Southern Kings v Ulster Sun 16th Sep 1:15pm

[therealspratt]

Have heard Doak doesn't offer much beyond his placekicking, Curtis Jr seems like he could be interesting though. Shame we couldn't have had a local scrumhalf that said, one with bundles of talent and an already established partnership with our outhalf for the next ten years, but then where would we have found one of these?

[LegsLikeSausages]

Have heard Doak doesn't offer much beyond his placekicking, Curtis Jr seems like he could be interesting though. Shame we couldn't have had a local scrumhalf that said, one with bundles of talent and an already established partnership with our outhalf for the next ten years, but then where would we have found one of these?

No possibility that Soper’s involvement could offer a route back in? Or is Campbell’s opinion of him final?

[UlsterNo9]

I thought O'Donnell was in the sub academy or has he been dropped?

[LegsLikeSausages]

I thought O'Donnell was in the sub academy or has he been dropped?

Don’t know. Ulster don’t ever reveal such information. Is he injured?

[BaggyTrousers]

Shanahan has nothing to offer at 9 never did and never will.. sorry to be blunt but the truth may hurt. We specialise in giving 200 plus caps to a 9 that held back any talent more than Ruan ever did and we risk giving Shanahan one more cap too many.. thankfully I hear that one youngster could be the real deal..

If he was no good at 9 why is he still here at 25?

It's the Ulster Way, 5 years ago p was still getting day release from primary school for work experience.

Not many people know that ............ nor that I invented the liquid concealer so beloved of dodgy typists everywhere until computers became all the rage. Most of you will know it as Tipp-ex, the Brand most associated with liquid concealer just as Hoover is recognised in dustbusting.

So you're not the monkey's uncle you're the monkey's mother - Bette Nesmith!!!!

Yip, I've been living a lie for just too long, I had to come clean. You can call me Bet.

[BaggyTrousers]

So we are pinning our hopes on Stewart, Curtis jnr and Doak.

I'm on the fence about one but have not seen the other two play.

Doak still at school?
If he brings the playing attitude of his Da with what I'm led to believe better skills he'll be the best 9 we've produced ourselves since his Da.

Aye, Doakie was ok but he was no Andy Matchett. His son is supposedly better than Andy Matchett, if true I'm happy with that.

I've seen a little of young Curtis but not enough to judge.

Stewart? I'm worried if he is behind Shanahan, Shanners is gash, complete and utter gutters, no prospect of getting better. Needs to be gone with all haste.

[Bart S]

So there does not seem to be any consensus on whether amy of the 9’s may make it to the top level and which of them has the best chance.

I recall over the past couple of seasons people saying that we should have had anyone but beagle as our 9 or back up 9 but Shanners performances have shown why we had to persist with beagle for so long.

We can only hope that it is just a case of some of the young guns needing to develop at a lower level first before being thrown in at the top level, because if Shanners really is the best of the rest then we are.....Doomed.

Maybe since Munster were able to get a good NIQ replacement for Murray for now we can get one for when Cooney is......rested.

[Snipe Watson]

Quality Irish scrum halves are like hen's teeth. IMHO there are currently two international quality Irish scrum halves and we've got one of them.
You only have to look at the list of tryouts we've had that have failed.
As for the local talent, it's an absolute nonsense for people to look at a player who is incredible at school and rips up trees on St Patrick's Day and jump to the conclusion that he'll probably make it as a modern pro. An excellent U20 player has a fair chance, an excellent schools player is well placed to have a shot at making it, that is all.
The steps required between the various levels are massive.
Of course our default position when a schools rugby star doesn't make the grade is to blame the Ulster coaches.

[Dave]

We had about 5/6 quality homegrown scrum-halfs and Ruan blocked every single one of them.

[Bart S]

Quality Irish scrum halves are like hen's teeth. IMHO there are currently two international quality Irish scrum halves and we've got one of them.
You only have to look at the list of tryouts we've had that have failed.
As for the local talent, it's an absolute nonsense for people to look at a player who is incredible at school and rips up trees on St Patrick's Day and jump to the conclusion that he'll probably make it as a modern pro. An excellent U20 player has a fair chance, an excellent schools player is well placed to have a shot at making it, that is all.
The steps required between the various levels are massive.
Of course our default position when a schools rugby star doesn't make the grade is to blame the Ulster coaches.

With the number of young players we have who have already been confirmed on here as future Lions, long term starters etc and in some cases before making their competitive debut for ulster, we can probably do away with the Academy for the next decade or so.

[Snipe Watson]

Quality Irish scrum halves are like hen's teeth. IMHO there are currently two international quality Irish scrum halves and we've got one of them.
You only have to look at the list of tryouts we've had that have failed.
As for the local talent, it's an absolute nonsense for people to look at a player who is incredible at school and rips up trees on St Patrick's Day and jump to the conclusion that he'll probably make it as a modern pro. An excellent U20 player has a fair chance, an excellent schools player is well placed to have a shot at making it, that is all.
The steps required between the various levels are massive.
Of course our default position when a schools rugby star doesn't make the grade is to blame the Ulster coaches.

With the number of young players we have who have already been confirmed on here as future Lions, long term starters etc and in some cases before making their competitive debut for ulster, we can probably do away with the Academy for the next decade or so.

Good thinking Bart. Problem solved.

[Cockatrice]

Glad I prompted a debate on the future of 9's at Ulster but to go back to my original point Shanahan remains a waste and should have been shipped before now.. I remain convinced that we sat back and got lost in the luxury of Ruan for too long without any thought of trying to develop anyone soon or for that matter even look to bring in a half decent back up in from somewhere.. We simply thought the IRFU would allow him to re-sign even though they were told it wouldn't happen well before.. of course 9's don't grow on trees like 12's do but lets develop them.. give them a start against Leinster and then throw them off the bus..

[therealspratt]

Heaney is a lot better than Shanahan ever will be for one. Heck there are a whole host of scrumhalves about the AIL and a couple down in Junior rugby who I'd rate higher.

[rumncoke]

Snipe -- Cooney is a better all round player than a scrum half -- to some extent the fact that he filled a void which arose colours the opinion many have of him.

The void that arose was a lack of a place kicker when Ruan was kicked into the wilderness and Jackson was Suspended due the uninvestigated lies of a groupie little school-girl enacting her "second form day dream"-- which became a her nineteen year old humiliation .

Cooney when he started was inclined to over -kick his line kicks out of defence and the wings couldn't but pressure on the receiver--- thankfully that has improved but he still seems to lack urgency in his play and accuracy in his pass .

Wee-P may not have had the best pass in the book but he could generate urgency in the game when necessary if it hadn't been for the brainfarts he was a better scrum half than most give him credit for -- he was always in control of the area in front of him and the players round him --- which is Shan-the-man's greatest failing -- he never seems to be in control.

[Russ]

Heaney is a lot better than Shanahan ever will be for one. Heck there are a whole host of scrumhalves about the AIL and a couple down in Junior rugby who I'd rate higher.

Porter

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk