Ulster Team Talk Thread III: Les Miserables SEE MOD WARNING POST #1924 + #2755

Paul Smeenus

Apparently Lyttle might be injured. Ah You and Browne are astonishing choices though.

Stewart out of nowhere is frankly bewildering. His first start an interpro in Dublin?

prawnsambo

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Apparently Lyttle might be injured. Ah You and Browne are astonishing choices though.

Stewart out of nowhere is frankly bewildering. His first start an interpro in Dublin?

His first bench start was an interpro. Against Leinster.

He diodn't look out of place iirc.

Paul Smeenus

Well, given we were clearly writing off the Connacht game, he should have started that.

Diack is better than Browne.

prawnsambo

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Well, given we were clearly writing off the Connacht game, he should have started that.

Diack is better than Browne.

Is that not hindsight though? Connacht had been having a wobbly start to the season, it was just bad fortune that they got their mojo back for that game on the back of some European success. They'd been mugged in Italy in their last league game.

Paul Smeenus

Maybe. I didn't think we'd win, though, looking at the team. I suppose it would have been pointless to start Stewart and Nelson.

You could also make a case for Gilroy over Trimble.

bilston

Why the negativity over Stewart?

I think it's great he might get a start.

Squidgy Black

prawnsambo wrote: »

I've a feeling that happened at Connacht when they had broken all their out halfs a year or so ago. But it was very short term, if it happened at all.

Hard to see where a short term joker could come from. I suppose the PTB are scouring the world for just such a beast.

Cooney played 10 for a couple games for Connacht when they were riddled with injuries, Lam's son had left and they had no 10s in the academy. They had no choice.

When is CL's contract up with Ulster?

prawnsambo

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Cooney played 10 for a couple games for Connacht when they were riddled with injuries, Lam's son had left and they had no 10s in the academy. They had no choice.

When is CL's contract up with Ulster?

Around about now.

awec

bilston wrote: »

Why the negativity over Stewart?

I think it's great he might get a start.

I think it's great he might get a start but I find it bemusing his start comes away to Leinster and having not been involved whatsoever in any matches recently.

These random starts from nowhere are nonsense. How is he expected to come in and do a job in a fixture like this when Ulster will probably spend 80 minutes on the back foot?

If we wanted to start Stewart this week why was Marshall on the bench against Connacht and Munster? It makes no sense.

bilston

awec wrote: »

bilston wrote: »

Why the negativity over Stewart?

I think it's great he might get a start.

I think it's great he might get a start but I find it bemusing his start comes away to Leinster and having not been involved whatsoever in any matches recently.

These random starts from nowhere are nonsense. How is he expected to come in and do a job in a fixture like this when Ulster will probably spend 80 minutes on the back foot?

If we wanted to start Stewart this week why was Marshall on the bench against Connacht and Munster? It makes no sense.

I guess Paul may be unavailable.

Cooney presumably can't play all 3 games
So it's a choice between Stewart, Shannahan and Cairns.

The real issue is the Connacht selection. Stewart maybe should have started that, or at least Cooney shouldn't so he could have played against Leinster.

awec

bilston wrote: »

I guess Paul may be unavailable.

Cooney presumably can't play all 3 games
So it's a choice between Stewart, Shannahan and Cairns.

The real issue is the Connacht selection. Stewart maybe should have started that, or at least Cooney shouldn't so he could have played against Leinster.

I think Wee P's unavailability is something Ulster need to be more proactive about. He has very tough personal circumstances and may be unavailable on very short notice on any given week, so there's no need to pick him on the bench every match.

If Stewart is the chosen one he should have been more involved this season.

Of course, the rumoured team could be totally wrong and this could all be for nothing.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Cooney played 10 for a couple games for Connacht when they were riddled with injuries, Lam's son had left and they had no 10s in the academy. They had no choice.

When is CL's contract up with Ulster?

After the European games afaik.

molloyjh

awec wrote: »

Pete Browne hasn't played a game since September but is jettisoned in to start against Leinster?

Stewart appears out of nowhere to start a game.

Ah You retained despite being crap.

Deysel retained despite being crap.

Trimble brought in over Lyttle.


Maybe injuries will explain this when it's actually announced (if this is indeed true), otherwise it's pretty frustrating at face value right now.

I'd also be concerned about playing CL in this one too tbh. Didn't he apparently take a knock to the ribs on Monday? He's a guy you can't be without in the last 2 European games. It doesn't make sense to play him twice in the same week while he has a rib problem. If he picks up an injury then you can simply forget about Europe. You're 8 points clear of Edinburgh at the moment and they have a bloody tough run in from here (Leinster, Ulster home & away, Munster, Scarlets and Glasgow all to come). They'll struggle to overtake you in the conference even if you lose tomorrow. So there isn't a burning need to go out and win this one.

Buer

I see Arno Botha has signed for London Irish. He will join up with them immediately. It will be interesting to see how he goes but no doubt Ulster were correct to walk away at the time.

thomond2006

Buer wrote: »

I see Arno Botha has signed for London Irish. He will join up with them immediately. It will be interesting to see how he goes but no doubt Ulster were correct to walk away at the time.

I agree. London Irish are desperate and if that's the best team Botha could join...

bilston

We were right walk away from Botha but in saying that its not as if Deysel has played many games for us either.

Buer

bilston wrote: »

We were right walk away from Botha but in saying that its not as if Deysel has played many games for us either.

I have to say I was rather underwhelmed with Deysel as a signing. Big bloke but I don't see him ever establishing himself and his best is behind him. Just a guy in the right place at the right time. He's almost 33 now and is on a 2 year deal so he'll be taking up a NIQ spot for another season after this.

They were in a bit of a tricky spot though with the collapse of the Botha deal so I'm not sure they could have done much better.

prawnsambo

Buer wrote: »

I have to say I was rather underwhelmed with Deysel as a signing. Big bloke but I don't see him ever establishing himself and his best is behind him. Just a guy in the right place at the right time. He's almost 33 now and is on a 2 year deal so he'll be taking up a NIQ spot for another season after this.

They were in a bit of a tricky spot though with the collapse of the Botha deal so I'm not sure they could have done much better.

In the context of Ulster's current shortage of back row forwards, he's still a valuable commodity. Injuries have robbed him of continuity, but he's still had seven starts this season which is decent enough in the circumstances.

torqtorq

Best back to lead Ulster

Rory Best will return to captain Ulster in Saturday's Guinness PRO14 game versus Leinster (RDS Arena, 5.35pm).
Best, who has recovered from an ankle skin infection, has not featured since the game against Dragons at the start of December.

Abbey Insurance Academy scrumhalf Johnny Stewart has earned a first senior start for the Province, having made his debut off the bench against the same opposition earlier in the season.

Best will start at hooker and will be joined in the front row by Callum Black and Rodney Ah You. Pete Browne will play for the first time since September after being named in the second row alongside Iain Henderson.

Matty Rea, Sean Reidy and Jean Deysel will combine in the back row.

Stewart will be partnered at half back by Christian Lealiifano, while Stuart McCloskey and Darren Cave, who scored a try and made an assist in Monday's win versus Munster, are retained in midfield.

Ireland international wingers Andrew Trimble and Jacob Stockdale are joined in the back three by All Black fullback Charles Piutau.

Rob Herring, Kyle McCall and Wiehahn Herbst are the front row replacements, with Alan O'Connor and Nick Timoney providing additional forward cover. John Cooney, Johnny McPhillips and Tommy Bowe are the backline options on the bench.

There will be live TV coverage on Sky Sports and BBC2 NI.


Ulster Rugby team to play Leinster, Guinness PRO14, Saturday 6th January, RDS Arena, kick-off 5.35pm:

(15-9): C Piutau; A Trimble, D Cave, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; C Lealiifano, J Stewart;

(1-8): C Black, R Best (captain), R Ah You, P Browne, I Henderson, M Rea, S Reidy, J Deysel;

Replacements (16-23): R Herring, K McCall, W Herbst, A O'Connor, N Timoney, J Cooney, J McPhillips, T Bowe.

Unavailable due to injury/illness:
Marcell Coetzee, Matthew Dalton, Robbie Diack, Craig Gilroy, Chris Henry, Brett Herron, Rob Lyttle, Luke Marshall, Paul Marshall, Adam McMurney, Jared Payne, Johnny Simpson, Kieran Treadwell.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Its worth noting that Rory Best has not won in an Ulster jersey since December 2016.

Utah_Saint

lyttle is made of paper-mache.  He'll do well at ulster.

prawnsambo

Utah_Saint wrote: »

lyttle is made of paper-mache. He'll do well at ulster.

That'll teach him not to do swan dives.

Paul Smeenus

Well, in fairness to Kiss, given that list of players injured, there's not a lot of options.

prawnsambo

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Well, in fairness to Kiss, given that list of players injured, there's not a lot of options.

A bit like herding chickens. You get three back and lose another three.

bilston

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Well, in fairness to Kiss, given that list of players injured, there's not a lot of options.

Not a lot of options but you have to ask why Herbst and AOC aren't starting. It may be tactical with Herbst but I can't see any reason to be starting Browne over AOC for this match.

Even scrum half is odd. I'm happy to see Stewart get a shot but if Cooney is fit for the bench, he is fit for a start. So yes good to see Stewart, but maybe play him in a less high pressure game than an Inter Pro against Leinster in Dublin. I suppose in a way it's the quality of the pack Stewart is playing behind which is more significant than the opposition.

jacothelad

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Its worth noting that Rory Best has not won in an Ulster jersey since December 2016.

I think he has played / started once (v. Leinster) at Ravenspan since last April so it's not really surprising. He only played about 2 home games from Christmas 2016 onwards. Ireland games, injuries, Lions rest.

stephen_n

bilston wrote: »

Not a lot of options but you have to ask why Herbst and AOC aren't starting. It may be tactical with Herbst but I can't see any reason to be starting Browne over AOC for this match.

Even scrum half is odd. I'm happy to see Stewart get a shot but if Cooney is fit for the bench, he is fit for a start. So yes good to see Stewart, but maybe play him in a less high pressure game than an Inter Pro against Leinster in Dublin. I suppose in a way it's the quality of the pack Stewart is playing behind which is more significant than the opposition.

Cooney's played a lot of rugby though and with two European games coming up probably needs a rest. You'd assume Marshal would have been starting if available.

prawnsambo

What's the story with Pete Browne? Was he injured? He played for the As in early December iirc.

Utah_Saint

prawnsambo wrote: »

What's the story with Pete Browne? Was he injured? He played for the As in early December iirc.

Another one of the selection mysteries at Ulster.

On a more positive note an announcement is due soon regarding a new 10

bilston

prawnsambo wrote: »

What's the story with Pete Browne? Was he injured? He played for the As in early December iirc.

Not sure. It's an odd selection (surprise surprise).

I'm obviously not as anti Kiss as some but he really doesn't help himself sometimes...