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

Great patience at the back of that mail, I was screaming for them to use it

Could see them conspire to lose this.😓

Nearly blew it. Shoulda had the bonus.

Yet again, a whole raft of starting changes makes certain there is little or no continuity in back play. Strangers on the pitch.Stewart Moore is a good player but a very poor full back. Doak had a poor enough outing in the first half. Back to dithering.Also Stockdale was just feckin' awful. He looked like he'd never played rugby before. Just blundered about. The rain was awful and made things difficult but it's Ireland...in November. It rains.

The difference in tempo when Cooney came on was marked. He is just a better player than Doak.

You would surmise that when you have a player like Baloucoune available, you might come up with plays to use his talents rather than leave him scratching Mr Wiggly out on the touchlines. Box kicks he can actually get too. Bring him in on backline plays to run decoys or break the line. He is growing old out there.

Wilson was excellent again (as were Warwick, Hendo, McCann.) Wouldn't it seem miraculous if he actually is any good in the long term. He looks the real deal in so far as he has played 2 games. Marty Moore is a welcome returner. He isn't a quick player ( being kind) but he had about 20kgs of strapping on to slow him down from a crawl to a glacier. I hope he makes / has made a complete recovery and doesn't end up like Jack McGrath, hanging in there to no effect.

Load of dross again. I thought the ref was a bit pernickity, over-fastidious. He's usually good enough. He seemed in particular to have a boner for the lineout tonight.

4 wins from 5 (none of the wins particularly convincing it has to be said) and we've seen debuts for Scott Wilson, Reuben Crothers and Lorcan McLoughlin, all of who have not looked out of place in any way shape or form, and in the case of Wilson have been better than even that. Throw in the fact that McCann is fast becoming a leader in this team and the continued development of Harry Sheridan (who should be getting more gametime IMO) then as far as I'm concerned the season has been a 7/10 so far.

I still don't have any great expectations for trophies or getting deep into knockout rugby, but finally there looks to be a plan in place that will put us in a better place in 2-3 years time.

In fact I'm almost worrying that things have turned so much on their head that the question needs to be asked where are the next generation of backs coming from?!

(15-9) Will Addison, Rob Baloucoune, James Hume, Luke Marshall, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, John Cooney;

(1-8) Eric O’Sullivan, Tom Stewart, Tom O’Toole, Kieran Treadwell, Iain Henderson (C), Harry Sheridan, Reuben Crothers, James McNabney.

Replacements: Zac Solomon, Steven Kitshoff, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor, Matty Rea, Dave Shanahan, Jake Flannery, Ben Moxham.

Squad Unavailability List

Callum Reid (Back), James McCormick (Shoulder), Rob Herring (Calf), John Andrew (Neck), Marcus Rea (Elbow), David McCann (Ankle), Sean Reffell (Ankle), Nick Timoney (Knee), Greg Jones (Shoulder), Dave Ewers (Hip), Mike Lowry (Hip), Ethan McIlroy (Facial Fracture/ Concussion), Stewart Moore (Hamstring), Angus Curtis (Concussion)

Thought it was a fairly mix-and-match team, but we've six back rowers injured and three hookers.

While it is fantastic to have three young, talented home-grown backrowers starting, they have fourteen caps between them. I expect it to be a long night.

Maybe. Glasgow would be a good team to pull out an unexpected win against. But still - not much choice - we've a lot of players down.

Great to see the young players get to play. Sheridan is well able.

This is an aggressive start by Ulster

He's a big lad, isn't he?

Sure is.

Frustrating... Ran out of steam, and our discipline went to pieces. McNabney looked like the real deal. Doak completely stifled our game at ten, shovelling the ball on to forwards when the backs were posited to go. Addison still not settled.

But I think we'll improve.

First caps for seven players in six games.

Would make you shed a tear!

He absolutely is. He's vitally important. He's no world-conquerer, but he's a very decent player and our best performances come when he's on song. Arguably, Flannery might pass him, but at the minute, he's number one, and crucial to our chances.