This is always a hard report to write. First game of the season, new, coach, new team, home game and a defeat. Natural loyalty to Ulster makes it difficult to pan the team too much but you can’t overlook some basic inadequacies.
Let’s get the unpleasant stuff out of the way first. This defeat can be placed solely at the feet of the coaching staff. Llanelli were better prepared and looked sharper all over the pitch. Their preseason obviously appears to have been spent working on a settled side whereas Ulster’s was spent in experimentation.
This was the first time that this starting fifteen had played together and unfortunately it showed. Llanelli were much quicker from kick off and their greater cohesion at the breakdown nullified any advantage Ulster had in the first half from the elements. When Ulster did start to gel, during the last quarter, they had left themselves . . .
You will need to log in or register to read the rest of this article. If you have not already registered you can click here to register.
In 2022 we added 102,631 new images in 510 galleries with a gallery breakdown of 263 Rugby, 217 Hockey and 30 Athletics. Your registration and subscription will help us to continue.
Thanks.
Leave a Reply to mark purseCancel reply