The way things worked out this weekend I ended up watching this game at home on my own sitting on the sofa with an old bottle of sparkling wine!
This was my first opportunity to study the BBC NI coverage in detail and I must say I was somewhat disappointed with what we were presented with. To be honest when you listen to old Gushers commentary by numbers and Constables platitudes about all the signed up players I’m afraid what comes across is a pretty tepid and sanitised version of events giving little insight into the vagaries of the game.
There is little criticism of the Ulster players, and in their attempt to come across as balanced the commentary team go overboard eulogising about basic moves carried out by the opposition. I lost count of the number of times we were told that Keatley has pace, invariably as he crabbed sideways across the field making little headway, and how powerful and forceful various Connacht players were as they made basic tackles.
This was a dull and turgid game throughout, and should have been called as such, the only excitement being the closeness of the score. Ulster flattered occasionally and Connacht deceived often, running out of puff and composure when opportunities presented themselves. Both lineouts were poor and the scrums were abysmal from both sides, with Ulster, for the second game this season, ending up with a prop driven face first into the turf. If a front row player can’t do the basics of crouch, pause, engage then get them off and the nonsense will soon stop.
This was never a must win game for Ulster, in fact at times it appeared more like a Probables against Possibles trial with the Possibles doing all they could to unsettle the Probables. The big difference between the sides was who wasn’t playing and Ulster will start Muller, Faloon, Diack, Botha, Pienaar, O’Connor and Danielli when the big match’s do come around and Connacht will try and patch together the same XV.
Two points are two points and Ulster remain unbeaten. Ulster will improve and Connacht will struggle as soon as injuries come into play. The downside for Ulster is that other teams will go to Galway and come away with a hat full of points once the Connacht starting XV is changed out through wear and tear.
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6 Responses to “View From the Sofa: Connacht v Ulster.”
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At least Dergman looked as though he had a thoroughly miserable time…..
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Mostly in agreement on BBC’s coverage, Gushers well past his sell by date!
And most teams will come away from Galway with a win when Connacht first XV have been mangled as they surely will, (read Eric Elwood quotes in todays Irish Independent) given the abrasive nature of today’s rugby.
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Having watched it twice ( I am a Masochist ) frist time round it was a game of sispense because as it went on you got the sense that one major mistake could decide the match.. The players also seemed to realise this after what was an active first quarter and the riskless option became the one of first choice by both teams.
Emericks little shoulder charge looked bad because it was a mini at full speed hitting a double decker bus a player of more substance than Carr would have had few problems.
Trimbles card was the result of mistaken intention — the player under the ball was a forward forwards are not normally jumpers for a ball kicked ahead they normally take the ball both feet on the ground braced against any tackle to come. Secondly being a forward he went up for the ball late when Trimble had already decide to tackle rather than jump which he had done on previous occasions
Basically taking a scrum to ground is dangerous play and I am of the opinion until a few props start walking having seen a red card the problem will continue.
Connaught are a team of two talents Keatley and Carr but have the inherited savvy defensive pack and midfield and most teams will find them hard to beat.
How Wallace is currently Ulster player of the Match defeats me yes he kicked the penalties
but truth be recorded the rest of his kicking was as they say in some parts shoite — penalty touch kicks staying in field– restarts to long kicks ahead down field whose purpose could not be identified –ie too far in field to be kicks for touch and too long to be chased.
Last week Marshall was hot this week cold.
Emerick is a big lad but in honesty he appears to lack both guile or pace to be a scoring winger and it makes one wonder what McCrea has done to be sidelined.
Ref watch AR had IMHO a reasonable time with the whistle both sides committed infringements for which they were not penalised but most were never really game changing infringements and blowing them would have really made the game a much duller affair.
If the game was dull in otherwords the ref was not the one to blame.
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Yes Mote I agree with your analysis this week especially your thoughts on Emerick and McCrea.
Paddy would appear to have got the sympathy vote as he hit 4 out of 5.
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The fact is that Wallace had not played 10 for about 12 and was playing from mermory and it showed months
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have to give it to Elwood he asked the fans to turn up and support the team and that they did, also he has created a great team spirit a totally different team to previous years, Elwood is the man. (McL should take notes)
very very hard this week to pick a ‘man of the match’ certainly on the Ulster side anyhow, 2 , 9 and 15 didn’t function.
imagine if Connacht where sitting with Ulsters budget at the end of 09/10 what the score would have been ???????????? they have done well with little.
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