The state of our set piece

Talk about the men in white, and everything Ulster!!

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scrum5
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by scrum5 »

Currently looking for a lock, preferably IQ
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Bogbunny
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by Bogbunny »

Kofi Annan wrote:
Bogbunny wrote:
Kofi Annan wrote:Players can be coached, players can be individually challenged and improved,
True but you can only polish a turd so much
Are you blaming the players ?
Not at all. However no amount of coaching, challenging or improvement will turn some of our starting players into international standard ones unfortunately.

The players are giving their best, however too many are below what we need to get back to the top table. I will still shout my head off for them at every match.
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Columbo
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by Columbo »

Dharper wrote:I really would question after the scrummaging woes last yr - what was the strategy at LH for this season,.....now UR should be accountable for that!! Bryn at the supporters meeting last season stated he expected more from SVDM....clearly something has happened behind the scenes. Why was RAY re signed? to steady the A's scrum at TH in the BI cup run, or is he an emergency LH option.
very much agree with this... it's been obvious for ages now that we desperately need a LHP. I'm not really sure it's a coaching issue - I don't know much about scrummaging, but presumably you can only do so much through coaching, the bottom line is we don't have the raw materials..

As for the lineouts, what a shambles - Best isn't a great thrower, but it's not even just the throwing, everything has been bad the last couple of weeks. Presumably McFarland is coaching lineout, he needs to sort it

I read McF's comments today about recruiting - actually it reads more like a bail-out request to Nucifora / the other provinces... Problem with anyone another province would be willing to let go is that they are generally pretty crap - Nagle etc. Dooley and Byrne are exceptions, if he broadens the search to props - Leinster wouldn't want to lose them, but they can't be happy playing for the reserves.. I think Byrne's contract is up this year, might be worth asking the question.
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BaggyTrousers
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by BaggyTrousers »

Kofi Annan wrote:Players can be coached, players can be individually challenged and improved,
Overnight? You are right of course, my point is we are not going to be brill in a hurry.

Furthermore, you appear to be suggesting to No.9 that he shites or gets off the pot and blame the coaches.

I'm not sure anyone is more responsible than others, but then maybe you know more about what takes place during the week, being estranged from Norn Iron I know feck all but what I'm toul.

I see a few players who seem not close to their best, I see some players who might be up to it given time, games and coaching, I see a few who should be booted out the gate but remain, presumably on the basis that a warm body is preferable to an empty seat at the lunch table, though Hond brings even that into question.

I'm not giving the coaches a free pass, but I just don't know where there is strength and where they are crap, so I'm not making shyte up.

Bryn too cannot have a free pass, I've defended him once or twice and still would because folk, not FOLK, seem to imagine he has a large pot of cash and is not spending it wisely. Folk also assume that he decides who is signed and who isn't and that is bullshite. Hond is firmly at the door of FOLK & A Clarke as far as my info goes. He is also in a tricky spot and notwithstanding the lack of money, Ulster as now positioned is hardly an easy sell, Connacht in many ways is easier never mind Mustard & Linseed.

Somebody tell me what would bring any class player to Ulster? A salary other provinces can also offer? The chance to be part of a church where old fashioned 17th century bullshite is preached? The chance to watch hockey on ice? Ollies? The strict adherence to the Bible & opposition to a wedding for lifters of gentleman's attire?

The place is a shithole, what is the attraction for top players ............or ones not good enough for Mexico or Turnipstan?

Rocks & hard places come to mind.

We are not brill.
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BaggyTrousers
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by BaggyTrousers »

Columbo wrote:
I read McF's comments today about recruiting - actually it reads more like a bail-out request to Nucifora / the other provinces... Problem with anyone another province would be willing to let go is that they are generally pretty crap - Nagle etc. Dooley and Byrne are exceptions, if he broadens the search to props - Leinster wouldn't want to lose them, but they can't be happy playing for the reserves.. I think Byrne's contract is up this year, might be worth asking the question.
Of course, if you had a titter of wit, you would be saying that he is doing exactly the right thing. We have been in similar situations and have attempted to muddle through or gone quietly to that Nucibastard to be told no, sort it out yerslef. So an opening public statement is spot on.

Further, he very clearly does not rule out getting players from any source, there is Deysel's NIQ spot and DMcF clearly says "We're looking at all options because we're very thin there" and "Ideally it would be someone who is Irish qualified who could come in and do a job", perhaps hinting he'd prefer to hold onto the NIQ spot, but "all options" is right.
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by 222toHounslow »

Could anyone list out available IQ locks?
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Dave
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by Dave »

222toHounslow wrote:Could anyone list out available IQ locks?
Nagle
I have my own tv channel, what have you got?
Amiga500
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by Amiga500 »

Any chance of dHumph letting us take Paddy Mac back?

Not a world beater, and I dunno if he's an less injury prone than when he left, but bound to be an upgrade on what we have...
222toHounslow
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by 222toHounslow »

Amiga500 wrote:Any chance of dHumph letting us take Paddy Mac back?

Not a world beater, and I dunno if he's an less injury prone than when he left, but bound to be an upgrade on what we have...
He’d be shît at lock
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by Columbo »

Amiga500 wrote:Any chance of dHumph letting us take Paddy Mac back?

Not a world beater, and I dunno if he's an less injury prone than when he left, but bound to be an upgrade on what we have...
good call - certainly not a regular at Glaws, like you say he's probably not going to tear up trees, but I'd be very glad to see him in the roster at the minute...

As for Irish qualified second rows, with Fardy, Ryan and Toner, the back-ups don't get much action at Leinster, on the flip side they're needed for international windows, and Kearney and Nagle aren't great IMO, and Leinster wouldn't let Molony go. Nobody exciting at the other provinces who they'd be willing to release. Abroad? Jerry Sexton captaining Jersey is Irish I believe, Dave Foley at Pau, there's a guy Frank Bradshaw Ryan at Nevers in Pro D2 who was getting good reviews at the start of the season..
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by Amiga500 »

222toHounslow wrote:
Amiga500 wrote:Any chance of dHumph letting us take Paddy Mac back?

Not a world beater, and I dunno if he's an less injury prone than when he left, but bound to be an upgrade on what we have...
He’d be shît at lock
That he would.

But are our scrum problems really at lock? Indeed, are our lineout problems even at lock?
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by LegsLikeSausages »

Amiga500 wrote:
222toHounslow wrote:
Amiga500 wrote:Any chance of dHumph letting us take Paddy Mac back?

Not a world beater, and I dunno if he's an less injury prone than when he left, but bound to be an upgrade on what we have...
He’d be shît at lock
That he would.

But are our scrum problems really at lock? Indeed, are our lineout problems even at lock?
Gloucester have a huge front row injury crisis (including Paddy Mac). Absolutely no chance they are letting him go if / when he is fit
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Dave
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by Dave »

Any chance dhumph could get us Paddy Jackson back?
I have my own tv channel, what have you got?
Amiga500
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by Amiga500 »

Dave wrote:Any chance dhumph could get us Paddy Jackson back?
Can he lock out a scrum?

Reckon Coetzee could probably throw him a fair height in the air to catch a lineout though...
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Re: The state of our set piece

Post by therealspratt »

Amiga500 wrote:
222toHounslow wrote:
Amiga500 wrote:Any chance of dHumph letting us take Paddy Mac back?

Not a world beater, and I dunno if he's an less injury prone than when he left, but bound to be an upgrade on what we have...
He’d be shît at lock
That he would.

But are our scrum problems really at lock? Indeed, are our lineout problems even at lock?
It seems to me we're being overpowered quite a bit, and this comes in part to my mind from us not really having a tighthead lock. Hendo's a strong boy but when he's playing for Ireland he has Toner providing the ballast in the scrum.

There's a reason why Quinn Roux has a spot in the Ireland squad.
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