Positives and Negatives: Ulster v Glasgow

[Snipe Watson]

.......let's get Castres out of the way circle the wagons , regroup and Just get on with it.

If you will permit Kofi, may I stand with you in that circle of wagons? Absolutely the right sentiment.

We could have a George Hook Appreciation Society Ulster Branch meeting in the wagon circle. I'm sure Baggy would be there too.

[SparkyClarky]

I often think in sport you can get a negative attitude with certain opposition! Call it lack of confidence, self belief etc but certainly Glasgow fall into this category .so taking this into consideration, add the conditions etc I'm a happy bunny.

After next week the 6 Nations is a welcome distraction during which time we need to heal a afew tired bodies.

4 - 6 weeks from now with rest and recovery and a good lead in the Rabo we, unlike last year may be able to fight on two fronts.
So well done lads on a mucky night against ugly opposition & we are in the 1/4's third year running.

Onwards & upwards and any reasonable supporter will appreciate just how far this team has come already!
To the future!
SUfTUM

[BR]

From memory we topped it in 99 ruck as that meant we played Toulouse at home in the qfs.
.

No.

[Bart S]

I'm pretty sure we did. In fact IIRC, we were one kick away from going out (Craig Chalmers missed) away to Edinburgh and then unbelievably, Toulouse lost to Ebbw Wale, having put about 100 points on them in their home match. This meant we toppoed the group and got a home QF.

[Scholar]

Wish I was there..

[CIMANFOREVER]

Agree with this BPH. Hendo loses something in open play when at lock, and wasn't really used in lineout either. Keep him at 6, altho' Diack was again excellent until he went off. Also noticed Diack seemed to be calling the throws? Interesting dilemma, based on availability. I thought Hendo's game improved when back at 6, and his drive created Paynes try. Something he singularly failed to do in the 70 in beforehand. Some strength tho for a 20 y.o. Lock at this level is one or two years too early for him imo. He needs some extra muscle..

This.

Negative - recently we haven't been able to put together an 80 minute performance. We need to start doing that or we won't win any silverware soon.

Don't get this - no side puts out consistent excellence all season, what counts is keeping the wins ticking over and peaking for the big matches. So far we're doing this and weathering our 'poor' patch with comfortable wins. Can't really ask for more than that

Ya lost me Nightsoil, ref my quote above. Wots your point I'm missing?

[stickinout]

re-watched the first half there thanks to rooster. Much, much better than what I had seen from the Terrace. Played that 1st 40 really well IMHO. Some of the hands from the backs was terrific.
Diack was excellent indeed. Kinda scared to watch the 2nd 40 now....

In the words of the great man MA: "We weren't clinical enough in the first half" . 2 or 3 very good chances went begging that would've killed off that game by half time. I saw a stat pop up that we had had 87% of possession during the first half. don't know if that was for the whole of the half or just up to the point in time it came on the screen. We need to keep working on that killer instinct. Accepted conditions were a nightmare and we created a lot more than what Glasgow did, with all due respect to them.

[Nightsoil]

Agree with this BPH. Hendo loses something in open play when at lock, and wasn't really used in lineout either. Keep him at 6, altho' Diack was again excellent until he went off. Also noticed Diack seemed to be calling the throws? Interesting dilemma, based on availability. I thought Hendo's game improved when back at 6, and his drive created Paynes try. Something he singularly failed to do in the 70 in beforehand. Some strength tho for a 20 y.o. Lock at this level is one or two years too early for him imo. He needs some extra muscle..

This.

Negative - recently we haven't been able to put together an 80 minute performance. We need to start doing that or we won't win any silverware soon.

Don't get this - no side puts out consistent excellence all season, what counts is keeping the wins ticking over and peaking for the big matches. So far we're doing this and weathering our 'poor' patch with comfortable wins. Can't really ask for more than that

Ya lost me Nightsoil, ref my quote above. Wots your point I'm missing?

By 'This', I mean 'I agree completely with this and am thankful the poster saved me the effort of writing it out myself'

[againstthehead]

re-watched the first half there thanks to rooster. Much, much better than what I had seen from the Terrace. Played that 1st 40 really well IMHO. Some of the hands from the backs was terrific.
Diack was excellent indeed. Kinda scared to watch the 2nd 40 now....

In the words of the great man MA: "We weren't clinical enough in the first half" . 2 or 3 very good chances went begging that would've killed off that game by half time. I saw a stat pop up that we had had 87% of possession during the first half. don't know if that was for the whole of the half or just up to the point in time it came on the screen. We need to keep working on that killer instinct. Accepted conditions were a nightmare and we created a lot more than what Glasgow did, with all due respect to them.

That was for a 10 minute spell.

having watched the entire game again, we didn't perform quite as bad i had thought. 3rd quarter was a bit of a mare, especially with Hendo getting the yellow. In fairness to the ref, we were giving away a host of stupid pens. albeit not for the same infringement.

[Neil F]

From memory we topped it in 99 ruck as that meant we played Toulouse at home in the qfs.
.

No.

In 1998/1999, Ulster topped the group with 9 points with four wins and a draw (wins against Ebbw Vale, home and away, Toulouse at home and Edinburgh away. Draw against Edinburgh at home). Toulouse were second with 8 points with four wins and two defeats (wins against Ulster at home, Ebbw Vale at home and Edinburgh home and away).

[BR]

From memory we topped it in 99 ruck as that meant we played Toulouse at home in the qfs.
.

No.

In 1998/1999, Ulster topped the group with 9 points with four wins and a draw (wins against Ebbw Vale, home and away, Toulouse at home and Edinburgh away. Draw against Edinburgh at home). Toulouse were second with 8 points with four wins and two defeats (wins against Ulster at home, Ebbw Vale at home and Edinburgh home and away).

I was being unclear again. Not saying we didn't top the group (we did), but my memory is that the QF venues were drawn rather than assigned to the pool leaders back in 98.

[bazzaj]

From memory we topped it in 99 ruck as that meant we played Toulouse at home in the qfs.
.

No.

Yes.
Note what Bart S said and tell me how we got a home qf against Toulouse when they were in our group, if we did not top it?
Did not see your next post.
We lost lost one drew one won 4 and Toulouse lost 2 and won 4.
Top 2 went through from each group to the qfs as there was no English teams

[Snipe Watson]

What BR says is correct.

[CIMANFOREVER]

By 'This', I mean 'I agree completely with this and am thankful the poster saved me the effort of writing it out myself'

Gotcha, Smallp brain fart on my behalf...

[bazzaj]

Also the teams topping the pools got home advantage but the semis were drawn out of a hat which is maybe what you were thinking of BR.