The Low-Down on Ulster’s New Signings
You may have already caught a glimpse of some unfamiliar faces at the Kingspan this pre-season.
Indeed, our new recruits all played a role in our friendly win over Exeter.
In total, we have 7 new signings who look set to bolster our squad and add some much-needed quality depth.
But who are they?
1. Sean Reffell from Saracens (Flanker)
Highly rated Saracens flanker Sean Reffell is 23 and Irish qualified.
He joins Ulster from Saracens, where he was awarded the Young Player of the Season award for 2020/21. The back-row chopper also holds the Saracens record for most tackles in a game, with 39 tackles made in the Premiership Rugby Cup semi-final versus Worcester in 2019.
Known for his impressive work-rate, the former England U20s openside has made close to 40 appearances for Saracens and, by all accounts, they are gutted to see him go.
“With an already impressive track-record for Saracens, he will be a great fit alongside some real quality in our back row, and I am confident he will be a valuable addition to our squad” said Ulster head coach Dan McFarland.
Sean is a specialist 7 and, on the evidence of what we have see so far as well as his impressive work at Saracens, is a breakdown threat with an unbelievable engine.
Dan McFarland believes new signing Sean Reffell will bring a “point of difference” when he arrives next season.
"We have some really good back-rows, Sean has a point of difference; he's an excellent all-round player, defensively he excels,” said the head coach of the Irish-qualified 23-year-old who joins from Saracens in the summer. "He's what you would describe as a real fetcher as a number 7.
"I've watched a lot of his games and talked to a lot of people about the kind of player he is, the kind of person he is, and being able to get somebody with that much potential.
"He's obviously played a chunk of games for Saracens already, but he's still a young player and he's still got a lot to develop.”
The prospect of a back-row featuring Reffell, Marcus Rea and Duane Vermeulen is tantalising in terms of the relentless defensive/breakdown work they will get through. A really exciting signing.
2. Declan Moore from Munster (hooker)
We have already seen a bit of what Moore can do.
The 25-year-old hooker put in a full 80-minute shift for Ulster against Connacht last season after finding out at pretty short notice — after John Andrew’s late withdrawal — that he was in the starting side.
He even managed to score a try on his debut off the back of a driving maul.
Moore is New Zealand-born, Australia-raised, but Irish-qualified through his grandparents and seems the perfect fit for Ulster following Brad Roberts’ departure to the Dragons.
“We were aware he had arrived from Australia, that he was Irish-qualified and that he was down in Munster,” McFarland explained.
“He was trying to get an opportunity there, but they have a number of good hookers.
“I watched his footage and Roddy (Grant, Ulster forwards coach) watched his footage, from when he (Moore) was playing in Australia.”
Moore was certainly thrown in at the deep-end last season however now has a full pre-season behind him to get used to Ulster’s systems and, significantly, the set-piece. Last season’s early exposure in an inter-provincial will help to accelerate his development.
Before coming to Ulster Moore had been unused during a stint with Melbourne Rebels and had only acquired minutes off the bench for Munster.
“There is lots to work on because he hasn’t played much at senior level in terms of his set-piece,” McFarland also stated.
“He is extremely dynamic, he moves well around the park and he is very competent in his fundamentals and it seemed like an obvious signing with Bradley moving on.”
Moore looks ready for the step up. With Herring a guaranteed starter for Ulster, the battle between Moore, Andrew and Tom Stewart for the 16 jersey will be interesting.
3. Frank Bradshaw Ryan from Nevers (Second-row)
Ulster went shopping in the French second division, signing Bradshaw-Ryan who has been playing in France for the past 6 years. A former Irish Under-19 international giant who stands at 2.05m tall and weighs 119kg, he certainly has the frame to fit into Ulster’s engine room and bolster their options at second-row.
The 26-year-old from Limerick was once in the Munster sub-Academy but moved to France after failing to crack into the set up at Thomond Park.
Joining Nevers in time for the 2017/18 season, he was part of the club’s squad that played in the French second tier for a first ever time and went on to make 95 appearances for the side with 68 of those coming from the start.
Ulster have looked light at second-row, with Henderson and Treadwell (and now Izuchukwu) with the Irish set-up for parts of the season. Wallaby Sam Carter and stalwart Alan O’Connor provide other options, but Bradshaw-Ryan will certainly be looking to push for minutes when he has had the chance to establish himself.
Bradshaw Ryan said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have signed for Ulster. It is a top club, based in a fantastic city. I love watching Ulster play at the moment and they are playing a great brand of rugby – and it’s a style of rugby that I really enjoy playing.
“I can see with some of Ulster’s recent signings, together with the top young players coming through, that they are intent on achieving big things. After spending six seasons in France, I can’t wait to get over and get started. With the set-up and coaches that Ulster have, I feel it’s a great place for me to keep learning and improving as a player.”
Ulster boss Dan McFarland added: “Frank has worked hard in France over the last number of years to develop his game and will offer us something different at lock. We look forward to welcoming him this summer and seeing what he can deliver both on and off the field for Ulster.”
Bradshaw-Ryan, as you might imagine, is a proficient lineout operator as well as being the sort of abrasive player you love to see in Ulster’s pack. Given his playing style, it appears he will buy in to McFarland’s ‘fight for every inch’ mantra. His ability to wrap players up in the tackle, slow ruck ball down and generally makes a nuisance of himself will be key reasons why McFarland has brought him over. Also, worth noting is he has really good skill-levels ‘for a big lad’.
Bradshaw-Ryan could be a really shrewd signing – a guy ready to hit his peak and hungry to impress.
4. Shea O'Brien from City of Armagh (full-back)
Delighted to see O’Brien take ‘the road less-travelled’ from the club game to Ulster.
O’Brien has been handed a one-year Development deal with Ulster, having caught the eye playing All-Ireland League rugby for City of Armagh RFC.
We saw O’Brien start in the game against Exeter – a mixed bag with a well-taken (unfortunately disallowed) try followed within two minutes by a yellow card.
Apart from that, he fielded the ball well and looked assured despite his relative lack of experience at this level. Indeed, his aerial skills gained playing Gaelic football have clearly stood him in good stead for playing full-back.
The Newry native had already played rugby at City of Armagh for around eight years by the time he came into coach Antoine Finn’s Under-16s side. “He was quite small in stature when he first came to me, then he took a growth spurt and got a bit taller and wider,” said Finn.
“His ball-handling skills and his ability to catch the ball in the air was excellent. He was very good at fielding a high ball – he reminded me of Rob Kearney. He could jump off the ground and land on his feet before taking off like a shot.”
Even as a teenager, O’Brien dedicated himself to developing as a rugby player. “He was very athletic and kept himself in great shape,” says Finn. “In a certain way, he was quite gifted. There are times when you see young kids that you coach, some of them have very good hands and skills; others wouldn’t be quite as good. There are no two ways about it, he was a stand-out player.”
In terms of his skillset, his former coaches all note his ability in the air as a key area to his game. “From his GAA background, his high-ball work was something that was a real strength for us,” says Parker. “He could get up above defenders in the air and catch the ball above his head which gives him an advantage. That was a stand-out attribute that he was able to bring to the team.”
O’Brien will have his work cut out given Ulster’s quality in the back-three but, according to his former coaches he has an “x-factor” and ability to create something out of nothing. “You knew if he got the ball in a wee bit of space that something could happen", claims Parker. "If you were in a game with opportunities and you got him on the ball with space, he had the pace and agility to beat a man.”
Finn adds, “he was very good at moving the ball and was very balanced with his footwork. I hope he gets to display how good his agility is and how he can move from the left to the right foot.”
It will be interesting to see how he handles the transition but certainly an exciting prospect to add to our stacked back-3 roster.
5. Jake Flannery from Munster (out-half)
The former Munster flyhalf Jake Flannery was a standout performer for the Grand Slam-winning Ireland U20s in 2019. He has signed one-year deal with Ulster.
“I’m excited to be joining Ulster Rugby. They’ve got a really exciting back line and play a style which I feel I can excel in. I leave Munster grateful for all the people who have helped me develop and grow,” said Flannery. “I have high ambitions and I think Ulster Rugby will help me to strive for these.”
The Tipperary-born ten began his rugby career at Kilfeacle & District RFC, then played schools rugby at Rockwell College before making his Munster A debut in the Celtic Cup and All Ireland League debut with Shannon RFC in the 2018/19 season.
In the summer of 2019, he was accepted into the Munster Academy, and in February 2020, he made his Guinness PRO14 debut off the bench for Munster against Zebre.
“We are looking forward to welcoming Jake to Ulster. He is coming with good intent to work hard on developing all areas of his game with our coaching team and his fellow players,” said head coach Dan McFarland.
Flannery had an impressive start for Ulster, demonstrating a composure and confidence which belied his years against Exeter. There were a few really nice touches from Flannery including deft hands out of the tackle and a perfectly waited cross-kick for Rob Lyttle’s try.
Flannery has been picked for the emerging Ireland squad already which suggests he is ear-marked for big things. A move to Ulster was shrewd for both Flannery and Ulster as we seek to create competition for the 10 jersey and it’s exciting to have a prospect like Flannery on the books.
6. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen from Wasps (Tight-head prop)
31-year-old tighthead prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen has joined on a one-year deal from Wasps.
Prior to his three-year spell in the Premiership, Toomaga-Allen amassed nearly 150 appearances for the Hurricanes and Wellington – winning the Super Rugby title in 2016.
He made his debut for the All Blacks in 2013, and also lined out against the Barbarians and a French XV after being recalled to the squad in 2017.
“Jeff has played at a high level in Super Rugby and the English Premiership for a number of years and as such he will bring considerable experience to bolster our tighthead roster, as well as being a great mentor for the younger players in our squad,” said Ulster head coach Dan McFarland.
The 6ft 4in New Zealander is set to bring a wealth of experience gained from across the world to the white jersey. Known for his high-intensity scrummaging, Toomaga-Allen will provide us another option at tight-head, perhaps as back-up for Marty Moore and Tom O’Toole. Gareth Milasinovich is also capable of covering both sides.
A surprising signing perhaps, given our perceived lack of depth on the other side of the scrum but that is an indication of McFarland’s faith in Callum Reid at loose-head.
We got to see a glimpse of Toomaga Allen in the Exeter game. Understandably, he looked tired (that is what pre-season is all about) but put in some good work at the set-piece. McFarland and Roddy Grant will be delighted to have an experienced and battle-hardened prop to add quality strength in depth in the front-row.
7. Michael McDonald from Western Force (scrum-half)
The signing of young Irish-qualified scrum-half Michael McDonald on a one-year deal from Western Force, is an exciting one.
An Ulster statement read: “Born in Louth, McDonald spent his childhood years playing at Dundalk RFC before moving to Perth in Australia at the age of 13, where he moved up the ranks to make his senior debut for Western Force in the Rapid Rugby tournament as a 19-year-old.
“He was selected for the Junior Wallabies, which led him to the World Cup final in 2019. His impressive performances led to his signing for Super Rugby franchise, the NSW Waratahs, where he spent a season before moving back to Western Force last year.”
Ulster boss Dan McFarland said: “Michael is a promising young half-back who has cut his teeth playing in the southern hemisphere, and he will fit in well with the style of rugby we want to play at Ulster as he continues to hone his skills in the months ahead.”
McDonald added: “I’m really excited about the opportunity to be joining Ulster. It’s always been a goal of mine to get back to Ireland and experience rugby in the northern hemisphere at a professional level. I’m extremely grateful and I look forward to having a go.”
McDonald was the man of the match in the pre-season friendly with Exeter and has also been selected for the emerging Ireland tour to South Africa which is an early indication of his potential.
With Cooney and Doak already established as quality options at scrum-half, McDonald will no doubt seek to impress on the controversial emerging Ireland tour to South Africa to accelerate his development.
As a reminder here are the players who have departed Ulster over the summer:
Out
Wales Bradley Roberts to Wales Dragons
Ireland Ross Kane to England Ealing Trailfinders
Ireland Jack McGrath released
Ireland Mick Kearney retired
Ireland David O'Connor to England Ealing Trailfinders
Ireland Sean Reidy to New Zealand Counties Manukau