Ulster v Connacht live

[MightyRearranger]

For those who had the good fortune of being at the game; was Matt McCullough as good as Gusher made out? And similiarly, was our lineout performance on the Connacht throw as good as Gusher made out?

McCullough worked pretty tirelessly. Was his sort of game. Not so sure about the lineout. We challenged (and stole) a few of theirs, but ours was a long way off looking like clockwork. One of the ones I was directly in line with was a mile not straight, and if we'd been playing Munster tonight I suspect we'd have struggled to win our own ball, never mind theirs.

Something that struck me is the number of kicks aimed straight at Duffy. I don't think the guy dropped one all night, so why keep sticking them up for him when he can just call the mark and has a pretty decent boot. No doubt NOC given conditions got told to test the back 3, but when that doesn't work you surely have to start trying something else.

Did anyone see what the Connacht player was sin binned for? Was looking elsewhere when it happened.

[Hot in the Tropics]

Neil F - you have been carrying that chip around for too long ......... Steve Williams kept picking him; Matt Williams keeps picking him; and all you want to do is nit pick about him.

[Neil F]

Chip? Not sure what you mean, HIT - I've had nothing but praise for Matt McCullough's recent performances for Ulster as any of my recent posts about him would suggest - although I still have to be convinced that he has the pace and stamina to operate in the backrow in a fast-flowing, offloading game. He's certainly proved himself to be an excellent operator in the backrow when the game is tight and physical. I just find, given Gusher's long-term love affair with McCullough, that it's hard to gauge whether or not McCullough has had as good a game as the radio commentary has suggested or if it's just that Gusher has got carried away. Having not seen the game, I was merely asking for some clarification from those at the game as it sounded like Matt had a great game. It's just hard to tell.

I'm really not sure where this idea that I have some sort of vendetta against Matt comes from - it seems you're not the first to have had some sort of go, quite out of context from my own view, about posts I've made relating to McCullough.

Let me make this clear once and for all: I am a big fan of Matt McCullough, mostly because there are few players on the park that put more into their performances than he does. I am glad to see him back in an Ulster shirt and doing well. He's a good, honest player and I'm VERY glad to see that he's hitting a rich vein of form.I WAS very critical of his performances earlier in the season - his discipline was poor and he just didn't seem to have the makings of a backrow player then. Fair play to Big Matt - his recent performances have REALLY proved me wrong, although that doesn't change the fact that some of his performances earlier in the season were indisciplined and poor. I'm glad that he's hitting this form playing in the back row, especially given how out of sorts he looked in the backrow, compared with his performance in the second row, earlier in the season. It's an experiment that's paid off. Hats off to Matt - his recent form has been a revelation.

Now can we please take this as my definitive opinion of Matt McCullough and hear no more about this?

[mid ulster maestro]

It really was a dire match and the conditions were awful. MMC deserved MOTM. He was everywhere and tackled his heart out last night. I agree it was a close call between him, Bryn and the Boss man. Last night was the sort of night that suits MMC but like you NeilF I'm not convinced that he has the pace for a fast open game.

Mighty, to be fair to NOC, he was kicking into space all the time, it's just that he has such a big boot that Duffy had enough time to get across and gather.

Probably some of the worst refereeing I've seen in ages and remember:

"There's only one Flying Ferris!"

Mum

[ColinM]

Positives:
Subs: N Best, Caldwell and dare i say it Dewey all made a positive impact on the game. All players you need in a tight dogged game.

Paddy seemed to calm the game down when moved to OH. Kind of like ROG does when he replaces Paddy in an international

NOC has a huge boot and good pass and isnt afraid to tackle or be tackled. His reading of the game will come in time.

Isaac's defence and broken field running. Thought he looked the most comfortable when gatheirng the ball at Fullback with the whole game in front of him.


Negatives:
Isaac's passing

Our own lineouts would have been picked off by a better team

Decision making wasn't great at times

The weather for the first 20mins

The number of people in the beer tent for a shelter when i wanted to get some beer!

Standing out in the cold an wet watching two poor teams play bad rugby.


Bogboy - that might have been me in front of you. Wasnt on th sofa - she quite enoyed it!!

[mikerob]

Did anyone see what the Connacht player was sin binned for? Was looking elsewhere when it happened.

From the replay, it wasn't particularly obvious but was maybe for kneeing someone in the back. I'll watch the replay later (fast forward to the incident, as I'm certainly not going to watch that dross again!)

[Rooster]

It was a typical wet weather match against Connacht, they thrive on those early conditions. In their last game they pushed Munster to the end and but for Howletts interception they would probably have been in at the other end to win the game, they also pushed Leinster hard in both games this season. It was not all doom and gloom, dire game yes but then again every game I have watched that Connacht have been involved in was dire so it's not in my opinion as bad as it seemed and I'm confident we can win the rest of the home games.

[ColinS]

"There's only one Flying Ferris!"

Mum

Who gives a flying Ferris?

[Cap'n Grumpy]

HE does!




and stop pinching my lines!

[for dog and ulcer]

A few minor points arising from a few minor points:

A few minor points arising from the thread:
It would appear Alan Lewis is injured and Fitzgibbon was drafted in. The 'notice' would not have been as short as one report would have you believe - it was early enough for his name to be in the match programme!

The match programme isn't on the radio but in any case I saw no report of short notice as you claim on this thread

According to Gusher Connacht changed strip

Whilst NO'C received treatment on the pitch at one stage (ankle/leg?), I gained no impression that he was injured when replaced - I could be wrong.

This information came from Gusher.

[Hot in the Tropics]

Glad we agree one Matt being one of our most consistent performers this season. I would say he has been our most consistent, but nobody has to agree with me on that. The lad had a mare of a season last year; I'm just delighted for him that he is back to his foraging, beligerent, ground hog best. I hope he kicks on from here and maintains the progress made in learning back row play.

[Big-al]

I would like to see Matt given a run at lock when we are playing an expansive game, it'll add an extra dimension and bring a bit more pace than say del fava/caldwell to the game. He doesn't have the speed to be an international flanker

[FNMilk]

Warning!!! Old fogey moan time.

I know it was only kids but I didn't like that yelping and yelling during Connacht's penalty kicks. I was surprised that the PA DJ didn't mention it.

Edit: Or their parents for that matter.

Bally bad show.

[UlsterJock]

Don't know about everyone else, but we found the 6.30 start a complete pain. Left work at 5, rush home, change, load kids, drive down from Antrim ok but hit traffic just before the Odyssey!! and that was us bumper to bumper all the way to Ravers' , got through the gate in the rain 6.35, by the time eats / programme sorted, 15 mins of the game gone and we were not alone. It probably took first 25mins to get the crowd anything like "fortress" looking never mind sounding like it.

Positives: Rory & It was a win.

Double Negatives: 6.30 kick offs

[pwrmoore]

I've just been watching the replay of the match on Setanta and I'm still baffled by the incident where the ref adjudges Ulster (Dawson?) to have infringed in a line-out around the 10m line on the Stand side. He seemed to instantly award a penalty to connacht 10m closer to the Ulster line than where the line-out took place. It didn't seem as if there was an initial award which was then moved back 10 for dissent. Can any of our experts in the laws of the game explain why the penalty was awarded 10 back from the line-out rather than where the line-out occurred?