Ulster Vs Exeter Live

[Rooster]

Les didn't criticise Rusn as such, just said he didn't play it as they'd agreed at half time and then said Ruan probably saw it differently and saw something else. You could tell he had 100% respect for Ruan and i thought it showed they had a really good working relationship rather than he was slagging him.

There were times when the game was crying out for a few pick and goes around the ruck. That would have punched a few holes around the fringes and varying the play would heave been less predictable. Ruan's work rate was very high and always a threat but imagine him playing behind a more dominant pack?!

Joe we go backwards at pick and go then get isolated and give away a penalty so not a great move at all

[ruckover]

We don't pick and go around the ruck. That's just a fact of life. We should, but we don't.

Look, we can criticise our powderpuff pack until the cows home, it doesn't change anything. We have a weak pack and we can't change that until, at the very earliest, next season. We can coach the guys on how to be more aggressive, we can introduce a couple of young guys (which I don't think we will), but it won't change the fact that the big packs of Europe will tear ours to shreds. Complaining won't change it either.

Maybe we should try and focus on the (very few) strengths of our pack and try to utilise those to the best of our ability instead. Rather than try and be a big bulldozing side that we can't actually be.

[fuzzylogic]

First trip to Ravers in a couple of seasons.... as expected, disappointing. Full of tubes, both on the pitch and in the stands.

[Russ]

First trip to Ravers in a couple of seasons.... as expected, disappointing. Full of tubes, both on the pitch and in the stands.

Tell us more

[Cockatrice]

First trip to Ravers in a couple of seasons.... as expected, disappointing. Full of tubes, both on the pitch and in the stands.

Go on tell us more...

[Dave]

First trip to Ravers in a couple of seasons.... as expected, disappointing. Full of tubes, both on the pitch and in the stands.

Go on tell us more, name and shame....

[BR]

We had a captain last night? Are you sure?

For once, I find it difficult to argue. We have two plus one who won't let go...that sums up the strategic thinking at UR imo.

plus vdM calling the lineouts and Pienaar calling the attacks and Windy doing the defence.

It's rugby by committee.

[Rooster]

We had a captain last night? Are you sure?

For once, I find it difficult to argue. We have two plus one who won't let go...that sums up the strategic thinking at UR imo.

plus vdM calling the lineouts and Pienaar calling the attacks and Windy doing the defence.

It's rugby by committee.

Should have been someone delegated to bringing you stout supplies

[BR]

We had a captain last night? Are you sure?

For once, I find it difficult to argue. We have two plus one who won't let go...that sums up the strategic thinking at UR imo.

plus vdM calling the lineouts and Pienaar calling the attacks and Windy doing the defence.

It's rugby by committee.

Should have been someone delegated to bringing you stout supplies

Not a chance - I had a pint of lager last night to fulfill the fixture. But the damage was done last weekend.

[docgasman]

Leinster & Nacewa show beagle how to get a losing BP v Montpellier this afternoon

[Joe Schmo]

Leinster & Nacewa show beagle how to get a losing BP v Montpellier this afternoon

and BOD rubbing it in on BT.

[scrum5]

Which makes the decision not to re-sign Chris Farrell even more glaring, he can carry ball similar to McCloskey play them in tandem or rotation, it gets you another ball carrier to help with the workload, hence why Henderson went off last evening, he was doing most of the carrying and special mention for Kyle McCall played for the shirt and never gave up.

Farrell would not be the answer to our problems. We don't need another centre not getting any game time. Our problem is not in the back line, it's in the pack and trying to correct our lack of forward power with a big 12 is not a proper fix. Our backs are good enough, the problem is they are playing against opposition back lines supplemented with back rowers because they have just spread out.
Kyle McCall was taking ball at second receiver and often making yards, but in my opinion he should have been doing that around the fringes of the ruck, sucking defenders in and creating space. The other option would have been someone on his shoulder for an offload, but that wasn't happening either.

It's a massive cliche, but I just wish we would do the simple things well.

Snipe, think you're missing my point, with no back row forwards on the horizon and Ulster's obsession of crashing it up using the centres, then you actually need centres who can do it consistently, McCloskey can and does but with that style he is going to have a right few injuries, none of Cave, Ludik, Olding, Marshall or Payne can do it effectively, hence my suggestion to bring back Farrell was conditioned by the continuation of the dumb plan instigated by the coach/coaches at UR, to carry out a specific task successfully you need the correct personnel, which we don't have with are more creative centres.

[Snipe Watson]

Which makes the decision not to re-sign Chris Farrell even more glaring, he can carry ball similar to McCloskey play them in tandem or rotation, it gets you another ball carrier to help with the workload, hence why Henderson went off last evening, he was doing most of the carrying and special mention for Kyle McCall played for the shirt and never gave up.

Farrell would not be the answer to our problems. We don't need another centre not getting any game time. Our problem is not in the back line, it's in the pack and trying to correct our lack of forward power with a big 12 is not a proper fix. Our backs are good enough, the problem is they are playing against opposition back lines supplemented with back rowers because they have just spread out.
Kyle McCall was taking ball at second receiver and often making yards, but in my opinion he should have been doing that around the fringes of the ruck, sucking defenders in and creating space. The other option would have been someone on his shoulder for an offload, but that wasn't happening either.

It's a massive cliche, but I just wish we would do the simple things well.

Snipe, think you're missing my point, with no back row forwards on the horizon and Ulster's obsession of crashing it up using the centres, then you actually need centres who can do it consistently, McCloskey can and does but with that style he is going to have a right few injuries, none of Cave, Ludik, Olding, Marshall or Payne can do it effectively, hence my suggestion to bring back Farrell was conditioned by the continuation of the dumb plan instigated by the coach/coaches at UR, to carry out a specific task successfully you need the correct personnel, which we don't have with are more creative centres.

I knew what you meant S5, I also see your point and even how it would be a solution of sorts, but it would address the symptom rather than the root cause in the pack. Without an offensive threat in the pack we are too easy to stop.
I hold out some hope we have a ball carrying second row coming for next season. Faint though it may be.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

I hold out some hope we have a ball carrying second row coming for next season. Faint though it may be.

Not sure a second row that faints is the answer to our problems

[Snipe Watson]

I hold out some hope we have a ball carrying second row coming for next season. Faint though it may be.

Not sure a second row that faints is the answer to our problems

not funny