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.

LondonTigger,

Our bench was impressive wasn't it. Both in prospect and in delivery!

When the team was announced the other day, I commented to MrP that we have probably never seen such an outstanding bench for Ulster.

MrsP wrote:LondonTigger,

Our bench was impressive wasn't it. Both in prospect and in delivery!

When the team was announced the other day, I commented to MrP that we have probably never seen such an outstanding bench for Ulster.

And the impact that bench made was something else. The difference between a comfortable Ospreys win and what actually happened was the influence of the guys on that bench.

Its been a beautiful sunny Saturday and HERSH appears to have sat indoors by the laptop all day looking for digs at anything Welsh!

We pitty you lad
Give it up mate, im surprised the mods have allowed your continued membership, every article you write has malicious under tones with nothing but hatred as the ultimate and desired out come.

I'm really disappointed tonight. After one of our games I always love to read what opposition fans have to say. It would be really fascinating to hear the Ospreys perspective on that performance. But none are commenting on the game, just on HERSH.

I have to day, if it was like this on every thread I'd it would be hard enough to see the point in coming on the forum whatsoever.

Just got back from the game, I could not understand why they watered the pitch before the game as if Swansea City were due to play. The pitch was slippery and the ball was wet, I have not seen the pitch watered before a rugby match. In fairness both defences were good today, Ulster brought on players that improved the pack while the Ospreys managed to weaken their pack, with 30mins to go there was only going to be one winner. If the Ospreys play like that against Glasgow next week the crowds will stay at home for future matches.

Ospreys fans; commiserations. There have been a few times we've lost to the Os and not deserved to lose, and a few times we've won and not deserved to win. I think we deserved to win that in the end, just barely, but only because Ospreys were as bad or worse! You must be very disappointed?

Yes, Our bench made the differemce in the end, but was nobody worried for the ten minutes or so when the subs didnt actually seem to improve anything?

I have to say that O'connor last week and tonight, made me look at young paddy like a hero. I got misty eyed watching him slot those kicks over and casually jog back. I'm not saying he is awesome, but he is certainly VITAL to Ulster this season simply because of the hit we take in the step down to Niall.

Also, as I alluded to on page 2, before the whole HERSH yadda yadda. Williams is a massive shock! I didnt know much about him prior to his signing, but I listened to a lot of peoples opinions.

I have to say I think he is a beautiful big cuddly beast. He may not have carried just as explosivly tonight, but he showed me a few times that he is more than just strength. I saw a hunger, I saw skills and I saw brains.

I was really perplexed walking back from the stadium yesterday. Truth be told over the course of the entire game I thought the Ospreys were the better team and actually created more oppertunities, on balance I was always confident of us winning the game. At 13-3, after about 50 minutes I thought the next try we score would kill the game off and their heads would drop, and expected it to come. The tactical substitutions in the front row were what changed the game for both teams,

What's killing the Ospreys at the moment is the sheer number of penalties we are giving away in scrums. The last 3 games have pretty much been lost because of that. We're also making far too many errors in the line outs at the moment. I guess the final problem we have is a lack of brute force in the backs. We simply don't have the North . Cuthbert type player to smash through when guile fails. Beck just isn't doing that often enough.

I don't think anyone is going to panic because we all know the Ospreys can put the scrums right by playing Adam Jones and we are always 50% better with Ryan Jones in the team.

I will also say it was much more enjoyable to have Matthew Morgan in the team, I love the way he gets the line moving and tries to run into gaps. The problem is because of the lack of strength in our centers we can't punch through. I'm hoping Morgan gets a run because Biggar was poor against Bath and appaling against Treviso. He was also well below Morgans level against Ulster. I'd also like to know who has been teaching him to drop goal because I have NEVER seen him hit one over. Every time he attempts one you know it will not go between the posts, it's almost comical now,

Truth be told though 9 Welsh internationals started that game against Ulster's reserve team and if we're being honest they should out put them away. Ulster came to our ground and sneaked the win credit to them.

The one thing people were irritating us about last season is the lack of bonus points we were getting, well in 2 games we have 2 this season so in that respect we have improved!

Ospreys’ stuttering start to the season continued as they threw away a healthy nine-point lead to lose to Ulster at the Liberty Stadium.

The reigning RaboDirect Pro12 champions were beaten 12-6 by Treviso in Italy in their opening match.

And the optimism of a crowd of 8,566 was dulled by a dour display against last season’s beaten Heineken Cup finalists Ulster.

Ospreys might have sold a record 9,200 season tickets, but if they keep performing this badly, you’d suspect the enthusiasm generated at the end of last term will soon disappear.

All they could muster was a cracking individual try from ace finisher Hanno Dirksen, a conversion and two penalties from outside-half Matthew Morgan.

Ulster’s decision to change their front-row in the second half turned the match in their favour and they ended up deserved victors.

They had the better of the early exchanges and it wasn’t until scrum- half Rhys Webb put up a towering box-kick that Ospreys made an impression.

Right-wing Dirksen used his power to win it from under the nose of the Irish side’s full-back Jared Payne.

They moved the ball left with full-back Richard Fussell weaving his way through the first line of defence, but a promising build-up was ruined when Webb knocked on.

It was symptomatic of an opening quarter riddled with errors from both sides. Neither was able to keep hold of the ball for long because of sheer ineptitude.

Ulster lock Lewis Stevenson squandered an over-lap because of blinkered vision and there was an ironic round of applause from spectators when Fussell put in a raking touch- finder.

Outside-half Niall O’Connor was just wide with a penalty attempt in the 23rd minute for the Irish province.

The penalty count kept rising with Scottish referee Neil Paterson failing to get a grip on the breakdown.

A line-out take from No. 8 Jonathan Thomas led to Ospreys’ opening try of the Pro12 season.

Morgan was clattered as he received the ball, but it bounced kindly and was scooped up by Dirksen.

He again bumped off Payne and rounded covering scrum-half Michael Heaney to score, Morgan converting to make it 7-0.

O’Connor pulled back three in the 32nd minute with a long-range kick after Ospreys’ openside flanker Justin Tipuric offended at a ruck.

The first half, which seemed to last an eternity, has to go down as one of the worst since the regions were formed in Wales nine years ago.

Apart from the efforts of Dirksen and Fussell, there was little to enthuse about the Ospreys while Ulster were equally dire.

O’Connor was short and wide with penalty attempts either side of the interval.

Ospreys used their power at a scrum to win a penalty, Morgan landing the straight-forward kick to re-establish a seven-point advantage with 33 minute remaining.

Ulster No 8 Nick Williams conceded another three by giving away a daft penalty at a maul, Morgan punishing him to put the home team 13-3 up.

That was the signal for Ulster to unleash their replacements’ bench, Stephen Ferris and Andrew Trimble following fellow Ireland international Tom Court and New Zealand cap John Afoa into action.

Another substitute, outside-half Paddy Jackson, reduced the arrears to seven points with a long-range penalty which just cleared the cross-bar.

Morgan hooked a penalty wide at the other end but replacement wing Tom Grabham got the Ospreys supporters excited with a burst.

Ospreys coach Steve Tandy hauled off Morgan, Dan Biggar taking over as play-maker, while Samoa ace George Stowers was sent on for Thomas as they sought to close out the encounter.

Ulster’s all-changed front-row of loose-head prop Court, hooker Nigel Brady and tight-head prop Afoa took charge of the scrum and Jackson picked up another three-pointer after Ospreys’ front-row crumbled.

They were just four points behind with 13 minutes remaining but their fight-back sparked the slumbering Ospreys into life.

Biggar was off-target with a drop-goal attempt and Ulster were able to kick long.

Fussell knocked on and Ulster took advantage with scrum-half sub Paul Marshall diving over after Afoa was held up just short.

Jackson converted and Ulster were ahead for the first time. They managed to weather the final five minutes to make it two victories in as many attempts.

clivemcl wrote:
I have to say I think he is a beautiful big cuddly beast.

He's done well alright!

glamorganalun wrote:Just got back from the game, I could not understand why they watered the pitch before the game as if Swansea City were due to play. The pitch was slippery and the ball was wet, I have not seen the pitch watered before a rugby match.

They softened the pitch to prevent injuries. A pitch thats got no moisture in it is hard and hurts a lot when you land on it.

What a frustrating and disappointing peformance that was. Luckily for the O's Ulster had Niall O'Connor kicking for them first, or they'd been further ahead. Dirksen's try was good, but then O's waste it by giving away silly penalties again. I'm really concerned about our chances in the Heineken competition after that.

As I said last night Cari, commiserations. I know exactly how you feel right now because I felt the same way when we lost to Treviso at home last season.

One bizarre thing about last night is that this season we've looked toothless on the counter. And last night we could hardly string two passes together in the backs! And then we score a try like this;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia7rvnkK6Vo&feature=youtu.be

Thats quality build-up play for our try from our own 22.

Very disappointed in the result last night.
Ospreys squad is looking very thin in the backs division.
Adam Jones, Ian Evans and Ryan Jones will add strength to the pack but they'll be with the Wales squad for big parts of the season.
Positives: I thought Hibard inparticular but also Bevington had excellent games in the loose.
Negatives: lots! Ashley Beck was anonymous, Matthew Morgan isn't ready to play against the top teams, Jonathan Thomas is not regaining form, Fussell is not a fullback, Isaacs looks unimpressive (but no more so than Eli Walker did last year).
There's plenty of room for improvement, lets hope players start finding some form!

Looks like a good try notch, gilroy must be ahead of Trimble or at least very close, Andy doesn't do things like that really.

Didn't see the game but have read the thread (and the tangent) and a few articles. Commiserations o's, well done ulster. Season is still young so don't get too down beat yet o's fans. Sure you'll beat us in Dublin by a point as per feckin usual! :p

A question for the lads talking about Niall o' Connor:

If everyone is fit then Jackson goes off injured who plays 10?
1) O'Connor straight in
2) Pienaar with Marshall going in at 9
3) Wallace with Spence/Marshall going in at 12

It's early days but I'm pretty happy with that. Loads of quality to come in for us and there seems to be a spring in the step of the the fringe players this year with Anscombe's arrival.

Gilroy looked very sharp and was impressed with Luke Marshall and Lewis Stevenson. Ferris and Afoa had a huge impact from the bench but a few others are clearly still finding their feet, fitness and form.

Ospreys will be disappointed at capitulating but they looked very dangerous with the ball and will be serious title contenders this season I'm sure.

The Ospreys have Ryan, Ianto and of course Adam Jones to come back. Adam in particular will make a huge difference to the scrum.

The problem for the Ospreys is the backs, they have decent half backs, Fortuali and Biggar in particular are very good, with Morgan very much up and coming and Webb also. Of the rest Dirkson has huge enthusiasm and drive, but looks more of a 13 than a wing. If he is to get to play for Wales he either needs to work on his pace or learn to pass. Fussell is a good club wing playing full back. In my opoinion the biggest problem is at centre. Both Bishop and Beck are strong and solid in defence. Beck has a good step and offload but is so slow he makes Bishop look fast! They badly need the young wings in the squad to come good soon. Dirkson's pace at 13 would offset Becks lack of pace and provide him with a target for his offloads.

No doubt that with Adam Jones et al back in the side and a return to wet and muddy pitches, the Ospreys forwards will start winning games. But they wont beat the best in Europe with the current crop of backs......unless they unearth another Shane!

Notch wrote:Ospreys fans; commiserations. There have been a few times we've lost to the Os and not deserved to lose, and a few times we've won and not deserved to win. I think we deserved to win that in the end, just barely, but only because Ospreys were as bad or worse! You must be very disappointed?

No need to rub it in Notch!

Why did they water the pitch????

I think we're gonna have to wait for J Rees, Jarvis and Bevington to mature.
They really do struggle at scrum time.

As i feared the lack of quality in the backs is really going to affect our chances this year, on top of that the forwards aren't playing with any intensity of note. Hopefully the first choice pack and Biggar's boot can save our arses. I'm not thinking about the HC at the moment...

Ospreys desperately need to sort out their handling and the stability of their backs. Attacks lacked cohesion just as they did in the first week and have done on and off over a space of years now. What is it that causes players in Ospreys strip to slip so frequently and lose their grip of the ball in contact?

I felt the presence of Tipuric and Gough enhanced the forwards-oriented areas of the game. The breakdown had intent to it from both sides although Morgan made up the bulk of Ulster turn overs. Bevington and Jarvis were having good games until Ulster changed their front row.

Knowsit17 wrote:Ospreys desperately need to sort out their handling and the stability of their backs. Attacks lacked cohesion just as they did in the first week and have done on and off over a space of years now. What is it that causes players in Ospreys strip to slip so frequently and lose their grip of the ball in contact?

I felt the presence of Tipuric and Gough enhanced the forwards-oriented areas of the game. The breakdown had intent to it from both sides although Morgan made up the bulk of Ulster turn overs. Bevington and Jarvis were having good games until Ulster changed their front row.

Could be that they water the pitch before a game at the Liberty!

Could be but the pitch is the same for the opposition too. I'm very happy with 2 wins from 2 including a tough one in Wales with big players still to come back. Defo agree the fringe players really see this new regime as a chance for them to step up and make their case and it's creating a better team dynamic. Things look bright also congrats to the U-20's on beating Leinster.

They water the pitch prior to the start and at half time when Swansea City play so that the ball zips along the ground and reduces bounce when the ball is kicked out by the goal keepers but this is the first time I have seen the grounds man turn on the water prior to a rugby match. It was the same for both sides and it affected both sides handling and footing.

On the positive side the pitch at the Liberty is fantastic throughout the season, I wish my lawn was half as good.

glamorganalun wrote:They water the pitch prior to the start and at half time when Swansea City play so that the ball zips along the ground and reduces bounce when the ball is kicked out by the goal keepers but this is the first time I have seen the grounds man turn on the water prior to a rugby match. It was the same for both sides and it affected both sides handling and footing.

On the positive side the pitch at the Liberty is fantastic throughout the season, I wish my lawn was half as good.

Glam you need to get a half synthetic lawn mate...!

Ospreys did okay considering how 'robust' Ulster were, how many of the now depleted O's squad are not yet ready for this level of rugby and the handicap of Jonathan Thomas at 8.

They don't know why they're watering the pitch. They saw other people doing it on telly and thought they'd have a go too. Hopefully the sight of players sliding around like Keystone Cops on Ice brought them to their senses and they won't do it again.

But this is by no means the first time I've witnessed the Ospreys (or Wales for that matter) slipping and sliding around the park for 80 mins. It's been going on for some time now. I always put it down to poor balance coupled with poor decision-making before now. That's not to say it happens in every game but in the games where it does happen the players go sprawling way too often to pose a serious attacking threat. Shane Williams did it a lot towards the tail end of his Welsh career.

It looks a lot to me like the backs have no clear idea of what they want to do with ball in hand, therefore they just decide to make a pointless sharp turn or step which sends them toppling and compromises a lot of possession. I'd love to think it were something as simple as the ground being over-watered but logically if that were the case the opposition players would be falling over a lot too!

Ospreys in Crisis!!

Makes a change from Ulster in Crisis I suppose.

O's supporters, I haven't changed my thoughts that were based on your performances at the end of last season. I think you are a team on the up and I wouldn't worry too much at this stage of the season. Once your top line guys are back things will change for sure.

Oh and as for the pitch! Won't be any need to water after this week. Winter is setting in

Isn't a shame we cant have a serious debate about a rugby match without a mindless troll spoiling things
Given the dreary rugby Bath played hardly in a position to critise anyway.

Rava wrote:
O's supporters, I haven't changed my thoughts that were based on your performances at the end of last season. I think you are a team on the up and I wouldn't worry too much at this stage of the season. Once your top line guys are back things will change for sure.

+ 1

geoff998rugby wrote:Isn't a shame we cant have a serious debate about a rugby match without a mindless troll spoiling things
Given the dreary rugby Bath played hardly in a position to critise anyway.

What 2 from 2

Oh I'm really gutted with the start Bath has made, but lets stay on topic.

It was just an opinion, the Ospreys are bending over backwards to fill the stadium and they are still struggling to get the fans in.

Doesn't anyone else find this worrying seeing as they are the Rabo Champions, from a business point of view that can't continue?

Back to the game - it wasn't great but we have got through the first two games with 2nd XV players everywhere and playing the the most of the games with a Half Back combination neither of whom would even make the bench if everyone was available

We now have players coming back to siginificantly boost the team and some stand ins have have made a siginificant contribution that will strengthen the squad - Marshall, Diack, Stevenson, Herring and Doyle come to mind.

Looks like Tommy may be delayed a further week - the team I expect next week is:

Court, Herring, Afoa, Stevenson, Muller, Ferris, Williams, Diack/Doyle, Marshall, Jackson, Trimble, Marshall, Cave, Gilroy, Payne

Sub: Black, Brady, Fitzpatrick, Tuohy, Henry, Heaney, NOC, Another

The injury list is slowly decreasing - Bowe, Wilson, Henderson, Wallace, Best
and we have that bloke called Ruan to come back

That team is a step up from where we have been in the first 2 weeks and at the same time some players have gained invaluable experience

Some players deserve high praise.
That was McCormish's best game in an Ulster shirt
McComb seems to have some fire in his belly at last
Cave is simply as an intelligent a players as there is in the game
Stevenson is putting in performance that warrant a call up - he is better than anyone at Leinster and better than DOC

Hersh Ulster are 2 from 2 I'm gutted too

rodders wrote:

Rava wrote:
O's supporters, I haven't changed my thoughts that were based on your performances at the end of last season. I think you are a team on the up and I wouldn't worry too much at this stage of the season. Once your top line guys are back things will change for sure.

+ 1

Except that they have fewer 'top line guys' to come back. Adam Jones will help matters but they're really going to miss Paul James. The Os' success is built largely on their pack holding firm if not getting the upper hand and I'm not so sure that'll happen as often this season.

They looked clueless behind the scrum on Saturday, really clueless. Even if they manage to shore things up in the forwards, they won't cause sides too many problems if they keep playing like that.

+1

Terrible game, very happy with four points. Gilroy and Marshall looked pretty special, Allen is perfectly fine for Rabo level at this stage of his development. Jackson was good when he came on. McComish and McComb showed more in that one game than I have seen from them before in total. Stevenson continues to impress. Herring pretty good. The edge that everyone in the pack - not just the big names and internationals - is developing is a thing of beauty. We've had a decent amount of talented forwards in the past, but often lacked bite. That seems to be changing.

Geoff - I was mulling this over last night. If you'd told me before the pre-season, I'd be in a quandary with which backrower NOT to have on the bench, I’d have stared blankly at you. We want to get Henry in and up to speed ASAP, but Diack really does not deserve to be left out. Do you think Anscombe might consider playing Ferris and Diack? I can understand why in terms of Diack’s level of performance.

What a fantastic dilemma to have! I'm over the moon with Stevenson's form with Muller nearing the end of his time here. And Henderson coming through behind him and Tuohy.

In a while we will have backrow options of
Birch, Diack, McComish, Ferris, Doyle, Henry, Wilson, Williams!

Remember before the summer when we were worried about this??

I think in terms of performance the back three next week would be Ferris, Williams and Diack - but the question is who plays 7.
If he believes it could work that is what it will - we will always have Henry on the bench if it doesn't

McCormish plays his best game ever and wont even make the bench
Doyle has been a real find and may well be left out compeltely
Wilson is going to struggle big time to get in
Henderson has been a revelelation for one so young

I know we lost Wannenberg but our back row options are far far stronger than last year.
My gut feeling is he will find a way to play Ferris, Williams and Diack

One very telling thing for me is that a number of players seemed to have gone up a gear under Anscombe - Black, McComb, McCormish, Diack - that is very encouraging.
Also the players are clearly happier with the set up as it is now genuinely competitive and at the same time they seem more relax.

clivemcl wrote:
In a while we will have backrow options of
Birch, Diack, McComish, Ferris, Doyle, Henry, Wilson, Williams!

Remember before the summer when we were worried about this??

Yup I thought Wannenburg would be a huge loss but Williams looks to be an inspired signing and Diack is back to his best. With the likes of Wilson and Henry still to come in it looks like we have some serious depth building in quite a few positions.

The only slight worry I have is the half backs and at 15. Niall O'Connor just doesn't look good enough cover for Jackson and Paul Marshall's service was poor again on Saturday. Seems to be back to his eratic self after an excellent season last year. Jarod Payne too has been shaky at the back and looks to have lost a yard of pace since his injury.

Our backline generally looked a bit slow, Gilroy apart, compared the Ospreys but Bowe will obviously help when hes back but the balance needs to be looked at as Nevin Spence apart there isn't much pace in the centres.

Hopefully these things will right themselves as the players get more games under their belts though. Paddy Jackson and Heaney have looked good too as has Luke Marshall.

Overall far more postives than negatives. With so many experienced players out I don't think we would have won a game like that a year ago.

The Ravens play Munster A at Deramore Park on Friday afternoon. Kick Off 3.00pm.
We should have a pretty good team available for that.

clivemcl wrote:What a fantastic dilemma to have! I'm over the moon with Stevenson's form with Muller nearing the end of his time here. And Henderson coming through behind him and Tuohy.

In a while we will have backrow options of
Birch, Diack, McComish, Ferris, Doyle, Henry, Wilson, Williams!

Remember before the summer when we were worried about this??

Not forgetting Henderson who could be competing for a back row or lock position.

Sorry Clive I see now you have mentioned him.

Read the whole thing before commenting Rav

Rava wrote:

clivemcl wrote:What a fantastic dilemma to have! I'm over the moon with Stevenson's form with Muller nearing the end of his time here. And Henderson coming through behind him and Tuohy.

In a while we will have backrow options of
Birch, Diack, McComish, Ferris, Doyle, Henry, Wilson, Williams!

Remember before the summer when we were worried about this??

Not forgetting Henderson who could be competing for a back row or lock position.

Sorry Clive I see now you have mentioned him.

Read the whole thing before commenting Rav

Aye Rava, i knew Henderson can play back row, but thought he could stay with the second row options to balance things out a little!

Geoff - any idea what the realistic lowdown on Olding is? Could he be benching by the end of the season?

I'm sure I'm not the only one wodnering if he might be an improvement on NOC.

Don, re Olding: -

Ulster U20s recorded an excellent 24-16 win over Leinster in an exciting inter-provincial opener at Ravenhill on Friday night...

Ireland U20 international Stuart Olding, playing at out-half, showed some of the skills that earned him a ticket on the plane to the IRB Junior World Championship in South Africa in June with a nerveless display of place kicking.

He struck penalties in the 5th and 20th minutes, breaking even with Leinster centre Tom Daly to leave it 6-6 at the end of the first quarter.

Daly squeezed Leinster back in front in the 23rd minute only to suffer an injury shortly after which forced his withdrawal.
The Ulster backline was boosted by the late inclusion of another Ireland U20 international in centre Chris Farrell, who played in the RaboDirect PRO12 clash against Glasgow in Round 1.

But it was fullback Rory Scholes who first pierced the Leinster defence for Olding to convert in the 28th minute, quickly following this with a penalty just before the interval for a 16-9 lead.

Scholes did well to support an initial burst from Farrell, angling his run to collect a well timed pass and dart in by the posts.

Leinster had to respond in the third quarter, but yellow cards for winger Ryan Roopnarinesingh just before the break and centre Tom Farrell in the 60th minute hampered them.

They had enough ball, but not the wherewithal to turn it into points and the home side lifted to siege for Olding to strike his third penalty in the 66th minute.

From there, number 8 Ben Alexander burst over three minutes later - with replacement Mark Best providing the assist - to make the game safe for Ulster.

Leinster scrum half David Shanahan did provide some reward for his forwards' hard graft by converting his own try five minutes from the end. It would have come as scant consolation for a highly-rated Leinster outfit, heavily favoured to capture the title.

I saw him (albeit playing 13!) at the U20 RWC and thought he was good there - industrious, aware, soem good skills on show.

He may come in for a few Pro 12 games later in the season, personally i'm not giving up on NOC.

I think with Pienaar back, taking over kicking duties, and some decision making, the pressure will be less on NOC and he will come good. Won't be a top player but will do a job in the Pro 12.

If he doesn't come good with Pienaar they we can have an Ulster in crisis, again.

In fairness I think O'Connor has looked ok with the ball in hand. It's just his place kicking that hasn't been good enough.

I am certain Olding will bench for a few Pro12 games in the second half of the season - his potential was part of the reason McKinney was allowed to go for a couple of years experience elsewhere

Good-oh.

I like the bit about the 'nerveless display of place kicking'. I like that quite a lot after the last two games.

O'Connor will be given more time. He's now been given a lot of time so the pressure is really on him.

With Madigan doing so well and both he and Sexton having experience at 12, I would put money ON Ulster having Paddy Wallace all season long.

With this in mind, is there any merit in considering Luke Marshall as an out half cover. He has played 10 a fair bit before hasn't he?

With a backline of

Pienaar, Jackson, Wallace, Cave, Trimble Bowe and Payne, who do you guys think will be our subs?

P Marshall Spence Gilroy?

With Payne experienced at 13, And Luke Marshall making the most of his chance, might we see him rise above Spence in the pecking order?