Ulster: One more year for Anscombe!

John McMurtry

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February 5, 2014

Mark Anscombe has signed a one-year contract extension with Ulster Rugby meaning that he will be Head Coach of the Province until at least June 2015.

Anscombe joined Ulster in the summer of 2012 and started his tenure by guiding the team to an unbeaten 16 game run. In that first season he went on to lead the side to the final of the RaboDirect PRO12 and the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup. He became the first Ulster Head Coach to win in France when the Province beat Castres by 9 points to 8 in January 2013.

This season he has led the team to an Ulster record six wins out of six in the Pool stages of the Heineken Cup, including memorable wins over Montpellier in France and Leicester Tigers at Welford Road. Ulster will now play Saracens on April 5th in the Province’s first home Heineken Cup quarter-final in 15 years.

As well as delivering results, Anscombe has also added considerable depth to the Ulster squad, using more than 50 different players . . .

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David Humphreys, Mark Anscombe, Mark McCall

4 responses to “Ulster: One more year for Anscombe!”

Raymond Magee on Facebook

February 5, 2014

Result

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John

February 5, 2014

Given the quality of players at his disposal I don’t think that Anscombe has moved things on that much to tell the truth. Dramatically out-thought by McCall at Saracens last season and I haven’t been overwhelmed by our style of play this season either.

Time will tell over McCall and whether he wants to return or not, but it would be a great pity if the best coach ever to pass through Ulster Rugby didn’t return…

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Garibaldi

February 5, 2014

Very happy to hear this news, it was only a matter of when not if.
“Mark who?” was the common response from most of the media, (and you John) when first hired, hasn’t done too bad for a man who came in without his own back room staff, to a situation where the team could produce the odd big performance but lacked any kind of consistency and were often boring to watch.
I like his style, “What you see is what you get!”
As to the future, well it’s a widespread belief that any coach’s time with a specific team has a shelf life ‘ which is generally 3 to 4 years.’
As to Mark McCall, a player and a coach I admire who has been very successful both in France and England. Not so sure – left Ulster under a cloud. Would either party, Ulster Rugby or Mr. McCall want to go there?

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Jonny

February 5, 2014

Mark McCall just signed a new 3 year deal 6 days ago so I doubt he’ll be back with Ulster anytime soon http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/new-deals-for-sarries-coaching-team-29961470.html

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