9/10 and World Dominance.

[againstthehead]

I am have Ulster-tinted glasses. Been to every home game this season and have thought that PJ has generally been grand. Not great in a couple of games coming up to xmas but overall he's been pretty consistent.

I used to be a Marshall/Ruan man but Jacko has been grand I would agree with those who say Ruan is a class act at 9.

[rumncoke]

Ally teams don't win matches with a bad 10 its that simple .

The only part of Jackson's game where is really weak is his place kick but it usually doesn't affect other aspects of his game.

Occassionally he gets "a kick out of hand" wrong but when he does the kick appears to a hurried second option rather than a play of first option, which given the backs lining outside him would normally be a pass unless he is inside his own 22.

[skiboo]

My old dad used to say if it ain't broken don't fix it.
Look at our record this season. We all know it is not down to one man it's a team effort but in my view some people have been key and PJ is one of them. He is not just the future he is the present and worth his place for his defensive skills alone. Compare how the back row are freed up this year compared to last year when IH was "the playmaker"
With all of the pundits,experts and ex players we have on this board it is incredible the topic about PJ didn't become relevant until raised by 2 professional pundits on RTE who in the past had little positive to say about UR anyway.
So my advice guys is buck up your ideas, support the team, and cut out this negativity.
SUFTUM

[Big-al]

Of course we should give Jackson some slack cos he's young Ally - he's still learning and improving.

That all depends, are we primariy here to develop a future 10, or are we here to win right now?

FFS, What more can Paddy do? He has only lost 1 game at 10 all season (vs Saints). Stop talking

[stickinout]

Have to agree with Big Al and skiboo, there's a lot of nonsense being brought up on this thread after two TV pundits mentioned a sound bite about UR having a 10 who is too inexperienced to challenge for the cup. Big Chief Ally, if you think PJ is a slightly above average 10, you need to check your glasses. He has done a great job this year, way beyond what i had anticipated and most of it was done without RP at 9. To be put in at the deep end and perform like that is special.

So PJ has had a few off games over the season, surely that is all part and parcel with most players? A dip in form? I think a valid question to ask is this: have we lost a match because of PJ this year? My take on it would be a definite no. That's an improvement on iH last season. We have an outstanding 9,10 partnership, long may it last.

[Snipe Watson]

This is a daft conversation. PJ is not a bad flyhalf. Anyone that thinks he is a poor player is wrong. He is a young and relatively inexperienced flyhalf, but is prodigiously talented and will develop into an international class player. The only way he can become experienced is by playing and we have the luxury of being able to play Ruan inside him and Paddy outside him. Perfect environment for a young developing player. His place kicking style doesn’t inspire me, but that can be worked on.

[stickinout]

This is a daft conversation. PJ is not a bad flyhalf. Anyone that thinks he is a poor player is wrong. He is a young and relatively inexperienced flyhalf, but is prodigiously talented and will develop into an international class player. The only way he can become experienced is by playing and we have the luxury of being able to play Ruan inside him and Paddy outside him. Perfect environment for a young developing player. His place kicking style doesn’t inspire me, but that can be worked on.

Wot Snipe said.

He seemed to be kicking better last year even though he was behind RP.

[Snipe Watson]

Our weakness is not at 10 our weakness is a lack of options at 3 if John Afoa is not available.

[Bart S]

Of course we should give Jackson some slack cos he's young Ally - he's still learning and improving.

That all depends, are we primariy here to develop a future 10, or are we here to win right now?

FFS, What more can Paddy do? He has only lost 1 game at 10 all season (vs Saints). Stop talking

Yeah and we've only lost 1 game with NOC at 10 as well. That in itself doesn't mean anything.

[breakdown]

Our weakness is not at 10 our weakness is a lack of options at 3 if John Afoa is not available.

In the absence of Deccie Fitz putting in a season I agree.

I think it's hard to be completely objective about your own players. Especially players like Jackson who we've seen grown up through age groups etc.

I think we are competitive with any of the top teams at full strength. We have little "quality" cover at 3 and inexperienced "quality" at 10. Would be my view being as objective as I can.

Agree with 10 and 3 being our weakness however, with this current squad its hard not to see our next project being a THP.

[Snipe Watson]

Such is the state of the global tighthead shortage that I am considering setting up a tighthead farm in association with Rooster who will supply the protein.

[bigchiefally]

If you'd unbunch your panties Al with all the stuff you might understand that the point being made is that you can't expect an inexperienced 10 to do more than he is doing. That's exactly it. He's doing his best but he's not a "dominant" 10 at this stage in his career.

I get the point being made. It is just a rubbish point. Who cares if he is inexperienced? Who cares if he is doing his best? All we should care about, in a season when we could win it all, is having the best possible combination at 9 and 10. Maybe that is RP and Jackson, but if it is, it isnt because Jackson is local and young, it is because RP and him work better for Ulster than PM and RP.

[stickinout]

LK,

I'd like to see RP take over kicking duties and kick like he kicked last season. Let PJ concentrate on his own game. I think the 9,10 partnership will be strong enough to take on all comers if PJ gets a full season behind him (stays injury free). Right now, is there a 9,10 partnership you'd rather have in Europe? For me there might be 2 or 3 at the most? That's not bad.

Are our 9,10 partnership good enough to win the HC ? Yes, if we go that far i would assume PJ would have gone through a few high pressure tussles in previous rounds and last year's run would stand to him as well. It's not ideal that he's a season or two short but i think it's doable.

[Snipe Watson]

I'd like to see PJ getting his kicking mojo back as we need two kickers. He jerks his head up when he's anxious and starts to spray them a bit.

[stickinout]

Our weakness is not at 10 our weakness is a lack of options at 3 if John Afoa is not available.

Very true. I nearly trashed a table full of drink by jumping up when i saw JA hit the ground very awkwardly last weekend. I thought the unspoken thing might have happened. Luckily for us it didn't.