Ulster 2013/2014

First topic message reminder :

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

He hasn't and he isn't

ME-109 wrote:Much as I like a good old bit of rumour mongering in terms of the Leinster bias of the IRFU even I cant believe that Payne would be moved to Leinster unless of course he has expressed an interest.

Exactly but this is what happened with Bowe - the IRFU wanted him to go to Munster because all their wingers (bar J Murphy) were deemed rubbish but Bowe took a look round Limerick and said no chance.

rodders wrote:

ME-109 wrote:Much as I like a good old bit of rumour mongering in terms of the Leinster bias of the IRFU even I cant believe that Payne would be moved to Leinster unless of course he has expressed an interest.

Exactly but this is what happened with Bowe - the IRFU wanted him to go to Munster because all their wingers (bar J Murphy) were deemed rubbish but Bowe took a look round Limerick and said no chance.

When did Doug Howlett become rubbish?

After he retired?

rodders wrote:After he retired?

Howlett only retired the end of last season having his career ending injury on 29 March 2013 against Glasgow (12-13) while scoring a try.

Bowe came back at the start of that season (12-13) so he would have made his decision at least 6 months before that.

Far more likely Bowe didn't fancy his chances taking Dougie's jersey.   

Frickin hell Sin do you have some kind of 'Munster has been mentioned' radar?

I will be testing you out by planting derogatory comments about Munster players randomly thoughout all the forums.

I'd say it's more likely Bowe didn't fit into the long term plan, i.e. an all-Leinster back line.

\Bowe never was and never will be interested in playing for Munster.

He made it quite clear to the IRFU that he would only come back if he played for Ulster, regardless of what they may want

Exactly, we were talking to Tommy's dad a while before any signatures were inked in and he told us that Tommy would only return home to play in an Ulster shirt. He'd have went elsewhere otherwise.

Hmm... not too sure about Tuohy and Williams for the quarter-final. Diack has been treated a bit harshly in my mind.

Williams better have one of his better games then...
Court and Afoa to play for 80 minutes doesn't exactly made for easy reading either..

It's forbidden for Ulster to lost this one.

Forbidden is a good word for it. First full capacity game at Ravenhill, first home game in a European knockout competition since 1999, playing the single most hated club/brand in rugby.

Really nothing else will do.

According to BBC's teams we are playing with only 14 people theya re missing thuohy in their teamsheet

neilthom7 wrote:According to BBC's teams we are playing with only 14 people theya re missing thuohy in their teamsheet

Just as long as hes there tomorrow

I would have started Henderson.

Notch wrote:Forbidden is a good word for it. First full capacity game at Ravenhill, first home game in a European knockout competition since 1999, playing the single most hated club/brand in rugby.

Really nothing else will do.

Stop preaching hatred. You are meant to set a positive example as a mod.

Don't allow your irrational hatred get the better of you. Surely you are more intelligent than that?

Sarries arent the most popular though are they? Ironic though that they are coached by an Ulsterman, and former Ulster coach. Maybe that has something to do with it.

I much prefer Sarries to Toulon anyway.

Ulster men and saffers even their mammies don't love them.

No Gunsgerms they are not the most popular but a mod shouldn't be acting as irrational as Notch.

Preaching hatred based on ignorance.

Surely being coached by an actual Irish coach should be a plus point?

Well I am glad you like us more than Toulon. I am not a big fan of Toulon myself but there's still a lot of good things about them.

I try not to comment on MODs, not my place to do so. Im happy to see McCall doing well.

I like Saracens as a club becuase they have a great tradition and history. Not sure I like their CEO Griffiths one bit. He strikes me as an arrogant_________ that loves the lime light.

His vision for rugby union concerns me too in the same way Mourad Boudjellal concerns me. They are both rugby men and they both clearly love rugby but they clearly arent in it just for the rugby.

beshocked wrote:No Gunsgerms they are not the most popular but a mod shouldn't be acting as irrational as Notch.

That'll be the poster first moderator second policy. You may need to report him to himself   .

Back to the rugby, Afoa and Court having to pace themselves up for 80 min concerns me.

Edinburgh's props played 80 min yesterday and were on their ropes against the Dragons who have the worst scrum in the league..

Gunsgerms frankly I will criticise whoever I think has stepped out of line. I don't care if they are a mod or not. I am far from perfect myself and warrant chastising too on occasion. I go over the top too but I am not a mod.

Can't argue with that description of Edward Griffiths and Mourad Boudjellal though it's not all one way negativity.

beshocked wrote:Gunsgerms frankly I will criticise whoever I think has stepped out of line. I don't care if they are a mod or not. I am far from perfect myself and warrant chastising too on occasion. I go over the top too but I am not a mod.

Can't argue with that description of Edward Griffiths and Mourad Boudjellal though it's not all one way negativity.

Go for it. Im just saying I wont so thats why I didnt comment on it even if I may or may not have an opinion on it.

For any Ulster fans without a ticket for tomorrow night and are on Twitter,




Rob Herring is giving away a ticket for tomorrow night

https://twitter.com/robert_herring2

  

Mods can have opinions too you know! Don't go off the deep end because you don't agree with them   

If Ulster were run along the same lines as Saracens I'd be an ex-season ticket holder and an ex-fan, and a LOT more vocal about my distaste for it given it would be my club. I was a football fan once, then I walked away from the sport entirely based on how it is run. This is a forum, people have opinions and you disagree with some of them. Thats ok.

Notch you can have opinions sure but preaching hatred is not healthy. If you said that "£$% in real life to me you would offend me and probably offend most Sarries fans. Is that what you would want?

Oh and being a mod doesn't make you above criticism - if anything your comments should be scrutinised more.

Anyway if you could speak to me on soccerisation of rugby I would appreciate it.

 

Ok, great, enjoy the game. I have replied you on that thread. If you feel the need to reply keep the discussion on that thread please.

GunsGerms wrote:

beshocked wrote:Gunsgerms frankly I will criticise whoever I think has stepped out of line. I don't care if they are a mod or not. I am far from perfect myself and warrant chastising too on occasion. I go over the top too but I am not a mod.

Can't argue with that description of Edward Griffiths and Mourad Boudjellal though it's not all one way negativity.

Go for it. Im just saying I wont so thats why I didnt comment on it even if I may or may not have an opinion on it.

You say that now, just wait until DOD becomes a MOD   

We could well be missing Williams, Trimble, Best, Black, Pienaer and Payne next Friday.

Given the impact on the players from the defeat it is going to be a hard game for us to be up for.

Also on another note I have say I am shocked by the incompetence of Mount Charles.
Please can we have the Laverys team back - they know how to run bars

geoff998rugby wrote:Also on another note I have say I am shocked by the incompetence of Mount Charles.
Please can we have the Laverys team back - they know how to run bars

You get what you pay for. Their staff only work match nights. Thats not much better than a zero hours contract, two work nights a month if your lucky. You'll get quality bar staff if you train them and give them regular hours. If you're looking to give a bum deal like that you'll get students and people who are desperate for any work at all. If you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

If there's any problems getting up for Connacht, things are worse than I feared. This is our last chance of silverware. We need to perform and get a bonus point. 4 games and we need to target 4 wins to get over the line in the best possible position. There's just no time to sit and feel sorry for ourselves- I would hope that the support last night will remind the lads of just what they're fighting for.

Golden wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

beshocked wrote:Gunsgerms frankly I will criticise whoever I think has stepped out of line. I don't care if they are a mod or not. I am far from perfect myself and warrant chastising too on occasion. I go over the top too but I am not a mod.

Can't argue with that description of Edward Griffiths and Mourad Boudjellal though it's not all one way negativity.

Go for it. Im just saying I wont so thats why I didnt comment on it even if I may or may not have an opinion on it.

You say that now, just wait until DOD becomes a MOD   

I would just like to make a point here. Being a Mod is very hard and I had a little run in with Notch (nothing major just a quick exchange on what it means to be a MOD). Have to say it is very difficult and in fairness to Notch he is extremely tolerant. I have been banned previously when I felt a MOD was being biased towards his own countrymen (I actually did not start it - honest - and when I felt it had become personal I went in foot in mouth as usual).

Anyhow when posters like Guns dont take their medicine and go off the rails (I have an alarm clock for mine) then it can be very difficult. Also another poster on here accused Notch of something he is incapable of which is being biased (in a negative way)..

Good man DOD. You'll have your name in Blue yet ;-)

The thing about being a Mod is every poster knows how to do the job better than you and most tell you at any opportunity! You just have to be as fair as you can be and know if you can't, to let someone else handle it instead.

Notch wrote:Good man DOD. You'll have your name in Blue yet ;-)

The thing about being a Mod is every poster knows how to do the job better than you and most tell you at any opportunity! You just have to be as fair as you can be and know if you can't, to let someone else handle it instead.

NEVER...in a million years...

tough luck yesterday Ulster fans. incredible passion and effort. i was really disappointed after the red card (irrespective of whether i thought it was merited) because i thought the contest was effectively over. couldnt believe it went down to the final whistle.

great game. i feel for the fans and players.

Just watched the post match interviews on the BBC site.

So, so proud of those lads.

  

Hopefully it's the spur we need to kick on and really peak in the coming weeks. Playing in that atmosphere was always going to inspire every player to go beyond what they thought they could give and keep giving.

It would have made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Very intense. The two terraces on either side of the ground were full an hour before kick-off.

Provisional team for Connacht;

Tom Court, Rob Herring, John Afoa, Iain Henderson, Dan Tuohy, Stephen Ferris, Chris Henry, Roger Wilson, Paul Marshall, Paddy Jackson, Tommy Bowe, Luke Marshall, Darren Cave, Craig Gilroy, Ricky Andrew

I'm assuming we won't get Payne, Best or Pienaar. Muller, the warrior that he is, put it on the line more than anyone and I'm not sure his body can take a six day turnaround after a game like that. Trimble looked out of it.

Ferris looked sharper.

I'm sure this will take it's toll both physically and mentally.

But, this team have been through an awful lot worse as a group.

Notch wrote:

geoff998rugby wrote:Also on another note I have say I am shocked by the incompetence of Mount Charles.
Please can we have the Laverys team back - they know how to run bars

You get what you pay for. Their staff only work match nights. Thats not much better than a zero hours contract, two work nights a month if your lucky. You'll get quality bar staff if you train them and give them regular hours. If you're looking to give a bum deal like that you'll get students and people who are desperate for any work at all. If you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

If there's any problems getting up for Connacht, things are worse than I feared. This is our last chance of silverware. We need to perform and get a bonus point. 4 games and we need to target 4 wins to get over the line in the best possible position. There's just no time to sit and feel sorry for ourselves- I would hope that the support last night will remind the lads of just what they're fighting for.

Agree on the first point but that is still not acceptable.
If we have gone cheap we will suffer the consequences.
Already I am aware of a number of folks who are of the opinion - drink in the pubs and arrive 5 mins before kick off, take in a hip flask, and straight back to the pub and stuff the bars.
I am already doing the first of those,then not drinking during the match, then one of us queues up at the end to get a couple of drinks each  - that way we only have to go to the bar once during a match. There is resentment building about this.
People need to be able to pour a pint and add up. Come across people serving who are incapable of these activities - not joking.
Work with Mount Charles before not an impressive organization - wouldn't touch their canteens

We will slowly rebuild and even with a weaken team hopefully will beat Connaught but it it going to take a lot to bounce back from this.

Notch wrote:Hopefully it's the spur we need to kick on and really peak in the coming weeks. Playing in that atmosphere was always going to inspire every player to go beyond what they thought they could give and keep giving.

It would have made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Very intense. The two terraces on either side of the ground were full an hour before kick-off.

Provisional team for Connacht;

Tom Court, Rob Herring, John Afoa, Iain Henderson, Dan Tuohy, Stephen Ferris, Chris Henry, Roger Wilson, Paul Marshall, Paddy Jackson, Tommy Bowe, Luke Marshall, Darren Cave, Craig Gilroy, Ricky Andrew

I'm assuming we won't get Payne, Best or Pienaar. Muller, the warrior that he is, put it on the line more than anyone and I'm not sure his body can take a six day turnaround after a game like that. Trimble looked out of it.

Ferris looked sharper.

That team look about right to me - Diack maybe instead of Wilson, Lutton maybe instead of Afoa

On a wider issue we have previously touched on.

How many players under 29 can you name who have come through the Ulster academy and been good enough to establish a place in the first team (you can include players who have left the province).

Ignoring the three quarter line the answer is a total joke.

I can name 2  - Henderson and Jackson. That is bordering on the criminal and if not resolved quickly is going to lead to a decline

And yet we're letting Paddy McAllister leave- he could establish himself as one, we all expected him to before his injury.

geoff998rugby wrote:On a wider issue we have previously touched on.

How many players under 29 can you name who have come through the Ulster academy and been good enough to establish a place in the first team (you can include players who have left the province).

Ignoring the three quarter line the answer is a total joke.

I can name 2  - Henderson and Jackson. That is bordering on the criminal and if not resolved quickly is going to lead to a decline

Marshall? Gilroy (squad wise). You have to assume Olding would be in the mix. I'm sorry but after two years being injured I see no harm in letting Mcallister go. I would also be having words with whoever was managing his 'recovery' if it were deemed necessary.

We do need to be bringing more through I agree particularly in the pack. That's why I would be against shifting young McCall to hooker.

Would Cave be another? Not refuting Geoffs overriding point but I'm just curious

Stand I said except three quarters - thats Olding and Cave out, Marshall will be 29 this year. We produce three quarters but nothing else

Thats my point 2 players under 29 is a totally unacceptable record.

McAllister - well 2 years without rugby means he is well behind where he needs to be.
Even then the one thing about McAllister was his scrummaging technique was not that great - which suggests poor coaching.

I'll even let you add in injured players who have retired trouble is I cant think of any.

Pollock alone I would say

Seymour? Did he come through the academy? And he's international standard...   

Pollock - Good call he was the one I was thinking of when I added in the injured player caveat.

Such a hugh loss.
The irony is Chris Henry would have never got the same opportunity to develop.
Pollock would have been Ireland's 7 after Wallace retired

It does illustrate my point though - we are simply not (3's aside) developing players.
Unless this changes we cannot improve - you can only go so far with players under the radar, relatives abroad and guys living in England

clivemcl wrote:Seymour? Did he come through the academy? And he's international standard...    

He's also a threequarter - which I specifically excluded.
That is the one area we produce players - elsewhere the record is pathetic

Could you be even more specific though and say we aren't producing the guys from the Reid era. Bear in mind 29 is a fairly arbitrary age and Wilson, Henry, Marshall, ferris, Neil best, Neil McMillan, Ryan Caldwell all came through and have moved on. So ewe were producing to some extent but now it seems to be a tad barren. What about Falloon (he wasn't academy was he)

That's why we wanted McLaughlin in there helping. Hopefully Donnan, McCall, Dow or Joyce come through now because you are right in that we do need it

And our academy has two players (second row and back) who were sourced from England. Who is to blame Geoff? School or academy?