Thoughts from the unwashed....

ballpark · Post by **ballpark** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 8:36 am

This is not a match report Fermain, just soem rambling thoughts..........
My little hiking boots trembled slightly when I read Jimmy Topping in the Belly Tele. He said that Ulster would go out and try a few new things. Of course said Jimmy they could have just went out and did what they did last year. Well shiver me timbers which part of last year do you mean Jimmy? The corresponding fixture last year??? when you read comments like that you begin to wonder does the coach know what his game plan is and by extension the players.

Well the good news last night was that the forwards were competitive until wholesale changes weakened the effort and the pack lost cohesion big time a revert back to the beginning of last season. Perhaps Harrison played to the gallery a bit and Strudwick, the Irish lock seemed to be going out of his way to wind Harrison up but that aside he looks the kind of bolshy competitor we need.

The scrums looked good and the lineout functioned well though there times when we admired Irish's lineout competency rather than trying to disrupt it. The old problems of lack of numbers at the ruck has been solved with us winning good ball in that area. The tactics from the pack where to pick and drive round the fringes of the ruck, this worked well with players not getting isolated as had been the case last year. The good news too is the younger players look competitive in the forwards and Henry Head stood out head and shoulders pardon the pun in this area.

Ulsters tactics?? Before the game lost cohesion, where to pick and drive and give iot to the backs who either ran somewhat sideways or chipped it away to little effect.

There is little to enthuse about the back play. Campbell now that we don't have Doak around to act as a foil for his performances appears to want the ball on a plate at the ruck. Other than that he is not playing to the max and perhaps the looming presence of Boss is denting his enthusiasm.

The real problem is at ten. Wallace lies flat and shuffles sideways and from there the ball dies a death out wide. If you lie flat at ten then you have to think on your feet. Wallace goes through the motions and goes through the m....and goes thro... We are going to struggle with any cutting edge in the backs unless the half backs play with some urgency and imagination. Trimble showed how it should be done in flashes with good speed and line and attempts to off load the ball in the tackle.

What is frightening about the backs is that we have in reserve Bell, Larkin and Maggs. Tyrone Howe looked like his mind is elsewhere, planning applications perhaps, Topping is well...just Topper old boy and it was only when Bowe came on that anything like a cutting edge appeared.

To sum up....Does the coach know what sort of game he wants to play??? There is a game plan out there, it's the one the Ospreys and Wales played last season. Could Ulster play it?? Yes but the more senior players would need to learn how to pass the ball out of the tackle, well O.K. just learn how to pass the ball. More competitive pack this season, though defence of the rolling maul is still awry, but the backs....Think we'll have plenty of games like against the Ospreys away last season, close fought and struggle to win anything this season. Mid table finish to the Celtic League beckons. London Irish are not a good ZP side, will probaly struggle in the ZP again this year, made changes throughout the game but still managed to comfortably contain Ulster.

BTW: Simon Best is the captain right? To me it appeared Camopbell Feather is the boss. Perhaps he's just pack leader or something but he was the man pointing fingers to the posts to kick the penalties rather than go for lineouts near their line.

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 8:48 am

Similar to my thoughts on game BP, definately looked like we were trying the Welsh style from last year, but Paddy seemed to be a bit confused, also Bryn had probably one of his worst games ever. Trimble and Head played well, as did all the young first timers, can Head get the remaining contract ?
Thought that possible points or at least experience was missed by not trying to go for trys instead of kicking for the sticks

Freddie Benson · Post by **Freddie Benson** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 9:13 am

The first half performance was certainly encouraging in terms of the forward effort. The lineout was unrecognisable from the past couple of seasons. McCullough won a lot of ball at the front and Harrison was as impressive as his international reputation suggested he should be. Scrum destroyed Irish a couple of times as well.

I share your concerns BP regarding the backs, although LI were constantly offside - but then again the ref wasn't pinging them for it, so you take what you can get. Trimble was impressive and certainly didn't look out of place at this level - made a couple of big hits, few breaks anda couple of sweet off-loads that if read and taken by the support player could have led to trys. Which brings me back to our problem last season - not being able to turn what possession we had into points. If we do perform better up front, we also have to have a more killer instinct in attack.

I don't believe too much can be read into the second half with the replacement merry-go-round - was that Sven I saw on the bench?? Although it is good to see McMillan back - he needs some gametime now.

Feather took over captaincy from Best for the second half, who was replaced by Fitzpatrick (Declan). And I think it was Casey who was discussing the niceties with Harrison - Strudwick was the watercarrier prowling the terrace touchline.

Gaz · Post by **Gaz** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 9:37 am

First game of the season, and a friendly at that, and the stick is being waved around already. At the end of the day , it was a glorified practice match. At least we were ahead until we started making subsitutions.

True, what I saw from the backs didn't encourage me - in fact it was awful. Bad sign when the young newbie is the pick of the bunch. But, that is nowhere near our first choice back line - add Humps, Bowe, Maxwell and hopefully Boss (KC struggled last night), and things should be better.
Forwards looked excellent until the subs disrupted things. Thought Harrison lumbered about too much - I had hoped we might start challenging opposing lineouts, but obviously not. At least ours were very solid!!

Fairly certain that was Casey acting the eejit.

ballpark · Post by **ballpark** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 11:29 am

Yip first game of the season and already the excuses are out about it being a friggin friendly, blah, blah blah...We've only one more friendly and then we run out of excuses see, just like last season when McCall said it'll be alright on the night when the competitive games came along and we all know what happened then.

Our bottom line should be to win friendlies at home against what was a basement ZP team, quite simply why should we not put our minds to beating ZP teams at Ravenhill in August rather than waiting until October in the European cup.

After next week's friendly it's Cardiff away, hardly an inspiring start to the season.

Yes I know Best went off at haltime but even before then Feather seemed to take a lead role.

Freddie- I was cetain Strudwick was mentioned in the team list?? and was also certain that it wasn't Casey who was mixing it. Whatever I accept I probably got it wrong.

colinh · Post by **colinh** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 12:02 pm

Thanks for the updates guys. The names that keep jumping out are Best and Trimble. And sadly Paddy Wallace for the wrong reasons. Maybe says the great optomist next Fri will see a side put to the sword. It is good to hear that before the changes the boys played well. I just have a bad feeling that a lot of teams think our fowards are push overs in terms of one to one physiacl confrontations as we do not retaliate. I did not see the game last niggt as I am still in Wales but the seems to be an element of a view that the opposition think they can throw the odd punch and boot at our boys without any fear of retribution from the ref or the players themselves.

Last season after Matty was targetted by Llanelli we produced the most agressive display of the year. See you all on Fri night.

Colin

Gaz · Post by **Gaz** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 12:06 pm

We might well have won if we'd kept the main team on the park - that's why I said we were leading until the changes were made. But then that would have made the match a fairly pointless exercise.
Similarily, if we stuff Rotherham 60-0 next week, it won't actually mean anything with regard to the real games.
Forwards were terrific up to the changes - backs were understrength from the start. I wasn't encouraged by last night, but I'll wait until the season starts and we have our full team on before starting to panic.

cjp · Post by **cjp** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 12:33 pm

We were crap end of !!! Only plus points were
Trimble - god he is something special and a hard aggresive player to, can play off players and also be a playmaker. Don't be surprised to see him in an Irish training squad this year.

Best - Aggressive and some huge hits, carried well and god I thought he had killed Everitt off that lineout.

Lineouts - Harrison must have put the fear of god in Shields don't think he missed a man, but still offered little round the pitch.

Harrison finally a hard edge to the pack. He will be targetted though by teams but with Fitzy, M McC and Bestie he has a few more hard men round him to help him.

Steiner was so so

The rest well very poor. Anyone who says its ok its a friendly must know frig all. Connacht beat a near full strength Leicster and fair f**k's to them. We were poor against Quins last year and Irish this year. Another 8th place finish is likely can't see us much higher. We are in a few years of Transition whent he younger players need fed in while we get rid of the over 30's.

Next week I hope we get to see the rest of the 36 man squad and possibly Telford. Also big Head looks a good player.

ballpark · Post by **ballpark** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 12:38 pm

I'm afraid there is no panic here, sorry to tell you, just pragmatism at some bleedin' obvious truths, the biggest being that we lack penetration of any kind in the backs. It's perhaps not the players, as with the Lions it comes down to coaching and tactics.

cjp · Post by **cjp** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 12:46 pm

Spot on Ballpark, we have some very talented backs and a first choice back line of:

Campbell/Boss (Until we see him we won't know which is better)
Humph
Maxy/Howe
Steiner
Trimble
Bowe
Bryn

IMO that is a talented backline, Maxy IMO should start but if injuries continue to haunt him I guess Tyrone may get the nod. But that backline is very talented. The problem comes that we have no effective moves, any moves are to fancy and easily read. We need more passes out in front so players don't have to check and take the ball at speed. At least in that backline we have two clear game breakers in Trimble and Bowe, they can make things happen and get us behind the oppositions defence. Trimble especially at outside centre could be played off very well. Lets just hope Dumb and dumber don't decide to play him on the wing.

ballpark · Post by **ballpark** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 1:24 pm

Agreed that is a talented backline CJ and agree also about Trimble he ran some great lines last night and looked to play the ball out of the tackle.

The problem last night as I saw it was that Wallace was playing relatively flat and in addition was taking three sometimes more steps sideways before playing the ball which in turn slowed up any decent 'quick' ball to the wings. Some people claimed Irish where offside but that is a problem thro'out the Celtic League season and if we are going to play flat then we need a quick thinking fly half and not one who goes through the full gamut of motions from A to B duiring the course of a game.

Perhaps Humph will provide the oomph we're looking for to spark the backs but how long can we go on relying on the maestro and more pertinently how long can we wait for Wallace to stop imagining he is a fly half with all the attributes and actually delivers a performance that convinces.

Just finished watching the Tri Nations and the Currie Cup follows shortly and in both these competitions the backs no longer lie flat. They are now deeper than ever before and generally hit the line at speed giving themselves momentum as ball carriers. We were static by comparison last night with the exception of Trimbles running when he got the chance.

cjp · Post by **cjp** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 1:46 pm

Have to agree, the tri nations were superb and the moves were simple but done at pace and so they were then effective. I never thought Wallace was up to it, yet so many people have said he is superb and all this cr@p most of them people on the UR message board who really wonder if they go to matches.

Paddy needs to start performing or we are in trouble because I can't see Humph playing every game. A serious possibility has to be Bryn or Steiner. Preferably Steiner with Maggs at IC, or else Bryn with Boss at FB. It needs to be tried against Rotherham especially if Paddy continues his awful form. Another point his kicking from hand was very poor and was glad he wasn't goal kicking.

ding dong2u · Post by **ding dong2u** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 1:51 pm

Agree that the pack played reasonably well until McCall rang the changes and the set pieces looked solid. Good to see there is a slightly harder edge to the them as well and we didn't take a backward step when Casey and that eejit at 6 were throwin' their weight about. The lack of cohesion in the backs both in attack and latterly in defence was awful. We gifted them two tries early on in the second half and never looked like we had any notion of how to open them up. Trimble looked the business and it's about time Dinger hung up his boots.

Gaz · Post by **Gaz** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 2:31 pm

Backs nver looked like scoring last night but two main reasons fo that
1. It is a set of backs who we hope never have to play together in a real game - only 2 of the 6 may be regulars.
2. Wallace isn't up to it at 10.

Boss , it seems, has the reputation as a quick distributor of the ball - should give Humph a bit of time to get the line moving. With, Steiner,Trimble,Maxie and Bowe waiting for the ball, we might have a chance.
One proviso - Muckall has to let them do it.
But it is a better team that last season's - I hope it's better coached.

Cockatrice · Post by **Cockatrice** » Sat Aug 20, 2005 5:27 pm

Conceding tries was a problem last year and the friendly set the tone for the season ahead. Again we leaked tries this time and must hope that it will not be a repeat for what lies ahead.

The coach gave himself to Christmas at the AGM so good luck to him because if it doesn't work Ulster will be out of the HEC and struggling in the CL. Another poor season will spell serious problems for UR. The one thing that bailed them out last year was the number of supporters that turned up but will they see through another.

Yes it is early but we had to hit the ground running in my opinion given how our confidence disappeared last year.