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

bilston

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

McCann seems to have leapfrogged Allison in the leadership stakes.

I saw a clip of an interview with him on the Ulster Academy a month or so ago and just from the way he was speaking added to what I've seen of him as a player I genuinely thought to myself he could well be a future Ulster captain. Time will tell on that but he obviously has something about him for the levels he is playing at right now.

Paul Smeenus

bilston wrote: »

I saw a clip of an interview with him on the Ulster Academy a month or so ago and just from the way he was speaking added to what I've seen of him as a player I genuinely thought to myself he could well be a future Ulster captain. Time will tell on that but he obviously has something about him for the levels he is playing at right now.

D'you've a link, or was it on the Ulster website?

bilston

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

D'you've a link, or was it on the Ulster website?

Facebook I think

Edit - predictably I can't find it on the Facebook page.

Maybe it was Twitter, but the videos are usually the same.

bilston

According to Twitter Ulster A beat Cardiff 32-5

Anyone at it?

Locke_Lamora

32-5 to Ulster. We look a much more organised team than last year, and we’re playing much better rugby because of it. We moved the ball quite well, Houston would sit behind the first pod of forwards and had no trouble getting it out whenever there was space out wide. However, I thought we weren’t very good at exploiting overlaps, we would shuffle it on without drawing the defender properly.

Forwards carried quite well. Cardiff looked a bigger side, but we kept the tempo high and generally had front foot ball. Lineout was good, and the scrum was solid. Allison was probably my pick of the forwards (apart from his yellow) - didn’t overpower anyone, but hit nice lines. Stewart and Reid both had good line breaks but butchered the final pass by trying to dummy.

Hyde was probably the standout back, set up a great try with a nice line break, and scored another from close range after hitting a good angle and bouncing the defender. Doak has a decent boot and his pass was okay - but there were far too many wild ones that went to nobody. Plenty of time for him to work on consistency. Outside backs played well, but I thought they could’ve challenged the box kicks a little more.

Paul Smeenus

Locke_Lamora wrote: »

32-5 to Ulster. We look a much more organised team than last year, and we’re playing much better rugby because of it. We moved the ball quite well, Houston would sit behind the first pod of forwards and had no trouble getting it out whenever there was space out wide. However, I thought we weren’t very good at exploiting overlaps, we would shuffle it on without drawing the defender properly.

Forwards carried quite well. Cardiff looked a bigger side, but we kept the tempo high and generally had front foot ball. Lineout was good, and the scrum was solid. Allison was probably my pick of the forwards (apart from his yellow) - didn’t overpower anyone, but hit nice lines. Stewart and Reid both had good line breaks but butchered the final pass by trying to dummy.

Hyde was probably the standout back, set up a great try with a nice line break, and scored another from close range after hitting a good angle and bouncing the defender. Doak has a decent boot and his pass was okay - but there were far too many wild ones that went to nobody. Plenty of time for him to work on consistency. Outside backs played well, but I thought they could’ve challenged the box kicks a little more.

Agreed on all. Cardiff were older as well as bigger. But I thought our passing, after an initial bout of nerves, was crisp and accurate. I also thought our defence was excellent. Lots of double tackles, one high, one low. Not a point conceded when we were down to fourteen. They only scored, or in fact looked like scoring, after our second raft of substitutions.

Would add in McCann as another notable. Sharp, determined, looked like he could still go for another twenty minutes at the end of the game. Great engine.

Doak was good apart from some blah box kicking, but he's plenty of time to grips with that.

Y'know what was great, actually? No TMO. Decision made, move on.

Hands Like Flippers

Locke_Lamora wrote: »

32-5 to Ulster. We look a much more organised team than last year, and we’re playing much better rugby because of it. We moved the ball quite well, Houston would sit behind the first pod of forwards and had no trouble getting it out whenever there was space out wide. However, I thought we weren’t very good at exploiting overlaps, we would shuffle it on without drawing the defender properly.

Forwards carried quite well. Cardiff looked a bigger side, but we kept the tempo high and generally had front foot ball. Lineout was good, and the scrum was solid. Allison was probably my pick of the forwards (apart from his yellow) - didn’t overpower anyone, but hit nice lines. Stewart and Reid both had good line breaks but butchered the final pass by trying to dummy.

Hyde was probably the standout back, set up a great try with a nice line break, and scored another from close range after hitting a good angle and bouncing the defender. Doak has a decent boot and his pass was okay - but there were far too many wild ones that went to nobody. Plenty of time for him to work on consistency. Outside backs played well, but I thought they could’ve challenged the box kicks a little more.

Agree with all of this.

Also thought Reid and McCann were good. Stewart's darts were superb save one not straight.

Thought Houston was good. Agree re Hyde. Would like to see McIlroy at 15 with Rankin on wing. Rankin butchered a 2 on 1 with McIlroy by kicking ball into touch when there was no other defender in sight.

The try from Houston's break was very good. Great hands from the backs but aside from that the backs never looked like lighting the place up.

Cardiff were poor.

Locke_Lamora

Hands Like Flippers wrote: »

Agree with all of this.

Also thought Reid and McCann were good. Stewart's darts were superb save one not straight.

Thought Houston was good. Agree re Hyde. Would like to see McIlroy at 15 with Rankin on wing. Rankin butchered a 2 on 1 with McIlroy by kicking ball into touch when there was no other defender in sight.

The try from Houston's break was very good. Great hands from the backs but aside from that the backs never looked like lighting the place up.

Cardiff were poor.

Aye the more I see of McCann, the more I like him. Reid was busy but had a couple of knock-on's, and the try he butchered was unforgivable.

As for the fullback debate, whoever has the best kicking game and last-man defence, and whoever is best under the high ball should play there, and I haven't seen enough of them to really judge. Neither have been brilliant, but I quite like McIlroy on the wing - he's defended the touch line well and has shown flashes that he can take his opposite number on out wide. A lot of rugby to be played, but I'd guess he'll make the academy next year.

Don't think Cardiff were that bad tbh. They were big in the forwards and fast out wide, and they put 20-something points on Leinster. We defended with a good intensity and attacked with much better structure than last year. Not everyone from the A's will be able to make an impact with the seniors, but you get the feeling we're starting to get more out of players by playing better team rugby. Last year made for some tough watching as a supporter and we're miles behind teams like Leinster in terms of depth at this level, but it's nice to see us progressing.

Paul Smeenus

Hands Like Flippers wrote: »

Agree with all of this.

Also thought Reid and McCann were good. Stewart's darts were superb save one not straight.

Thought Houston was good. Agree re Hyde. Would like to see McIlroy at 15 with Rankin on wing. Rankin butchered a 2 on 1 with McIlroy by kicking ball into touch when there was no other defender in sight.

The try from Houston's break was very good. Great hands from the backs but aside from that the backs never looked like lighting the place up.

Cardiff were poor.

That try was fantastic.

The photographer was chatting to McFarland at half-time, about what sounded like a fairly grisly ankle injury in the women's game, I think. Said the young fellas were doing pretty well. Well, McFarland responds, they've left a few tries out there.

Place genuinely seems to have an insistence on excellence these days.

Hands Like Flippers

LL

Personally I'm heartened by the approach being taken over the last few years with younger players. Such a contrast to years ago when many of the best schools players just disappeared.

bilston

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

That try was fantastic.

The photographer was chatting to McFarland at half-time, about what sounded like a fairly grisly ankle injury in the women's game, I think. Said the young fellas were doing pretty well. Well, McFarland responds, they've left a few tries out there.

Place genuinely seems to have an insistence on excellence these days.

No bad thing either.

I've got a sense in the past that some 18/19/20 year olds believed they had already made it by making the Academy or Ulster A side. Making sure they keep their feet stays on the ground is half the battle. Talent is essential, but so is knowing that you have to work your B****** off to attain the highest possible standards. I'd say the current Irish and former Ulster captain is a prime example of that.

launish116

Thomas Du Toit previously of Munster, currently at sharks. Coming as medical cover.

launish116

Thomas Du Toit previously of Munster, currently at sharks. Coming as medical cover.

jacothelad

Schmidt has done Ulster a huge service by not selecting Murphy, Herring, McGrath and Addison. I'm sure the players feel really good aboiut it....not.

RobbieRuns

Herring was never going to make it. The other three are unlucky not to be on the plane to Japan. Think Addison is better than Kearney and Larmour.

Sinbad_NI

Usual story, if there's a tight call to be made the Ulster guy will inevitably miss out.

Squidgy Black

Sinbad_NI wrote: »

Usual story, if there's a tight call to be made the Ulster guy will inevitably miss out.

I mean that's not exactly true when you look at the other calls made, Byrne losing out to Carty, Toner losing out to Kleyn, Marmion losing out to McGrath, I don't think provincial bias really comes into play with this squad considering there's players from different provinces who missed out by narrow margins.

Locke_Lamora

Sinbad_NI wrote: »

Usual story, if there's a tight call to be made the Ulster guy will inevitably miss out.

I mean let's face it...we don't exactly have a squad of world beaters. All apart of the master plan: Have a poor squad -> dampen expectations -> do better than expected -> no complaints about never winning anything. The Ulster way.

Addison is our only player who can really feel unlucky, but he's played very little rugby. Jackson would've been a cert, and for my money Olding would be on the plane if you want to include them.

Sinbad_NI

Locke_Lamora wrote: »

I mean let's face it...we don't exactly have a squad of world beaters. All apart of the master plan: Have a poor squad -> dampen expectations -> do better than expected -> no complaints about never winning anything. The Ulster way.

Addison is our only player who can really feel unlucky, but he's played very little rugby. Jackson would've been a cert, and for my money Olding would be on the plane if you want to include them.

Think Nordie would feel a little unlucky as well.

bilston

I don't think there any scandals about the Ulster guys cut today. Addison probably missed out due to lack of minutes, his time will come. Murphy was a bit unfortunate. He could easily have got the nod.

I still think the Ulster player most hard done by was someone who didn't even make the training squad and that's Stuart McCloskey.

bilston

So we're just missing Stockdale, Henderson and the injured Coetzee for the World Cup period.

We have a chance to get of to a good start

Sinbad_NI

bilston wrote: »

I don't think there any scandals about the Ulster guys cut today. Addison probably missed out due to lack of minutes, his time will come. Murphy was a bit unfortunate. He could easily have got the nod.

I still think the Ulster player most hard done by was someone who didn't even make the training squad and that's Stuart McCloskey.

Totally agree on SMcC, have any of the other centres been that much better. I don't believe so.

To pickup on the word scandal. I always wonder does the fact that we're slightly outside the media of ROI have an impact?

Anyway, let's hope for a great world cup, hopefully we can break new ground.

Paul Smeenus

bilston wrote: »

So we're just missing Stockdale, Henderson and the injured Coetzee for the World Cup period.

We have a chance to get of to a good start

McGrath
Herring
Moore
Treadwell
Carter
Rea
Murphy
Timoney
Cooney
Burns
Faddes
McCloskey
Marshall
Gilroy
Addison

That is a hell of a team to field in the Pro14 during the RWC. Our problem is, it's not vastly improved afterwards, with only three players to come back.

Also, I'd fully expect Addison to be called up at the first injury to a back.

RobbieRuns

Jacob Stockdale and Iain Henderson would improve any team.....

jacothelad

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

McGrath
Herring
Moore
Treadwell
Carter
Rea
Murphy
Timoney
Cooney
Burns
Faddes
McCloskey
Marshall
Gilroy
Addison

That is a hell of a team to field in the Pro14 during the RWC. Our problem is, it's not vastly improved afterwards, with only three players to come back.

Also, I'd fully expect Addison to be called up at the first injury to a back.

Add in O'Sullivan, O'Toole, O'Connor, Baloucoune, Lyttle, McCann, Allison et al and it begins to look really competitive. I think Baloucoune will soon be in the Ireland training squad. He looks the most natural winger I've seen for decades and Ulster have had a few good guys historically. Lyttle isn't far behind and is perhaps one of the most completely skilled guys around.

Hands Like Flippers

jacothelad wrote: »

Add in O'Sullivan, O'Toole, O'Connor, Baloucoune, Lyttle, McCann, Allison et al and it begins to look really competitive. I think Baloucoune will soon be in the Ireland training squad. He looks the most natural winger I've seen for decades and Ulster have had a few good guys historically. Lyttle isn't far behind and is perhaps one of the most completely skilled guys around.

Based on what I saw in the A game I reckon McCann and Allison will get capped this year for the seniors.

Locke_Lamora

Hands Like Flippers wrote: »

Based on what I saw in the A game I reckon McCann and Allison will get capped this year for the seniors.

Maybe, but Marcus Rea and Greg Jones are with the senior squad and haven't featured with the A team this year, so you would assume that the coaches would be planning on playing them first.

Hands Like Flippers

Locke_Lamora wrote: »

Maybe, but Marcus Rea and Greg Jones are with the senior squad and haven't featured with the A team this year, so you would assume that the coaches would be planning on playing them first.

Who was 6 for the A's? He looked decent and at one stage made a nice break but let himself get tackled into touch which is a fairly basic no no.

Paul Smeenus

Hands Like Flippers wrote: »

Who was 6 for the A's? He looked decent and at one stage made a nice break but let himself get tackled into touch which is a fairly basic no no.

Dunleavy

Paul Smeenus

RobbieRuns wrote: »

Jacob Stockdale and Iain Henderson would improve any team.....

Absolutely, but look at the sheer numbers of players that Munster and Leinster have returning. A whole front row each. Munster have almost a whole pack and Leinster almost a whole backline. Their teams will be transformed after players return from the RWC - ours will just be (substantially) improved.