The UAFC

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 11:33 am**

New deals for PAddy Wallace (1 year) & Mike McComish (2 years.) Also James McKinney and David McIlwaine re-sign with 1 year deals.

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/11419.php

Ulster centre, Paddy Wallace, has signed a new one-year deal with the Province that will see him remain at Ravenhill until the summer of 2014.

Wallace, who is 33, is the longest serving member of the Ulster squad. He made his senior debut in 2001 and has gone on to play 188 times for Ulster, scoring 439 points.
Educated at Campbell College, Wallace has won 30 caps for Ireland and was part of the team that won the Grand Slam in 2009.

Commenting on his new Ulster contract, Wallace said: ‘I am delighted to have agreed a new deal and I look forward to recovering from injury and playing next season.
‘This Ulster squad is the strongest that I have been involved in and I have no doubt that we will be competing for silverware next year. I want to be a part of that and to hopefully to become the first player to make 200 appearances for the Province.’

Meanwhile, back-row forward Mike McComish has signed a two-year contract extension that will see him remain at the club until 2015.

McComish rejoined Ulster from Connacht at the start of the 2011/12 campaign and has been an important member of Mark Anscombe’s squad throughout this season.

In a further boost, former Ulster players James McKinney and David McIlwaine have agreed contracts to return to the Province.

Former Ireland Under-20 Fly-Half, James McKinney, has spent this season playing for Rotherham Titans in the English Championship. He has signed a one-year deal with Ulster.

David McIlwaine, who is 23, has also signed a one-year contract with the club. He can play at full-back or on the wing and has spent this season at Bristol having played at Doncaster Knights the year before.

Commenting on the contract announcements, Ulster’s Director of Rugby, David Humphreys, said: ‘Paddy Wallace has unrivalled experience and knowledge of the game. It was important for us to keep him, not just for his playing ability, but also for the significant role that he fulfills in mentoring the young players that we have coming through.

‘Mike has shown a remarkable level of consistency this season and James and David will come back to us having benefitted considerably from their time in England.

‘It is now more important than ever to have a strong panel of players to be able to compete in both the league and Europe. These four players will add considerably to our strength in depth for next season.’

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 11:36 am**

Paddy Wallace is the one that jumps out at me from this; Paddy now reminds me to Steinmetz a few seasons ago. Didn't play all that often but usually made an impact when he did but was also the sort of guy every club needs around. Think that's a good bit of business.

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 11:48 am**

Thirded - good guy to have around - hopefully Farrell, Nelson, Doyle and Big Mac will come back like 4 new signings as well.

Any dogs hear anything about .... ahem ... whisper it slowly ... Fez staying ???????????

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 11:50 am**

Thought there weren't going to be any more 'signings' for next season

Delighted we've got Paddy for another year and I guess we'll see how things go with McKinney & McIlwaine, good luck to them.

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 11:54 am**

Away with all the chat about Paddy being a mentor and all, with all other things being equal he is still our first choice 12.

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 12:09 pm**

Great news that Paddy stays for a year, ench mostly I would think but with Olding having the same style of play I am sure he will learn a few more things from him next season
McKinney will keep PJ on his toes, looks like a 1 year contract to prove himself so he better make the most of it, same with McIlwain and McComish another back row squad filler

Cornerfleg wrote:Thirded - good guy to have around - hopefully Farrell, Nelson, Doyle and Big Mac will come back like 4 new signings as well.

Any dogs hear anything about .... ahem ... whisper it slowly ... Fez staying ???????????

Whisper that very quietly or the dog could finish up at the vets

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 12:18 pm**

Sensible contracts. Giving the younger guys coming back a year to prove themselves will ensure no complacency from them. Paddy given his age and the fact that he is out with a serious injury, it is again a sensible option. Two years for McComish with his versatility is something you couldn't turn down really as a squad option.

I think the IRFU could learn a lesson and give 1F a years extension on his current contract, given the player he is and the timing of his latest injury setback.

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 12:56 pm**

really underwhelmed really really really, really.

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 1:00 pm**

Kofi Annan wrote:really underwhelmed really really really, really.

Who were you hoping for?

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 1:11 pm**

My feelings are ... and really hope I'm right is that starting with Smickers - Fez has somehow been tempted to stay. We will be lucky to see him for about half the games we play but if he can be rebuilt he's still the best 6 about. So we have Roger, Fat Nick at 8, Fez and Hendo at 6 and Henry and Doyle at 7 - Diack is a super squad member to cover ... Smickers could be cheap and also unless we sign a huge and I mean huge Marquee signing there's no way we could entice a decent backrow player here to compete against the class of Henry, Hendo, Fez (fingers crossed), Roger and Fat Nick - so that may be really good news.

Olding and Marshall are the future, their best days are in front of them Paddy's are behind him, but getting another year from him is quality for what he can bring to a squad - good news.

McKinney I personally rate very highly - he is solid - when you have a back line developing as we have with some genuine quality in Marshall, Olding, Bowe, Payne, Gillers, Farrell and Flanders out wide and the sheer genius of St P at 9 what you need a good dependable 10 - McKinney will deliver that and may push Jacko to be more expressive himself. Not worried there.

If Nelson is replacing Darcy then McIlwaine is replacing Andrew - can't see how that is bad business unless we're paying him NOC style wages, I suspect not thus it'll strengthen the squad - in case we get as unlucky again next year ... if we don’t get that unlucky again unless it was a mega bucks signing I cant see nor would I want to see anyone take over from Payne or Nelson - unless we signed Fofana!!!!!!!!!

Happy enough with that news (IF Fez is staying)!!!!!

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 1:15 pm**

The big challenge for Humph comes next season with so many of our big foreign players moving on.

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 1:16 pm**

Indeed.

... I do not wish to contemplate life without St P

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 1:19 pm**

Dave wrote:
Kofi Annan wrote:really underwhelmed really really really, really.
Who were you hoping for?

Zactly ... My guess is Fofana, Pocock, Carter and Dagg may not have been good enough ....

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 1:24 pm**

I don't think next year will be the last you see of St Ruan in an Ulster shirt...

Wallace is brilliant experience to have around the camp, really happy he's signed on again. Who starts 12 next season in the big games though?

McIlwaine and McKinney are trial contracts probably. Impress, you get an extension like Herring. Fail, you're out the door like NOC.

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2013 1:27 pm**

Wee Woman wrote:Thought there weren't going to be any more 'signings' for next season .

You missed "NIQ" from that statement WW

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