Will Ulster's "luck" run out with terrible consequences?
Ulster’s outrageously successful season continued with another smash and grab raid, this time in Glasgow on a Friday night, with Ulster snatching a 19 – 22 win with yet another last gasp penalty from Ruan Pienaar.
It was a remarkable double for Pienaar as, for the second time this season, he recorded all the teams points in a game – a fact made all the more extraordinary as both games were against Glasgow! (Boy, they must be sick of him. 
) This time round the Springbok landed five penalties, a try and conversion in his 22 point haul.
The game itself was a dour affair with neither team performing well and for large portions Glasgow looked the better team. Ulster struggled at the breakdown, the back-row didn’t function as a unit until Faloon appeared that is, and slow ball was shuffled along the line with no one having the space or timing to inject any pace into the game. For the third game in a row Ulster looked like a team thrown together for a trials game and really, for the third game in a row that’s exactly what they were.
OK, it all could have been better, and Ulster have come remarkably close to that poke in the eye a few times of late, but I still take a great deal of comfort from the game. Rugby isn’t a game of chance with lady luck deciding the winner, but a physical confrontation where the team with the required skill set and the most determination will, more often than not, come away with the victory. More often than not, that is, until they come up against an equally determined team with a better skill set!
Ulster have two weeks to get the players and the skills sorted and, given the fractious nature of the last six or seven weeks of the Six Nations campaign, it is time that is needed to smooth the edges, sharpen the plays and find the right slots for fit and returning players.
Only time will tell if it’s long enough, but if it is, it could turn out to be one hell of a season!
Looking forward to the Scarlets game already – roll on Friday night. Eye patches not required!
Ulster: (15-9): Simon Danielli; Conor Gaston, Nevin Spence, Paddy Wallace, Craig Gilroy; Ruan Pienaar, Paul Marshall; (1-8): Tom Court, Andi Kyriacou, Declan Fitzpatrick, Johann Muller (capt), Dan Tuohy, Robbie Diack, Chris Henry, Pedrie Wannenburg; (16-23): Rory Best, Paddy McAllister, Bryan Young, Tim Barker, Willie Faloon, Ian Whitten, Tommy Seymour, Adam D’Arcy.
More like this:
2 Responses to “Magners League: Glasgow v Ulster – It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye!”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
It always had the look of an unbalanced backrow with 3 number 8s Similiarly on occassion when Ulster had obtained width in the pitch the feed was to a forward running in field taking the width out of the pitch before the ball was released to the backs thus the wings had little room to try and beat their opposite number
The ABs go open -open – blind- blind to suck the forwards in and create space space for the backs . Openning the ball to the backs on the third or fourth phase. we are phasing the ball infield and then releasing the ball to the backs.
Glasgow are not as poor a side as their league position they lack inventiveness in the backs to reward the work of the forwards
Rate this comment. Like or dislike?
0 
0
Heart attack?
To my chest my
Hands I clasp
I deeply breathe
I wheeze and gasp
My temples throb
My mouth is dry
My heart beats fast
I’m going to die
My voice has gone
My throat is sore
My hands both shake
I can take no more
I lay my head
Upon my knee
Now blow the whistle
Referee!
Author unknown
Rate this comment. Like or dislike?
0 
0