Ulster v La Rochelle - Saturday (Sunday?) Ravenhill (RDS?)

[thecrouch]

How can they possibly move it to the RDS at this late stage, unless the plan is to play in an empty stadium if so.

[horslips]

This should not even be in question. Leinster playing tonight at RDS no problem and its been baltic in Dublin all week - was showing -5 in the car taking kids to school @8am and I live 30 minutes walk from the RDS. My eldest is moving to one of the South Dublin Rugby Schools in Sept and at the open day they were keen to point out not only the 4 G pitch they have, but also the undersoil heating they have for the 1st XV Grass Pitch. For Ulster still to be running around with bits of plastic sheeting and leaf blowers on a pitch that looks like you could build a half decent sand castle speaks volumes as to where their priorities are.

True
We decided to go for a modern purpose built stadium that can be used all year round and provides enhanced facilities for the users rather than focus on the one or two occasions when frost may be an issue. A better option and certainly an improvement over playing in a horse jumping arena.

[flatpass]

I may be alone in this opinion, but I actually think Carter is having a decent season, and playing much better than last year (when in fairness he was absolutely useless, and I was bewildered by the decision to extend his contract). I imagine the thinking is that he offers more set piece ballast / nous than Treadwell..

I agree with this so there's 2 of us at least. Carter has always been good at lineouts and setting a maul. In fact he is one of our best forwards in both domains. Where he has been weak in past seasons has been his soft carrying and tackling. To his credit he has improved massively on both and I think he is a fair shout in the starting team. One of him or Treads had to bench and there's something to be said about having a bit of pace on the bench against a big pack.

Three.

Four

[CIMANFOREVER]

Carter adds ballast.
Hendo 6 for as full metal jacket pack as poss. Fair play to Stewart- but not sure I'd have him over Herring for this one. Bench front row is scary bad apart from Herring. Sad that AW had overtaken EOS as starting loosie in the absence of Sutherland. Such regression. Is TOT injured- Milsinovich sadly offers little other that poorly used bulk although his and TOTs scrummaging are about equal imo- IE substandard. We need a scrum guru...
Where's Marcus?
That bench 5 is picked for bulk.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Are people still offended by Sunday games?

It appears not (and of course I'm generalising). While there are those who prefer the game not to be Sunday for religious reasons, the levels of vocal opposition to more recent Sunday matches compared to that famous Leicester win are minimal.

Munster home match this season is on a Sunday - 1st January.

Not aware of any complaints about it.

[StandUp]

Doak replacing himself with 20 to go?

Maybe pottymouth is making a comeback.

[jean valjean]

Carter is not dynamic but he has bulk which in the scrum and maul are a bonus. He is playing for a contract and a showing against LR will go a long way to getting one in France or wherever.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Doak replacing himself with 20 to go?

Make that 15 minutes to go - he'll be slow getting there, then wave his hands around , before asking the ref for a penalty that the replacing Doak can kick, rather than the Doak being replaced.

Ref will say, "No, get on with replacing yourself".

[Cap'n Grumpy]

I may be alone in this opinion, but I actually think Carter is having a decent season, and playing much better than last year (when in fairness he was absolutely useless, and I was bewildered by the decision to extend his contract). I imagine the thinking is that he offers more set piece ballast / nous than Treadwell..

I agree with this so there's 2 of us at least. Carter has always been good at lineouts and setting a maul. In fact he is one of our best forwards in both domains. Where he has been weak in past seasons has been his soft carrying and tackling. To his credit he has improved massively on both and I think he is a fair shout in the starting team. One of him or Treads had to bench and there's something to be said about having a bit of pace on the bench against a big pack.

Three.

Make that 4, and without wishing to speak for him, I suspect that MUM will make that 5.

[flatpass]

Four is taken, Cap’n. But you’re welcome to number five

[Dave]

Carter is dung. He just isn't as abject shyte as last season. He can't carry for brad pitt and he has no power. Bulk is pointless without moving it around in an acceptable way. Milasinovich has even more bulk. He was and is an atrocious signing. One of the worst NIQs. This is where we just accept someone who would not be tolerated at Leinster or Munster. It's sad. Ulster will never change.

Don't count me.

[CIMANFOREVER]

Unless I'm picking you up wrong Dave, Milisinovich is IQ (ironically)

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Four is taken, Cap’n. But you’re welcome to number five

I demand a recount!

The vote is rigged!

[Dave]

Sorry, I was still talking about Carter. How did we end up with so many useless players? I dread to think what level of salary they might be on.

[Chris Montez]

This should not even be in question. Leinster playing tonight at RDS no problem and its been baltic in Dublin all week - was showing -5 in the car taking kids to school @8am and I live 30 minutes walk from the RDS. My eldest is moving to one of the South Dublin Rugby Schools in Sept and at the open day they were keen to point out not only the 4 G pitch they have, but also the undersoil heating they have for the 1st XV Grass Pitch. For Ulster still to be running around with bits of plastic sheeting and leaf blowers on a pitch that looks like you could build a half decent sand castle speaks volumes as to where their priorities are.

True
We decided to go for a modern purpose built stadium that can be used all year round and provides enhanced facilities for the users rather than focus on the one or two occasions when frost may be an issue. A better option and certainly an improvement over playing in a horse jumping arena.

Mmmmmm is that you Bryn - the pitch and the facilities that surround it are 2 different things. Even with horses trampling all over it every year the standard of the pitch at the RDS is and always has been much better than that at Kingspan (which in fairness isn't difficult). I would have though that with our world beating back line we would want to give them the best surface possible - then again.....

Still if it does get moved down tomorrow I'll have a much shorter commute.