FRB wrote:
- 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!!
Brought this very same subject up before on the old UR Forum...Don't know if we have a sports psycho (used to have Bestie ) but have always thought one would be invaluable. No doubt other old hands will laugh that off - but as far as visualisation, motivation (forget, for one second the "red hand on the jersey should be enough" argument) etc goes, we need one...badly! Personally, the "red hand" scenario would work for me...but adding into the equation Italian, Fiijian, Aussie, Bok, Scots, Leinster...to name but a few, think that's a bit idealistic these days.
GC
"Out of Ulster have I come. Great hatred, little room - maimed me from the start. I carry from my mother's womb....a fanatic heart"
againstthehead wrote: 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).
Not sure that is true as it is widely reported we made an offer for Evans but he chose Harlequins - so a foreign 10 was possible.
againstthehead wrote: 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).
Not sure that is true as it is widely reported we made an offer for Evans but he chose Harlequins - so a foreign 10 was possible.
I understood that, had he chosen us, he was coming as a kicking fullback and that was part of the reason he didn't.
Alternatviely I have heard he simply ppreferred the Premership over the Magners.
Also I cant see Williams have a problem at 10, having Evans on the books and not selecting him there.
The problem that i have with the number 10 shirt is, that if MW has no faith in Ian Humphreys then why bring him to Ulster and if he does have faith in him then why not play him. Personally i would have brought in an old hand coming to the end of his playing career as back up and mentor to NOC and stuck with O'Connor, we saw enough of O'Connor last year and the few minutes that he had on Friday to know that he has the makings of a great flyhalf, all he needs is game time and playing in the pressure games will only improve him even more.
In memory of Nevin Spence 1990- 15th Sept. 2012
Axel..... 30 October 1973 - 16 October 2016
Pedrie Wannenburg. 2 January 1981 - 22 April 2022.
Don't know if we have a sports psycho (used to have Bestie ) but have always thought one would be invaluable. No doubt other old hands will laugh that off - but as far as visualisation, motivation (forget, for one second the "red hand on the jersey should be enough" argument) etc goes, we need one...badly!
Great to be back.. pity about conditions and weather - I think our man from Fiji will have many more cold nights ahead so he better get used to it if he wants to play Magners Rugby.....although we were beat, I think we faced a very talented outfit who outmuscled us on the nite...without Rush by the way. I think we are mid table team this year as we find a stride - we will battle on this year to find a pattern. Paddy W for centre with Trimble, NOC to start with baby humph on bench.
I stated on another thread before the match that due to the conditions, the team with the better tactical 10/boot would come out on top. Sadly I was correct. So thats my negative, but notwithstanding that I take my hat off to Stephen Jones who really produced on the night, kicking, running & passing all excellent.
Another negative was the selection policy. We all know and have witnessed many PW at 10 experiments so I wont dwell on that. Secondly - BJ was only off the plane so was unlikely to last 80 mins. Solid servant that he is, Justin shouldnt be expected to be doing 80 minute stints, so in the absence of two props on the bench why didnt Young start?
Positives - scrum looked good esp when BJ was on the pitch. NOC looked the part for 10 minutes (looks bigger and stronger ), Paddy looked comfortable at 12 for 10 minutes. Clinton looked good under the high ball, has a turn of pace and a good boot.
We need a midfield combination that works and that means NOC/IH at 10, Paddy/Dewey/Trimble at 12, Dewey/Trimble/Cave at 13, We cant afford to use up half the season finding out what the combination is because in half a seasons time we would be out of HEC reckoning, and in exactly the same place in the ML table we are in now.
Need to improve our tackling a lot. Llanelli were able to dump our guys a few times and consistently knocked us back, we on the other hand conceded yards every time when we tackled them.
First up tackling (especially in the first half) was awful and always seemed that our 'runners' were to upright going into contact making easy targets for Llanelli.