Bulls v Ulster Sat Oct 5 KO 3pm UK Time

[Silverstu]

Yeah I thought the guys fronted up pretty well against a big team filled with internationals. Should stand the young guys pretty well for the future, they now know how tough matches can be at this level. McCormack looks good, McNabney is going well, thought Carson did well and Humphries looked good- some excellent kicks and passing.
Connacht will be a good test of where we are but I thought we were looking more together -attacking shape looked much better. Hopefully get a few back from the EI tour as we need a few wins now. Tough start to the season but hopefully will stand us well.

[CIMANFOREVER]

7 tries in 2 games at altitude is better than I thought we'd get tbh, although our defence against Lions was atrocious. Today was different gravy, and it'd be churlish to criticise a mostly young, green and shorn team against 10 full Bok internationals, an international standard pack and many squad members that have been around the Bokke squad.
However, Listening to an interview by Bell today on RU, really doesn't inspire confidence in the man or his defensive strategems; vague, hesitant and spouting cliche

[Silverstu]

7 tries in 2 games at altitude is better than I thought we'd get tbh, although our defence against Lions was atrocious. Today was different gravy, and it'd be churlish to criticise a mostly young, green and shorn team against 10 full Bok internationals, an international standard pack and many squad members that have been around the Bokke squad.
However, Listening to an interview by Bell today on RU, really doesn't inspire confidence in the man or his defensive strategems; vague, hesitant and spouting cliche

Yep, isn't it Bell's last year on his contract? I'm guessing he will be replaced end of season to save on another pay-off.

[horslips]

I don't think I am wrong on this but surely in the past we have had worse defeats while fielding a stronger team.

As for the Emerging Ireland tour the IRFU should take those responsible for agreeing to these dates out the back of D4 and administer a sound kicking. I can see Rum's point about bonding/team building but there is a time and place for that and it wasnt now!

[rumncoke]

Its not bonding and building it is assessing the possibility seeing who fits and who doesn't over a period of 2- 3 weeks.

The tour was planned by the IRFU they were invited --and accepted the opportunity -- the timing of the event is basically out of their hands .

And to be honest I doubt if those on the EI tour would have made a big difference.

The first game was the product of altitude and heat the second was basically due to a front row deficit which those on the tour would not have corrected.

[Marco]

I am, obviously, both old and dumb, because here’s me thinking that a 7-try drubbing and 1 point from two games is a brad pitt show, and yet when I read the comments, I should be taking all the positives!

Yet, reading the comments on Twitter from our friends in Edinburgh, coincidentally with their exact same points return from the exact same two opponents, and ok, a 55-21 loss, not the much better 47-21 loss, I read “Christ alive”, “that was embarrassing”, “dreadful from Edinburgh” and “good God”.

My own view is that realism is better and, whilst both views veer too much to the extreme, we need to be honest. The young lads do show great promise, and yet I remember so well the up and coming young Ulster teams of the past, the Trimble’s and Bowe’s etc, all the young potential, yet what did they end up winning (in white)? The league table has Leinster 1st, Munster 3rd, Connacht 4th, and (scrolls down), Ulster 13th.Its batten down the hatches, admit the whole thing has been a brad pitt show for years now, despite being given a free stadium, and, like our Executive, admitting we couldn’t organise a proverbial pi$h up in a pub. I think the current top team does get it and is being honest (although why Soper is still there confounds me), we need years of patience.

For now, I’ll take the odd good home win and a bit of atmosphere, hopefully sneaking top 8 in the league and qualifying for Europe. The game against a pretty impressive Connacht side (hard to even say this about the same Connacht that had gone 60 years without beating us at Ravenhill), is huge.

[Marco]

I am, obviously, both old and dumb, because here’s me thinking that a 7-try drubbing and 1 point from two games is a brad pitt show, and yet when I read the comments, I should be taking all the positives!

Yet, reading the comments on Twitter from our friends in Edinburgh, coincidentally with their exact same points return from the exact same two opponents, and ok, a 55-21 loss, not the much better 47-21 loss, I read “Christ alive”, “that was embarrassing”, “dreadful from Edinburgh” and “good God”.

My own view is that realism is better and, whilst both views veer too much to the extreme, we need to be honest. The young lads do show great promise, and yet I remember so well the up and coming young Ulster teams of the past, the Trimble’s and Bowe’s etc, all the young potential, yet what did they end up winning (in white)? The league table has Leinster 1st, Munster 3rd, Connacht 4th, and (scrolls down), Ulster 13th.Its batten down the hatches, admit the whole thing has been a brad pitt show for years now, despite being given a free stadium, and, like our Executive, admitting we couldn’t organise a proverbial pi$h up in a pub. I think the current top team does get it and is being honest (although why Soper is still there confounds me), we need years of patience.

For now, I’ll take the odd good home win and a bit of atmosphere, hopefully sneaking top 8 in the league and qualifying for Europe. The game against a pretty impressive Connacht side (hard to even say this about the same Connacht that had gone 60 years without beating us at Ravenhill), is huge.

[HammerTime]

Its not bonding and building it is assessing the possibility seeing who fits and who doesn't over a period of 2- 3 weeks.

The tour was planned by the IRFU they were invited --and accepted the opportunity -- the timing of the event is basically out of their hands .

And to be honest I doubt if those on the EI tour would have made a big difference.

The first game was the product of altitude and heat the second was basically due to a front row deficit which those on the tour would not have corrected.

We missed out narrowly on 2 bonus points it's not beyond the realms of possibility that if Izzy, Sheridan, Wilson et al were in there we might have snuck one bp. Look how important a single point was for us practically every season since the SA'n teams came into the league. The EI tour is a pile of sh!te and I'm a big Ireland supporter.

[HammerTime]

I am, obviously, both old and dumb, because here’s me thinking that a 7-try drubbing and 1 point from two games is a brad pitt show, and yet when I read the comments, I should be taking all the positives!

Yet, reading the comments on Twitter from our friends in Edinburgh, coincidentally with their exact same points return from the exact same two opponents, and ok, a 55-21 loss, not the much better 47-21 loss, I read “Christ alive”, “that was embarrassing”, “dreadful from Edinburgh” and “good God”.

My own view is that realism is better and, whilst both views veer too much to the extreme, we need to be honest. The young lads do show great promise, and yet I remember so well the up and coming young Ulster teams of the past, the Trimble’s and Bowe’s etc, all the young potential, yet what did they end up winning (in white)? The league table has Leinster 1st, Munster 3rd, Connacht 4th, and (scrolls down), Ulster 13th.Its batten down the hatches, admit the whole thing has been a brad pitt show for years now, despite being given a free stadium, and, like our Executive, admitting we couldn’t organise a proverbial pi$h up in a pub. I think the current top team does get it and is being honest (although why Soper is still there confounds me), we need years of patience.

For now, I’ll take the odd good home win and a bit of atmosphere, hopefully sneaking top 8 in the league and qualifying for Europe. The game against a pretty impressive Connacht side (hard to even say this about the same Connacht that had gone 60 years without beating us at Ravenhill), is huge.

A tad negative. 3 of the hardest games you'll play in a season first and playing with a bunch of kids. Best Bulls team in 4 years ... stuffed full of World Cup winners. In saying that, now that that's done the next 4 games, nothing less than 4 wins will do (even the Leinster one at home). Need to start clawing our way up that table.

[CIMANFOREVER]

Its not bonding and building it is assessing the possibility seeing who fits and who doesn't over a period of 2- 3 weeks.

The tour was planned by the IRFU they were invited --and accepted the opportunity -- the timing of the event is basically out of their hands .

And to be honest I doubt if those on the EI tour would have made a big difference.

The first game was the product of altitude and heat the second was basically due to a front row deficit which those on the tour would not have corrected.

Issy, Wilson, Sheridan and Postlethwaite would most definitely have made a difference- maybe a couple of LBPs

[CIMANFOREVER]

Its not bonding and building it is assessing the possibility seeing who fits and who doesn't over a period of 2- 3 weeks.

The tour was planned by the IRFU they were invited --and accepted the opportunity -- the timing of the event is basically out of their hands .

And to be honest I doubt if those on the EI tour would have made a big difference.

The first game was the product of altitude and heat the second was basically due to a front row deficit which those on the tour would not have corrected.

We missed out narrowly on 2 bonus points it's not beyond the realms of possibility that if Izzy, Sheridan, Wilson et al were in there we might have snuck one bp. Look how important a single point was for us practically every season since the SA'n teams came into the league. The EI tour is a pile of sh!te and I'm a big Ireland supporter.

Sorry Hammer beat me to the punch on your reply. Agreed 100% - the guys on EI may have gained us a couple of crucial lbps

[CIMANFOREVER]

I am, obviously, both old and dumb, because here’s me thinking that a 7-try drubbing and 1 point from two games is a brad pitt show, and yet when I read the comments, I should be taking all the positives!

Yet, reading the comments on Twitter from our friends in Edinburgh, coincidentally with their exact same points return from the exact same two opponents, and ok, a 55-21 loss, not the much better 47-21 loss, I read “Christ alive”, “that was embarrassing”, “dreadful from Edinburgh” and “good God”.

My own view is that realism is better and, whilst both views veer too much to the extreme, we need to be honest. The young lads do show great promise, and yet I remember so well the up and coming young Ulster teams of the past, the Trimble’s and Bowe’s etc, all the young potential, yet what did they end up winning (in white)? The league table has Leinster 1st, Munster 3rd, Connacht 4th, and (scrolls down), Ulster 13th.Its batten down the hatches, admit the whole thing has been a brad pitt show for years now, despite being given a free stadium, and, like our Executive, admitting we couldn’t organise a proverbial pi$h up in a pub. I think the current top team does get it and is being honest (although why Soper is still there confounds me), we need years of patience.

For now, I’ll take the odd good home win and a bit of atmosphere, hopefully sneaking top 8 in the league and qualifying for Europe. The game against a pretty impressive Connacht side (hard to even say this about the same Connacht that had gone 60 years without beating us at Ravenhill), is huge.

A tad negative. 3 of the hardest games you'll play in a season first and playing with a bunch of kids. Best Bulls team in 4 years ... stuffed full of World Cup winners. In saying that, now that that's done the next 4 games, nothing less than 4 wins will do (even the Leinster one at home). Need to start clawing are way up that table.

Edinburgh were loaded with internationals and conceded 48 points in the first half. Embra fans were correct in calling out how pitiful they were. Lions took the foot off the gas. Totally different to our squad of kids, journeymen and third choices. We're not being over optimistic, this our the new reality for the next few seasons as the FIRFU cavalry isn't coming- they have more important things in shoring up Ireland, Ladies and the tax write off liginds Munster.

What we do have is a bunch of home grown cubs coming through the pack and into the backs that have real potential for the first time since the days of the mid noughties. Keep them together and a couple of reasonable front row signings could make a real difference, you know, like SK was meant to, but didn't have the guts for.

Get rid of Bell, employ one of Murphys own defence gurus of his choice and Murphy may get the best from this squad. But atm, top 8 will be a triumph. Even a few injuries or call ups to hold bags and we're into what we saw yesterday. But we also saw guts and bottle, and if we continue to do so, I'll find it hard to criticise.
Tbf, Barrett was thrown to the wolves, and our international TH faired little better. What did we expect? Hope you all realise the cojones it takes to pack down at TH as a third choice from Championship against a full international saffa FR. Ditto young 21 yo McCormick.

Some perspective is needed, and thats coming from me, who is usually cup fully empty.

[Dave]

Never cite twitter. It is a cesspool. The balanced view always prevails. Let's all agree that Ben Whitehouse at altitude is something we never went to see again.

[jacothelad]

I have to agree with CIman....in the hope that he is right and we have a blossoming group of talent. However, at 75 years old, I wonder how long I will continue to have that expectation.

I consider that we have, again, been screwed over ny the FIRFU and wonder why Munster have an interest free loan of millions which also saves them millions while we have to cut our coat according to the poverty rations chucked our way. I don't begrudge Munster their relative good fortune in this but while Leinster sup at the high finance table....we get to feed off the scraps normally given to the dog. It's great that Leinster have the talent and again there is no begrudgery aimed at them. There are definitely two levels of support and we get the the 'feck off and keep quiet' one.

I was concerned at how dangerous it was going to be for Barrett and the front row. WE should not be putting the future health of young men in jeopardy in such a cavalier fashion just because someone has set a new rule. Leinster get Slimani...we get Corrie Barrett. It was clear to any sentient supporter several years ago the Marty Moore was done yet even when we were permitted, we didn't make a move to entice a proper replacement.

[Jetstream]

We should be proud of our young team. It is unfair to compare ourselves with Edinburgh. Did Edinburgh have a front row that has virtually zilch URC caps? Edinburgh fans were boasting a few weeks back that they would have more players on the Scottish side than Glasgow.
The team did well. Let them develop. We will have good days and bad days this season