The UAFC

BR wrote:

davejohnston wrote:So the stats for the season show we have been passing the ball more than any other team. So why are we so poor at creating gaps in the opposition defence. Is it lack of formidable forwards to suck in defenders, or do we just not have any attacking plays ?

No attacking plays because they have created no space. There is the odd fatboy taking the ball forward from the ruck, which is an improvement on previous seasons, but it is unstructured individual play and breaks down by the 3rd phase with a forced offload or isolated ball carrier. The backs are relying on an uprushing defender to slip or be seriously mistimed in order to make any ground. After that, it's heads-up rugby with no organised system.

Sounds like a side with little penetration, passing the ball from side to side. McCloskey's offloads have helped but we haven't many players beating defenders.

solidarity wrote:Apologies if this has been answered above, I'm too depressed to read the whole thread. Is this Ulster's worst ever defeat or have we been worse at some time in the past?

I believe we've lost by more in the European Cup

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Really excited to see McBurney with ball in hand
Man has some aggression about him
Feel like he's played himself into the Ireland pecking order

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davejohnston wrote:So the stats for the season show we have been passing the ball more than any other team. So why are we so poor at creating gaps in the opposition defence. Is it lack of formidable forwards to suck in defenders, or do we just not have any attacking plays ?

Thing is there were a few occasions when we got our offloading game going- we raced up the pitch only to lose the ball when we got close to an attacking position. Some of the handling was very good- AoC in particular was impressive. Other than that it was a tough watch but not completely unexpected - a munster team playing at home off the back of a bad defeat with a starting pack of which every single one has an Ireland cap . That was a young team we sent- thats the first time Tom O'Toole has lost in an senior Ulster jersey btw- without enough quality around them it was a big ask and losing Cooney and Henderson was a nail in the coffin.They have to bounce back, simple as that, but at least we have quality there, just not fully developed yet- a front row of O'Sullivan, McBurney, O'Toole is quite a prospect [its not doing too badly them moment]. Lowry and Hume got on which was great to see even if the pack couldn't provide them with quality ball . As long as the youngsters get gametime and there is progress throughout the season I don't think we can expect much more.

Unlike many on this forum I was prepared to go and support our team in Thomond on Saturday despite the team selection which would suggest a very long night – which it was.
However, I think we need to put the game in perspective, starting with a 5 day turnaround after a 6 hour bus drive and 2 ten hour flights back from Johannesburg. Undoubtedly this took its toll on many of the players in the latter part of the game. We then have an endless list of injuries forcing the promotion of very young inexperienced academy players and a selection which looked more like an A team against a fully loaded Munster side on the rebound from a defeat against Cardiff. We then were certainly not helped by a very inexperienced and totally inept person with a whistle. If that wasn’t enough stacked against us, Munster get a very fortuitous bounce of the ball following a ricochet to open the scoring followed by our most experienced player on the pitch getting bounced by Tommy O’Donnell. Within 8 minutes we are chasing the game.
We didn’t lose the game because of the referee but he did nothing to rein in Peter O’Mahony at the breakdown evidenced by the penalty conceded at the very next breakdown. Injuries to Henderson and Cooney in short order simply added to the inevitable. As a footnote, why master Jones felt the need to yellow card John Andrew at that stage of the match for a very innocuous and marginal late tackle to which he was committed is beyond me. Needless to say with 14 very tired players the floodgates opened. I can tell you it was hard viewing those last 10 minutes. Even then our misfortune did not end. Andy Conway’s foot was clearly in touch in the lead up to the last try and it would not have been allowed had it been referred to the TMO.
I spoke to a couple of the players after the game and I can assure you that they were hurting. They were aware they had let the fans down but the suggestion by some posters that it was through lack of effort or ‘pride in the shirt’ is simply insulting.
We have to face up to the fact that with our current injury list the next few weeks is going to be very tough. Like Cockatrice says we have to see this as a work in progress. I for one will continue to support our players through these tough times. I am amazed that some are already calling for JP’s head 4 matches in. With the injuries and changes I am not sure what people expect. Next they will be calling for Cavey’s head for missing a tackle!

The other night some idiot on Bakebook claimed Hendo faked an injury because he saw the writing on the wall. Moron.

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boyg wrote:Unlike many on this forum I was prepared to go and support our team in Thomond on Saturday despite the team selection which would suggest a very long night – which it was.
However, I think we need to put the game in perspective, starting with a 5 day turnaround after a 6 hour bus drive and 2 ten hour flights back from Johannesburg. Undoubtedly this took its toll on many of the players in the latter part of the game. We then have an endless list of injuries forcing the promotion of very young inexperienced academy players and a selection which looked more like an A team against a fully loaded Munster side on the rebound from a defeat against Cardiff. We then were certainly not helped by a very inexperienced and totally inept person with a whistle. If that wasn’t enough stacked against us, Munster get a very fortuitous bounce of the ball following a ricochet to open the scoring followed by our most experienced player on the pitch getting bounced by Tommy O’Donnell. Within 8 minutes we are chasing the game.
We didn’t lose the game because of the referee but he did nothing to rein in Peter O’Mahony at the breakdown evidenced by the penalty conceded at the very next breakdown. Injuries to Henderson and Cooney in short order simply added to the inevitable. As a footnote, why master Jones felt the need to yellow card John Andrew at that stage of the match for a very innocuous and marginal late tackle to which he was committed is beyond me. Needless to say with 14 very tired players the floodgates opened. I can tell you it was hard viewing those last 10 minutes. Even then our misfortune did not end. Andy Conway’s foot was clearly in touch in the lead up to the last try and it would not have been allowed had it been referred to the TMO.
I spoke to a couple of the players after the game and I can assure you that they were hurting. They were aware they had let the fans down but the suggestion by some posters that it was through lack of effort or ‘pride in the shirt’ is simply insulting.
We have to face up to the fact that with our current injury list the next few weeks is going to be very tough. Like Cockatrice says we have to see this as a work in progress. I for one will continue to support our players through these tough times. I am amazed that some are already calling for JP’s head 4 matches in. With the injuries and changes I am not sure what people expect. Next they will be calling for Cavey’s head for missing a tackle!

Excellent post.

Russ wrote:Really excited to see McBurney with ball in hand
Man has some aggression about him
Feel like he's played himself into the Ireland pecking order

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Being held back by Best and Herring...

Cockatrice wrote:

Russ wrote:Really excited to see McBurney with ball in hand
Man has some aggression about him
Feel like he's played himself into the Ireland pecking order

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Being held back by Best and Herring...

/s

I know you're jesting
Wait for Leinster to sniff round him

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Great post by boyg. As good as I’ve read on here.

Russ wrote:

Cockatrice wrote:

Russ wrote:Really excited to see McBurney with ball in hand
Man has some aggression about him
Feel like he's played himself into the Ireland pecking order

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Being held back by Best and Herring...

/s

I know you're jesting
Wait for Leinster to sniff round him

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He won't enjoy it.

boyg wrote:Unlike many on this forum I was prepared to go and support our team in Thomond on Saturday despite the team selection which would suggest a very long night – which it was.
However, I think we need to put the game in perspective, starting with a 5 day turnaround after a 6 hour bus drive and 2 ten hour flights back from Johannesburg. Undoubtedly this took its toll on many of the players in the latter part of the game. We then have an endless list of injuries forcing the promotion of very young inexperienced academy players and a selection which looked more like an A team against a fully loaded Munster side on the rebound from a defeat against Cardiff. We then were certainly not helped by a very inexperienced and totally inept person with a whistle. If that wasn’t enough stacked against us, Munster get a very fortuitous bounce of the ball following a ricochet to open the scoring followed by our most experienced player on the pitch getting bounced by Tommy O’Donnell. Within 8 minutes we are chasing the game.
We didn’t lose the game because of the referee but he did nothing to rein in Peter O’Mahony at the breakdown evidenced by the penalty conceded at the very next breakdown. Injuries to Henderson and Cooney in short order simply added to the inevitable. As a footnote, why master Jones felt the need to yellow card John Andrew at that stage of the match for a very innocuous and marginal late tackle to which he was committed is beyond me. Needless to say with 14 very tired players the floodgates opened. I can tell you it was hard viewing those last 10 minutes. Even then our misfortune did not end. Andy Conway’s foot was clearly in touch in the lead up to the last try and it would not have been allowed had it been referred to the TMO.
I spoke to a couple of the players after the game and I can assure you that they were hurting. They were aware they had let the fans down but the suggestion by some posters that it was through lack of effort or ‘pride in the shirt’ is simply insulting.
We have to face up to the fact that with our current injury list the next few weeks is going to be very tough. Like Cockatrice says we have to see this as a work in progress. I for one will continue to support our players through these tough times. I am amazed that some are already calling for JP’s head 4 matches in. With the injuries and changes I am not sure what people expect. Next they will be calling for Cavey’s head for missing a tackle!

All fair enough, but did you enjoy the game?

Watched the highlights ? Of the match — the problem was the pack was too inexperienced - the back row got sucked into the rucks — the backs drifted in field leaving space out wide .

Munster have the second best back row in the league if not the best and the difference in quality really got exploited because Ulster were left with no cover defence to assist the inexperienced backline .

I don’t rate Carberry as an International but he has sufficient talent to shine provided he is free from pressure —Dysel is ageing and losing pace and Rea has yet to convince me that he has the «  game «  for Pro14 and I am starting to think he may never have it .


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againstthehead wrote:I actually feel sorry for Stockdale and Henderson. Quality players in a festering pile of turd. Once the RWC is over, anyone with an ounce of ambition should be off to England or France.

I've had internet issues since Friday so missed much of this as I can't be arsed reading on a phone, but I've struggled through this thread this morning, seen much dumb comment from people clearly very frustrated at the time of writing then I come to the gem above.

Now for all the newish people, it may have escaped your attention that certain antipathy exists for me with this utter fool. You might look at his "signature" and think he is a little boy whose parents should keep a very close eye on him for his safety, but in reality, he is of adult age, but a bit fakkin'thick.

He thinks he supports Ulster, but really couldn't differentiate between his ar$e and a hole in the ground.

Agen, you are a fool.

solidarity wrote:Apologies if this has been answered above, I'm too depressed to read the whole thread. Is this Ulster's worst ever defeat or have we been worse at some time in the past?

Solids, I have no proof but think that is the largest beating Ulster has ever received, I'd hope never to see it's likes again, despite the fact that anyone rational could have seen something not that much off this scoreline by just a cursory glance at the teamsheets. It was a mismatch guaranteed by our injury list and lack of depth with our trimmed squad many of whom are entirely inexperienced.

It was further copperfastened by a referee who was untroubled by the supposed requirement to adhere to the laws of rugby and basically settled for an easy night as a homer, he couldn't see Keet's quintuple knock on either live or on the big screen, said "that looks ok to me" whilst watching the replay, but fortunately the TMO was sufficiently alive & awake to further school him. I don't suggest he was a crook attempting to ensure Ulster's destruction, simply not up to the job and quickly realising it, POM did as he pleased all night. A decent ref may have meant a defeat perhaps 20 points less, Ulster hadn't a prayer from long before KO and I do not suggest we were beaten by the ref. Unlike Agen-le-tete I'm not an idiot, we were shyte.

So a record defeat in all probability but no cause for the heartrending buffoonery from all and sundry in these pages.

A more serious cause for concern is that a further 3 may be on sick leave this week, ameliorated perhaps by a few returns but crucial players, it seems we rarely have a chube like Shanners wrecked, just important players.