Connacht v Ulster Fri 23rd Dec 7:35pm RTE2 / Viaplay Sports 2 / Super Sport / URC TV

[Dave]

I Doak was decent. We saw the odd flat pass. Billy just doesn't do them. I think Aki is a massive fraud. The most overrated player in Ireland.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

The injuries are mounting up. I thought Luke was our best back. Murphy was not offering any protection to the players. These guys will have a substantial case if they begin to experience neurological symptoms in later life.

Plenty back for Munster match


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What about Stockdale, Baloucoune and postlewaithe.

Ulster need more power/pace in the back 3. Lyttle, Mcilroy and Lowry are just too small as a trio.

I like McIlroy. He's a useful squad player who will get plenty of game time, but I can't help thinking if Baloucoune had made that interception last night, he wouldn't have been caught and would have found a way to score a try.

Rob Lyttle always performs well too and is an excellent finisher, often in the tight spaces.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

It's quite a backline we've got injured at the minute, just need a scrum half...

9.?
10. Burns
11. Stockdale
12. Marshall
13. Hume
14. Baloucoune
15. Addison

Hope you haven't just jinxed Stu.

[Columbo]

The injuries are mounting up. I thought Luke was our best back. Murphy was not offering any protection to the players. These guys will have a substantial case if they begin to experience neurological symptoms in later life.

Plenty back for Munster match


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What about Stockdale, Baloucoune and postlewaithe.

Ulster need more power/pace in the back 3. Lyttle, Mcilroy and Lowry are just too small as a trio.

I like McIlroy. He's a useful squad player who will get plenty of game time, but I can't help thinking if Baloucoune had made that interception last night, he wouldn't have been caught and would have found a way to score a try.

Rob Lyttle always performs well too and is an excellent finisher, often in the tight spaces.

Yes there’s absolutely no question that Baloucoune would have been gone on that intercept. In fact I think the same is true of Lyttle (and Sexton of course), and even Stockdale. I’d love to see the stats, but Mcilroys Achilles heel is definitely his out and out pace. Smashing footballer though, and very good defender. I agree too on Rob Lyttle, very under-rated player IMO..

[jean valjean]

Mcilroy might be better suited to 15 longer term where absolute gas is not required. He is decent in the air and has a good step which invariably beats the first man; always a useful tool for a full back.

[StandUp]

Mcilroy might be better suited to 15 longer term where absolute gas is not required. He is decent in the air and has a good step which invariably beats the first man; always a useful tool for a full back.

But can’t kick for toffee.

[solidarity]

PS, did anyone else notice Shanners when he came on? Did I imagine it, or did he do his hamstring almost as soon as he came on?

Yep, he was struggling for the rest of the game.

Oh, and merry Christmas everybody.

[UlsterNo9]

Mcilroy might be better suited to 15 longer term where absolute gas is not required. He is decent in the air and has a good step which invariably beats the first man; always a useful tool for a full back.

Much to like about young McIlroy. He has smarts beyond his years. Reads the game well, timing in the tackle is often immaculate. There's an honesty in his play.

Would liken him to Louis Ludik, shares a lot of his traits. If he turns out on par with Louis he's a utility player that any squad could do with.

[Dave]

That offload from McIlroy in a tight space really opened things up in the build up to Lyttle's try. Nice skill young man.

[ljsulster]

If mcilroy had top end pace he would be one of the best back 3 players in the world

[CIMANFOREVER]

To quote Dharper:

"As I mentioned on the LAR thread, I’d have Moore at 15 over Lowry at moment. He’s running it back like Rob Kearney at the moment, stepping miles from contact committing no one, and dropping his pace in the process, and his panic’d last second crap pass to no one shows his lack of confidence / clear thinking."

Agree. Moore has something of Darren Cave about him. Smart player, but my concern is there's too much emphasis on utility back about him. Centre is reasonably well covered. Start him on a run at FB- I'm not convinced about Mike at FB anyway. Given where we are with 10, ie Burns ( not Champions cup standard) and who else? Why not give Lowry a run at 10, even against the teams from the lower half of the table. Burns has been flogged and seems to have played through injuries in fairness.
Sometimes I think we try to shoehorn all these ball players on the park without thought to balance and specialism.

Ref our current injury profile across the backs- doubtful we'll ever get a fully fit and firing first choice 9-15 from our current squad in my lifetime . This has been an Ulster "if only" for at least a decade. Pessimistically you got to think at least some of those out long term won't make or will never be the same pre injury. Ferris saga comes to mind. A strong squad on paper does not equate to the pitch.

[CIMANFOREVER]

If mcilroy had top end pace he would be one of the best back 3 players in the world

Trouble is, if the rest of his game is off, he doesn't have pure pace to fall back on. It's a cruel irony for a winger.

[Dave]

If mcilroy had top end pace he would be one of the best back 3 players in the world

On the cans already?

[StandUp]

If mcilroy had top end pace he would be one of the best back 3 players in the world

F&ck me….

[ljsulster]

Maybe I’m getting a bit ahead of myself but he’s got excellent skills and he’s a smart and technically solid defender. If only he had Sextons pace