Neil Francis praises Ulser...shock

By Neil Francis

Sunday January 15 2012

In the auction of win-at-all-costs in rugby at this level, we know from experience that Leicester have always been the highest bidders.

They have contravened the manifestly just ethos of the game on too many occasions to make them a team that people could warm to. Cold-blooded cynicism, street wisdom on the park that would, to the right-thinking man, infract the sporting nature of the contest. Above all, malice aforethought being the predominant instinct.

Every Leicester player is imbued with a trigger impulse to do what needs to be done at the time of asking -- in or outside the law. When they lose, everyone rejoices; when they get beaten out the gate in a must-win game, there's an inquiry.

Rick (the p is silent) Cockerill has done a half-decent job with Leicester. They have a few Aviva Premierships to their name in the last few years and were competitive and awkward opponents for Leinster in the 2009 Heineken Cup final in Murrayfield. They were, though, the inferior team. Welford Road is a difficult place to pick up a win -- so too are the homes of Aironi and the Dragons, if we are to believe what coaches tell us in pre-match interviews.

Leinster outlasted them again in the quarter-final in April at the Aviva but the direction of the graph is unmistakable and the result last Friday is proof positive of two things: first is that the Aviva Premiership has the aesthetic appeal and quality of a lukewarm consommé; and the second is that Leicester's demise continues unabated. It matters little if they eventually catch up on their slow start to the season and win the Premiership. The currency of that competition has faltered and diminished and for a club who aspire to so much more, its frustrations must be beginning to bite.

Under audit, they have failed again. They have deep pockets and resources, they will re-invent themselves on retrospection but it's official: nobody is scared of them anymore. Even the English bookies will have them in double-digit odds for next year's competition.

This preamble does scant justice to Ulster's excellence. The news last week that Ulster had renewed Ruan Pienaar's contract for another two years might not have gone down too well with the living dead at HQ but the return on investment on Pienaar's talent was magnified by a performance of piercing intelligence. He controlled the game from scrumhalf and late on when he moved to outhalf he controlled the game from there as well.

A point that has to be made is that Leicester had eight non-English starters to Ulster's five non-Irish. It was obvious though that Ulster's buy-ins were considerably more effective in their primary and collective roles. Johann Muller led well and gave Ulster substance at lineout time. He is a decent shepherd. Pedrie Wannenburg did the gritty and abrasive stuff well but he featured in three of Ulster's tries, with soft hands and great dexterity in the passes which led directly to tries. He has far higher skill levels than I credited him with.

But it was Ulster's indigenous players who really impressed. Whether Declan Kidney takes note or not is a matter for conjecture. Stephen Ferris we all know is a force of nature, and for me he was the most effective player on the pitch and the prime mover at the breakdown.

The reason Ulster won the game was because they dominated the tackle zone. The Leicester defence was not quite as inflexible as it needed to be and they gave up cheap yards to Ulster's ball carriers. The quality and speed of the ball laid back for Pienaar was in stark contrast to some of the muck Ben Youngs had to deal with on the other side of the ruck. Ferris was by no means Ulster's most productive tackler. He had seven tackles in the game while Wannenburg had 10 and Chris Henry had 12, but it is the quality of tackling which illustrates his value to his side.

While the game was still a contest, there was a period of mesmerising play from both sides in the eighth minute and it looked like it would be decisive for Leicester as they took advantage of a bit of luck to put Anthony Allan away into Ulster's 22 with the cover scrambling to close him down.

Allan was doing enough to get a ticket and a fine when he was hit from behind by a white blur. Ferris's pace is incongruous when you take into account how big he really is.

Here is the difference in quality between Ferris and most other destructive blindsides. Why just tackle a player when you can empty his guts on the field. Allan couldn't see who was about to tackle him but I would suggest that it never crossed his mind that it was a 6' 4", 18-stone wrecking ball who could run faster than him. Ferris cleaved him and for Leicester the move ended there and then. Ulster briefly counterattacked, it went nowhere but, as a demonstration of intent, it said everything.

Chris Henry was surprisingly good throughout the night and the Ulster back row dominated their opponents with marvellous concentration of purpose. Tom Croft is a Lions Test blindside forward yet every time he meets Ferris on the pitch it is embarrassing. Leicester's back row needs some backbone.

Andrew Trimble is now established as Ireland's number one winger. It will be interesting to see who has to play on the left wing for Ireland. He did have one moment of madness when he needlessly rushed out of the line for Geordan Murphy's try, but Leicester never threatened thereafter and Ulster's resolve in the tackle was sure. The question is will it hold when they leave the comfort blanket of Ravenhill? Can they defend against Clermont the way they did against Leicester?

If Friday night was a litmus test, then they showed great resilience, organisation and determination. However, this competition could have been drafted by Heller, they've been successful and so they have to fly another mission. This one next week will tell us all we need to know about Ulster, 19 points won't be enough. They need one in Clermont.

- Neil Francis

I'm stunned!

Basically the performance was so good he had to eat humble pie or look stupid.

If Francis says Trimble is Ireland's number 1 winger it must be true

He clearly lost a bet.

"Tom Croft is a Lions Test blindside forward yet every time he meets Ferris on the pitch it is embarrassing."

Had a good giggle at this.

Artful_Dodger wrote:"Tom Croft is a Lions Test blindside forward yet every time he meets Ferris on the pitch it is embarrassing."

Had a good giggle at this.

Its true though......England are historically known for a powerhouse forward..and "boring "game plan....yet we have moved away and are trying to play an athetlic game...

The problem is you still need a few big mosters to play that game as well as you need the ball.....players like Croft are good in the right balanced pack...but he should not start for England...

Ferris is a freak of nature....the clash of the French and Irish back rows will be mouthwatering....

Still enough backhanded compliments to annoy. Chris Henry was surprisingly good and muller is decent. The overall tone Is a welcome change though.

Standulstermen wrote:Still enough backhanded compliments to annoy. Chris Henry was surprisingly good and muller is decent. The overall tone Is a welcome change though.

Quite right Stand. I can't have the man really and can take little comfort from his praise without having seen his expressions when he was writing them.

Having watched most of the game again, I'm just blown away by 1f we all know how good his but he has brought it up a few notches since the world cup. He is an absolute pleasure to watch

Getting back handed compliments is progress coming from Francis

Hughie Ferris has been amazing since the RWC. He's playing the best rugby of his career, far better even than on the 2009 Lions tour.

It's only when I watched it back again I realised how good Ferris is/was- he's actually set the bar so high that if he doesn't win the game himself like some kind of gladiatorial rugby Roy of the Rovers it doesn't even register as him having a good game by his own standards!

I thought Chris Henry and Pedrie Wannenburg were just as good in their own roles though. Henry was an awkward Love sacks at the tackle/ruck area and Pedrie played some great rugby in the wider channels.

But yeah, Ferris gave his standard freak of nature performance in the contact area. Settled the Croft-Ferris debate anyway, if there ever was one. Great moment for me was Paddy Wallace picking up Tom Croft and dump tackling him into touch, but can you imagine Wallace doing that to 1F? I can't even imagine the likes of Nonu or Roberts doing that to Ferris.

Notch wrote:It's only when I watched it back again I realised how good Ferris is/was- he's actually set the bar so high that if he doesn't win the game himself like some kind of gladiatorial rugby Roy of the Rovers it doesn't even register as him having a good game by his own standards!

Thats true actually. I thought that he had a really quiet game until I rewatched the match!

The hit on Castro was massive. I dont think anyone will be brave enough to argue for croft for a good long while. I don't think he is England's best 6

There is no pleasing you lads. Critical of Ulster and you go mad. Praises Ulster and you go twice as mad!

No Sin we are just in shock - its the first time he has ever said something nice about us

Forget Francis, if Sin E praises Ulster then I will be impressed....

geoff998rugby wrote:No Sin we are just in shock - its the first time he has ever said something nice about us

So, he didn't praise Ulster when he thought Ulster were poor. When Ulster are deserving of praise in his opinion, he praises you. Whats the problem?
That makes his opinion more valid surely?

roddersm wrote:Forget Francis, if Sin E praises Ulster then I will be impressed....

I've praised Ulster when they deserved it and they did against Leicester this weekend.

Edit: and that game was one of the best games I've seen Ulster play.

Sin the guy is a monumental pratt, always has been and always will be - going back to saying some of his rivals in the Irish team were heroin addicts - epic epic moron beyond all proportion and in his entire rugby career as a player and pundit he still clearly struggles to say anything complimentary about Ulster.

Artful_Dodger wrote:Sin the guy is a monumental pratt, always has been and always will be - going back to saying some of his rivals in the Irish team were heroin addicts - epic epic moron beyond all proportion and in his entire rugby career as a player and pundit he still clearly struggles to say anything complimentary about Ulster.

He doesn't say anything complimentary about anyone. Not just Ulster. He certainly isn't a cheerleader for either Leinster or Munster.

I don;t usually agree with Sin E but on this occasion I must. Francis has praised Ulster here.

He didn't even do the "Well done to Ulster on signing all the foreigners" thing. He says it was Ulsters local talent who did well. He admits to underestimating Wannenburg and Henry, calls Trimble the best winger in Ireland etc.

Honestly be happy with the praise you get.

Sin

...Francis is normally spitting venom regarding Ulster....I always remember him calling us a bunch of 'plastic paddies' when we beat Munster a few years ago and saying it made him feel sick that Tom Court had a GS winners medal. It must have been some performance for him to praise us!

first is that the Aviva Premiership has the aesthetic appeal and quality of a lukewarm consommé; and the second is that Leicester's demise continues unabated.

First point there is utter tripe. The AP is a pretty damn good watch and still the most entertaining league in the NH. I prefer it to the majority of Super 15 games as well. The second point is sadly true, Tigers are struggling to find the nasty pack needed to free the likes of Croft and Parling to do what they do best. More beasts needed!

I see a lot of compliments for the backrow, who were very good and some for the front row in the scrums but where's the praise for Tuhoy who I thought was great for Ulster again (played very well against us at Welford Rd as well). I'm pretty sure he got through more work than any member of the backrow and was popping up everywhere.

Hes right about one thing - Trimble IS the best winger in Ireland. Being saying this for yonks now. Kidney must have him in the team. Such an intelligent, powerful and fast-thinking player.

The way he bamboozled Tuilagi in a nano-second, for his 2nd try - was World Class. Fitz on the other wing for Ireland. Then see if can get some movement.

Well done Ulster btw. Complete performance.

George Hook.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

first is that the Aviva Premiership has the aesthetic appeal and quality of a lukewarm consommé; and the second is that Leicester's demise continues unabated.

First point there is utter tripe. The AP is a pretty damn good watch and still the most entertaining league in the NH.

Wow Sam. The truth is somewhere in the middle. Steady on.

Francis is just a bit of a prat who likes to say over the top or controversial stuff just to get noticed/because he finds it amusing. Kind of Ireland's answer to Jeremy Clarkson.

Francis is a plonker alright, and he gives out crep about all of the provinces, he coined the Ladyboy name for Leinster. It's a shame because he does read and analyse the game well, he's a good pundit when he gives the George Hook style controversial statements a rest.

Hook on the other hand, doesn't know his harse from his elbow. A disasterously badly informed pundit. Truely terrible. He is on RTE but doesn't watch any games in the Pro12 that he's not covering, sure i could do that. Nuff said.

Mickado wrote:Francis is a plonker alright, and he gives out crep about all of the provinces, he coined the Ladyboy name for Leinster. It's a shame because he does read and analyse the game well, he's a good pundit when he gives the George Hook style controversial statements a rest.

Hook on the other hand, doesn't know his harse from his elbow. A disasterously badly informed pundit. Truely terrible. He is on RTE but doesn't watch any games in the Pro12 that he's not covering, sure i could do that. Nuff said.

That's right. He is effectively my dad!

roddersm wrote:Sin

...Francis is normally spitting venom regarding Ulster....I always remember him calling us a bunch of 'plastic paddies' when we beat Munster a few years ago and saying it made him feel sick that Tom Court had a GS winners medal. It must have been some performance for him to praise us!

I stopped taking Francis seriously a long time ago. The guy is nothing more than a WUM as he generally fails to back up a lot of his statements with any kind of researched facts. My opinion of him is that he is most likely a guy who writes is columns based on a highlight reel he saw on rugbydump!!

I'd nearly see a compliment from him as some sort of kiss of death!!

Yeah, but... no but... we softened Tigers up for them. Broke them HC-wise, 3 years back.
Say thanks Leinster.

And they only had half a team on Friday night. We beat their full team. In their prime.

Ah, yer grand.

Gibson wrote:Yeah, but... no but... we softened Tigers up for them. Broke them HC-wise, 3 years back.
Say thanks Leinster.

And they only had half a team on Friday night. We beat their full team. In their prime.

Ah, yer grand.

eh, wasn't Munster the first Irish team to beat Leicester in Welford Road (7-20)- just before Martin & Co. headed off to win the World Cup in 2003? Paul O'Connell was only a young fellow but he (& DOC) were outstanding that day.

Interesting to note that Jim Williams was the only non-Irish qualified starter in the Munster team.

Two words, Sin. Two words.

Neil Back.

Francis is a langer I think we can all agree on that. I'm liking (and hating at the same time) this mentality from Ulster that everyone including the media is against us. It helped build Munster.

Gibson wrote:Two words, Sin. Two words.

Neil Back.

A great player. He was playing that day in Welford Road for Leicester. Makes the win all that sweeter. Went on to win a world cup after that - back in 2003.

Remind me when did Leinster win in Welford Road?

Neil Francis praises Ulser - is this title spelling intentional?

Even if it isn't, it's very funny.

Sin é wrote:

Gibson wrote:Two words, Sin. Two words.

Neil Back.

A great player. He was playing that day in Welford Road for Leicester. Makes the win all that sweeter. Went on to win a world cup after that - back in 2003.

Remind me when did Leinster win in Welford Road?

We dont feel the need to Sin. We tend to beat them at home or in Finals.

That's when they had a team like.

Franno supports only one cause - Neil Francis. The more reaction he can elicit the better and he doesn't care whether he gets it by praising or panning - usually the latter.

He exudes as much sincerity and charm as Edward Longshanks - 'Bring me an Ulster article, praise if possible, pan... just as good'

Gibson wrote:

Sin é wrote:

Gibson wrote:Two words, Sin. Two words.

Neil Back.

A great player. He was playing that day in Welford Road for Leicester. Makes the win all that sweeter. Went on to win a world cup after that - back in 2003.

Remind me when did Leinster win in Welford Road?

We dont feel the need to Sin. We tend to beat them at home or in Finals.

That's when they had a team like.

Whats this about then?
Gibson wrote:Yeah, but... no but... we softened Tigers up for them. Broke them HC-wise, 3 years back.
Say thanks Leinster.

The team that you beat in a neutral or home ground couldn't hold a candle to that 2003 team - they had just won the Heineken Cup back-to -back.

Blah blah fckety blah.

Jeysus as if hearing how Leicester are a "european power" when they haven't won the cup in a decade isn't bad enough, now we've to hear about how Munster beat the away in dickety 3. Who cares?

Pot Hale wrote:Neil Francis praises Ulser - is this title spelling intentional?

Even if it isn't, it's very funny.

What do you expect I was in shock

Francis will slate every player on the field with the only exception of untouchables (POC, Ferris) who bring their A game every time. I get the impression that Francis is using this round to compliment certain Irish players so he can state once the 6Ns team is announced, the can declare that he has consistently shouted for 'insert player name here' to be included. He is Dunphy without charisma.

And Ulster fans won't have to worry about this change in view from Francis for very long, he can be very quick reverse-turn in an instant.

And they only had half a team on Friday night. We beat their full team. In their prime.

In 2009 final when we didn't have a proper 10 and Croft was playing in the second row or last year when we were not even close to prime?

Sam Vesty who has 157 caps for Leicester and Bath isnt a "proper 10"

Interesting - have you ever lost simply because the other team were better? Hmmm.

Well Leinster edged it on the day (good game) but Tigers struggled with Vesty who played the majority of those games for Tigers at full back and occasionally wing or centre, that was the first season he was played at 10 and then only because of injuries. Masses of difference between utility player and international fly half as also seen in the Semi Final where Tigers romped to an early lead before Flood went off injured and then saw the game dragged back to a draw without him.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Tigers struggled with Vesty who played the majority of those games for Tigers at full back and occasionally wing or centre, that was the first season he was played at 10 and then only because of injuries. .

Actually he started playing at 10 for Tigers in the 2005/2006 season

It's amazing that then and now a big club like Tigers had no cover at 10! Vesty and Twelvetrees are good players but I'm surprised that for several years Leicester have been happy enough to be one injury away from lacking a specialist outhalf.

I'm surprised they let George Ford away on loan.

They have Staunton, who gets a few games in the premiership.

True but he is terrible. He wouldn't get a contract at Ulster

Notch, that has been the debate for quite a while now. We are far to relient on Toby Flood being fit and available for the big games. Staunton is in the squad but is cack at getting the backline moving and as you say Vesty and Twelvetrees aren't natural outside halves. Constraints of the wage cap have been blamed but I think Tigers are going to have to take advantage of the increase and bring in an experienced playmaker to help develop the young guys and ease the relience on Flood otherwise I sense we'll be stuffed next season as well.

George Ford is due back for the end of January I think. The guy is also pretty tiny and only 18, the Ulster boys would have simply run over him. Twelvetrees is an effective speed bump but as you saw his kicking from hand is good for a 12 but poor for a 10.

Actually he started playing at 10 for Tigers in the 2005/2006 season

I stand corrected.