Season review-positives and negatives

[jackthelad]

We need to address the academy's inability to produce forwards and scrum halves.


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If you don't put them in - e.g. Chris Taylor.. and don't give them games you end up with disenchanted young men who see little worth in what they are doing. No leadership, little interest shown and feck all rugby.

[Russ]

Cromie. Is he one that got away?

[Spodo Komodo]

Anyone notice we were bottom of the Pro12 Fair Play League this year? 10 yellows, 2 reds and 4 upheld citings. For "Fair Play" read "Poor Discipline" For "Poor Discipline" read "Poor Coaching". It cost us at key moments this season.

[bazzaj]

Anyone notice we were bottom of the Pro12 Fair Play League this year? 10 yellows, 2 reds and 4 upheld citings. For "Fair Play" read "Poor Discipline" For "Poor Discipline" read "Poor Coaching". It cost us at key moments this season.

In fairness didn`t need a table to tell us what we already knew

[rumncoke]

Does anyone believe Ulster are a dirty rugby team ? Does anyone believe Ulster cheat? Cheat more often than other sides ? I for one don't and given the injuries inflicted on Ulster players I have little doubt some teams have been lucky in not being cited during the season past .
Yellow cards are a lottery at the best of times and frequently farcical and petty and more the product of excessive ego being shown by referees than foul play .

Many reflect the sort of give a dog a bad name situation and referees falling in with a preconceived notion .

Red cards are something else - Deccie lost it and the red was an unavoidable consequence .
I have in the past highlighted the stupidity of going into a ruck at pace at best it will only result in a penalty but frequently could easily result in a card for dangerous play . Rather than try to disrupt the recycle protect the fringe and ensure the player does not make the gain line .

My conclusion is that the major failing has been the lack of leadership on the field and the inability to collectively retain focus and concentration being the major factor to giving penalties at the wrong time and allowing that to disrupt the collective concentration further

Eg last Friday a bad referees decision gave away one penalty followed quickly by a second and a team who had the game within its grasp and in command in the opposition half was quickly defending repeated attacks within 5 metres of their line .
Their concentration was gone




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[BuckRogers]

Strangely rum I largely agree. The Matawalu penalty was frustrating but the second penalty was just another example of the collective stupidity that seems to afflict almost all of our players at one point or another.

[bazzaj]

I don't think we're dirty I think we're thick.
That table accurately reflects intelligence levels.

[Deraless]

We need to address the academy's inability to produce forwards and scrum halves.


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If you don't put them in - e.g. Chris Taylor.. and don't give them games you end up with disenchanted young men who see little worth in what they are doing. No leadership, little interest shown and feck all rugby.

Taylor was mentioned recently at the recent Doak/Bryn URSC soundbyte evening.
Their synopsis. Not up to it in the big boys league. International U20 props are about 3rd XV club standard and get their arses handed to them if promoted too quickly.

[Setanta]

Someone mentioned 10+ leaving; I have only six definites -
Heaney - ??? Andrew - Nottingham Fitzpatrick - retired Butterworth and Adair - Jersey and Allen - Edinburgh
Anyone know more?

[Kofi Annan]

Someone mentioned 10+ leaving; I have only six definites -
Heaney - ??? Andrew - Nottingham Fitzpatrick - retired Butterworth and Adair - Jersey and Allen - Edinburgh
Anyone know more?

Raymaaker, McComish, McCombe, the crap temp signings,

[Setanta]

The two McCs - is that definite or just wishful thinking?

[rorybestsbigbaldnoggin]

I've no idea. I'm gonna guess the academy. If you get a group of talented players in you should be able to churn out a few second rows.


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O' Connor

Not our academy alone, though? . . . Leinster schools, was he invovled with Leinster age-grades or Academy too?

[scrum5]

Players leaving this season for one reason or another are Michael Heaney( Doncaster), Neil McComb ( no club), Mike McComish (no club), Ricky Andrew (Notts), Charlie Butterworth(Jersey), Declan Fitzpatrick (retired), Michael Allen (Edinburgh), James Simpson(?), Ross Adair(Jersey), Michael Stanley( short term contract up ) I have also heard Hairy Dave is going and there was talk that Sean Reidy was going but UR may have decided against it now. That by my reckoning is 11 also a question mark over Conor Joyce who UR think is too lightweight.

[Snipe Watson]

Players leaving this season for one reason or another are Michael Heaney( Doncaster), Neil McComb ( no club), Mike McComish (no club), Ricky Andrew (Notts), Charlie Butterworth(Jersey), Declan Fitzpatrick (retired), Michael Allen (Edinburgh), James Simpson(?), Ross Adair(Jersey), Michael Stanley( short term contract up ) I have also heard Hairy Dave is going and there was talk that Sean Reidy was going but UR may have decided against it now. That by my reckoning is 11 also a question mark over Conor Joyce who UR think is too lightweight.

That's a lot of shoes for four guys to fill, especially as two of them appear to be Butterworthesque punts.

[scrum5]

That's what I thought Snipe but the truth is there's no one there apart from Deccie who you'd miss, time for the academy lads to sink or swim and I don't think that's a bad thing