Oldschool wrote:In simplistic terms and agreeing with a lot of what has been said.
1. The Jackson/Olding affair must be impacting on the Ulster squad.
2. Possession - Ulster cough up possession too easily and don't work hard enough at the breakdown to either protect their own possession or turnover the opposition's possession.
3. Kiss needs to get continuity of selection sorted notwithstanding the need for rotation.
Kiss therefore needs to simplify the way his team plays.
Leinster are at a different level at the moment so forget about competing with us or Scarlets for the moment (unless at home)
We have a coach who is clearly deluded
“I don’t think they’re that much better than us,” Les Kiss, the embattled Ulster director of rugby, protested despite Saturday’s 38-7 scoreline at the RDS telling no lies. “It’s a [downward] spiral. It’s not ideal and it’s hurting us to be that inconsistent, it’s not ideal that’s for sure. That’s the nature of what we’re looking at the minute. That inconsistency, we don’t have a constant dependable style of rugby that we can rely on. We have a chance next week to respond.”
It depends on the emphasis within that sentence. If he means that he doesn't think Leinster are 31 points better than Ulster then he's probably right.
Suppose that is one way of looking at it though later on he says
"That inconsistency, we don’t have a constant dependable style of rugby that we can rely on. "
How can a team function properly under those circumstances? Surely his job is to develop a style of rugby that they can rely on.
I'd say he's talking about injuries/unavailability and a lack of ball carriers, hard to implement a style of play when you've got issues with those two things. I don't think he's doing a good job, but to be fair it must be hard to try and develop a game plan with a ten who's really a 12 and who'll be gone by February anyway.
rooster wrote:Suppose that is one way of looking at it though later on he says
"That inconsistency, we don’t have a constant dependable style of rugby that we can rely on. "
How can a team function properly under those circumstances? Surely his job is to develop a style of rugby that they can rely on.
Yeah, I totally get the frustration. Is there any clear delineation of responsibilities up there though? Kiss is the DoR and not actually the Head Coach. So what exactly are his responsibilities?
At the end of the day with the level of disruption and, if we're honest, downright averageness of some of the squad, I'm not sure what the coaches can really do. Ulster need a Cheika type who is going to come in and sort out the culture and the set-up as a whole. Thing is, Ulster need to be aware that they need that.
rooster wrote:Suppose that is one way of looking at it though later on he says
"That inconsistency, we don’t have a constant dependable style of rugby that we can rely on. "
How can a team function properly under those circumstances? Surely his job is to develop a style of rugby that they can rely on.
Yeah, I totally get the frustration. Is there any clear delineation of responsibilities up there though? Kiss is the DoR and not actually the Head Coach. So what exactly are his responsibilities?
At the end of the day with the level of disruption and, if we're honest, downright averageness of some of the squad, I'm not sure what the coaches can really do. Ulster need a Cheika type who is going to come in and sort out the culture and the set-up as a whole. Thing is, Ulster need to be aware that they need that.
In a recent interview Jonno said he was forwards coach, the head coach title I think was to get his release clause from Clermont-Ferrand. Kiss is in charge of the team and tactics plus defence it appears but like most things in the hierarchy up here there are undefined boundaries and the potential for plenty of scapegoating.
When pushed once Kiss admitted to overall responsibility for team selections and tactics.
A Cheika type character would be ideal but would never get a job as he would rock too many comfortable boats and there would be a lot of drownings
molloyjh wrote:I think we need to be realistic here. Leinster are there to win games first and foremost. You select guys who can do that for you. You develop guys secondary to that. As it stands McCarthy got his first cap a little over 2 years ago and has only been given 1 start since then. Now he's had a good deal more game time this season than last season (he's set to double his minutes played) so clearly the coaches are managing him up. But he's still very clearly 3rd choice and is still very much behind JGP in games the coaches feel we need to win, as has been evidenced in the last few weeks. We probably need to win the next 2 games. So I think all the evidence thus far points quite strongly towards JGP retaining his place in the 23 for the remaining pool games.
I believe in that 1 start he won man of the match..
And that man of the match performance was against the exact team we’re playing next week.
molloyjh wrote:I think we need to be realistic here. Leinster are there to win games first and foremost. You select guys who can do that for you. You develop guys secondary to that. As it stands McCarthy got his first cap a little over 2 years ago and has only been given 1 start since then. Now he's had a good deal more game time this season than last season (he's set to double his minutes played) so clearly the coaches are managing him up. But he's still very clearly 3rd choice and is still very much behind JGP in games the coaches feel we need to win, as has been evidenced in the last few weeks. We probably need to win the next 2 games. So I think all the evidence thus far points quite strongly towards JGP retaining his place in the 23 for the remaining pool games.
I believe in that 1 start he won man of the match..
And that man of the match performance was against the exact team we’re playing next week.
rooster wrote:Suppose that is one way of looking at it though later on he says
"That inconsistency, we don’t have a constant dependable style of rugby that we can rely on. "
How can a team function properly under those circumstances? Surely his job is to develop a style of rugby that they can rely on.
Yeah, I totally get the frustration. Is there any clear delineation of responsibilities up there though? Kiss is the DoR and not actually the Head Coach. So what exactly are his responsibilities?
At the end of the day with the level of disruption and, if we're honest, downright averageness of some of the squad, I'm not sure what the coaches can really do. Ulster need a Cheika type who is going to come in and sort out the culture and the set-up as a whole. Thing is, Ulster need to be aware that they need that.
In a recent interview Jonno said he was forwards coach, the head coach title I think was to get his release clause from Clermont-Ferrand. Kiss is in charge of the team and tactics plus defence it appears but like most things in the hierarchy up here there are undefined boundaries and the potential for plenty of scapegoating.
When pushed once Kiss admitted to overall responsibility for team selections and tactics.
A Cheika type character would be ideal but would never get a job as he would rock too many comfortable boats and there would be a lot of drownings
Heard Ferris recently saying that nothing will change in Ulster until Shane Logan goes
molloyjh wrote:
Yeah, I totally get the frustration. Is there any clear delineation of responsibilities up there though? Kiss is the DoR and not actually the Head Coach. So what exactly are his responsibilities?
At the end of the day with the level of disruption and, if we're honest, downright averageness of some of the squad, I'm not sure what the coaches can really do. Ulster need a Cheika type who is going to come in and sort out the culture and the set-up as a whole. Thing is, Ulster need to be aware that they need that.
In a recent interview Jonno said he was forwards coach, the head coach title I think was to get his release clause from Clermont-Ferrand. Kiss is in charge of the team and tactics plus defence it appears but like most things in the hierarchy up here there are undefined boundaries and the potential for plenty of scapegoating.
When pushed once Kiss admitted to overall responsibility for team selections and tactics.
A Cheika type character would be ideal but would never get a job as he would rock too many comfortable boats and there would be a lot of drownings
Heard Ferris recently saying that nothing will change in Ulster until Shane Logan goes
From down here in Mexico it appears to me that off the pitch Ulster are in the best postion of all 4 provinces. Big stadium. which you own (we are mere renters in an old broken down stadium). No debt, Munster have lots of that. Solid large fan base. BBC show all your games, twas a thrill to have a recording of last saturdays game in a language I understand. I'd say Logan is doing a great job, but what would I know.
You know I'm going to lose,
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
Forgot to mention this yesterday but just remembered Rory Best spending lots of time signing autographs and posing for photos at the end of the game. Shouldn't be surprised at this stage but just thought that was great
LeRouxIsPHat wrote:Forgot to mention this yesterday but just remembered Rory Best spending lots of time signing autographs and posing for photos at the end of the game. Shouldn't be surprised at this stage but just thought that was great
On top of coming out to do a live Interview with Sky, he then spent 20 mins + doing selfies and autographs - mostly for kids with Leinster colours.
LeRouxIsPHat wrote:I'd say he's talking about injuries/unavailability and a lack of ball carriers, hard to implement a style of play when you've got issues with those two things. I don't think he's doing a good job, but to be fair it must be hard to try and develop a game plan with a ten who's really a 12 and who'll be gone by February anyway.
Hes had a couple of years to sort a backup 10 which he didnt do. Dont think Coetzee was ever going to be the primary carrier they needed to replace Wulliums albeit he wouldve been a good backup
The defence is a garbage fire, now joint 9th, 2 points off being ELEVENTH worst defence
Retired from babbling. Can be found on twittter @okeeffesimon
If Jackson was playing we still need a backup 10 especially since he would have been under IRFU restricted time, I suppose they could say Oddington was his backup though and no one thought of them both being unavailable
rooster wrote:If Jackson was playing we still need a backup 10 especially since he would have been under IRFU restricted time, I suppose they could say Oddington was his backup though and no one thought of them both being unavailable
We might be on dangerous ground here but Olding was almost exclusively a 12 under Kiss wasnt?
Also issue of him not being a kicker and being injury prone
Retired from babbling. Can be found on twittter @okeeffesimon
rooster wrote:If Jackson was playing we still need a backup 10 especially since he would have been under IRFU restricted time, I suppose they could say Oddington was his backup though and no one thought of them both being unavailable
We might be on dangerous ground here but Olding was almost exclusively a 12 under Kiss wasnt?
Also issue of him not being a kicker and being injury prone
He did play 10 a few times though and was the backup
rooster wrote:If Jackson was playing we still need a backup 10 especially since he would have been under IRFU restricted time, I suppose they could say Oddington was his backup though and no one thought of them both being unavailable
We might be on dangerous ground here but Olding was almost exclusively a 12 under Kiss wasnt?
Also issue of him not being a kicker and being injury prone
rooster wrote:If Jackson was playing we still need a backup 10 especially since he would have been under IRFU restricted time, I suppose they could say Oddington was his backup though and no one thought of them both being unavailable
We might be on dangerous ground here but Olding was almost exclusively a 12 under Kiss wasnt?
Also issue of him not being a kicker and being injury prone
Cooney can kick though.
You need more than one kicker in a match day squad though.
