Just word salad here:
Devine is our starting 9, everything we do well in attack starts with quick ball
McCann needs an Ireland cap and soon, as well being made Ulster captain
Bello needs to be managed to play every game he can
Anything else?
I’m just not sure he’s concerned enough about what he’s seeing. All the emphasis on an open free-flowing brand of rugby, but it is missing the hard edge needed to set the conditions to allow the backs to open up. No mention of focus on retention of the ball when they do have it. Nothing on the scrum.
If leadership involves, in part, taking ownership / responsibility for the team or group making improvements and performing highly (eg ensuring the everyone in the back line is crisp, or supporting other forwards get their detail right in the scrum), who are the leaders in the Ulster squad? My impression is there are a lot of good players who wouldn't say boo to a goose let alone hold others accountable.
Sat 10th Oct
Energia Men's A. I. L Round 3
Young Munster 32 Ballynahinch 14
C of Armagh 24 UCC 12
Nenagh Ormond 21 Instonians 23
Ballymena 26 Queens 18
G. Corinthians 7 Dungannon 27
Ballyclare 62 Malahide 41
Clogher Valley 25 Banbridge 24
Enniskillen 50 Navan 19
Malone 32 Skerries 26
Sligo 29 Rainey 10
Solarfix NI Junior Cup
Ballynahinch 2s 18 Portadown 28
Bangor 43 Lurgan 21
Cooke 6 Dromore 31 latest
Omagh 31 Ballymoney 12
Solarfix NI Junior Shield
Academy 52 Randalstown 17
Carrick 29 Lisburn 17
Coleraine 10 Strabane 33
Limavady 75 Rainey 2s 14
I think we have to come to terms with it, we are beautifully dramatic. Not robotic, like Scottie Scheffler or Leinster. We make inexplicable mistakes and yet manage, when all is lost, to show insane skill and resilience to pull something out of the hat.
Yes of course, Rory has won lots - I am by no means likening us to his achievements. But in style of character and truly addictive to support.
Good god I wish sometimes we would be more boring, but I wouldn’t change it for the world
Izzy in at 6 caught me off gaurd but great to see
McAllister as Tighthead replacement is interesting tbf could be McAllister or O'Toole don't think numbers apply to them lads... but amazed Bello or Scotty Wilson isn't in the Team ahead of McAllister.
Benson at 13 will be interesting to say the least.
Folks, anyone wanting a promo code, one has just dropped. It was asked about a few weeks ago, if getting on this for the weekend. COMEBACK110 is working. It's a reduction from £149.99 annually to £110. Not as good as last years reductions, but still something
O'Toole, Timoney and McCloskey available having completed rest period after Ireland summer tour.
Excited to see how our set piece goes against Munster. Tight five have really fronted up at scrum time.
The big man back at 12 will give the backs a bit of a lift. Benson has been good, but playing out of position.
A win and it's a good start to the season, a defeat and I'm thinking, what the fud.
Ballynahinch:
Mahon Ronan
Joe Hopes
Martin Moloney
Queens:
Jed Findlay
Jonny Scott
Josh Gibson
Dan Green
Clark Logan
Conor Magee
Flynn Longstaff
Paddy Woods
Tom Brigg
Tom Bell
Clontarf: Daniel Hawkshaw
Players not selected/unavailable: Tyrese Abolarin, Conor McVicker, Charlie O’Connor, Blake McClean, Rynard Gordon
Academy Players selected to play URC: Tom McCallister, James McKillop, Jacob Boyd (TR)
So I was listening to the RTE rugby podcast. They were talking about where Munster are at and how they’ve been over the last few years and talked about staffing and coaching etc and how they’ve had established head coaches consistently.
Got me thinking about Ulster ls coaching history, and how we never seem to attract proper head coaches.
Now I like Murphy and I understand why he is in situ, the whole team is in a growing and developing phase. But he came in with u20 head coach experience and previous kicking coach experience. Not exactly top senior level professional experience.
Before that we had DMF. While Dan had Ulster in a very good place for a couple of seasons, that quarter final loss at home to Connacht was the start of the end. He came in from a forward coach role, again no head coach experience.
Before that was Jono, internally promoted from an assistant role, before that was Les Kiss, from Ireland defence coach role.
That’s the last 12 years.
Meanwhile, the other provinces have had Stuart Lancaster (Leinster and Connacht), pat lam, Rassie, JVG, Neinabar as a bloody assistant coach!
When is it our turn?