Ulster Rugby 2017-2018 Part 2

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Ulster Rugby

Final Table
               GP   Points
Leinster    21     70
Scarlets    21     70
Edinburgh 21     68
Ulster       21     62
Benetton   21     55
Dragons    21     20
Kings        21     11

Season Outcome: Playoff for Champions Cup Spot

Ulster are in the Champions Cup

Just posted on t'other place:

Press conference today @ 4pm allegedly

Decision time

From a semi reliable source

No word of it anywhere else Pete, given that they are interviewing this week and carrying out the review, I can't see anything being announced just yet unless the review is a rubber stamping exercise

marty2086 wrote:No word of it anywhere else Pete, given that they are interviewing this week and carrying out the review, I can't see anything being announced just yet unless the review is a rubber stamping exercise

Maybe it's just a press conference for Cavey.

More likely just the usual pre match stuff

No press conference - bullsh!t

No no.7 for Ulster? Not a good idea. Ospreys have shifted AWJ to blindside flanker rather than start with two open-sides, so they must also be concerned about Ulster's driving lineout.

mikey_dragon wrote:No no.7 for Ulster? Not a good idea. Ospreys have shifted AWJ to blindside flanker rather than start with two open-sides, so they must also be concerned about Ulster's driving lineout.

cant have watched us much then

mikey_dragon wrote:No no.7 for Ulster? Not a good idea. Ospreys have shifted AWJ to blindside flanker rather than start with two open-sides, so they must also be concerned about Ulster's driving lineout.

Reidys a 7...ish

Asked before, but no response. Trimble injured? Or just losing out to Bowe?

Has anyone considered that Ulster are losing Piutau and Bowe, a fair liklihood of losing Gilroy (if PJ and SO go, he has to too), and Trimble and Ludik will be both pretty old next season.

Remember when we were annoyed we got an NIQ15 when our back three had the most depth?

Next year we could have Stockdale, Nelson, a 32 yr Old Ludik and 34yr old Trimble. I think we need to be seeing more of Rob Lyttle. Is he injured?

If the IRFU go down that route they can come forth with the $$$$$$ and the extra NIQ spaces

Standulstermen wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:No no.7 for Ulster? Not a good idea. Ospreys have shifted AWJ to blindside flanker rather than start with two open-sides, so they must also be concerned about Ulster's driving lineout.

cant have watched us much then

Not much at all since the start of the season. I just assumed that Ulster were still good in that area, most Irish teams usually are. Having big guys in the back 5 certainly gives you an advantage there too.

Ulster singing the awful ‘he knocked it on’ song! I thought that was a Dragons song (embarrassingly)?!

Second game in a row dysel is giving it some serious effort

Well ospreys very unlucky with that

This is the most ridiculous refereeing I have seen in a long, long time.

And again. FFS come on ref.

Ulster are terrible in attack, everytime they get near the line they get white line fever.
Then those forwards get in the road and take the pace out of the attack or drop it, we should already have the bonus point

Ulster have thrown away enough chances to win 2 games here

And another great chance wasted ffs. They've had more chances than the number of femiprotesters at the failed protest.

I may be in the minority, but Ludik is close to be being my favourite player. So damned consistent and unreal work ethic.

Yes we are given by up so many chances, but we are playing quite well. Best game for shanahan I have seen from him. Dysel again playing well. It's just at not going our way 5 meters out

Ridiculous that this is still only 3-0!

If the TMO gives this, after his debacle earlier then it's a farce.

Correct call.

Only took us 79 mins to finally score a try

Yessssss Oxo

Clive I have to admit I like Ludik too. I remember whole he was completing his residency I thought he should have moved to Munster as they needed a utilty back more. It would have saved them having to get taute in that year. However Im glad he didnt and while munster fans love taute, he hasnt been anywhere near as good as ludik

Get in

Gutted for Ospreys. Nothing to take away from a valiant defensive effort. But fair enough as they didn’t create anything really all game.

Well it's a win, we should have destroyed Ospreys there but for poor finishing, good win though and in the last 2 games Ulster have been so, so much better than the rest of the year

What an odd game. I feel good about the performance and yet the failure to rack up more points is concerning. But in terms of dominating, probably pretty good.

Flip me. How did we only score 8 points?

carpet baboon wrote:Flip me. How did we only score 8 points?

Totally agree... With an Irish ref giving Ulster all the calls, allowing Ulster to get away with forward passes, being offside and a TMO who disallows the Ospreys a try for a NON neck roll.

With all the help you got... How did you only score 8 points.



The Pro14 has to get independent officials, as bad decisions is making a mockery of the league.

Ospreys did exactly the same in the previous fixture. 80 minutes of nothing but defense hoping to steal a win. There is a reason why they are where they are.

Well it was the most frantic match I've seen in a long time and amazing that it ended up with only 8 points scored. Thank god they were all our points eh
Ludik is pure gold but that typical Stockdale intervention proves he's not the alone in being golden. Shanahan played his best game ever by a country mile and the pack now look like thay know how to go forwards instead of reverse.
Love it!!

No9 wrote:

carpet baboon wrote:Flip me. How did we only score 8 points?

Totally agree... With an Irish ref giving Ulster all the calls, allowing Ulster to get away with forward passes, being offside and a TMO who disallows the Ospreys a try for a NON neck roll.

With all the help you got... How did you only score 8 points.



The Pro14 has to get independent officials, as bad decisions is making a mockery of the league.

wise up

No9 wrote:

carpet baboon wrote:Flip me. How did we only score 8 points?

Totally agree... With an Irish ref giving Ulster all the calls, allowing Ulster to get away with forward passes, being offside and a TMO who disallows the Ospreys a try for a NON neck roll.

With all the help you got... How did you only score 8 points.



The Pro14 has to get independent officials, as bad decisions is making a mockery of the league.

Hahaha bitter much?
Osprey's were good in defence but not much else.
Odd how it's always biased ref when you don't win.
Although his hand grabbed him on the chest his elbow twisted his neck. So yes a neck roll.
The rest is just your sad angry biassed nature coming out.
Enjoy your weekend

Well done Ulster. Despite the Welsh ref’s terrible officiating, you came through and the right team won. Ospreys a very negative team and hardly fired a shot. If they had won that it would have been the biggest travesty in the last 47 years.

The nerves have only just settled and it seems the big announcement regarding the 3 lads will be made tomorrow. Nerves shredding again.
The noises coming from t'other forum are not positive but they've already had things wrong this week, lets hope that trend continues.
One thing mentioned by KOTH who doesn't usually get it wrong has made comment on the coaching issue:
"You think someone like Christian Lealiffano would have a friend interested in the job.Mallinder ,Moore and Edwards were not interviewed by Nucifora."
Take from that what you like

What a fantastically watchable match.

If you watch sport to be entertained, job done.

And in terms of Ulster - passion, commitment.

Henderson is one thing else. Extraordinary. As is Stockdale.

Kane. Rea. O'Hagan, McPhillips. Well done, wee lads.

Sorry - conflated a number of props names in "O'Hagan".

Ospreys nilled. Has Andy Farrell been up?

Jackson and Olding are gone.

We now need a 10.

Kanbei wrote:Jackson and Olding are gone.

We now need a 10.

Yes. Let's keep this thread clean for Ulster Rugby chat and people can cheer/moan on the other thread.

On the matter of 10. We looked a mess when McPhillips went off. Cooney is only a break the glass option. McPhillips is an interesting one. Could mature in a really great, inventive 10. Alternatively could implode massively, forever be weak defensively and become a new sick note.

I really do see both sides. Obviously he was a 10 who played U20s. Was in the team that beat the baby Blacks. Some people have a lot of faith in him. Similarly I've heard stories that within Ulster Rugby that specific people in the coaching staff thought he would never make it.

I think ultimately what he becomes will be down to him and him alone. If we coach him properly I think he could a great wee player but it's not without some degree of risk.

Assuming we can't sign some sort of superstar 10. I'd like Ulster to get a solid game manager in for the big games/European nights (if there are any next season). McPhillips can learn that side of the game from them and then we can deploy him to chase matches and play a good few of the easier home games (Kings, Dragons, Zebre, etc).

Redman, if what Pete has posted from KOTH is true it could well be Larkham coming in. Wouldn't be a bad choice and highly regarded in Oz and be a great man to coach a young 10

I'd like to see the reasoning in Jackson and Olding being booted and Gilroy kept.

Pot Hale wrote:Well done Ulster.  Despite the Welsh ref’s terrible officiating, you came through and the right team won.  Ospreys a very negative team and hardly fired a shot. If they had won that it would have been the biggest travesty in the last 47 years.  

Except the Ref, Assistant Refs and TMO where all IRFU.

Don't know whether Ulster deserved to win or whether the Ospreys didn't deserve to win!

Ulster turning down 3 or 4 penalty kicks in such a tight game was ludicrous. Building a score would have opened the game up rather than trying to bully scores using lineouts that the officials refused to police.

No9 wrote:

carpet baboon wrote:Flip me. How did we only score 8 points?

Totally agree... With an Irish ref giving Ulster all the calls, allowing Ulster to get away with forward passes, being offside and a TMO who disallows the Ospreys a try for a NON neck roll.

With all the help you got... How did you only score 8 points.



The Pro14 has to get independent officials, as bad decisions is making a mockery of the league.

Prat - they was the most one sided game in terms of territory we have played all season.
If you don't think that was a neck roll you needed to go to Specsavers
Ospreys were totally outclassed but hung there.
Nothing to do with the referee, but Ulster inaccuracy near the line and Ospreys valiant defence

Henderson was MOTM for the second game running, if not officially in practise, what a player.
Having said that don't begrudge Rea who was a close 2nd and had a excellent game.
He and Timoney have been the finds of the season, and alongside Cooney and Stockdale flowering, are a cause for optimism

geoff999rugby wrote:

No9 wrote:

carpet baboon wrote:Flip me. How did we only score 8 points?

Totally agree... With an Irish ref giving Ulster all the calls, allowing Ulster to get away with forward passes, being offside and a TMO who disallows the Ospreys a try for a NON neck roll.

With all the help you got... How did you only score 8 points.



The Pro14 has to get independent officials, as bad decisions is making a mockery of the league.

Prat - they was the most one sided game in terms of territory we have played all season.
If you don't think that was a neck roll you needed to go to Specsavers
Ospreys were totally outclassed but hung there.
Nothing to do with the referee, but Ulster inaccuracy near the line and Ospreys valiant defence

So I have a opinion and I’m a prat. Well, as we are throwing insults, guess that makes you a tw@t.
As for you thinking it was a neck rolll, suggest you don’t waste your money at Specsavers, but apply straight away for a guide dog.

Ulster where very lucky with the final interception, or that could have gone the other way. As for the referee, he was shocking. In the last 10 mins or so, every time Ospreys attacked, Ulster was offside, but got away with it. I need to reload at the final interception but would be surprised if Stockdale was offside. But eh, why let the laws get in the way when you can have Irish refs.. oops. Not supposed to criticise or have an opposing opinion to do with Irish rugby am I, that makes me a prat