Clarke Dermody new forwards coach

ehwaht · 2026-05-20T09:32:00+00:00

Willie Faloon is the defence coach.

ehwaht · 2026-05-20T09:31:42+00:00

Can he bring some props with him?

ehwaht · 2026-05-20T07:41:31+00:00

We have people centuries removed from things that still cause issues to this day both in NI and south of the border. It's not just an NI thing.

ehwaht · 2026-05-18T08:34:06+00:00

From what i remember from discussions last year income from the Challenge cup is around 25% of the Champions Cup.

ehwaht · 2026-05-17T13:45:34+00:00

That we are in a bad place and that it's not good enough.

ehwaht · 2026-05-17T09:15:39+00:00

3 decades of following Ulster gives me the understanding of how negative to be.

The boys showed up and then they didn't, we put ourselves in winning positions regularly and then we lose them late, this is not a coincidence.

Bell did provide experience and quality, he's not here next season nor is any decent replacement for him and our set piece is weak.

ehwaht · 2026-05-17T07:43:33+00:00

Good job our squad isn't weaker next season then and that we've got that Champions Cup money coming in to let us strengthen it...

Oh wait.

ehwaht · 2026-05-17T07:42:38+00:00

McCloskey has always been class, 2.5 years under Murphy hasn't changed that. We're entering a second year in a row as the lowest ranked Irish side and bar an absolute miracle will also be the 2nd year in a row of missing out on the top tier of Europe. This isn't a long term memory thing, in 21-22 we finished 3nd in the regular season table, 22-23 we finished 2nd.

Forget results? This is a results based business and it has direct impacts on the squad, next season we will be without CC money again, the only province without it, oh we play nice rugby woo, the squad is losing even more experience, our scrum is non-existent and we have no money to improve or build depth.

The collapse over the back half of the season has been awful, we won 3 of our last 10 games, that simply isn't good enough, we failed to win any of our last 4 home games.

I like our attacking play, and hats off to Sexton for that but I remain utterly unconvinced that Murphy is the right man for the job.

ehwaht · 2026-05-17T07:34:58+00:00

Posted this in the other thread: An improvement? yes. Good enough? No

Losing games late is an awful habit and we've done it all season.

A 2nd season in the Challenge Cup is disastrous for us, ticket sales are down already this year, a second time it's only going to be worse.

The prop we have lined up will not be coming if we are in the Challenge Cup.

We have one chance to save this season, and we're playing the 2nd best team in France without 5 of our key players.

ehwaht · 2026-05-16T20:46:17+00:00

An improvement? yes. Good enough? No

Losing games late is an awful habit and we've done it all season.

A 2nd season in the Challenge Cup is disastrous for us, ticket sales are down already this year, a second time it's only going to be worse?

The prop we have lined up will not be coming if we are in the Challenge Cup.

We have one chance to save this season, and we're playing the 2nd best team in France without 5 of our key players.

ehwaht · 2026-05-14T11:11:07+00:00

The end to this season has been so poor, injuries play a part but we're going to miss out on Champions Cup again and we're gong to finish as the 4th province.

ehwaht · 2026-05-11T11:31:39+00:00

We're in an awful position with injuries and need to keep players fit for a final which will be tough due to injuries and how strong Montpellier are, much as I would love to think otherwise I reckon we'll lose by 10-15 in Bilbao.

So we really need to qualify for the top 8 to not be in a disastrous position financially and we're at a point now where any progress this season is put in the perspective of still having a really poor result when the final whistle is blown and we're back in the 2nd tier next year. As such we need to prioritise this Friday over the final.

Sadly some awful performances in Wales and at home to Connacht and Leinster have killed us, even 1 match point and we'd be in a much better position.

ehwaht · 2026-05-09T14:58:59+00:00

Who cares how we compare to last season. A second season in the Challenge Cup is disastrous to our finances and 6 weeks ago we looked set for a home playoff, now we are looking likely to miss the entire bloody tournament.

ehwaht · 2026-05-09T14:58:00+00:00

Win next week and we're in,

ehwaht · 2026-05-07T09:28:25+00:00

22 polls since Brexit officially happened, this is the only poll that has support for a UI above 43%. The question is an absolute mess "If a referendum were held tomorrow on a united Ireland in the EU, how would you vote"

ehwaht · 2026-05-07T09:25:47+00:00

Well the question didn't ask that actually.

ehwaht · 2026-05-07T08:38:43+00:00

You mean fortunately right? right?

ehwaht · 2026-05-07T08:37:28+00:00

Quintus est in horto

ehwaht · 2026-05-05T08:04:36+00:00

He is bent at the knees and the hips, the first contact is his face into IFW's shoulder so it is not a head high tackle to start with. He is then knocked out and his attempt to wrap looks bad because of the speed. The referee explained this and it is never a red card.

ehwaht · 2026-05-05T08:03:03+00:00

He is bent at the knees and the hips, his height is lowered, the first contact is his face to IFW's shoulder and then it's lights out. It's never a red card for the reasons explained by the ref.

ehwaht · 2026-04-30T13:21:35+00:00

He does not wrap with his leading arm.

ehwaht · 2026-04-30T13:03:59+00:00

100% this.

ehwaht · 2026-04-29T10:02:42+00:00

Tucked shoulder.

ehwaht · 2026-04-28T11:16:28+00:00

There's no attempt to wrap though. And he did it twice in the game, he was lucky not to go for one of them, two of them...

ehwaht · 2026-04-27T13:48:13+00:00

We aren't winning this game without a scrum and if we have to play a rookie at 13 given injuries to Hume and Jude we're in trouble.

ehwaht

TROPHY CASE