Ulster V Leinster Friday 30th Sept

[HammerTime]

Yes other than outright speed he’s useless. Poor skills and far too light. Hopefully this performance lights a rocket up their Brennan like the Connacht game last season. Score line flattered us although on another day the two ‘non’ tries would have been given and it would have been a good win. Not that they would have deserved it.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

It's awful when the best we can say is, 'At least we got a losing bonus and stopped Leinster getting a four try bonus'

At least we got a losing BP and prevented Leinster scoring 4 tries.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

...although on another day the two ‘non’ tries would have been given and it would have been a good win.

I think that's called a Brace of 'non' tries

[justinr73]

It's awful when the best we can say is, 'At least we got a losing bonus and stopped Leinster getting a four try bonus'

To an extent but that is actually a decent positive from where we were at the interval.

I could have done with some waterproof trousers.

And a waterproof top.

And some waterproof underpants.

[jean valjean]

It's fair to say we will always struggle on a wet night against a bigger and well drilled pack. Without DV and hendo we really don't have the grunt to compete and the weather completely takes away our advantage in the backs. At half time a losing bonus point was a good result but if the sexton try had been scored the last 10 mins would have been very interesting. Porter and Jenkins going off evened up the power game and it was no surprise it coincided with our best period in the game. I hate knocking players but sexton had a poor game and despite being athletes him and big Ben are probably at least 5/6th choice wings.

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[solidarity]

It's awful when the best we can say is, 'At least we got a losing bonus and stopped Leinster getting a four try bonus'

To an extent but that is actually a decent positive from where we were at the interval.

I could have done with some waterproof trousers.

And a waterproof top.

And some waterproof underpants.

We in the swanky seats in the Memorial Stand looked down on the peasants below with real concern in our hearts.

[Dave]

I remember folk writing off Stockdale after a few games. He can't tackle, catch etc.... He was too slow. Did he guff a try once? Sexton too fast maybe? As in too much expected of him. He has maybe given up a decent track career. Running at 10.4 aged 19, he could have had a crack an the Irish 100m record.

I don't know if he will make it but he is worth a punt considering his obvious strengths. Starting against Leinster in his second start is a jump too high, imo. The nerves, pressure, adrenaline will take some getting used to. He needs gametime at a level above AIL. Perhaps if there was some 2 bit tour he could have went on? The need for a proper second tier competition should be higher on the agenda. Even that combo league that was suggested would help.

It's potentially unreasonable for a young player to be expected to slip into a windy, wet evening and excel against Leinster. I would say put the knives away lads. Let's not eat our own young.

Tuck into Matty Rea. Hard to believe he and Marcus share any DNA.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Perhaps if there was some 2 bit tour he could have went on?

The fact that he wasn't selected to go on some 2-bit tour perhaps tells us where he really is in the overall scheme of things.

I suggest that taking him on the 2-bit tour and leaving Baloucoune at to play in the interpro derby might have been more productive for both players.

As it is, what has happened is that the Irish coaching set-up will hardly learn anything about Baloucoune on that 2-bit tour, and we have seen that Sexton is a long way from the required level as yet.

Many (including myself) have questioned why he wasn't used with the big boys earlier. Him and Baloucoune were in the same A-Team set-up. The fact that one has progressed and one has stalled maybe answers why he hasn't been selected more over the past couple of seasons.

I won't write him off yet, but it is worrying that he has been around the squad for a number of years, but has yet to make any impact in it,

[John_e_boy]

If a defending player causes the ball to go forward, even (especially) in a tackle, it's a knock on. Advantage.

If the knocked-on ball hits an attacking player's midriff, in the in-goal, and is grounded without further interference, it's a try.

Shirley?

[Gerald the Mole]

Perhaps if there was some 2 bit tour he could have went on?

The fact that he wasn't selected to go on some 2-bit tour perhaps tells us where he really is in the overall scheme of things.

I suggest that taking him on the 2-bit tour and leaving Baloucoune at to play in the interpro derby might have been more productive for both players.

As it is, what has happened is that the Irish coaching set-up will hardly learn anything about Baloucoune on that 2-bit tour, and we have seen that Sexton is a long way from the required level as yet.

Many (including myself) have questioned why he wasn't used with the big boys earlier. Him and Baloucoune were in the same A-Team set-up. The fact that one has progressed and one has stalled maybe answers why he hasn't been selected more over the past couple of seasons.

I won't write him off yet, but it is worrying that he has been around the squad for a number of years, but has yet to make any impact in it,

Captain, one has 47 caps for Ulster One has 6 caps for Ulster so your last comment is a bit poor to be honest ( not to mention his long list of injuries, give him a break ffs maybe his lack of senior games does not help so to compare him to the cat is stupid

[Big-al]

He is the complete opposite of Ethan McIlroy. One is technically gifted, carries ball in both hands, but lacking pace and the other very quick and struggles to make basic tackles/catches and can get confused when the picture changes in front of him.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

If a defending player causes the ball to go forward, even (especially) in a tackle, it's a knock on. Advantage.

If the knocked-on ball hits an attacking player's midriff, in the in-goal, and is grounded without further interference, it's a try.

Shirley?

That's how I read it. Not unlike the disallowed "try" against Stormers that the TMO was publicly rapped over the knuckles for.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Perhaps if there was some 2 bit tour he could have went on?

The fact that he wasn't selected to go on some 2-bit tour perhaps tells us where he really is in the overall scheme of things.

I suggest that taking him on the 2-bit tour and leaving Baloucoune at to play in the interpro derby might have been more productive for both players.

As it is, what has happened is that the Irish coaching set-up will hardly learn anything about Baloucoune on that 2-bit tour, and we have seen that Sexton is a long way from the required level as yet.

Many (including myself) have questioned why he wasn't used with the big boys earlier. Him and Baloucoune were in the same A-Team set-up. The fact that one has progressed and one has stalled maybe answers why he hasn't been selected more over the past couple of seasons.

I won't write him off yet, but it is worrying that he has been around the squad for a number of years, but has yet to make any impact in it,

Captain, one has 47 caps for Ulster One has 6 caps for Ulster so your last comment is a bit poor to be honest ( not to mention his long list of injuries, give him a break ffs maybe his lack of senior games does not help so to compare him to the cat is stupid

I am quite prepared to give him a break - I've stated that I won't write him off just yet, but even your own stats paint a worrying picture given that him and RB were contemporaries in an Ulster A-Team not so long ago (albeit RB is three years older). Injuries aside, for both players, one has grabbed his opportunity with both hands, but the other has not managed to do so. It is that very disparity between 47 caps and 6 that I would contend is worrying, which is what I have stated, no more, no less. Sexton may make the grade yet - I sincerely hope so, but he needs to start showing massive improvement in the near future if he's to fulfill the potential we all (myself included) thought he had. A large part of that will be in his use of his top six inches.
I can only assume the coaching staff have a good handle on his abilities, and it would suggest that they are yet to be convinced enough to make him a regular starter. Hopefully with more game time, he will improve, but performances like tonight won't help him get that needed game time.

[justinr73]

Tyrone Mears was a runner turned footballer (if you use the term loosely) who did pretty well for himself.

In other news, well done to the young ladies from Omagh tonight, especially my two nieces (one of whom was playing only her second game of rugby).

[rumncoke]

I remember a wet and windy night when Ulster were playing the scarlets away from home and one Andy Trimble looked all at sea with the high ball -- he went on to play for Ireland on the wing .

Any wing can look out of their depth on a wind night watching a high ball drifting in the wind and on several occasions Lowry was on the run to catch as Sexton stood still.

There are those who forget the guy came down hard from a height just a week ago.

Sexton wasn't the reason Ulster lost although it would appear to be the verdict of many Lost lost because they gave away penalties in the first half to allow Leinster to maul within the 5 meter area-- a game they have perfected and used to win games for many years.

The leinster game is based on a sound back row defence in mid field - the ability to play a short ,one pass and ruck game to frustrate the opposition and patience to wait for the penalties that frustration provokes and then kick the penalty into the corner.

I consider it was a mistake to kick the penalty in the first half because if Ulster had gone for the corner instead it would have helped to round the clock down and kept Leinster within their own half --

My call about the type of game and the effect of the weather was close to the truth.

The truth is when Leinster play their top 23 available players their experience and SID makes winning that much harder Ulster may have as good if not better backline but leinster have the best defence in the League and without the ball a good backline can't score.