Stuart McCloskey: will stay with Ulster until at least the end of his contract next year despite interest from French clubs. Photograph: Laszlo Geczo/InphoThe centre had previously been linked with a move to Bayonne, though any prospects of a move appeared to have ended last month after the club announced the signing of England centre Manu Tuilagi.
However, in contrast to his team-mates, McCloskey is set to be available to whoever Ulster appoint to take over from Dan McFarland on a permanent basis. At this stage, interim head coach Richie Murphy is widely regarded as the front-runner for that role.With news emerging that Ulster’s Rob Baloucoune has been approached to join Ireland’s Sevens programme in advance of the Olympics, thoughts quickly move to which other Irish 15s players could follow the path of Antoine Dupont.
“More than likely that player will be a player that has come through the Sevens programme at some stage, so they’re familiar with the game,” said Nucifora at the time. Leinster’s Hugo Keenan would be a strong option. He both fulfils Nucifora’s criteria of having Sevens experience and is the type of all-round athlete who can thrive in a format where speed, catch-pass skills and last-ditch tackling are of upmost importance.
Jimmy O’Brien is another Leinster man with history in Sevens, as does Will Connors. In Munster, Shane Daly has the most Sevens experience while Connacht’s Andrew Smith was a regular on the circuit until recently. Shane Jennings and Conor Oliver have also come up through the Sevens programme.Girl’s jacket kept her afloat until rescuers saved her from sea in Dún Laoghaire during Storm Kathleen