Leinster v Ulster Mon Jan 1 5:15pm KO

[jean valjean]

Superb gutsy win. I thought reffell was very good and deserves the 7 shirt for a run of games if he can keep fit. A real poaching threat and good hands.

[fermain]

Never in doubt.

[solidarity]

Don't quite believe it. Joy unbounded.

Who paid Byrne for that last kick?

Billy well deserved MOTM.

Addison still not up to scratch.

Frank Murphy better not go out on his own tonight in Dublin.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Don't quite believe it. Joy unbounded.

Who paid Byrne for that last kick?

Billy well deserved MOTM.

Addison still not up to scratch.

Frank Murphy better not go out on his own tonight in Dublin.

Frank can come north with the Ulster team and he'll get the freedom of Belfast.

Loved it as Jacob fielded that last penalty and the Leinster fans cheered when it went out closer to the Ulster line, but our Frankie knew that the penalty was over at that point and the game done.

Clancy would still be playing until Leinster got over the line.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Delicious humble pie, never tasted so good!

Seriously gutsy performance. Frank helped us, no doubt about it, but the grit in defence was epic.

Great show

Frank refereed well - simple as that. He was obvioulsy aware of a few issues Munster raised after their match, but to say he helped is wrong. He simply did his job well.It probably helps that he's reffed us and ran our lines a few times recently so we should know by now what floats his boat - has spent enough time up here to be an honorary Ulsterman.

[Dublin4]

Well deserved win for Ulster. You were cohesive and we were disjointed. Henderson excellent as was Cooney. Billy Burns played well too.
We kicked everything which didn't work. Joe McCarthy was impressive for Leinster.

[Dublin4]

We knew Frank Murphy would be biased but you just have to allow for it. Not an excuse. Better team won.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Well deserved win for Ulster. You were cohesive and we were disjointed. Henderson excellent as was Cooney. Billy Burns played well too.
We kicked everything which didn't work. Joe McCarthy was impressive for Leinster.

Did ya kick Jamison Gibson-Park?

He didn't work!

[Cap'n Grumpy]

We knew Frank Murphy would be biased but you just have to allow for it. Not an excuse. Better team won.

You could have just posted the last three words - the rest, whether you like it or not, just smacks of being a poor loser.

TBH, I don't hold that against you - you haven't had much practice at that, so it's hard to be a good loser.

And anyway, bad loser or not, Frank was not biased one way or another. He was very consistent with both teams.

[Hawkeye]

Re Lineout: what is the problem - calls, throws, lifters or all 3? Surely every opposition can’t read our calls? To me the lifters aren’t getting their man high enough. Just look at all the steals. Could be wrong of course. The problem is they are costing us advantage. Is it Hendi’s fault? Paul O’Connell rates him highly for running the Irish lineout. So it comes back to the coaching.

[Sue Dename]

You mention Dalton and McBurney yet both have shown, at Newcastle and Edinburgh respectively, that they’re simply not good enough.

How’s that feck ing anything up?

McBurney was one of the outstanding players in the U20 team that got to the RWC final in 2016, scoring tries for fun, including the final. A team that included Stockdale, Daly, Keenan, Porter, Ryan and Deegan. Even when Best and Herring were playing, he had best darts in the club and had an edge to him. The fact that UR backed Andrews says a lot.
Dalton played a few games for us when we were on the bones if our a#se for locks, similar to AOC, and played pretty well. Then never selected again. Similar litany down through the years- raw material not developed or stalled.

The one true talent whom I believe genuinely shot HIMSELF in the foot was Caldwell. All the talent but no brain. Even Moyes would've failed to have got the best from him.

UR, not just Df, has consistently failed to maximise the raw talent at its disposal. Hence why McKee went to Leinster, Little retired, Taylor went to UBC and eventually jacked in Rugby, as did Macklin ( who played TH in Europe and scored) Farrell to France, Steenson never even got a chance etc etc etc. Whitten had to go to Exeter, Seymour to Glasgow, then Scotland and the Lions. Love to see how some of those named would've progressed at Leinster or elsewhere with a more professional development pathway from 18-22, rather than UR. If DF spunks this batch through his own hubris, shame on him.

McBurney’s demise and subsequent departure was purely miss management by Dan.
Adam was picked to play as first choice against Connacht on a Saturday fixture in Belfast, yet on the Thursday he had a wisdom tooth removed, McFarland knew this and still picked him, surprise surprise he wasn’t fit to take the field and had a howler, subbed after 50 minutes and fell down the pecking order which subsequently led to his departure. Bryan did his best to keep him.

[CIMANFOREVER]

Superb gutsy win. I thought reffell was very good and deserves the 7 shirt for a run of games if he can keep fit. A real poaching threat and good hands.

Liked the look of Reffell in the brief cameos before he got injured. Would like to see him bulkier and harder to shift though. Handy player and a horse for courses. Timoney excelled again. Luke solid on his return.

[CIMANFOREVER]

We knew Frank Murphy would be biased but you just have to allow for it. Not an excuse. Better team won.

Tbf Dub, we've been on the receiving end from him too. I don't think he's biased just poor. Thisgame is only jockeying for position- ultimately meaningless if we can't win a Knock Out game.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Ulster beat Leinster & Connacht

Leinster & Connacht both beat Munster

Does this mean we're the No 1 Irish team?

[jean valjean]

Ulster beat Leinster & Connacht

Leinster & Connacht both beat Munster

Does this mean we're the No 1 Irish team?

We beat munster as well. Is the Irish shield still available?