Positives and Negatives: Ulster V Ospreys

againstthehead · Post by **againstthehead** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 9:05 pm

Positives
- Jackson. Not much to say as Jacko said it all on the park. Terrific kicking performance. Really outstanding.
- A terrific away win against one of our top 4 competitors - a real 8 point ball game. 3 wins from 5 is suddenly a decentish return going into europe
- Heaney and Hendo: some nice impact off the bench. Thought Heaney looked very very sharp. And olding looked terrific.
- defence - system seems to be working pretty well this season. We're hard to break down.
- gameplan. Thought Maaaark got it about right. Lots of territory as it was all about pinging the penalties and in the second 40 we started going through the pack. Decent tactics.
- deccie put in a performance at tighthead.

Negatives
- with refereeing like that, this league is going to die. He should never referee a game again. Killed the game. I'd honestly think twice about sitting in to watch an away game again. That said, the win makes up for it....
- set-piece was okayish but not great. Work to be done and we miss Afoa massively.
- big Nick is struggling to make much of an impact this season. Defenders are taking him low and he ain't getting the off-loads away. Wilson continues to impress me though.

Overall, an okay performance but an absolutely terrific result away from home. Jackson should gain confidence for next week as should the rest of the side. Major injury concerns with Bowe, Jared, Gilroy and Afoa but cross our fingers and we should be okay.

bazzaj · Post by **bazzaj** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 9:27 pm

Chris Henry back to his meddlesome best.

Hendo is becoming our MVP.
No harm to RD but Hendos introduction was a game changer.

Kofi Annan · Post by **Kofi Annan** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 9:28 pm

MVP , the curse of xbox generation ffs

damianmcr · Post by **damianmcr** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 9:35 pm

Yes Hendo came on and definitely made a difference.

Always the better team but just too many errors.

Its a great win and fantastic for PJ to get 6 from 6.

Joe Schmo · Post by **Joe Schmo** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 9:48 pm

Kofi Annan wrote:MVP , the curse of xbox generation ffs

U dont lyk teh yoof? init Kofi?

I'm BBC B generation by the way

Cornerfleg · Post by **Cornerfleg** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 9:52 pm

bazzaj wrote:Chris Henry back to his meddlesome best.

Hendo is becoming our MVP.
No harm to RD but Hendos introduction was a game changer.

+1 Thought Hendo injected the go forward momentum we needed (whisper it softly - BUT HE'S A SIX ..... PJ did a lot right tonight not just kicking but his defensive sweeping was very good considering McIlwaine was, to me, anyway - totally clueless.

Joe Schmo · Post by **Joe Schmo** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 9:55 pm

Good gutsy performance like some of the ones last season. We wouldn't have lost to Glasgow playing like that. It wasn't great and the errors are still there.
Small p frustrated me more than usual tonight and Heaney injected a bit of pace . Not sure he could have started the match but he did a job when he came on. Mcilwaine....say no more

Jackson was good throughout the match and was confident enough to probe a bit more with his kicks keeping the play in their half, good tactic. Amazing his kicking was so pure and through the centre of the posts compared to some of his kicks last week. Hopefully he keeps it up.

ding dong2u · Post by **ding dong2u** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 9:57 pm

average performance great result ..........wacko was excellent ........ big impact from hendo and heaney ......... thought the stupid 6 points either side of half time had killed us off but gutsy performnace for a deserved win

Cap'n Grumpy · Post by **Cap'n Grumpy** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 10:02 pm

Don't think p was as bad as some make out, nor was Heaney as good as some make out.

Heaney's introduction more or less coincided with Hendo taking the game to O's - in my book it was Hendo that made the big change. Also, RW brought more control to the back of the scrum - I suspect p would have looked very similar to Heaney behind the baby-faced assassin and Roger.

Cornerfleg · Post by **Cornerfleg** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 10:07 pm

We won that playing with 14 men and Deccie Fitz ... not a bad grind ... Fitzgibbon was dire, utterly dire.

Joe Schmo · Post by **Joe Schmo** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 10:17 pm

Cap'n Grumpy wrote:Don't think p was as bad as some make out, nor was Heaney as good as some make out.

Heaney's introduction more or less coincided with Hendo taking the game to O's - in my book it was Hendo that made the big change. Also, RW brought more control to the back of the scrum - I suspect p would have looked very similar to Heaney behind the baby-faced assassin and Roger.

p's passing was often poor and in fact has been I accept Heaney had cleaner ball to work with and their forwards were tiring but p's passing was often poor. Put up a few good box kicks tho (pity Bowe wasn't playing) and did well when under fierce pressure from the O's forwards in the first half. Can't wait to see Ruan next week, crosses fingers!

Cap'n Grumpy · Post by **Cap'n Grumpy** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 10:18 pm

Cornerfleg wrote:We won that playing with 14 men and Deccie Fitz ... not a bad grind

Chocolate for energy .......... usually!

Cap'n Grumpy · Post by **Cap'n Grumpy** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 10:24 pm

Joe Schmo wrote:Put up a few good box kicks tho (pity Bowe wasn't playing) and did well when under fierce pressure from the O's forwards in the first half. Can't wait to see Ruan next week, crosses fingers!

Presume you mean p re the box kicks?

Heaney's box kicks were too long and too low to give any chance to chasers.

Totally agree about welcoming Ruan back.

Joe Schmo · Post by **Joe Schmo** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 10:28 pm

Cap'n Grumpy wrote:
Joe Schmo wrote:Put up a few good box kicks tho (pity Bowe wasn't playing) and did well when under fierce pressure from the O's forwards in the first half. Can't wait to see Ruan next week, crosses fingers!
Presume you mean p re the box kicks?

Heaney's box kicks were too long and too low to give any chance to chasers.

Totally agree about welcoming Ruan back.

Yup.

Russ · Post by **Russ** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 10:51 pm

p was utter guff
Sky couldn't hold onto himself let alone a ball
Gilroy going off injured - thought Olding would have come on at full back

Olding was a breath of fresh air at 12!

The UAFC