Positives & Negatives Ulster V Leeds

[againstthehead]

Half decent performance against a reasonable side.
Positives
- Much improved performance by most of the backs. Both centres carried the ball well and tackled hard.
- Porter much improved since his last performance - some decent kicks and good distribution
- D'arcy had a reasonable game - looked a bit dodgy with the boot and tackling... but lively with ball in hand. early days.
- seymour looked happy at this level IMHO
- Nice balance to the backrow with Faloon running around like a mad man and ferris and wannenberg throwing their considerable weight around

Negatives
- lack of direction from 10
- backline a little predictable - need a few guys running some angles
- scrum weak without BJ and court
- lineout should have functioned better with best and mueller

Overall, a decent run out but a huge step up in intensity and performance required for next week. Any news on when the likes of Court, Wilson, Tuehey et al will be back?

[Yoda]

D'Arcy was good enough that the contract should already be on the table. Other than one dodgy kick I remember near the start I thought he did well - plenty of pace and spotted gaps well and was able to swerve through them.

Agree with comments on Porter and backs in general. Thought we were a bit predictable with Whitten crash ball every 1st phase.

Went through loads of phases for third try - anyone count them? Must have been close to 100!!! Its been a while since we've managed that and got the try. Too often last year we seemed to run out of ideas before making silly mistakes.

Not sure what was going on in the scrum but we hardly got a decision all night - and at times I thought we were the ones putting the pressure on. Deccy certainly wasn't happy with his opposite number whatever he did that seemed to cause Deccy to go down injured. He was giving off to all around him as he came off.

[FRB]

Positive:

Good pace on the game. Ulster's continuity was generally good - especially for the 3rd try. It shows that Ulster need quick ball - they look much more dangerous playing that way.
Porter looked sharp
The workrate up front was impressive. Wannenberg was superb in the build up for try No.3 and his covering about the park.
Thought NOC through some lovely passes but agree that his overall command of the game is still lacking
D'Arcy looked sharp in attack. No real sight of his kicking game and he wasn't hugley tested defensively so hard to tell if he is the real deal. Will probably be signed though.....

Negative:

- Set peice - both scrum and lineout poor although the ref contributed hugely to the farce a scrum time.
- Ulster score then immediately let Leeds back into the game with a try. Their lack of concentration following a score has been a problem for ages. Sort it out please!

[promsandwich]

No offence, but I didn't think D'Arcy did quite well. I thought he did very well and he should be signed up, at least for a year.

He looks to have serious gas and he was involved in making a few breaks, one of which led to Tommy Seymour's try.

Thought Porter did well tonight too. Looked a bit more relaxed, which is understandable given that it wasn't his debut. He moved the ball sharply away from all the scrums/rucks - no dilly/dallying about.

Whitten took the ball up well, nothing fancy, but it allowed the forwards to come in and Porter to get quick ball away.

Fair play to Cave, he has taken a bit of flack on here recently ( myself included ) for not kicking on, but thought he played well tonight and his angle for the first try was good.

Gilroy did well for a second game and Seymour did better than against Bath. Felt a bit for Shiels who was stuck on the wing and took a knock early after he went on.

I actually thought NOC did pretty well tonight, his distribution seemed to have improved.

Up front was all good. Ferris looked leaner than before and put in a couple of glorius hits. The second rows continued their good pre-season form and the scrum did well. Thought Deccie Fitz had a good game at set piece and in the loose. Took that pass from D'Arcy on a nice angle and broke a couple of tackles before a nice offload - also had another nice offload closer to their line which didn't result in a score. Moment of the night for Deccie was when 3 Tykes were daydreamin at a ruck and Deccie came in, cleared them all out and forced a turnover.

All told, a much improved performance. Very good up front. Improving in the backs. Just a pity we have the Ospreys first up because they are very very good.

[SparkyClarky]

So much better all round. In open play I thought our forwards bullied Leeds, Best and Ferris I think were out to impress Decci in the old stand. The backs had a better night due to quicker ball and Porter compared to the bath match seemed to be in better communication with all around him. Only main worry was the scrum for me and the fact that Leeds picked up loose ball right through the centre of too many rucks and mauls! Spoke to Humph Snr & Logan on the way out, it was Logan gave me the impression that Darcy was a done deal, as above apart from the hook to touch first half a great start. Excellant on the counter, some great shows of the ball to suck in the defence before offloading creating extra room for the attack. Once Paddy W, Trimble & Simon D return plus the introduction of Ruan I have become even more optimistic. 5 wins out the first 5 Magners is not impossible. (Well one can dream!)Next week being the big ask for the boy's!

C'mon ULSTER!!!

[notj]

I was very impressed with a lot of elements of our performance, but we still only won by three points! I think we definitely left a few scores out there. I think thats a combination of some very good defence in the wide channels from Leeds and our first choice wingers not being involved. It was a good hit out- I thought Leeds were very tenacious, very dogged and gave us a good test. The pack is shaping up nicely, Best and Ferris looking good in that first 40 and the two big Saffers impressive.

[cjp]

Any news on when the likes of Court, Wilson, Tuehey et al will be back?

More than likely will miss next week and hope to be available for the Aironi game.

[McPepper]

Any news on when the likes of Court, Wilson, Tuehey et al will be back?

More than likely will miss next week and hope to be available for the Aironi game.

when did we sign Roger Wilson

[Cracker]

Totally agree with you regarding D'Arcy promsandwich. He must have been nervous and trying hard to impress when so much depended on it. He looked somewhat lightweight but had a great turn of speed and cut through Leeds defence when many others would have failed to do so. He must get a contract on this performance as I believe he could be a player with a real Ulster future. Good luck to the lad.

[Rob6]

Thought tonight on the whole it wasn't a bad night at the office for the Ulster Lads and it was a typical pre season match, with the odd mistake here and there. On D'Arcy, I hope first thing tomorrow morning that Hump and co. meet with him and get his signature on paper, if even if it is only for a year to see how things go.


Roll on the competitive start to the season next week!!!

[Ardglass2]

Well I thought D'Arcy was very good and much better than portrayed here. Genuine pace and a real threat going forward.

I also think O'Connor played ok and should retain the jersey, ditto Porter whose kicking will help us.
Only really minus for, although accept the scrum creeked, was Best throw ins - much better with Brady

My team for next week:

D'Arcy, Seymour, Cave, Whitten, Smith/Gilroy, O'Connor, Porter, Young, Best/Brady, BJ/Fitzpatrick, Mueller, Tuohy/Barker, Ferris, Wannenburg, Faloon

An assumption that Wallace not available and BJ unlikely

[oneshot7]

I thought on the basis of tonights performance D'arcy should have been handed a contract as he left the pitch, from the first minute he looked lively with ball in hand; his positioning was impressive, and he came into the line and looked dangerous.
Given the lack of bodies at FB i think he should be given the chance to show what he can do.

I must admit i had high hopes for the pack tonight, and they certainly delivered. the best example was the 3rd try when we moved it side to side for what seemed like hours; the most patient build up ive seen from ulster in a long time. Leeds couldnt cope with us in the rucks, Wannenburg and Ferris were running around like men possessed, hammering anyone near them while Faloon complimented them well with some more technical work than the sheer force the other 2 were throwing round.
Thought in the 2nd row Barker and Muller worked well in the loose, with Barker making some big hits in the middle of the park and muller making good yards around the fringes. On another note, Ryan Caldwell.. enough said? i think not, the lad was on for all of a minute when he gave away his first penalty, will he ever learn? I counted 5 offences he was pinged for in the short time he was on, the most frustrating was the one in front of the posts, he was standing to the side of the ruck, he walked offside, looked at the ref, reached out..put his hand on the leeds scrum half, which acheived nothing and the ref put the arm out for the advantage, its actually like he has some form of retardation at times.

i think if the pack play the way they played tonight our first choice backline will score points, i know tonight we left a few out there and shout have been home and dry, not hanging on for a scraped win, but with the more experianced players back we will be more clinical.
Centres looked strong, i wonder who will drop out to accomodate Paddys return, cave looked the cave of old (i know hes only 23) tonight, dangerous with the ball and solid in defence. Whitten was just a battering ram tonight, but he did it very well, and he makes some serious tackles.

Gilroy looked sharp with the ball, he had all the crowd talking pre game, and i think everyone would have liked to see him get the ball with some open space in front of him, sadly he didnt, nor seymour for that matter, he took a serious hit in the corner but got up and shook it off, solid performance, definately one for the futute; but doesnt look out of his depth now.

All in all a good night out, was my first trip to ravers for the season, my only downer for the night was the disbelief at being charged £12 at the gate for a friendly.. are we paying Ruans wages?

[backawaygoonahead]

Much of what has been written covers things well enough so a few (dozen) points only.

D'Arcy - showed typical Aussie confidence, loved the way he ambled back to pick up a rolling ball and skinned the Leeds winger behind his own line. Fabulous run for the Seymour try and several other nice bits of play. Not really tested under the high ball so that one is a wait and see and much the same about his tackling. Overall - the guy has talent.

Muller & Wannenburg: was away for the Bath game so my first sight of them - well pleased, 2 great signings.

Porter: again my first view of him - very impressed, did everything that you want from a scrum half and that pass looks pretty sweet. welcome the fact that he didn't try any of Hugo's mad "no need to look" passes. Well made lad too, looks like he could handle himself.

Barker: an under-rated signing, almost ignored due to the quality Saffies, who was an automatic starter in a Glasgow pack that did well last year. Showed well in tight, tackled well and got about the pitch. Very impressive looking partner for Muller. Tuohy will have his work cut out to hold Barker off & RC is history so that should help our penalty against count.

Cave: looking good again, fabulous footwork for his try and looked a threat.

Seymour: did a lot of good work apart from his try & should get the nod next week.

NO'C: Ok but lets be very honest - very very limited and despite great weight of kick he never controls a game with the boot as ROG for instance and Hernandez for sure does. May suit the game we want to play but worryingly lacking in creativity even if tonight was one of his better ones. Does not need kicking duties!

Rory: used to be regarded as a top thrower but didn't appear fit to hit a cow's Brennan with a banjo. Brady gets the line out going far better - a dilema.

Both props: good job boys - Fitzgibbon is an idiot, I disagree with those who thought the scrum struggled, I thought when thne ref allowed a scrummage we had the best of it. Must be a treat for the guys to feel a bit of weight coming behind rather than what RC & Mr ED produced.

Willie Falloon: Superb - his hits were a match for his back row partners. Agree with whoever commented on his calling cards to halfbacks.

Loss of intensity? Yes when we had our junior team out at the end and they had 3 more subs to freshen up their game. Our pack spanked them for the main part of the 2nd half and will do to many more packs this season.

Can't wait to see us at full strength - a much better season beckons with great summer signings with D'Arcy surely a shoe-in for the last contract - hats off to Dr Humphreys & CEO.

[Rooster]

backward goon seems to have watched same match as me
On the Caldwell issue it appeared he was calling the lineouts at the end and the look on his face and everyone elses is summed up in the photo below, needless to say Nigel threw a perfectly weighted ball and no one jumped leaving it for the Ledds player to pick at the tail.
D'Arcy's run for Seymores try was superb there is a series of pictures numbers 13 to 16 with superb offload from tackle at end

[mikerob]

There was a very brief clip of Seymour's try on BBC NI news last night. I'll see if there is any more coverage on Newsline today and will put the videos on youtube.