Ulster v Connacht

[CIMANFOREVER]

https://www.independent.ie/sport/united ... 74631.html

Fanning not going for the jugular, but not a lot to argue against either.

He could've went harder- especially around breakdown and lack of creativity with the "talent" in the backline- poor 10, etc.. Also the stupidity around letting a gift like JTA go ( probably would've been a low cost contract) given our main game plan is based around scrum and maul. Realistically, if Moore is fit we will have only one front line ( and injury prone) TH of any quality to shore us up, as TOT will be away more often than not.

[CIMANFOREVER]

Call out to Connacht front row, whom I said would be a real contest. Bealham and Buckley were outstanding. I'd happily go both in an international. Buckley's lack of a cap is a national disgrace- face doesn't fit- copyright Cave, Wilson and Cooney. Best scrummaging Irish loosie of the last 10 years. That Killer is seen as an option in comparison is beyond comedy.

[HammerTime]

The Ulster collapse last evening was truly shocking against opposition put away earlier in the season. An opposition that is only a developmental club with limited resources.
2nd at home against 7th. A shocker.
You really need to step up next season for the sake of the league.

IRFU need to step in. They are not maximising their resources. Ulster has huge support relatively yet serial underachievement.
But FIRFU rightly probably look at it and go- put on your big boys and girls pants. Apart from great work by CLUBS, URFU is a shyteshow. Youth, women's and senior pro game is a joke, riddled by mediocre managers and jobs for the boys with a business model akin to the 2007 financial crash. Big bubble with no self awareness of impending collapse.
Only way for change is collapse in season tickets where we say "no more "
Give us a ruthless professional structure and coaching team, and break eggs.

The IRFU and most down south are sneaking regarders of Ulsters misfortunes. They say the ain’t but they are.

[CIMANFOREVER]

The Ulster collapse last evening was truly shocking against opposition put away earlier in the season. An opposition that is only a developmental club with limited resources.
2nd at home against 7th. A shocker.
You really need to step up next season for the sake of the league.

IRFU need to step in. They are not maximising their resources. Ulster has huge support relatively yet serial underachievement.
But FIRFU rightly probably look at it and go- put on your big boys and girls pants. Apart from great work by CLUBS, URFU is a shyteshow. Youth, women's and senior pro game is a joke, riddled by mediocre managers and jobs for the boys with a business model akin to the 2007 financial crash. Big bubble with no self awareness of impending collapse.
Only way for change is collapse in season tickets where we say "no more "
Give us a ruthless professional structure and coaching team, and break eggs.

The IRFU and most down south are sneaking regarders of Ulsters misfortunes. They say the ain’t but they are.

Whilst I agree to an extent HT, it would be a stupid business model, which should have no truck with any prejudice that gets in the way of driving revenue. Given that, memories run deep on this Island. It's up to us to sort, but how do you prise greedy mediocre UR hands off a sinecure and cash cow?

[CIMANFOREVER]

Some other sites alluding to trouble after the match in grounds and outside? Anyone any insight or just more innuendo to throw at us? Saw a pretty p#ssed off fan base but nothing to suggest a more malign turn? Crowd fairly quiet when exiting as far as I saw

[promsandwich]

It's hard to express how disappointed I was leaving the ground on Friday night.

You could tell from the first few physical exchanges that they appeared to more 'up for it' than our players. Forget about whinging about the ref - we were totally dominated at the breakdown from first minute to last. They committed numbers when the turnover was on and those numbers were committed. They targeted us out wide and turned the ball over because the the support to the player tackled was either non-existent or too slow to arrive.

The simple fact is that our defence is too passive. We may stop the opposition player but we rarely knock them back in a way that is disruptive to the attacking team.

We do not have enough physicality in the pack, that has been the case for a number of years now and, unfortunately, it is not going to change anytime soon. We are not producing enough forwards, and those that do show potential like Sheridan, are not given enough opportunities, as they would be in a Leinster side.

As far as the backs go, most of the players available for this game are the same players that were playing in one of the most potent back lines in Europe a couple of years ago. They now appear lost and clueless whether in defence or attack. When was the last time our backline produced an attacking move that surprised the crowd, let alone the opposition? The fact is, since Payne left, we have been poor in defence and attack. My own opinion is that this is down to the coaches and not the players.

As far as Burns goes, he is not a top drawer 10, but he is as good as we can get at present. He is mercilessly targeted by the opposition and what I saw on Friday was a brave guy putting his body on the line for us. He receives little protection from our back row. In attack, the forwards don't punch enough holes to occupy the opposition and give him more space to operate. I'm not saying he is great or ideal, but he is not being helped by the team.

The problems now are the same as they have been for a number of years. We do not have enough big, hairy arsed, wrecking machines in the forwards to dominate the opposition. Occasionally we gain parity against top sides, which is a credit to the players as it is all they can hope to achieve. With well coached, talented backs, this has previously allowed us to compete. Now we have poorly coached, talented backs, achieving nothing. Our only weapon is the maul. It is great to have such a weapon. But if that it all you've got, it's not enough to win anything.

I'm not convinced that a new coach would solve all the problems. McFarland pulled us back from a pretty poor place when he first came in. I don't know enough about what is going on behind the scenes to know if he has lost the dressing room.

What I do know is this:

1. Selections are very odd.

2. Letting go JTA and Sutherland is madness - is this Petrie's fault? If so, change is needed. 2 great short-term recruits being binned to our detriment.

3. Backs and defence coaches - is it coincidence that we have regressed since Payne left? I don't think so. Who in the name of god thought that Bell was going to do a better job than the last time he left? Probably the worst appointment of recent years and the one that really smacks of 'jobs for the boys', and I went to school with the lad.

Finally, the crowd - there is no doubt that the feral atmosphere of old is not there. It's all a bit flat, largely because the team do little to inspire - give us a bit hit or a turnover or show some fight and we'll react. This isn't the only problem though - Friday night wasn't the first time that I have guldered 'Ulster' like a Black Bush induced lunatic in order to try and get some signing going, only to have the people around me turn around and look at me as if to say 'You're mental and that hurt my ears'.

Should we be better? Yes.
Will we be better? No.
Will I be renewing my season ticket and attending as normal. Absolutely. We will be brill

[promsandwich]

Some other sites alluding to trouble after the match in grounds and outside? Anyone any insight or just more innuendo to throw at us? Saw a pretty p#ssed off fan base but nothing to suggest a more malign turn? Crowd fairly quiet when exiting as far as I saw

Didn't see any of this. Spent the night beside 5/6 Connacht fans and we had the best of craic, before, during and after the match, with handshakes all round and best wishes at the final whistle.

[StandUp]

All was quiet when I left.

[CIMANFOREVER]

Connacht fans in general seem a decent bunch. Never the same snidery than in D4 or Turnipstan in Galway. I'd love to see them make the final and highlight how good management can make the best of limited resources

[promsandwich]

Connacht fans in general seem a decent bunch. Never the same snidery than in D4 or Turnipstan in Galway. I'd love to see them make the final and highlight how good management can make the best of limited resources

Agreed, although generally always had a decent time with Turnip fans. D4 on the other hand....

[Hans Indaruck]

Connacht fans in general seem a decent bunch. Never the same snidery than in D4 or Turnipstan in Galway. I'd love to see them make the final and highlight how good management can make the best of limited resources

Agreed! The Connacht support was excellent and it was good to see a healthy number there - not an easy journey for them on a Friday night. They are always knowledgeable and great craic [‘Frank Murphy hates us you know but he probably hates you more!’ was one comment]. A very high proportion of weemen supporters but they know their rugby!
I would be delighted to see them in the Final and giving the Ladyboys a good scare at least but I can’t see them doing the Stormers in Cape Town.

[jean valjean]

It's hard to express how disappointed I was leaving the ground on Friday night.

You could tell from the first few physical exchanges that they appeared to more 'up for it' than our players. Forget about whinging about the ref - we were totally dominated at the breakdown from first minute to last. They committed numbers when the turnover was on and those numbers were committed. They targeted us out wide and turned the ball over because the the support to the player tackled was either non-existent or too slow to arrive.

The simple fact is that our defence is too passive. We may stop the opposition player but we rarely knock them back in a way that is disruptive to the attacking team.

We do not have enough physicality in the pack, that has been the case for a number of years now and, unfortunately, it is not going to change anytime soon. We are not producing enough forwards, and those that do show potential like Sheridan, are not given enough opportunities, as they would be in a Leinster side.

As far as the backs go, most of the players available for this game are the same players that were playing in one of the most potent back lines in Europe a couple of years ago. They now appear lost and clueless whether in defence or attack. When was the last time our backline produced an attacking move that surprised the crowd, let alone the opposition? The fact is, since Payne left, we have been poor in defence and attack. My own opinion is that this is down to the coaches and not the players.

As far as Burns goes, he is not a top drawer 10, but he is as good as we can get at present. He is mercilessly targeted by the opposition and what I saw on Friday was a brave guy putting his body on the line for us. He receives little protection from our back row. In attack, the forwards don't punch enough holes to occupy the opposition and give him more space to operate. I'm not saying he is great or ideal, but he is not being helped by the team.

The problems now are the same as they have been for a number of years. We do not have enough big, hairy arsed, wrecking machines in the forwards to dominate the opposition. Occasionally we gain parity against top sides, which is a credit to the players as it is all they can hope to achieve. With well coached, talented backs, this has previously allowed us to compete. Now we have poorly coached, talented backs, achieving nothing. Our only weapon is the maul. It is great to have such a weapon. But if that it all you've got, it's not enough to win anything.

I'm not convinced that a new coach would solve all the problems. McFarland pulled us back from a pretty poor place when he first came in. I don't know enough about what is going on behind the scenes to know if he has lost the dressing room.

What I do know is this:

1. Selections are very odd.

2. Letting go JTA and Sutherland is madness - is this Petrie's fault? If so, change is needed. 2 great short-term recruits being binned to our detriment.

3. Backs and defence coaches - is it coincidence that we have regressed since Payne left? I don't think so. Who in the name of god thought that Bell was going to do a better job than the last time he left? Probably the worst appointment of recent years and the one that really smacks of 'jobs for the boys', and I went to school with the lad.

Finally, the crowd - there is no doubt that the feral atmosphere of old is not there. It's all a bit flat, largely because the team do little to inspire - give us a bit hit or a turnover or show some fight and we'll react. This isn't the only problem though - Friday night wasn't the first time that I have guldered 'Ulster' like a Black Bush induced lunatic in order to try and get some signing going, only to have the people around me turn around and look at me as if to say 'You're mental and that hurt my ears'.

Should we be better? Yes.
Will we be better? No.
Will I be renewing my season ticket and attending as normal. Absolutely. We will be brill

Good summary PS although Sutherland was never going to be kept with kitscoff coming onboard. I'll be back next year as well, it's not as if we can go support another team and denying the club resources isn't going to mean the FIRFU will step in to fund the gap.

[CIMANFOREVER]

It's how our hard earned cash is spent. It's currently being squandered as Jim Allister would say- that and attendances are our leverage if we want change. Pity supporters didn't have true shares investment in the club, but as a season ticket holder it should confer some influence as a stakeholders collective.

[StandUp]

Dear Dan,

If you have any honour, then it’s time to say goodbye. And take Bell and Soper with you. You took us from a very low point in our history to where we are now, but you have run out of ideas and the players know that.
I don’t know who we will replace you with but if we persist with your leadership, we will go backwards.
Watching Glasgow v Munster finally brought it home.
Munster weren’t pretty by any means, but they had heart, guts, tenacity and a pride in the shirt that an Ulster team under your leadership will never have.
I would also be very happy if your colleagues Cunningham and Petrie would fcuk off with you as they have done very little to improve Ulster Rugby during their tenures.

Best regards, and don’t let the door slap your Brennan on the way out!

Standup.

[CIMANFOREVER]

Few things I'm not clear about there SU- can you temper the ambiguity?