Des finds himself some good Ulster breeding stock!
Maybe the headline is a bit harsh but there was certainly something starchy in Ulster’s performance last night as a Turnip 3rd XV strolled away with the points in this disappointing game on Friday night at “Fortress” Ravers. What was most disappointing is that Munster didn’t even have to send up the big turnips to do the jobs as their small swedes managed perfectly nicely.
I don’t know how many times in the second half that I shouted in frustration as Ulster’s par boiled pack tried time after time to generate some momentum from yet another standing start. Our play with the ball in hand has definitely been undercooked this season but our work off the ball is practically frozen compared to other teams.
Ulster seem to think that the only way of generating momentum at the break down is with a death or glory pop past whereas other teams realise that getting your head down and driving over the ball with a bit of pace works as well. Our staple diet of slow ball inevitably means that our “supposed” ball carrying forwards are static when they receive the ball and are gleefully smashed by the onrushing defence and thus the cycle repeats.
Pienaar and Wannenburg must, even at this early stage of their Ulster careers, wonder what they have let themselves in for as they often bear the brunt of Ulster’s lack of cohesion, frequently left standing in no man’s land with little time and few options. At least Muller has the option of getting stuck in, but like so many of Ulster’s forwards it’s an individual effort rather than a united one.
One good thing that did come out of last nights match was the performance of our youngsters. McAllister, Spence, Luke Marshall, McIlwaine, D’Arcy and Cronin all concentrated on their game and put in useful enough displays doing the basics well. It’s a pity a few more of our established players, and coaches for that matter, didn’t realise that they had to do the same.
Unfortunately I didn’t make it up to Ravers on the night, doubly unfortunate as a couple of our Munster mates James and Des had made the journey up to enjoy the game. (Glad someone did – hope you had a good night in town lads!)
Stuck at home listening to Gusher and Constable I must admit that the commentary interaction did bring a touch of levity to the game. Gusher took time out of eulogising a pretty average Munster performance to justifiably criticise some aspects of Ulster’s play! Poor old Ryan nearly choked getting his excuses out for whichever one of his assets was being maligned as he struggled to cope with his ridiculous conflict of interest. Only in Ulster!
Just a few pics this week. If you’ve anymore send them in and we’ll stick them up!
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6 Responses to “Turnips mash potatos!”
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I was at Ravers on Fridat night and it wasn’t good. I won’t go into analysing the game, there’s enough material there to convene a conference.
I watched two games on TV over the weekend, OZ v NZ and the Curry Cup Final, Natal v Western Province (now there was a game) They seemed to be playing a different code but we all know it’t the same game with the same laws.
What I would say, if the plan is to empty Ravenhill on a Friday Night, they’re halfway there!
For the record, I’m a diehard Ulster supporter.
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“Pienaar and Wannenburg must, even at this early stage of their Ulster careers, wonder what they have let themselves in for”!!!!!
Surely this should read…. The Ulster supporters, even at this early stage, must be wondering why have we paid so much money for Pienaar and Wannenburg?
Wannenburg, yes he has played OK in the matches in which he has appeared so far this season, even if he did give away the infringement that resulted in a Munster penalty. But is he any better than our own ‘home-grown’ back row talent. I don’t think so or at least I haven’t seen so yet.
Pienaar, his positional sense and speed of pass is a step above anyone we have seen at Ulster but is he bringing players with him when he gets to the breakdown or when he sends out a pass, or is he just operating on his own expecting others to be there when he reacts. Again is it his fault that no one else in the team is operating at his speed yet, or should he not be demanding that his out-half or whoever is closest go with him. Surely for a player of his calibre the latter should be happening but again I have yet to see it. As for his kicking being first class as McLough has said…. come on…he is no more…
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I still think the bulk of Ulsters problems stem from the forwards not acting as a unit but rather as a colection of individuals.
They can raise their game for the odd big Heiny game, when they feel they have to concentrate and focus more intensely, but the bulk of the time they still bumble around as indiividuals rather than as a pack.
As Wannenburg and Pienaar were both bought as players to do something with go forward ball they must both be dissapointed at the quality of the ball they have been getting.
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I don’t think the Curriecup final was a great game, one team was on fire and the other didn’t turn up (Western Province) In fact it was embarrassing the way WP players lost the ball in contact by having it taken off them. Disappointing would be a better description unless of course your a Sharks supporter.
Agree with the Ed, our forwards are not playing as a unit. Equally have we had the same backline out more than once so far? Pienaar has played by my reckoning a maximum of 5 games and with 3 different fly halfs. Whilst he needs to tailor his game to suit NH style, it hardly helps all the chopping and changing of personnel alongside him,
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Pienaar has never been great at kicking
S14
2007: 65.22% from 23 attempts (Montgomery was the Sharks’ primary kicker)
2008: 69.23% from 13 attempts (Kockott was the Sharks’ primary kicker)
2009: 50% from 10 attempts (Kockott was the Sharks’ primary kicker)
Boks
2007: 1 from 5 attempts (Hougaard & Montgomery the primary kickers)
2008: F Steyn, James and Montgomery the kickers
2009: 1 from 5 attempts (F Steyn and M Steyn the primary kickers)
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The stats are correct, so why is he kicking?
I am led to believe D’Arcy’s kicking stats at Manly were very good, can he do some kicking then please? Lets at least find out.
Its not just the pack that plays like individuals, its the whole shooting match and the coaches need to sort that out asap and get us back to doing the basics right, allowing us to suffocate teams out of games and get so much territory and possession it doesn’t matter we need about five attempts before scoring at any given moment. Thats the starting point.
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