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.

I know others did not agree with me but I didn't think Afoa was that great last week.

This is a kick up the backside in my view and a great boost for Fitzpatrick.

Glad it's not just "the internationals are back - thanks for minding their jersyes, guys". I know Ferris, Trimble et all are a bit rusty, but Anscombe is showing faith in the younger/second string lads.

I could see an Uster win now

geoff998rugby wrote:I know others did not agree with me but I didn't think Afoa was that great last week.

This is a kick up the backside in my view and a great boost for Fitzpatrick.

Yea well, Afoa is the least likely of our foreign contingent to sign an extension, and so We will want to make sure Fitzpatrick is a capable replacement when that time comes. His gametime for Ireland was a huge step forward, and Im glad to see Anscombe give him the nod. But certainly Afoa is an essential for HEC and big matches v Leinster and Munster.

Hope Declan has a blinder though!

Afoa will not sign an extension but I dont think that has anything to do with it - he does have more years on his contract than Muller and Williams for example and as many as Payne and Pienaer.

I think it has everything to do with performance - no one is too big to drop and if you dont deliver someone will play. Reputation counts for nothing.

This is sending out a great message to all

I think its a bit harsh to say he is dropped. I don't agree with you about his performance last week, Geoff.
This is good use of the squad and when was the last time you saw a prop play 80 minutes.
It is essential for both Ulster and Ireland that Fitzpatrick gets quality game time. That is what Anscombe is doing IMO. I won't be surprised to see Afoa on for the complete second half.

I don't think he's been dropped either at least I certainly hope he hasn't. I thought he was good last week particularly in the scrum, maybe not at his best but he certainly wasn't poor.

Robbie Diack out with a dead leg. He has been replaced by McComish at blindside. Just tweeted by Ulster Rugby

Back row looks very weak now without Diack, especially if Williams only last 50. The more I think about it the more I think leaving Afoa out for this might be a mistake as that Ospreys front row is there for the taking in the scrum.

Really looking forward to this one....perhaps a dress rehersal for the Rabo final..... .....

Congratulations to Ulster U20s who opened their inter-pro campaign with a magnificent 24-16 win over Leinster at Ravenhill last night.

What time is kick off lads? It's on one of the welsh channels is it? Think I have S4C in english now.

Really wish jones was given a chance, he looks a superb talent and IMO should be starting ahead of fussell. What's happening with is it luke jones who plays Wong for Bridgend, been playing for the u-20's. Any news on him making the step up to the ospreys

Thomond wrote:What time is kick off lads? It's on one of the welsh channels is it? Think I have S4C in english now.

If it's S4C they generally kick off at 18:30, I think mate.

Worried by Fussell at fullback again, if Ulster know how to apply the pressure right you can only see the O's defence struggling throughout the evening. When is Ross Jones going to see daylight?

Ospreys ought to sign some back three cover, without Shane and Bowe they're looking lightweight. Dirksen is strong and quick on the burst but as with Fussell his defence on the back foot is questionable. Isaacs has yet to look the part. And on top of this the O's are still looking tactically inept, having difficulty using their back three intelligently when they have possession.

I know what some might say, that they don't want a return to the Galacticos label. Neither do I but there's no shame in signing some cover when you're short and weak in some areas. The O's only have two NWQ regulars (Fussell and Fotuali'i, Stowers on the bench) and this summer their recruitment has been pitiful!

Ospreys: Richard Fussell; Hanno Dirksen, Andrew Bishop, Ashley Beck, Tom Isaacs; Matthew Morgan, Rhys Webb; Ryan Bevington, Richard Hibbard, Aaron Jarvis, Ian Gough, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), James King, Justin Tipuric, Jonathan Thomas.
Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Duncan Jones, Joe Rees, George Stowers, Joe Bearman, Kahn Fotuali'i, Dan Biggar, Tom Grabham.

Can anybody post updates or recommend a link?
THX.

It's on the BBC mate

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/19506007

S4C will have it on their website too. It's awfully disjointed so far though. So many errors.

Ulster's ball handling and discipline is atrocious. But the Ospreys have been so ragged we've not been punished yet.

Notch.

thanks, but am outside the UK and can't access BBC.

Heaney and O'Connor are really not a good enough half-back partnership for this team. O'Connor isn't great- but when young Heaney is having an off-day with his passing? Yikes.

Heaney will be getting the hook at half-time. Whether O'Connor joins him depends on the fitness of Jackson.

Cave looks good, the backrow is doing well, Williams has done some good things. But we're so loose with the ball! We've turned over cheap ball, O'Connor is standing so deep our backs have no chance, and Heaney isn't organising things well at all. He's gone walk about at a lot of rucks. And we've been pinged out of it.

Certainly we'll need to kick our goals. Jeez.

The thing is, if you're an Ospreys fan? It's no better. They look very bad too.

Incredibly soft try to concede. Play to the whistle boys!

Dirksen goes through two or three unbelievably soft tackles. Both sides look dire. But they have a placekicker and we do not.

......cannot believe that.

Heaney is having a shocker.

Heaney! What the flip lad?

Thats awful.

Notch,

got it. But not sure I want to watch.

I hear ya Humphs. Court, Afoa, Ferris, Marshall, Jackson and Trimble all to come off the bench please!

Now thats a lovely kick from O'Connor.

We just have to make sure we don't concede before half-time. When Mark Anscombe and Johann Muller can issue the absolute mother of all tongue lashings.

O'Connor really isn't decisive enough. He stands deep to kick, gets the ball, changes his mind and decides to run when we have no running options at all.

At the top level, in a 10, that kind of indecisiveness can cost your team games. Now- what can he offer kicking from distance.

5 second on the clock when that ball went out a lot of refs would of played on. Steve Walsh definitely would of.

I've got to say this has been an incredibly low quality game of rugby. We're 7-3 down at half-time.

No reason we can't win it IF we change our two halfbacks. We also have Ferris, Afoa, Trimble and Court on the bench. The Ospreys would want to have a bit of a buffer before they come on because those are four seasoned internationals with a point to prove about not starting. Impact is the word.

Tom Court and Paul Marshall on now.

Oh dear, Niall. Oh dear. You just can't miss the kicks he's missing and be leading games away from home. And he's doing it today.

Catastrophically poor from Ulster. Missed a simple 3 points Marshall throws forward with a basic pass, Ulster concede penalty at the scrum and Ospryes take an easy 3 points.

Very poor stuff.

Ulster turning the screw in the scrum now - still time.

Ref calls ball out then says the scrum has gone past 90

Terribly game dull for a neutral

Whats the score?

Ospreys 13 - 16 Ulster

oh nice. full time?

2 minutes remaining

NO.

What an amazing comeback!!

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.

Excellent result for Ulster - John Afoa turned this around for us in the scrum and made two brilliant carries in the lead up to the try thats what won us the match.

Two games in and its all over wales606? Dont be daft

Pedrie who?

How did Fitzpatrick go in the scrum while he was on?

I immediatly feel guilty for that, I'm sorry Pedrie!

But you know what I mean!

That offload to Afoa was crazy good.

asoreleftshoulder wrote:How did Fitzpatrick go in the scrum while he was on?

Hard to say as I thought Jarvis was getting away with no bind and with collapsing the scrum. No doubt that when Court and Afoa came on we took the Ospreys scrum to pieces, granted they had no Adam Jones.