Positives & Negatives: Ulster V Ospreys

[lw7]

The Cave Payne combo struggled.
Apart from Payne's longer stride they're quite similar players.
Darren at 12 (bless him) didn't have the body to power through and offload on foot against an aggressive 2man defence.
Neither are steppers.
Too much gapping between them at times in attack and Cave is not a long range bullet passer.
Ideally one of your centres should have footwork not just two hands on a ball and dipping shoulders.

Against a slower defence I'd love to see the combined footwork of Olding and CP undertake a midfield carvery.

They weren't helped by a lack of called moves at 9 or 10.
The shaping was generally poor. Repeative straight line passing. Few tripods or staggers.
No wrap around or turnback passes and very little block plays / out the back phases.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

I'm with Tommy from Comber on this one ... I don't deal in speculations or opinions ... I deal in facts ... printed facts, cold hard facts.

Can we quote you on that?

Here's a fact ..... Tommy from Comber isn't actually called Tommy.

True fact that!

Suppose he's not even from Comber..

Now you're just being confrontational

Of course he's from Comber

Why would he call himself Tommy from Comber if he's not from Comber?

[Dave]

I'm with Tommy from Comber on this one ... I don't deal in speculations or opinions ... I deal in facts ... printed facts, cold hard facts.

Can we quote you on that?

Here's a fact ..... Tommy from Comber isn't actually called Tommy.

True fact that!

Suppose he's not even from Comber..

Now you're just being confrontational

Of course he's from Comber

Why would he call himself Tommy from Comber if he's not from Comber?

Because he is from Carrickfergus

[Tender]

I've been a big fan of Rodney Heh-Yous, but for most of the first half, he lumbered around like an asthmatic foreman. He was always in the general area of the play, but he didn't really do
much. My son pointed it out and I watched him doing nothing but laboured breathing for long periods.
Kiss must have spotted this and a combination of a strong word in his shell-like and a shot of Ventolin, had him much more involved in the second half.
He went off injured, but hopefully it nothing serious, as it's his eating arm.
We're nowhere near full strength and we're still managing results. We're lookin good. Stay positive and relax.

[Deraless]

Was Ohhhhh-Yesssss subbing not planned? Saw a twit that he wasn't injured. He managed 60 mins which must be a record for us. I blame the rest of the pack for not getting "Rodders up for a scrap" in the first half, as Payne instructed.

Also we're keeping all the fancy strike moves for the play-offs. Just keep the attack vanilla and grind out results ready to unleash the sexiness at a later date.

Also I still haven't cut my prozac dose.

[bazzaj]

Just read the comments about the back lines lack of plays and I can explain that quite simply to Lw7 and Deraless.

It was a different backline put out with completely different combinations from previous weeks.
Only Pj and Ludik were in the same positions as last week.
That means different lines of running and styles of play to come together as a unit.
Giving everyone a game and squad rotation is one thing but doing it wholesale is going to be at a cost to cohesion.

Appreciate that training can help familiarity but it's only really in game time where combinations and relationships can be forged.

The key is to limit rotating to a couple of backs per week but any more than that you will be struggling with cohesion issues.

Appreciate this week there were injuries in the midfield that needed addressing but it was therefore important to keep consistency elsewhere, especially against a quality side like the Ospreys.
Lesson learned I hope.

[OneMore]

Just read the comments about the back lines lack of plays and I can explain that quite simply to Lw7 and Deraless.

It was a different backline put out with completely different combinations from previous weeks.
Only Pj and Ludik were in the same positions as last week.
That means different lines of running and styles of play to come together as a unit.
Giving everyone a game and squad rotation is one thing but doing it wholesale is going to be at a cost to cohesion.

Appreciate that training can help familiarity but it's only really in game time where combinations and relationships can be forged.

The key is to limit rotating to a couple of backs per week but any more than that you will be struggling with cohesion issues.

Appreciate this week there were injuries in the midfield that needed addressing but it was therefore important to keep consistency elsewhere, especially against a quality side like the Ospreys.
Lesson learned I hope.

Ever heard of hubris baz?

[Gerald the Mole]

Positive : we got a win , even if poor, just keep wining, it will come good.

Negative: the bar staff make the band acceptable, went to the bar and asked for two Gin and Tonics, "sorry I only sell pints "was the reply, so had to move to the next chap, he took my order and then asked a guy behind the pouring counter , who incidentally was pouring pints to get me a gin and tonic, by the way at this time there was zero queue . So now they have morons who only take cash for pints and others who are only allowed to handle the heavy duty spirits,now I know nothing of the bar trade , but by jolly, that's a pi$h poor way to run a bar. It's dreadful.

Why is the big Georgian chap not getting a run out?

[BaggyTrousers]

You know what? Sometimes you face a team who are smarting after a gubbing and they get the maximum from their extra focus and energy, pitch that against a much changed team , a team where many of the changes were voluntary rather than forced and well, what happens is what you saw on Saturday.

Whilst we looked as blunt as a ladle, if you think back to a whirlwind start by Ospreys, who amongst us expected them to be scoreless for 74 minutes? However unlike the 8-3 loss in the RDS last autumn, there was always a feeling of spark and energy on Saturday despite the lack of scoring. Fabulous defence from both teams, theirs from good organisation primarily, ours less hard pressed overall but saved by two outstanding tackles.

I don't blame individual players necessarily for that lack of cohesion, we took a chance on some selections, some I thought were worrying against a team with one of the best packs and certainly as good a half back pair to match any in the league.

We were well short of meeting their best team with ours and the fact is we dodged a bullet, maybe nicked our earlobe but no real damage done. Indeed if you are looking as I often do for a silver lining, that's two weeks in a row where we have dug our way out of a hole. Frankly I had almost given up with 5 minutes to go, couldn't see it happening..... then one enormous boot from Ruan and it was game on and a bit of smart play later..... result.

I take an enormous amount from the manner of salvation much as it was a pretty grim watch. If some are looking for flowing superlative rugby week on week, I suggest a move to either NZ or Cloudcuckooland. Frustrating to an extent but overall very encouraging in that our pack of mainly second choices managed to dominate the ball for long periods.

Some are expectant of our backs, I'm exulting in what our pack are managing, it's a less obvious form of enjoyment and not as expected but it's what gives me hope for this season.

[BaggyTrousers]

Positive : we got a win , even if poor, just keep wining, it will come good.

Negative: the bar staff make the band acceptable, went to the bar and asked for two Gin and Tonics, "sorry I only sell pints "was the reply, so had to move to the next chap, he took my order and then asked a guy behind the pouring counter , who incidentally was pouring pints to get me a gin and tonic, by the way at this time there was zero queue . So now they have morons who only take cash for pints and others who are only allowed to handle the heavy duty spirits,now I know nothing of the bar trade , but by jolly, that's a pi$h poor way to run a bar. It's dreadful.

Why is the big Georgian chap not getting a run out?

Gerald two things. I wasn't in every bar, but in the Grandstand there were 3/4 signs hanging saying "pint only", I assume this was an attempt to speed up service though I can't say I noticed a significant difference albeit I wasn't looking for one, I'm a patient man.

As for the Georgian, you know how Ulster have a history of always having their temporary contract chappies injured ............

[Russ]

Just read the comments about the back lines lack of plays and I can explain that quite simply to Lw7 and Deraless.

It was a different backline put out with completely different combinations from previous weeks.
Only Pj and Ludik were in the same positions as last week.
That means different lines of running and styles of play to come together as a unit.
Giving everyone a game and squad rotation is one thing but doing it wholesale is going to be at a cost to cohesion.

Appreciate that training can help familiarity but it's only really in game time where combinations and relationships can be forged.

The key is to limit rotating to a couple of backs per week but any more than that you will be struggling with cohesion issues.

Appreciate this week there were injuries in the midfield that needed addressing but it was therefore important to keep consistency elsewhere, especially against a quality side like the Ospreys.
Lesson learned I hope.

We had a 12 who should have bee at 13
We had a 13 who cannot play 13

So we then lacked our focal points 12s. We have one distributer and one bosher

Cave cannot do the job of 2 men let alone try to be 4 men at once

[againstthehead]

Just read the comments about the back lines lack of plays and I can explain that quite simply to Lw7 and Deraless.

It was a different backline put out with completely different combinations from previous weeks.
Only Pj and Ludik were in the same positions as last week.
That means different lines of running and styles of play to come together as a unit.
Giving everyone a game and squad rotation is one thing but doing it wholesale is going to be at a cost to cohesion.

Appreciate that training can help familiarity but it's only really in game time where combinations and relationships can be forged.

The key is to limit rotating to a couple of backs per week but any more than that you will be struggling with cohesion issues.

Appreciate this week there were injuries in the midfield that needed addressing but it was therefore important to keep consistency elsewhere, especially against a quality side like the Ospreys.
Lesson learned I hope.

As you say, most of the rotation was enforced. Could have started Ruan but it was nice to give him a bit of time off and give beagle a run out. Cave and Jared have hardly played this season never mind in those positions so no wonder they didn't click in attack or defense. Given how little decent ball the backs got I don't actually think it mattered too much how they rejigged the backline.

[bazzaj]

I have heard of hubris now one more but is that levelled at me or the team?
If it's at me I don't mind as long as I am right.
Which I am.

Defensively actually the much praised Ludik was at fault by not stepping up and instead holding off on a rush defense which is a cardinal defensive sin.

Agree with game time to Marshall but against poorer oppositon at home perhaps and not when we have enforced midfield changes.
If we had kept RP at 9, Payne at 15 and moved Cp to 13 at least the back 3 would have had a little more familiarity.

Not saying the backs didn't have ball is weird, I must have been watching a different game.
Accepted Ospreys did a number on us defensively but we did nothing to attempt to really deconstruct their defense due to the factors mentioned by dera and Lw7.

[BaggyTrousers]

Just read the comments about the back lines lack of plays and I can explain that quite simply to Lw7 and Deraless.

It was a different backline put out with completely different combinations from previous weeks.
Only Pj and Ludik were in the same positions as last week.
That means different lines of running and styles of play to come together as a unit.
Giving everyone a game and squad rotation is one thing but doing it wholesale is going to be at a cost to cohesion.

Appreciate that training can help familiarity but it's only really in game time where combinations and relationships can be forged.

The key is to limit rotating to a couple of backs per week but any more than that you will be struggling with cohesion issues.

Appreciate this week there were injuries in the midfield that needed addressing but it was therefore important to keep consistency elsewhere, especially against a quality side like the Ospreys.
Lesson learned I hope.

As you say, most of the rotation was enforced. Could have started Ruan but it was nice to give him a bit of time off and give beagle a run out. Cave and Jared have hardly played this season never mind in those positions so no wonder they didn't click in attack or defense. Given how little decent ball the backs got I don't actually think it mattered too much how they rejigged the backline.

Utter rubbish. There were options available that would not have required Piutau, Payne, Cave to change position from where they played against Weegies, Henderson was forced, Piennar & Big Licence omitted, not forced.

You really never think it through do you?

[ruckover]

You can't have forced rotation. If you're forced to rotate, it means you're changing the team, not rotating. Rotation is Marshall starting when Pienaar is available. Forced rotation is Diack coming in for an injured Henderson.