Stormers v Ulster Saturday March 30th 5:15pm Viaplay Sports

[rumncoke]

The Stormers were a fit physical outfit who concentrated a rush defence at Doak who was identified as a green out half he was looking at three closing on him in the first 10 -15 minutes the pressure was ease by putting the ball wide .

and keeping play in the stomers half -- come half time the roles were reversed with Ulster finding it hard to get out of their own half -- opting to kick long allowed the Stormers to run it back kicking for touch gave the Stormers the throw in and possession .

Which makes me think Ulster were playing with the wind in the first half and against it the second -- OK the wind may not have been strong but strong enough to make running into it difficult.

The Stormers are a fluid team with normally good handling skills quick off loads and support for the man with the ball. that they failed to score until late in the second half says a great deal for the pressure Ulster were applying to the ball carriers leading to bad timing and mishandling .

The team against the Sharks was a "DAN" side but with injuries and absentees It is hard to assess as to whether the team against the Stormers was a Murphy select.

[allezlesverres]

The Stormers were loose and erratic because they were put under pressure.

We weren't great either but what we did have was heart and attitude in abundance something severely lacking this season.

Yesterday was a step in the right direction. Felt like a win in some ways. Corner turned, no. Can we now see the corner... I think so.

Agreed. It's a weird flex to minimise every opposition but some will try. A plucky defeat but much improved from recent times and considering how poor the squad is.

It’s pretty superficial to analyse a game from the perspective or performance of one side only.

And fairly patronising to talk of a side that’s beaten Leinster away, Racing and Munster this season like a Dragons, Zebre or a school team.

Felt like a win? Seriously?

Make our tackles, win our lineouts, catch our passes, cut out the silly pens and that game was in the bag.

We scored 7 points against a side having a major off day.

I’d love to know how Dan would have been judged on that performance, not least not leaving his spare 9 and 10 on the bench when we couldn’t get out of our half in the second period.

Don't think that's fair Justin. We were heavy underdogs against a much better team, and we were away. We almost won it but scoreline aside some of our players really moved up a gear. Baloucoune had his best performance this season. Others also did v well. No shame in defeat if you acquit yourselves well which I think we did.

[justinr73]

I get that we looked a bit better, tried hard and nearly won. Slightly less nearly than our two previous visits to the Stormers admittedly.

It was not, however, a “brilliant performance” as has been stated above. Tom Shanklin opined that Leinster would have beaten the Stormers easily. I agree with him.

We were heavier underdogs against a genuinely much better team away in Dublin and actually won.

Looking at why we didn’t win in Cape Town is what interests me and where the value is.

Great to see Bob threaten on occasions again.

He was, in fact, our most prolific carrier and probably our best chance of a player giving us some front foot ball.

We even tried to get him involved in the middle of the pitch. But only the once that I spotted.

[Big-al]

This is a very different ulster team in a very different place than the one from 2 seasons ago.

They hit rock bottom only a few weeks ago. Since the Leinster collapse last season things have been very poor.

[Dave]

The stormers weren't that bad. Very robust and physical in defence. They were not there for the taking. It was a huge effort to keep the game so close. Their attack didn't click but they did have the luxury of bringing on quality players. We swapped the Rea bros, ffs. We only have one current international (starting or benching) he wants out though.

They’ve only got three and one of them is very hit and miss. Quality on the bench? Loader?

We’d beaten six Saffer teams on the spin until this tour, lest we forget.

Loader would have started for us. Malherbe would start for Ireland. Adre Smith is a beast. We have no 10.

[Dave]

This I agree with but who said "brilliant performance?

[CIMANFOREVER]

The stormers weren't that bad. Very robust and physical in defence. They were not there for the taking. It was a huge effort to keep the game so close. Their attack didn't click but they did have the luxury of bringing on quality players. We swapped the Rea bros, ffs. We only have one current international (starting or benching) he wants out though.

They’ve only got three and one of them is very hit and miss. Quality on the bench? Loader?

We’d beaten six Saffer teams on the spin until this tour, lest we forget.

Loader would have started for us. Malherbe would start for Ireland. Adre Smith is a beast. We have no 10.

Roos....

[justinr73]

The stormers weren't that bad. Very robust and physical in defence. They were not there for the taking. It was a huge effort to keep the game so close. Their attack didn't click but they did have the luxury of bringing on quality players. We swapped the Rea bros, ffs. We only have one current international (starting or benching) he wants out though.

They’ve only got three and one of them is very hit and miss. Quality on the bench? Loader?

We’d beaten six Saffer teams on the spin until this tour, lest we forget.

Loader would have started for us. Malherbe would start for Ireland. Adre Smith is a beast. We have no 10.

Roos....

He got turned over six times according to the stats I saw, partially explained by their sloppiness and our tenacity.

Presumably, Murphy will have noticed that our main problem is that we don’t have any ball carriers.

How we get around that is the issue.

[CIMANFOREVER]

What do we feel is an acceptable outcome from today's game. I really can't see an LBP here.

Me: Wilson more game time to challenge himself, but I worry about no Hendo locking behind him. I wonder if this is part of Fogartys remit? It would make sense if the FIRFU see Wilson as a potential future international; It would also make sense in the context of TOT going to LH, and both starting.
That the cubs play well- Fogarty mentors Stewart..
Our senior players, what's left of them, stand up at last
RB and the rest of our underperforming back line finds some form and confidence
Mad Lad starts to show a return for the considerable funds invested in him and shows some leadership against his former team.
That it goes well for Doak at 10, enough for us to roll the dice and let him have at it. Same maybe for Lowry eventually because atm he's a luxury back 3 player in a team that can't afford them. He's also unconvincing as either a wing or15.
That we leave everything on the pitch and make sure they've been in a game for 80 mins. And we aren't humiliated.

The gulf between us and the rest of the top 8 is big imo. If we finish top 8, I'd take that. EPCR qualification and at least 1 playoff would be what I'd take in a heartbeat

Wilson, I needn't have worried.
Cubs went very well by and large. Interestingly none really lost form under DF? Maybe its a grown up thing rather than gen Z
TS needs serious skills coaching at lineout time- and ditto Rob. Obviously why so called skills coach Newby is going. I hope Fogarty gets some serious time with the pack.
RB at last showing what he can do AND compete and take a Garryowen two handed.... our best carrier I believe?

Again 3-4 penalties between TOT and SK... SK showed little. If he goes, no worries as long as we invest the money properly.

Poor decision making and penalty count kills us. That's ths sign we were under serious pressure two weeks in a row against decent opposition. We've also been done by squad depth. Great having great kids, but we're still reliant on Matty Rea, Treadwell, Mcilroy etc. A fit Ewers, no matter what anyone says, is a step up from Matty. We don't even have AOC atm to add some depth, hence Sheridan out of position.
I repeat Stormers were loose and arrogant- if firing, they would've beaten us by much more. Heres the irony, we killed them on turnovers- 10/4 or similar I heard quoted, although I believe this was mostly knock ons and not genuine groundhog work. And many whilst not under pressure..

So vital LBP but we were never seeing any other return in SA. Sharks biffed Embra so as I said are a decent enough side with their Bokke although shockingly coached.
Our saving Grace is a lot of home fixtures against nearest rivals next up and Scarlets which are winnable and maybe an LBP in Turnipstan and at home to the Magoos. A lot of Teams are going to be playing "10" pointers in that 4-11 band, so we've all to play for and that's what Murphy needs to focus on with the squad. Some injury luck too.

The kids are fighting and spirit seems to have returned but Mac voting with his feet and SK going after 1 season is not a good look.

Murphy needs more in his war chest and hope this is not a dead cat bounce..

So most boxes ticked and some player expectations confirmed.

Still say top 8 and a playoff is a reasonable return given this squad, this season. Murphy needs a couple of seasons and his own coaching staff- not Bell, Newby, Grant etc.. Hopefully Davy sees this.

Thank god for Timotei, Sheridan, Wilson, McCann and AW. We just need more of them...
Step up Ward Mcnabney, Hopes, Crothers, Loughlin, McCormick, Walker etc, plus Issy really putting it in..
Doak needs a run at 10, and the bench sprung- how Flannery is to build confidence I don't know?

[CIMANFOREVER]

The stormers weren't that bad. Very robust and physical in defence. They were not there for the taking. It was a huge effort to keep the game so close. Their attack didn't click but they did have the luxury of bringing on quality players. We swapped the Rea bros, ffs. We only have one current international (starting or benching) he wants out though.

They’ve only got three and one of them is very hit and miss. Quality on the bench? Loader?

We’d beaten six Saffer teams on the spin until this tour, lest we forget.

Loader would have started for us. Malherbe would start for Ireland. Adre Smith is a beast. We have no 10.

Roos....

He got turned over six times according to the stats I saw, partially explained by their sloppiness and our tenacity.

Presumably, Murphy will have noticed that our main problem is that we don’t have any ball carriers.

How we get around that is the issue.

Roos is international quality, as is Buthelezi for Sharks. We had 10/ 11 turnovers but mostly from knock ons etc afaik- one of Roos was when he was short of the line, albeit from a great tackle by McCann. Roos was very erm loose against us... he is top quality. The Stormers in general were arrogant- Dobbo will sort that on the run in. Put it this way, would you take him or Buthelezi if offered? Or no based on one off game? A better side would've beaten an Off Stormers. That's were we are. Celebrate the positives but let's not kid ourselves on the glaring deficiencies; that's how winning sides become serial winners- or do we aspire to being a "set of steak knives" / plucky loosers side like PNE?
In fairness, you've been consistent in challenging any talk of we are brill- I may just disagree on some of the causes

[shamalicious]

I'm surprised at the nonchalance about SK potentially leaving. It means losing 2 looseheads if EOS is also leaving as reported.

That leaves us with Big Licence who probably only has a couple of seasons left in him and Callum Reid who has been injured. Few lads in the Academy but they'll need a few years to develop.

[Dave]

In fairness, you've been consistent in challenging any talk of we are brill

I think we can all agree on this. Anyone thinking we are brill is deluded.

[Dave]

I'm surprised at the nonchalance about SK potentially leaving. It means losing 2 looseheads if EOS is also leaving as reported.

That leaves us with Big Licence who probably only has a couple of seasons left in him and Callum Reid who has been injured. Few lads in the Academy but they'll need a few years to develop.

I think it's working under the delusion that we will be able to spend his considerable wages on more depth or at least a decent 10.

[CIMANFOREVER]

I'm surprised at the nonchalance about SK potentially leaving. It means losing 2 looseheads if EOS is also leaving as reported.

That leaves us with Big Licence who probably only has a couple of seasons left in him and Callum Reid who has been injured. Few lads in the Academy but they'll need a few years to develop.

Sham, agreed, but SK has been little of what we need. And
Reids not the answer.
That's why I said money from SK well invested. A quality LH who is not going to be called up.
SK afaik has shown little or no leadership despite being a double RWC Bok and Stormers Cap'n.

[Neill_M]

I'm surprised at the nonchalance about SK potentially leaving. It means losing 2 looseheads if EOS is also leaving as reported.

That leaves us with Big Licence who probably only has a couple of seasons left in him and Callum Reid who has been injured. Few lads in the Academy but they'll need a few years to develop.

Sham, agreed, but SK has been little of what we need. And
Reids not the answer.
That's why I said money from SK well invested. A quality LH who is not going to be called up.
SK afaik has shown little or no leadership despite being a double RWC Bok and Stormers Cap'n.

All this chat re SK leaving and reinvesting the cash to improve other parts of the squad. This assumes that Ulster are actually the ones paying him. I have read on Facebook that NIQ players in Ireland are paid direct by the IRFU from a separate pot.