Connacht v Ulster Fri 23rd Dec 7:35pm RTE2 / Viaplay Sports 2 / Super Sport / URC TV

[StandUp]

Amongst all the calls for heads on pikes I'm not sure anyone has really brought up how Doak got on at ten, which was definitely what I was most interested to see going into the match. Think he's started there for the A team, but that'd be the first time he's done so for the firsts?

Thought he was generally pretty solid, but unspectacular. His defence in the position seemed solid enough too. Think regardless of whether it's Doak or A.N. Other Think we definitely need to start investing time into a second (with the potential to be first) choice fly half. I'm not sure if people here think he should get a few more starts there, or want to see someone else given a go? Lowry has always been talked about as our potential long term ten, but with the injuries we have in the back three now, I'm not sure I'd want to see him moved at the minute.

For his first start at 10, I thought he did well. A couple of decisions that he will learn from but generally pretty good.

[StandUp]

Locals v friendly

Who wins?

[Dave]

Doak was dead on his feet and subsequently couldn't tackle in the last 10.

[StandUp]

Tbh I think most of them were.

[justinr73]

Most of us were.

[CIMANFOREVER]

Amongst all the calls for heads on pikes I'm not sure anyone has really brought up how Doak got on at ten, which was definitely what I was most interested to see going into the match. Think he's started there for the A team, but that'd be the first time he's done so for the firsts?

Thought he was generally pretty solid, but unspectacular. His defence in the position seemed solid enough too. Think regardless of whether it's Doak or A.N. Other Think we definitely need to start investing time into a second (with the potential to be first) choice fly half. I'm not sure if people here think he should get a few more starts there, or want to see someone else given a go? Lowry has always been talked about as our potential long term ten, but with the injuries we have in the back three now, I'm not sure I'd want to see him moved at the minute.

For his first start at 10, I thought he did well. A couple of decisions that he will learn from but generally pretty good.

Agreed. Worth persevering with under managed starts.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

We were clearly the better side on the night.

A few Connacht fans got excited at the end, forgetting that Carty missed an easier one earlier.

Don't get beat up.

He’s not in Limerick.

Ya don't get beat up in Limerick . . .


. . . just stabbed,

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Without negating criticism of Dinger, it's worth pointing out that for most of that match defences were on top, albeit helped significantly by knock-ons, and penalties for not releasing etc.

Until late on, Ulster were three tries to nil up and lookiing more likely to get the fourth. It was only at the death when down to 14 and players knackered that Connacht with a sniff of blood and a rush of adrenaline started to look like scoring.

That was aided by Ulster emptying the bench, and we had no time to try to get our shape right with the new players on the pitch. That's not an excuse - they should be capable of fitting in to their respective positions almost seamlessly, but it was acknowledged by most before the match that our bench players were weaker than Connacht's, and their subs came on with something to aim for, ours came on with the attitude of surviving.

Whether it was worth persevering with the players who started, to hang on while some of them were out on their feet, or to replace them with fresh legs and bodies (albeit inferior skills) is an academic point, which we will never know, but I suspect many on here will already have an opinion and be ready to share it . . .

[Cap'n Grumpy]

PS, did anyone else notice Shanners when he came on? Did I imagine it, or did he do his hamstring almost as soon as he came on?

[rumncoke]

After Marshall and Cooney went off the defensive back line consisted of

Shanahan ,Doak McCloskey Moore with back 3 McIlroy Lyttle and Flannery ( three positional changes with Moore moving from full back ) defending with a member of the back row already carded.

The only one who could defend the gain line was McCloskey -- commit him to the 1st phase and go wide thereafter .

Ulster's problem last night was a total lack of threat on the wing -- both Lyttle and McIlroy are arial defenders but both lack pace and body weight to constitute a threat -- thus the Ulster attack was committed to up the middle multi-phase rugby slow, ponderous, and the more phases you have to complete the greater the opportunity for the knock on or turn over.

[kingofthehill]

After Marshall and Cooney went off the defensive back line consisted of

Shanahan ,Doak McCloskey Moore with back 3 McIlroy Lyttle and Flannery ( three positional changes with Moore moving from full back ) defending with a member of the back row already carded.

The only one who could defend the gain line was McCloskey -- commit him to the 1st phase and go wide thereafter .

Ulster's problem last night was a total lack of threat on the wing -- both Lyttle and McIlroy are arial defenders but both lack pace and body weight to constitute a threat -- thus the Ulster attack was committed to up the middle multi-phase rugby slow, ponderous, and the more phases you have to complete the greater the opportunity for the knock on or turn over.

Nothing to do with the conditions?


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[ljsulster]

Doesn’t say a lot for Flannery if he’s not trusted to play ahead of a dead on his feet, out of position doak

[ljsulster]

McCanns ball carrying finally looks like it’s getting to a level where you can say he’s one of our strongest carriers, it’s a shame though you hardly see him get the ball as he plays as an edge forward or doesn’t go looking for the ball.

[Silverstu]

I thought the difference the quality of the benches really made a difference - they brought on Marmion and Butler but had Shanners and Jones. Even with the mistakes I felt were dominant for most of the match- our carrying seemed to be much better and there was some really nice moments of play, even if they didn't always quite come off.Injuries are a bit of worry - we could do with a few back soon.

[Dave]

The injuries are mounting up. I thought Luke was our best back. Murphy was not offering any protection to the players. These guys will have a substantial case if they begin to experience neurological symptoms in later life.