Back to Bread & Butter - Connacht Match

[ravenmad]

That was less of a game and more of an experiment. Looks like it`s Twickers or bust!

[Big-al]

Connacht are a much improved side nowadays, last season we played a mostly 1st XV and where lucky to come away with the victory, this season we played a 2nd XV and done alright.

Some real positives in Spence and Jackson and Paddy Mac showed up well in the scrum.

Less said about Diack, Faloon and iHumph the better.

[Bart S]

Have to say Tom Court's interview post game about playing at tight head didn't exactly fill me with confidence. Certainly wasn't sounding too positive or confident in his own ability to do a job there...

[breakdown]

Jackson has to be our 10 next season. iHumph has been average at best all season yet continues to play, probably only because of Dave. PJ did not looked fazed at all by that game and seems a mature player, I have no worries that he will be able to play out half next season, and well. The guys a star.

Thought STB had another solid game from the boot, that's one thing he'll bring that Payne won't. Jacko and Spence really bonded well I thought, both deserve into the 22 for the Leinster and Edinburgh game, if they don't start. Agree with the poster that said we are lucky to have two great 13's in Cave and Spence, i'd like to see Spence being given a run on the wing though, has a great hand off and solid defender.

[aarons]

two penalty kicks away from winning that game....

[Bart S]

A pity but the westies deserved it. Pienaar, Court, Terblanche and iHumph all looked like they were playing not to get injured.

Am I right in saying the last time Connacht beat us in the Sportsground, we went on to win the league.

Agree Jackie. Some very half hearted attempts at tackles out there from some of the big names. Thought Spence and PJ did well.

This game together with the lack of any subs being used last Sunday despite some guys being out on their feet shows the big ga between our 1st XV and most of the others. We've relied almost exclusively on our 1st XV since Jan to haul us back into contention and we've seen what happens when we don't play them. We simply can't compete on both fronts. As I've said elsewhere, the Academy is a big job going forward for the longer term success of Ulster rugby.

[Bart S]

two penalty kicks away from winning that game....

True, but were hanging on for a losing BP rather than looking like we were going to win it.

[Bart S]

Jackson has to be our 10 next season. iHumph has been average at best all season yet continues to play, probably only because of Dave. PJ did not looked fazed at all by that game and seems a mature player, I have no worries that he will be able to play out half next season, and well. The guys a star.

Thought STB had another solid game from the boot, that's one thing he'll bring that Payne won't. Jacko and Spence really bonded well I thought, both deserve into the 22 for the Leinster and Edinburgh game, if they don't start. Agree with the poster that said we are lucky to have two great 13's in Cave and Spence, i'd like to see Spence being given a run on the wing though, has a great hand off and solid defender.

Breakdown - agree that I Hump has been poor and Paddy Jackson should get more gametime next season BUT....to say that I Hump has been picked at 10 just because of his brother is plain wrong. Most people want to see Ruan start at 9 rather than 10 and Paddy lacks big game experience at 10. Given him some games at 12 is a good idea as less pressure on him and will help to bring him into the fold but I'd still be more nervous about him starting at 10 for the H Cup semi than Paddy right now.

The 10 situation does need to be addressed but that's for next season IMHO. We don't really have much option rather than persisting with Hump right now.

[Rooster]

It was a nothing match despite what UR press says.
We have a squad for 1 competition now and that is the HEC, stuff the league as we can't win both and trying would leave us with nothing

[Loki]

Have to say Tom Court's interview post game about playing at tight head didn't exactly fill me with confidence. Certainly wasn't sounding too positive or confident in his own ability to do a job there...

i felt the same, but have been assured elsewhere here that he may have been downcast over the result rather than his role at THP.

iHumph was really poor, and that's coming from someone who would defend him. It won't particularly bother me to see Falloon go and I'm sceptical about what Diack can offer in the future but those are long standing concerns. Obviously our 1st XV is competitive but there's a question as to whether we don't use our subs and seconds more because a) they're not good enough or b) strategic failings mean we've used them poorly and sparsely. a victory today, given the squad and strategy, would have been a surprise though.

very positive regarding PJ and Spence though. was sorry to see Birch binned, would have liked to see a bit more for him. Potentially a lot of important squad members coming through the academy and McGlock could mould some great players there.

fair play to Connacht and let's roll on!

[Article]

Connacht are a mch better team now than they were at beginning of year...I think they will be serious team next season like Glasgow.

I am rightly pished off with the gobshite with the salter and Union Jack as seen on TV ...are we attracting soccer tubes ....maybey we should expect Connacht, Leinster, adn Munster fans tyo wave triclours when they visist Ravenhill !!!!

[Big-al]

Loki - I think the Birch sinbinning was a disgrace. There is a need for more natural opensides in Irish rugby, but why would any team select 1 if you have idiotic refs who haven't a clue about the breakdown. Birch made a good, tackle, released and got back to his feet and to the turnover for Ulster.

Should have been a penalty to Ulster, score remains 23-21 and we go attacking for the last 8 mins with 15 men on the park.

[Loki]

I haven't seen it back yet; just to clarify when I say disappointed I don't mean in Birch but in the fact that we didn't get to see more of him due to circumstance. I didn't think it was worthy of a binning (or a pen) at the time but several of my calls seemed to be the opposite of the ref's opinion. shocking, I know...

"refs at the breakdown" would be the new "refs at the scrum" if the scrum wasn't still such a persistent mess.

[scrum5]

The game in my opinion was lost in the backrow, don't think Diack, Faloon or McComish broke the game line too many times or turned over any ball at the breakdown, but then we know that we're light in the backrow. On a positive note Paddy J scored 16 points and offered more than iHumphs did tonight, Spence had a reasonable game aswell.

[Surrey Red Hand]

Connacht are a mch better team now than they were at beginning of year...I think they will be serious team next season like Glasgow.

I am rightly pished off with the gobshite with the salter and Union Jack as seen on TV ...are we attracting soccer tubes ....maybey we should expect Connacht, Leinster, adn Munster fans tyo wave triclours when they visist Ravenhill !!!!

You sure that wasn't HWM with his Fiji flag .. has the Union flag in it ??