Ospreys vs Ulster

First topic message reminder :

Ulster name extended squad;

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/10723.php

Rory Best and Chris Henry are still unavailable because of the IRFU’s player management scheme but are expected to make a return in the coming weeks. Roger Wilson (hamstring) and Paddy Wallace (shoulder) come back into the action in October, but Adam D’Arcy and Ali Birch should be available in the next week or two. Nevin Spence has returned to full training after injury but will not be considered for this weekend.

ULSTER SQUAD FORWARDS (16)
Rob Herring, Niall Annett, Nigel Brady, Adam Macklin, Declan Fitzpatrick, Callum Black, Tom Court, John Afoa, Lewis Stevenson, Neil McComb, Johann Muller, Mike McComish, Stephen Ferris, Robbie Diack, Sean Doyle, Nick Williams

ULSTER SQUAD BACKS (12)
Paul Marshall, Michael Heaney, Niall O’Connor, Paddy Jackson, Luke Marshall, Chris Farrell, Darren Cave, Michael Allen, Craig Gilroy, Andrew Trimble, Peter Nelson, Jared Payne

Good to see Trimby and Ferris back- this will be a tough game but if we nail ALL our kicks (ahem, Niall) and stay organised Treviso have shown they can be beaten. A lot depends on how productive they are this week, how much rust they shake off. We have some early season ring-rustiness of our own to shake judging by the Glasgow performance.

wales606 wrote:15 seconds to go but they don't have time for a lineout?

Game over

FT : 13 - 16

There goes the O's chance of defending their title. It may be only 2 weeks in, but last season they won all their home games against the Irish and beat Treviso away. That's 8pts lost on last season, and in this form I can't see them getting the same wins they managed last year.

Scarlets are the Welsh hopes this year I think.

Scarlets have indeed started well, but Ospreys if they hit form can be a match for anyone - home or away.

How has Biggar started the season?

Very poorly LondonTiger - he had an absolute nightmare against Treviso and did little when he came on tonight apart from miss a drop goal. That might be a bit harsh as he had very little opportunity to do anything tonight, but against Treviso he was terrible.

No more than O's deserve for compromising a great winning position. On top until 60 mins in and the scrum went to pot when Ulster brought on Afoa and Court. I thought Jarvis and Rees were meant to be prospects at tighthead!?

Back three did better than I expected, still poor handling though. Getting frustrated with AWJ as a skipper and a player, doesn't lead by example on this evidence and currently in crap form generally. Morgan kicked well but is such a liability with ball in hand, got turned over at least three or four times.

O's now looking weak in multiple positions. Going to be another torturous season for the Liberty faithful (what little there are, I thought season ticket sales were through the roof?) unless they improve radically.

how did Marshall go at 12?

Artful_Dodger wrote:Very poorly LondonTiger - he had an absolute nightmare against Treviso and did little when he came on tonight apart from miss a drop goal. That might be a bit harsh as he had very little opportunity to do anything tonight, but against Treviso he was terrible.

Interesting as he finished last season so well. Will Matthew Morgan get a chance?

It's early days for sure, but this O's squad is looking pretty thin.

I expected them to start this season with a bang but two losses already. Scarlets are looking the strongest of the Welsh regions, but the O's should improve.

Agree that AWJ isn't looking like the man to improve the situation on the pitch at the moment.

Yet another great advert for the Rabo

What a hopeless game of rugby

Thought Marshall was pretty good, but again he is getting such little room to manoeuvre at 12 with O'Connor at 10. Still he sometimes manages to make space and has a very good boot. He hasn't done himself any harm with his two games this season and neither has Michael Allen.

Hersh you are really disappointing mate, Bath won today and instead of celebrating that victory you have spent your time having a dig at London Welsh and the Rabo - pathetic.

What is the matter with the Welsh Regions scrumaging, Scarlets, Blues and now Ospreys have been cleaned out in the scrum!

Granted the Ospreys have Adam Jones to come in, I can't see them getting pushed around then, but the others are going to struggle in the Hieneken without a scrum.

Not much behing the scrum for the Ospreys tonight, half backs were tidy but centres were poor and apart from a few bursts from Dirksen the back three also. Was Beck playing? Totally anonymous!

Anyone else think that Dirsons try came from an Ospreys knock on?

Artful_Dodger wrote:Hersh you are really disappointing mate, Bath won today and instead of celebrating that victory you have spent your time having a dig at London Welsh and the Rabo - pathetic.

+1

Seagultaf wrote:What is the matter with the Welsh Regions scrumaging, Scarlets, Blues and now Ospreys have been cleaned out in the scrum!

Granted the Ospreys have Adam Jones to come in, I can't see them getting pushed around then, but the others are going to struggle in the Hieneken without a scrum.

Not much behing the scrum for the Ospreys tonight, half backs were tidy but centres were poor and apart from a few bursts from Dirksen the back three also. Was Beck playing? Totally anonymous!

Anyone else think that Dirsons try came from an Ospreys knock on?

Thought that at first, but in seeing the reply it may not of been a knock on, at least thats what the Ulster commentators thought. They said it was a knock on at first but retracted that having seen the replay.

Rava wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:Hersh you are really disappointing mate, Bath won today and instead of celebrating that victory you have spent your time having a dig at London Welsh and the Rabo - pathetic.

+1

Old news. It's Hershy, everybody ought to know what tune he's singing by now

Artful_Dodger wrote:Hersh you are really disappointing mate, Bath won today and instead of celebrating that victory you have spent your time having a dig at London Welsh and the Rabo - pathetic.

I wrote the London welsh one before Bath won! so I'm confused by that comment.

And I'm sorry for having a opinion about the game I just watched, but it was yet another very poor game of rugby.

I thought the Rabo was meant to promote high intensity running rugby?

HERSH wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:Hersh you are really disappointing mate, Bath won today and instead of celebrating that victory you have spent your time having a dig at London Welsh and the Rabo - pathetic.

I wrote the London welsh one before Bath won! so I'm confused by that comment.

And I'm sorry for having a opinion about the game I just watched, but it was yet another very poor game of rugby.

I thought the Rabo was meant to promote high intensity running rugby?

Whoever gave you that impression?

It promotes winning silverware first and foremost, what's the use of losing pretty?

No danger of the Ospreys losing pretty

Att: 8,566

Really were they outside?

Hersh there will nearly always be poor games on TV such is the exposure the game is getting. That you are happy to base a judgement of the Rabo on one game shows you up for the WUM that you are.
I watched two Jeff games on ESPN earlier today. The first was a cracker and a great advert for any league. The second one was dour and dull but I'm not trolling the articles making an oirse of myself.

Who says I'm judging it on one game?

I've watched for years and IMO it overrated.

Maybe if more teams took it seriously it would be worth watching, why do these teams rest so many players, IMO Biggar should have started.

If it's that bad why do you watch it?

HERSH wrote:Who says I'm judging it on one game?

I've watched for years and IMO it overrated.

Maybe if more teams took it seriously it would be worth watching, why do these teams rest so many players, IMO Biggar should have started.

Why do you feel the need to come on threads constantly and make digs about it?We know how you feel so the only possible reason for you to keep repeating your view is to annoy people and quite frankly it's very immature and just a little sad that you feel this is the best way you can spend your time.

I feel the Aviva and Top 14 are overrated and stodgefests a lot of the time but I don't go around shoving that opinion down the throats of people who are fans of those leagues.

But this is a discussion board, and it's only your opinion that I'm winding people up, thats not my intention but I'm not going to keep quite when I have an opinion on the game especially if it was a dull-fest like that, I don't make you read my comments, you could always look away.

Enjoy the evening anyway guys

There's always next week I'm sure Glasgow will roll over for you guys.

3rd time lucky!

go away Hershie

Why?

Don't you have an opinion on the game Smirnoff?

or life in general?

Do please tell!

wales606 wrote:15 seconds to go but they don't have time for a lineout?

Game over

FT : 13 - 16

There goes the O's chance of defending their title. It may be only 2 weeks in, but last season they won all their home games against the Irish and beat Treviso away. That's 8pts lost on last season, and in this form I can't see them getting the same wins they managed last year.

Scarlets are the Welsh hopes this year I think.

Very premature to say that, lots of teams start slowly and build their way up, it's how you do over christmas and at the business end of the season that counts.

And it's a bit earlier to say the Scarlets are suddenly better than the Pro12 champions based on 2 games - we're heading in the right direction, and if we're above them going into December then Yes I'd say we are, but until we've demonstrated it consistently then no.

PS I'm sure Ospreys will pick up their form.

HERSH wrote:Do please tell!

Yes but seeing as you ruin most threads with your inane comments I can't really be bothered to post a detailed match review so you can post tired wums and inaccuracies

"PS I'm sure Ospreys will pick up their form."

I'm sure they will too.

If not then maybe they should re-sign Henson next year.

Do I ruin them?

I thought I just post an opinion and everyone else turns on me!

HERSH wrote:Yet another great advert for the Rabo

What a hopeless game of rugby

Why report this comment?????

1. It wasn't
2. It was.


Take off the rose tinted specs guys!

Come on people lets keep this about rugby please, we're all grown ups.

Evening all.

Delighted to get an away win in Wales after the wash out of last season in the...West...?

It was a terrible first 50 mins from both teams. I really wasn't sure if I was more surprised that we were so poor or that we were allowed to get away with being so poor.

But, still an away win!

HERSH, enough wumming for one night. You're becoming boring.

Ahem, anyway!

Back to the game. It was a really foreboding game in one respect for Ulster. The 10 jersey. I don't believe there are issues surrounding Jackson. I believe he can be what this team needs. But if he gets injured? O'Connor is a problem for us right now.

Jackson will start next week. And O'Connor would be very lucky to get near a matchday squad if we have Jackson, Pienaar and Wallace all available. He's not kicking well, he's also playing very poorly. He's stunting the backline by standing so, so deep and taking the wrong options on a consistent basis. We need to be patient with O'Connor- he's a confidence player- but there's only so many times we can get away with it.

I'm beginning to think he's never gotten over being the guy who had to step into David Humphreys shoes in our season from hell back in 2006-2007. There was so much pressure on him then and he simply could not deal with it.

There are two periods where I was genuinely optimistic he could make a very tidy outhalf. Last season with Connacht, and in the Churchill Cup with Ireland A. His kicking was still streaky in both cases but when he missed one, the rest of his game didn't collapse. He brought the ball to the line solidly if not spectacularly and he generally chose good options.

In an Ulster shirt, he looks haunted. He's never looked confident enough to be at 10- second guessing his own decisions, missing easy kicks. Does the white shirt (and the pressure that comes with it) bring out the worst in him? Today out there when the camera had a close-up on his face he looked like a man attending his own funeral.

Please, please. please let me be wrong about him. Let him deliver for Ulster this season! I genuinely want him to succeed. He seems like such a nice guy but on the pitch, he's so consistently struggled to get anywhere near his potential.

MrsP

HERSH was ecstatic last week with a dreadfull performance and a lucky win for his boys

I reckon you should be very content - beating the champions away from home to record a 2 from 2 start is pretty good. Especially considering the players missing or being eased back into action.

Who says I'm wummmmmming kiwi? People who disagree with my opinion on the game!

I'm just pointing out that it wasn't a great game.

I expected more from the Rabo champions at home against the HC runners up.

Give it up Hersh like. We get it you don't like the Rabo.

Pete, whats happening- he's still free to respond in the thread? How long is he going to be allowed to keep going with this?

But I do Thomond, when it's taken seriously.

Notch wrote:Pete, whats happening- he's still free to respond in the thread? How long is he going to be allowed to keep going with this?

Going with what?

Come on guys I'm entitled to have an opinion on the game

Unfortunately for you HERSH people take your past history into account when reading your posts. And react accordingly. So I'm afraid you only have yourself to blame.

The fact that your blatantly trying to annoy people is proof enough.

Could someone please relieve the man of his spade.

On other things, just looked at the line-ups. Boy the Ulster bench was good.

HERSH wrote:But I do Thomond, when it's taken seriously.

Yeah, got to be honest, it was one of the worst games of professional rugby I've ever seen. Everything you've said in this thread is 100% on the money and correct. And I totally agree with you about the game tonight.

But I have no idea how you're still posting right now. Seriously. You should've have been banned about a half hour ago. Being right and being a nuisance is much more antisocial on a forum than being wrong and being quiet along with it. And the moderators really shouldn't have to spend their time (which they volunteer) responding to complaints about you.

Now can we please, PLEASE, talk rugby!?

Well thats up to them I don't moan about it.

Well not much anyway!

I'll go now anyway but it doesn't change the fact I wasted 80mins watching that game.

HERSH wrote:But this is a discussion board, and it's only your opinion that I'm winding people up, thats not my intention but I'm not going to keep quite when I have an opinion on the game especially if it was a dull-fest like that, I don't make you read my comments, you could always look away.

Enjoy the evening anyway guys

There's always next week I'm sure Glasgow will roll over for you guys.

3rd time lucky!

Hersh,

You are quite correct, everyone has an opinion, and everyone is entitled to voice that opinion. The problem is! That opinions are like @rse h0les. Every one has one, but most are full of !!!!!!! Just like your good self.

IAOB

HERSH wrote:I'll go now anyway but it doesn't change the fact I wasted 80mins watching that game.

As opposed to the incredibly productive time you've invested into posting on here

Enjoy the rest of the weekend guys.

I think the fact is that you wnent out of the way to annoy people, I watched some Aviva today and was bored off my arse, I found this game boring too, but sure I didn't see the need to go and try and provoke a reaction out of people.