Ulster Vs Benetton Fri 25th @ 7.35pm Live Freesports

[OneMore]

I thought Owens, in general, was very poor. Standard showing where he tries to let as much go as he can to the point that he simply doesn't enforce the rules. The PT was the right decision at that point. I can't comment on the preceding penalty, I didn't see it.

[Jetstream]

I agree. You must enforce the rules. He let too much go.

[Dave]

High tackles are invisible to him.

[Dave]

Tonight showed why we need NIQs that Joe cannot touch. The team tonight lacked any real quality. We will go nowhere with Burns and wee dave.

Bob Lyttle was the only player who looked dangerous.

[OneMore]

Tonight showed why we need NIQs that Joe cannot touch. The team tonight lacked any real quality. We will go nowhere with Burns and wee dave.

Bob Lyttle was the only player who looked dangerous.

Agreed. We could carry Burns, if we had Pienaar at 9. We could play Shanahan if we had a decent out half (dare I say it, Paddy Jackson). There's no one to run the game.

Shanahan, Burns, Stu as a 9-10-12 combo can do some things well, but the game management isn't there. Addison on the field helps here, brings some cohesion.

The Burns experiment has failed. Put Lowry at 10 and stop persisting with a struggling Billy Burns. Maybe BB could yet come good, but give him a break give him the last 20 for a few games on the bounce.

[justinr73]

High tackles are invisible to him.

There were a few but none with any really force or malice.

[OneMore]

High tackles are invisible to him.

There were a few but none with any really force or malice.

Are tackles in the air OK if they don't have any real force or malice?

[Jetstream]

High is high.

[justinr73]

Tonight showed why we need NIQs that Joe cannot touch. The team tonight lacked any real quality. We will go nowhere with Burns and wee dave.

Bob Lyttle was the only player who looked dangerous.

Agreed. We could carry Burns, if we had Pienaar at 9. We could play Shanahan if we had a decent out half (dare I say it, Paddy Jackson). There's no one to run the game.

Shanahan, Burns, Stu as a 9-10-12 combo can do some things well, but the game management isn't there. Addison on the field helps here, brings some cohesion.

The Burns experiment has failed. Put Lowry at 10 and stop persisting with a struggling Billy Burns. Maybe BB could yet come good, but give him a break give him the last 20 for a few games on the bounce.

Playing him when he was fit would be a start.

Bobby Brittle has definitely got something. Think he’s out of contract in the summer but he should be signed up again.

[justinr73]

High is high.

I like a game to flow.

Nobody got hurt.

[justinr73]

High tackles are invisible to him.

There were a few but none with any really force or malice.

Are tackles in the air OK if they don't have any real force or malice?

When did he let one of those go?

[OneMore]

High tackles are invisible to him.

There were a few but none with any really force or malice.

Are tackles in the air OK if they don't have any real force or malice?

When did he let one of those go?

He didn't that I saw. But my point was that that isn't a defence of Owens not calling high tackles. I prefer players not to make high tackles. Its not the refs fault if they do - it's his fault if it keeps happening when he doesn't call it.

[justinr73]

I understand your point but the game tonight was played in the right way and nobody took inappropriate advantage of Nigel’s interpretation of the laws.

Nothing referred upstairs, nobody hurt, no yellows. Just a competitive game of rugby with a good pace and a thrilling, and unexpected, finale.

What’s not to like?

[Jetstream]

I like a game played to the rules.

[Amiga500]

Nige wasn't the reason we were so bad tonight. Its only an empty excuse blaming him.

Poor play pretty much from 1 to 15. Loads of perspiration, not enough application.

We looked slightly better in the last 10 minutes when Lowry was acting as first receiver and Billy Burns moved further out the line - I'd expect that was because Lowry was holding the midfield defence drift that extra half second even if he was just passing the ball on.

Jonny Stewart speeding up play from the ruck also helped too - although he made a pretty shocking attempt at a tackle for their 2nd try.