URC The Round 10 Commandments

So time for a quick interval in the 6 nations then as we see round 10 of the URC this weekend. How will the international call ups affect this one, feels like this is a week where we could see some unusual scorelines.

Friday 16th February 2024

Scarlets v Munster
Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Live on: BBC Wales, TG4, Viaplay, SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Zebre Parma v Edinburgh Rugby
Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Live on: Sky Italia, SuperSport, Viaplay, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv


Saturday 17th February

Emirates Lions v Vodacom Bulls
Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg – KO 13.00 IRE & UK / 14.00 ITA / 15.00 SA
Live on: SuperSport, Viaplay, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Leinster v Benetton
RDS Arena, Dublin – KO 15.00 IRE & UK / 16.00 ITA / 17.00 SA
Live on: RTÉ, Viaplay, SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Hollywoodbets Sharks v DHL Stormers
Hollywoodbets Stadium, Durban – KO 15.05 IRE & UK / 16.05 ITA / 17.05 SA
Live on: SuperSport, Viaplay, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Cardiff Rugby v Connacht
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff – KO 17.15 IRE & UK / 18.15 ITA / 19.15 SA
Live on: S4C, RTÉ, Viaplay, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Glasgow Warriors v Dragons RFC
Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Live on: Viaplay, S4C, SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv


Sunday 18th February 2024

Ospreys v Ulster
Swansea.com Stadium, Swansea – KO 15.00 IRE & UK / 16.00 ITA / 17.00 SA
Live on: Viaplay, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Ulster aren't badly disrupted at all by call ups. Not that it'll mean much to the performance

Nice thread title by the way

Dan has certainly had plenty of time since the last game to work with most of his players so no excuse for them not to be well coached, other than the fact that the coaches are rubish.

neilthom7 wrote:Dan has certainly had plenty of time since the last game to work with most of his players so no excuse for them not to be well coached, other than the fact that the coaches are rubish.

Sadly true. I wonder if we'll have a few returnees from tackle bag holding to bolster the squad. Stewart should be back surely and Timoney must be surplus to requirements. Our left wing has an opening too, in fact we've not really got anyone that can slot in there unless McIlroy's face is fixed. I don't think Stockcube will be released as Lowe needs a backup left winger and if he's not and McIlroy isn't fixed who can fit in? Will Addison?

It's still unclear whether Ospreys have any players available, they have an astonishing injury list. I expect their 3 South Africans on loan from Cheetahs will be in, but if Kitshoff is starting it could be advantage Ulster.

McIlroy isn't on the injury report so potentially could play, I think Stockdale may get released since he hasn't played yet so they want him to play to have gametime in case needed later in 6 nations.

Postlethwaite can play wing in a bind too so if Marshall is able to play in centre then Jude could move out wide. Then there is Sexton too I suppose if we all want heartburn the whole game.

Lowrey on the wing again maybe. Or would they shoehorn Moore in to the 11 shirt

Stewart Moore is injured but Lowry could be an option, I think the others maybe more likely though on the wing.

Just read that this week and next week in the URC is ‘Origin Round: Grassroots to Greatness’ where we celebrate the diversity and grassroots origins of the URC players. I believe fans are encouraged to wear their local club shirts to games too (Edit: it was a Glasgow post encouraging the wearing of local club jerseys, so maybe not something happening across the board).

Feels like ages since a Dragons game (edit a month is pretty long tbf ha).

Be interested to see what we put out. Cai Evans is released for the weekend. Seems like Lloyd Fairbrother won't be fit, so I worry a little for our tighthead options.

I shall wait to cast my full doom and gloom on the situation until I see the respective teams

Was fairly excited to see Dragons on S4C, until I just remembered I have subscribed to Viaplay anyway

Tell you something funny, our old friend PhillBB is being very quiet on Twitter about the Cardiff v Connacht game coming up. He’s usually very vocal about the fact that Cardiff sell out for Welsh derbies and games against the English clubs, and that it is a sign that the URC is pants and ‘not good for the Welsh’, etc. because they get low gates due to no travelling fans. But wait for it…….. Cardiff v Connacht is close to being a sellout! Doesn’t quite sit with his narrative or logic!

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:Tell you something funny, our old friend PhillBB is being very quiet on Twitter about the Cardiff v Connacht game coming up. He’s usually very vocal about the fact that Cardiff sell out for Welsh derbies and games against the English clubs, and that it is a sign that the URC is pants and ‘not good for the Welsh’, etc. because they get low gates due to no travelling fans. But wait for it…….. Cardiff v Connacht is close to being a sellout! Doesn’t quite sit with his narrative or logic!

That's great to see. Strange to think that selling out derbies means that the URC isn't working, you're suppose to get bumper crowds for your derby fixtures.

I occasionally pop to twitter to see how phillbb is getting on. I'm glad he has not changed. I did enjoy his pinned tweet apologising to someone at ospreys and retracting a defamatory statement he made.
Good times

neilthom7 wrote:Stewart Moore is injured but Lowry could be an option, I think the others maybe more likely though on the wing.

With Moore injured and Lowry on the wing being an experiment I wouldn't want to see again we are definitely short on pace out wide. Sexton is still injured too is he not? Not that it matters, he's utterly useless. Needs must I suppose, Lowry it is.
There's some talk on twitt....X that Stockdale could be released an ordered to play at 15 due to Keenan's injury.

We lose so few to the international squad yet we're scraping the barrel which doesn't bode well for next season with the clearout coming.

See below

BBC saying Tim money Stockdale Stewart and Henderson all back with ulster

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:Tell you something funny, our old friend PhillBB is being very quiet on Twitter about the Cardiff v Connacht game coming up. He’s usually very vocal about the fact that Cardiff sell out for Welsh derbies and games against the English clubs, and that it is a sign that the URC is pants and ‘not good for the Welsh’, etc. because they get low gates due to no travelling fans. But wait for it…….. Cardiff v Connacht is close to being a sellout! Doesn’t quite sit with his narrative or logic!

That's great to see. Strange to think that selling out derbies means that the URC isn't working, you're suppose to get bumper crowds for your derby fixtures.

I think it's good too, but Cardiff are honest about not really being a 'region', according to them they aren't anyway. The valleys also feed players into their academy. I've been reading that their academy is only second to Leinster for producing players - factoring in that a lot of them move over to England for studies, pro rugby, etc.

carpet baboon wrote:BBC saying Tim money Stockdale Stewart and Henderson all back with ulster

So we could be seeing something like:

Kitscoff Stewart Moore
Hendo Sheridan
Ewers Timoney McCann

Cooney Burns
Stockdale Marshall Hume Baloucoune
Lowry

That would be a decent enough starting XV

mikey_dragon wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:Tell you something funny, our old friend PhillBB is being very quiet on Twitter about the Cardiff v Connacht game coming up. He’s usually very vocal about the fact that Cardiff sell out for Welsh derbies and games against the English clubs, and that it is a sign that the URC is pants and ‘not good for the Welsh’, etc. because they get low gates due to no travelling fans. But wait for it…….. Cardiff v Connacht is close to being a sellout! Doesn’t quite sit with his narrative or logic!

That's great to see. Strange to think that selling out derbies means that the URC isn't working, you're suppose to get bumper crowds for your derby fixtures.

I think it's good too, but Cardiff are honest about not really being a 'region', according to them they aren't anyway. The valleys also feed players into their academy. I've been reading that their academy is only second to Leinster for producing players - factoring in that a lot of them move over to England for studies, pro rugby, etc.

They are right to focus on just being Cardiff. Cardiff really should have a good well supported club in Rugby, there is so much potential there.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:Tell you something funny, our old friend PhillBB is being very quiet on Twitter about the Cardiff v Connacht game coming up. He’s usually very vocal about the fact that Cardiff sell out for Welsh derbies and games against the English clubs, and that it is a sign that the URC is pants and ‘not good for the Welsh’, etc. because they get low gates due to no travelling fans. But wait for it…….. Cardiff v Connacht is close to being a sellout! Doesn’t quite sit with his narrative or logic!

That's great to see. Strange to think that selling out derbies means that the URC isn't working, you're suppose to get bumper crowds for your derby fixtures.

I think it's good too, but Cardiff are honest about not really being a 'region', according to them they aren't anyway. The valleys also feed players into their academy. I've been reading that their academy is only second to Leinster for producing players - factoring in that a lot of them move over to England for studies, pro rugby, etc.

They are right to focus on just being Cardiff. Cardiff really should have a good well supported club in Rugby, there is so much potential there.

Well, something the Cardiff fans say during the arguments about pro clubs vs regions, is that the regional rugby is just the player pathway. And I have to agree. It doesn’t mean that the pro team at the top has to be a representative team for a whole region in terms of name, colours, etc. It’s the pathway below it that feeds up to the 4 x whatever (be it pro clubs, etc) that is regional. Which is what you have in England too, with pro clubs covering an area and those teams, schools, colleges, etc. in the area feeding up into it. So Cardiff being a pro club and teams in that area feeding up into it is fine and is demonstrating that the regional pathway is working without the need for Cardiff to be rebranded or renamed as a ‘region’. It’s hard on some old schoolers though who see themselves as equals to Cardiff traditionally (e.g. Ponty) but who now see their players ‘poached’ by being promoted/signed to the pro team if good enough!

Does Cardiff selling out against Connacht during the 6 nation period show that attitude towards the league is perhaps changing in Wales?

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Does Cardiff selling out against Connacht during the 6 nation period show that attitude towards the league is perhaps changing in Wales?

Don’t know really. Just think they’ve really stepped up their marketing recently. They’ve got new owners which might have made a difference. I’ve seen that they’re advertising the Connacht game as a local clubs day, with over 40 signed up. No doubt some free tickets involved, but I guess the games in between 6N games are probably the lowest attended traditionally as people maybe prioritise the 6N weekends so those are the ones to really try to promote.

Here’s a post from them on Twitter. Lots of clubs from ‘around the region’ by all accounts. So signs that it’s working. I know Dragons have lots of mini and junior clubs (plus parents) in on match days too as my son has been with his team a few times. Sure the other 2 regions do similar. Perhaps they don’t all shout enough about it so people assume they’re not reaching out. But they’re all active in the wider region outside of their immediate town/city.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:Tell you something funny, our old friend PhillBB is being very quiet on Twitter about the Cardiff v Connacht game coming up. He’s usually very vocal about the fact that Cardiff sell out for Welsh derbies and games against the English clubs, and that it is a sign that the URC is pants and ‘not good for the Welsh’, etc. because they get low gates due to no travelling fans. But wait for it…….. Cardiff v Connacht is close to being a sellout! Doesn’t quite sit with his narrative or logic!

That's great to see. Strange to think that selling out derbies means that the URC isn't working, you're suppose to get bumper crowds for your derby fixtures.

I think it's good too, but Cardiff are honest about not really being a 'region', according to them they aren't anyway. The valleys also feed players into their academy. I've been reading that their academy is only second to Leinster for producing players - factoring in that a lot of them move over to England for studies, pro rugby, etc.

They are right to focus on just being Cardiff. Cardiff really should have a good well supported club in Rugby, there is so much potential there.

Absolutely. They'd still need to attract an interest from outside of Cardiff, not sure how they go about that but it seems they have increased marketing activity.

Potential that Snyman plays for Munster this weekend?

Munster got a couple of easy rounds coming. Would imagine both Scarlets and Zebre will cause them any trouble.

Interestingly Munster, Leinster & Ulster still have their SA double headers away still to go. Could really play a big part on who ends up in those top 4 spots.

Those last 4 rounds could really be interesting if things play out the way I think.

I thought it was a decent team that Scarlets put out, but I also seen Munsters and it’s a lot better.

It's infuriating seeing the Scarlets like this. I can scarcely believe the mistakes they are making.

Scarlets 9 is a bit wild with his passing. He's slowing down so much good quick ball with passes behind or to the floor.

Albert van den Berg come over as a forward coach with pedigree. Either he’s lost his touch within a few months, or Scarlets possibly have the worst forward in the league. Scarlets look good on paper this evening so it’s hard to put your finger on where everything is going wrong. I think most of it is Peel tbh, was never good in all his time there.

Apart from Thomas Young that game was awful. If you didn't see it don't watch it, in fact avoid any reports in the press at all, it's not worth your time

carpet baboon wrote:Apart from Thomas Young that game was awful. If you didn't see it don't watch it, in fact avoid any reports in the press at all, it's not worth your time

Both teams were sloppy but really it was another game Cardiff should have won, who were good in parts but not clinical enough and poor decisions were made, perhaps a result of some inexperience.

Thought Cardiff did well. They were down to 14 men after 15 mine or so, 13 men at one point, yet were still leading up to the 60th minute. They seemed to be playing the better rugby even though they were a man down.

Agree that Thomas Young was very good. Not sure why he doesn’t get more Wales look ins. Maybe he’s deemed a bit small for international level? Or maybe he/his dad had a falling out with Gatland??

Now will Ulster turn up this afternoon and make it a clean sweep for the Irish against the Welsh, or will we do incredibly Ulster things and throw the game away in the second half after looking like.we would win?
Who knows? that's the joys of ulster rugby at the moment will we be shocking?, will we show some level of competent defending?
Will we actually pass the ball in a manger that looks like we have an actual game plan?
Buy the ticket and enjoy the ride.

Considering they have deicded not to bother starting or indeed have left at home altogether a number of their best available team aginst a team only 3 points behind them in the league when away I can have a fairly good idea what sort of Ulster performance we are going to get. I suspect it won't be one to make my weekend, at least they left it to Sunday so it can't ruin the whole weekend

It's going to be a long afternoon I think

Scrum is getting hammered and lineouts are getting lost all over the place. If only Ulster had a couple of international quality players who could have started instead in the front row. Oh wait.

Have the Ulster lads just been watching the six nations and been on the beer the last few weeks?
I'm struggling to believe.they have done any actual rugby training

Could be that or alternatively the coaches are just useless and should all be sacked.

Half Time Ulster lead 7-6

Pretty awful half of rugby tbh

Ospreys dominant in the set pieces but haven't been able to turn that into tries.

Ulster have mostly been awful but somehow lead.

I think it's clear the Ulster lads have lost all belief in what the coaches are doing.
If i was a cynical man I would say they are playing to get them sacked

This has to be one of the worst displays of rugby I've seen I'm recent memory. I don't even care who wins now. Both teams are awful.

Maybe although I don't think they need a lot of help to get sacked, just look at the selection today. It's very clear the coaches haven't got a clue.

Reading these comments, I'm glad I've missed the first half! Did Henderson go off injured?

Unsure, he was taken off but we didn't see why, I assume so though

Dear Dan
Please leave and take the other clowns with you.
If this doesn't embarrass you out nothing will.

I think Stockdale left his hands at home....never seen him drop so many balls in 57mins of rugby. Half of them without anyone on him either. Not having his best game.

I also dont understand the lineout strategy by Ulster. Should have take some points on some occasions.

On the plus side the ref is trying to keep you in the game

Welshmushroom wrote:I think Stockdale left his hands at home....never seen him drop so many balls in 57mins of rugby.  Half of them without anyone on him either.  Not having his best game.

I also dont understand the lineout strategy by Ulster.  Should have take some points on some occasions.

On the plus side the ref is trying to keep you in the game

Don't try and understand Ulster strategy on anything Welshmushroom, when I try it only infuriates me or makes my head hurt

Ulster are playing crap in Swansea but still winning

Connacht put in one of their worst performances of the season in Cardiff and won

And these are the two best Welsh sides, what does that say?

To be fair Cardiff probably would have won if they didnt get red carded....thought cardiff were much better than connacht on the day. The red card did kill the contest though.

As for Ulster - they arent winning - just going behind now.