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

Paul Smeenus

Alby, Greg Jones and David O'Connor on media duties. I know we've learned to read nothing into that any more... but I'm going to. nevertheless.

launish116

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Alby, Greg Jones and David O'Connor on media duties. I know we've learned to read nothing into that any more... but I'm going to. nevertheless.

It’s an odd one, used to be like clockwork for who’s gonna play that week.

Be happy enough if all 3 played.

Paul Smeenus

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/ulster-rugby/dan-mcfarland-ulsters-young-stars-deserve-all-the-credit-for-their-swift-progress-39763840.html

We've already used 40 players this season... that's without Addison, Baloucoune, O'Toole, Curtis, Allison.

Paul Smeenus

Interesting stuff on the Belly Telly podcast -

We've scored thirty tries this season - nineteen different try scorers (Coetzee has eight!) - we're really mixing up how we play, depending on who's lining out.

launish116

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Interesting stuff on the Belly Telly podcast -

We've scored thirty tries this season - nineteen different try scorers (Coetzee has eight!) - we're really mixing up how we play, depending on who's lining out.

Our offloading and support lines have definitely improved! Skills & handling a cross the team has been a joy to watch! Would love to know our knock on rate this season!

Paul Smeenus

launish116 wrote: »

Our offloading and support lines have definitely improved! Skills & handling a cross the team has been a joy to watch! Would love to know our knock on rate this season!

This 100% is a huge difference.

launish116

Can’t find specifics on handling errors, though some good stats to note here: https://www.pro14.rugby/clubs/ulster/stats

2nd in attack (most offloads)
1st line outs (87/94)

Utah_Saint

launish116 wrote: »

Our offloading and support lines have definitely improved! Skills & handling a cross the team has been a joy to watch! Would love to know our knock on rate this season!

Soper really embedding his processes across the whole squad.

Paul Smeenus

launish116 wrote: »

Can’t find specifics on handling errors, though some good stats to note here: https://www.pro14.rugby/clubs/ulster/stats

2nd in attack (most offloads)
1st line outs (87/94)

That's a hell of a turnaround in the lineout.

bilston

I've noticed that we are scoring a lot more tries from close range...that's something Leinster are very good at...and if you think back to the great Munster side of the noughties, they were the same. NZ are very good at it as well.

Its not always brilliant to watch, but it wears the opposition down, and then creates a few more tired bodies in the opposition which allows for a few more fireworks later in the game.

The other thing I noticed against was the speed at which we took our lineouts. We didn't give Zebre any time to settle at all.

bilston

Utah_Saint wrote: »

Soper really embedding his processes across the whole squad.

He is doing a grand job.

launish116

bilston wrote: »

I've noticed that we are scoring a lot more tries from close range...that's something Leinster are very good at...and if you think back to the great Munster side of the noughties, they were the same. NZ are very good at it as well.

Its not always brilliant to watch, but it wears the opposition down, and then creates a few more tired bodies in the opposition which allows for a few more fireworks later in the game.

Also has defences tightening up, if we eventually go wide. Normally we’d always go wide ended up going wide.

Paul seamus said it well the last few games have looked like training for different aspects of our game.

launish116

Ulster team to play Scarlets Rugby, Guinness PRO14 Round 7, Sunday 22 November 2020, at Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 7.35pm, live on Premier Sports):

(15-9) Michael Lowry, Matt Faddes, Luke Marshall, Stewart Moore, Rob Lyttle, Bill Johnston, John Cooney;

(1-8) Eric O'Sullivan, John Andrew, Marty Moore, Alan O'Connor (Capt.), Kieran Treadwell, Matty Rea, Sean Reidy, Marcell Coetzee.

Replacements: Adam McBurney, Kyle McCall, Tom O'Toole, David O'Connor, Jordi Murphy, Alby Mathewson, Ian Madigan, Craig Gilroy.


Little annoyed with the lack of progress bringing on more academy players. As well as the continued flogging of Marty Moore (unless Milasinovich is injured)

kingofthekong

launish116 wrote: »

Ulster team to play Scarlets Rugby, Guinness PRO14 Round 7, Sunday 22 November 2020, at Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 7.35pm, live on Premier Sports):

(15-9) Michael Lowry, Matt Faddes, Luke Marshall, Stewart Moore, Rob Lyttle, Bill Johnston, John Cooney;

(1-8) Eric O'Sullivan, John Andrew, Marty Moore, Alan O'Connor (Capt.), Kieran Treadwell, Matty Rea, Sean Reidy, Marcell Coetzee.

Replacements: Adam McBurney, Kyle McCall, Tom O'Toole, David O'Connor, Jordi Murphy, Alby Mathewson, Ian Madigan, Craig Gilroy.


Little annoyed with the lack of progress bringing on more academy players. As well as the continued flogging of Marty Moore (unless Milasinovich is injured)

Mcann simply has to be getting game time in these kind of games, really disapointing

launish116

kingofthekong wrote: »

Mcann simply has to be getting game time in these kind of games, really disapointing

I know if you can’t throw some academy in against Scarlets at home when their internationals are away. When can you? Not to mention are point lead in league. Edinburgh next week will be a completely different game.

Locke_Lamora

Would've preferred McIlroy on the bench but at least Gilroy has discovered a little bit of form. No McCann in the forwards is disappointing but expected at this stage. Great to see O'Toole back, Marty Moore has been excellent, but he'll need his rest.

I'm going to find it hard to be excited about Leinster at Christmas when we chuck a B team on and a load of media pieces get released saying we're giving youth a chance. The kids learn nothing from that.

kingofthekong

launish116 wrote: »

I know if you can’t throw some academy in against Scarlets at home when their internationals are away. When can you? Not to mention are point lead in league. Edinburgh next week will be a completely different game.

I'm baffled i dont know how you couldnt include him, Jordi is on his way out,

Its worrying because Coetzee will be gone in the next few seasons and Ulster will be back to square one with no backrows developed relying on mercenaries from abroad,

You definitely wont get another signing of the quality of Coetzee who on form could probably start for the Boks

launish116

kingofthekong wrote: »

I'm baffled i dont know how you couldnt include him, Jordi is on his way out,

Its worrying because Coetzee will be gone in the next few seasons and Ulster will be back to square one with no backrows developed relying on mercenaries from abroad,

You definitely wont get another signing of the quality of Coetzee who on form could probably start for the Boks

This is the perfect time, unless there is a plan Xmas onwards. But just can’t see the rational. Give them exposure now when teams are weaker and we have a good league lead. Hard to know but in the forward there doesn’t seem to be much forward planning.

Just worry flogging Coetzee & Moore is going result in a injury/lay off. In Coetzee’s part there isn’t a suitable replacement even at half his a ability.

Paul Smeenus

He's going for five points rather than four. Scarlets just beat Connacht; they're one of the few teams we need to buckle down against. McCann should have played last week. It's frustrating, but, as I've said before, I think McFarland's trying to make hay while the sun shines.

Positives:
O'Toole's back!!
Johnston is getting a run of starts - while we're all moaning, understandably, about the back row, Madigan is only here for a year, and with Burns in and around the national team, we need Johnston to become, at the very least, reliable.
O'Connor Jr on the bench. We're all excited about McCann, Allison etc but we have no young second rows there or thereabouts. Hopefully he gets some decent game time.
Stewart Moore - seven games, seven caps.

Negatives:
Marty Moore starting again.
Murphy on the bench.

I suspect Dan put a hefty bet on at outrageous odds for Coetzee to score ten tries before Christmas. No financial worries for us, lads.

bilston

launish116 wrote: »

This is the perfect time, unless there is a plan Xmas onwards. But just can’t see the rational. Give them exposure now when teams are weaker and we have a good league lead. Hard to know but in the forward there doesn’t seem to be much forward planning.

Just worry flogging Coetzee & Moore is going result in a injury/lay off. In Coetzee’s part there isn’t a suitable replacement even at half his a ability.

The plan will be to send a bunch of kids to the RDS for the annual ritual hoking. I think we do it to appease our D4 masters...it provides them with some festive entertainment you see...

bilston

This is the vicious circle where the fact we have fewer players with Ireland means we have less room to experiment.

So Leinster for example have 17 players, or whatever it is, are with Ireland which means a lot more room to bring younger guys through at the moment.

We've still managed to being Stewart Moore through and Ethan McIlroy has got good game time too. But as we've discussed endlessly, we need to bring forwards through.

Paul Smeenus

I'm as frustrated as anyone, and I have no idea what the rationale is, but we know fairly categorically that Dan is happy and keen to give youth a rattle.

Whatever the issue of, it's not conservatism. I'm not a blind faith, "trust in the glorious leaders" kind of guy, and it's irritating seeing Murphy in the team rather than ReaJea, but the rise of Hume, O'Toole, O'Sullivan, Lowry, S. Moore, Baloucoune - that's all been on Dan's watch.

launish116

bilston wrote: »

This is the vicious circle where the fact we have fewer players with Ireland means we have less room to experiment.

So Leinster for example have 17 players, or whatever it is, are with Ireland which means a lot more room to bring younger guys through at the moment.

We've still managed to being Stewart Moore through and Ethan McIlroy has got good game time too. But as we've discussed endlessly, we need to bring forwards through.

The issue I see is we may be hammering teams while there internationals are away. But at the same time those team’s players are getting harsh lessons and invaluable exposure. Mean while are area of concern being forwards is still being conservative. Appreciate we’re trying to appease/game time for 3rd choice players.

Appreciate the Leinster issue with players away with Ireland. Though regardless they’d still give them players more exposure with a full squad than we would.

Most frustrating thing being we all see the elephant in the room.

When I have a chance I’ll compare games/minutes for back row players who lined out in last few u20 years alongside Jones, Rea, McCann, Allison etc.

Paul Smeenus

All of Munster's starting back row today are 22. Every one. Even given my own eloquent, insightful arguments against getting frustrated by our young backrowers breaking through slowly, that has depressed me now.

Of course, let's see how it goes.

Paul Smeenus

Announced today, obviously. For tomorrow's game

bilston

Casey and Healy at 9 and 10 as well.

So 6-10 all under 22...fair play to them, will be interesting to see how they go.

launish116

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

All of Munster's starting back row today are 22. Every one. Even given my own eloquent, insightful arguments against getting frustrated by our young backrowers breaking through slowly, that has depressed me now.

Of course, let's see how it goes.

Coombes was unreal last week. Absolute monster of 22 year old.

This is my worry, we’re gonna be behind next season. The likes of Munster have been forced to use youth (haven’t in past to their detriment) and there still winning.

Realistically we’ll likely still have a play off at end of season. We need to broaden our forward depth now, not when we’re on back foot seasons down line.

Paul Smeenus

Before we flagellate ourselves too much, they are also playing Billy Holland, Kevin O'Byrne. Stephen Archer. They have Callum Reid on loan.

Utah_Saint

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Before we flagellate ourselves too much, they are also playing Billy Holland, Kevin O'Byrne. Stephen Archer. They have Callum Reid on loan.

Is Reid a good prospect? I've never seen him play so can't comment. Could he establish himself as a pro14/HEC level player in future?

Paul Smeenus

Unverified, but from T'Other Forum:

Looks like a couple of late changes for the match tonight, McCloskey and young Sexton on the bench, in for Moore and Madigan, Faddes to 13 Gilroy at 14.