Ulster 2013/2014

First topic message reminder :

Any reason why he didnt make an appearance for the Ravens?

marty2086 wrote:

rodders wrote:Don't mention it to the other Irish posters but I think the 6N will have a negative short term impact on Leinster - due to fatigue- and a positive one for Ulster and Munster .....  

Its probably already had a positive impact on Ulster if you look at the form of Cave and Jackson, every Ulster player in the squad came out with their reputation enhanced

None more than Chris Henry, his stock has risen no end. Perhaps even more than Andy Trimble and that's meteoric.

Pete330v2 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

rodders wrote:Don't mention it to the other Irish posters but I think the 6N will have a negative short term impact on Leinster - due to fatigue- and a positive one for Ulster and Munster .....  

Its probably already had a positive impact on Ulster if you look at the form of Cave and Jackson, every Ulster player in the squad came out with their reputation enhanced

None more than Chris Henry, his stock has risen no end. Perhaps even more than Andy Trimble and that's meteoric.

Saw an interview with him on Monday talking about his offload for Sextons try and how its part of his game he's been working on, his overall ball carrying seems better too so he could really challenge SOB in November.

Trimble too talked about Schmidt giving him notes in November that he has worked on and Cave too seems to have worked on his game recently

The mind boggles to think what on earth that simpleton Kidney was doing with the squad when Schmidt has already impacted even fringe players in such an educative way.

Kidney isn't that sort of technical coach in fairness - Schmidt has such in depth understanding about the finer details of the game and what he expects individually from each player. That can only be a good thing for the guys who work with him.

I remember Horgan saying way back that each player received an individual video after a game with areas to work on.

Kidney won a Grand Slam in his first 6 Nations so he didn't do too badly but it definitely seems like Schmidt does work on things on a different level and wider scale, it seems players who don't make the cut are sent away with an understanding of why and what they need to do to get into the squad

Thought this video shows how much detail is involved in developing the players

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DnXK2OHcF8

This is it, the players seemed stifled, even confused under Kidney and in fairness if he spoke to them how he did in TV interviews I am not surprised.

Notch wrote:I know! Isn't it just so... satisfying when we win against the Scarlets. Nothing tastes sweeter than someone else's sour grapes.

There are some decent Scarlets fans out there as well, but that forum is hilarious.

Can't believe some of the stuff on there - particularly all the semi racist anti-Irish stuff about "potato flingers" and so on. As for the idea of can't wait to join the Aviva, if they are not competitive in the Robocop what chance have they in the Jeff?

Ulster should have attempted to sign de marchi, just the sort of player we need with court off irish

Great player, but to be honest I'd much rather see us land a tight head!

howslife456 wrote:Ulster should have attempted to sign de marchi, just the sort of player we need with court off irish

Murphy is coming in from Brmbies, he's IQ and De Marchi probably would have cost more as Sale say Toulon were in the market for him so

howslife456 wrote:Ulster should have attempted to sign de marchi, just the sort of player we need with court off irish

Never remotely interested

We have Murphy, Black, McCall - LH is done and dusted - its a TH we need

Gwlad is by a country mile the most hateful, insulting and ill informed rugby forum out there.
A bunch of deluded whingers.

I found Welsh fans fine when going to actual matches but the 20 or so who dominate that forum really should do us all a favour and crawl under a rock and die

Its only very recently I’ve realised how civil it is on here compared to elsewhere. I think because a lot of us maybe were original 606ers which was kept a tight eye on. We were moulded into being reasonably courteous by the BBC!

Clive I agree - we, and I, are not adverse to the odd spat, but by and large its ok here.
It is the only rugby board I post on these days

Not to mention the rugby moderators, clive, who as we all know do an outstanding job.   

We have Williams and Diack on the bench and Henry not even back in the mix!

And we are potentially signing another backrower?

  

We are going to have a serious backrow headache for Heineken Cup games assuming Ferris continues as he did last week.

Diack has been unreal, and Doyle has improved incredibly.

I would have been happy seeing McCloskey start another game, but thats my only gripe...

(15-9): J Payne, T Bowe, D Cave, L Marshall, C Gilroy, P Jackson, M Heaney; (1-8): T Court, R Herring, J Afoa, J Muller (Captain), I Henderson, S Ferris, S Doyle, R Wilson; Replacements (16-23): N Annett, A Warwick, R Lutton, D Tuohy, N Williams, R Diack, P Marshall, S McCloskey.

Some surprises their Luke starting, Stephen starting, Dan on the bench, Warwick on the bench - all good news though.

Also some confirmation of some suspicions - McKinney is finish and P. Marshall is in a head to head with Heaney for backup SH.
Marshall does have a contract till 2017 though just as well
Diack could do with break.

Clive as I mentioned I believe the return of Ferris, the improvement of Doyle and the resolution of the Williams issue means another backrower is no longer certain. We may well use it as a negotiating chip to be allowed a NIQ TH.

clivemcl wrote:
Diack has been unreal, and Doyle has improved incredibly.

I would have been happy seeing McCloskey start another game, but thats my only gripe...

Doyles becoming like a poor mans SOB

clive with Saracens around the corner probably best giving Marshall a game to see how he goes

Anybody know what is happening with the HC squad if Ferris or anyone else will be added/removed?

geoff998rugby wrote: (15-9): J Payne, T Bowe, D Cave, L Marshall, C Gilroy, P Jackson, M Heaney; (1-8): T Court, R Herring, J Afoa, J Muller (Captain), I Henderson, S Ferris, S Doyle, R Wilson; Replacements (16-23): N Annett, A Warwick, R Lutton, D Tuohy, N Williams, R Diack, P Marshall, S McCloskey.

I'm guessing the presence of 2 back rowers and a lock on the bench means concerns remain about the big man...

Payne looks like he's on back up fly half duty again. Glad to see Pienaar get a rest though.

Back up fly half could be Marshall (L not P)

The concern for Ferris is fitness - not ready for 80 mins - anything over 40 will be a bonus

One thing that does puzzle me is Kyle McCall - played hooker for the Ravens and not on the bench here.

Now I understand him moving to hooker as 3rd string but who does that leave as our 3rd choice LH next year.
Big step up for Warwick

According to the Ulster Rugby Facebook page Stephen Ferris, Stuart McCloskey and Andrew Warwick (loose head sub tonight) have all been added to the European squad.

Great to see Ferris back starting,if he can get up to speed and get match fit I think his quality in the backrow could be the catalyst for Ulster to win the HC this year.I've said it before that I think backrow is the one area you are missing the real top class talent needed to win the really big games,Ulster have some very good backrows but a fit and firing Ferris would bring the sort of quality that only a handful of players in the world can provide.

A bit disappointing that Ferris' first start won't be televised. If he does very well we will have to take Gusher's word on it!
Will there even be video highlights?

Oh dear Gusher must be absolutely beaming at getting to call Ferris first start back lol

So Ulster have announced that 1500 tickets were returned by Saracens and will go on general sale on Tuesday    

ATTENTION CLIVE and everyone else.

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/News/LatestNews/TabId/149/ArtMID/793/ArticleID/1335/Heineken-Cup-Quarter-Final-tickets-to-go-on-general-sale.aspx

Saracens couldn't sell 4000 tickets for a quarter-final in the UK- thats nuts.

And half the ones they did were brought by Ulster supporters

Don't worry twice a year they sell out Twickenham/Wembley so that's makes them a big team  

Notch wrote:ATTENTION CLIVE and everyone else.

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/News/LatestNews/TabId/149/ArtMID/793/ArticleID/1335/Heineken-Cup-Quarter-Final-tickets-to-go-on-general-sale.aspx

Saracens couldn't sell 4000 tickets for a quarter-final in the UK- thats nuts.

WOW!   

Maybe their fans misunderstood their campaign and thought they were to,

Make Ravenhill (at) home?

Great news for all the non ST holding Ulster fans though!

clivemcl wrote:

Notch wrote:ATTENTION CLIVE and everyone else.

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/News/LatestNews/TabId/149/ArtMID/793/ArticleID/1335/Heineken-Cup-Quarter-Final-tickets-to-go-on-general-sale.aspx

Saracens couldn't sell 4000 tickets for a quarter-final in the UK- thats nuts.

WOW!   

I didn't think you'd be interested, having such a good thing going on with your TV   

Notch wrote:

clivemcl wrote:

Notch wrote:ATTENTION CLIVE and everyone else.

http://www.ulsterrugby.com/News/LatestNews/TabId/149/ArtMID/793/ArticleID/1335/Heineken-Cup-Quarter-Final-tickets-to-go-on-general-sale.aspx

Saracens couldn't sell 4000 tickets for a quarter-final in the UK- thats nuts.

WOW!   

I didn't think you'd be interested, having such a good thing going on with your TV   

Tough call, but I think I'll suffer it and go show my face.

...Say hello, I'll be the one pushing my armchair up the terrace...

If we are losing, you'll be the one in the new stand with the remote control desperately trying to change the channel   

While you were all frantically trying to buy Saracens tickets I managed to sneak in and out of ticketmaster with 6 tickets to the Ulster v Leinster game on the 2nd of May.    

Good news is that at least 2 of them will go to Ulster fans.

I've actually just looked the calendar and I've work on for the date of the QF. Gutted.

Not sure what to do. Don't even have sky sports so can't record it. I'll figure something out!

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:While you were all frantically trying to buy Saracens tickets I managed to sneak in and out of ticketmaster with 6 tickets to the Ulster v Leinster game on the 2nd of May.    

Good news is that at least 2 of them will go to Ulster fans.

It's brilliant whoever they go to because Leinster fans make a great deal of noise and add loads of atmosphere whereas some of the people on the west terrace this season...   

The atmosphere isn't what it used to be, I hope mainly due to the fact there is no stand behind us (well there is now, but it's been empty so far!) but some games its just poor. The games against Munster and Leicester Tigers were absolutely electric though, so I think that there will be a great atmosphere for Leinster and Saracens. The noise levels against Zebre or the Dragons though   

All gone before 10.01am

  

So just bought a ticket there on the off chance I can get away from the job I have on for an hour or two!  

Edit: I got the green light to sneak off to Ravers for an hour and a half!

Great that you got one Clive but I do wonder how many went to non fans?

I suspect that UR's attempt to make tickets available to non ST holders has just put tickets into the hands of touts!

MrsP, I instantly felt bad about my joyous post when I saw yours. :-(

I wonder how many there were.

I had to have a second crack. I went for the cheapest, and it wasn’t available when I go though, so I quickly chose another price range and got lucky.

The ticket master CAPTCHAs are also incredibly hard to read!


I do hope the tickets went to others like me, but i do share your fears.

To be sitting at a PC waiting for a time - you have to either be a)passionate , b) nothing else to do, or c) a ticket tout.

You could be right. All gone within a minute... these parasites are always hovering around when there is an event with high demand like this!

I hope that the touts haven't managed to swoop in, because that'll only make it all the more difficult for UR to justify putting tickets on general sale in the future. I suppose we'll find out in the next day or two. Fingers crossed they all want to people who want the tickets for personal use   

Don't feel bad Clive. I am really chuffed that you got one.

I have no problem with anyone managing to get their mitts on a ticket for their own use. The more Ulster fans there the better!

Unfortunately theres already a few on Gumtree for a big markup

http://www.gumtree.com/search?q=ulster+rugby&category=all&search_location=Belfast&distance=0.0&current_distance=

Seems that both IHumph and o'Hagan are done deals

marty2086 wrote:Unfortunately theres already a few on Gumtree for a big markup

http://www.gumtree.com/search?q=ulster+rugby&category=all&search_location=Belfast&distance=0.0&current_distance=

That is sickening.

So here, what on earth are we going to do with the second and back row for the QF?

Muller Tuohy Henderson Henry Diack Williams Wilson Ferris

Its gutting that some of these names won't even be in the match day squad...

I would seriously feel for Diack if he gets squeezed out after the season he has had.

Williams would be the one who drops out for me knowing if we bring on Ferris for Wilson, Diack can move to number 8.

Williams is just too much of a loose cannon this season, he hasn't hit the form of last season to justify his high error count. The problem is that Ferris is nowhere near match fit as of yet.

If Ferris doesn't play at the weekend though, it's going to be hard to justify his inclusion. The thing is Cardiff have that artificial pitch which is meant to be much harder on the joints and so on. If it's an unnecessary risk for him then that casts doubt on whether he's fit enough yet to play in the quarter-final. He needs more game time.

Notch wrote:Williams would be the one who drops out for me knowing if we bring on Ferris for Wilson, Diack can move to number 8.

Williams is just too much of a loose cannon this season, he hasn't hit the form of last season to justify his high error count. The problem is that Ferris is nowhere near match fit as of yet.

If Ferris doesn't play at the weekend though, it's going to be hard to justify his inclusion. The thing is Cardiff have that artificial pitch which is meant to be much harder on the joints and so on. If it's an unnecessary risk for him then that casts doubt on whether he's fit enough yet to play in the quarter-final. He needs more game time.

Notch if you imagine what the atmosphere will be like, 18'000 sell out with the official opening of the redevelopment, home quarter final and then bring Ferris off the bench that could be a huge psychological advantage

Yeah, it's gonna be a close call on his fitness I think. I can't see the decision be made early.

Interesting that we might be bringing back Humphreys AND signing O'Hagan. I'm very concerned about getting another lock in though.