The UAFC

BaggyTrousers wrote:

BR wrote: Results-wise, I'll concede that.

And in a gesture of goodwill, I'll agree with you that there have been some good signs, but they have not been consistent which is the problem. Notably, there have been none away from home, unless you point out Cave at least having the brains to take a quick dropkick conversion.

Two away games, that we always seem to make a meal of, have been appalling but it should be recorded that the only ever previous defeat in Italy before this came when Fat Deccie got himself red carded after 5 minutes or so.

So this genuinely marks a new low because it is stretching credulity to say we deserved anything more than we got, notwithstanding the obvious issues in at least 2 of their tries and the outrage of Patterson's adjudication for the rolling maul.

BR wrote:

BaggyTrousers wrote:

BR wrote: Results-wise, I'll concede that.

And in a gesture of goodwill, I'll agree with you that there have been some good signs, but they have not been consistent which is the problem. Notably, there have been none away from home, unless you point out Cave at least having the brains to take a quick dropkick conversion.

Two away games, that we always seem to make a meal of, have been appalling but it should be recorded that the only ever previous defeat in Italy before this came when Fat Deccie got himself red carded after 5 minutes or so.

So this genuinely marks a new low because it is stretching credulity to say we deserved anything more than we got, notwithstanding the obvious issues in at least 2 of their tries and the outrage of Patterson's adjudication for the rolling maul.

Saturday's Zebre team would have beaten last year's Edinburgh side.Doubtful, INternational window & they very rarely win away

We lost on Saturday, because Zebre played better than us. Absloutely
We lost last year because we played even more shïte than Edinburgh. Debateable, we were awful but once the correct players were in the correct positions we were by far the better team & were beaten finally by an outrageous TMO decision - anybody notice how we rarely appear to come out on top in those? Saturday was not the first classic in Italy.

Saturday was lost by the players IMHO. Players who, had they played to their previously demonstrated abilities, would have won the game using the same tactics. I had no issue with the selection, it should have been good enough. I do wonder about how they were prepared and sent out to play but that we will never know. It was the most error-ridden performance I can recall, Zebre just had to wait for us to make another handling error. I don;t think anyone was faultless but I give the prize of arch-chube to No Hands Luke on the day - then again, I was very very drunk, others may have been worse.

In November, we had the wrong players, the wrong tactics, the wrong approach, ...
Undoubtedly and on the thread of that game, I made a call for the changes that were eventually made after 25 minutes, FOLK made the most important of them 20 minutes later. By all means, blame the players for this one, but tell me how you explain the substitution of probably our best player on the day & goal kicker. I was baffled. FOLK.
Meanwhile, Leali'ifano was having no influence at all on the game, yet on & on he stayed.

justinr73 wrote:I know. FECKIN TWENTY. Exactly the same number as the All Blacks against the Argies. Who'd have thunk it?

The writing was on the wall as soon as 2MP was forced to leave the field. Same number of tackles as Treadwater in half the time.

Tender wrote:Who'd have 'thunk' to compare Ulster to the All Blacks? But heh, now you've started...

The All Blacks seldom stare at each other looking for help. They don't lack belief or motivation. They know if they're aggressive for the first 60mins, they'll hurt a team badly enough to take the game in the last 20mins. It's not Gentlemanly or the Ulster way, but sure it's much better to win friends, than all that pesky silverware which needs polishing.
New carpet again this year in Spanner's trophy room...

justinr73 wrote:

Tender wrote:Who'd have 'thunk' to compare Ulster to the All Blacks? But heh, now you've started...

The All Blacks seldom stare at each other looking for help. They don't lack belief or motivation. They know if they're aggressive for the first 60mins, they'll hurt a team badly enough to take the game in the last 20mins. It's not Gentlemanly or the Ulster way, but sure it's much better to win friends, than all that pesky silverware which needs polishing.
New carpet again this year in Spanner's trophy room...

If you're gonna pick on a stat, pick on one worth picking on. Most teams, even when winning, cough it up pushing 20 times a game.

And Dave, I know Pete isn't called Darren and wasn't born in South Africa and must therefore be subject to criticism, but precisely what has Treadwater done to avoid your wrath? Or does some handbags in his first few games buy immunity for a couple of seasons?

Cockatrice wrote:ahhh ..... if only our players could open defences like they can open coffee shops.