Re: The Rugby Thread

**SamiPremier08** Mon Feb 28, 2011 9:57 pm

I was at the game on Sunday and, despite the tight scoreline, I was impressed by them to be honest. Granted, Scotland absolutely pummelled our lines on numerous occasions BUT we held strong and didn't let them get a try.

I wasn't too impressed with the line-outs - Richie Gray I think it was took the ball more or less every time for Scotland, though O'Connell won a crucial throw at the death.

Same old story again with the penalties. Scotland scored 3 points of their 18 off their own play. We gifted them the other 15, just like we did against France.

Looked to score more tries than we did, especially right at the end of the first half.

A kick up the backside with the ill discipline and I'm reasonably happy.

**patrique** Tue Mar 01, 2011 12:58 am

O'Gara was man of the match, but many of the basic errors came from.....O'gara. Not releasing the ball two metres from the Scotland line is unforgivable, but others made mistakes as well.

But, when Scotland had 14 men at the very next scrum, 5 metres from the Scotland line, we gave away a penalty for not binding, BEFORE the ball was put in.

And O'gara was still kicking for touch until he was taken off. I could understand Scotland ringing on Parks to find touch as Scotland won EVERY line out, but O'Gara?

Yes he played fair enough, but Sexton is a far better all round player, as was Humphries.

And if you want to play with ball in hand.........

**Jayo Cluxton** Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:57 am

bocerty wrote:would you not lay some of the blame with Mr Kidney Jayo - his use of the bench this year has been questionable. When Ireland had the upper hand and going for the jugular on Sunday he brought on 3 subs all at once - to me that sent out the signal he thought the game was won and was just handing out game time to a few lads - had we waited another 10 minutes to this or at least staggered the substitutions i dont think we would have been hanging on so desperately for the last 10-15 minutes.

I would indeed blame Mr Kidney too Boc. Substitutions on Sunday were strange and it seems he was reacting to criticism from the French game and felt he had to make them. If Sexton had started I would certainly have introduced O'Gara at that point - but on Sunday the way the game was going at that point O'Gara should have been left on - it was exactly the type of game he can close out - but we got away with it. I have great time for Kidney and his achievements speak for themselves but there seems to be something not quite right in the camp.

**redhandman** Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:20 am

could it be like big joe getting the armagh job . had he took ireland a few years before he did the success could have be phenominal? as it was he took the team got one real great go out of them and then they start to drop off.

**Jayo Cluxton** Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:27 am

redhandman wrote:could it be like big joe getting the armagh job . had he took ireland a few years before he did the success could have be phenominal? as it was he took the team got one real great go out of them and then they start to drop off.

No really RHM - Armagh were a far more physical team than ..... Very Happy

**redhandman** Tue Mar 01, 2011 11:33 am

Jayo Cluxton wrote:
redhandman wrote:could it be like big joe getting the armagh job . had he took ireland a few years before he did the success could have be phenominal? as it was he took the team got one real great go out of them and then they start to drop off.

No really RHM - Armagh were a far more physical team than .....

**Grenvile** Sat Mar 12, 2011 6:49 pm

Wallace what were you doing!?!? All he had to do was play it out wide and Ireland had a try to win at the death.. Evil or Very Mad

Pity. The season's highlight now may well be the chance to deny England a grand slam.

**SamiPremier08** Sat Mar 12, 2011 10:00 pm

ABSOLUTELY RUBBISH

DISGUSTED

**patrique** Sun Mar 13, 2011 1:06 am

I think they can beat England but they need to have confidence in the team.

England now play ball in hand, Johnny Wilkinson, yes Johnny Wilkinson, is on the bench. Wales now start Hook at stand off and Scotland play Ruaridh Jackson at number 10. And they appear to be attempting to trust hinm.

What have we got? Rugby from a few years back before the laws were changed to favour the man with the ball rather than the tackler. Poor, aimless kicking from O'gara and God love him but Stringer, for all his 100 caps, could NEVER pass the ball. This is a large drawback in that position.

So we need Sexton playing and we need to stick with him. Time is running out before the World Cup.

Yes Sexton will be blamed for wales try by idiots, and he did miss a penalty but his later kicks were miles ahad of anything O'Gara produced.

I actually expect Ireland to beat England, but we could do with Leo cullen starting as well, and need a scrum half.

**Grenvile** Sun Mar 13, 2011 1:52 am

I don't think the team trust Sexton's kicking.. If O'Gara was still on the field would Wallace have went to Earls for the corner? I think so..

Still though, he is the future and needs to be first choice at this point with O'Gara as cover.

**SamiPremier08** Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:47 am

The one huge problem is indiscipline. The amount of penalties we have given away this year is utterly ridiculous.

Penalties mean points to the other team which nearly cost us a win against Scotland and certainly denied a great win over France.

How many times do we want to give away penalties for not rolling away from the tacking? You'd think they would learn after the first 15 offences!

I agree with the points about kicking, it's pointless. 99% of the time our kicks simply hand possession back to the opposition. Run with the ball in hand!

So frustrating it's untrue! Mad

**patrique** Sun Mar 13, 2011 2:04 pm

Jonsmith wrote:I don't think the team trust Sexton's kicking.. If O'Gara was still on the field would Wallace have went to Earls for the corner? I think so..

Still though, he is the future and needs to be first choice at this point with O'Gara as cover.

As Max Boyce used to say "I was there" when he kicked 5 out of 5 to beat the world champions and he seems to be doing OK with Leinster.

Perhaps the dependency on Munster is hard to shake off. O'Connell looks to be half the player he was, although Hayes lifting ability in the line out is badly missed, and O'callaghan is not the player he was.

**SamiPremier08** Sun Mar 13, 2011 5:27 pm

England got very lucky indeed there. Crucial try was scored as a result of a forward pass and John Barclay's sin-binning for doing nothing at all wrong. Scotland thoroughly deserved to win.

**Boxtyeater** Mon Mar 14, 2011 2:34 am

Egg-chasing..not a sport..

Invented, like most team games, by the Brits and when other countries surpassed their meagre talents they invented another team game.
Hence soccerball, rogbee football, cricket, hockey etc.,......

Dwarf throwing remains uniquely Irish though...

**Jayo Cluxton** Mon Mar 14, 2011 8:48 am

I suspect that Kidney's revered status is not something that the younger Leinster players are buying into. He was brilliant with Munster and came into an Irish set-up full of Munster stalwarts - and duly delivered it should be said. Now there are a number of younger Leinster lads - Heaslip, Healy, O'Brien, Fitzgerald, Sexton - who are used to Chieka and Schmidt. I don't think they are buying into the Kidney philosophy at all - and some of his decisions cant be helping. Yet again on Saturday the O'Gara change was ill-timed.

I like Sexton but his penalty miss was a shocker and was the difference between a converted try and an unconverted try at the death. That does not excuse Paddy Wallace - a shocking piece of play - matching his previous last minute (near) disaster in Cardiff. Shows why he's on the bench. Luke Fitzgerald is no full back either - by any stretch of the imagination - and a player vastly overrated IMO. Bowe needs to be brought into the centre and Sean O'Brien too needs to be brought into the game more. Our kicking game was shocking and dropping the ball 5 metres from the opposition line in the last minute - for the 2nd time in 3 games is unforgiveable. But we will beat England ....

**North Side Gael** Mon Mar 14, 2011 10:37 am

Jonsmith wrote:I don't think the team trust Sexton's kicking.. If O'Gara was still on the field would Wallace have went to Earls for the corner? I think so..

Still though, he is the future and needs to be first choice at this point with O'Gara as cover.

Come on now jon doesnt take a rocket scientist to work this out, "run to the corner straight over the line with no contact or run through the wales forwards to ensure sexton has an easy kick?" - paddy wallaces dilemma, I cant blame him for choosing the second option.

I dont care what yous are all saying anyone who has watched ulster this year can categorically state the Ian Humphreys has been the best kicker in Europe his kicking average speaks for itself another plus he has on sexton or ogara, i also still feel that had we had Andrew Trimble pace in the Ireland team we could have done a lot more damage, he seems to do damage for ulster when it matters but kidney feels doesnt warrant a place on the squad even -wtf?

**The Puke** Mon Mar 14, 2011 10:47 am

Ian Humphries is a fine goal kicker of that there is little doubt but that aside he isn't up to test match rugby, he is too light and his passing game is limited

Wallace should have fixed the man and put Earls in the corner, to say he was trying to get an easy kick just shows you he hasn't the wherewithall for this level of rugby, first and foremost you gte over the line and score the try and give yourself the chance to win the game, once you are over the line you can worry about getting closer to te posts. Fact of the matter is that if you saw a young fella do what Wallace did in a junior schools game you would give an unmerciful tongue lashing

agree with you regards Trimble, he can feel very hard done by in this 6 nations although his injury just before the start of it didn't help his cause....I quite like Paddy Wallace as a player and he is a decent passing option at 12 but he is just too lightweight and as he has shown in the few instances where the pressure has been on his decision making isn't good enough, I honestly don't see what purpose he serves on the bench, either start him at 12 or leave him out of the 22 altogether

**North Side Gael** Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:00 am

Puke i agree with you on wallace, hes been far from ulsters best player this year, trimble was unlucky but i still think he should have got a crack upon his return, as do i think tom court is worth a starting place.

Ian Humphreys, last year id of said you were right about test rugby he is light but i still feel stronger in the tackle than o gara or sexton would be, his game this year he has worked on something shocking and due to recent form of our kickers should have at least been given a cap or chance, even a first half, the reason his game is different this year is ruan pienaar, he came in as scrum half, humphreys had to up his game and were it not for humphreys ulster would still be in the basement pack even with pienaar.

I think he should be given a game, one game, big pressure and see what he does, his kicking is exceptional next to none in club rugby this season and i dont think one chance is asking that much, given that, O gara on form is our best kicker and possibly as good as dan carter, but his consistency during the season leaves a lot to be desired the last couple of years. As for sexton a lot of pressure for a young man he maybe could do with Humphreys coming in to relieve him of it for a test or two until he clears his head for the world cup.

On another point luke fitzgerald, he has had a couple of stinkers now, maybe thats the spot to try trimble, Dannelli was told by the scots he wasnt up to test rugby, he tortured england yesterday.

**The Puke** Mon Mar 14, 2011 11:10 am

North Side Gael wrote:Puke i agree with you on wallace, hes been far from ulsters best player this year, trimble was unlucky but i still think he should have got a crack upon his return, as do i think tom court is worth a starting place.

Ian Humphreys, last year id of said you were right about test rugby he is light but i still feel stronger in the tackle than o gara or sexton would be, his game this year he has worked on something shocking and due to recent form of our kickers should have at least been given a cap or chance, even a first half, the reason his game is different this year is ruan pienaar, he came in as scrum half, humphreys had to up his game and were it not for humphreys ulster would still be in the basement pack even with pienaar.

I think he should be given a game, one game, big pressure and see what he does, his kicking is exceptional next to none in club rugby this season and i dont think one chance is asking that much, given that, O gara on form is our best kicker and possibly as good as dan carter, but his consistency during the season leaves a lot to be desired the last couple of years. As for sexton a lot of pressure for a young man he maybe could do with Humphreys coming in to relieve him of it for a test or two until he clears his head for the world cup.

On another point luke fitzgerald, he has had a couple of stinkers now, maybe thats the spot to try trimble, Dannelli was told by the scots he wasnt up to test rugby, he tortured england yesterday.

Trimble is a wing, if he is to come into the team then Bowe or Earls will go to full back....Ian Humphries may well have improved but a lot of this is down to the South African's in the pack giving ulster front foot ball meaning he gets the ball quicker and under less pressure tha before, if he was to play 10 outside O'Leary or Reddan he would struggle big time, he isn't worth a look IMHO......

The problem with Court is that he doesn't offer enough from open play, neither does Mike Ross, the fact is that you will get away with one but not two props like this....Ross is a more natural tighthead so will retain the jersey, I would have no problem with coutrt coming in at loose head but I can see the rationale behind retaining Healy as he gets through an amount of work around the fringes

Agreed re Luke, just isn't comfortable at F/B and it says more about the lack of faith in Wallace that they left him on for 72 minutes, but with Murphy/Kearney out our options are limited somewhat....

He won't get a chance this side of the WC but Nevin Spence will hopefully get at chance at 12 next season

**North Side Gael** Mon Mar 14, 2011 3:35 pm

Craig Gilroy is another boy will give ulster and Ireland options for years to come.

Trimble can play at centre also he partnered o driscoll their a couple of times, so it would make sense to have him in, paddy wallace is a centre, we missed geordan murphy big time through out this championship.

Again with Tom Court i feel his game has come on leaps and bounds, easily the best ulster pack player this year, not all the s.africans are as great as they are made out, botha who is going to ulster in my mind isnt great but maybe he'll change it around down there, we have declan fitzpatrick and gerry cronin, both irish props on the fringes of the team.

Humpreys has played plenty this year without Pienaar, most notably the opening 4 games which ulster remained unbeaten in before pienaar joined the squad, the ulster pack i dont think is as strong as your making it out to be, to be honest id prefer to see the back of some of the s.africans.

**Jayo Cluxton** Mon Mar 14, 2011 3:37 pm

North Side Gael wrote:we missed geordan murphy big time through out this championship.

One of the most overrated players in Irish rugby .... A fullback who can't tackle ...

**The Puke** Mon Mar 14, 2011 3:42 pm

North Side Gael wrote:Craig Gilroy is another boy will give ulster and Ireland options for years to come.

Trimble can play at centre also he partnered o driscoll their a couple of times, so it would make sense to have him in, paddy wallace is a centre, we missed geordan murphy big time through out this championship.

Again with Tom Court i feel his game has come on leaps and bounds, easily the best ulster pack player this year, not all the s.africans are as great as they are made out, botha who is going to ulster in my mind isnt great but maybe he'll change it around down there, we have declan fitzpatrick and gerry cronin, both irish props on the fringes of the team.

Humpreys has played plenty this year without Pienaar, most notably the opening 4 games which ulster remained unbeaten in before pienaar joined the squad, the ulster pack i dont think is as strong as your making it out to be, to be honest id prefer to see the back of some of the s.africans.

In a magners league and against the likes of Aironi and Bath they are well able to give go forward ball, it is the level after that it becomes a problem, but I would give them a very good chance against Northampton in the quarters...

Trimble can play centre but like I said Magners/group stage heineken cup and Test match is a big step up, if he is to nail down a spot with Ireland it will be as a wing...McFadden, O'Malley and Spence in the medium term are far more natural centres

Agree with Jayo that Murphy is somewhat weak in the tackle but is so much better than the likes of Luke at the otehr basis bread and butter aspects of full back play as n fielding high balls, kicking, counter attacking, offloading

**Jayo Cluxton** Sat Mar 19, 2011 12:17 am

Am hopeful that we will win today - quietly confident! It would be very sweet!

**RMDrive** Sat Mar 19, 2011 12:20 am

I've seen nothing to suggest that this will happen. England have been the best team in the competition and deserve their grand slam. Glad to see Trimble in. We need a few more Ulster men involved.

**Jayo Cluxton** Sat Mar 19, 2011 12:26 am

RMDrive wrote:I've seen nothing to suggest that this will happen. England have been the best team in the competition and deserve their grand slam. Glad to see Trimble in. We need a few more Ulster men involved.

They'll deserve their grand slam if they beat us! Am sorry Tindall is injured - think he is vastly overrated and a blunt and old instrument. England are nothing special. Bad and all as we have been we could easily be going for the GS ourselves tomorrow. If we click we can beat anyone (bar NZ) - I think that will happen tomorrow. Am also a Trimble fan and think he will bring a lot to the party - but can't think of many other ~~South Africans~~ Ulster men I'd have .... Laughing

ps Did you see them tonight????

Sponsored content