Ulstermen’s plan to grow their own finally bears fruit
FOR a long time, Ulster were in the business of outside hires to fill top-level positions within the organisation. Slowly, but surely, that policy is changing under Dan McFarland’s stewardship.
Promoting youth over imports has been a long-term goal at the province. Ulster Operations Director Bryn Cunningham said as much back in August of 2018.
‘We want as many Irish-qualified players and locally-born players playing for Ulster as we possibly can,’ said the former Ulster fullback at the time.
‘We will be very, very careful and make sure (any imports) add serious value both on and off the park to us.’
Recruiting the overspill from Leinster and from abroad allowed Ulster to remain competitive in the short term. And there is no doubting the contributions of Eric O’Sullivan, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor, Jordi Murphy and Billy Burns to the cause.
But Ulster are now reaping the rewards of their sound investment in the age-grade structures and academy.
The evidence is on show in Parma this evening. Burns, the Irish qualified No10 who was sourced from Gloucester, and Will Addison, the talented Ireland utility back from Enniskillen stock but raised in the north of England, are the only foreign recruits in a youthful and Ulster-born backline. Craig Gilroy, James Hume, Stewart Moore, Ethan McIlroy and Nathan Doak are all products of the province’s youth system.
The pack remains a work in progress, with the tight-five featuring a quartet of former Leinster men and Rob Herring, who hails from Cape Town. Nick Timoney is another who made the journey from Dublin but Matty Rea and young David McCann are success stories from the Ulster system.
Doak is the young gun who has everyone in Ulster excited at the moment. The 19-year-old scrum-half was a standout performer for the Ireland U20s in the summer and has been tipped for big things at the top level. Very much in the mould of a French playmaker, Doak is an accomplished goal-kicker and is comfortable filling in at out-half, if required. Ironically, he shares a lot of attributes with John Cooney, who picked up a hamstring injury in the win over Glasgow in Belfast.
Cooney’s absence has opened the door for Doak to make an impression in the Ulster starting line-up. The Dubliner has never been able to make an impression at international level, with Joe Schmidt and now Andy Farrell seemingly lukewarm about Cooney’s Ireland prospects.
Doak will hardly suffer the same fate in the years ahead. Already, he is being teed up for a rivalry with Munster scrum-half Craig Casey, who is making a big impression down in Thomond Park. It could be a selection battle which will define the next three or four World Cup cycles.
Doak won’t be getting that far ahead of himself. For now, he will focus on a maiden senior start against Zebre today. The future can wait but it looks like a youthful and exciting one for Ulster. ZEBRE: J Laloifi; G Di Giulio, G Bisegni (capt), T Boni, A Tuivuaka; C Canna, A Fusco; D Fischetti, L Bigi, M Nocera; D Sisi, L Krumov; M Mbanda, P Leavasa, G Licata. Reps: O Fabiani, A Lovotti, I Neculai, A Zambonin, R Giammarioli, G Palazzani, A Rizzi, J Trulla. ULSTER: W Addison; C Gilroy, J Hume, S Moore, E McIlroy; B Burns, N Doak; E O’Sullivan, R Herring, T O’Toole; A O’Connor (capt), M Kearney; M Rea, N Timoney, D McCann. Reps: B Roberts, C Reid, M Moore, S Carter, S Reidy, D Shanahan, M Lowry, B Moxham. Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland). TV: LIVE on Premier Sports 2, kickoff at 5.15pm Verdict: Ulster