ULSTER LOOSEHEAD KYLE McCall has been rewarded for an excellent breakthrough season with a two-year contract extension.
The former Wallace High School skipper had made just three appearances for his province between his 2013 debut and his first start against Dragons last November, but the 24-year-old has gone from strength to strength since and was named Ulster’s Young Player of the Year.
McCall joins fellow academy graduate Stuart McCloskey in penning an extension to his existing contract and so the new deal will keep him at Kingspan Stadium until the summer of 2019.
“Kyle established himself as a regular in the senior squad this season with a string of brilliant performances,” director of rugby Les Kiss said in today’s announcement.
“He was particularly impressive on the European stage as he rose to the challenge with some eye-catching displays in the scrum, with ball in hand and around the park.
“His incessant work-rate has seen him earn a reputation as one of the best trainers in the squad. At 24, he is still young for a front row player, and with his huge potential and desire to be the best he can be. I’ve no doubt he can become a future international.”
McCall points to his full debut and a first senior try for his province in the comeback win against Oyonnax as the stand-out moments of the past year.
“Personally, this season has been particularly pleasing because I have played a lot more than I expected to.
“I’m grateful to Les for giving me an opportunity to prove myself this year. To make my first senior start and then to get my first try were two very proud moments for me and my family.”
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Brock has played amazing in Peytons absence. He will find it tough to get back him starter job. Brock is a FA next year. Broncos must not let him walk and that’s from a Chargers fan.
Chargers fan, my sympathies
Thanks, been a tough year. Injuries mounting up cost us yet again.
I agree peyton might not even be around next season so the Broncos have to think about the franchises future.
Brock has played amazing in Peytons absence.
Points scored by Denver in 2nd half of last 3 games. 0, 0, 0.
He’s been better than Manning but a long, long way from amazing. Now if he could just see his way to another of those performances against the Bengals this week he could hand my Chiefs the division and take Denver out of the playoffs! Now that would be amazing.
We, it was hardly his fault Mack sacked him 5 times vs Raiders. Or my Chargers defense finally showed up in the game before. He needs playing time to improve and he is getting it. Good draft class of QB that year, and bad ones too ie RG3 & Weeden
I’d always take a report by Ian Rapoport with a pinch of salt.
Peyton Manning is not going to be a starting quality QB next season either way so from a purely practical point of view it might be the right moment to really get a look at Brock “The Lobster” Osweiler now when the pressure game is on. Manning wasn’t doing a good job earlier on in the season and I think Osweiler has earned the right to carry on as starting QB for this season.
Write off Manning at your Peril. Could easily have another quality year left in him despite his poor performances this season
Did anyone else this Brock was poor last night in the second half when the pressure came on. A long way to go yet