Team to play Zebre.

[jean valjean]

How many of that starting pack or bench would make the other provinces 23? I would say hendo is the only definate starter with big red and reidy making the bench possibly. That is the level we are dealing with.


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[Bangors]

Give Zebra some credit - They played what was in front of them
- They certainly played the Ref very well
- They deserved to win
Ulster were the architects of their defeat
- Complete and utter lack of aggression
- Unable to retain the ball when going into contact
- Sadly no pride in wearing the shirt
Is it really all the coaches fault ?

[Tender]

Yes

[Tender]

Just watched the imp's BBC interview with Gusher. It's put me right off my Sunday Lunch (Spatchcock Chicken with a Lemon Garlic Marinade, served with roasted winter veg and Hasselback potatoes).
To watch him smirk,twitch & shrug his shoulders whilst talking in meaningless sound bites makes me sick.
He should be apologising for another pathetic performance under his command.
FOLK

Did I mention how much respect I have for him?

[Kofi Annan]

Where does the buck stop?

[Dave]

If anyone is interested in stopping bucks, please contact your local trophy hunter agent.

[Tender]

Nicely done Dave.

[Deraless]

Wiehan?

[Bart S]

Blaming the defeat on not picking the likes of Henry and McCloskey is wrong. That selection SHOULD have been good enough to put Zebre away. Our backs had Cooney, CL, Cave, Ludik and CP playing and Trimble and Luke should be good enough to beat Treviso.

Of those available in the pack i would say McCall and Tredders or AOC plus Henry would have enhanced things, but if we flog the injury prone McCall or don't give the likes of Rea/Timoney a chance to back up previous performances then how do we ever progress. People can't complain about not playing enough nippers and ten complain we didn't pick our strongest team. They were picked with plenty of experience around them.

We can blame coaching, tactics and players, but bottom line is that with the players selected we should have done the job out there.

[Dave]

Blaming the defeat on not picking the likes of Henry and McCloskey is wrong. That selection SHOULD have been good enough to put Zebre away. Our backs had Cooney, CL, Cave, Ludik and CP playing and Trimble and Luke should be good enough to beat Treviso.

Of those available in the pack i would say McCall and Tredders or AOC plus Henry would have enhanced things, but if we flog the injury prone McCall or don't give the likes of Rea/Timoney a chance to back up previous performances then how do we ever progress. People can't complain about not playing enough nippers and ten complain we didn't pick our strongest team. They were picked with plenty of experience around them.

We can blame coaching, tactics and players, but bottom line is that with the players selected we should have done the job out there.

Bart, I think that anyone blaming one thing will be in the wrong. There are a myriad of factors involved. Just because someone has written a post highlighting one issue doesn't mean they are not considering other factors. The game against Treviso should have been a warning. We should be targeting maximum points and sending our best available XV to Zebre. To not have McCloskey, Chad, Stockdale McCall etc on the bench incase things went pear shaped was very wrong. You cannot disagree with that considering we lost.

McCall is nowhere near being flogged he played half a season last year. This resting players thing is nonsense, we played the minimum number of games last year. We did not qualify for the knockouts in either competition. Our players can rest in the international breaks, who will even feature for Ireland anyway? Even if they do they have enforced rests.

In no way has anyone blamed the nippers being selected either. The nippers are playing better than the daves. The likes of Black, Warwick, Browne, Rodney are not good enough. We have no SID and several players with no form or little game time. Plus we have combinations that have not had recent outings or are still in their infancy. These are not excuses but factors already known in advance.

Unless we become a well oiled machine and iron out the insipid performances we need our best XV and best combinations out on the park, especially away from home.

[thecrouch]

I'm still angry about yesterday. I don't know what cheeses me off more, the way we play of the bakebook apologist pom pom wavers.

[solidarity]

I feel the same Crouchie. Of all the defeats recently in recent years, this ranks among the very worst. Rugby can be as complex a game as any, but catching a ball and running with it, then giving it to someone wearing the same coloured shirt is not rocket science. The defeat may have something to do with team selection or tactics, but while Ulster players cannot catch a ball, run with it and give it to another Ulster player, we haven't a hope.

[BaggyTrousers]

Eh................................nope, still not a dickie bird.

FOLK

[BaggyTrousers]

Eh ..................... has he been sacked yet?

[Tender]

Soon