On we go with the selection of Uster back line for professional era - today we look at the centres.
There has at times been a lack of consistency in Ulster's midfield throughout the pro era - injury, tragedy and potential unfulfilled have all played their part in that.
When assessing the potential candidates in any greatest XV selection those who have enjoyed consistency of selection and performance will accordingly be in pole position.
Paddy Wallace and Darren Cave stand apart in that regard, Mark McCall and Jonny Bell provided a degree of certainty over a shorter time frame and the rest have, in some cases, either flattered to deceive or haven’t had enough time in the jersey to fully convince.
This hasn’t necessarily been for a lack of emerging talent. Luke Marshall, Stewart McCloskey, Chris Farrell, Stuart Olding, Andrew Trimble have all at one point or another been the next great emerging Ulster centre.
With this inconsistency in mind we would allow Jared Payne to be a candidate at outside centre - expect he has already made the tam at full-back - so Luke Marshall will round out the contenders.
Marshall has the potential to top this list and still has the opportunity to realise that potential. Having played at 10 growing up he combines some of Wallace’s passing skills with serious physicality. As of yet though, often due to injury, he just hasn’t played enough to be selected over stalwarts like Wallace, Cave, Bell or McCall.
It seems odd for Jared Payne not to feature somewhere in the team as he was a first choice international at a time when not many other Ulster three quarters were consistently being selected by Joe Schmidt. Again though, having split his time between 13 and 15 he isn’t synonymous with the Ulster 13 jersey in the same way as some of the others.
So it’s a straight shoot out between two established partnerships – McCall and Bell v Wallace and Cave. As with D’arcy and O’Driscoll in Leinster, and Mafi and Tipoki in Munster, it seems only right to keep a partnership intact and give the nod to Wallace and Cave.
While McCall and Bell may actually be more decorated in terms of trophies and caps, the presence of D’arcy and O’Driscoll in the Ireland team during the noughties certainly contributed to that.
With nearly 400 Ulster appearances between them - Paddy Wallace and Darren Cave provide balance in Ulster’s greatest midfield of the professional era.
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RTÉ selection: Paddy Wallace & Darren Cave
