Jackson, Cave and Olding?

Jackson might be in action earlier but he is certainly not in preseason matches as they want to give the back injury he got on summer tour a while longer to get right. Olding is only scheduled to return late September after his ACL reconstruction, Cave had a small shoulder operation they have been putting off for a few years now and will be around end of september as well. Nick Williams is also on the sidelines for a week or 2 as they make sure his leg injury is fully recovered.

[darkside lighteside]

I was just reading a score.ie article about Ulster, and when I hit the seemingly obligatory line about how Ulster are 'in turmoil' I just had to laugh - it's just so ludicrous. There is absolutely no sense of turmoil about the camp, nor among the supporters.

There is a big distinction between the loss of Humphreys and Anscombe. Humphreys left, and his leaving was a huge shock etc etc. Anscombe was sacked, and replaced with someone better. My first thought when hearing about Humph was 'WTF??' my second was 'Now who is going to get rid of Anscombe?'

Leaks were much fewer under Humphreys, but it was a pretty open secret that Anscombe was toast - at best a place-holder for a permanent hire, and in fact not even guaranteed to be in charge at the start of the next season. In Anscombe we got a guy who at the start along with Doak and Bell freshened things up, and got us playing better rugby - but by half-way through the second year (at the latest) things had started to go sour. Perhaps because he realised he was always going to be second fiddle, who knows, but Jo Schmidt he wasn't (i.e. hard-working, intense attention to detail etc) - in fact if rumour is to be believed, he spent half his time at training sessions looking at his watch to see when he could clock off and head to the pub with his cronies. On top of this, by all accounts he was simply a bit of a dick - shouting out young lads in front of everyone for example. The players (not just the ones who were bawled out) were increasingly unimpressed.

So no harm to the guy, but my biggest concern at the end of last season was that he might be in charge for part or all of next season - and the risk of actual turmoil in the camp that that implied.. I was worried that after Humphreys went, given how dominant he had been over decision-making, there would be nobody capable of sorting out our next coaching ticket. As soon as I heard Kiss was in and Anscombe out, I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

I was speaking to a former player not long ago, who would still be around the camp a lot, and asked him about the whole situation - tbh as regards Humphreys, he wasn't that fussed, the players didn't have many dealings with him, and I think that it all came as a shock, when the dust settled their main concern was the coaching ticket rather than the DoR. He said that the replacement of Anscombe with Kiss was a great move, and very popular with the players, particularly the Irish lads who were delighted about it, having worked with him before.

In terms of the player turnover, in fact it's not that dramatic - the fact that the players leaving column includes a couple of big names (Afoa, Muller, Ferris, Court) overplays the impact on the actual playing squad. Afoa and Muller were both crocked for most of last season, with Muller only able to do about 50% of his training, and Afoa suffering from debilitating back problems. Ferris, sad to say, to all intents and purposes hasn't been a part of Ulster's actual playing squad for 2 seasons, and Court had slipped in the pecking order. The replacements aren't as high profile, but I'm pretty confident they'll improve our actual 23s as compared with last season.

So to the extent there was any turmoil at all in the Ulster camp, it started when Humphreys quit, and ended when Anscombe went!

[Morf]

I hope Taggart can make a steady progression, he looked impressive at u20s.

[rooster]

Pleasantly surprised to see Olding back to play today, hope all goes well for the lad as he is a classy player to watch.

[blockhead]

The game is live on Sky Sports 1 and BBC Radio Ulster.

Ulster XV and replacements to face Scarlets, Guinness PRO12, Parc Y Scarlets, Saturday 6th September (kick off 14:40): (15-9) L Ludik, M Allen, J Payne, S Olding, C Gilroy, I Humphreys, P Marshall; (1-9); C Black, R Herring, W Herbst, D Tuohy, F van der Merwe, R Diack, C Henry, R Wilson (C); Replacements: J Andrew, A Warwick, D Fitzpatrick, L Stevenson, N Williams, M Heaney, L Marshall, A Trimble.

[Aird]

Donny B Ulster are not up the creek with out a paddle as everyone has been trying to suggest and which seems to be the general belief down Mexico Way.
I would suggest that the Harshest scrutiny of the weekend will be taking place at Gloucester Or maybe even In Limerick after tonight .
I particular liked the thread heading on the MF web site "munster v Edinbugh the start of the new Foley Era " and the massive. Red Army banner over the empty terrace behind the goals.

[blockhead]

Brilliant game on Sky now. 3 tries already. Olding is looking sh*t hot.
http://cricfree.tv/live/watch/_scarlets_vs_ulster/53477

[Dave Cahill]

Its not that brilliant - its entertaining alright though

[blockhead]

I'm using last night as a reference point.

[Dave Cahill]

I'm using last night as a reference point.

Well last night was like watching two retards trying to f%~k a doorknob

[blockhead]

Try be more PC, DC. I believe the word you're looking for is mentally weak.

[blockhead]

Great try from the Scarlets(BP). Looking like they'll win this one.

[irishrugbyua]

Ulster look good when they keep the ball, nice patterns.. olding very talented

[ichabodscrane]

Looks like Fitzpatrick's injury woes have continued. I've been impressed by Pitman, Owens & Olding. Entertaining game, it's a bit like an early round of the Super 15, good offensive play but poor enough defending.

[blockhead]

Red card for guess who? Liam Williams.