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

If that doesn't sap whatever positivity anyone had for the season, then I don't know what will.

A lot of the same stuff - we pound at the line but teams that are bigger/can defend competently will deal with us easy enough. Looks like a lot of our tries will come from lineouts imo. Lots of silly mistakes in attack and defence that I can't really be bothered listing.

Obviously it's only a preseason game and quite frankly saracens are that far ahead of us as a squad it might as well be a different sport anyway, so this was sort of expected.

Liking Callum Reid so far outside of the scrum, other 'prospects' not going quite as well tbh.

For some unknown reason sexton cuts in every time. Hasn't tried the outside once.

I don't quite think Rea jnr has what it takes to start for Ulster, he looks more like a third choice backrower to me.

There's no doubt sexton has speed but he doesn't always play with it from what I've seen unless he has a lot of open field in front of him. He looks a little panicked and hesitant at times which affects the speed he plays at - hopefully that will improve with time, but you can see why Dan put the brakes on the hype around him.

Conor Rankin has had a shocker of a few minutes.

I'm not too concerned by that. Thought Reid showed up well, as did Doak. Thought that Sexton got no favours from his wingers or centres, but showed some good nuts and bolts. Positioning good, decent kicking.

But we finished with a raft of U20s on the pitch, everyone got a run out. We didn't play smart in the first half, but we adjusted. All I really care about is no injuries.

I wouldn't worry too much about that. It was a friendly and I think Saracens were much closer to full strength than Ulster. Arguably no one in the starting XV would start a European match...maybe Carter and Matty Rea. Although that said having pulled it back to 26-21 and with Saracens down to 14 it was disappointing to capitulate like that.

Bradley Roberts was very good. It was difficult for the young lads...Sexton was a bit of a mixed bag, but I just don't think we will make the most of his pace at 15, but I think we need to be patient with him. We missed a punch in midfield (i.e. McCloskey) Doak's kicking is very good, but I'd like to see him shift the ball faster though. He is very Conor Murray like.

Postelwaite is an interesting one. Hopefully we see more of him. He had some nice touches.

I thought Shanahan's distribution was much quicker than Doak's. Good. It'll show Doak that he needs to play the game to the Ulster gameplay i.e. speed.

Thought McCann showed some good touches as well. But we were miles off a first team, certainly in the first half. Missing McGrath, O'Sullivan, Herring, Henderson, Treadwell, Izuchukwu, Murphy, Timoney, Cooney, Burns, Lowry, McCloskey, Marshall, Hume, Stockdale, Baloucoune, Lyttle, Addison, McIlroy,

We capitulated because we had absolute greenhorns and less vaunted Academy players on the pitch in the last ten/fifteen. There's a reason the last few tries were scored on the right wing.

He started the second half but wasn’t on long before Warwick appeared, didn’t see why he left.

Also thought Bradley Roberts is putting his hand up, for the size of him he’s a handful.

McCann definitely looks our best young back row. Good to see Allison finally get some minutes, Hopefully not the last for the season.

U18 clubs

L 13 was super. Not the biggest but great feet and hands. Scored first try with an interception.

L10 got all his kicks I think.

Sorry but I didn't get forward numbers as my mate's son was playing so I was more focused on him but some tidy players.

U18 S

Leinster back row and back 3. Particularly L15 who was the best back on the pitch. A threat every time he touched it and passed well off either hand.

Yea the 10 had a habit of firing passes, some weren't really going to hand either. He had an okay game but the leinster 10 stood out more to me. Thought some players struggled taking the ball in just at the point of contact as well, almost like they were too focused on the incoming tackle.

I think the early standouts for an academy place from that squad based on what little I've seen would be Wright and Irvine. Would need to see more of McKay, but he's better than average for an age-grade 10 I think. Browne seems decent as well, then there's McNabney you mentioned was highly-rated and Telfer who was mentioned by someone.

First time watching any of the u18's so not much point guessing any of them yet.

Nah, he wasn't. Just mentioned him and Telfer for the sake of including them with the other academy prospects as others have brought them up

Watched Canada vs USA in RWC qualifying 1st leg on Premier Sports on Saturday and Peter Nelson looked quite impressive.

He did but in fairness the standard was probably lower level AIL. If MLR is supposed to be improving the USA team, it sure as hell didn’t show in that match.