Ulster’s impressive pre-season continued with a notable 3 – 25 win over experienced Guinness Premiership side Worcester Warriors.
I don’t want to get too excited about the performances so far but the value of Ulster Rugby’s first win on English soil should not be underestimated.
So far for, former teacher, Brian McLaughlin and his coaching staff can mark their report card A+ as they have ticked all the boxes for pre-season so far.
Under the tutelage of the management team Ulster are now fitter and stronger than they have ever been, they are playing as a team, they are playing with pride and commitment and they have developed a simple but highly effective game plan. So far, so good!
Despite the musings of modern day pundits, rugby has always been a simple game and it’s this simplicity that McLaughlin has focused on during his short tenure. Do the basics well, get on the front foot and keep your opponents under pressure. Ulster have been outstanding, whether in attack or defence, at keeping their opponents under pressure and, being on the front foot they’ve been the quickest to react to opportunities. Back this up with the basic skill sets and the results have looked after themselves.
All good enough to get an A. The + comes from how the coaching team have developed a weak looking squad into one that actually looks very, very, exciting. To do so in such a short period of time is highly commendable. The battle for places throughout the season is going to be fantastic.
Now to put a break on things! At the end of the day we’ve really beaten nobody of any standing in the rugby world. A couple of journeyman teams in the overhyped Guinness Premiership and a rebuilding Italian side aren’t exactly the toughest opponents and there are still a lot of questions to be answered. Will the team last the season with this abrasive style of play? How will we cope with big rumbling packs? Will our kicking averages improve?
Who knows? But one thing is certain, I’m looking forward to this season with a lot more confidence. I suspect the team are as well.
It was the defence wot won it!
Video Clip from Steve Kyriacou
As it happened.
- I finally see ulster win a game in england
- No worries fru – when do we get paid?
- Pretty impressive stuff – showed a lot of hunger and dog, as well as some nice touch in the backs..
- Game over
- Conv 3 25
- Try came after good kick to the corner by whitten, and spence showed great gas to pressureise Garvey into fly hacking out
- Try ulster don’t know who after rolling maul
- 4 mins to go – ulster have won this! Bloody good showing in 2nd half!
- Porter on for Hugo, who played pretty well. Maybe a box kick too many..
- http://twitpic.com/flwbz
- Which ulster steal, great break out and nice breaks by trimby looking sharp in midfield. Finally turn over with fwd pass
- Wuss kick pen to corner
- Hump kicks pen 3 18
- Our scrum has looked solid, and still does even with all change front row
- Brady for kyriacou – impressive in the loose, darts not 100%…
- Think Anderson on for henry court for young
- Good stuff from ulster so fat in second -they look hungry, and sharp..
- Hump kicks pen 3 15
- Good steal by diack at the back of lineout good surge to line and a number of phases – ends in ulster scrum
- Hugo chip to corner taken by cave but he steps in touch..
- Strange – cave playing on wing, trimby still at 13. Also spence moved to 10 iat last defensive scrum, with humph on wing..
- Great tackle henry on Garvey.. Ulster looking solid again in defence this half.
- Fitzpatrick damn this predictive text
- Cave on for jim Fitzgerald for bj
- Conv missed 3 12
- Great breakaway – faloon made a tackle, won the loose ball and flipped up to someone (missed who) who offloaded to boss who finished well!
- Another try for ulster!
- Try boss
- Ulster go through a few phases in their 22 before jim knocks on
- Exchange of poor box kicks early in the second before ihumph pings the corner nicely.. Lineout then squint.
- 2nd half kicks off
- Half time wuss had vast majority of possession in last 15 mind but only got 3 pts
- Ulster finally win a pen and can get out of their 22!
- Ulster hang on and caldy trots back on. Scrum after scrum for wuss.. Couple of pens coming from them too.Ulster have been stuck in their 22 for the last 10 mins.. Defence fairly stout so far but a lot of pressure
- Warriors very close in the corner – terrible tackling
- Caldwell yellow card
- Ulster have given away too many pens at the breakdown so far.. This time it’s bryn, after a great take
- Pen right in front… 7-3
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