Ulster v Munster

Cornerfleg · Post by **Cornerfleg** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:11 am

In all seriousness just how importnat is this match for our season ... I reckon big time. It may only be the third game - but winning breeds confidence and beating Munster at any stage boosts self belief. Depends what team they send and whether we are serious about winning everything.

The outcome of this match could propel or stunt our ambitions and drive this season.

OneMore · Post by **OneMore** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:22 am

Cornerfleg wrote:In all seriousness just how importnat is this match for our season ... I reckon big time. It may only be the third game - but winning breeds confidence and beating Munster at any stage boosts self belief. Depends what team they send and whether we are serious about winning everything.

The outcome of this match could propel or stunt our ambitions and drive this season.

I think we'll only really know the importance with hindsight. Not many would have had Ospreys away as a big game, but now that we've beaten them, maybe we'll be able to draw on that just-beat-the-league-champions-away confidence going forward.

If we beat Munster, we might go on a good league run, and point to the Munster victory as a catalyst. Or we might get beaten next week and point to complacency after beating Munster.

Or maybe they'll give us a hiding, and some strong words will be had in the dressing room, and the training pitch in the following days, the Ulster squad will realise that they're not that good, and need to work harder to get where they want to be - and it's the defeat which is the catalyst for a good run of form in the league.

Or, as you infer, they could beat us, and we could go on a horrible league run and we'll point to this game and say "if only".

There are no absolutes. It's not always about this one result, but more about how we react to it and use it.

Cornerfleg · Post by **Cornerfleg** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:24 am

Good point One - esp the last bit ... I'd much rather the team react to a win on Friday than a loss though.

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:30 am

Cornerfleg wrote:In all seriousness just how importnat is this match for our season ... I reckon big time. It may only be the third game - but winning breeds confidence and beating Munster at any stage boosts self belief. Depends what team they send and whether we are serious about winning everything.

The outcome of this match could propel or stunt our ambitions and drive this season.

You also have to beat the teams that are your main contenders for a top 4 spot so that means Munster, Leinster, Ospreys and Llanelli are prime targets for a win at home preferably leaving them with no losers bonus either then try and either win away or at least get a losers bonus and prevent them getting a try bonus.

Cornerfleg · Post by **Cornerfleg** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:34 am

I remember MOD bringing a team up here not so long ago and with like 3 minutes to go he whipped them up into getting a bonus point try ... I really admired that attitude and while I hate getting beat esp by Munster I had to applaud that mindset ... now we are lead to believe the tide is turning, and we are genuinely making our way up the food chain.

For a change I'd like to see us pulverise Munster (lord knows we've been on the end of some) in all aspects of the game on Friday. Do that this week and we know we have serious quality still to come back to eth team and we can start making Castre and Saints genuinely worried about not just coming here but us going there.

rumncoke · Post by **rumncoke** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 1:36 pm

How important is beating Munster at home ? I can't actually believe someone has posed this question .

There are Battles and there are Wars one may lose a Battle but you must never lose the War . This is War

OneMore · Post by **OneMore** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 1:43 pm

rumncoke wrote:How important is beating Munster at home ? I can't actually believe someone has posed this question .

There are Battles and there are Wars one may lose a Battle but you must never lose the War . This is War

This makes no sense whatsoever.

These things are relative. And whilst it may be crucial to you not having to go home and cry into your Ribena, it may or may not be all that crucial in the grand shakedown of Ulster's season.

Cornerfleg · Post by **Cornerfleg** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 1:59 pm

Personally rum, I can't believe it's not butter ...

promsandwich · Post by **promsandwich** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:39 pm

Shan wrote:
Gael wrote:Shan - What do you think of Munster's chances?
Hi Gael,

I think it could be pretty tight. The thing that would swing it in favour of Ulster is that ye will likely have most of your top players available at least from the bench if required. Of course being at home is an undoubted benefit.

With both teams having 2 wins they'll both be feeling somewhat confident, though both had underwhelming performances this weekend.

I'd say there won't be much in it in the front 5 and the backrows will, to a large extent, determine how it goes. With both teams not having the most solid 9's in the world it is up to the backrows to put pressure on them. Certainly Duncan Williams can be knocked off his stride with good pressure. If Ferris is playing it will swing things in Ulster's favour.

Assuming Jackson is at 10 then I would say Ulster have a bit of an advantage here as Keatley is decent enough but you wouldn't bank on him to stand tall in the face of adversity. Maybe the same could be said for Jackson at this stage of his development but he has the H Cup experience to call on. If O'Connor is at 10 then the advantage would swing a bit in Munster's favour.

The Munster backline needs more time together but they are coming along nicely. However I doubt if Ulster will give them the freedom they had v Edinburgh.

Fair analysis Shan. I would simply add that I think Downey & Laulau ( if that is how it's spelt ) will help Munster. Both experienced, solid centres capable of taking the ball under pressure and making hard yards. I'm a bit worried about the damage they could do to be honest.

Snipe Watson · Post by **Snipe Watson** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:59 pm

Downey is a big truck of a 12, but limited once the game goes beyond bish bash bosh. Laulala can pose a few more questions, but DC has his measure.

Snipe Watson · Post by **Snipe Watson** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 3:05 pm

Shan wrote:
Snipe Watson wrote:
Shan wrote:There can be some advantages to losing an early season home game.
Two points

1. welcome back pal
2. away ye go ye langer ye pull the other one.........
Two Points

1. Thanks a chara. Great to be back and great the rugby is back more importantly.

2. Let the best team win. So that'll be a three game winning start for Munster then!!!

You behave yourself........
What sort of team are you lot expecting to send up? Are the great man and the brat likely to feature?

rumncoke · Post by **rumncoke** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:10 pm

Last year the season wish of many was to become at least the second best Province in ireland if not the first if we don't beat Munster at home then we will the third best Province . The place in the pecking order provides the confidence on which success may be built.

OneMore · Post by **OneMore** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:32 pm

rumncoke wrote:Last year the season wish of many was to become at least the second best Province in ireland if not the first if we don't beat Munster at home then we will the third best Province . The place in the pecking order provides the confidence on which success may be built.

Again rumncoke, complete nonsense.

We beat Munster at Thomond in the HEC quarter final last season. Did that result mean we were the second best Irish province? No. They still finished above us in the league.

Or what if Munster beat us at Ravenhill, but then Connacht go and beat them at Thmond? Does that make us fourth in the pecking order? Or what if we beat Munster at Ravenhill, then they go and beat Leinster in Dublin? Does that make us first, and Leinster third?

Honestly. Have a think about the crap you're talking before posting.

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:34 pm

Cornerfleg wrote:I remember MOD bringing a team up here not so long ago and with like 3 minutes to go he whipped them up into getting a bonus point try ... I really admired that attitude and while I hate getting beat esp by Munster I had to applaud that mindset ...

Just can't be allowed to happen again, no way should a bunch of turnip eaters be coming up to Ravenhill and going home with 4 never mind 5 points in the bag.

ruckover · Post by **ruckover** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:57 pm

This game's more than just one game - this is five months of hatred and anger stored up, ready to be unleashed by Munster.

Sure they thumped us at Thomond in the final game but that means nothing - the side we sent down was a shadow of the side that played in the HEC QF. That ain't revenge.

If they win this, they will be over the moon, and more importantly, 4 points ahead of us in the league. And they'll probably start claiming they're the second best province again (which may be true, may not be, I'm not willing to get into this argument). Anybody want to face that again?

I think we should win. Court and Afoa should start so we should have the beating of their scrum, Ferris and Williams will be battering rams in the back row, while our backs should have the beating of theirs in all areas. That said, we shouldn't take them lightly - as I said, they'll want revenge and no Munster side should ever be written off.

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