Ulster Thread 2012-13

[johng]

Ha! Ospreys lose 12-6 away to Treviso.

watched some of it. scrappy and niggly. Error strewn . pitch was so wet you could swim over from the 22. several cards inc a red one for the os.
we could be glad of this result come next may.

[Donny B.]

Ha! Ospreys lose 12-6 away to Treviso.

watched some of it. scrappy and niggly. Error strewn . pitch was so wet you could swim over from the 22. several cards inc a red one for the os.
we could be glad of this result come next may.

Any time those f**kers lose it puts a smile on my face.

[blues_fan]

Watched this game, JP looks like he's lost a lot of pace.

[johng]

Watched this game, JP looks like he's lost a lot of pace.

he didn't
look comfortable running at all. looked a bit limpy.

[ceemec]

He was still very classy. The switch and pass for the try were top drawer as were his quick hands in the second half. Hopefully he will get some acceleration and sharpness back with more games but as it stands he's still one of the best on the field.

[rooster]

What's the deal with Roger Wilson, does anyone know?

Partial tear of hamstring from the bone in his last match of the season with Saints, start of October possibly before he is back in action as no real panic in back row anyway at the minute.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I really think Ulster are building something special, great win for them last night and the circumstances in which they did it were very impressive indeed.

To have such a young team with a never say die attitude bodes very well for the future and the try they got was sensational. Jackson didn't do anything too extraordinary when he came on but he showed some very nice touches and seemed to relish the responsibility of being the ten to drag them back into the game.

I still don't see the reasoning behind signing Nick Williams but he was fantastic and deserved MOTM. It reflects very well on Anscombe that he can get the best out of him and let's hope it continues. You'd also have to wonder why he was so poor at Munster.

There was a fairly impressive list of players who weren't playing yesterday too - Best, Henry, Wilson, Pienaar and Bowe. Plus Afoa and Ferris were only on the bench and Henderson is still to come back. Things are looking very good.

[naraic]

I still don't see the reasoning behind signing Nick Williams but he was fantastic and deserved MOTM. It reflects very well on Anscombe that he can get the best out of him and let's hope it continues. You'd also have to wonder why he was so poor at Munster.

There was a fairly impressive list of players who weren't playing yesterday too - Best, Henry, Wilson, Pienaar and Bowe. Plus Afoa and Ferris were only on the bench and Henderson is still to come back. Things are looking very good.

Ulster needed more backrow forwards. They had Wilson, Henry, Ferris, Diack and McComish. Of those Ferris is made of glass and he and Henry and subject to IRFU player management, Diack had a horrible season last year and McComish is kinda average. More debt in the backrow was needed and Williams was honestly a cheap option.

[Aird]

Ulster and Pedrie W would both have been happy to continue there previous contract but that was kicked into touch fairly late on by IRFU and by hat time their was little left on offer hence the decision to go for Nick.
Nick also had previous with Mark Anscombe and so far he is getting he best out of him.
So far so good, maybe it is just he set up in Ulster compared to Munster, or just that Nick has matured and grown up a bit.

Certainly he has been a grat signing and the mockers and doubters had had to eat their words.

[pip14]

There was a fairly impressive list of players who weren't playing yesterday too - Best, Henry, Wilson, Pienaar and Bowe. Plus Afoa and Ferris were only on the bench and Henderson is still to come back. Things are looking very good.

Plus Tuhoy, Wallce & Trimble

[ronk]

Ulster and Pedrie W would both have been happy to continue there previous contract but that was kicked into touch fairly late on by IRFU and by hat time their was little left on offer hence the decision to go for Nick.
Nick also had previous with Mark Anscombe and so far he is getting he best out of him.
So far so good, maybe it is just he set up in Ulster compared to Munster, or just that Nick has matured and grown up a bit.

Certainly he has been a grat signing and the mockers and doubters had had to eat their words.

Williams had a decent spell for Munster. Maybe it's a temporary thing, maybe he's fitting better into a system. Williams was a tactical idea at odds with Munster's systems.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

There was a fairly impressive list of players who weren't playing yesterday too - Best, Henry, Wilson, Pienaar and Bowe. Plus Afoa and Ferris were only on the bench and Henderson is still to come back. Things are looking very good.

Plus Tuhoy, Wallce & Trimble

Had forgotten about Touhy alright but tbh I think a back three of Bowe, Gilroy and Payne would be better than one with Trimble in it.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Ulster needed more backrow forwards. They had Wilson, Henry, Ferris, Diack and McComish. Of those Ferris is made of glass and he and Henry and subject to IRFU player management, Diack had a horrible season last year and McComish is kinda average. More debt in the backrow was needed and Williams was honestly a cheap option.

I know but bringing in an out and out 8 when they'd already signed Wilson who won't be away with Ireland is a strange move. A more versatile player would have been better imo.

[Aird]

You can also add the names of Doyle our back row signing from Australia who is Irish qualified and Henderson from the Irish U20's.
there is certainly depth in the back row with a number able to cover the locks as well.
With with Mueller,Touhey and Stevenson as the three principle locks Ulster are well covered there too.
I also feel that they have a very strong front row with a strong support also.

[jezzer]

Ulster could do the double this year.

Every one of Ulster's HEC pool teams is a decent side, but Ulster have the beating of all of them. Their depth is probably the best of all four provinces, in terms of quality at every position and they'll benefit from Deccie's provincial bias.

[johng]

Ulster could do the double this year.

Every one of Ulster's HEC pool teams is a decent side, but Ulster have the beating of all of them. Their depth is probably the best of all four provinces, in terms of quality at every position and they'll benefit from Deccie's provincial bias.

Their first 15 is great but their depth is not. Defo behind us unquestionably. Probably behind Munster too. Halfbacks in particular. Back row too.

[jezzer]

Ulster could do the double this year.

Every one of Ulster's HEC pool teams is a decent side, but Ulster have the beating of all of them. Their depth is probably the best of all four provinces, in terms of quality at every position and they'll benefit from Deccie's provincial bias.

Their first 15 is great but their depth is not. Defo behind us unquestionably. Probably behind Munster too. Halfbacks in particular. Back row too.

Pienaar and Marshall is prob the best SH duo in the country? Know nothing about Heaney, but Ulster seem to breed chippy, nippy SHs like rabbits, so he's probably great!

Can't agree on back row either. Maybe 7 is a bit light, but Ferris, Wilson, Henry, Diack, Henderson, McComish, Williams and whoever else I'm leaving out is pretty bloody good!

Second row is a little light maybe, though Henderson will prob play most of his rugby there, while guys like Fez and Wilson are around. The other guys they DO have are top notch though in Tuohy, Mueller and Stevenson.

I dunno. There are a good few second stringers for Ulster that I'd take in a heartbeat for Leinster.

[mikerob]

Ulster could do the double this year.

Every one of Ulster's HEC pool teams is a decent side, but Ulster have the beating of all of them. Their depth is probably the best of all four provinces, in terms of quality at every position and they'll benefit from Deccie's provincial bias.

Their first 15 is great but their depth is not. Defo behind us unquestionably. Probably behind Munster too. Halfbacks in particular. Back row too.

OH is the big concern for depth and proven match-winning ability. Jackson is unproven, NOC's kicking % in the first two games wasn't good, Pienaar and Wallace are temporary stand-ins then there is just Olding in the academy.

SH is ok provided there are no injuries. Pienaar as number 1 and Marshall as super-sub worked ok last season, but the number 3 candidates aren't challenging those two. Heaney looked ok against Glasgow but was poor against the Os.

Back row looks a lot better than it did 2 months ago given Diack and Williams have had impressive form so far. They both look rejuvenated as players.
If the first choice Ulster back row was, say, Ferris, Williams, Henry, then the second choice would be Diack, Wilson, Doyle/Birch and Doyle/Birch as second choice opensides are really the only unproven players there.

Henderson hasn't played yet so I don't know if he will feature at 6 or as a second row. McComish is squad fodder back row but did ok in the game against the Os over the weekend.

[johng]

Ulster could do the double this year.

Every one of Ulster's HEC pool teams is a decent side, but Ulster have the beating of all of them. Their depth is probably the best of all four provinces, in terms of quality at every position and they'll benefit from Deccie's provincial bias.

Their first 15 is great but their depth is not. Defo behind us unquestionably. Probably behind Munster too. Halfbacks in particular. Back row too.

Pienaar and Marshall is prob the best SH duo in the country? Know nothing about Heaney, but Ulster seem to breed chippy, nippy SHs like rabbits, so he's probably great!

Can't agree on back row either. Maybe 7 is a bit light, but Ferris, Wilson, Henry, Diack, Henderson, McComish, Williams and whoever else I'm leaving out is pretty bloody good!

Second row is a little light maybe, though Henderson will prob play most of his rugby there, while guys like Fez and Wilson are around. The other guys they DO have are top notch though in Tuohy, Mueller and Stevenson.

I dunno. There are a good few second stringers for Ulster that I'd take in a heartbeat for Leinster.

Pienaar and Marshall is prob the best SH duo in the country? Hmmm. not sure I agree but anyway, as far as Pienaar is concerned they are both 9s. Marshall is a bit flakey if great on his day.

Paddy Jackson = young and a risk. Could be great, could be too much too soon for him.

NOC If he was playing for Leinster he would be behind Sexton, Madigan, Goodman, Isa and maybe Noel Reid (ok maybe not) for the 10 jersey

Ferris = Made of glass, but world class.
Wilson = decent but wouldn't swap him for any of our top 4 guys
Henry = decent, same as above, bit small for 6 and 8 at the top level has had to re invent himself as a 7
Diack = looks like he may come good this year muck last year. Would be about 6th choice in Leinster.
Henderson = young, great potential....as a 2nd row.
McComish = not the best
Williams = mixes being great with being fat and asleep.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Ulster XV to face Munster in the RaboDirect PRO12 at Ravenhill on Friday, 7.05pm:

(15-9): J Payne; A Trimble, D Cave, L Marshall, M Allen; P Jackson, P Marshall. (1-8): T Court, N Brady, J Afoa, J Muller (c), L Stevenson, S Ferris, S Doyle, N Williams.

Replacements (16-23): R Herring, C Black, D Fitzpatrick, N McComb, M McComish, M Heaney, P Nelson, C Gilroy.

Impressive side.

Luke Marshall to cover 10 or can Nelson play there?