Ulster Team Talk Thread IV... Go On My Henderson...

launish116

bayern wrote: »

you wouldn't know it if you went on the ulster website, oddly no coverage of the loss.

First loss this season?

Would far rather give Leinster a close game then focus on youth.

Paul Smeenus

bayern wrote: »

you wouldn't know it if you went on the ulster website, oddly no coverage of the loss.

Not really. There was a report on Twitter, there's always a few days before it goes in the website.

bilston

launish116 wrote: »

First loss this season?

Would far rather give Leinster a close game then focus on youth.

Agree with going as strong as possible against Leinster.

But if we beat Leinster we will still mathematically have a chance going into the last game (no matter how slim), so the younger lads won't get a chance until the last game.

It will be interesring to see how we approach the Rainbow Cup.

Paul Smeenus

bilston wrote: »

Agree with going as strong as possible against Leinster.

But if we beat Leinster we will still mathematically have a chance going into the last game (no matter how slim), so the younger lads won't get a chance until the last game.

It will be interesring to see how we approach the Rainbow Cup.

I think we have to just keep maximising our chances in case the unthinkable happens. Munster and Leinster in the same conference next season, please. Or us and Munster.

launish116

Medical update

Greg Jones sustained a concussion during Friday’s game against Ospreys and will follow the Graduated Return to Play Protocols.

Sam Carter suffered a recent concussion in training and is currently unavailable for selection.

Following his recent thigh contusion injury, Marcell Coetzee’s fitness for this week’s fixture against Leinster will be monitored during the coming week.

Little worrying, that’s second or third this season for Carter?

bayern

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Not really. There was a report on Twitter, there's always a few days before it goes in the website.

please, they still haven't reported on the loss.. if they had won there'd have been a report up that day.

launish116

bayern wrote: »

please, they still haven't reported on the loss.. if they had won there'd have been a report up that day.

Highlights

https://youtu.be/n_VDB8wp0DU

bilston

launish116 wrote: »

Highlights

https://youtu.be/n_VDB8wp0DU

Some defensive clusterf***s there.

Although some cheeky deliberate knock ons there. The first one in particular might have stopped a try.

Locke_Lamora

bayern wrote: »

please, they still haven't reported on the loss.. if they had won there'd have been a report up that day.

I too am surprised that the team aren't as enthusiastic about losing a game as they are about winning it.

I know we're a little bored in lockdown, but rugby is back to being played and there are better things to be doing than trying to create aggro on other teams threads.

Paul Smeenus

Locke_Lamora wrote: »

I too am surprised that the team aren't as enthusiastic about losing a game as they are about winning it.

I know we're a little bored in lockdown, but rugby is back to being played and there are better things to be doing than trying to create aggro on other teams threads.

Sadly, I'm coming to the conclusion that Ulster must post match reports the same way Bayern creates posts with fascinating breakdowns of underage teams and talent - only if it bigs up their province. For shame.

Anyone have that Alan Partridge Shrugging Gif handy?

bayern

This Ulster A loss and the failure to get a bonus point against ospreys really has shook up ulster posters hasn't it?




Based on the highlights it appears James McCormick, Kyle McCall, Oscar Egan, Rueben Crothers, Nathan Doak and Ben Carson got off the bench for Ulster A.

Paul Smeenus

bayern wrote: »

This Ulster A loss and the failure to get a bonus point against ospreys really has shook up ulster posters hasn't it?

Yeah, nah. Frustrated, yes. Disappointed, yes. Shook up is a stretch.

Only one of us is on the the thread for a team they don't support, pointing out where that team hasn't done brilliantly. In all honesty, you seem as invested as any of us. Not sure any of us posted on the Leinster thread after we beat your lads.

Paul Smeenus

Anyway, I'd hope after this game McCann, Rea Jr, Allison, Doak might feature for a game at home against Zebre.

irishbucsfan

Ulster are in a situation where they could win 15 games out of 16 this season and have absolutely nothing to show for it. Purely because the Pro 14 decided to mess up the competition by arranging some intercontinental nonsense in the middle of a global pandemic.

We could have had 4 provinces in the playoffs and Ulster could have had a real chance of winning the whole thing. If the Rainbow Cup doesn't go ahead now it's a massive missed opportunity.

Paul Smeenus

Having the two finalists from the previous season in the same conference is ludicrous.

launish116

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Having the two finalists from the previous season in the same conference is ludicrous.

What’s ludicrous how easy Leinster are walking over teams! With their internationals all gone and continuously rotating week in week out. Can’t help but look on in despair and awe.

Yet we can’t translate it to international honours!

bilston

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Ulster are in a situation where they could win 15 games out of 16 this season and have absolutely nothing to show for it. Purely because the Pro 14 decided to mess up the competition by arranging some intercontinental nonsense in the middle of a global pandemic.

We could have had 4 provinces in the playoffs and Ulster could have had a real chance of winning the whole thing. If the Rainbow Cup doesn't go ahead now it's a massive missed opportunity.

Surely if the Rainbow Cup doesn't go ahead the Pro 14 will revert to its original format. Ending the season in March would be a nonsense, especially as there is a chance (in the UK anyway) that crowds could return in May.

Paul Smeenus

So. We can't change anything but what happens on Saturday night.

(It's a shame that young Leinster bucks won't get a baptism of fire at a rockin' and rowdy Ravenhill, but there you go.)

1) EOS / Warwick
2) Andrew / McBurney
3) Moore / TOT
4) Treadwell
5) O'Connor / Izuchukuwu
6) Reidy
7) Murphy
8) Timoney / Rea Sr
9) Cooney / Mathewson
10) Madigan / Johnston
11) Stockdale
12) McCloskey
13) Hume
14) Baloucoune
15) Lowry / Lyttle

Might not be that straightforward - he might go for a six - two spilt again, with Lowry covering ten.

Paul Smeenus

Also - heard last week's Ulster rugby podcast that we have used 46 players this season. Totting up the names, it's actually now 48. With three we haven't been able to pick due to injury.

Loosehead:
Eric O’Sullivan
Jack McGrath
Andy Warwick
Kyle McCall
Callum Reid

Hooker:
Rob Herring
John Andrew
Adam McBurney
Bradley Roberts

Tighthead:
Marty Moore
Tom O’Toole
Ross Kane
Gareth Milasinovich

Second Row:
Iain Henderson
Sam Carter
Alan O’Connor
Kieran Treadwell
David O’Connor
Cormac Izuchukwu

Back Row:
Marcell Coetzee
Sean Reidy
Jordi Murphy
Nick Timoney
Greg Jones
Matty Rea
David McCann
Marcus Rea

Scrumhalf:
John Cooney
Alby Mathewson
David Shanahan
Nathan Doak

Outhalf:
Billy Burns
Ian Madigan
Bill Johnston

Centre:
Stuart McCloskey
Luke Marshall
James Hume
Stewart Moore

Back Three:
Jacob Stockdale
Robert Baloucoune
Michael Lowry
Rob Lyttle
Matt Faddes
Craig Gilroy
Ethan McIlroy
Aaron Sexton
Ben Moxham
Lous Ludik

Senior players not selected due to injury: Will Addison, Angus Curtis
Academy players lined up to play but not selected due to injury: Tom Stewart

Wikidy

It is encouraging to see some talented competition in most positions now.

I think we have had a better first 15 in the recent(?) past, 2014, in my opinion. But there is now better strength in depth. Obviously it can always be improved.

It has got to the stage now, were you need to be able to field 3 teams with minimal drop-off in quality....

launish116

Does show a good bit of squad progression!

Many of that list will be departing?

Could really do with more A games, lack of game time must of been a consideration for a lot of caps.

Paul Smeenus

Wikidy wrote: »

It is encouraging to see some talented competition in most positions now.

I think we have had a better first 15 in the recent(?) past, 2014, in my opinion. But there is now better strength in depth. Obviously it can always be improved.

It has got to the stage now, were you need to be able to field 3 teams with minimal drop-off in quality....

We've never had anywhere near so much depth.

But in the 2012 European final we had a first fifteen with Best, Afoa, Muller, Ferris, Henry, Pienaar, Jackson and Andrew Trimble.

Paul Smeenus

Soper's work.

https://twitter.com/jonny_mccormick/status/1366813550728138760?s=19

bilston

We had a better pack in 2012.

Court v O'Sullivan/McGrath
Best v Herring
Afoa v O'Toole/Moore
Muller v Carter
Tuohy v Henderson
Ferris v Rea
Henry v Murphy
Wannenberg v Coetzee

Hendy and Marcel are probably the only two o free current side who would get on the 2012 pack. Peak Jack McGrath would get in ahead of fellow Lion Tom Court. Henry v Murphy is tight enough.

Pienaar v Cooney
Humphreys/Jackson v Burns
Gilroy v Stockdale
Wallace v McCloskey
Cave v Hume
Trimble v Balacoune
Terblanche v Lowry

Stockdale gets in ahead of Gilroy and actually Billy Burns might get in ahead of the 2012 version of Paddy Jackson. Lowry v Terblanche is tight, Terblanche was about 36 at the time! McCloskey v Wallace is a good debate. I dont think the 2012 team would have needed McCloskey's ball carrying as much. Paddy's footballing skills win the day for me.

So we've still a bit to go to get to the 2012 level.

launish116

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Soper's work.

https://twitter.com/jonny_mccormick/status/1366813550728138760?s=19

Hard to deny Ulster’s handling and offloading has been a pleasure to watch! Just need to convert it now.

Paul Smeenus

bilston wrote: »

We had a better pack in 2012.

Court v O'Sullivan/McGrath
Best v Herring
Afoa v O'Toole/Moore
Muller v Carter
Tuohy v Henderson
Ferris v Rea
Henry v Murphy
Wannenberg v Coetzee

Hendy and Marcel are probably the only two o free current side who would get on the 2012 pack. Peak Jack McGrath would get in ahead of fellow Lion Tom Court. Henry v Murphy is tight enough.

Pienaar v Cooney
Humphreys/Jackson v Burns
Gilroy v Stockdale
Wallace v McCloskey
Cave v Hume
Trimble v Balacoune
Terblanche v Lowry

Stockdale gets in ahead of Gilroy and actually Billy Burns might get in ahead of the 2012 version of Paddy Jackson. Lowry v Terblanche is tight, Terblanche was about 36 at the time! McCloskey v Wallace is a good debate. I dont think the 2012 team would have needed McCloskey's ball carrying as much. Paddy's footballing skills win the day for me.

So we've still a bit to go to get to the 2012 level.

I was always a big Wallace fan, and I'd take him over McCloskey in isolation. With as few ball carriers as we have currently, Big Stu's physicality is probably at a premium.

Would probably take Luke Marshall over Cave, and Addison over Terblanche (but Payne over either).

I'd take Reidy ahead of Murphy but Henry ahead of both.

Paul Smeenus

Another year for Ross Kane. Safety net.

launish116

David McCann upgraded contract until 2023

Squidgy Black

WalesOnline and a couple other outlets reporting that apparently there's murder going on with the WRU over Peel, Scarlets are trying to nab him before he gets to Cardiff.

Paul Smeenus

Squidgy Black wrote: »

WalesOnline and a couple other outlets reporting that apparently there's murder going on with the WRU over Peel, Scarlets are trying to nab him before he gets to Cardiff.

Oof. If that's actually true, that's utter ****ehawk behaviour.