Ulster statement: Sutherland deal and talks with a Springboks prop
Dan McFarland’s Ulster have confirmed they have signed Rory Sutherland on a short-term deal, adding that negotiations are at an advanced stage with a Springboks prop believed to be Steven Kitshoff. It was Thursday night when it emerged that the Irish province was on the verge of capturing Sutherland, the 2021 Lions tour pick.
He had become a free agent the previous day after the company holding all the player contracts at crisis-hit Worcester was liquidated at an insolvency court in England and former Ireland hooker Bernard Jackman tweeted the next day that a deal with Ulster was set to be announced.
That recruitment od Sutherland was confirmed on Saturday just hours before Ulster were due to host Ospreys in their latest URC match. Kitshoff wasn’t named in the club’s media release, but the 2019 World Cup winner – who currently plays for the Stormers – is believed to be the South African player referenced in the statement.
It read: “The calibre of the Ulster Rugby front row has been strengthened for the long-term with the recruitment of world-class props to supplement and support the development of the province’s young homegrown players over the next four years.
“Negotiations are at an advanced phase with a player that is a proven winner on the biggest stage, who will join the province next season on a three-year deal following Rugby World Cup 2023.
“Ahead of this highly anticipated arrival in Belfast, equally hard-edged scrummager – Scotland international and British and Irish Lion, Rory Sutherland – will join the province from next week on a short-term deal to reinforce squad depth at loosehead. Both signings not only provide significant international quality to the squad but will also play a key role in developing Ulster’s senior and academy front rows in the years to come.”
Ulster boss McFarland said: “We have an exciting stable of young Irish-qualified props at Ulster, so to be able to support their development alongside some world-class operators is great news for everyone associated with Ulster and Irish rugby.
“As a club that is intent on consistently competing for championships, we are always looking to add to and improve our squad. This includes recruiting players to be a part of the Ulster Rugby family but most importantly supporting and driving the development of young players within our pathway.
“We look forward to welcoming Rory into the squad next week and making further announcements on our recruitment for next season very soon.
“Myself, Roddy Grant, Jonny Bell and Jonny Petrie have all worked with Rory at some point in his career and know he will add quality on the field and bring an invaluable level of experience and mindset that our young props can squeeze every drop out of.
“Having Rory’s level of competitiveness at scrum training is going to test and teach the very best we have, something as a scrum coach and former prop I have experienced first-hand and am now excited to be a part of.
“Whilst we are all looking forward to welcoming Rory to Ulster, we are also mindful of the very difficult situation many players and staff at Worcester Warriors find themselves in and we wish them the best for whatever the future holds.”
Sutherland, who will be named in next week’s Ulster squad to travel to South Africa for the URC fixtures against the Lions and Sharks, added: “My thanks go out to everyone in the rugby community who has supported me and all those at Worcester over the past while during what has been a heartbreaking time for players and staff alike.
“However, I’m looking forward to linking up with Ulster and getting stuck into the URC and the many familiar faces and rivals that it will bring. The club is on a quest for silverware and I’ll do all I can this season to play my part in that ambition.”
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
27 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
27 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments