Bye Jared

[UlsterNo9]

As an aside the sooner UR can get Hume and Addison fit at 13/15 the sooner you’ll see the best attacking side from Rob B, and Jacob. Hopefully it’ll recreate that Cave/JP combo.

I'm on a tangent but too good a point not to pick up on. Our back three has been very effective this year when you consider we are missing what is perceived as our strongest line up 15 Addision 14 Bobby B 13 Hume 12 McCloskey 11 Stockdale

On Payne..... as a player was world class, he looks to have carried that into his coaching also. Goes about his business with absolutely no fanfare, he'll be missed.

Any replacement will have a lot to live up to. Always rated Jonny Bell during his time here.

[rumncoke]

Our back 3 have been very effective ------- WHAT ??? how many try have the wings score --- from a pass .

The fact is our back line has stuttered all season .. Lowry sparkles like a firework rocket and seldom actual leads to a try -- he gets you off the seat --- and then --- you sit down . Hume labours manfully at outside centre with the odd spot of sunlight falling on him but it is not easy at outside centre in a flat back line when getting man and ball,

McCloskey absorbs defenders makes the gain line only to fine the recycle is stalled .

And the wings founder waiting to field or chase the next box kick .

Effective back line who are you watch London Irish its not Ulster.

Now for JP a very intelligent talented back who could have played in any position in the backline in my opinion who had to wait for BoD to crumble with rusty muscles and dodgy tendons before being selected to play for Ireland such was over estimation of the talent of Kearney -- Whose only saving grace was the ability to play to orders.

He had vision and the experience and ability to read a game to be in the proper position when needed and but only a French idiot giving him a card for a player jumping into him he would have played without being ever sent off for dangerous play .

[Neill_M]

Johnny Bell currently Defence coach at Worcester, joined them this season. Doak returning to the Ulster set up and I understand was defence coach for a time back in the dim and distant past.

[Keyboard Warrior]

Given Ulster's issues in getting the backs involved this season it seems a double blow to have not getting the attack coach role as the reason Payne is away.

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/ ... 35056.html

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Sorry for any repetition - got distracted by Hope Street.

Were you also watching Dry Your Eyes the other night as part of your cultural training?

Two good reasons why BBC NI shouldn't be allowed to make their own programmes. Whoever commissioned those two needs to be kicked across the sheuk with a big pair of aul Baggy's clown shoes.

But to get back to the topic in question, - sorry to see Motorbike man going, but wish him all the best wherever he goes and whatever he does. He really bought into Ulster and was a class player on the pitch. Pity about the injury history - we saw far too little of him, but what we did see was pure gold (one teensie-weensie minor incident with Sorries aside - but hey, no one's perfect).

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Our back 3 have been very effective ------- WHAT ??? how many try have the wings score --- from a pass .

The fact is our back line has stuttered all season .. Lowry sparkles like a firework rocket and seldom actual leads to a try -- he gets you off the seat --- and then --- you sit down . Hume labours manfully at outside centre with the odd spot of sunlight falling on him but it is not easy at outside centre in a flat back line when getting man and ball,

McCloskey absorbs defenders makes the gain line only to fine the recycle is stalled .

And the wings founder waiting to field or chase the next box kick .

But . . . but . . . but, apart from that, our back three have been very effective . . .

[thecrouch]

Given Ulster's issues in getting the backs involved this season it seems a double blow to have not getting the attack coach role as the reason Payne is away.

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/ ... 35056.html

Have we had trouble getting backs involved?

I think my complaint is we get them involved too early. We do one phase up the middle and then try go wide straight away.

[Keyboard Warrior]

Our width isn't there though, we basically use Gilroy and McIlroy as catchers when we want to kick and otherwise leave them to freeze. What we used to do quite successfully under peel was get the ball wide tie up the defence and then move the ball to the other flank through hands. Despite our noticeable increase in ball handling skills from the forwards I couldn't tell you the last time that was attempted.

[Keyboard Warrior]

Clermont from the sounds of it https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/jj ... .html?s=09

[Dharper]

A few observations:

Lowrys defensively looks pretty solid, as he is under the high ball. I think due to his size there will always instinctively be a concern in the “moment” but he gets the job done. There are a few things I’m still unconvinced though and concern me - Rum is correct, lots of half breaks, great footwork low centre of gravity, but apart from some yardage he rarely seems to spark continuity in an attack. Nice presentation when tackled, but he rarely draws/commits a defender then pass on - which as a 10, is for me a big worry. Is this a lack of vision on the ball, a lack of time on the ball - a 10 with distribution/vision-exploitation issues has a big problem. That is why a fit Addison is critical. The idea of Hume Stockdale Balacoune sniffing for offloads off Addison will transform our attack.
The limited amount of Lowry at 10 I’ve seen he has overrun himself. That said a bit more management he could be really dangerous- he needs a run of games to see where he is at. You can’t expect a fella to settle if he’s switched for 15 mins to win a game.

JP to be fair could’ve left at some point in the future away - all the best to him. I accept building a UR identity/culture but I’m a fan of regular outside coaching. I think some people in the past can consider themselves v lucky with contracts for UR when they may not have deserved them (more so players).

I’ll be more critical of the backs when I see the first choice fielded. The pack still has big issues, for me that’s a bigger issue than 10. Hopefully Reffell is a viable starter, and a breakdown nause. I feel we have never really replaced Chris Henry, and our ball quality/speed could be better.

[mea97mb]

Clermont from the sounds of it https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/jj ... .html?s=09

Jono Gibbes shafting us again!

In fairness sounds like we shot ourselves in the foot when Jared wasn't given the attack coach role when Peel left, prompted him to start looking elsewhere.

[Dharper]

A few observations:

Lowrys defensively looks pretty solid, as he is under the high ball. I think due to his size there will always instinctively be a concern in the “moment” but he gets the job done. There are a few things I’m still unconvinced though and concern me - Rum is correct, lots of half breaks, great footwork low centre of gravity, but apart from some yardage he rarely seems to spark continuity in an attack. Nice presentation when tackled, but he rarely draws/commits a defender then pass on - which as a 10, is for me a big worry. Is this a lack of vision on the ball, a lack of time on the ball - a 10 with distribution/vision-exploitation issues has a big problem. That is why a fit Addison is critical. The idea of Hume Stockdale Balacoune sniffing for offloads off Addison will transform our attack.
The limited amount of Lowry at 10 I’ve seen he has overrun himself. That said a bit more management he could be really dangerous- he needs a run of games to see where he is at. You can’t expect a fella to settle if he’s switched for 15 mins to win a game.

JP to be fair could’ve left at some point in the future away - all the best to him. I accept building a UR identity/culture but I’m a fan of regular outside coaching. I think some people in the past can consider themselves v lucky with contracts for UR when they may not have deserved them (more so players).

I’ll be more critical of the backs when I see the first choice fielded. The pack still has big issues, for me that’s a bigger issue than 10. Hopefully Reffell is a viable starter, and a breakdown nause. I feel we have never really replaced Chris Henry, and our ball quality/speed could be better.

Re Clermont what an opportunity for Jared and family. great club, new lifestyle hopefully he smashes it. even the mention of Gibbes in the article slightly gets my blood pressure rising. The fact he went wasn’t an issue for me, it was the Billy bullshit around it. We were an absolute shitshow, at least a 3/4yr job, and he didn’t fancy it - understandable.

[Big Smoke Culchie]

Jonny Bell always said he'd be coming home some day.

[solidarity]

I wonder what his role will be at Clermont. Hardly exchanging like for like.

[UlsterNo9]

Any interest lawds? Bestie most certianly has coaching aspirations, defensive coach seems to be the stepping stone into pro coaching for many