The newest player for Ulster, Aidan Morgan, made a positive impression both on field and off during his first time on the pitch. The 23-year-old, during a victory of Ulster over Benetton with a score of 26-19 in a recent preseason game, showed excellent form.
Morgan displayed considerable talent in his game control and had several defensive instances that stood out, including a full-on tackle causing him a minor injury and a rush to prevent a try, both of which the spectators appreciated. His actions reflected commendable dedication and determination.
Under the qualification due to his Belfast-born grandmother, Morgan, a native New zealander, has participated in Super Rugby 24 times as part of the Hurricanes before committing to Ulster. Off field, he spent his free day analysing videos, an action that Ulster’s chief coach, Richie Murphy, noted while answering queries regarding Morgan.
As a former coach for Ireland’s under-20 squad, Murphy boasts a history of grooming successful young players, which puts him in a unique position to judge Morgan’s potential fit. During a URC roundtable discussion, Murphy stated: “It’s still early days. How does he fare against the others? He possesses unique strengths unlike the players we’ve had in the last few under-20 teams. The main difference is the game he’s played. Super Rugby is significantly different from the European game. It’ll’ll take him some time; there will be ups and downs, but what matters is how he performs in the coming weeks.
“We’re encouraging him to improve certain aspects of his game, but we’re quite pleased with his attitude, his dedication, his work ethic. Even on his off day, he’s diligently studying video clips from the previous day. He’s showing hard work and significant potential as a young player.”
Upon inquiring about Morgan’s primary qualities, Murphy elucidated his multifaceted abilities: a potent attacking prowess with possession, a promising fit within the squad, and a tenacious defensive approach despite his size. He believes Morgan’s future development will be intriguing to watch, given that he needs to adjust to the equilibrium between his current style and the expectations of European rugby.
As for the frontline experience, Ulster currently lacks depth, with Jake Flannery (25), Morgan (23), James Humphreys (22), and Jack Murphy (20) being the foremost choices. Michael Lowry has previously played in that position but, as underscored by Murphy, there lies an intriguing opportunity in cultivating the young talents.
Following a significant loss of experience at the previous season’s close, the Ulster squad now bears a predominantly youthful character. With this shift comes the anticipation of revitalising the senior cohort. However, it’s not the abundance of skill in these emerging players that is the focus, but rather the criticality of seamlessly integrating them within the team.
Murphy added: Last year, before my arrival, James McNabney, a backrow player, impressed when he played for Ulster but then had to sit out the rest of the season due to injury. He made his preseason appearance last week against Benetton and left a noticeable impact on the game. The team is eager to observe how he progresses in the coming weeks.
Murphy underlined the importance of balance, cautioning against deploying all new talents concurrently. Yet, it’s a tactic that they’re willing to explore this year.
Ulster is set for a challenging start to the URC campaign with an opening game versus the Glasgow Warriors, immediately followed by a pair of matches in South Africa. The situation is further complicated by the three-match schedule of Emerging Ireland in Bloemfontein, in which the province will participate.
Murphy has conceded that the relocation of the Emerging Ireland team will instigate disruption, and it will require more time, possibly exceeding three rounds of URC matches, to properly ascertain our standings. The second, third, and fourth rounds will see numerous players transfer to Emerging Ireland, essentially restarting us at the fifth round. Long story short, the season’s start might be a chaotic one, but we intend to be transparent with our expectations so that player rotation does not drastically impair performance.
An athlete that Ulster anticipates will continue to develop is Cormac Izuchukwu, who previously visited South Africa with Ireland in the summer but did not earn a cap. Murphy has remarked on the noticeable improvement, highlighting his commanding presence, enhanced physique, and boosted self-assurance that were absent earlier. This weekend, Ulster will go head to head with the Exeter Chiefs in a secondary formative match, intending to elevate their skill level and game strategy before the season properly commences.