The UAFC

Ulster v Glasgow Sat 7th September 1:30pm
Glasgow v Ulster Sat 14th September 2:30pm

Home one clashes with one of the RWC warm up games - Ireland v Wales on the 7th at 2pm.

Not impressed by a 1:30 pm Kick Off on a Saturday on the First Saturday back, Schools And Club Rugby will probably have commenced so why not play this on either Friday or Saturday night.
It is not as if theTV companies were dictating this time to fit in with their schedules.
I cannot see any benefit to this time especially if Ulster Rugby want to maximise their revenue.
For the half committed supporters who may have considered coming to the game faced with the hassle of making it to
Kings span for 1:30 or watching Ireland on Tv it will be an easy choice and even the committed may succumb to the temptation.

Oh great. Glasgow.

Aird wrote:Not impressed by a 1:30 pm Kick Off on a Saturday on the First Saturday back, Schools And Club Rugby will probably have commenced so why not play this on either Friday or Saturday night.
It is not as if theTV companies were dictating this time to fit in with their schedules.
I cannot see any benefit to this time especially if Ulster Rugby want to maximise their revenue.
For the half committed supporters who may have considered coming to the game faced with the hassle of making it to
Kings span for 1:30 or watching Ireland on Tv it will be an easy choice and even the committed may succumb to the temptation.

Cheapest logistically. Team bus over and back on the ferry same day for players. No over night stay or charters required due to a late kick off.

Just my guess. I can understand your frustration though.

My own appetite for pre season friendlies has dwindled to zero over the years. Wouldnt open my curtains to watch it if it was in my garden.

UlsterNo9 wrote:

Aird wrote:Not impressed by a 1:30 pm Kick Off on a Saturday on the First Saturday back, Schools And Club Rugby will probably have commenced so why not play this on either Friday or Saturday night.
It is not as if theTV companies were dictating this time to fit in with their schedules.
I cannot see any benefit to this time especially if Ulster Rugby want to maximise their revenue.
For the half committed supporters who may have considered coming to the game faced with the hassle of making it to
Kings span for 1:30 or watching Ireland on Tv it will be an easy choice and even the committed may succumb to the temptation.

Cheapest logistically. Team bus over and back on the ferry same day for players. No over night stay or charters required due to a late kick off.

Just my guess. I can understand your frustration though.

My own appetite for pre season friendlies has dwindled to zero over the years. Wouldnt open my curtains to watch it if it was in my garden.

#buildthatbridge

Dave wrote:Oh great. Glasgow.

2 defeats to start the season off. Reckon they’ll announce a 3rd friendly in due course....probably the Mexicans.

Here’s hoping we get a few English teams in the Hieny draw: Hairyqueens and Exeter would be good for my travels. And then Brentwood Irish the year after.

UlsterNo9 wrote:

Aird wrote:Not impressed by a 1:30 pm Kick Off on a Saturday on the First Saturday back, Schools And Club Rugby will probably have commenced so why not play this on either Friday or Saturday night.
It is not as if theTV companies were dictating this time to fit in with their schedules.
I cannot see any benefit to this time especially if Ulster Rugby want to maximise their revenue.
For the half committed supporters who may have considered coming to the game faced with the hassle of making it to
Kings span for 1:30 or watching Ireland on Tv it will be an easy choice and even the committed may succumb to the temptation.

Cheapest logistically. Team bus over and back on the ferry same day for players. No over night stay or charters required due to a late kick off.

Just my guess. I can understand your frustration though.

My own appetite for pre season friendlies has dwindled to zero over the years. Wouldnt open my curtains to watch it if it was in my garden.

The only thing worse is watching retired players running about for chariteee. Oh aye, and the Barbarians; their games are a pretty shyte watch tbh. No substitute for a genuinely competitive game regardless of quality.

TopPoster wrote:

Dave wrote:Oh great. Glasgow.

2 defeats to start the season off. Reckon they’ll announce a 3rd friendly in due course....probably the Mexicans.

Here’s hoping we get a few English teams in the Hieny draw: Hairyqueens and Exeter would be good for my travels. And then Brentwood Irish the year after.

Brentford.

Less glamorous.

justinr73 wrote:

TopPoster wrote:

Dave wrote:Oh great. Glasgow.

2 defeats to start the season off. Reckon they’ll announce a 3rd friendly in due course....probably the Mexicans.

Here’s hoping we get a few English teams in the Hieny draw: Hairyqueens and Exeter would be good for my travels. And then Brentwood Irish the year after.

Brentford.

Less glamorous.

Good spot - frigging autocorrect. But ya know whadda meant.

Neill_M wrote:Ulster v Glasgow Sat 7th September 1:30pm
Glasgow v Ulster Sat 14th September 2:30pm

Home one clashes with one of the RWC warm up games - Ireland v Wales on the 7th at 2pm.

Going by flight prices Glasgow are flying in Saturday morning and back home Saturday evening, Ulster have either not booked yet or are not doing a day trip following week.

Neill_M wrote:Ulster v Glasgow Sat 7th September 1:30pm
Glasgow v Ulster Sat 14th September 2:30pm

There was a time when these matches could be described as friendlies. Had some great times at the likes of Hughendun - they weren't "friendlies" of course, but they were played in a friendly environment and a sense of sportsmanship. Happy days.

Can never think of a match against themuns as friendlies any more though ...

... and they started it ...

... so they did!



No cricket arranged for that day yet ... but with our weather (or maybe even a wee cup run) hopefully there will be a rearrangement to fit in then.

Preseason friendlies are basically a meaningful contact training session to assess the depth in the squad . The academy players who might be called on in a break glass emergency ,and assessing them when playing with more experienced team mates.

The result is secondary-- practice the drills and sling the ball stuff, a game without tactics.

A pre season friendly against a Trevor Brennan Select XV might get me along.

HwoodMike2umate wrote:A pre season friendly against a Trevor Brennan Select XV might get me a long.

A long what?

If I thought TB himself would be there with a chance that he might come into the crowd to, ahem , "discuss" your ongoing campaign of counting the days since his day of infamy, etc, I would certainly come to watch that.

Was there not a conclusion on another thread that Diageo the maker of Guinness were to blame for the stinkin pint therefore Trevor Brennan in effect was a victim of circumstance.

Diageo fecks