Ulster v Exeter 22nd August

[Joe Schmo]

Franco looked like a dominant force when he was on.

I get this image in my head when I see Franco in the middle of a driving maul.


Frank the Tank!

[Carr07]

Most important thing to emerge from tonight was that when he came on Herbst looked like he's a prop that can scrummage. Drove them back on his first scrum. In his second scrum he went backwards but we were awarded a penalty, I take that as a sign of good technique, ie. although going backwards he maintained his poise rather than just popping up and making it easy for the ref to blow the whistle against him. It's not a direct comparison but I recall Afoa's (who could obviously scrummage) comeback match against Leinster, he came off the bench and on his first scrum was shunted backwards and popped up - penalty against Ulster. Like I said, not a direct comparison, but a good "ready reckoner" for an old second row like myself.

I thought Ludik looks promising, a couple of good solid tackles in the first 10 minutes.

Also, Rory Scholes, take a bow.

[Deckard]

All said I would rather be the Ulster coaching team after last night than the Exeter one.

Definitely.. I was actually pretty disappointed with Exeter, I thought after the first 10 or 15 they might take the game away from us, but they seemed to get lost and didn't really show anything much until the last 5 mins!! (Admittedly I thought the ref gave us all the 50/50s, maybe even a couple of 40/60s!)

I thought that in the first half, yes the players were obviously still getting used to different positions and patterns, so there were obviously a few errors, but for my money most of the them stemmed from our half-backs, not the new boys.. I thought Marshall and Humphreys threw a fair few low % balls which put pressure on the men outside them - to give them the benefit of the doubt, a bit of rustiness is only natural given they haven't played together for a while, and they have a bunch of newbies outside them.

I thought Scholes looked good, very good footwork, good sense of a gap and good gas.. Ludik looked like a good footballer, I thought Allen did quite well at 12, he looked quick and powerful, and set Scholes away nicely for his first try (albeit a fairly simple 2 on 1) - distribution is his weakness though. Stockdale didn't look at all out of place physically, didn't have a lot of opportunities to shine in attack, but put in one absolutely crunching tackle to close down a break in the second half. Andrew had a good game I thought.

Up front we were competitive all the way through in the scrums which was good to see. Franco looked the part, I think we have a good 'un there all right.. In the back row nobody let themselves down, I was impressed by Ross, I thought he looked nervous coming on, but I thought his workrate was excellent, and he showed willing to carry as well - he was never far away from the ball. As someone else said though, there were no really big carriers on display, which may remain a weak spot for Ulster..

[big mervyn]

Allen's handling let him down at 12.

[promenader]

Great to be back watching rugby last night. Thought it was a competitive enough game for a friendly, played at a good tempo and good atmosphere in the crowd. Scholes stood out for me, could be his season this year. And I still enjoy watching iHumph, despite his defensive frailties. Exeter fans were good value and up for a bit of banter. Fair play to them for making such a long trip for a pre season friendly.

Hopefully now that the purple kit has had its obligatory one match appearance, it will be gathered up and burned out behind the stands, with or without an accelerant. Why we have to put up with these fashion aberrations every year, I do not know. We have a perfectly good change strip - it's red, it's traditional, it's classy. Kukri could produce variations on that every year, same as they do with the white, if they want to separate us from our cash. Blues, blacks and purples are both inelegant and just plain wrong.

[Setanta]

Not necessarily black - our colours are white, red and black - the colours of the three-headed Goddess.

[scrum5]

Salivating at the prospect of a front row of Black, Best and Herbst, as for Clive Ross he is a brother of Leinster and Ireland prop Mike Ross, believe he's on a 3 month contract trying to earn a full contract, if he continues on from last nights performance he should get one....

[damianmcr]

What was happening hear the end at the scrum? Did someone have Murphy on the ground with their hand at his throat?

Herbst is some size as well. Franco isn't to tiny either. What's everyone's verdict on J Andrews? He is young but looks like one to keep an eye on.

[CIMANFOREVER]

McCall went better at hooker IMO. Needs to lose some weight (as do I! Lol) but a tight front row with him in it. This years front rows will have a low centre of gravity all round. If that wasn't a friendly, Chiefs would have been penalised 3or 4 more times for popping up. Good front row taken apart a number of times by each Ulster combination.
Love to draw Chiefs in Europe. Great wee club, super fans, and the only part of England I'd want to live in.

[Snipe Watson]

What was happening hear the end at the scrum? Did someone have Murphy on the ground with their hand at his throat?

Herbst is some size as well. Franco isn't to tiny either. What's everyone's verdict on J Andrews? He is young but looks like one to keep an eye on.

For the veterans, Herbst and Black are welcome return old style proper shaped props. The 6'4" 20st behemoths are a thing of the past.

I thought the Exeter pack was a bunch of massive lumps, devoid of any measure of skill and typical of the lower end of the English premiership.

[BaggyTrousers]

Salivating at the prospect of a front row of Black, Best and Herbst, as for Clive Ross he is a brother of Leinster and Ireland prop Mike Ross, believe he's on a 3 month contract trying to earn a full contract, if he continues on from last nights performance he should get one....

No Irish rugby player should be called CLIVE, that said I assume he must be a Dublin High School boy, only place I could imagine a Clive being admitted.

Anyway having missed it & knowing as much as feck all about Clive, can someone enlighten me:

- Is he the much much younger brother of Mikewho is now in his fifties?

- What is his position, surely you can't prop with a name like Clive - centre or wing sounds the best bet for a Clive?

- We appear to be investing hopes in Mexican not good enough for Mexico. Let's hope AC's Academy work is not hindered by his senior squad involvement, for we need Ulster lads coming through to take these places for lets be honest if Charlie or Clive show talent, Mexico will eventually be after them as they do with Connacht try outs.

Now then, Clive apart I hear reports that the pack in ts several guises worked well last night. If this is generally held to be so, is anyone now reconsidering and thinking Allen Clarke may just have something at this level? Or too soon to say.

I should have mentioned previously that whilst the emergence of BIg Licence as a strapping prop is one of my big hopes, bigger by far than any other hopes for the season is that Allen Clarke can produce a warlike pack who he will send out week after week shouting as they run on, "Bring me heads, you sons of bitches, I want heads".

My dream is a fearsome pack, though always a slip of a back, I've always loved fatties & big lads that can do damage not only physically to the oppo, but screw them mentally.

G'wan.

[solidarity]

Exeter were good value though with a bit more experience on the field I think we would have seen it out. I like them as a team and hope they do well this year, their fan chants and the big drum were class

.

Very impressed with their fans - to have enough travelling to make a decent noise is excellent, especially for a pre-season friendly.

Our three guys did well for them, even Caldwell. Imagine him not getting a card, who would have believed it?

Made me think, could we put out a respectable Ulster Exiles XV? Eleven to start with: these three, Faloon, Seymour, Neil Best, NOC, Ian Porter, Chris Farrell, James McKinney, Ali Birch. I'm running out of steam and we have a few positional problems already, maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

[Snipe Watson]

Salivating at the prospect of a front row of Black, Best and Herbst, as for Clive Ross he is a brother of Leinster and Ireland prop Mike Ross, believe he's on a 3 month contract trying to earn a full contract, if he continues on from last nights performance he should get one....

No Irish rugby player should be called CLIVE, that said I assume he must be a Dublin High School boy, only place I could imagine a Clive being admitted.

Anyway having missed it & knowing as much as feck all about Clive, can someone enlighten me:

- Is he the much much younger brother of Mikewho is now in his fifties?

- What is his position, surely you can't prop with a name like Clive - centre or wing sounds the best bet for a Clive?

- We appear to be investing hopes in Mexican not good enough for Mexico. Let's hope AC's Academy work is not hindered by his senior squad involvement, for we need Ulster lads coming through to take these places for lets be honest if Charlie or Clive show talent, Mexico will eventually be after them as they do with Connacht try outs.

Now then, Clive apart I hear reports that the pack in ts several guises worked well last night. If this is generally held to be so, is anyone now reconsidering and thinking Allen Clarke may just have something at this level? Or too soon to say.

I should have mentioned previously that whilst the emergence of BIg Licence as a strapping prop is one of my big hopes, bigger by far than any other hopes for the season is that Allen Clarke can produce a warlike pack who he will send out week after week shouting as they run on, "Bring me heads, you sons of bitches, I want heads".

My dream is a fearsome pack, though always a slip of a back, I've always loved fatties & big lads that can do damage not only physically to the oppo, but screw them mentally.

G'wan.

I was at my usual spot last night, or possibly a couple of steps lower, and my knowledge of Clive amounts to about the same as yours, notwithstanding the fact that I have clapped eyes on him, but have no idea which youngfella he was. Herbst looked more than useful, but I am reliably informed that the word is, he's not up to JD's vision of match fitness. Of the newbies on show, none disappointed or looked to be out of their depth. Louis, Franco, Wiehahn and RoryinIrish looked very promising or better.

I also serve notice of my intention to withdraw the optimistic comments I made about Hairy Dave. "has gone backwards while in Italy" is the latest.

[Rooster]

N
JD's vision of fitness is a very scary thought for props

[Snipe Watson]

N
JD's vision of fitness is a very scary thought for props

And most normal humans....