Billy Burns

[justinr73]

For the avoidance of any doubt, I tried to type t i t .

[Dave]

Use your fingers next time.

[justinr73]

Bieber

[fermain]

classic

[Dave]

Don't use your real name!!!

[justinr73]

Went to see the fake Dubliners at the O2 a while back.

Arrived to find 1000s of girls wearing we love you Justin gear.

Turned out Bieber was playing the main arena

[Dave]

Can he play 10?

[Big-al]

When was the last time he has had a good game for Ulster?

He was a black hole tonight. The worst in amongst a number of shocking performances.

Yes. Totally his fault we lost tonight.

bieber.

Between Billy being rubbush almost on a weekly basis and team selection. Both big reasons why Ulster lost.

Where has McCann and Marcus Rea disappeared too? Rea is Ulsters best turnover threat by a distance, yes he may give away a dodgy penalty every match, but he’ll also win you a couple.

On what planet is Jones a better blindside than McCann? Neither are perfect, but McCann has bulk and youth on his side.

Backrow and breakdown (along with 10) was the one area on the team sheet were ulster lacked quality, Munster yet again, got the better of us there.

Where was Warwick? His ban was up and yet Eric still got the bench place, came on and kept missing tackles, Crowley made a fool out of him at the end to make a break, he was only on 12 minutes.

I sympathise with the Milo selection, that is down to injuries to o’toole and then Moore. When Moore went off, it give Munster believe, they took in the ulster tight 5 and scrum.

Doak showed enough this past few weeks to suggest he is worthy of more gametime at 10. I have always maintained playing Burbs will ensure every season ends in tears.

[richardt84]

When was the last time he has had a good game for Ulster?

He was a black hole tonight. The worst in amongst a number of shocking performances.

Yes. Totally his fault we lost tonight.

bieber.

Between Billy being rubbush almost on a weekly basis and team selection. Both big reasons why Ulster lost.

Where has McCann and Marcus Rea disappeared too? Rea is Ulsters best turnover threat by a distance, yes he may give away a dodgy penalty every match, but he’ll also win you a couple.

On what planet is Jones a better blindside than McCann? Neither are perfect, but McCann has bulk and youth on his side.

Backrow and breakdown (along with 10) was the one area on the team sheet were ulster lacked quality, Munster yet again, got the better of us there.

Additionally, Jones only signed a one year contract extension which is up this summer so I assume is not part of long term plans. I don’t see him as being better than Rea or McCann and from a player development point of view would rather see any game time allocated to Jones used on the likes of Harry Sheridan or potentially Reuben Crothers. We talk about Ulster’s inability to produce decent forwards and then watch as Leinster give game time to guys who were playing with the likes of Sheridan and Crothers e.g. Soroka played with Sheridan at under 20 level and has been given a number of opportunities in an area where Leinster have significantly stronger resources than Jones.

On the point of 10 there was an incident early in the game last night which summed our problems up. Stewart floated a pass out to the back line and as soon as it went to Burns it was shovelled on to McCloskey who was a couple of feet away and immediately swarmed by several Munster players who drove him back. I’m not saying it was a great opportunity but if Dan is talking about being in the Munster 22 a total of 11 times and only scoring on one occasion then he has to share the blame on playing someone who is clearly out of form. It. It might be argued as to who else Dan could play but equally, who else has he given meaningful minutes to unless absolutely forced to by injury?

[Bobbievee]

Amidst this forum furore about defence coach, let's get back to basics. Munster only scored 2 tries in the game, with some outstanding persistent goal line UR defence . Our open play defence is less good, topped with the embarrassing Cowley break on the halfway line.
But DmcF is right in one thing. We didnt win the match because we only scored 1 try......(..And it was almost freakish.!), and never actually looked like scoring any more. Our reliance on the mail to score tries has concealed the collapse of the UR backs as an threat to anybody.
Our backline attack is slow, predictable slow loops and missed passes, abysmal and aimless kicking at 9 and 10, I would take Healy.............
Munster improved when he came on at 10 last night and he is their 3rd choice!

[UlsterNo9]

Burns out of form, Doak out of form, Hume nowhere near last year standard, Lowry out of form. McIlroy not performing to last season standard.

Everyone cannot be out of form.... I'm leaning toward this not being a player issue

[CIMANFOREVER]

It's a management issue. Suggest no confidence in the game plan. So many players can't be out of form at the same time. Stewart is playing for a WC squad place

[Dave]

Burns out of form, Doak out of form, Hume nowhere near last year standard, Lowry out of form. McIlroy not performing to last season standard.

Everyone cannot be out of form.... I'm leaning toward this not being a player issue

I've seen this time and time again across multiple sports. Often, when you have so many otherwise good players out of form, it is the coaching ticket that needs to be freshened up. Dan is a good coach, but every coach has a shelf life. When you are too close to the problem, it can be a difficult one to fix.

[Jetstream]

Give Flannery and Doak the reins. Burns seems to be permanently carrying an injury, none of which were picked up tackling. As for Milsanovich I've had deckchairs that were harder to fold up.

[Dharper]

Is Dan really the issue?….or the hands on coaches?
There is a few things I don’t like (people may or not agree):

Poor kick strategy: (honestly it fecking gets my goat).

90% off 9, if in touch fine. The argument is there with extra 10yards back to burns we would actually lose yardage as his distance kicking isn’t great/is he actually fit to kick? I’d happily stick Stockdale in at 10, if back 3 go deep, consider running it….Leinster use Lowe more than we do. The box kick to compete: on paper fine, both wingers 6’3 ish, RB very decent, Stockdale is a poor catcher. I’d rather kick very deep on the diagonal for touch and give possession over, than lose a fake possession competition for 10metres. The continued box kicking to Haley last night was a disgrace. Stevie wonder didn’t need an analysis computer to realise it wasn’t working. We should’ve kicked to corners, and put munsters makeshift and very ropey lineout under pressure. Moore and mccloskey forced this off the cuff with kicks in first half, the message should have gone on…..well fecking done- keep hitting their weak spot.

Selection:

We have realistically had a 9day break? I know timoney and Rea have been flogged if no injuries, 1 should have started one on bench. Last night was a ridiculous selection-zero gametime for 3 of the 4. Who goes into a game against Munster with a backrow selection as poor as that, really? If Dan was happy, he should’ve been challenged on it.

We lack physical impact, frankly we lack aggression. If we are only gonna give the bench 10/15 mins where was Izzy?…stick him in as a 6 replacement if worried re lineout. Sheridan in pre season game threw himself about, and looked a lump for a 6.
Our discipline has gone to brad pitt….. fine or beast the lot of them, hopefully someone gets a slap in the changing room.

UR is too comfy…..when you have a legend worrying what message it sends to our props signing Sutherland, it’s a fecking problem…..the message is clear, “this should be an elite environment, you’re not currently feck good enough”. If there is a budget issue re signings in that pack, I’d jettison backline players no matter how big a local name. We generate them regularly, forwards definitely not. Too many locals taking things for granted. Frankly Dan needs to make an example of 1 or more…..out the door.