Team is almost the strongest available barring the wingers. Treadwell just back from injury also.
Must be doubts about Ewers next season and not exactly a ringing endorsement of Flannery if he is to be a genuine contender for the 10 jersey next season.
A weaker team should be capable of getting 5 pts against the Dragons but maybe ulster can't afford to take more risks
So It Is wrote:Like the look of the team, apart from Hume as captain as I think he is too hot-headed confrontational in his mannerisms.
Hope to be proven wrong though.
It's the old tactic of giving the disruptor a position of responsibility. Can make them toe the line or make things worse. We'll see on Saturday night.
justinr73 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 1:18 am
He’s hardly a Hartley or even a Sexton.
Went to a (relatively) posh school so he’ll be used to calling men sir.
What’s the problem?
As I said I hope I'm wrong, and he actually turns out to be the next Rory or Muller (in terms of captaincy).
Maybe its a good thing. Having a hot head bollocking the lads or influencing refs after AOC/Hendy's soft captaincy approach, which clearly doesn't seem to be getting the results.
But I would have picked someone like Cooney, McCann (didnt he captain the U20s?) or even Kitshoff (I know hes only here but still, some CV and experienced leader) ahead of him as captain.
For me this looks to much like a Dan selection to be honest
Hume as Capt his showing last time out was a failure the decision making ,was questionable, at best. There is also a problem identifying who is the pack leader . When Ireland had an out side centre as Captain ( BoD) ,PoC was the pack leader, this Ulster team lacks a PoC
McIlroy should never be selected on the wing -- he is not a try scorer ie a winner in that position -- if he must be selected it should be at full back -- a position he played as a schoolboy where his running ,with the ball style , is less defected provided he heads for support.
The bench looks stronger for this match and with Burns at out half i don't expect as many backline errors as against Ospreys
Within this carapace of skepticism there lives an optimist
justinr73 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 02, 2024 11:38 am
Just flicking through the programme.
Dragons have ten players born in December. That’s too many. No wonder they’re rubbish.
Ulster, across both the senior and academy squads, have just two.
BOTH called Doak and BOTH born on Dec 17 (two years apart). Weird huh?
NB Apologies to Josh Stevens who was also born in December but kind of ruins the stat so I left him out.
Sagittarius (Nov. 23 - Dec. 21): People born under this sign think themselves versatile but are really a pain. Sometimes they're flankers, sometimes centers. It goes without saying they do neither especially well. (The only thing keeping them from playing prop is fear and panic.) They feel no sense of club solidarity, either, and are often found at matches offering their dubious service as rugby whores. The Sagittarius rarely wears the same club jersey twice in a row, and must be able to memorize many sets of lineout codes.
Volunteer at an animal sanctuary; it will fill you with joy , despair, but most of all love, unconditional love of the animals.
Big Neville Southall
