Oh dear! I’d predicted a comfortable Ulster win for this one but, given the nature of this 27 – 9 defeat, I couldn’t have been more wrong. I’d suggested that Ulster’s front five may sort out the Jocks but it was quite the reverse with the Ulster pack being soundly worked over to such an extent that they could only field seven forwards for the last 15 minutes.
Given the remaining fixtures I now reckon that Ulster will need to beat both Leinster and Munster to stay in the top four, though a fifth place finish now looks the most likely option.
There’s plenty to bemoan as Ulster’s season has spiraled out of control and it would be easy to focus on the fourth minute of the Saracens semi final and Payne’s red card, but it’s a crisis that has been building over a few seasons with Ulster’s horrendous injury record in the pack.
McLaughlin and Anscombe have concentrated on playing a big pack to outmuscle their opponents, looking to . . .
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