Positives and Negatives: Ulster v Glasgow

[Snipe Watson]

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.

I don't think so.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

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.

Want to re-work that a bit, Sticky?

If I were to be sarcastic, I might suggest that it was for the whole of the first half including time that had STILL to elapse

I'll refrain from sarcasm though and suggest that it could only be for game time up to the point in time it came on the screen

(or a part of that elapsed time)

[stickinout]

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.

Want to re-work that a bit, Sticky?

If I were to be sarcastic, I might suggest that it was for the whole of the first half including time that had STILL to elapse

I'll refrain from sarcasm though and suggest that it could only be for game time up to the point in time it came on the screen

(or a part of that elapsed time)

Perhaps what i should have said was: i can't remember if the stat was presented at half time or at some point during the first half, but i get the feeling you knew what i meant anyway Cap'n

[rocky]

When it came up, it was for the previous ten minutes only.

[stickinout]

Thanks Rocky for clarifying that, wasn't sure as i watched live in a Guinness blur......

[BR]

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.

Could be, I'm relying on memory on this one.

[Cap'n Grumpy]

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.

Want to re-work that a bit, Sticky?

If I were to be sarcastic, I might suggest that it was for the whole of the first half including time that had STILL to elapse

I'll refrain from sarcasm though and suggest that it could only be for game time up to the point in time it came on the screen

(or a part of that elapsed time)

Perhaps what i should have said was: i can't remember if the stat was presented at half time or at some point during the first half, but i get the feeling you knew what i meant anyway Cap'n

Sorry - just couldn't resist!

[Snipe Watson]

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.

Could be, I'm relying on memory on this one.

I thought the same BR....also relying on memory......

[interlooter]

Scrum was excellent again tonight and we should have made more of our dominance in this phase, though the ref did nothing for us. They continually engaged early as they knew they'd be fecked otherwise and the ref should have been penalising and warning them for repeated infringements, with the card produced at some stage. We let a penalty try go begging when Ruan went for goal. I know it would have put us 10 clear, but we had just massacred them in the scrum, no annihilated is closer to it.
It would have been a gutsy call as you'd have put the house on Ruan kicking it, but he missed and we never got a better opportunity in the scrum.

One thing annoyed me Interlooter, was that both TJ and Ref missed Lows illegal binding on TC's elbow consistently, to prevent TC driving him up and out of the scrum...
Low was trying to pin TC to prevent him opening the shoulders and driving.. but then TC was also illegal in angling 45 degrees and driving Low up and out... all's fair in love and war... but in a closer game, that official ineptitude may have cost us.. i.e. against Castres, who will offer a bit more in the forwards, if they turn up, which I think they will- home pride and all that.

As an ex-Loosie, I would've been happy for us to scrum them till they were sick of the sight of us, but the penalty decision by Chad was correct on this occasion- we needed clear daylight after a rocky patch, and qualification could've depended on it..otherwise, agreed, we could smell blood and under other circumstances, unleash the dogs of war... REAL wet weather rugby , and feck the backs
(bear in mind our second try was borne from classic driving forward, up the jumper stuff..old school)

Only getting back now CI, there was a fair bit of hanky panky between TC and low alright, but ref let them get on with it and seemed to let the scrums develop further than most . We were so far on top it was sad we didn't use it more. BBJ seemed to have trouble with his footing, and wasn't as effective as top cat, but Rory and Tom did enough damage . McComb at 5 and Hendo at 6 made a difference, as that was the scrum I drooled over earlier. Could be the way against CO, with their good pack, but would be very tough on robbie. I think RD will get the nod.
After watching the game again on roosterview I'm even more sure PJ had a solid game, and I'm no kicking expert, but those restarts looked deliberate. He was stabbing at the ball, rather than trying to generate lift, and you could see the logic about kicking it in low and hard, like an American football tactic when the kicking team must regain possession. The forum seemed to be in meltdown earlier, but with a bit better news on the injuries, it's a much nicer place to visit.

[bazzaj]

As usual all very valid comments.
The reasons we lacked leadership is because Muller isnt playing really who makes such a difference.
Williams, Best,Henry, Wallace and Wilson when he came on stepped up in that regard and it was better than it has been.

The main point I would like to make would be the possible start pairing of RP and small P.
It maybe inevitable depending on PJs injury.
Asides the fact that RP is better at controlling a game at 9 rather than 10 and PM makes more of an impact off the bench, I would like to make a case for sticking to start PJ at 10.

There are definiately parts of his game which he needs to improve which will come with experience in terms of line breaks and kicking.
His distrubution is excellent but my main point is the way he shuts down the 10 channel like no other 10 in europe outside of Wilkinson or Sexton.
Can anyone recall the last time a player broke through that channel?
His defence is now something we are all taking slightly forgranted but it also has a knock on effect to our outside backs who can concentrate on their defence without any inside worry.
It is one of the reasons why our defence has been water tight this season.

Also when Big Nick threw the ball to no one in our 22 and our player was caught in possession, it was PJ who was first on scene to secure the ball in the ensuing ruck allowing us to clear the danger.
He does the dirty work which is something I am sure that is not lost on the likes of Bell and MA.

Great to see Darren Cave taking that try brilliantly last night.
I have been critical of that aspect of his game but if he keeps doing that I will well and truely swallow some humble pie with relish.

Just want to + 1 on my point rather than repeating myself to anyone who witnessed the Castres game today.