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

Burkie1203 · 11-12-2022 2:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119983526#Comment_119983526

They probably end up in Glasgow

Shehal · 11-12-2022 3:19pm

Sounds harsh to say but Ulster's heart is just not in the game, they are just standing off and letting Sale do whatever they like and after all that they continue to concede needless dumb penalties and do nothing but add more pressure onto themselves.

And just as I send...ANOTHER penalty. I dont think ive see an Irish side roll over as easily as Ulster have today.

Shehal · 11-12-2022 3:22pm

Took long enough but Sale finally get their 3rd try.

Shehal · 11-12-2022 3:29pm

Im not even joking anymore, Ulster should just walk off the field now. They literally have given up now, they have contributed absolutely nothing to this game and quite frankly should be embarrassed.

munsterlegend · 11-12-2022 3:31pm

Ulster look like a team who haven’t a clue what they are supposed to be doing. Very disappointing. Missing every tackle too which doesn’t help.

clsmooth · 11-12-2022 3:38pm

Very disappointing from Ulster. Obviously missing a couple of players and big travel issues getting over but this still isn’t acceptable. That try looked like Sale were playing unopposed.

They’d take a 28-0 walkover loss now.

Shehal · 11-12-2022 3:41pm

Has an Irish team ever been dominated this badly in Europe? We are 65 minutes in and honestly I can barely remember even a small period where Ulster have had any momentum.

stephen_n · 11-12-2022 3:42pm

Ulster have been incredibly poor. I’m sure the disruption didn’t help but they look completely headless. Sale have been very competent and tidy but that’s all. Ulster have been anything but. McFarland must be cracking up watching this.

Shehal · 11-12-2022 3:44pm

And then they finally get abit of momentum and just stand around and watch Sale turn them over...

I hope Ulster get pelters in the media tomorrow, they deserve every ounce of abuse coming their way.

Burkie1203 · 11-12-2022 3:46pm

This should be on in the laughter lounge

munsterlegend · 11-12-2022 3:46pm

They are an absolute disgrace. Can’t catch a ball. That Leinster humiliation has demoralised them.

Shehal · 11-12-2022 3:46pm

Ulster finally create a try...sadly its for the opposition...

munsterlegend · 11-12-2022 3:52pm

McIlroy wouldn’t tackle a paper bag.

Interested Observer · 11-12-2022 3:54pm

I'm really loathe to question anyone's professionalism but it looks like Ulster have just given up here. Strolling in tries from 60m out is crazy stuff.

Shehal · 11-12-2022 3:54pm

Ulster have been an utter disgrace today, please no attempts to try super coat this performance.

Ulster end the day how they began it by conceding another dumb penalty. This really has just been a training match for Sale today as bar probably 1 or 2 minutes its just been watching Sale attacking and Ulster defending.

Hopefully Ulster end with a Doughnut, its would reflect the effort they put in today.

bilston · 11-12-2022 4:04pm

Shambles

Last weeks events have messed with their heads.

McFarland needs a big turnaround, otherwise questions need to be asked as to whether he has gone as far as he can with this group.

ulsteru20s · 11-12-2022 5:12pm

Thank god this game was on too early for me to watch live.

Locke_Lamora · 11-12-2022 6:21pm

I was incredibly naieve to genuinely think that ulster couldn't embarrass me more than they did last week.

Didn't touch down in manchester until after 1am, froze my ass off only to watch the most disgusting performance I've seen since my granny accidently drank too much wine on at Christmas Dinner one year.

What was the penalty count? Felt like we couldn't put 5 phases together before giving one away and we were anonymous at the breakdown.

Sale are a good team, no mistake about it, but they are certainly not that good. I couldn't even name some of the players taking us apart today. Thank god i had no real expectations and I'm a little drunk. Otherwise i might be upset.

Clearly the squad need upgraded. Where do we even go from here?

hold my beer · 11-12-2022 7:14pm

Has McFarland lost the dressing room? Such a bizarre performance today, you'd have to wonder.

11-12-2022 7:30pm

Am a fan of McFarland and think he's done a good job with Ulster but that was abysmal. It's such an abject performance that people are rightly questioning the coach.

Former Former Former · 12-12-2022 7:26am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119983803#Comment_119983803

Last weeks events have messed with their heads

It's funny, the talk in the build-up was how Ulster were straining at the leash to make things right after last week, that they all got excited when the Gilbert balls (used by EPCR) arrived at training. Didn't quite pan out, apparently.

Well, La Rochelle are coming at the weekend, if ever there was a time a team needed to dig deep and respond, this is it. Doesn't even have to be a win, just a performance.

awec · 12-12-2022 11:10am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119985960#Comment_119985960

Never believe the hype about wanting to bounce back.

This team have shown every single time that when things get tough they go missing. Every single time.

If next week is bad then it’s time to plan for McFarlands exit.

12-12-2022 11:19am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119986364#Comment_119986364

It's insane how it's come to this but I don't disagree. When you think of where they were at the point McIlroy crossed for the third try the previous Friday night in the RDS, to where they've gotten to in the intervening period where people are legitimately questioning if McFarland has taken them as far as they can, it's just incredible.

The pack are just not built for serious confrontation.

I don't mean it to sound disparaging, but I generally think of Ulster the same way I think of Scotland internationally - sure they're dangerous and can cause anyone problems, but if you really front up to them there's a sense they don't want the fight.

Too many average Pro12 level players in that starting pack at the moment in Warwick, O'Toole, O'Connor and the Rea brothers.

awec · 12-12-2022 12:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119986396#Comment_119986396

The issues have been going on for years. My questions on McFarland are not new nor based on just the last few weeks.

Stormers last year, Toulouse last year, Leicester semi final, Leinster etc etc etc etc etc.

There is an issue with personnel, but it is not entirely personnel. There are mental issues, we are fragile. The players do not seem to be adequately prepared for big matches, any sort of adversity sees things fall apart. I would not be surprised if we were beaten before a ball was kicked yesterday, the travel would have made a great excuse in the heads of our players.

A complete lack of leadership that appears to start in the coaching box for me.

McFarland has done a good job bringing us back from the low days of Kiss but he's on his last legs IMO unless we start to look a bit more serious.

Dubinusa · 12-12-2022 3:36pm

I didn't watch the match, just the highlights and fcuk me, that was bogshit. Awful display. I'm a big fan of MacFarland, this was shyte! A run back to the dizzying heights of Les Kiss. LAR next week and Connacht right after. Ulster need to step up!

MacFarland is in a bind right now. 3 half of poor rugby and he's staring into the abyss. He should be given every chance to fix this. I'd wait until the end of the season to make any decisions on his future.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 12-12-2022 5:08pm

This is Ulster's knockout game record under MacFarland

21/22 P3 W1

20/21 P3 W2

19/20 P3 W1

18/19 P3 W1

On the plus side he gets to knockout rugby in both competitions consistently. On the negative side there's a losing record in knockout games and it's not improving.

12-12-2022 5:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119987898#Comment_119987898

TBF - they were 3 points ahead on aggregate last year to Toulouse with 15 mins to go (and then subsequently pushed it to a 6 point lead) before leaking a try to Dupont with 5 mins to go to lose out by a point.

They would have had a home QF to Munster, who they beat comfortably in the same setting in the URC QFs. Things could have been quite different for them last season.

bilston · 12-12-2022 5:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119987898#Comment_119987898

This is evidence that Dan has raised expectations and taken us so far.

Can he take us to the next level?

He found the magic formula once, but in over 4 years the game moves on and personnel change, so he almost has to do it all over again. This is why I tend to think most coaches have a shelf life. Think EOS, Deccie and Joe with Ireland. It's not set in stone, Gatland went on for years with Wales, but we are reaching the point where you have to ask if fresh voices are needed.

That said I reckon he has a bit of credit in the bank to turn things around. I wouldn't be rushing to judgement just yet, but a heavy defeat next week followed by defeat in Galway at Christmas and then there will be big pressure. Lose to Munster on New Years Day as well and then well...

I hope I'm wrong because I like what Dan has done, he's been our best coach since McLaughlin and in many ways our best coach of the pro era, but it won't last forever. It never does.

ionadnapokot · 12-12-2022 7:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119986396#Comment_119986396

The deficiency in the Ulster pack is an age old problem. It also has to be said that their outhalf position is just not good enough.

(BTW is Ian Madigan dead?)

Is this Dan McFarlands fault though? I cannot believe that he wants/has to be playing the likes of Carter and Burns (contact extended to 2024).

I'm sure its obvious to McFarland (and all the other coaches) that there are players who are not up to scratch.

I'll caveat all of the above by saying that I didn't see 1 min of the Sale game.

Eddie Jones anybody?

Seriously though If they cant even recruit a decent second row or outhlaf how are they going to be able to get a better head coach?

ionadnapokot · 12-12-2022 7:40pm

Caption this.

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/12/12/case-study-ulster-rugby-pilot-irfu-talent-id-programme/

Look at the faces on them in the picture!

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

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