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

awec · 17-05-2018 07:46AM

Dubinusa wrote: »

He's probably pissed about kiss been canned. Wants no part of Ulsters DOR

Had nothing to do with Kiss leaving.

Gibbes told Ulster before he signed that he needed to go home at Christmas (remember he missed a few games over the Christmas period), and depending on how that visit went he may have to go home for good.

And so we ended up where we were. Until l’equipe published their story, which doesn’t exactly paint him in a good light.

But I’m sure it’s all Ulster’s fault or something.

Buer · 17-05-2018 07:53AM

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Family reasons could be as simple as the wife hating the Ulster weather!
After being in Clermont with skiing in the winter and blue skies come summer you couldn't blame a family for finding it hard to adjust, especially after the horrible winter/spring we have had.

This is it. People are reading far too much into a bland rationale. Family reasons could well be his family struggling to take to Belfast and he intended to go back to NZ. In the meantime, La Rochelle have come calling and he's a big fan of France having spend significant time there and is willing to change his plans. It could all be poppycock too and he actually is going back to NZ.

The outrage against him is laughable. He's leaving. It doesn't matter whether he's going to coach the All Blacks or the Lansdowne U20 team. It's done and there's not much point in getting wound up by it.

irishbucsfan · 17-05-2018 07:56AM

Buer wrote: »

This is it. People are reading far too much into a bland rationale. Family reasons could well be his family struggling to take to Belfast and he intended to go back to NZ. In the meantime, La Rochelle have come calling and he's a big fan of France having spend significant time there and is willing to change his plans. It could all be poppycock too and he actually is going back to NZ.

The outrage against him is laughable. He's leaving. It doesn't matter whether he's going to coach the All Blacks or the Lansdowne U20 team.

No the family reasons are back home in NZ. I thought it had been reported what they were... but in case it wasn't I won't go into it.

But the chances of him actually going to another club during the week of one of the biggest games of the season are so tiny, that to start insulting him based on the rumour is certainly bizarre.

Or maybe the family reasons equally apply to moving to the South of France, maybe the offer extends to setting up his extended family there. Who knows. Certainly not enough information to start insulting the guy over it.

Paul Smeenus · 17-05-2018 08:00AM

I'm not outraged. Good luck to the guy. But I've told you why he was going home.

There's a definite "tree falling in the woods" philosophical bent to much of the interest in events at Ravenhill. "If there's a story about Ulster that doesn't accentuate and reinforce their amateurism, would there be any Leinster fans sticking around to hear it?"

Imagine I've put some kind of disarming, tongue in cheek emoji after that.

irishbucsfan · 17-05-2018 08:09AM

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

I'm not outraged. Good luck to the guy. But I've told you why he was going home.

There's a definite "tree falling in the woods" philosophical bent to much of the interest in events at Ravenhill. "If there's a story about Ulster that doesn't accentuate and reinforce their amateurism, would there be any Leinster fans sticking around to hear it?"

Imagine I've put some kind of disarming, tongue in cheek emoji after that.

You realise Jonno Gibbes coached Leinster during one of the most successful periods in their history, right? Obviously Leinster fans are interested in following his career.

I don't think a single Leinster fan has called Ulster amateurish over this either. That's the Ulster fans you're referring to. If it's a case of Gibbes working out his notice and then going elsehwere then its nothing to do with Ulster, as the notice is an IRFU policy.

Paul Smeenus · 17-05-2018 08:25AM

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

I'm not outraged. Good luck to the guy. But I've told you why he was going home.

There's a definite "tree falling in the woods" philosophical bent to much of the interest in events at Ravenhill. "If there's a story about Ulster that doesn't accentuate and reinforce their amateurism, would there be any Leinster fans sticking around to hear it?"

Imagine I've put some kind of disarming, tongue in cheek emoji after that.

You realise Jonno Gibbes coached Leinster during one of the most successful periods in their history, right? Obviously Leinster fans are interested in following his career.

I don't think a single Leinster fan has called Ulster amateurish over this either. That's the Ulster fans you're referring to. If it's a case of Gibbes working out his notice and then going elsehwere then its nothing to do with Ulster, as the notice is an IRFU policy.

Don't be so defensive. I'm not sure I even believe this La Rochelle nonsense.

We have a playoff on Sunday to determine what tier we play at in Europe next year. It's the most important game of this season. It will shape next season in a vital way. It will determine ticket sales and what level of player we can tempt into a contract. If he were to genuinely to be elsewhere the day before, he should be criticised intensely and thoroughly. He's being paid to coach, he's not doing this out of the goodness of his heart.

Having said that, I suspect it's ballicks.

17-05-2018 08:29AM

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

If there's a story about Ulster that doesn't accentuate and reinforce their amateurism, would there be any Leinster fans sticking around to hear it?

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Don't be so defensive

Former Former · 17-05-2018 08:29AM

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

I'm not outraged. Good luck to the guy. But I've told you why he was going home.

There's a definite "tree falling in the woods" philosophical bent to much of the interest in events at Ravenhill. "If there's a story about Ulster that doesn't accentuate and reinforce their amateurism, would there be any Leinster fans sticking around to hear it?"

Imagine I've put some kind of disarming, tongue in cheek emoji after that.

That emoji took the sting out it alright.

In fairness Paul, Ulster is part of Irish rugby. When things go wrong, it affects the other provinces too. If Ulster can't produce any players for the national team, it affects all of us. If Ulster can't be successful, then it's less money in the overall pot. If Ulster can't keep the bad PR in check then it reflects badly on Irish rugby as a whole.

So non-Ulster fans have purely selfish reasons for wanting them to do better, but most of us just want Ulster to get their sh1t together for Ulster's sake.

Paul Smeenus · 17-05-2018 08:39AM

Ah, come on lads. I don't mean it too seriously (or indeed, at all, really), but if you think my aside about Leinster fans is based on their reaction to this Gibbes story alone, you're missing the cumulative observations of posting on Ulster threads here season in, season out.

Anyway. I'm worried about Sunday. No Best, no Hendo, no Rea, no Deysel. Not looking good.

dub_skav · 17-05-2018 08:52AM

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

Ah, come on lads. I don't mean it too seriously (or indeed, at all, really), but if you think my aside about Leinster fans is based on their reaction to this Gibbes story alone, you're missing the cumulative observations of posting on Ulster threads here season in, season out.

Anyway. I'm worried about Sunday. No Best, no Hendo, no Rea, no Deysel. Not looking good.

#prayforNordiMurphy

molloyjh · 17-05-2018 08:55AM

awec wrote: »

And yes, outrage is a funny thing. Your own reaction is not exactly consistent here.

I really have no idea what this means....

awec wrote: »

Had nothing to do with Kiss leaving.

Gibbes told Ulster before he signed that he needed to go home at Christmas (remember he missed a few games over the Christmas period), and depending on how that visit went he may have to go home for good.

And so we ended up where we were. Until l’equipe published their story, which doesn’t exactly paint him in a good light.

But I’m sure it’s all Ulster’s fault or something.

Or the story is nonsense. Or the family reasons have changed. Or the money that La Rochelle is offering is enough to make a noticeable impact on the family reasons back home that it makes more sense to do that (Honey Badger anyone?). Or, and I'll make this point again because it's entirely valid, maybe the story is nonsense.

Insulting the guy over a rumour when you haven't the first clue about how true it is or what the wider circumstances are is just a bit petulant.

bilston · 17-05-2018 09:59AM

MJohnston wrote: »

No matter how good the weather, you're still in Belfast...

And I am thankful for it everyday.

awec · 17-05-2018 10:18AM

If you look on ticketmaster for Sunday's match it looks like only ~50% of seats are actually sold. Interest seems low, or else people are miffed at Ulster in general or for not getting this one on the season ticket (which is not Ulster's fault in fairness).

thomond2006 · 17-05-2018 10:20AM

Did Ulster STHs receive a discount on tickets?

stephen_n · 17-05-2018 10:21AM

awec wrote: »

If you look on ticketmaster for Sunday's match it looks like only ~50% of seats are actually sold. Interest seems low, or else people are miffed at Ulster in general or for not getting this one on the season ticket (which is not Ulster's fault in fairness).

Must be a lot of communions in Belfast

prawnsambo · 17-05-2018 10:23AM

stephen_n wrote: »

Must be a lot of communions in Belfast

#ItsEdSheeransFault

awec · 17-05-2018 10:25AM

thomond2006 wrote: »

Did Ulster STHs receive a discount on tickets?

Yea 20%.

Brewster · 17-05-2018 01:12PM

Sunday is not a good day for an Ulster home game as I highlighted before. Ulster obviously had no choice in the scheduling of the game. Anything other than a full house gives the Ospreys a massive advantage. This will take a momumental effort from the 22 to get over the line. I really hope they can do it for the sake of Irish rugby leading into a World Cup.

Paul Smeenus · 17-05-2018 06:42PM

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/44162217

BBC running with it now as well. Poor Waikato.

prawnsambo · 17-05-2018 07:25PM

Brewster wrote: »

Sunday is not a good day for an Ulster home game as I highlighted before. Ulster obviously had no choice in the scheduling of the game. Anything other than a full house gives the Ospreys a massive advantage. This will take a momumental effort from the 22 to get over the line. I really hope they can do it for the sake of Irish rugby leading into a World Cup.

I didn't know Ulster were that short of players. :pac:

Brewster · 17-05-2018 07:43PM

prawnsambo wrote: »

I didn't know Ulster were that short of players. :pac:

I’m supporting this game too long!

awec · 17-05-2018 08:07PM

So he met La Rochelle today after all?

launish116 · 17-05-2018 08:09PM

If I was a soap writer I'd be taking story lines from Ulster, really couldn't make up these scenes any longer! I dread to think what will be next! If there isn't some serious signings shortly i'm gonna lose the plot. I don't even dare watch Sunday's match.

MJohnston · 17-05-2018 09:50PM

bilston wrote: »

And I am thankful for it everyday.

Me too

MJohnston · 17-05-2018 10:00PM

Seriously though, Ulster must have absolutely haemorrhaged fans this season - it has been a complete disaster from beginning to end and it's still going. They'll have to do a lot of work over the next couple of years to bring people back and interested - the situation with McFarland is definitely not the way to do that.

joseywhales · 18-05-2018 12:48AM

MJohnston wrote: »

bilston wrote: »

And I am thankful for it everyday.

Me too

Clever

launish116 · 18-05-2018 06:56AM

MJohnston wrote: »

Seriously though, Ulster must have absolutely haemorrhaged fans this season - it has been a complete disaster from beginning to end and it's still going. They'll have to do a lot of work over the next couple of years to bring people back and interested - the situation with McFarland is definitely not the way to do that.

Just seems one feck up after another! Almost embarrassed being a fan now! I dread to think how the players who care feel? We’ve gone from a club knocking on Europe’s door, to being on our knees!

See their also offering up to 30% of season tickets bought before Tuesday! Really must be struggling.

bilston · 18-05-2018 07:03AM

So given the injuries what sort of side are we looking at for the biggest game of the season?

1 Black
2 Best (maybe)
3 Kane
4 O'Connor
5 Treadwell
6 Diack (no Rea, Deysel or Ross)
7 Timoney
8 Reidy
9 Cooney
10 McPhillips
11 Stockdale
12 McCloskey
13 Marshall (should be Cave)
14 Gilroy
15 Piutau

Clegg · 18-05-2018 07:38AM

That pack...

Jordi save yourself!

awec · 18-05-2018 08:10AM

launish116 wrote: »

Just seems one feck up after another! Almost embarrassed being a fan now! I dread to think how the players who care feel? We’ve gone from a club knocking on Europe’s door, to being on our knees!

See their also offering up to 30% of season tickets bought before Tuesday! Really must be struggling.

Extended the deadline and offering discounts, sales must be through the floor.

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

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