Ulster v Connacht Fri Dec 27th 7:35pm

[thecrouch]

Bobby Balacoune been piling on the beef anyway, some size now.

[justinr73]

If bealham escapes a ban for that hit on marcel I'll be surprised. Addison got 4 weeks for less.

It was Paddy Mc.

McBurney hasn’t covered himself in glory tonight. Poor darts and a cheap shot.

[justinr73]

Excellent stuff on the whole.

A few thousand extra fans will have seen what they’ve been missing.

[Jackie Brown]

McBurney's big looping lineouts aren't going to do!

[jean valjean]

If bealham escapes a ban for that hit on marcel I'll be surprised. Addison got 4 weeks for less.

It was Paddy Mc.

McBurney hasn’t covered himself in glory tonight. Poor darts and a cheap shot.

Cheers, wasn't sure from the terrace. Either way was worse than addison's.

[justinr73]

He didn’t have a thirty yard run up though.

I’d be pretty surprised if he’s cited but there’s an argument to say he should have got himself lower.

The worry is that Marcel may have fractured his cheekbone or something.

I saw Louis with a bandage on his ankle. Anyone spot Marcel?

[10 or 15 only]

Great defence, from 33minutes to HT. Very significant. This is where we are improving and perhaps winning games as a result.
Perhaps a bit simplistic assessment but have impressed
in the last few games. Is this all Jarod
Payne?

[justinr73]

Mix of things I would have thought.

Defending the line like that can’t be solely about structure. It’s 15 men fighting for every inch.

To coin a phrase....

[pip14]

Standing out the back of the stand at half time Marcel was taken away in a Ambulance. would they take you to hospital for a HIA?

[justinr73]

Not unless you’d failed the first one fairly spectacularly.

Checking for a facial fracture would be my guess.

[Spiffsson]

The Ulster defence in that game was fantastic. They have taken it to a new level this year.
Luke Marshall does not get anything like enough credit for the work he gets through both in defence and attack.
I see him as Ulster's midfield rock now. He's still pretty mobile for a centre who's built like a prop.

[rumncoke]

A nice win with a referee who had his moments of failure and pettiness.

Failure to review the Marcel high hit -- which should have been a card -- with damage it could have inflicted -- it should have been red

Pettiness -- Herrings yellow -- yes he was wrong side and caught and unable to move --it is the latter fact makes the card petty .

Not to sure that everything in their approach to the line out was legal -- when your line out fails to that extent in the modern game -- imho they were jumping across the line -- barging but --Connaught did it well and got away with it.

Moan over

With injuries occurring once the bonus point was secure and Ulster dominating field position the essential subs were made quickly -- front row -- Treadwell - Burns and Cooney -- but enough playing time to try out a few back line moves .

Loops are fine in my book except they can be non productive if players run across the pitch -- because when the wings finally get the ball they lack the space to attack effectively .

Personally I prefer an additional midfielder running straight towards the try line -- at pace -- either with or without the ball feeding the wing with a long bass .

Second moan over

Good win against what was a toothless Connaught backline who with their forwards defended well against an Ulster side which failed to exploit possession from the touchline within the 5 metres of the line --- something Leinster never do and a failure which would be costly against better opposition .

Moan 3

[big mervyn]

I think to some extent Herring probably played the price for an accumulation of pens in the red zone.

For once, the "Band's" renditipn of "the Great Escape" towards the end of that marathon defensive effort was entirely appropriate

[Vanhelsing]

Well deserved result,defense was awesome.

[widerball]

Any news of a possible citing?