Ulster Team Talk Thread IV... Go On My Henderson...

Paul Smeenus

Some genuinely atrocious tries given away today.

A couple of thoughts - first, Richie is still finding his feet in this arena. So don't expect miracles.

Also, while we may talk about the learning curve ahead of our younger players, we missed the attitude and physicality of Sherry, Izzy, Stewart and Wilson today.

Scythica

I'll take a tbp. A lbp would have been nice too. Physically smashed up and their wingers got around us way to easy (seems to be a theme of our defence so far).

Given the inexperience in the pack, especially front row, not sure we can expect much more at the moment. Would love us to have an injury joker of some big grizzled Georgian prop who will help us out there

bilston

5 points from 2 pretty tough games isn't terrible. The circumstances around this EI tour has really f****d us. Leinster with their 50 odd players get to play their guys...we don't...presumably because it's nice for the players to fly out to SA together...

I've two wishes, one is possible the other isn't...keep Reffel fit, make McIlroy a yard quicker...

Rugbyf565

Stockdale should be dropped. There’s enough better wingers on this squad- Zac Ward, Aaron Sexton, Baloucoune.

Paul Smeenus

Aaron Sexton is not better. Zac Ward has played less than a full game on the wing in 15 man rugby.

Baloucoune / Lowry might be better. Baloucoune / Lyttle might have been better. But this is pure histrionics.

Paul Smeenus

Throw everything at the Bulls.

1. Warwick
2. Andrew
3. O'Toole
4. Treadwell
5. Henderson
6. McCann
7. Reffell
8. Timoney
9. Cooney
10. Morgan
11. Stockdale
12. McCloskey
13. Moore
14. Lowry
15. McIlroy

Maybe McCann at seven and McNabney at six.

Rugbyf565

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122668530#Comment_122668530

but what does stockdale offer? He can’t tackle on the edge, and his pace is gone

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122668339#Comment_122668339

Bit OTT. Sexton and Ward are nowhere near Stockdale, it's not even a discussion point the gulf is so vast between Stockdale and those two.

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122668553#Comment_122668553

That front row...lol.. is McCormick worth a start?

Kok on the wing maybe.

McNabney would useful from the bench, especially given Izzy has been stolen from us, although the same could be said for Kok I suppose.

Paul Smeenus

See McCloskey's injured. Interesting midfield this week. Carson/Moore?

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122673978#Comment_122673978

Carson/Moore

Moore/Moxham

Moore/Kok

Moore/Stockdale

…seem to be the options - unless McIlroy fancies a crack at 12 Denis Hurley/Clement Poitrenaud style, or, even more left field, Timoney feels like doing a Levani Botia impression.

Probably it'll be Carson or Moxham partnering Moore. Not a great time to be without Postlethwaite.

thePigeon_

Is there a chance Postlethwaite just flies over to join the squad?

Paul Smeenus

That's what id prefer but I don't know. Murphy is pretty familiar with Carson, so we'll see. Moxham hasn't played centre in years, and Carson and Moore would have more familiarity than involving Kok.

Paul Smeenus

Vodacom Bulls v Ulster Rugby, Saturday 5th October, 3pm, Round 3, BKT United Rugby Championship, Loftus Versfeld Stadium (Live on Premier Sports)

(1-8) Andrew Warwick, James McCormick, Corrie Barrett, Iain Henderson (C), Charlie Irvine, James McNabney, Sean Reffell, David McCann

(15-9) Mike Lowry, Werner Kok, Stewart Moore, Ben Carson, Jacob Stockdale, Aidan Morgan, Nathan Doak;

Replacements: Tadgh McElroy, Eric O’Sullivan, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Nick Timoney, Dave Shanahan, James Humphreys, Ben Moxham.

First caps for McElroy, Humphreys and Irvine, first starts for McCormick and Carson. Not sure where Cooney is - not mentioned as injured.

The bulls team is pretty formidable.

VODACOM BULLS vs ULSTER RUGBY STARTING XV: 1. Gerhard Steenekamp, 2. Johan Grobbelaar, 3. Wilco Louw, 4. Cobus Wiese, 5. Ruan Nortje (c), 6. Marco van Staden, 7. Elrigh Louw, 8. Cameron Hanekom, 9. Embrose Papier, 10. Boeta Chamberlain, 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse, 12. David Kriel, 13. Canan Moodie, 14. Sebastian de Klerk, 15. Willie le Roux

VODACOM BULLS IMPACT SQUAD: 16. Akker van der Merwe, 17. Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18. Francois Klopper, 19. Sintu Manjezi, 20. Celimpilo Gumede, 21. Keagan Johannes, 22. Stedman Gans, 23. Aphiwe Dyantyi

I expect us to get well beaten, and that's fair enough.

FtD v2

Crazy strong Bulls side - mad to see so many Boks straight back in. Do these guys ever get a week off?!

At some point some one has to start asking questions here.

“Vodafone Bulls Impact Squad” - puke.

Paul Smeenus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122683382#Comment_122683382

Crazy strong Bulls side - mad to see so many Boks straight back in. Do these guys ever get a week off?!

At some point some one has to start asking questions here.

“Vodafone Bulls Impact Squad” - puke.

100%. Wanchors.

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122683382#Comment_122683382

Just looked at Arendse's All Rugby profile out of curiosity as he seems like a guy who's never injured. Starting from the 2023 Rugby Championship, he has played a game in 13/15 calendar months, about to be 14/16. He had a 34 day break after the World Cup final and a 54 day break around January 2024.

FtD v2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122683382#Comment_122683382

Just to elaborate on this point -

On a season after a good chunk of this squad won a RWC, the vast majority of this 23 played in the URC final on June 22nd.

9 of them were named in the Springboks squad named on June 25th, and a good chunk played two tests against Ireland on July 6th and July 13th. A couple of others (Wessels, Grobbelaar, Arendse, Louw etc) all played against Portugal on July 20th.

The Rugby Championship started a few weeks later on August 10th, where the Boks played 6 intense games with a crazy amount of travel involved, and yet here they are, a week after the RC finishes, rocking up for the Bulls.

I cannot see a window where some of these guys have gotten any kind of break in almost the past 11 or 12 months, with none on the horizon either.

That smells incredibly fishy to me.

Paul Smeenus

They can't keep that up.

FtD v2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122683454#Comment_122683454

It’s crazy - they’ve basically been playing a year round global calendar for a few years now.

Between the last two RWCs, despite their depth, the Boks probably rotated less than any other tier 1 nation and picked the most settled squad. They get a short rest window during the 6N but not much.

awec

if we keep this within 20 points it’ll be a job well done.

niallm77

Is it 2018 again ..... stockdale

bilston

Welcome back Jacob...where have you been?!

Locke_Lamora

That scrum was horrific to watch

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122687512#Comment_122687512

that’s the most Stockdale try that Stockdale ever Stockdaled

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122687526#Comment_122687526

It's a disaster. The even more annoying thing is that when we have the ball we're doing alright. But no scrum no win. This could ruin our season completely. Wilson might improve things a bit, but with Moore retired we are totally and utterly goosed.

awec

Feel a bit sorry for Richie Murphy here to be honest, being forced to play this game with one hand tied behind his back. Just no way for us to compete here missing so many key men.

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122687647#Comment_122687647

It's a joke. Really is.

bilston

Nice try by Carson.

If there is a positive it would be how the youngsters like McCormick, McNabney and Carson have gone. T

Locke_Lamora

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122687647#Comment_122687647

I see Scott Wilson is down as a backup LH for the emerging Ireland game. It wouldn't have helped our scrum much anyway but I struggle to see how he benefits more from getting played out of position for 30 minutes rather than getting to square up against one of the toughest packs in Europe.