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

awec wrote: »

Ruan Pienaar's sister was killed in a car accident today.

Very sad to read this.

awec wrote: »

Ruan Pienaar's sister was killed in a car accident today.

Awful news. Thoughts with ruan and his family

Deleted User wrote: »

How did Henderson get on?

At times it looked like he went through the motions a bit, but he played the whole 80 minutes. So there is no reason to think he won't be available for next weekend.

Final six league games...

Zebre (h)
Dragons (a)
Kings (h)
Glasgow (a)
Edinburgh (a)
Leinster (h)

We need 14 and probably 15 points from the next 3 games, that would get us to 53/54 points. Then we have to remember we will be at full strength for the last three games. If we get 6 or 7 points from those three that will get us to 59/60. Will that be enough for 3rd place? Last season 60 points wouldn't even have got you 4th in Conference B.

bilston wrote: »

Final six league games...

Zebre (h)
Dragons (a)
Kings (h)
Glasgow (a)
Edinburgh (a)
Leinster (h)

We need 14 and probably 15 points from the next 3 games, that would get us to 53/54 points. Then we have to remember we will be at full strength for the last three games. If we get 6 or 7 points from those three that will get us to 59/60. Will that be enough for 3rd place? Last season 60 points wouldn't even have got you 4th in Conference B.

Leinster is a 5 pointer.

Next up
Benetton v Dragons
Embra v Blues


Then
Benetton v Embra


Connacht v Benetton
Embra v Leinster

Scarlets v Embra
Leinster v Benetton


Will go down to round 21

bilston wrote: »

Leinster a 5 pointer?

I assume your logic is they will have the conference sorted by then (well before then!), I'd never predict a 5 pointer against Leinster, but it probably isn't the worst time to play them. At full strength I fancy we can pick one win in Scotland, but it will be so tight.

You’ll beat us in Belfast. We were very poor at the end of last season when there was nothing to play for and there was a fair bit of that on show yesterday too.

awec wrote: »

Leinster will have the pool sorted by then. I am sure, if Ulster are in need of a win, Leinster will conveniently rest a few.

I expect they’ll send every international they have, including his holiness, the World Player of the Year ... of course that’s only because they’ll be after revenge after getting hammered out of the European Cup.

stl.ire wrote: »

awec wrote: »

Leinster will have the pool sorted by then. I am sure, if Ulster are in need of a win, Leinster will conveniently rest a few.

I expect they’ll send every international they have, including his holiness, the World Player of the Year ... of course that’s only because they’ll be after revenge after getting hammered out of the European Cup.

*****

Henderson cited.

https://www.pro14rugby.org/2019/02/18/disciplinary-update-round-15-henderson/

All Scottish panel...

Deleted User wrote: »

What was the incident?

There's a link on the Ireland thread

https://www.ulsterrugby.com/2019/02/academy-trio-commit-futures-to-ulster/

Lowry, Hume and O'Sullivan all sign contracts. Exciting players that'll be essential to our imminent European dynasty.

Dubinusa wrote: »

Surprisingly , no Dalton?
Three fine prospects though. I think they will thrive at Ulster.
EOS at the rate he's going will be in the mix for an international cap.
Hume will replace Cave. I'd like to see cave extended for a year.
Lowry has some work ons in defense, but he's a playmaker!

EOS looks a little small for international duty tbh, and his scrummaging hasn't been great either. Excellent around the pitch, great line speed, and a tackle machine at times though.

I've been a fan of Hume for a while, despite not getting up to much for the u20's. He looks to have sorted his defence out, and he's looked really nice in attack in his cameo's.

Lowry will always have trouble with his size, but he's an excellent flyhalf regardless.

bilston wrote: »

Lowry's size may prove a hindrance to him making it for Ireland but he has already proved to be a very good player for Ulster at a very young age. He has work instead but I'm hopeful he has a big future with Ulster ahead of him.

Hume has done well this season, don't forget that last year he missed most of the season through injury. Anyway performances at Pro 14 level count more than U20s IMO and while he didn't stand out at 20s level he has looked good for Ulster. He is powerful and has really good hands. He looks to be in the Cave mould of a centre.

EOS has been the find of the season, Lowry and Hume have been sort of earmarked form the age of 15 or 16 but O'Sullivan has come out of nowhere (to me anyway). I reckon he has the potential to play for Ireland. He seems to be doing fine in the scrum and is very good around the park. He is also a good link man.

With the news that Callum Reid looks set to be committing to rugby, we may do pretty well in the front row in the next few years with O'Sullivan, Reid, Moore, O'Toole and Kane.

Lowry, Hume and Reid were all very highly rated early on. Just need to get Rhys O'Donnell in the academy now as well. I was a fan of Reid, but he's missed a lot of rugby, so probably need to keep expectations in check and be patient with him.

Hume really impressed me against Munster - broke a few tackles and caused trouble for Arnold by attacking his outside shoulder. Showed he can take contact as well in tight games like against Benetton I think it was.

EOS came out of nowhere because he came from Leinster, who are ridiculously stacked at prop. I'd love to be proved wrong but I would have doubts about his potential as an international - but he's still young and relatively inexperienced, so plenty of time for improvement and at the very least he'll be an excellent player for Ulster for years to come. It's not an ideal tactic but I wouldn't a few more players coming north like EOS and O'Connor to plug a few holes while we sort out our underage coaching and academy. Shamelessly I'd be having a look at Charlie Ryan as Leinster have quite a few 2nd rows coming through the academy ahead of him.

Nelson at 10 and McPhillips on the bench.

I suspect Johnny isn't long for the Ulster squad.

The front row is pretty good, but the second row and back row is so average. The half backs are a concern, the centres and back three are fine.

Is that side good enough to pick up a TBP win? I'm not certain at all.