Ulster Vs Cardiff Blues Friday 28th September k/o 7.05

First topic message reminder :

From an Ulster point of view, we may not get much chat on this one, thats fine and understandable. For those on both sides who want to discuss the game ahead, I feel they should be welcomed to do so.

Ulster are (understandably) taking a little longer to announce a squad for this one. I wonder if anyone has any info on whether there was training as per usual?

I imagine that the new guys and the older more experienced guys will play. Perhaps a few younger guys might be advised to sit it out for another week. I think all in all, there's a fairly Northern Irish attitude to get on with things. I think we will see a strong Ulster side. And I expect they will play well.

I want Cardiff fans to talk freely on here. You should be targeting a win (same as always), and not worrying about our team. I believe once the selected players hear that whistle, it will be business as usual.

Sorry 6 not lock, he definately makes the tackle, but he just gets back up and plays on... ref!!!

Our offloading has been utterly superb tonight.

Bit of a harsh decision on Blues. Thought he might have got a hand under it.

Nick Williams is some specimen of a man. 20 stones of power. Delighted to see us settle to our work. It was obviously hard for us to focus at the start.

If only Filisse was scrummaging against Trimble...

Completed tackle missed by ref before try? He was right beside it as well.

Bluesman, James tends to play with his head down at times alright. He could be so much better if he improved that aspect of his play.

Good try from Williams there. I stand by my criticism though

Despite the knock on there I think Tom Court is having a very good game so far.

Henderson has been very impressive so far, but the question must be asked...

What happened to his hair?!

That's great work, Henderson has looked so natural at this level in terms of the physical demands. He'll make a great player.

Filisse you pile of crap, at least get a decent body angle at the back of the ruck, instead of being caught out sideways!!

Some of these Blues forwards need sacking!!!

Bluesman, Phil Davies should be held accountable. After going well last week and fit as far as I'm aware, why is Borrust(?) not starting...

MMC

James never played rugby as a kid, he was plucked from athletics, by the time he develops any sort of nous he'll be 35!!!

WillyGilly wrote:Our offloading has been utterly superb tonight.

It has at times but they've forced it a bit too much on occasion,they'll be very hard to defend against this season if they can get the balance right.

On a more general note I'm really impressed with the improvement in Ulster this year,they were a strong team last year when everyone was available but now they look like a handy side even when missing a few big names.

Isn't Fish allowed to put a foot on the line while taking a quick throw-in?

That sums up Tom James doens't it, running at those two forwards head first.

So easy from Ulster, Lloyd Williams is walking to each ruck, the Blues pack arent reloading anywhere near fast enough, and the backline have nothing set because of Lloyd williams dull play!

Pretorious should be a fringe player coming back as an inexperienced youngster after an injury, yet he's captain... says it all.

Borrust isn't fit I think Morg, although there are many decisions I'd question Navidi, Patchell Down???!!!

That's awful for poor Tovey! That looked very nasty!

Nasty looking knee twisting injury for Tovey, hope it's nothing serious.

Court finally penalised, he couldve been pinged 3 times by now

I think Court thought he had the ref in his pocket and got cocky

We've been allowed to get away with a lot at scrum time. We should be sure we don't try too much; we have a pretty strong and dominant scrum when we're being perfectly angelic.

Oh!!

That looks like a terrible injury to Tovey.

I'm really pleased the guys have pulled together after that start; the emotion of the occasion was obviously a lot to deal with. Never mind missing a weekend, not training, Ireland training camp...

I think our performance has been admirable given the circumstances. I hope we can kick on after half time.

I feel sorry for Roberts and Robinson at the minute, Roberts is getting very predictable ball and hitting brick walls, and Robinson is clearly struggling with Hewitt inside him...

Trevett and Filisse are clubmen at best, Kyriacou is decent enough but is small and his defence is weak.
Down is a poor lock option, slow, not dynamic with no real strength, Davies is having to carry him.

Copeland would be better off at lock, with Navidi at 6.

Pretorious needs a monster carrying option in the back row as he's targetted so easily!

Lloyd Williams needs to be sacked.

SUFTUM!!

Sean Holley shut the F*** up, what do you know about front row or back row play!!!???

What is it you have over the BBC and WRU to still be employed by anyone??!!

I hope Michael Allen isn't hurt too badly- we're already looking a bit bare at centre. If he's out we're down to Marshall, Wallace and Cave.

Notch

If the Blues lose Davies it's a case of pick someone out from the crowd to play 10

Notch thankfully Bowe and Payne aren't too shabby at centre should anything happen to Cave or given that Cave can't play every match of the season. I would probably opt for Bowe at centre he has been very good there for the Ospreys and it would mean we wouldn't have to leave out Trimble or Gilroy.

I've been thinking to myself all week that Nick Williams was going to score tonight - did I put money on it? Nope, ah well would of been poor odds anyway.

Nick Williams has been high risk this season, but I reckon it shows self belief and inspires the team. I love the offloading style. I don't think the homegrown players would try it as often if they didn't see the belief (cocky-ness) of Williams. When it works, it changes the balance of the game dramatically, as we have seen a few times.

Suftum!

In saying what I said above, lets hope Allen isn't out for long tremendous talent.

thebluesmancometh wrote:Notch

If the Blues lose Davies it's a case of pick someone out from the crowd to play 10

Aye for tonight- I meant in general.

Although it was a strange decision not to pick young Patchell on the bench. Had to wonder about that when Tovey came off- it was a VERY nasty looking injury, hope he's back soon

Patchell is out injured, and now so is Tovey, Davies has been drafted in from Caerphilly RFC to cover... and now he's our only option in general!!!

Oooof whats happening to Glasgow against Zebre they are badly down at half time- AT HOME. Combined with the Dragons vs Edinburgh my guru is going to be in tatters after tonight.

Actually Glasgow will be alright, 6 points down but Zebre have two in the bin.

I think Fish needs some confidence work, he's classy but looks to his boot way too much!!

Pretorious went nuts first half when we lost the ball at ruck time... I count that 3 times hes gone into contact and lost posession!!

Good call that time, Cave went for the interception and def knocked it on.

FILISSE AGAIN!!! Come on you pile of crap, youve just taken the restart just set the ruck!!!

Well done our Tommy!!!!!!!!!

Ha, Jim nelly is really not a fan of Williams. Blaming a penalty on him because he lost the ball five minutes previously.

Good try Tommy!

Anyways, remember I was talking about the try bonus point...

Copeland come on.

I hope Ulster put 40 points on us now, I think we need a tonking or we'll get ahead of ourselves, we have so many clubmen on the park

Jared Payne is stupidly good.

We could lose by 60 points plus and Davies will talk about small margins, execution etc...

Remember that time I said about bowe scoring twice...

Very classy play by Ulster tonight. They could be in for a big season. As highlighted previously though, Blues are lacking depth. You can't afford to make this many changes against a good Ulster team and not suffer.

OH and with that said, just to make this a typical Rabo thread, the ref isn't good enough.

Morgannwg wrote:OH and with that said, just to make this a typical Rabo thread, the ref isn't good enough.

the ref isn't that bad, he's okay but not great

thebluesmancometh wrote:Patchell is out injured, and now so is Tovey, Davies has been drafted in from Caerphilly RFC to cover... and now he's our only option in general!!!

Hope Patchell is back for ye soon then...

If he isn't I'll be calling Davies for a crack...

Good try Cardiff

We need to keep our concentration and focus about us for the last twenty here. Big comebacks do happen. We need to keep our minds on it and not take it for granted. It's not over yet!

Patchell is just being rested isn't he? He'll be back in the squad now though with Sweeney on the bench probably. Tovey's knee injury is probably quite bad, just assuming that because it's the knee. The poor guy is so injury prone.