Northampton 16th Jan

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StandUp
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by StandUp »

Honestly, I believe Murphy has to earn his way back in because Timoney and Marcus have been brilliant.
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by big mervyn »

Dave wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 8:47 pm Northampton are not bigger than Ulster but we have more restrictions from our governing body.
Uoster have won more than they've lost against so-called "big" English clubs, and have a 5=3 record v Saints, so he can go and f*ck himself.
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by StandUp »

Let’s not forget that the Welsh have a chip on their shoulder about the Irish provinces due to the fact that the Welsh sides are in disarray and are complaining that FIRFU are giving trillions to their provinces (all ballix of course) but they need a target to blame their shortcomings on.
Frankly I think we have given Jones the fool too much coverage. F¥ck him and the sheep he rode in on.
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by Bobbievee »

paddybrown wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 5:52 pm Biggar just did a Billy Burns v Wales. If the Lions outhalf can do that, Billy should feel a bit less bad about it.
Biggar did exactly the same thing at spanners a few years back.......And had the decency to laugh at himself! Not so many laughs today!!

Bloody brilliant all round, including Burns and Doak. Mads moment of madness lucky not to have cost us dearly.

Exuberance of youth fantastic to watch.I

>appl
justinr73
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by justinr73 »

paddybrown wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 10:52 pm To be fair to Stephen Jones, a team that can call on Lions like Biggar and Lawes, and emerging England internationals like Mitchell, Furbank and Ludlam, should on paper perform better than they do against a team like Ulster who don't have as many seasoned internationals to call on. Most of our key players today have international caps in single figures - Baloucoune, Hume, Timoney, Treadwell, O'Sullivan, Burns - or have no senior caps at all - Alan O'Connor, Marcus Rea, Nathan Doak, Stewart Moore, and man of the match Mike Lowry. This board was pretty apprehensive before the game, so before the match most of us would have agreed with Jones. Based on the players both teams have available, Ulster are overachieving, and Northampton are underachieving. Take the compliment.
Not sure I see the distinction between emerging England internationals and our players with international caps in single figures.

I backed Ulster to win.
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by rumncoke »

I would agree somewhat with Jones in so far as the Saints are a side , a bit like Ulster at times the sum of the parts is less than the individual parts -- .

I my opinion they need to play for about 4 weeks with out Lawes they are expecting to much of him and the fact is he is a marked player thus never really gets into the game as soon as he gets the ball 2-3 players are on him. Fine if he is a man magnet meant to set up a recycle like McCloskey -- except he is not -- he is the player expected to benefit from a man magnet and exploit the space provided.

Bigger yesterday confirmed my opinion of him --a Big Competent out half -- who is no better than competent .

Their best player yesterday was Rory Hutchison who always looked dangerous ball in hand that the ulster centres only missed him once speaks well of the defence.

The referee was hard to classify -- as some of decisions seemed odd but at the same time he was not an ego and whistle happy he let play go on as long as the ball was available allowing and giving players the chance to release. both man and ball . recognising that most ruck decisions are a 50/50 call .
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by jean valjean »

Reading some reports online where folks are disappointed in duanes performances to date. He is not a replacement for marcell in a ball carrying capacity but he has the ability to do so and never gets turned over. His work in the maul, lineouts and scrum is exemplary and he is just the wise old head we need in the pack right now. I'm sure his presence was a major reason why our pack held its own so well in Saturday.
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by germcevoy »

I’ve loved watching Duane. He reminds me a bit of Ronaldo at the minute. They both know youth isn’t on their side so they conserve their energy for those few moments when they can be certain that expending it will bring a result. Vermulen takes one glance at a breakdown before it has even happened yet and knows whether a chance is on. Lots of players needlessly try for a steal when it isn’t on and get themselves tangled up whereas Vermulen just saves the joules and holds the line.
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by Armchair Expert »

I have been really impressed by how quick Doak has stepped up to this level. His decision making is good and skill set doesn't seem to have anything obviously missing.
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by rumncoke »

Duane while not being the star on field, he is the sort of player who gives confidence to those around him and therefore enables them to play their game to the best of their ability an attribute not to scorned or made light of because it is an essential part of the mix especially in the absence Henderson in the forwards and to be honest I can't see another member of the forwards who could be described as a rock around which the pack is built . Every pack needs that rock . Best provided it --Henderson does when he is playing but in his absence who could you defines as the rock around which the pack would rally Herring might but I think he may worry to much about his own performance to be the Rock and the same thing holds true of O'Connor ie basically they are seen as substitutes to Henderson rather than the Rock.

The Rock as I call it doesn't need to be the star performer he needs to provide a level of confidence to others .Hederson would seldom win MOTH but his presence is a factor to the performance of others.
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by Cap'n Grumpy »

You know wot they say Rum - igneous is bliss.

We don't want to be taking Duane for granite.

Hope you don't mind the puns - I'm a bit sedimental about them - Rum'n-the-Rocks!


and no, Hederson would never be a MOTH. I've never seen him drawn to the floodlights at Ravenspan.
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by Cap'n Grumpy »

StandUp wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 11:31 pm Honestly, I believe Murphy has to earn his way back in because Timoney and Marcus have been brilliant.
Totally agree, but it's an attritional sport, so when he's fit again, he'll get his chances, either because of injury to one of the others, or simply to rest one of them.
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by solidarity »

Thinking of Murphy working his way in again, same could be said of Luke Marshall. And, looking at the team as a whole, maybe we're getting the strength in depth that we've been missing for quite a while. If only someone knew of a really first class 10... :banghead:
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by Bart S »

Timoney got a lot of plaudits last season for how he plugged the Coetzee gap but Jordi was excellent in the 2nd half of the season and very much led from the front with some of his performances.
We need minimum 5 good backrow options and whilst Greg Jones has improved he is going to be Clive Ross standard at best. For Europe or a URC knockout game you need a Jordi or Reidy in the mix or covering the bench. (McCann possibly but needs more games and to continue developing). I could see Marcus starting and giving it a lash for 50-55 mins with Jordi or Reidy coming on, or else Jordi starting and 30 mins for Marcus off the bench.

Agree Marcus is the man in possession though.
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Re: Northampton 16th Jan

Post by UlsterNo9 »

rumncoke wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 6:55 pm Duane while not being the star on field, he is the sort of player who gives confidence to those around him and therefore enables them to play their game to the best of their ability an attribute not to scorned or made light of because it is an essential part of the mix especially in the absence Henderson in the forwards and to be honest I can't see another member of the forwards who could be described as a rock around which the pack is built . Every pack needs that rock . Best provided it --Henderson does when he is playing but in his absence who could you defines as the rock around which the pack would rally Herring might but I think he may worry to much about his own performance to be the Rock and the same thing holds true of O'Connor ie basically they are seen as substitutes to Henderson rather than the Rock.

The Rock as I call it doesn't need to be the star performer he needs to provide a level of confidence to others .Hederson would seldom win MOTH but his presence is a factor to the performance of others.
"The Rock as I call it" now is it Duane or Dwayne :scratch:

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Last edited by UlsterNo9 on Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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