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

Was Coetzee injured yesterday? He looked fine walking around the pitch at the end. Why was he subbed?

bilston wrote: »

Yeah Treadwell was outstanding. Joe is bound to have taken note

I am starting to hope that having McFarland on board may be the making of Treadz.

stephen_n wrote: »

It seems that Dan McFarland has done what Gibbes couldn’t and made Ulsters pack a weapon. That might be disingenuous, as he didn’t have Moore, Cotzee or Jordi and O’Sullivan hadn’t broken through. Even allowing for that, the Ulster pack is just unrecognisable since he’s arrived. Treadwell has certainly come out the other side of his slump, going by yesterday’s performance. Outside of that Cooney was a legitimate shout for MOTM yesterday, he was phenomenal. When I was leaving the match yesterday, I was thinking it must have been a really weird feeling for Ulster fans. Coming down thinking there was little hope. Then dominating large parts of the game, deserving the win IMO. To then lose by such narrow margins. There was so so much to be positive about for Ulster fans yesterday and yet still that bitter taste of defeat. It’s incredible how fast Ulster have managed to rebuild, I think if this continues you really will be contenders in both the league and Europe next year.

Worth bearing in mind that, although we were missing Addison, Lyttle and Gilroy, we would have been smashed without Henderson and Coetzee. Missing either of them, and that game would not have been close. We need more depth. And, if suggest, Lowry to pass Burns.

But you're 100% right. McFarland is already proving to be the best coach we've had since - I don't know. McLaughlin? maybe in the pro era? He is working some serious magic. We are doing the basics so much better. And we're getting Roddy Grant as forwards coach next season. We're overlooking that in the rush to talk about the likes of McGrath possibly joining, but hopefully it improves our pack further, across the board.

It's not just him, though. Petrie replacing Logan as the CEO has, according to those in the know, transformed the way the place is run. I've seen him at club games and Peel was at Hollywood a few weeks ago. The attitude, the knowledge is just on another level to previously seen.

Such an incredible experience, our fans were loud and we were chasing the game for the full 80 minutes rather than trying to keep in touch like many expected.

Watched the game back today and their were a few standouts. Treadwell was immense and should have won over a lot of doubters with that performance. With carter signed, he will be a little more rested and should be able to empty the tank more often. Consistency is the next step for him.

Coetzee was brilliant. Carries and tackles aggressively, and is a very underrated breakdown player. He can play across the backrow and he’s probably our best player in each position. We’re still lacking dangerous ball carriers, so his fitness is really important for us next year.

Stockdale was incredible and it’s really disappointing to read comments about him needing to play his was back into the green jersey. Ridiculous. He was the best backline player on the pitch by some margine, but he made a mistake. Adam Byrne is one of the most dangerous players in the air in Europe imo, and Stockdale won that battle despite repeated claims that he’s not great in the air. He created that opportunity and he does so on a regular basis, and there isn’t a winger in Ireland that comes close to bringing that sort of attacking threat. Not sure who people could argue will take his place - Kearney went missing and Larmour was a speed bump.

Henderson was excellent as expected. We’re a different team with him on the field and hopefully he can stay healthy. There will be plenty of arguments about this, but he starts for Ireland imo.

We’ve got a tough run in and hopefully we can keep replicating this sort of performance, and end this season the way way we want to start the next one.

That game will have really put some fear into a few teams coming up to the Pro14 playoffs.

Down to everyman, gave it everything. Next week a lot of rotation.

Still think credit must be given to the likes of our academy players in O'Sullivan, Baloucoune, Lowry. Didn't look out of place at all. Baloucoune's workrate and pace is unreal! Keep saying this, but Gilroy is going to struggle next season.

If I was Faddes, McGrath etc. and was maybe still considering my options? I'd be on the phone to Ulster Monday morning wanting to sign after watching that. Likewise Ulster should be advertising that match and what we're building.

Faddes & McGrath + ball carrying blindside/no8 (even Pro14 level) and emergence of some more academy players. Going forward things look great!

Hasn't been mentioned but Wiehahn Herbst has said on twitter yesterday was his last game for Ulster. Back to South Africa.

thomond2006 wrote: »

That's strange timing? Would Ulster not keep him until the end of the season?

Thought the exact same.

Mutual agreement? maybe has a contact waiting and is required for super rugby?

Five seasons for Ulster, not too shabby! always thought he had good aggression/physicality.

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Cooney is an Ulster man now. He left it all out there. Some effort from him.

Watching Cooney in particular yestwrday and I am even more baffled why he wasn't used much more in 6n

troyzer wrote: »

bilston wrote: »

Reading the various MBs there seems to be a continued view that Burns isn't up to scruff.

I genuinely don't get this. I think there is an element that people made their conclusions months ago and pretty much nothing will change their mind now irrespective of what Burns (sounds a bit like something else beginning with ...

I think he has done well for Ulster. He could do with adding a few yards to his clearance kicks but he is a good passer of the ball and takes the ball pretty flat. I'm just not seeing why some people in the internet world get so down on him.

It may be because he isn't Paddy Jackson I guess, but people need to get over that. He can't be that bad given we have gone pretty well this season...better in fact than the last couple of seasons Jackson was here.

Is Lowry the long term answer I wonder. I'm trying to think of any obvious Leinster candidates.

I don't mean that in a trolling way. I genuinely do think Leinster are going to have a backlog in the future even if Sexton does go sooner rather than later. Frawley and Harry Byrne both look like stars and Rose Byrne is so screwed on for someone that young.

Chris Cosgrave is going to light up the world as well and he hasn't even joined the academy yet.

If Ulster haven't found their man in the next two or three seasons, there will probably be good pickings there.

Hopefully lowry makes the grade....I'm sure Munster will take another fly half...between 9's and 10's they look light.... ;-)

For a lot of fans to give praise to Jackson's replacement, Ulster would have to have signed a world class 10, which just wasn't going to happen. Burns is a decent player, and I think it's important to realise that we didn't sign a finished article - he's 24 and still has a lot of growing to do. Personally I think Lowry is an excellent 10 and should be getting much more game time there, but he will always struggle due to size and I hope the coaches plan on letting Curtis get minutes there as well, rather than converting him to 12 full time.

troyzer wrote: »

Is Lowry the long term answer I wonder. I'm trying to think of any obvious Leinster candidates.

I don't mean that in a trolling way. I genuinely do think Leinster are going to have a backlog in the future even if Sexton does go sooner rather than later. Frawley and Harry Byrne both look like stars and Rose Byrne is so screwed on for someone that young.

Chris Cosgrave is going to light up the world as well and he hasn't even joined the academy yet.

If Ulster haven't found their man in the next two or three seasons, there will probably be good pickings there.

Cosgrave... :rolleyes:
Leinster wont really have that much a backlog. 2/3 always needed etc and game time will be found for all especially when Sexton goes as very different then

awec wrote: »

It's very hard to develop two out halves at the same time.

Look at Leinster and their struggle to give Carbery and Byrne enough time last year.

Ulster won't be able to develop both Lowry and Curtis at 10 in the near future. We'll have to pick one and go with it.

Not necessarily. You can very much develop both and use both. All depends on what other options are there at 10 beyond those 2.

Is McPhillips completely out of the equation then? Bit of a head scratcher, thought he did quite well last season all considering.

I think Burns has potential to be a decent standard outhalf, he's still young and it's only his first season with Ulster. As the backline becomes more stable as well with the younger lads getting more game time he should hopefully be able to kick it up a gear.

It'll be tough trying to bring through Lowry and Curtis at the same time, as well as keeping McPhillips in the conversation.

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

There are a number of elements to fan's unhappiness with Burns, I think, and few of them fair. The thing that frustrates me most about his actual play is his restarts, which are very rarely contestable.

A lot of Ulster fans felt Johnny McPhilips went really well at the end of last season, and should be given a shot, myself amongst them. I have heard from a Well Placed Source, however, that the powers that be feel he has reached his ceiling and hasn't kicked on enough. But when Billy has a bad game, the grumbling starts. "Johnny couldn't be any worse." And although he is only 24, before he arrived, there was a lot of talk that he actually had quite a bit of experience. So fans were maybe expecting him to be more polished.

Yea McPhillips is an odd one. I really thought he was showing promise at the end of the season when he got some game time, and you would think he would've been rewarded with some more minutes this season. Maybe the coaching change had something to do with it? On the other hand, we were basically forced to play him, and maybe what he showed just wasn't enough to sway their opinion, and they kept him on as our 10 shirt is in a rather precarious position.