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Ulster played some of their best rugby this season but still came out on the losing side against a clinical Ospreys side . . .
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How many points has Ian cost us ? but then we all see what we want to see !!
No’C will never have the instinct of Ian but then Ro’G never had the instinct of David
But Ro’G recognised the talent he had and worked to perfect it
Compared to Ro’G — No’C has a better defence is faster and has a better pass but and this is the major difference RoG controls the game with his boot and always knows exactly what he is going to do before the ball hits his hands.
He set his objectives and work hard to achive them.
NoC has a lot of work to do to say he lacks talent is a falsehood — he has to recognise the difference between what he can do and perfect those talents he has.
With regard to his place kicking he has to realise that kicking the ball hard only magnifies any directional error it really is not necessary to kick the ball out of the ground every time.
I have always thought Ian had talent ball- in- hand unfortunately his lack of defence is in my view a incorrectable weakness because it is not due to an error in technique but reluctance when faced one on one.
the mote – I agree with your comments, NOC can perfect those raw talents with good coaching and practice and become a reasonable 10 in my humble opinion. IH on the other hand has matured and has those deft touches with the boot , but his defence is his weak point probably because of his lightly built frame.
Dewi, at least I’m not an anonymous coward…perectly happy to openly criticise NOC. Watch my lips – he’ll never make the grade!!!!! Reckon he cost us about 18 points between missing easy kicks and giving away another joke try. Humps jnr. is not the complete answer for us, but dammit he’s vastly superior to NOC.
Diack was outstanding, which probably means he’ll be sent back to the bench again.
Can I start a bring back McCall campaign?
Look forward to seeing you put forward your forthright views at the URSC AGM next week.
They won’t let me in. Apparently you need to be a member or something like that. What is the world coming to, I ask you.
You can still join and prove that you’re not an anonymous coward!
It is my belief that the Ulster management decided that Ulster should play a flat attacking backline with O connor running at the opposition hoping that a delayed pass to the centre at pace would provide the gap for the break. It is a very high risk attack and makes for the suicide pass and the interception.
Myself I prefer the Ulster backs to run form deep to provide the wings with quick ball in space it also makes a defence which lies near off-side ( if not off-side ) more obvious .
O’Connor in the off season should spend some time working to develop an up-n-under and grubber kick to add to his long boot and soft across field kicking thereby he might be able to vary the attack more. His other major weakness appears to be a tendency when running with the ball to run at an angle across field– if an out half runs across field the problem is the whole backline runs at the same angle across field denying space to the wing and taking the defence across the field as well.
Dewi I can’t agree with your take on going for a scrum when points are available from a penalty early in a match.
given that most referees ( and esp scottish referees ) haven’t a clue about scrummaging — if the scrum drops its 50/50 the penalty will go to the opposition.
With regard to the Best substitutions I doubt if it would or would not have made a difference and it could be that management consider that two substitions in the front row would weaken the scrum .
Similiarly while Humphreys may add flair; against the Os backline his weakness in defence would have been a serious liability — Humphreys in defence drifts onto wing and would definitely not offer much against two lion’s wingers.
The match in my opinion was not decided in the first few minutes of the first half but in the first 10 of the second half when the six point cushion was lost. The Os had always the potential to score trys in the second half thus the two quick penalties increased the pressure on the Ulster players for the rest of the game.
The chargedown kick try was a soft try but there are better outhalfs than O Connor have suffered the same fate. the last try was really down to Ulster chasing the win.
As usual the referee ( scottish ) was of debateable quality not only for the decisions made but the decisions he failed to make one of the biggest being near the end with Ulster attacking the Os line Fuzzy Jones off his feet diving down on the ball in the ruck — and the scrum is awarded to the Os
I’m not going to say I was surpised that Ulster didn’t win more surprised that given the quality of the opposition that Ulster came so close to winning a much improved performance
What are you squawking about Raven. I’ve always said Humphreys is Ulster’s most attacking outhalf and if the pack is on top he’s the best option to exploit the front foot ball.
However, O’Connor is a hell of a lot more talented than some of the anonymous cowards on message boards are making out. Aged only 22 he is undoubtedly one of Ulster’s most talented young players and has developed his game tremendously this season.
Editor ……….. are you Matt Williams in disguise? 🙂
He he! Just call me Swiss Dewi!
Now that your flights look cancelled tomorrow Raven are you just going to walk across to Scotland?
I am glad Dewi has finally got off the fence and come round to what the Raven has been telling him for months. O’Connors limitations where cruelly exposed last night. If ever a game was made for Humphreys this was it and yet McLaughlin inexplicably kept him on the bench. I have been critical of McLaughlins tactical nous since our win at Bath which resulted in us been dumped out of Europe so I will not dwell on the Head Coach this post.
I have carried out an analyses of Ulster performances in the last twenty minutes of every Magners League game this season and it clearly shows this is where our problems are. Of the 15 matches to date Ulster have failed to out score ANY of our opponents, and that includes 5 wins, in the last quarter of any of any league match this season. This to me points to the conditioning of the players, is it good enough, and a misuse of the bench. No doubt Humph Snr will read my post as usual and make the appropriate adjustments.
Thankfully Diack has proved to one and all who the best number 8 in Ulster is, well done Robbie. If only Brian would realise that the best number 10 in Ulster still goes by the name of Humphreys things would be a lot easier for him. 🙂
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