Ulster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

Fooker

Stanza2 wrote: »

Team looks very good, can't help but feel for Trimble tho............ he must be gutted to lose his place in the Irish squad. I think that he has so much to offer and it must get him thinking about the future

Yes, It'll be interesting who gets the nod for Europe. Trimble could have a big decision to make at the end of the season.. He still has plenty of years ahead of him, but may need to move to get to play the big games,

CatFromHue

Best place for Trimble is playing for Ulster. Unfortunate not to be with Ireland but better to be playing all the same.

I didn't know Diack played in the second row last week!

sjwpjw

i think the trimble decision is a poor one - as another poster put it. the problem in the SA game was the left wing - nonsense.

on the positive side at least he can do plenty of good here where he is appreciated big time.

thomond2006

Hopefully Trimble will rip it up in this game and the games to come!

CatFromHue

I don't think Trimble did anything wrong either but Gilroy forced Kidney's hand to a degree.

jacothelad

CatFromHue wrote: »

I don't think Trimble did anything wrong either but Gilroy forced Kidney's hand to a degree.

What Trimble did wrong was being Trimble. Don't give a winger the ball and then blame him for not saving the teams face so boot him out. Deflect the blame from where it squarely lies - on a man who wouldn't know a good rugby player these days if he fell on him. It's of a parcel with the shameful treatment of Tom Court.

CatFromHue

When did Kidney or the Irish management blame Trimble?

Beery Eyed

The last few comments have been very, very odd. Since when does a player being dropped have to be a sign that the management are "blaming" him?

If we took that approach nobody would ever be dropped, until they had an absolute stinker. Hardly best practice when it comes to team selection.

Gilroy was picked because he performed very well in the only chance he was given and therefore deserves a chance again. Trimble has been solid if unspectacular, so they've decided to reward the man with some momentum. It's not the end of the road for Trimble, it's just one Autumn international where a selection was made on form in a fairly 50/50 call

Interesting Article that I just found again.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/16621252

Shows just how long it takes to get a look in from El Kidders.

Note the players named.

irishbucsfan

Deleted User wrote: »

Interesting Article that I just found again.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/16621252

Shows just how long it takes to get a look in from El Kidders.

Note the players named.

This needs a bit of context though.

You have to remember that was when they announced that weird initial squad that was just the world cup squad copied and pasted. It was very confusing and didn't turn out to actually be the squad in the end.

Gilroy should have been in that Wolfhounds squad, but Dave Kearney and Zebo were the two starting wingers and they were forced to use the bench spot to test depth at 15, so it's not like he was behind an Ian Dowling type either! And Dave Kearney ended up in the 22 against Wales.

Monty Burnz

I'm just wondering if those here complaining about Gilroy coming in for Trimble would have been complaining if Gilroy was omitted instead?

bilston

Monty Burnz wrote: »

I'm just wondering if those here complaining about Gilroy coming in for Trimble would have been complaining if Gilroy was omitted instead?

Before Gilroy even played against Fiji last week it was hinted in the press that Trimble would lose his place after the SA game. I don't think anyone is complaining about Gilroy's selection, I think the interest is in why exactly it has become accepted fact in a number of places that Trimble was poor against SA? What did he do wrong that others didn't? I'm sure most of us querying that aren't in the slightest bit unhappy that Gilroy has been selected though.

ScissorPaperRock

I think the complaining about Trimble's omission is a bit unnecessary, especially if you're happy the Gilroy is getting in and that it isn't Bowe that should be replaced.

It's just complaining for the sake of complaining.

I feel that Trimble just hasn't done much to get excited about, while there is some hope that Gilroy might.

Even if there had been some murmurings in the press about Trimble being replaced after the SA game, it doesn't mean that the coach was thinking that at that time.

I'm no defender of Kidney, but when a decision is the right one, why go looking for reasons to be unhappy about it? Particularly, for once, when it hasn't been forced.

Stanza2

I was not "complaining" about Gilroy getting in. Fair play to him and best wishes. I just was gutted for Trimbs. Big calls have to be made by Declan and he made one. If it is the right call remains to be seen. It is a right call in your opinion but it is all just an opinion. Good luck to Ireland and Craig.

I do hope that Trimbs stays and plays away, but............... if he does see his Irish future disappearing, if he was going to be playing second fiddle in international terms, (not getting an IRFU contract next time?) then I do think that he would be looking at moving and who would blame him. T O'Leary and iHumphs saw not future and decided to get away, it is a short playing career after all. I was not complaining, merely stating that big decisions sometimes have certain ramifications as a result.

jacothelad

ScissorPaperRoc wrote: »

I think the complaining about Trimble's omission is a bit unnecessary, especially if you're happy the Gilroy is getting in and that it isn't Bowe that should be replaced.

It's just complaining for the sake of complaining.

I feel that Trimble just hasn't done much to get excited about, while there is some hope that Gilroy might.

Even if there had been some murmurings in the press about Trimble being replaced after the SA game, it doesn't mean that the coach was thinking that at that time.

I'm no defender of Kidney, but when a decision is the right one, why go looking for reasons to be unhappy about it? Particularly, for once, when it hasn't been forced.

I'm not complaining for the sake of it about Trimble being replaced by someone who is / might be better. I have absolutely no problem with Trimble being dropped if he really did play badly. There are two things that stick in my craw. It's the constant referral in the press (and by posters in a knee jerk reaction) that he 'had a poor game v. S.A.' and as a consequence, is being dropped. It seems that the selections are being made by press opinion and puff pieces in the papers( or by selective leaks? Like Ross playing badly by G.T. and needing game time...arse.) If that is the criteria then it should apply to everyone who had a similar game. No one has actually been able to say in what way he had a bad game. He didn't have a good one, that's for sure. He is a winger and touched the ball 7 times in the game, nearly all in his own 22 half, with defenders right there and a few suicide passes in there. Here is the list if players who had good games against the Boks. ..........McCarthy........ That's it.

There were some who were o.k. Healy showed up a bit as did Strauss and Zebo didn't look out of place. Henry was pretty decent. (Would it be a bit naughty to suggest that now he has Kearney's shirt, Zebo has also inherited the refusal to pass. )

Anyway. if the criteria is for under-performing players in one game to make way for those who are clearly better or in better form then why is Bowe still there. Trimble gets played out of position to allow Bowe to play at 14. Trimble is also a 14, btw, not an 11. The two offer different challenges and it isn't an easy swap. If poor form covers multiple games, why do Darcy, ROG and Murray escape the 'he had a BAD GAME' press.

Let's have all the players who had bad games challenged. Let's also apply the same criteria to all employees of the IRFU and get rid of the ones who have bad 'games'. Now wouldn't that be a fresh wind blowing through the camp.

ScissorPaperRock

I agree with a lot of that.

But I don't know if it the decision was made on the basis of one game. For me, Trimble, while solid, just doesn't fill me with hope of scoring tries. That's based off the last six or seven games I've seen him in. Maybe Gilroy would have fared no better, but he's done enough to suggest he's worth a shot. So that decision, for me, is a good one.

In other positions, e.g. inside centre, outhalf bench (which are really the only two I have a significant problem with), questions should be asked. But, for me, the question is not, 'why Trimble?', I think it's more about why aren't O'gara/D'arcy etc being replaced.

sjwpjw

why not leave darc out. i think trimble has much more to offer....

Digifriendly

Ulster match live on red button (301 Freeview) from 6.00pm followed by Edinburgh vs Ospreys at 7.45pm.

CIARAN_BOYLE

sjwpjw wrote: »

why not leave darc out. i think trimble has much more to offer....

Trimble isn't a 12. There are a lot of good wingers that deserve a shot but there are no real options at 12.

dropkickrugby

can someone tell us how Ulster won this at the death? no stream or sky red button where I am at the minute

jacothelad

dropkickrugby wrote: »

can someone tell us how Ulster won this at the death? no stream or sky red button where I am at the minute

It's a mystery. Awful.

ulster_Beef

Last week I said to myself a win is a win. I have to tell myself that tonight again....

It was Frustrating to watch. However, I recalled the state of Ulster rugby several years ago when they were battling it out at the bottom of the league. I would not have predicted an away win of any, never mind 2 in a row in the space of a week back then.

Scrappy as the wins are, Ulster are improving, dramatically. I will take any kind of win but my nerves can't.

dropkickrugby

in fairness it looked like Williams got two very tough Italian TMO decisions on the RTE highlights. I think the run Ulster are on is bringing its own pressure - like the ABS drawing with Australia, that game was handicapped very high for the ABS yet they struggled. they'll lose soon enough I reckon, and maybe the sooner the better for them thinking about the longterm. They dont want to start having those doubts in a Hcup game

bilston

dropkickrugby wrote: »

in fairness it looked like Williams got two very tough Italian TMO decisions on the RTE highlights. I think the run Ulster are on is bringing its own pressure - like the ABS drawing with Australia, that game was handicapped very high for the ABS yet they struggled. they'll lose soon enough I reckon, and maybe the sooner the better for them thinking about the longterm. They dont want to start having those doubts in a Hcup game

Maybe the run we're on is bringing it's own pressure...but we were missing 15 or so players tonight, and last week week it was even more...the fact that we're still winning is a positive. Many good sides have lost in Treviso. Still it's been two poor performances in a row, but I believe we're 10 points clear at the top and 16 points clear of 5th place so we'll take it!

Scioch

jacothelad wrote: »

What Trimble did wrong was being Trimble. Don't give a winger the ball and then blame him for not saving the teams face so boot him out. Deflect the blame from where it squarely lies - on a man who wouldn't know a good rugby player these days if he fell on him. It's of a parcel with the shameful treatment of Tom Court.

Seen a quote from him in an article today where he says "A wingers job is to finish off the good work of the 14 men inside him". Trimble is too much of a worker, Kidney wants someone to stand on the wing waiting for the ball, which he wont see a whole lot of going by recent games.

Fez101

I wonder if Trimble might be better served returning to outside centre, he was fantastic there when he first broke into the Ulster team many moons ago. He's a great finisher, but perhaps not got the absolute gas that say Gilroy has. I've always felt his game was better suited to 2nd centre, wonder what people think?

CIARAN_BOYLE

Fez101 wrote: »

I wonder if Trimble might be better served returning to outside centre, he was fantastic there when he first broke into the Ulster team many moons ago. He's a great finisher, but perhaps not got the absolute gas that say Gilroy has. I've always felt his game was better suited to 2nd centre, wonder what people think?

I don't think he has the hands for 13. He got by when he burst onto the scene because people didn't realise that he didn't have the hands for it. After a dip in form when people caught on he moved to the wing pretty snappish.

jacothelad

Fez101 wrote: »

I wonder if Trimble might be better served returning to outside centre, he was fantastic there when he first broke into the Ulster team many moons ago. He's a great finisher, but perhaps not got the absolute gas that say Gilroy has. I've always felt his game was better suited to 2nd centre, wonder what people think?

Trimble is probably as quick / quicker than Gilroy...certainly over a long run.

the_doctor199

Injury update....(Important bits highlighted)

Ulster captain Johann Muller could return to action this Sunday for the top-of-the-table RaboDirect PRO12 game against Scarlets...

The South African lock picked up a thumb injury in the Heineken Cup win over Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun last month.
Meanwhile, Rory Best is targeting a return to action for the Heineken Cup third round clash with Northampton on 7th December, having been sidelined with a neck injury suffered during Ulster's win over Dragons a month ago.

The Ireland hooker said: “The injury is coming on well - it's just like any ligament, it just needs a bit of time and rest. It's got that now and we've trained it pretty hard over the past two weeks. Hopefully in the next while, it should come on a lot and I'll hopefully be back playing in the next two weeks.”

Fellow forwards Stephen Ferris (ankle) and Lewis Stevenson (knee) are recovering well but are likely to be unavailable for another few weeks.

Australian born flanker Sean Doyle has returned to light training after a broken leg and may see some game time with the Ravens in the coming weeks.

thomond2006

Ulster squad:

Forwards:
Rob Herring, Rory Best,
Callum Black, Tom Court, Declan Fitzpatrick, John Afoa,
Neil McComb, Johann Muller, Dan Tuohy,
Iain Henderson, Robbie Diack, Mike McComish, Roger Wilson, Nick Williams.

Backs:
Michael Heaney, Paul Marshall,
Niall O'Connor, Paddy Jackson,
Luke Marshall, Darren Cave,
Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Craig Gilroy, Jared Payne, Peter Nelson.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20508485

Great news on Best, the reports at the time of his injury were worrying. No second row crisis either with Muller back now.

Going to Scarlets will be a test for Ulster, Scarlets have to be delighted with the Munster win. If Scarlets have their internationals back they will be a tough prospect, their backline is weakened without Scott Williams, Davies and North.