Ulster 2017 - 2018
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- Rob Kearney
- Posts: 8116
- Joined: April 10th, 2011, 10:23 am
Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
Ulster's best half of rugby in this calendar year. Eddie O'S analysis at H-T on the money. They need more points for all the pressure. Cooney excellent and partnership with Leiefanu looks very assured.
Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
The decision to move on Pienaar looking good so far (even if it still rankles).Ruckedtobits wrote:Ulster's best half of rugby in this calendar year. Eddie O'S analysis at H-T on the money. They need more points for all the pressure. Cooney excellent and partnership with Leiefanu looks very assured.
Ruddock's tackle stats consistently too low for me to be taken seriously as a Six Nations blindside..... Ruddock's defensive stats don't stack up. - All Blacks Nil, Jan 15th, 2014
England A 8 - 14 Ireland A, 25th Jan 2014
Ruddock(c) 19/2 Tackles
England A 8 - 14 Ireland A, 25th Jan 2014
Ruddock(c) 19/2 Tackles
Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
Pienaar, who's he?paddyor wrote:The decision to move on Pienaar looking good so far (even if it still rankles).Ruckedtobits wrote:Ulster's best half of rugby in this calendar year. Eddie O'S analysis at H-T on the money. They need more points for all the pressure. Cooney excellent and partnership with Leiefanu looks very assured.
Cracking 2nd half from both teams.
Bierne looks really good.
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!
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
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- Rob Kearney
- Posts: 8116
- Joined: April 10th, 2011, 10:23 am
Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
The impact of Gibbes' coaching very evident across the pack with all their forwards looking better players. Two hallmarks of his stamp were particularly evident:
a) Players must cherish possession and fight to retain it; and
b) Presentation of ball to scrum half is responsibility of player in possession.
Both were so much improved and did not diminish as players got tired.
McCluskey's offloads were sublime and the selection of backrow and of Diack on bench to give impetus when he came on were all great decisions by Ulster management.
@Rooster should be a happy Red Hand this evening. The Provincial team look like this could have a future this season and the Pro14 has burst into life with Ulster and Treviso both claiming unlikely victories.
a) Players must cherish possession and fight to retain it; and
b) Presentation of ball to scrum half is responsibility of player in possession.
Both were so much improved and did not diminish as players got tired.
McCluskey's offloads were sublime and the selection of backrow and of Diack on bench to give impetus when he came on were all great decisions by Ulster management.
@Rooster should be a happy Red Hand this evening. The Provincial team look like this could have a future this season and the Pro14 has burst into life with Ulster and Treviso both claiming unlikely victories.
Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
Best is facing a six-week lay-off after sustaining a hamstring injury on Thursday. Oh dear.
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!
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
Massive result for the Nordies. Beating a Scarlets side only missing 1/2 players while they were missing half a pack is impressive. The drop-off from Pienaar-Jackson to Cooney-Lealifano not as precipitous as feared. Granted with the latter it wasn't as big a fear.
Ruddock's tackle stats consistently too low for me to be taken seriously as a Six Nations blindside..... Ruddock's defensive stats don't stack up. - All Blacks Nil, Jan 15th, 2014
England A 8 - 14 Ireland A, 25th Jan 2014
Ruddock(c) 19/2 Tackles
England A 8 - 14 Ireland A, 25th Jan 2014
Ruddock(c) 19/2 Tackles
Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
Very happy with the result and the notable thing to me was when we went behind we got gathered together and won the match, in previous years we would have capitulated in those circumstances and given them a 4 try bonus win. Trimble was bloody stupid though taking that fast throw in at the end which resulted in their try to go into the lead.Ruckedtobits wrote:The impact of Gibbes' coaching very evident across the pack with all their forwards looking better players. Two hallmarks of his stamp were particularly evident:
a) Players must cherish possession and fight to retain it; and
b) Presentation of ball to scrum half is responsibility of player in possession.
Both were so much improved and did not diminish as players got tired.
McCluskey's offloads were sublime and the selection of backrow and of Diack on bench to give impetus when he came on were all great decisions by Ulster management.
@Rooster should be a happy Red Hand this evening. The Provincial team look like this could have a future this season and the Pro14 has burst into life with Ulster and Treviso both claiming unlikely victories.
Happier yes, totally satisfaction, not yet but I'm a hard bugger to please.
Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
6 to 8 weeks after injury doing his start of training speed trial, not convinced this resting from training is a great thing all together.blockhead wrote:Best is facing a six-week lay-off after sustaining a hamstring injury on Thursday. Oh dear.
I have heard all the Irish Lions will not get game time to the week before euro matches anyway so it does actually minimise his missed matches.
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- Graduate
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Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
Think you are right to not be totally satisfied to be honest. Great fight back, but based on 2 brilliant offloads by McCloskey. He was able to take out McNicholl, Parkes and Halfpenny. It was brilliant, but am not sure you could rely on 2 pieces of play like that in the last 15 every time. Still, he did do it, so: happy days. It's a win over a very, very good team bringing on a hell of a bench.rooster wrote:Very happy with the result and the notable thing to me was when we went behind we got gathered together and won the match, in previous years we would have capitulated in those circumstances and given them a 4 try bonus win. Trimble was bloody stupid though taking that fast throw in at the end which resulted in their try to go into the lead.Ruckedtobits wrote:The impact of Gibbes' coaching very evident across the pack with all their forwards looking better players. Two hallmarks of his stamp were particularly evident:
a) Players must cherish possession and fight to retain it; and
b) Presentation of ball to scrum half is responsibility of player in possession.
Both were so much improved and did not diminish as players got tired.
McCluskey's offloads were sublime and the selection of backrow and of Diack on bench to give impetus when he came on were all great decisions by Ulster management.
@Rooster should be a happy Red Hand this evening. The Provincial team look like this could have a future this season and the Pro14 has burst into life with Ulster and Treviso both claiming unlikely victories.
Happier yes, totally satisfaction, not yet but I'm a hard bugger to please.
Cooney-Lealifano is an interesting comparison in relation to pienaar-Jackson. That's a very high standard Cooney has set for himself. Kicking, passing, tackling, tidying up, tempo, sniping. Can he maintain that? Lealifano looks a fine replacement for Jackson.
Scarlets look impressive though. They'll really fancy their European group. I think they can get out of it.
- LeRouxIsPHat
- Jamie Heaslip
- Posts: 15008
- Joined: January 22nd, 2009, 7:49 pm
Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
I definitely think Ulster look better coached, especially up front where you can see the forwards picking good lines at pace off the half backs and just generally carrying directly and with good support. But individually the players still aren't great overall. They'd be in the right position but drop the all or have it ripped, and a lot of the clear outs were very very weak. That said, throw Henderson, Deysel and Coetzee into the side and the power and class improves massively.
Still a huge question mark at half back because of the lack of depth and with CL only being here on a short term deal, hope they can keep him for longer or have someone else lined up for when he leaves. Hadnt heard about Paul Marshall's son, hope he gets better soon.
Tadgh Beirne was outstanding again, his work at the breakdown is exceptional (even acknowledging Ulster's weak clear outs).
Still a huge question mark at half back because of the lack of depth and with CL only being here on a short term deal, hope they can keep him for longer or have someone else lined up for when he leaves. Hadnt heard about Paul Marshall's son, hope he gets better soon.
Tadgh Beirne was outstanding again, his work at the breakdown is exceptional (even acknowledging Ulster's weak clear outs).
Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
The one thing missing from Cooney last night was a break.Ruckedtobits wrote:Ulster's best half of rugby in this calendar year. Eddie O'S analysis at H-T on the money. They need more points for all the pressure. Cooney excellent and partnership with Leiefanu looks very assured.
On a couple of occasions the door opened but he wasn't looking for it - great game otherwise.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall who's the greatest player of them all? It is Drico your majesty.
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Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
Yeah, would like to see him snipe a bit more alright, but last night he did do a bit. First half he made a great break from well inside the Ulster half. Tried a few times to dummy and go himself too, and whilst it didn't come off, it served to narrow narrow the Scarlets defence a bit for the next time. Would definitely like to see him take a few more on as you say though. Exhibit A would be the scrum in the first half where they went blindside. I thought he could have fixed the defender a bit better. He passed early to Lealifano, who dropped it. It was a poor drop as the pass was ok, but I think Lealifano was probably not expecting the pass just as early. They had another crossed wire when Lealifano fired one at Cooney too. On both occasions, had they linked up better Ulster were away, but overall I really liked their partnership.
Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
Yes while we may complain about players at times, results of matches, referees etc things like this bring it all back to perspective and I hope the wee guy recovers fully.LeRouxIsPHat wrote:I
Hadnt heard about Paul Marshall's son, hope he gets better soon.
At the end of the season if we were bottom the table but the wee guy was fully recovered I would count it a good year.
- LeRouxIsPHat
- Jamie Heaslip
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Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
I agree that Cooney should have executed better but thought they weren't helped by Trimble getting in the way too.Fan with smartphone wrote: Exhibit A would be the scrum in the first half where they went blindside. I thought he could have fixed the defender a bit better. He passed early to Lealifano, who dropped it. It was a poor drop as the pass was ok, but I think Lealifano was probably not expecting the pass just as early.
Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
Trimble was an absolute b*%&!cksLeRouxIsPHat wrote:I agree that Cooney should have executed better but thought they weren't helped by Trimble getting in the way too.Fan with smartphone wrote: Exhibit A would be the scrum in the first half where they went blindside. I thought he could have fixed the defender a bit better. He passed early to Lealifano, who dropped it. It was a poor drop as the pass was ok, but I think Lealifano was probably not expecting the pass just as early.
- simonokeeffe
- Jamie Heaslip
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Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
Any word on Jared Payne?
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Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
Was supposed to be fit last weeksimonokeeffe wrote:Any word on Jared Payne?
- simonokeeffe
- Jamie Heaslip
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Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
supposed to have been available for selection or just training fully again? (sorry for all the questions)rooster wrote:Was supposed to be fit last weeksimonokeeffe wrote:Any word on Jared Payne?
or was that just the scheduled return? which makes it more worrying
Retired from babbling. Can be found on twittter @okeeffesimon
Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
No idea to be honest, Kiss press interviews are notoriously full of lies and misinformation so it is hard to interpret anything.simonokeeffe wrote:supposed to have been available for selection or just training fully again? (sorry for all the questions)rooster wrote:Was supposed to be fit last weeksimonokeeffe wrote:Any word on Jared Payne?
or was that just the scheduled return? which makes it more worrying
- simonokeeffe
- Jamie Heaslip
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Re: Ulster 2017 - 2018
cheers, would really like to see him back for on and off pitch reasons
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