Ulster Rugby 2013/2014

[IanD]

Ulster's Tommy Bowe could miss first 12 weeks of season

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/23693258

Bad news for Ulster and could affect his chances for Ireland in November.

[Donny B.]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/b ... 01004.html

Doesn't seem as bad an initially feared. Good news for Tommy, who could do with a bit of luck on the injury front.

[IanD]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/b ... 01004.html

Doesn't seem as bad an initially feared. Good news for Tommy, who could do with a bit of luck on the injury front.

Great news. Hopefully Tommy will get a good run injury free.

[simonokeeffe]

Didnt see game but seriously, losing to dragons? they have one good player and he was rested

[UlsterMan]

Didnt see game but seriously, losing to dragons? they have one good player and he was rested

Yes we did, and we played absolutely diabolically. No cutting edge, lots of errors and Jackson only kicked 1 from 4. Not the end of the world, but certainly very worrying for the season ahead if that's the best we can do.

[johng]

Early days. But good for leinster to have a big rival drop points. next week they play another big rival so win win from a selfish point of view. will be behind ulster on behalf of my mates up there.

[simonokeeffe]

Didnt see game but seriously, losing to dragons? they have one good player and he was rested

Yes we did, and we played absolutely diabolically. No cutting edge, lots of errors and Jackson only kicked 1 from 4. Not the end of the world, but certainly very worrying for the season ahead if that's the best we can do.

Woudlve thought that pack especially would have had experience enough to carry the day

Any squad players who can be brought in to the side to kick goals when Pienaar isnt there?
Any is Marshall playing outside Farrell? wouldve thought relative pace would dictate the other way round

[UlsterMan]

Didnt see game but seriously, losing to dragons? they have one good player and he was rested

Yes we did, and we played absolutely diabolically. No cutting edge, lots of errors and Jackson only kicked 1 from 4. Not the end of the world, but certainly very worrying for the season ahead if that's the best we can do.

Woudlve thought that pack especially would have had experience enough to carry the day

Any squad players who can be brought in to the side to kick goals when Pienaar isnt there?
Any is Marshall playing outside Farrell? wouldve thought relative pace would dictate the other way round

Porter and Olding are goal kicking options but at the moment neither are starting, both are likely to be on the bench next Friday. Right now we are relying on Jackson improving, not just for our sake, but for his own. If he has any hope of playing for Ireland he has to be kicking well or Schmidt won't even look at him. I'd say it's impacting his running play too because he wasn't getting the back line going at all. By that logic, we may as well start McKinney who can kick half decent at least.

Marshall outside Farrell is a very strange one as they were 12 and 13 last season, but have swapped this season for some reason. Obviously Anscombe sees something that would suggest they should be swapped, but from a fans' perspective it is rather confusing because they definitely look like they're the wrong way round.

[simonokeeffe]

Marshall following the proud tradition of slow outside Ulster and Ireland centres laid down by Maurice Field, no offence John Kelly

[rooster]

Marshall and Farrell have nothing creative in them that I have ever seen, just bash it up players who rarely pass, Wallace and Cave were our best pairing and I like it when Olding and Cave play now

[simonokeeffe]

Wallace is back a month or so, looking bad for Cave's assault on inheriting BODs shirt

Olding everyone likes but utility tag could inhibit him

[Dexter]

Ulster should really have won that one, although in fairness Glasgow always looked dangerous.

[blockhead]

Very good game. Ulster blew it in the 2nd half, knocking on 2 clear cut tries. Wilson was excellent, Payne is pure class, Jackson very good. Glasgow were penned in by their own mistakes but snatched it with a last grasp try. Stadium starting to luck very good.
Could I be more concise?

[deco]

Early days. But good for leinster to have a big rival drop points. next week they play another big rival so win win from a selfish point of view. will be behind ulster on behalf of my mates up there.

'cept d'udder big rival, Glasgow, is looking pretty strong.

[COYBIB]

Very poor result for Ulster considering how the game went. Just not clinical enough and not able to take chances when they came. Not getting over the Glasgow line despite dominating was really setting it up for the finish that happened.

I thought Paddy Jackson showed his full repertoire tonight, from the sublime to the bloody awful.

Leinster know as well as anybody not to lose the run of yourself after two games (given our often poor starts in the league), but if we can win tomorrow there will be a bit of daylight between the leaders and Ulster already.

[Alternative Ulster]

15 6 to Ulster would have been the ideal score from a Leinster pov. No BPs or tries for anyone.

[simonokeeffe]

Very good game. Ulster blew it in the 2nd half, knocking on 2 clear cut tries. Wilson was excellent, Payne is pure class, Jackson very good. Glasgow were penned in by their own mistakes but snatched it with a last grasp try. Stadium starting to luck very good.
Could I be more concise?

Marshall butchered a clear overlap/great attack on their 22 in first half too

[simonokeeffe]

BBC saying Toulon want Pienaar for next year and Ulster quiet on rumours

Personally if hes offered a deal I think he will stay, from interviews his family seem settled, they treat him well and him and his wife are are devout christians and theres I wager a lot more of them at Ulster than Toulon, so culturally/family life wise Ulster a much better fit

[blockhead]

It will be gods will where he plays next season.

[Lar]

BBC saying Toulon want Pienaar for next year and Ulster quiet on rumours

Personally if hes offered a deal I think he will stay, from interviews his family seem settled, they treat him well and him and his wife are are devout christians and theres I wager a lot more of them at Ulster than Toulon, so culturally/family life wise Ulster a much better fit

How old is Pienaar?

EDIT: I checked. He is 29, 30 next March. If he were two years older I reckon he would take the Toulon offer seriously as maybe a couple of seasons with a larger pay cheque before he retires, but I suspect if he is happy at Ulster he will renew for another two years.