Ulster v Zebre Round 16 Friday March 19th 8:15pm KO

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Another game spoiled by officials. Hats off to Zebre for their never say die attitude and at least trying to make a game of it!

Can't disagree with Zebre's attitude, but the match wasn't spoiled by officials, it was spoiled by a young #16 taking a cheap shot at John Cooney, and paying the penalty, with severe repercussions for his team. It was noticable that when he went off the pitch and tried to plead innocence with his teammates and coaches, one of them gave him short shrift in true Italian style and stormed away from him. He knew the mountain his team now faced.

[pip14]

Stewart Moore is mehh

Bring back Marshall

[kingofthehill]

Stewart Moore is mehh

Bring back Marshall

You’re looking a rise

[Hans Indaruck]

Another game spoiled by officials. Hats off to Zebre for their never say die attitude and at least trying to make a game of it!

Can't disagree with Zebre's attitude, but the match wasn't spoiled by officials, it was spoiled by a young #16 taking a cheap shot at John Cooney, and paying the penalty, with severe repercussions for his team. It was noticable that when he went off the pitch and tried to plead innocence with his teammates and coaches, one of them gave him short shrift in true Italian style and stormed away from him. He knew the mountain his team now faced.

Can’t agree that it was a ‘cheap shot’ but will agree to disagree with you on that (we would have felt aggrieved a la Warwick). I would have agreed a ‘yellow’ however, that aside Brace and his team missed a lot of infringements (several forward passes for example and a whean of offsides). All in all not an enjoyable game!

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Another game spoiled by officials. Hats off to Zebre for their never say die attitude and at least trying to make a game of it!

Can't disagree with Zebre's attitude, but the match wasn't spoiled by officials, it was spoiled by a young #16 taking a cheap shot at John Cooney, and paying the penalty, with severe repercussions for his team. It was noticable that when he went off the pitch and tried to plead innocence with his teammates and coaches, one of them gave him short shrift in true Italian style and stormed away from him. He knew the mountain his team now faced.

Can’t agree that it was a ‘cheap shot’ but will agree to disagree with you on that (we would have felt aggrieved a la Warwick). I would have agreed a ‘yellow’ however, that aside Brace and his team missed a lot of infringements (several forward passes for example and a whean of offsides). All in all not an enjoyable game!

I thought Brace had one of his better games - aside from not knowing that they needed to lose another player from going uncontested.

As for the red card, all he did was apply the laws as laid down by world rugby. we can agree or disagree with those as they stand, but the guy with the whistle is supposed to go by what those laws say, and if that means a deliberate elbow to the head is red, then he has no option but to show him red.

And that is what it was in my view - a deliberate blow to the head with his elbow as he followed through. Was it excessively forceful? Not really, although you could see Cooney's head whip back from the contact, but that is immaterial - it was a deliberate act of foul play to the head. Red card.

I agree it ruined the game, said so at the time to my son, but I blame the player, not the ref.

[Bobbievee]

Has anyone spotted when Lowry grounded it yet?

Nope
Obviously we have stayed playing the American Football version of rugby. Just get over the line acrobatically!

[Hans Indaruck]

Another game spoiled by officials. Hats off to Zebre for their never say die attitude and at least trying to make a game of it!

Can't disagree with Zebre's attitude, but the match wasn't spoiled by officials, it was spoiled by a young #16 taking a cheap shot at John Cooney, and paying the penalty, with severe repercussions for his team. It was noticable that when he went off the pitch and tried to plead innocence with his teammates and coaches, one of them gave him short shrift in true Italian style and stormed away from him. He knew the mountain his team now faced.

Can’t agree that it was a ‘cheap shot’ but will agree to disagree with you on that (we would have felt aggrieved a la Warwick). I would have agreed a ‘yellow’ however, that aside Brace and his team missed a lot of infringements (several forward passes for example and a whean of offsides). All in all not an enjoyable game!

I thought Brace had one of his better games - aside from not knowing that they needed to lose another player from going uncontested.

As for the red card, all he did was apply the laws as laid down by world rugby. we can agree or disagree with those as they stand, but the guy with the whistle is supposed to go by what those laws say, and if that means a deliberate elbow to the head is red, then he has no option but to show him red.

And that is what it was in my view - a deliberate blow to the head with his elbow as he followed through. Was it excessively forceful? Not really, although you could see Cooney's head whip back from the contact, but that is immaterial - it was a deliberate act of foul play to the head. Red card.

I agree it ruined the game, said so at the time to my son, but I blame the player, not the ref.

As you and I both know - in bygone days it would have gone without sanction. It’s a game of fine margins but I think World Rugby have gone too far in making it a black or white issue. I suppose I blame officialdom rather than the officials per se. Yes we have to protect players from dangerous foul play but it is nigh impossible to judge the measure of intent involved in many incidents. In general the game has become over analysed to it’s detriment!
That’s just my three ha’pence worth anyway!

[big mervyn]

Has anyone spotted when Lowry grounded it yet?

Nope
Obviously we have stayed playing the American Football version of rugby. Just get over the line acrobatically!

Thought it strange that Lowry didn't make a point of grounding it after the tumble over the line. He wasn't under any pressure. Didn't look grounded to me but he obviously was happy enough with it.

[justinr73]

I hate sky. It will be the same dossers. Ferris Robson et al.

I see Ferris mouthing off about restrictions on golf. Great player but hard to listen to.

Ferris has been crying non stop like a spoilt child about golf.

When he wasn’t doing that, he was claiming he remembered Jimi Hendrix.

Who died 15 years before 1F was born.

[Dave]

I hate sky. It will be the same dossers. Ferris Robson et al.

I see Ferris mouthing off about restrictions on golf. Great player but hard to listen to.

Ferris has been crying non stop like a spoilt child about golf.

When he wasn’t doing that, he was claiming he remembered Jimi Hendrix.

Who died 15 years before 1F was born.

Some people should not be allowed social media.

[justinr73]

Beagle isn’t bad on screen.

Similar height to most breakfast TV presenters too. Apart from that one who used to do Football Focus.

[Dave]

As long as he's not playing rugby he's quite good.

[rumncoke]

From an experience point of view I suppose it may have given some a feel for the weight and pace of PRO14 but not the pressure of a tight game where mistakes lose matches. Too many playing like headless chickens going for gaps that didn't exist.

I thought it was entertaining-- but a competitive game-- never after the card .

Illegal use of the elbow was always a red card -- a forearm may be a mistake, a swing elbow is never an mistake, while Treadwell had a good game he like most players will have to learn to hand off rather than run at people forearm first -- it is so easy to get the elbow in the wrong place -- and a red card is a game changer.

You can bet your life that if there is any doubt at all the referee will go for the red --- and let the panel then lessen any subsequent suspension if the doubt persists. ( unless your Leinster )

[UlsterNo9]

Classic case of pro players not knowing what it's like on a Saturday morning and the opposition have only 12 with a guy who is working but can get there by kick off so his club can field 13 to allow the game to proceed

You don't beat 13 men by just going wide. You suck them in with rucks until they have to commit too many and then you exploit the space.

The aul mantra.... earn the right to go wide

[TopPoster]

I’d suggest if that was Mexico 2nds or 3rds playing against that 13/14 man Zebre outfit, they’d have put a century on them.

Scoreline flattered, it was a messy error strewn performance and I was disappointed not to see the young pups stepping up with a slicker game. Perhaps whilst they knew there’s already no places to play for against Quins as XV already in stone, they felt pressure trying to showcase for bigger parts in the rainbow cup or next season.