Yes Paul, that applause was...

[rocky]

[UlsterNo9]

Yes beagle had by his standards probably one of his best performances in an Ulster jersey of his career if not the best.

Perspective though, what did he produce that Ruan Pienaar couldn't have? and did do week in week out last season.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Having watched Murray this afternoon -- beagle is at this moment a mile ahead and i think he ( beagle ) as a few defects and head farts although Redden had a reasonable game for Leinster

but Ruan has a pass which provides his out with space lots of time and space

Rum - would some of those "head farts" be when he tries to tap and go or tap and kick ahead like he did last night, but it doesn't come off? IMHO he plays a higher risk game which means that when it comes off he probably scores indivdual tries that dare I say it, even Ruan wouldn't, but at the same time whenit doesn't it can cause some problems for us.

RP is a more consistent player but I think beagle's "brain farts" sometimes have to be viewed in the context of what he can conjure up for the team on an individual basis.

Some one correct me if I'm wrong but I think the figures quoted at the weekend were:

St Ruan of Pienaar 2 tries in 15 ERC matches

Small Paul 5 tries in 14 ERC matches

Statisticians make of it what you will.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

No pie chart with that sort of info Grumps?

Let me see now, 2 tries for a Scrum half who is an on the field General who controls and creates for others versus 5 for a Scrum Half who's cameos occur regularly against tired beaten teams and who's game is based around sniping opportunism.

Can you really compare apples with oranges?

Is it not great that we have both of them!

I wasn't comparing them

I wasn't offering any opinion

I only quoted the figures - I left it to others to make something of them.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

Where did I say that you did any of those things? I just took your information and applied my own interpretation to it. An interpretation which I think holds water.

Apples and Oranges line was purely rhetorical, I was not suggesting you had, merely pointing out my assessment that they are two very different players.

I never suggested you had suggested that I had done any of those things

I simply made three random statements just in case you did think I was suggesting something

[breakdown]

Not really related to this but took a quick nip over to Munster fans and a few are saying that we have a chance to win the HEC this year, and look the most likely to out of all the Irish teams! Good to see we are really being recognised by all for playing lovely flowing rugby (most of the time) and I think its fair to say we are now a 'heavyweight' in Europe. Maybe we should't fear the under dog tag much anymore

[darkside lightside]

So D/L, if Kidney picks Marshall for the Ireland side ahead of Murray can we expect an apology from you on here admitting that you were wrong to have jumped the gun?? After all, I'm sure if he does pick Murray ahead of Marshall you'll be the first on here telling us how you were right

It's just my best guess, based on the last 4 baleful years under Kidney - but assuming Marshall maintains his form, and gets selected, or in other words, Kidney selects the best player in his position, then why should we lavish praise on him?? Is that not his job??? Smacks a bit of those Greek civil servants who get bonuses just for coming into work!!

I'm delighted to see Marshall's form holding up - I thought it was the right call by Anscombe to start with him, but I must admit I had a bit of a concern that he might feel under pressure to out-perform and start forcing it. I think that in the past, this has been the source of the volatility of his performances, a feeling that because he won't get much gametime behind Pienaar, he has to produce fireworks every time he's on the pitch. The truth is he is now a good enough player that he is capable of sharing game time with Pienaar IMO - as long as he just keeps on doing what he's doing, rather than feeling that every time he's on the park he has to blow everyone's socks off. Because in fact, the times that he relaxes and just plays, he quite often does blow everyone's socks off!!

I'm not saying he's as good as Pienaar, who is after all IMO one of the best half-backs in the world, but on his game he is a very fine and very exciting player. I just hope he maintains his great run of form...

[BaggyTrousers]

So D/L, if Kidney picks Marshall for the Ireland side ahead of Murray can we expect an apology from you on here admitting that you were wrong to have jumped the gun?? After all, I'm sure if he does pick Murray ahead of Marshall you'll be the first on here telling us how you were right

It's just my best guess, based on the last 4 baleful years under Kidney - but assuming Marshall maintains his form, and gets selected, or in other words, Kidney selects the best player in his position, then why should we lavish praise on him?? Is that not his job??? Smacks a bit of those Greek civil servants who get bonuses just for coming into work!!

I'm delighted to see Marshall's form holding up - I thought it was the right call by Anscombe to start with him, but I must admit I had a bit of a concern that he might feel under pressure to out-perform and start forcing it. I think that in the past, this has been the source of the volatility of his performances, a feeling that because he won't get much gametime behind Pienaar, he has to produce fireworks every time he's on the pitch. The truth is he is now a good enough player that he is capable of sharing game time with Pienaar IMO - as long as he just keeps on doing what he's doing, rather than feeling that every time he's on the park he has to blow everyone's socks off. Because in fact, the times that he relaxes and just plays, he quite often does blow everyone's socks off!!

I'm not saying he's as good as Pienaar, who is after all IMO one of the best half-backs in the world, but on his game he is a very fine and very exciting player. I just hope he maintains his great run of form...

Now then something we can agree on, I too am startled by the quality that Small p has become capable of, last week being far and away the best I've seen him, for two stunning tries of course but for the quality of his all round game with both passing & kicking not quite but almost flawless.

I can also see past your mean spirited attack on Kidney, I wouldn't expect anything less, but I assume you do not hold teh opinion that Small p was a suitable candidate before late last season to now?

[Big-al]

Read in the paper this morning that Ruan is going to talk to Humph about getting a couple of weeks off, after 2 years of non stop rugby.

[kingofthehill]

Read in the paper this morning that Ruan is going to talk to Humph about getting a couple of weeks off, after 2 years of non stop rugby.

Pretty sure he asked for them in preseason and wasn't given them.

[Big-al]

Personally, I'd leave him on the bench and give him a week off next week, with the aim of him starting in our next home game vs Edinburgh.

He expects most everybody to be available, including himself, although concedes he’s now been playing for “two years non-stop”, adding: “I’ll speak to David Humphreys after these two weeks to see if I can get a week or two off. My attitude is if you are injury free why not play, but obviously you’ve got to look after yourself and get some rest, so hopefully in the next few months I’ll get a good couple of weeks to get away from rugby with the family. But I’m glad to be back here with Ulster and I want to contribute to the cause.”

[ColinM]

If Humph & Ruan can get Dublin agree to a two year extension; I'm willing to sign off a three week holiday for both men

[BR]

Where did I say that you did any of those things? I just took your information and applied my own interpretation to it. An interpretation which I think holds water.

Apples and Oranges line was purely rhetorical, I was not suggesting you had, merely pointing out my assessment that they are two very different players.

Do rhetorical apples and oranges count as 2 of my 5-a-day?