Edinburgh v Ulster, Friday October 22

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Edinburgh: C Paterson (capt); J Thompson, B Cairns, J King, T Visser, D Blair, G Laidlaw, A Jacobsen, A Kelly, G Cross, S MacLeod, F McKenzie, A MacDonald, R Rennie, N Talei.
Replacements: F Gillies, K Traynor, D Young, G Gilchrist, S Newlands, M Blair, A Grove, M Robertson.

Ulster: A D'Arcy; M McCrea, A Trimble, I Whitten, D McIlwaine; P Wallace, R Pienaar; P McAllister, R Best (capt), BJ Botha, J Muller, D Tuohy, S Ferris, C Henry, R Diack.
Replacements: A Kyriacou, T Court, B Young, R Caldwell, P Wannenburg, P Marshall, I Humphreys, N Spence.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

According to the BBC Laidlaw is replacing Dan Parks at scrum half. :lol:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/my_club/ulster/9111382.stm

 

[coonor]

Ulster were their own enemy and wern't clinical, making loads of mistakes. However D'arcy, mcilwayne and Mcrea (apology for spelling) made some good runs and gained some needed experience. Ferris was good in the first half but got lost in the second half. Karyacou (sorry for spelling again) looked very shakey.

 

[Bluemoon]

Not seen any footage yet, but I think thats a pretty nice 4 points there for Edinburgh. They are a much stronger team than people give them credit for. I like the fact they play a fast, off loading game.

 

[coonor]

They didn't really even play like that. They got two chances to score a try and took both chances. Ulster had had 3 or 4 chances but only scored 1. Ulster need to stop playing just one half of the game.

 

[Bluemoon]

Like I say, haven't seen the highlights yet. But based on when I've seen them in the HC I think they've been playing better rugby than they've had credit for.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Ulster collapsed in the 2nd half having failed to take their chances in the 1st. 21-16 was a fair reflection of the game. Ulster's backs looked clueless. Whitten bashes it up but can't pass, Trimble has fumbleitis, McCrea's only trick is to chip the ball 10 yards into a waiting defenders arms and D'arcy makes breaks but never looks for support. The nordies terrific pack is being let down by a lack of options behind the scrum.

 

[coonor]

I think the Ulster backs can play well with ball in hand but Humphreys should be 10 and wallace 12, I know Kidney wanted to see wallace at 10 but he is a far better 12 and Humphreys showed what he can do at flyhalf.

 

[munstermuffin]

What I don't get is why are they intent on Paddy Wallace as a 10 in the IRFU. Fair enough he'll be 3rd choice in World Cup if replacements can't be found but reality is he is same age as ROG and won't learn much more at this stage so Ulster shouldn't be made change their plans. I'm a big fan of Wallace but as a 12 not a 10 and believe ROG and Sexton are our 2 fly-halves and if one is injured then call up Keatley who is playing consistently at 10

 

[coonor]

I agree and Wallace finds space at 12, he's one of our best passers and his defence seems to have improved and he has a good kick in open play. Also just because he's playing 12 doesn't mean he can't kick for goal if they need him to but I think we have better goal kickers than him.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Putting Wallace at 20 wasn't the problem yesterday. He's a better centre than flyhalf but he wasn't the problem last night- for me he was Ulster's best performer with Paddy McAllister a close second.

I do agree that Ulster lack something when he's missing from 12 though. Ian Whitten is a solid player and an able backup but he lacks the skill set of Wallace.

Another thing worth considering is that all the chopping and changing at 10 is doing Ruan Pienaar no favours. Pienaar has played 4 games (I think) with Ulster. In those games he's been partnered by 3 different flyhalves. How are Ulster supposed to develop a strong understanding between 9 and 10 when they have different players in the positions week to week?

 

[munstermuffin]

I know Paddy played well and wasn't poor my point being - realistically he will be Irelands 3rd choice Fly-Half at best. So why are Ulster been made play him there in these games because:
- Chances of him playing there for International Team are slim (Even if he is covering from bench)
- It harms his chances in battle for the 12 shirt
- IF we suffer an injury to ROG or Sexton in AI's another natural 10 (ie Humphreys or Keatley) will be added to replace injured player.
- Wallace is 31 years old so I doubt he's going to be learning anything new at this stage
- And why make Ulster do this when it effects there chances in ML especially when they up near top of table.

 

[Peat]

If Wallace is going to play 10 at international level, even if its just in extremis, he needs some domestic games there. I like Whitten as a player but feel he's being ill-used.

Ulster should have won that. ****, they should have been out of sight by half-time. But between some suicidal attempted offloads and a few massive defensive errors, bang. I'm guessing Ulster were relying on the boot and Johann Muller to secure more territory but couldn't and panicked a little... but even in their purple patch there were some risky offloads for any weather, nevermind ******* it down October.

There is a devestating team waiting to be unleashed there, frailities in the backs or no. They just need that bit more structure, that bit more nous, that bit more self-confidence that will come from winning. Hopefully the coaching team is good enough to draw it out.

We also desperately miss Darren Cave.

 

[munstermuffin]

Agree on that but well away after a poor showing in Biarritz wasn't the time to have Wallace at 10. After Biarritz game they shouldve put strongest team out and got train rolling again

 

[Peat]

While I agree with that in principle, McGlock will have looked at his fixture list and thought what games he was willing to do it in and what games he wasn't to fill the Mincer 10 quota - and that was one of them. Even if we'd won, momentum could only be carried to the Munster game anyway as then its the international break. So... well, it'll be forgotten anyway come end of the season most like.

The Ulster-Munster game promises to be very interesting now. I think Ulster should be targeting it, take away the Ireland players and I think right now its advantage Ulster on paper... but I'm pretty nervy about it being enforced. Because right now Ulster look short on self-belief, and I don't think the average Munster player recognises the concept. So even with the likely comparitive loose five strengths... yeah. Sanity really calls for sticking it up the jumper and trying to out-Munster Munster here.

 

[munstermuffin]

All I'll say Peat is momentum continues through AIs but agree Ulster should have advantage but a few of our lads that will play did excellent in AIL so hopefully they have bit of form.

 

[coonor]

This where Ulster could really take points against other teams. During times like the AI where teams have their international players out, Ulster have one of the strongest and most experienced squads in the league. Ulster have to make the most of these games.

 

[munstermuffin]

Only 2 games though and coonor and well I'd expect for this game a few lads will be released back. And for Munster that could mean Varley Hayes Ryan Leamy possibly and Stringer maybe along with Johne Murphy.