Leinster v Ulster Build up thread

CMOTDibbler

See Joey Carbery and Dave Kearney were in the dressing room. Joey looked fairly mobile. No crutches.

The big issue for Leinster at the momoent is not having an experienced ten on the pitch.

leakyboots

Missed the first half, watched the second. Wish it was the other way around!

I'd be pretty unhappy at not getting a bonus point if I were Leinster, probably won't make much of a difference come the end of the season but still

vienne86

Shocking second half from Leinster! Ringrose was great and could have got MOTM for me. Pienaar at 10 was awful. Disappointing game. Point lost by Leinster today IMO.

former total

I'll watch the game back when I get home but I'm very disheartened (and not at all surprised) at the grinding negativity of a small but growing number of Leinster posters here.

Like Dublin Bus strikes and spiralling house prices, people bitching about a 15-point win over Ulster is a sign that the good times are back.

We racked up three tries in a period when Ulster were completely inept. They were absolutely woeful but that was never going to last. They had 35 minutes of unceasing pressure, 10 with a man advantage, and we held up brilliantly.

Rugby is as much about defence as offence. I'm pretty happy knowing we could keep them out for so long. That will stand to us.

The refrain will be "this was a weakened Ulster team". Yeah, it was. But they still had Pienaar, Bowe, Trimble, McCloskey and Piutau. And we had Ross Byrne, Reid, O'Loughlin, Adam Byrne... we finished the game with our fifth choice at ten FFS.

It wasn't pretty for long periods but that doesn't mean it was bad.

Clegg

Completely disagree. Second half performance was unacceptable. Gave away too many pens and heaped far too much pressure on themselves. Blew the opportunity to rack up a big score.

irishbucsfan

Clegg wrote: »

Completely disagree. Second half performance was unacceptable. Gave away too many pens and heaped far too much pressure on themselves. Blew the opportunity to rack up a big score.

Yeah discipline was very very poor. Ulster got back into the game based on our inability to retain possession and gain field position, not on the back of any major improvement of their own. Too many bad penalties conceded.

Dave_The_Sheep

First half was excellent for the most part.

Second half was dire.

BP should have been in the bag, but we just couldn't (through poor discipline and some very aimless play, mainly kicking) keep the ball like we did in the first half. Ulster were marginally better in the second half, it's true, and even then they let us turn over the ball far too often. After the third try went over we should have kicked on - that yellow card really disrupted things more than it should have, badly timed. Subs affected by that card perhaps, felt Conan should have been on earlier for example.

former total

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Yeah discipline was very very poor. Ulster got back into the game based on our inability to retain possession and gain field position, not on the back of any major improvement of their own. Too many bad penalties conceded.

The field position came from Byrne and JGP being unable to kick with any level of accuracy. That should not have been news to anyone. When you're under pressure, you are far more likely to concede penalties.

I dunno, I guess it just makes me sad that there is so much to be positive about but all some people (not you, IBF) EVER want to do is focus on the negatives.

irishbucsfan

former total wrote: »

The field position came from Byrne and JGP being unable to kick with any level of accuracy. That should not have been news to anyone. When you're under pressure, you are far more likely to concede penalties.

I dunno, I guess it just makes me sad that there is so much to be positive about but all some people (not you, IBF) EVER want to do is focus on the negatives.

I disagree about that, our penalty count in the 2nd half would disagree with it as well. SOB in particular with a couple of bad penalties conceded around half way when we should have been focused on stopping Ulster winning territory.

Ulster were incapable of working their way up the field on their own, it was only when we made errors, particularly with defensive discipline, that they made ground. That isn't good enough at home.

Clegg

For me it's hard to be positive about a good defensive performance when it's your own errors that are causing you to come under pressure. Considering how bad Ulster were I can't see this game as anything but a blown chance at 5 points.

former total

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I disagree about that, our penalty count in the 2nd half would disagree with it as well. SOB in particular with a couple of bad penalties conceded around half way when we should have been focused on stopping Ulster winning territory.

Ulster were incapable of working their way up the field on their own, it was only when we made errors, particularly with defensive discipline, that they made ground. That isn't good enough at home.

Yeah I agree there were too many penalties.

I'm just trying to provide a positive counterbalance to the tide of crushing negativity.

scott1974

I think giving away a TBP last weekend meant everyone thought it was imperative to get one this weekend. So expectations were high. Although it would be nice to keep the momentum of the fitst half going...and playing with the wind.

Buer

But it was. It was ****e in the second half. We made multiple errors. We won possession a host of times and promptly gave it back through terrible kicking and poor discipline. Our defence in our 22 was impressive but our overall play in the final 30 was poor.

If Ulster weren't totally incompetent they'd have scored far earlier.

thomond2006

JGP can never kick ever again. He's incapable of executing one.

bilston

Here's an idea...if we give you guys Charles Piutau will you let us keep Pienaar?

Honestly Paul Marshall is just dreadful. Almost every pass was missing timed. He constantly took the wrong decision or knocked it on or kicked it out on the full.

Our lack of ball carriers has never been so obvious. As good as Piutau is I'd release him in return for a couple of decent standard carriers. Today is the first time I have felt that.

errlloyd

thomond2006 wrote: »

JGP can never kick ever again. He's incapable of executing one.

Long way from box kicks he was raised.

awec

Ulster shocking, Leinster a wee bit better. Leinster should be raging they didn't pick up 5 points, we were abject.

awec

bilston wrote: »

Here's an idea...if we give you guys Charles Piutau will you let us keep Pienaar?

Honestly Paul Marshall is just dreadful. Almost every pass was missing timed. He constantly took the wrong decision or knocked it on or kicked it out on the full.

Our lack of ball carriers has never been so obvious. As good as Piutau is I'd release him in return for a couple of decent standard carriers. Today is the first time I have felt that.

Paul Marshall is tripe

Buer

bilston wrote:

Here's an idea...if we give you guys Charles Piutau will you let us keep Pienaar?

Piutau looked pissed off and stroppy today. I'd say he's counting the days until he leaves.

awec

Buer wrote: »

Piutau looked pissed off and stroppy today. I'd say he's counting the days until he leaves.

Hard to blame him, one of only two ulster players to applaud the fans at the end.

stephen_n

I'm all for positivity, but we were very poor today. Handling errors, poor decision making, poor execution from our half backs. Mcgraths passing was truly woeful at times. In one phase of play he managed to nearly throw the ball over Byrne, then the next three passes were below the knees of the intended receiver. It's impossible to ignore all the negative things today because there were so many. That said, there were positives too, ROL's second try, showed the Byrne can make very good decisions, as the Ulster backline were so far offside, they were nearly standing behind Leinsters, he picked the perfect option and executed it. Not sure how it works, but he made a call before kicking to touch, on the lineout that McGrath scored from, so despite the criticism he gets, there are good things in his ability to run a game. Our defence was excellent, Ringrose in particular but Reid, Adam Byrne and ROL, all made big hits, Isa is just a machine. The biggest disappointment though was the pack getting bullied a bit, we should have had a better platform upfront. There was a lack of urgency to Leinsters play today which hopefully will disappear before the Montpellier game.

Buer

Ross Byrne has a lot to learn about dictating a game but his flat passing is beautiful. Really brought people onto the ball and got his runners onto possession at pace, outside defenders. He also has a very solid defensive game. They sent big carriers down his channel several times and he didn't bat an eyelid. 8 tackles made, 0 missed.

I don't know if he'll be a long term starter for us but he certainly has a place in the pro game with someone. The more games he gets, the better his territorial game and kicking game will get.

Interested Observer

former total wrote: »

I'll watch the game back when I get home but I'm very disheartened (and not at all surprised) at the grinding negativity of a small but growing number of Leinster posters here.

Like Dublin Bus strikes and spiralling house prices, people bitching about a 15-point win over Ulster is a sign that the good times are back.

After every match these days the first thing you post about seems to be the people with the temerity to disagree with you. It's either "IN YOUR FACE" if Leinster do well or "here come the vultures <insert emoji>" if they don't. We're not all going to become card carrying defence force members, get over it.

And yeah, the second half was pure muck. Four points from the two Xmas games, not good either, could and should have been more. Dropped down to third in the table and Ulster can reach the same number of league points with a BP win with their game in hand. This has not been a good period for Leinster in the league.

I was personally impressed that Ulster were scoreless until 10 mins to go.

former total

Interested Observer wrote: »

After every match these days the first thing you post about seems to be the people with the temerity to disagree with you. It's either "IN YOUR FACE" if Leinster do well or "here come the vultures <insert emoji>" if they don't. We're not all going to become card carrying defence force members, get over it.

And yeah, the second half was pure muck. Four points from the two Xmas games, not good either, could and should have been more. Dropped down to third in the table and Ulster can reach the same number of league points with a BP win with their game in hand. This has not been a good period for Leinster in the league.

How dare you!

I do not use emoji

awec

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I was personally impressed that Ulster were scoreless until 10 mins to go.

So was I, it was more than we deserved up until that point.

errlloyd

Last two weeks have been disappointing in the context of the two previous weeks. But over those four weeks in total I'd have bitten your hand off for these results in September, and I'd have laughed in your face if you'd told me wed get the December results with Ross Byrne playing ten.

CMOTDibbler

errlloyd wrote: »

Last two weeks have been disappointing in the context of the two previous weeks. But over those four weeks in total I'd have bitten your hand off for these results in September, and I'd have laughed in your face if you'd told me wed get the December results with Ross Byrne playing ten.

This.

Ross Byrne will gain hugely from the experience, but it's a tough learning curve for him. I've already noticed an improvement in his play and that's in a pretty short time. It's hurting us a bit, but in the long term it will have been worth it imo. He has the capability to become a very useful player and could well be a very valuable one too.

jaansu

Byrne's passing is a thing of beauty

JGP's kicking is most definitely not. He just kicked to their most dangerous player.

Hippo

There were a couple of Byrne passes right across midfield in the first half that will live long in my memory, and not for the right reasons. He put in some lovely kicks though. And there's no question about it, 4 points from 10 is a disappointing Christmas.