Rainbow Cup

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

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Silverstu
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by Silverstu »

Big-al wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 10:11 pm Ulster lack a lot of power up front.

EOS s having a poor season, the 2 THs don't seem to be improving. Herring is quality but isn't the big ball carrier we need. He would be perfect in the leinster pack, whilst Kelleher would be perfect up at Ulster. Henderson partner is just very average, whoever he may be.

Murphy and Reidy are showing their age in 2021, whilst Timoney would be lucky to be a squad player in Leinster or Munster. Rea Snr would be in the AIL.

McCloskey is having his worst ever season, looks slow and lazy. Burn is a nothing player, back 3 and Hume have done alright IMO.
Its all down to the nippers coming through suits vital they are persisted with and developed. Fez talking about the lack of quality in the Ulster team is accurate- we have a lot of good players, we need more excellent players, especially in the pack, the backline has some cracking players already with more coming through.

EoS has been overplayed with Jack McGrath being out, McGrath would have made a big difference this season, Reid looks like he could step up and take the load off EoS.
Tom Stewart could be Herrings understudy - he looked excellent in the U20s, need to see if he can step up, injury has probably been the main cause of his lack of game time.
ToT is coming along, will big G come good? There is Oscar Egan coming through as well, although likely to be a year or two before he's ready for first team.
Izzy, if he returns to fitness could be Hendies partner in the row, seems like a prospect and got a good bit of exposure before the injury, fingers crossed he comes back, good if not stronger after his injury.
Back row - another preseason could turn McCann into a first team starter, Rea Jr I'm a fan of and I think he needs game time- looks to be a smart, tough player and ha transformed himself into a very good open side, plus Crothers is coming along as well. There is also Alison- I presume he's struggled a bit with injuries - hopefully he can come good.
Half backs- persist with Lowry and see what Doak can do at 9, maybe have a look at McKee and Finlay.
In terms of 12 - Moore got a good deal of exposure, looks like a talent- especially if his defence can keep improving also Hume needs to be able step out of McCloskey's shadow and he seems to be heading that way. Postlethwaite is supposed to be similar to McCloskey- big , physical and athletic - maybe he will will be a more like for like replacement.

Those lads come good, the future isn't so grim, but thats a big if and needs a bit of luck and hard work form the players and coaches, I really hope they keep playing those lads through these last few games, we aren't going to win anything now we may as well develop the guys so we are in a better place next season.
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Dave
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by Dave »

Bi-gal likes to slate players he doesn't like with overly dramatic statements. EOS has been good again this year. As good a loosehead prospect as we have seen through the academy. He got his Ireland call up too this season. Hopefully McGrath will come back at some point but I definitely want to see more of Reid. The loosehead stocks have been far worse in recent memory. Warwick and McCall with a non playing NIQ. McGrath, EOS, Reid and Warwick is certainly better. Tighthead again - we have seen it much worse.
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UlsterNo9
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by UlsterNo9 »

Dave wrote: Mon May 10, 2021 11:47 am Bi-gal likes to slate players he doesn't like with overly dramatic statements. EOS has been good again this year. As good a loosehead prospect as we have seen through the academy. He got his Ireland call up too this season. Hopefully McGrath will come back at some point but I definitely want to see more of Reid. The loosehead stocks have been far worse in recent memory. Warwick and McCall with a non playing NIQ. McGrath, EOS, Reid and Warwick is certainly better. Tighthead again - we have seen it much worse.
You took the words right out of my mouth, only one point to add to that, EOS got flogged to death since McGarths injury woe, if McGrath had of been available EOS would have played fewer minutes resulting in him being a lot fresher for key games post Christmas.
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UlsterNo9
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by UlsterNo9 »

A tight five of EOS, TS, TOT, IH and CI in the next 3/4 seasons is as good a tight five as we've had in a long time. Appreciate I'm taking a punt on Izzy, seen enough of Stewart to know already he's very special. Props don't matter to their latter years, EOS and TOT are seasons ahead of schedule.
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rumncoke
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by rumncoke »

I would judge nothing in the last couple of matches in the Rainbow Pisspot to be honest .

The players had little interest before the leicester game and having lost to Connaught nobody was setting out to die in the effort to win against Munster

Provided the backs can stay free of injury and we fine an out half of the quality of PJ then the back are fine -- but sh-t happens -- without Balacoune Addison and Marshall for most of the season and playing naive ex school boys outside McCloskey doesn't help the immediate cause.

I have serious doubts about Lowry being the answer at out half -- defensively he is weak -- defence requires courage yes but -- courage alone is not enough.

Tackling and defence are not one and the same thing -- Defence is the art of ensuring the opposition don't get over the gain line with ball in hand -- if they do then the defence has lost ground, lost momentum and may have lost shape behind the gain you are tackling and try to reorganise your defensive line.

Similar he can provide the opposition with penalties when he becomes isolated and his size can become a need for protection by the back row and thus an additional responsibility for the back row.

No ulster's problem is insufficient quality forwards you need to be in the position of leinster to compete they at 16 forwards not nine or ten. average players with one or two with quality I am not trying to belittle the effort of the Ulster forwards but the fact is they have to play out of their skins every week to compete.
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thecrouch
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by thecrouch »

UlsterNo9 wrote: Mon May 10, 2021 2:54 pm A tight five of EOS, TS, TOT, IH and CI in the next 3/4 seasons is as good a tight five as we've had in a long time. Appreciate I'm taking a punt on Izzy, seen enough of Stewart to know already he's very special. Props don't matter to their latter years, EOS and TOT are seasons ahead of schedule.
Our starting pack the last time we were good:

T Court
R Best
J Afoa
J Muller (capt)
D Tuohy
S Ferris
C Henry
P Wannenburg.

Only Henderson from our current side gets anywhere near this team (and Coetzee if he was staying).

While our current pack is better than the dross we've had the past decade, it's nowhere near the level of our team in 2012.
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Big-al
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by Big-al »

2014 ulster side was personally the best ulster side of the pro era for me

1. Court
2. Best
3. Afoa
4. Tuohy
5. Muller (C)
6. Wilson
7. Henry
8. Williams
9. Pienaar
10. Jackson
11. Trimble
12. Marshall
13. Cave
14. Bowe
15. Payne

With herring, Henderson, gilroy on the bench.


The backline was arguably the best in Europe that season.
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Dave
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by Dave »

That wasn't far off the team that started the 2013 pro 12 final. No Wilson so Diack started........
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Big-al
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by Big-al »

Dave wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 3:18 pm That wasn't far off the team that started the 2013 pro 12 final. No Wilson so Diack started........
No Bowe either??
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Dave
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by Dave »

Big-al wrote:
Dave wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 3:18 pm That wasn't far off the team that started the 2013 pro 12 final. No Wilson so Diack started........
No Bowe either??
Bowe played. Olding started for Marshall.
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Seagull
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by Seagull »

Agree great team.
But what did they win?
On going issue with Ulster!
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Dave
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by Dave »

Sweet FA
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justinr73
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by justinr73 »

In terms of giving us something to do, as opposed to any great interest in the actual match, it would be difficult to see why a decent crowd couldn’t be let in for the game against Scarlets on the 29th.

With ale on sale.

I fancy a trip to Edinburgh the week after an’ all.
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by Bart S »

The pack a couple of years earlier was arguably better. It had peak Afoa, a fit Ferris (he hardly played during the Anscombe reign) and Wannenburg. I'd take Ferris and Wannenburg in 2012 form over Wilson and Big Nock as a 6/8 combination. I don't remember Wilson being that good after he returned from Northampton.

Better backline in 2014 though
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thecrouch
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Re: Rainbow Cup

Post by thecrouch »

Seagull wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 8:02 pm Agree great team.
But what did they win?
On going issue with Ulster!
Yea but that's the point.

We're deluding ourselves if we think the current Ulster squad is good enough to win anything.
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