Where do we go from here?

[HammerTime]

Looks like they’re trying to spend money but the IRFU is blocking everything whether it be more NIQ players or further stadium redevelopments. I’m led to believe a plastic pitch will cost £1 million so money mustn’t be that scarce.

[CIMANFOREVER]

If it's to force investment in long term academy pathways instead of short term NIQ squander or a pitch to cover incompetence, then I may actually find myself agreeing. If we had any spare money, we should've secured JTA, as this could be catastrophic unless Warwick spends the summer packing down at TH.
Anyway IRFU needs money to offset Munster loan deferments

[UlsterNo9]

If it's to force investment in long term academy pathways instead of short term NIQ squander or a pitch to cover incompetence, then I may actually find myself agreeing. If we had any spare money, we should've secured JTA, as this could be catastrophic unless Warwick spends the summer packing down at TH.
Anyway IRFU needs money to offset Munster loan deferments

Munster cost the IRFU a packet yesterday, why did they not throw the ball game? Munster now out the cost of a trip to Cape Town, the IRFU out the gate money for a full Lansdowne Road URC final.

[Big-al]

If it's to force investment in long term academy pathways instead of short term NIQ squander or a pitch to cover incompetence, then I may actually find myself agreeing. If we had any spare money, we should've secured JTA, as this could be catastrophic unless Warwick spends the summer packing down at TH.
Anyway IRFU needs money to offset Munster loan deferments

Munster cost the IRFU a packet yesterday, why did they not throw the ball game? Munster now out the cost of a trip to Cape Town, the IRFU out the gate money for a full Lansdowne Road URC final.

I thought the URC keep the money from the final?

[CIMANFOREVER]

If it's to force investment in long term academy pathways instead of short term NIQ squander or a pitch to cover incompetence, then I may actually find myself agreeing. If we had any spare money, we should've secured JTA, as this could be catastrophic unless Warwick spends the summer packing down at TH.
Anyway IRFU needs money to offset Munster loan deferments

Munster cost the IRFU a packet yesterday, why did they not throw the ball game? Munster now out the cost of a trip to Cape Town, the IRFU out the gate money for a full Lansdowne Road URC final.

Inconsiderate barstewards. Less euros to spend on D4 private schools

[thecrouch]

Told you Turnips would rattle Leireland. Well done
We can only dream of that type of guts and tenacity

Yea very jealous of Munster on that one.

Ulster don't have that sort of performance in their locker. No way we win that game.

Calm, determined, gritty, aggressive. All words you could use to describe Munster on Saturday, definitely not words you could ever use to describe us. And it's a large part of why we never win anything, and are not going to win anything any time soon.

[thecrouch]

This whole mental block thing bugs the life out of me, we have beaten top quality teams over the years both home and away. There is no reason why Ulster shouldn't think when they have close to a starting team that they can't compete with and beat anyone. Why are the coaches not upping their game, and ensuring the players do too?

We've been in 2 knockout games this season and barely fired a shot in either. You add this to the list of other knockout failures under McFarland and it's clear whatever his approach is to these games is wrong.

That said, I don't think the coaches are entirely to blame. The entire culture at the club is wrong. We lack a ruthless streak, and I feel we lack senior players who will drive standards, both mentality wise but also in big games when things get tough we don't really have anyone who will put their hand up and lead the team through it. We panic, and we crumble.

There is only so much McFarland and co can do, obviously there's issues there in terms of selections and tactics, but once the match starts it's up to the players to tighten their straps and front up. Like against Connacht how did none of our forwards recognise that they needed to start hitting rucks?

[So It Is]

This whole mental block thing bugs the life out of me, we have beaten top quality teams over the years both home and away. There is no reason why Ulster shouldn't think when they have close to a starting team that they can't compete with and beat anyone. Why are the coaches not upping their game, and ensuring the players do too?

We've been in 2 knockout games this season and barely fired a shot in either. You add this to the list of other knockout failures under McFarland and it's clear whatever his approach is to these games is wrong.

That said, I don't think the coaches are entirely to blame. The entire culture at the club is wrong. We lack a ruthless streak, and I feel we lack senior players who will drive standards, both mentality wise but also in big games when things get tough we don't really have anyone who will put their hand up and lead the team through it. We panic, and we crumble.

There is only so much McFarland and co can do, obviously there's issues there in terms of selections and tactics, but once the match starts it's up to the players to tighten their straps and front up. Like against Connacht how did none of our forwards recognise that they needed to start hitting rucks?

Agreed.

Although when you are importing Leinster C cast offs, and Saffer journeymen, over homegrown lads, then you are always going to have a leadership/heart deficit.

Recent decisions like bringing in Declan Moore, Greg Jones, SVDM, Milo, Bradshaw-Ryan etc. are utterly mind boggling. I refuse to believe there aren't lads playing AIL in Ulster that aren't at their levels (or much better). Lads that grew up watching Ulster and would probably step over their ma's to pull on an Ulster jersey and run out at Ravenhill on a Friday night.

I'm not saying that bulk filling the Ulster squad with AIL lads is the road to riches but at least you'd have lads that would be willing suffer for the jersey, which as supporters we'd love to see, even if the talent isn't necessarily there.

If you are going to bring somebody in from another province, then it needs to be a Marty Moore-type player that is in excess to Leinster's requirements, but is still a damn good player that can add value to the squad.

If its canon-fodder for training and the occasional match you are after, like the list above, then we should be looking much closer to home.

[thecrouch]

This whole mental block thing bugs the life out of me, we have beaten top quality teams over the years both home and away. There is no reason why Ulster shouldn't think when they have close to a starting team that they can't compete with and beat anyone. Why are the coaches not upping their game, and ensuring the players do too?

We've been in 2 knockout games this season and barely fired a shot in either. You add this to the list of other knockout failures under McFarland and it's clear whatever his approach is to these games is wrong.

That said, I don't think the coaches are entirely to blame. The entire culture at the club is wrong. We lack a ruthless streak, and I feel we lack senior players who will drive standards, both mentality wise but also in big games when things get tough we don't really have anyone who will put their hand up and lead the team through it. We panic, and we crumble.

There is only so much McFarland and co can do, obviously there's issues there in terms of selections and tactics, but once the match starts it's up to the players to tighten their straps and front up. Like against Connacht how did none of our forwards recognise that they needed to start hitting rucks?

Agreed.

Although when you are importing Leinster C cast offs, and Saffer journeymen, over homegrown lads, then you are always going to have a leadership/heart deficit.

Recent decisions like bringing in Declan Moore, Greg Jones, SVDM, Milo, Bradshaw-Ryan etc. are utterly mind boggling. I refuse to believe there aren't lads playing AIL in Ulster that aren't at their levels (or much better). Lads that grew up watching Ulster and would probably step over their ma's to pull on an Ulster jersey and run out at Ravenhill on a Friday night.

I'm not saying that bulk filling the Ulster squad with AIL lads is the road to riches but at least you'd have lads that would be willing suffer for the jersey, which as supporters we'd love to see, even if the talent isn't necessarily there.

If you are going to bring somebody in from another province, then it needs to be a Marty Moore-type player that is in excess to Leinster's requirements, but is still a damn good player that can add value to the squad.

If its canon-fodder for training and the occasional match you are after, like the list above, then we should be looking much closer to home.

AOC is a good example. Wears the captains arm band. I like AOC, he's a solid player and gives his all, but he's not at the level needed if you want to win trophies.

He is a fairly limited player and as a result he lacks the ability to lead by example. He's not going to take the ball and break the line, he's not going to nail someone in a tackle, he's not going to get a big turnover. When the game gets tough he's one of the players that ends up getting bullied.

This stuff all has an effect on the team.

[Marco]

Anyone listen to Trimby's podcast last week? Priceless start, Murphy and Fogarty literally laughed for the first minute, but he took it well in fairness, as must we all. The key question being debated was whether Ulster are 4th or 5th best team in Ireland, after Tereneure? You can only laugh sometimes lads.

[Lurgan Lad]

Found this quote about AIL and academy players really interesting, aren't we trialing a prop from Terenure.
https://www.sportsjoe.ie/rugby/terenure ... ear-287402

[Lurgan Lad]

This whole mental block thing bugs the life out of me, we have beaten top quality teams over the years both home and away. There is no reason why Ulster shouldn't think when they have close to a starting team that they can't compete with and beat anyone. Why are the coaches not upping their game, and ensuring the players do too?

We've been in 2 knockout games this season and barely fired a shot in either. You add this to the list of other knockout failures under McFarland and it's clear whatever his approach is to these games is wrong.

That said, I don't think the coaches are entirely to blame. The entire culture at the club is wrong. We lack a ruthless streak, and I feel we lack senior players who will drive standards, both mentality wise but also in big games when things get tough we don't really have anyone who will put their hand up and lead the team through it. We panic, and we crumble.

There is only so much McFarland and co can do, obviously there's issues there in terms of selections and tactics, but once the match starts it's up to the players to tighten their straps and front up. Like against Connacht how did none of our forwards recognise that they needed to start hitting rucks?

Agree with all that, who is actually driving the standards on and off the pitch at Ulster. Too many nice players, nobody that is going to call out players around them for not doing what they need to. Can't really say I can think of anyone who you would describe as 'bleeds Ulster'. Tom Stewart might have potential.

[CIMANFOREVER]

This whole mental block thing bugs the life out of me, we have beaten top quality teams over the years both home and away. There is no reason why Ulster shouldn't think when they have close to a starting team that they can't compete with and beat anyone. Why are the coaches not upping their game, and ensuring the players do too?

We've been in 2 knockout games this season and barely fired a shot in either. You add this to the list of other knockout failures under McFarland and it's clear whatever his approach is to these games is wrong.

That said, I don't think the coaches are entirely to blame. The entire culture at the club is wrong. We lack a ruthless streak, and I feel we lack senior players who will drive standards, both mentality wise but also in big games when things get tough we don't really have anyone who will put their hand up and lead the team through it. We panic, and we crumble.

There is only so much McFarland and co can do, obviously there's issues there in terms of selections and tactics, but once the match starts it's up to the players to tighten their straps and front up. Like against Connacht how did none of our forwards recognise that they needed to start hitting rucks?

Agree with all that, who is actually driving the standards on and off the pitch at Ulster. Too many nice players, nobody that is going to call out players around them for not doing what they need to. Can't really say I can think of anyone who you would describe as 'bleeds Ulster'. Tom Stewart might have potential.

Sheridan seems to have it too.

[CIMANFOREVER]

Found this quote about AIL and academy players really interesting, aren't we trialing a prop from Terenure.
https://www.sportsjoe.ie/rugby/terenure ... ear-287402

Very interesting LL and have to say I agree- why not? Save us another Milo or Schalk. Conall Boomer- ex of Ulster eh? Ffs...

[UlsterNo9]

Found this quote about AIL and academy players really interesting, aren't we trialing a prop from Terenure.
https://www.sportsjoe.ie/rugby/terenure ... ear-287402

Very interesting LL and have to say I agree- why not? Save us another Milo or Schalk. Conall Boomer- ex of Ulster eh? Ffs...

Charlie Butterworth and Clive Ross spring to mind.
Shea O'Brien currently in squad.

I don't think there are many slipping the net.