Ulster v Dragons 22nd September 2017

First topic message reminder :

Ulster: C Piutau, T Bowe, D Cave, McCloskey, J Stockdale, P Nelson, P Marshall, K McCall, R Herring, R Ah You, R Diack, A O’Connor, C Ross, C Henry (captain), N Timoney. Replacements: J Andrew, A Warwick, W Herbst, I Henderson, M Rea, D Shanahan, B Herron, R Lyttle.

Dragons: C Meyer, A Hughes, T Palamo, P Howard, G Gasson, D Jones, O Leonard, T Davies, G Ellis, L Fairbrother, M Screech, R Landman, M Williams, O Griffiths (captain), R Blake. Replacements: R Buckley, P Price, B Harris, J Davies, L Greggains, D Blacker, A O’Brien, W Talbot Davies.

Referee: Dan Jones (WRU, 10th competition game)
AR1: Ian Davies (WRU). AR2: Adam Jones (WRU)
TMO: John Mason (WRU)

Ok I'll concede I did love the kick from Diack.

Big fan of Timoney in this game. He's a very good tackler, but also offers a real dynamic option in open play.

That was also a great tackle by Timoney there!

Just think Timoney would never have been near the 1st XV with Doak and Clarke about. He looks fantastic. What an option to have.

Just think about the names of the 15 players Ulster have on the pitch currently. This is new territory for Ulster. A performing squad. Not perfect but very encouraging.

Pete think it's harsh on Doak, plenty of young backs got a look in under Doak always seemed to be the forwards that never got an opportunity

I think it is now safe enough to say this...we are the only team to have won every game after tonight, is that right? Excellent.

Glasgow if they win will be 4 from 4

Yeah Marty. I should have kept that to Clarke. Apologies to Mr Doak

marty2086 wrote:Glasgow if they win will be 4 from 4

I thought they had lost one for some reason. Whoops.

Stockdale is such a good finisher.

Cheetahs get a convincing win over Leinster. Pretty good news for the pro 14. Cheetahs had a lot of criticism too, hopefully they've silenced some doubters.

Did Bowe's hand touch that? I didn't think so...

I cannot stand Dan Jones.

It touched it for me but no way was it clear and obvious

By the way it left Palamo's hand it looked as if it was touched, but I couldn't see Bowe touch it from the angles given - not sure if the officials could either.

Pete330v2 wrote:I cannot stand Dan Jones.

Know him do you?

If anyone has been standout poor for us tonight it has to be Fairbrother. Some of the youngsters have done alright though.

Another poor decision, ball went forward and hands went back so the try was good

Best pass ever if that's not forward

Ahhh that should have been a score

Have to say heron and shanahan have looked good tonight

Timoney is my hero. Very impressed by his work rate, even if he didn't get there.

Pleasing stuff from our youngsters again. I'm glad Jackman is here to help their transition, previous coaches would have failed them.

Timoney was the equal of the Dragons winger for pace there!

And the Dragons winger is fairly fresh and Timoneys put in a big 80 mins

Yellow?

That's cheap, typical Ah You Idiot.

Why are you why oh why Rodney?

Surprise surprise Ah You does something stupid. Just too much of a liability.

He really is his own worst enemy

Think you guys are a bit harsh on Ah You he committed and the guy turned his back, not as bad as it's being made out to be

Artful_Dodger wrote:Surprise surprise Ah You does something stupid.  Just too much of a liability.

He puts in a few big hits and carries, but I honestly get nervous every time he is on the pitch. He just can't help himself from doing something stupid.

Very happy with Timoney. I think he's a little lightweight for number 8 but he could be a really dynamic 7 perhaps.

Another decent performance. Happy with everyone tonight, even Rodney despite the brain fart. We're building nicely and that tonight will help the fringe players step up. Timoney take a bow and I hope we see more of you big Nick.
We're top of the conference!!

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:Surprise surprise Ah You does something stupid.  Just too much of a liability.

He puts in a few big hits and carries, but I honestly get nervous every time he is on the pitch. He just can't help himself from doing something stupid.

Very happy with Timoney. I think he's a little lightweight for number 8 but he could be a really dynamic 7 perhaps.

If Timoney and Rea kick on we could have a couple of young starlets in the backrow. That is exactly the shot in the arm the academy needs. Ultimately though we still need to address the more deep rooted problems with the academy and schools setup.

marty2086 wrote:Think you guys are a bit harsh on Ah You he committed and the guy turned his back, not as bad as it's being made out to be

If it was his first incident then yes it would be harsh, but let's be honest he has a bit of form. He's not nasty or vicious but gets himself in situations I wish he wouldn't

Artful_Dodger wrote:Surprise surprise Ah You does something stupid.  Just too much of a liability.

Dodger, I've a lot of respect for your views, but Ah You was exactly what Ulster Rugby needed. He carried hard and he hit hard. Ok, it might be a once in a season thing, but don't bitch the guy for doing things right.

Overall, I'm delighted. My complaint has been the lack of aggression from the pack. Can't fault them tonight. Gibbes is having the desired impact. The forwards were magnificent tonight. Support play was superb.

Munchkin wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:Surprise surprise Ah You does something stupid.  Just too much of a liability.

Dodger, I've a lot of respect for your views, but Ah You was exactly what Ulster Rugby needed. He carried hard and he hit hard. Ok, it might be a once in a season thing, but don't bitch the guy for doing things right.

Overall, I'm delighted. My complaint has been the lack of aggression from the pack. Can't fault them tonight. Gibbes is having the desired impact. The forwards were magnificent tonight. Support play was superb.

I agree with the underlying sentiment around aggression and its certainly some of our forwards need more of. But the guy is going to be way too much of a risk in big games if he does something like that early on. Bare in mind it was the 80th minute tonight when we were 30 points ahead, it won't always be like that.

Timoney is a very decent player. Think he has the potential, but wait and see. I remember thinking Stockdale had the potential, but wasn't convinced. I thought he was too slow ... . Wee Marshall gave me a chuckle tonight when he went for the high ball, but the wee man has balls of steel.

Artful_Dodger wrote:

Munchkin wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:Surprise surprise Ah You does something stupid.  Just too much of a liability.

Dodger, I've a lot of respect for your views, but Ah You was exactly what Ulster Rugby needed. He carried hard and he hit hard. Ok, it might be a once in a season thing, but don't bitch the guy for doing things right.

Overall, I'm delighted. My complaint has been the lack of aggression from the pack. Can't fault them tonight. Gibbes is having the desired impact. The forwards were magnificent tonight. Support play was superb.

I agree with the underlying sentiment around aggression and its certainly some of our forwards need more of.  But the guy is going to be way too much of a risk in big games if he does something like that early on.  Bare in mind it was the 80th minute tonight when we were 30 points ahead, it won't always be like that.

Sure, on past history we can damn the guy, but allow for the Gibbes factor. Allow for redemption. Wait and see what happens. The thing is if a guy gives a performance at least acknowledge it.

And remember, Ah You was kept on tonight ....

Past history? He got yellow carded half an hour ago! Again!

Oh, wise up. One of the penalties against him wasn't his fault. the others I will look at, but you discount the things he did right. Are you such a bunch of pussies that you can't see we need aggressive hard hitting men? Complain when we don't have them, and bitch them when we do?

Ulster to a tee. No wonder we have been such wimps for so long.

Nick Williams was our go forward man but he was very similar in that you always expected him to give away reckless penalties. Rodney played very well tonight with his big defensive hits and giving plenty of go forward ball in attack.
Paul Marshall is a little warrior though, the big guys get all the credit but even look at the tackle he put in that ended his game. He rocketed from the scrum position right across the field to take that man down. Typical of his gutsy displays.
We were up against poor opposition but in recent years we'd have let that drag us down. That display showed a lot of intent from this squad, a fire in the guts that's been missing. Another 10 points would have been nice but wouldn't change the fact that the mindset has changed.

Pete330v2 wrote:Nick Williams was our go forward man but he was very similar in that you  always expected him to give away reckless penalties. Rodney played very well tonight with his big defensive hits and giving plenty of go forward ball in attack.
Paul Marshall is a little warrior though, the big guys get all the credit but even look at the tackle he put in that ended his game. He rocketed from the scrum position right across the field to take that man down. Typical of his gutsy displays.
We were up against poor opposition but in recent years we'd have let that drag us down. That display showed a lot of intent from this squad, a fire in the guts that's been missing. Another 10 points would have been nice but wouldn't change the fact that the mindset has changed.

Spot on, Pete. Not sure that all the penalties were his fault, in fact I know they weren't. The bitching about him is uncalled for. For goodness sake we have been crying out for fighters. On that note, I loved Diack getting stuck into their THP tonight. Was that too shocking for some here? Grow a pair you wimps! This is what Ulster needs.

You're right about wee p. He's not the greatest, but he's a true Ulster warrior. Balls of steel.

Diack certainly went into contact harder tonight than he has in a long time.

A lot more aggression, going into contact harder and much better breakdown work.

The reason? Probably Gibbes.

On about 79 mins Diack was still coming off the line and getting in Dragons players face and making tackles

marty2086 wrote:On about 79 mins Diack was still coming off the line and getting in Dragons players face and making tackles

I loved his hand bags stuff with the Dragons tighthead, we haven't seen that side to him in far, far too long.

Artful_Dodger wrote:Diack certainly went into contact harder tonight than he has in a long time.

A lot more aggression, going into contact harder and much better breakdown work.

The reason?  Probably Gibbes.

Exactly, and that's why I say give them space. Praise them for what they do right, but hold off on damning them for a while. Give Gibbes time. Diack would have beaten the s h i t out of that THP tonight.

We are starting to see a new Ulster now. Let them breath....

Munchkin wrote:Oh, wise up. One of the penalties against him wasn't his fault. the others I will look at, but you discount the things he did right. Are you such a bunch of pussies that you can't see we need aggressive hard hitting men? Complain when we don't have them, and bitch them when we do?

Oh great, another internet hard man. Which grammar school taught you to use such aggressive language?

Either way, when you can actually think straight and drop the hard man act, I think you will find that there is a difference between a numpty who drops the ball as much as he makes ground and gets carded as much as he puts in a big tackle, to the actual tough and aggressive players who are smart enough to stay on the field.