Ulster vs Dragons Friday 2nd September - updates

[Cornerfleg]

I quite like Herron, I like his attitude... Young lad reminds me of Paddy 3 years ago. At 10 you bit up the world sees.... Im happy with letting him get experience...

[Dave]

Jacko will be back for round three

[Scholar]

He had a top knotch side step last season..

[Spiffsson]

Outstanding Scholar !!

[solidarity]

Can't really argue with a b p win to start the season but the Dragons were pretty poor. Going 8 - 0 down was a cause for concern but we did play virtually the rest of the match in their half and our defence never really looked troubled. There's enough there to look forward to a decent season but not enough to have us rubbing our hands in anticipation.
Can't see the Dragons out of the bottom three.

[Tender]

Top Knot was way off the boil tonight. Some poor decision making cost us, but we had enough in the tank to get the job done, even in that one dimensional style. Gilroy got seriously ploughed and he'll probably be out for next week.
Can't grumble about a steady home win, good crowd, good company and the rain stayed away until we got to the car. Happiness
FIRFU

[ruckover]

Heron has been a bit erratic. He's only 20 though. Jonny McPhillips should be benching.

Based on what I saw at the development game, no he should not be.

[Dave]

Heron has been a bit erratic. He's only 20 though. Jonny McPhillips should be benching.

Based on what I saw at the development game, no he should not be.

What did you see?

[Wee Woman]

Positives:
Bonus point win (& we were far from great)
Pienaar - stick that in your pipe and smoke it D4
Rob Lyttle, what a finish for that 2nd try.
No band, are they gone forever? Please!
And kudos to the folk who produced the Ulster Says No poster

Negatives:
Rugby players with topknots need a good beating and frogmarched to the nearest barber, sort it big Stu!
The IRFU for forcing the departure of St. Ruan of Pienaar

[ruckover]

Heron has been a bit erratic. He's only 20 though. Jonny McPhillips should be benching.

Based on what I saw at the development game, no he should not be.

What did you see?

A fly half struggling to control the game. He wasn't getting great service from Angus Lloyd, who was also terrible, but even when he did he didn't look great. His kicking for touch was poor too.

[Snipe Watson]

Herron has done OK so far and he was OK tonight. 10 is an extraordinarily difficult position to play and there are very few 20 year olds who can boss a game at this level.
The comparison with iHump is nonsense. Herron's technique needs sorting, but he at least puts himself in harms way and tries to tackle.
I thought Clive Ross played well tonight and big Stu was a bit one dimensional. Biggest winner of the night was young Kane who was not out of his depth at all.
5 points, job done.

[Dave]

Heron has been a bit erratic. He's only 20 though. Jonny McPhillips should be benching.

Based on what I saw at the development game, no he should not be.

What did you see?

A fly half struggling to control the game. He wasn't getting great service from Angus Lloyd, who was also terrible, but even when he did he didn't look great. His kicking for touch was poor too.

What about the backrow?

[jackthelad]

Herron has been catapulted from Division 3 Southwest into a high level pro side with little in between. He looked nervous as feck but stuck to it and was o.k. On the NOC scale of NOC being a 1, Paddy being a 10, Herron was motoring along at about a 5. He'll be fine.

[Deraless]

Stockdale and Lyttle showed our International centres how to attack a very flat (read offside) defensive line. Nice variation with kicks in behind. Centres a bit predictable tonight. Stu M: batter it up against 2 defenders. Stu O: hitch kick then batter it up against 2 defenders.

Herron took a beatin. At least got in the way!

[Nightsoil]

First games of the season aren't for weaving magic, they're for knocking the rust off and getting maximum points. Job done.

Herron and Kane should be better next week for this. They're in very hard positions and making big steps up. I thought they did their jobs well enough and showed signs that they will continue to improve.

Lyttle by contrast though looks freakishly well adjusted already and I think I need to control my expectations for this kid.