WITH ULSTER CURRENTLY located just outside the URC’s top eight, assistant coach Dan Soper has called for the province to start forcing their way up the table, beginning on Sunday when they return to league action hosting one from bottom Zebre.
After last weekend’s eight-try thumping of Exeter Chiefs – a result along with Bordeaux’s hammering of the Sharks which allowed Ulster reach the Champions Cup last 16 as bottom seeds meaning they face Bordeaux again in April – Soper has pointed out that the squad not only need to win the game with Zebre but also produce a consistent performance.
“We’ll put our focus on the league and climbing the table, and that starts this weekend,” said Soper who, from next season, will have a new role at Ulster as Development and Transition Coach.
“Obviously, the result is the most important thing,” he said of Sunday’s clash with Zebre, “but we need to develop our game and how we’re trying to play.
“If we get a win on Sunday but we’re not developing or growing as a team then, come the back end of the season in Europe or in knockout rugby in the URC, we’re not going to be good enough to compete.
“We’re sitting outside the top eight at the moment and we have clear aspirations to be well in the top eight and pushing towards the top of it. That has to start on Sunday afternoon.”
As for his new job description next season, Soper said, “It possibly would have happened sooner but with last season and Dan (McFarland) moving on and all the turmoil that caused at the time, it all sat on the backburner.
“We have to maximise the potential that we have within the province. We don’t have the luxury of having an endless supply of players where we can spit them out and, if they’re not good enough, we just get the next one.
“We need to make sure we’re making the most of what we’ve got. We’ll be working with the whole squad but there’ll be a real focus on the guys coming out of the Academy, (and) the young guys in the senior group now like James McNabney.
“James is getting a taste of Irish camp now but how do we make sure he’s consistently in that Ireland camp and we’re getting the best out of him here at Ulster?
“It’s putting a spotlight on that.”
If he goes to ajax he will settle in quicker as his mates from home are regular visitors.
Troy technically is a good player and has done well for Excelsior, fair play. Maybe the lack of pace has counted against him? Would he get a game at Ajax even in the state they’re in?
My hole they’re interested in him
He is technically a very good player and he scores his fair share of quality goals. I think he is best suited to a role playing behind a centre forward as he well able to pull wide or join in the midfield.
Don’t think Spurs will price him out of a move.He’s in Rotterdam for the rest of the season so his contract won’t have long left to run unless he gets offered a new deal.It does look like he is surplus to requirements at Spurs.Feyenoord would be a good move as he is already settled in Rotterdam.
My god, these used to be huge clubs once upon a time.
@Ray Ridge: Or….they’re both clubs that play regular European football and are always in the hunt for trophies at domestic level. Two things you rarely see with Irish players now. It seems most Irish fans are only content if Irish players are bashing away in the Championship, occasionally on the bench, before an inevitable move down a division. Parrott playing for a former European winner and regular European participant is obviously a really good thing.
If any Dutch team can afford the price that Spurs will want to pay for him. Apart from the big Dutch teams I don’t think they could do the money for him.