The News Review:
- Trimble ready for Six Nations test
- Spare a prayer for wingman Shane Williams
- Humphreys can see a Matt finish
Trimble ready for Six Nations test
Ireland Online – Jan 2, 2008
For the Ulster contingent of Ireland’s World Cup squad the debacle in France was just the beginning of a season that has deteriorated further at Ravenhill. Having returned from Ireland’s morale-sapping World Cup campaign, Trimble was plunged into the midst of a provincial crisis. Ulster were dumped out of the Heineken Cup by Christmas and continue to prop up the Magners League table, with Matt Williams replacing former coach Mark McCall in the process. While the past five months have proved demanding, Trimble – who starts on the right wing for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy – has drawn strength from the experience. “There was a massive, massive build-up to the World Cup and in the end it was extremely disappointing,” he said. “But the only way to deal with it is to be mentally tough. You’ve no other option.
Spare a prayer for wingman Shane Williams
Telegraph.co.uk – Jan 2, 2008
I’ll have to go low or he could be chucking me into the stands I imagine. You’ve got to deal with it, you’ve no other option. “When we played Gloucester [and Vainikolo] away in the Heineken Cup, I missed the game through injury. The lads seemed to think I pulled out of that one, but, believe me, that wasn’t the case!” Of course if Wales win some decent ball, Williams will keep out of the firing line by posing his own problems and when fully fit he remains one of the most dangerous attacking wings. A strike rate of 35 tries in 51 internationals is testament to that. Fitness was an issue last year and he took the summer off to have shoulder and elbow operations but returned in fine fettle at the World Cup where he at least played to his full potential and bagged six tries in four games. All to no avail, but he has looked in decent nick for the Ospreys again recently.
Humphreys can see a Matt finish
Belfast Telegraph – Jan 2, 2008
After the 29-0 defeat at Leinster on Boxing Day Humphreys called for a speedy resolution to the vacant coaching position and now he is satisfied that the new man has been named. "Certainly we’re now moving in the right direction, it wasn’t really a criticism I was just trying to state a point that it had been very unsettling for the players over the last few weeks but know we know there is a fixed point when Matt is coming in. Everybody is aware what is happening and it gives the players a chance to sort their own futures out and from that point on once they have committed themselves to playing for Ulster for the next couple of seasons that it is a matter of making sure we are in the Heineken Cup next season. " With Ulster playing against Williams former club at the RDS it was the prefect opportunity to get some inside information on the new coach. "Having played Leinster last week we were chatting to a few of them and they speak very highly of Matt. He is well aware of what Ulster rugby is about having experienced it from his time at Leinster. I think we are all looking forward to him coming in and trying to turn things round.