Positives & Negatives: Ulster V Llanelli

[cables]

That is the sort of negative rubbish that has made this message board into a farce and the main reason it is not taken seriously by anyone involved with Ulster Rugby

Presumably you can back this up Cove with something more than just saying it.

How is such total compliance achieved? By memo, email, word of mouth - please tell.

[rave on]

positives - shifty/ bj/plenty of talent on the field,and a view towards the end of the game of what the team can do when theres someone there to give shape,brain and structure to the backline/lots of singing from where we were on the terrace & good to see the team acknowledge folk at the end.
negatives -the lack of depth in some positions has already become our weakness.

[ulsterrugbylover08]

I think most of what I wanted to say has been said already, so I'll keep this short!

Positives - Rory gave everything he had last night and I thought he had a great game.. The new signings also didn't disappoint and hopefully their passion and determination will continue (and increase) as the season develops.. Thought NOC was good whenever he came on - who knows what could of happened had he came on slightly sooner! Was also great to see the team come out and acknowledge the fans at the end.

Negatives - the weather was atrocious, but it is Northern Ireland after all, so I guess I can't complain too much! Would of really liked to see Willis get some game time in yesterday - I think he has great potential, shame he only signed a 1 year contract, but that's my opinion..

All in all, whilst it was disappointing to start the season off without a win, the team played relatively well, they never gave up. They continued playing for 80 minutes whereas last season, they were often beaten before they came onto the pitch.. A sense of pride of playing rugby for Ulster has re-emerged amongst the players so I think the only way is up for us this year!

[The Cove]

Cables

it is obvious enough for me after the comments made about websites by MR in his interviews last year, the forum being removed from ulsterrugby.com and when people who deserve to have a car park pass close to the ground are not given one because no one in the branch reads this website.

[barney]

Well after last nights performance i hope the only way is up. Apart from Rory and Pollock (whe he cam on) the players lacked any sort of pride/passion for the jersey. If they don't improve and show passion we should give it to players who want to be there and play for the red hand and not just a big pay check each week

Sorry, but that is hugely unfair. There were plenty of failings on display, but a lack of "pride/passion" was certainly not one of them.

[rave on]

totally agree barney- no lack of passion or pride.

[againstthehead]

I would agree that there was plenty of passion on display. All summer I've need arguing for a decent 10 to be signed and I think last night proved my point. Without direction at 10 we're going nowhere fast. NOC will be an improvement on last night and can probably do a job at Ravers but I'm afraid we're a long way off being a decent side. Quite scared about what could happen next week...

[Glynncommando]

I would agree that there was plenty of passion on display. All summer I've need arguing for a decent 10 to be signed and I think last night proved my point. Without direction at 10 we're going nowhere fast. NOC will be an improvement on last night and can probably do a job at Ravers but I'm afraid we're a long way off being a decent side. Quite scared about what could happen next week...

Agree on NOC actually. Should have included him in positives on my original post. Made an immediate difference when he came on. Still hopeful ihumph will step up to the plate, mind you...& give us another option. Think the whole Paddy at 10 thing has GOT to stop - he's a decent 12. Play him there. As for next week - plenty of work to be done before then on the training pitch...& another week closer to Ferris coming back.
GC

[FRB]

Positives:

Same as most others - Clinton, Rory, and the scrum - not destructive but solid - and the appearance of Botha in an Ulster shirt Defence - other thanTrimbles mistake. That was a shame not just for the team but for the individual - I thought he looked pretty sharp until then and I think the try knocked his confidence a bit.

Negatives:

- Lineout is dysfuctional - still
- I thought they were going through the motions. For all the pre-season talk of running lines, skills etc Ulster won (slow) ball, passed it to another (Static) forward who set up another (slow) ruck. Turgid.
- No ambition in attack and the poor execution of basic skills such as catching and passing meant that we never looked like scoring a try. We looked clueless and predictable.
- Fitness. Ulster can play for 80 minutes but they looked under-powered and under-paced. I think this contributes to the missed tackles, lack of line breaks and slow ruck ball.
- Mentally. Ulster showed that they could play for about 2 minutes at the end. Why wait so long? Do they have a sport psychologist working with the squad? If not, I think they need one pronto to get the boys firing from the off!! not when the game has gone from the grasp.

At this rate we will be scrappers who might make life awkward at Ravenhill but will threaten no-one.

[ding dong2u]

Hard to find any positives in a first half where we turned over ball and missed tackles all over the place. Bit of fight in the dog second half showed that there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

[Cossax]

Cables

it is obvious enough for me after the comments made about websites by MR in his interviews last year, the forum being removed from ulsterrugby.com and when people who deserve to have a car park pass close to the ground are not given one because no one in the branch reads this website.

None of the branches (or players) like the websites because shockingly, fan occasionally criticise performances and players.

[GerryO']

All summer I've need arguing for a decent 10 to be signed and I think last night proved my point. Without direction at 10 we're going nowhere fast.

Haven't we all (except those who still believe that Ian H can in some way, through a miracle, acquire his brother’s streak of genius).
Unfortunately the tactical needs of Ulster are trumped by Ireland’s strategic problem of a serious dearth of No.10s. We will not be permitted to sign a foreign flyhalf unless he can produce an Irish Granny from somewhere (it would also be most helpful if she was actually his Granny).

[cables]

The audio and video bugs at HQ may even have recorded an attempt to close down the Bele Tele Cossax after a recent letter to the Ed by D PREST was published.

Unfortunately the bluetooth transmission broke up a bit but I think someone was saying - "We can't do that. They are a major shirt sponsor!"

[Big-al]

I have faith that somehow on a dry afternoon at Ravenhill Humphreys will put in an outstanding performance. Although until that day the jury is out on him

[cables]

I have faith that somehow on a dry afternoon at Ravenhill Humphreys will put in an outstanding performance.

Would that be the Stade game on October 11? I don't have a long range weather forecast to confirm.