We’re a month into the Guinness PRO14 and Gallagher Premiership seasons, so here’s a round up of how Ulster’s exiles fared in the month of September.
PRO14
Rory Scholes
Rory Scholes is yet to feature for Connacht this season.
Sam Arnold, Chris Farrell
Chris Farrell is injured but Sam Arnold in Munster’s four opening matches as Munster sit behind Glasgow in Conference A.
Tommy Seymour
Tommy Seymour grabbed a try in Glasgow’s recent 52-24 win against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein as well as first minute try in their narrow win over Connacht in the opening gameweek.
Seymour’s Glasgow have been impressive in the few matches and look good to match their first place finish in Conference A this season but was unable to inspire Glasgow to avoid a shock loss to the Southern Kings last weekend.
Gallagher Premiership
Ian Whitten, Gareth Steenson
As expected Exeter have started the season with convincing wins over Leicester, Wasps, Sale and Newcastle. Steenson started the first match against Leicester and kicked five conversion attempts from six but has largely played a reduced role due to the emergence of Joe Simmonds. He also kicked six conversions in a 42-31 victory over Wasps.
Ian Whitten has started three of the four matches. He scored a try against Leicester from inside centre, a position where he has featured in all but one of his starts. He played on the right wing against Wasps.
Michael Heaney, Niall Annett, Callum Black, Neil Doak
Worcester have won just one match this season, a terrific 44-37 win away to Leicester Tigers. Callum Black has played in all of their matches while Michael Heaney has had his appearances limited to off the bench. Niall Annett started in two of the matches, defeats against Wasps and Sale.
Paddy McAllister, David Humphreys, Jonny Bell
Gloucester suffered their first defeat at the weekend away to Mark McCall’s Saracens. They are a point off Bath and the play off positions in fifth place but Paddy McAllister is yet to feature for the Cherry and Whites.
Mark McCall
Like Exeter, Saracens have made a dominant start to the season with a maximum number of points from their first four matches. The North London side have scored 20 tries so far and already the league looks like it will be an arm wrestle between McCall’s men and Exeter for the title.
Green King IPA Championship
Callum Patterson
Callum Patterson has been ever-present in Cornish Pirates’ fantastic start to the Greene King IPA Championship. His side sit at the top of the table after recording wins over Doncaster Knights, Hartpury College, Coventry and Richmond. Patterson was named man of the match in his debut v Doncaster and scored his first try in their 46-17 win over Hartpury College but was substituted after 22 minutes in his last match against Richmond presumably as an injury.
Brett Herron, Conor Joyce, Mark Best
Jersey Reds prop up the table, winless, but on the same points as Richmond as they have picked up bonus points in all of their games. All three started in their most recent defeat against London Scottish while Brett Herron scored a dazzling try against Bedford Blues from the 10m line. Conor Joyce also crossed the white wash while Herron landed two conversions and a penalty.
Mark Best, who has played in every match, stopped a certain try in Jersey Reds’ 20-15 defeat away to Coventry in the opening game week while Brett Herron nailed a penalty to secure the losing bonus point with the last kick of the game.
Top 14
Paddy Jackson
It has not been plain sailing for Perpignan as they find themselves rooted to the bottom of the table. Jackson has started four of his side’s first five matches but appeared off the bench against La Rochelle in the TOP14’s gameweek before last. Jackson scored a try on his debut in a heavy 46-15 defeat to Stade Francais and 13 points from his boot was not enough to defeat relegation candidates, Agen. So far Jackson has scored 36 points in his five appearances. With the latest match being a 31-22 loss against relegation candidates Grenoble, it looks very unlikely that the Catalan side will evade relegation.
PRO D2
Stuart Olding, Jeremy Davidson
Davidson’s Brive have made a solid start to the season with three wins, one draw and one loss leaving them in 4th. Stuart Olding was awarded the player of the month award for August after a great start at his new club. He set up a match levelling score in the last five minutes against Biarritz as well as an assist against Colomiers. Against Brive he provided a lovely dink in behind for his side’s first try. He scored his second try in Brive colours on Thursday evening against Vannes which secured a 11-9 victory.
Dan Tuohy
Dan Tuohy‘s Vannes haven’t had as much success as Olding and Davidson’s Brive. With a solitary win, his side sit in 14th position, two points outside of the relegation zone. Tuohy started his side’s aforementioned loss to Brive. The former Irish international has started all but one of Vannes’ games in which he was named as a replacement in their 38-23 loss to Provence Rugby. The games that he has started includes a 24-13 win over Nevers, a side that sit third in the table.
