Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

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againstthehead
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Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by againstthehead »

It was only after I got out of the comfort of the terrace that I fully realized how horrific the conditions were out there tonight. Fair play to both sides for putting in a physical performance with some reasonable handling given the howling wind and driving rain. As usual, a mixed bag of the good, the bad and the ugly....

Positives
- Set-piece was fairly decent and it needed to be in those conditions. Scrum held very firm albeit maybe it wasn't the attacking weopen that the conditions cried out for. I really enjoyed winning the penalty just before half-time - just a shame ruan missed the pot. had a couple of scrums deep in our half towards the end and we dealt with them pretty comfortably - so well done. Likewise we defended their driving maul fairly well at line-out time. Couple of poor darts but generally solid all round.
- Discipline was superb. hardly remember a penalty given away. Partly due to the fact we weren't doing an awful lot at the breakdown but in such a tight game it was imperative to keep the penalty count down.
- Defense was generally pretty good. Withstood some prolonged periods and the cover defense was excellent when the ospreys did make a break or two.
- not too many individual displays to rant about but I thought Wilson was pretty aggressive and henderson made an impact when he came on. Darren took his try well and Ruan added the odd touch of class although did make quite a few errors tonight.

Negatives
- we had a tough night under the high ball at times but given the conditions it's hard to be too harsh. Some of the ospreys kicking was excellent and they chased well at times so fair play to them.
- our kicking game generally left a bit to be desired. Sugar and Caveman hit a couple of nice ones to the corners but generally we were pretty aimless. Their full=back had a bit of a field-day pinging the ball back to us. That said, with the conditions it was all about playing the game in their half and the kicking game was the way to go. So right idea, just poor execution.
- would liked to have seen the pack go through a few more phases at times with a bit more carrying. That was an up-the-jumper night at times and we never quite exerted the required pressure through the pack to force the penalties.
- haven't seen the replays of the disallowed tries on TV but from the big screen it looked like Allen could/should maybe have held onto the 1st one. so maybe we left a few points out there.

Anyway, interesting to see the team play in different conditions to recent weeks. Always nice to see us sneak a win the hard way. Sometimes that says more about a side than a comfortable win if that makes any sense... Important points for the league campaign and sets us up nicely for another homer next week.
Climb up onto the top of your house and start screaming: 'stand up for the Ulstermen, stand.......'
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Re: Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by Amiga500 »

+ives
- we won, despite playing pretty poorly.
- Hendo is already a beast... and is only 22. The sky is the limit...
- For such a horrible night, I thought the lineout went very well, with a lot of aggressive throws to the tail finding Robbie very well. I counted 2 lost, one through crooked throw, the other a drop.
- Decent scrum, albeit not dynamite.
- DC had a decent game with ball, so-so game without.
- With the roof on the far stand, we can hear the promenade reprobates on the terrace fairly well... hopefully when the stand is done, noise will bounce around the ground nicely helping the atmosphere.

-ives
- Unfortunately Sean Doyle isn't cutting the mustard. Its looking very much like James McKinney is shaping to go down the same road.
- Michael Allen had a shocker, poor hands and even poorer brain. Caught out of position or on his heels a number of times.
- Paul Marshall provided more evidence of why the 3 year contract was a mistake.
- Kicking game inconsistent. Too often an effective chase was impossible, but after a few, the chasers gave up and missed out on kicks that could have been contested.
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Snipe Watson
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Re: Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by Snipe Watson »

againstthehead wrote:It was only after I got out of the comfort of the terrace that I fully realized how horrific the conditions were out there tonight. Fair play to both sides for putting in a physical performance with some reasonable handling given the howling wind and driving rain. As usual, a mixed bag of the good, the bad and the ugly....

Positives
- Set-piece was fairly decent and it needed to be in those conditions. Scrum held very firm albeit maybe it wasn't the attacking weopen that the conditions cried out for. I really enjoyed winning the penalty just before half-time - just a shame ruan missed the pot. had a couple of scrums deep in our half towards the end and we dealt with them pretty comfortably - so well done. Likewise we defended their driving maul fairly well at line-out time. Couple of poor darts but generally solid all round.
- Discipline was superb. hardly remember a penalty given away. Partly due to the fact we weren't doing an awful lot at the breakdown but in such a tight game it was imperative to keep the penalty count down.
- Defense was generally pretty good. Withstood some prolonged periods and the cover defense was excellent when the ospreys did make a break or two.
- not too many individual displays to rant about but I thought Wilson was pretty aggressive and henderson made an impact when he came on. Darren took his try well and Ruan added the odd touch of class although did make quite a few errors tonight.

Negatives
- we had a tough night under the high ball at times but given the conditions it's hard to be too harsh. Some of the ospreys kicking was excellent and they chased well at times so fair play to them.
- our kicking game generally left a bit to be desired. Sugar and Caveman hit a couple of nice ones to the corners but generally we were pretty aimless. Their full=back had a bit of a field-day pinging the ball back to us. That said, with the conditions it was all about playing the game in their half and the kicking game was the way to go. So right idea, just poor execution.
- would liked to have seen the pack go through a few more phases at times with a bit more carrying. That was an up-the-jumper night at times and we never quite exerted the required pressure through the pack to force the penalties.
- haven't seen the replays of the disallowed tries on TV but from the big screen it looked like Allen could/should maybe have held onto the 1st one. so maybe we left a few points out there.

Anyway, interesting to see the team play in different conditions to recent weeks. Always nice to see us sneak a win the hard way. Sometimes that says more about a side than a comfortable win if that makes any sense... Important points for the league campaign and sets us up nicely for another homer next week.
How can you possibly write a negatives section that long and not mention how incredibly bad McKinney was?
Hendo was excellent when he came on. Other than that it was a dire match on a dire night.
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Re: Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by damianmcr »

Theirs a flipping echo so when youre singing SUFTUM in the Prom you are out of sync! Is it the same everywhere?
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Re: Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by Amiga500 »

damianmcr wrote:Theirs a flipping echo so when youre singing SUFTUM in the Prom you are out of sync! Is it the same everywhere?
Nah, its just the prom is full of old codgers so a wee bit slower than the rest of us... >EW
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Russ
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Re: Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by Russ »

+ve the band in the second half
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Windeos
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Re: Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by Windeos »

+ives

- We won
- 2nd in the table
- Cave showed again he is perfectly capable of playing more than 1 position
- Herring is turning into a quality backup hooker
- Once Henderson gets regular game time I think he will be a star

-ives

- McKinney was really poor, turned the ball over in contact quite a few times while also giving telegraphed horrible passes along the back line. Kicking was also poor, we need a good backup 10 badly
- Payne was average again at 13 and while I know the night was horrible I've yet to see him come remotely close to performing as well as he does at 15. To me he is a world class 15 who can play 13 a bit as well
- P Marshall, struggled to make 1st tackles, looks really off the pace in general
- Allen was poor tonight, got caught out of position quite a few times, should've scored a try but lost the ball diving for the line, also kicked poorly
- Doyle was found out tonight, looked lightweight who was easily cleared out of rucks and went to ground instantly on contact with ball in hand
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Joe Schmo
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Re: Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by Joe Schmo »

Snipe Watson wrote: How can you possibly write a negatives section that long and not mention how incredibly bad McKinney was?
I think I know why.
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Snipe Watson
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Re: Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by Snipe Watson »

Joe Schmo wrote:
Snipe Watson wrote: How can you possibly write a negatives section that long and not mention how incredibly bad McKinney was?
I think I know why.
So do I and I wasn't hinting at that. Agin could have just stated the bleedin obvious.......
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Joe Schmo
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Re: Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by Joe Schmo »

Snipe Watson wrote:
Joe Schmo wrote:
Snipe Watson wrote: How can you possibly write a negatives section that long and not mention how incredibly bad McKinney was?
I think I know why.
So do I and I wasn't hinting at that. Agin could have just stated the bleedin obvious.......
of course I know you know, I was just having a chuckle to myself when I was reading it.
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Jackie Brown
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Re: Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by Jackie Brown »

McKinney is far to light weight for the professional game.
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Re: Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by Rovi Snave »

Back up 10 - back up 10 - no sugar please!
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ColinM
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Re: Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by ColinM »

Jackie Brown wrote:McKinney is far to light weight for the professional game.
As is Andrew. Wee chicken legs on him
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Re: Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by Wee Woman »

damianmcr wrote:Theirs a flipping echo so when youre singing SUFTUM in the Prom you are out of sync! Is it the same everywhere?
Yes, the big stand are ahead of us in the Memorial Stand singing SUFTUM too. It's odd.
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Snipe Watson
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Re: Ulster V Ospreys: Positives and negatives

Post by Snipe Watson »

Jackie Brown wrote:McKinney is far to light weight for the professional game.
He's just not good enough. He's possibly bigger than PJ.
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