Positives and Negatives: Ulster V Leinster

[ColinM]

+++

First time Maaak has had the challenge of raising the team after a big disappointment. Passed with flying colours. We attacked then in the areas that lost us the game last week - great stuff.

Looked at the teamsheet and feared their pack, and fancied our chances out wide. Fairplay we wiped them upfront. Also credit to the young Leinster backs; Reid and Mackin look to have a future at this level as does Conway.

The set piece

As I am always critical of Williams I feel it appropriate to give him credit for a very tough and controlled performance. If he plays it has to be 8. Diack or Hendo for 6 please.

---
Besties darts not perfect again.

Ireland are only an injury away from that Leinster front row taking to the pitch in the 6Ns

Jacksons kicking from hand. Also thought he played a bit deep.last night: confidence a bit low?

[Snipe Watson]

Re: last point about Best. I've came home and watched the replay, what did you seriously expect him to do? It was an awful decision by the referee and, in my opinion, no blame can be put on Best.

I have not had the benefit of watching it on TV yet, but from my spot on the terrace it looked like a penalty in a bad area ata a bad stage in the match. I assume the yellow was after a warning and was not just for that single offence.
I my view, Clancy refereed the game well last night despite what many of the crowd around me thought. Once I get a chance to watch the game on iplayer, I will reverse this opinion if I am wrong.

[Snipe Watson]

Also thought he played a bit deep.last night: confidence a bit low?

Yes Colin, I forgot that one. He was standing back very deep, but I wondered was it a tactic?

[promsandwich]

Positives- result, dominant pack, Luke marshall looks like the real deal.

Negatives- pj should have been replaced 10 minutes earlier than he was.
Darren cave wasn't at the races at all.

Agree re: Luke, he was very impressive tonight.

PJ has been magnificent for us so far in his short career. He is having a little bit of an off patch but that has to be expected of someone at his stage. He also may have been carrying that dead leg from last week.

Cave had a vomiting bug all week. I thought he played ok, didn't dominate as he can do but strongly disagree with the suggestion he "wasn't at the races at all". On what basis do you make that assertion?

I re-watched the game this morning, I think it's safe to say he wasn't at the race!!!

Fair enough Al. I have a hazy recollection of the game but the euphoric feeling has returned. Only re-watched 30 mins so far so I'll take your view.

[Russ]

It is now very clear the following:

At 7 Sean O'Brien is an ineffective carrier
Sean O'Brien is decent at 7, when playing against a useless 7. When up against any quality, he goes missing

Devon Toner should retire from the International game, save any future Mick O'Driscoll embarrassments where he gets capped for his provincial service

[Cornerfleg]

Someone told me Heaslip was playing last night ... at least I saw SOB make an effort before Chris put him in his pocket. At best Heaslip resembled one of them Tamagotchi toys in Fat Nick's pocket - and unfortunately Nick forgot to feed it ... and it died!

[tommyblue]

Positives- result, dominant pack, Luke marshall looks like the real deal.

Negatives- pj should have been replaced 10 minutes earlier than he was.
Darren cave wasn't at the races at all.

Agree re: Luke, he was very impressive tonight.

PJ has been magnificent for us so far in his short career. He is having a little bit of an off patch but that has to be expected of someone at his stage. He also may have been carrying that dead leg from last week.

Cave had a vomiting bug all week. I thought he played ok, didn't dominate as he can do but strongly disagree with the suggestion he "wasn't at the races at all". On what basis do you make that assertion?

Dropped passes mainly and link up play. On a more positive note made a good decision to hold on to the ball and take contact prior to Nicks try. A good player no doubt but just not up to his usual standard.

I think my use of the phrase 'not at the races' means he wasnt as stand out as I could expect from him and not hes crap and should be dropped.

[DHK]

It is now very clear the following:

At 7 Sean O'Brien is an ineffective carrier
Sean O'Brien is decent at 7, when playing against a useless 7. When up against any quality, he goes missing

Absolutely. Assuming Ferris will be out it has to be Henry at 7 and SOB at 6 for the 6 Nations. Knowing DK though we'll get SOB at 7 and POM at 6

[Russ]

It is now very clear the following:

At 7 Sean O'Brien is an ineffective carrier
Sean O'Brien is decent at 7, when playing against a useless 7. When up against any quality, he goes missing

Absolutely. Assuming Ferris will be out it has to be Henry at 7 and SOB at 6 for the 6 Nations. Knowing DK though we'll get SOB at 7 and POM at 6

Which is fine against everyone but Wales and France, who like to play classic 7s and 7 and often people who would be SOB type 7s at 6!

[rumncoke]

If Cave had the Novo at the beginning of the week not to surprised his game was below par all you have to do is remember the ABs against England to see the effect. Dehydration can make leave anyone limp.

I've always considered Cullen was a poor scrummager and the fact that he is has cost him a few Irish caps . There are few better lineout players than Cullen but scrum time , ruck and maul he fails to punch his weight and Toner is Cullen mK 2 .
The success of the Ulster scrum was down to two major factors firstly the weakness of the Leinster second row and then the timing of the Ulster push coming from the second row and Williams at 8 he really anchored the scrum.

The only way you can make a scrum go straight back is push turn and drop come from boring but straight back is well time push.

The first couple of Penalties for Ulster last night were on the left hand side of the pitch both PJ and Pienaar are right footed and both are less sure kicking on the left hand side. Similarly with a lack of back ground kickers fined it hard to line up the ball at the moment and with both ends open the wind may be effecting the ball.

Both( PJ and Peinaar) players never looked confident before taking the kicks.

Nice to win despite the ref.

Yes he penalised the Leinster scrum off the park but he made some terrible decisions at times .

As for Rorys sending off. There is little to be gained sending a player off in the first 5 -10 minutes both sides are fresh and prone to error If a referee wants to effect the result send a player off in the last 15 minutes the players are tired their ability to concentrate is reduced and the side who have 15 players has a much better advantage.

There is just something about Clancy makes one suspect his impartiality on occassions. In the first half Leinster got into the Ulster half three times for 3 penalties on the right Ulster get theirs on the left . George gets 4 and half out of 10 in my book when refing Ulster.

Its not that the offences have or have not occurred one senses he is looking for the offence to give the penalty even if the offence is accidental , petty or unavoidable.

Accidental pushed over the top.
petty --marginally off side
Unavoidable -- unable to roll away from the ball or release the tackled player.

While deliberate offences go unpunished -- playing players off the ball, crossing, in from the side etc

[fuzzylogic]

by rumncoke » Sat Dec 22, 2012 11:56 am

The first couple of Penalties for Ulster last night were on the left hand side of the pitch both PJ and Pienaar are right footed and both are less sure kicking on the left hand side.

A right footed kicker prefers to be on the left hand side of the field. A left footed kicker prefers to be on the right hand side.

You bieber.

[promsandwich]

Positives- result, dominant pack, Luke marshall looks like the real deal.

Negatives- pj should have been replaced 10 minutes earlier than he was.
Darren cave wasn't at the races at all.

Agree re: Luke, he was very impressive tonight.

PJ has been magnificent for us so far in his short career. He is having a little bit of an off patch but that has to be expected of someone at his stage. He also may have been carrying that dead leg from last week.

Cave had a vomiting bug all week. I thought he played ok, didn't dominate as he can do but strongly disagree with the suggestion he "wasn't at the races at all". On what basis do you make that assertion?

Dropped passes mainly and link up play. On a more positive note made a good decision to hold on to the ball and take contact prior to Nicks try. A good player no doubt but just not up to his usual standard.

I think my use of the phrase 'not at the races' means he wasnt as stand out as I could expect from him and not hes crap and should be dropped.

Watched it back now, memory was blurry. Good points well made

[Nightsoil]

Re: last point about Best. I've came home and watched the replay, what did you seriously expect him to do? It was an awful decision by the referee and, in my opinion, no blame can be put on Best.

I have not had the benefit of watching it on TV yet, but from my spot on the terrace it looked like a penalty in a bad area ata a bad stage in the match. I assume the yellow was after a warning and was not just for that single offence.
I my view, Clancy refereed the game well last night despite what many of the crowd around me thought. Once I get a chance to watch the game on iplayer, I will reverse this opinion if I am wrong.

Would be interested in hearing that second opinion.

Didn't heard a warning from Clancy (watching online), although I may have missed it. The penalty itself looked harsh but if you go down on the wrong side of the tackle you risk getting trapped and giving a penalty away, mightn't be just but everyone knows it. A yellow card without warning was very harsh, especially in that part of the field.

The bit that really gets me is twice you see Leinster players on the wrong side, impeding the Ulster ruck and taking ages to get clear shortly before Ulster get turned over. Didn't get pinged once. I can live with bad decisions, inconsistent decisions are the ones that truly gives me a downer on a ref.

[Cornerfleg]

Well said - it boils my pash it does!

[Dublin4]

Very good display from Ulster last night.
If Jackson had been in form you could have given us a real hiding.

Leinster's season is a complete write off at this stage. The injury situation must be the worst we have ever had and you can see how disjointed the team has become. Only positives for us were continued good form from McFadden who certainly deserves to be close to the 6N team on his current form and Mads was much better at 10 than he was at 15 in recent weeks.

SOB continues to reintegrate and I think his form will return. Apart from that Leinster were absolutely useless. Bent had a shocker and how can he be the back up to Ross? Frightening. It's hard to know how good Ulster are playing when you were up against such rubbish.

Still, I don't go with the Joe must go brigade yet. He can't be blamed for the injuries and he has won, er, 2 H Cups. It is his worst spell since he got here.