Round 11

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Friday

Cardiff vs Dragons
Ulster vs Munster

Saturday

Ospreys vs Scarlets
Edinburgh vs Glasgow
Leinster vs Connacht
Zebre vs Benetton
(no South African derby)

++++++++++++++++++

Benetton and Munster for away wins. The thing that caught my eye this week is Hadley Parkes at 10, with Dan Jones (an excellent backup fly half) on the bench. Any explanations on that one?

 

[Leinster Fan]

Leinster team: Hugo Keenan; Adam Byrne, Rory O'Loughlin, Conor O'Brien, Dave Kearney; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Peter Doonely, Bryan Byrne, Michael Bent; Mick Kearney, Scott Fardy; Rhys Ruddock (captain), Dan Leavy, Caelin Doris.

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Ed Byrne, Andrew Porter, Ross Molony, Max Deegan, Hugh O'Sullivan, Ciarán Frawley, Noel Reid.


It'll be very tough against a mostly first choice Connacht. The rejigged schedule means we might see some Leinster frontliners in Thomond Park for the first time in a while. Not sure we need that, our second team was good enough to beat them with a bit to spare both last season and earlier this season in the Aviva.

Ross Bynre is in great form, a string of big performances over Christmas could see him properly challenge Joey to be backup for Sexton in green. I know Joey has massive talent and I was always more on his side than Byrne's last season but it's obvious that Byrne is improving faster right now. He's undeniably been consistently been playing better at 10 for over a season at this point. I get the arguments for Carbery but I also think we need more than two 10s with genuine international experience and that isn't the case right now. At least Ian Keatley isn't in the conversation anymore.

 

[munstermuffin]

We were beat. Result probably fair but unfortunately the ref was the talking point.
Should argubally have been a red after 12 seconds. And then for a pen near the end Botha was penalised although ball was clearly out. It was so blatant that even Ulster fans were saying it.
But overall 3 tries to 0 says it all. We are happy with an LBP considering we had shallow team out.
Our attack is now becoming a worry. I'm a physii but feel I'd be comfortable coaching defensive side against it. We seem desperate for new ideas

 

[Leinster Fan]

Marcel Coetzee is a beast. Do any South Africans have an insight on if he has any international chances?

Best giving the lie to the idea that he's past it.

Addison is in great form, decent chance he'll see gametime in the Six Nations. England missed a trick there.

Munster have good backs, they should be able to come up with a lot more in attack than they're showing right now.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Our attack is now becoming a worry.

It was largely a first string Ulster against a second string Munster. As such, a losing bonus point wasn't a bad result. The Munster attack has been worrisome for a lot longer than just tonight though. It was obvious towards the end of last season that their skills weren't good enough. I'll question what they were doing over the off season because it hasn't noticeably improved.

Ulster didn't play well but they're coming into some form. Dan McFarland is trusting the same core of 18 or 19 players every time and isn't rotating his squad too much. There'll be a big clearout of players who aren't featuring come next summer. It's already happened with Rodney Ah You and Schalk van der Merwe being discarded.

Rory Best showed better passing skills tonight than the Munster flyhalf! Will Addison continues to impress.

 

[munstermuffin]

@snoopy snoopy dog dog the skills are there. Structures are possibly the issue

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I'll take your word for it but I don't see it. Passes over players heads, straight to touch, defences telegraphing everything. Munster need major help to get their skills up to scratch. They've a squad capable of challenging for honours. Do they have good enough coaching to help them deliver it? I'm not so sure.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Jeeze, I've just seen that early yellow - That's as clear cut a red as you'll see in this day and age.

 

[munstermuffin]

I'll take your word for it but I don't see it. Passes over players heads, straight to touch, defences telegraphing everything. Munster need major help to get their skills up to scratch. They've a squad capable of challenging for honours. Do they have good enough coaching to help them deliver it? I'm not so sure.

Well that is the pount. It's not the right structures and play design. We have skillset to deliver the long pass. But they trying to deliver them at the wrong time. Our issues are more mental side of the game

 

[munstermuffin]

Jeeze, I've just seen that early yellow - That's as clear cut a red as you'll see in this day and age.

Supposedly the fact it was only few seconds in was the saviour

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I too thought it was a red card. Munster can legitimately gripe about that.

I disagree with Munster having the skill set to pull off wide passing moves. All evidence suggests otherwise. While their alignment in attack isn't helping, I see Joey Carbery and Rory Scannell as perhaps the only quality passers in that backline. Players like Chris Farrell, Keith Earls, Jaco Taute and Sam Arnold bring other (outstanding) skills but passing isn't their forte.

 

[Groundhog]

Thought ulster got some dodgy calls even if we were beaten fair. I'm sorry but that not being a red is a joke. Seriously dangerous and heat of the moment or not entirely purposeful.
Would agree our attack is poor. Arnold and Taute are two crash guys and have no place in a center pairing together. Thought guys like Wycherley played well and I'd love to see more of money Johnston. Loughman too packed down well and had Moore a few times.
We didn't play well though. Line speed was good but it's no use if we do nothing with the ball. Second/third string or not I'd like to see that we have attacking systems worth a damn. If we can't get penetration up the middle by physically bullying teams we look clueless. Capable of playing flowing rugby against poor sides.

 

[munstermuffin]

I too thought it was a red card. Munster can legitimately gripe about that.

I disagree with Munster having the skill set to pull off wide passing moves. All evidence suggests otherwise. While their alignment in attack isn't helping, I see Joey Carbery and Rory Scannell as perhaps the only quality passers in that backline. Players like Chris Farrell, Keith Earls, Jaco Taute and Sam Arnold bring other (outstanding) skills but passing isn't their forte.

That's fair on passing comments. But alot too is overall play sets

 

[Amiga500]

Yeah, we got lucky with the red (albeit, going with IRB's stupid policy of sanction based on outcome, Sweetnam only landed on his side).

I'd say the fact he was a kid making only his 2nd start and that it was straight from kickoff played a large part in the ref probably trying to justify anything to avoid a red.

Other than that, Munster's rush defence was very good - if offside a few times that were not picked up - but you make your luck that way. We looked a bit blunt - battering against a big red wall - unless it was Addison on the ball.

Good win without Henderson and Stockdale. When Hendy was proclaimed injured, I thought we'd probably lose.

 

[Amiga500]

I'll take your word for it but I don't see it. Passes over players heads, straight to touch, defences telegraphing everything.

We were much the same. There was more than a few poor passes along our backline. Maybe the wet ball didn't help.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Reckon they'll do us tonight, they always play like superstars against us and we have a weak side out.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

We were much the same. There was more than a few poor passes along our backline. Maybe the wet ball didn't help.

Agreed. Ulster don't have the talent level Munster do though. Billy Burns is their best option at 10 but I think Ulster need to improve at that position more than any other. He's not playing badly, he just isn't igniting the backline apart from his kicking game.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Reckon they'll do us tonight, they always play like superstars against us and we have a weak side out.

The tight five is a slight worry but I don't have much fear about the rest of the Leinster team. They've shown in their opportunities that they're good enough. A full strength Connacht is a great test for them.

 

[Amiga500]

Billy Burns is their best option at 10 but I think Ulster need to improve at that position more than any other. He's not playing badly, he just isn't igniting the backline apart from his kicking game.

Until the Scarlets home game, I had him as probably our 3rd best outside half.

In that match, to be fair, he really did control that game with wee dinks in behind and I have to hold my hands up and say he does maybe bring something the other two wouldn't. But that still doesn't means hes the best choice.

In general, he plants his feet, receives then moves the ball on. Sometimes he gets quite close to the gainline before the ball arrives and shovels from there - but if he could even take a step or two on the ball - it'd make the whole defence sit in that extra half second.

McPhillips is much better at getting the backline moving and getting involved after the first pass. We've seen that when he's been on the pitch this year.


Lowry from what I've seen elsewhere could be a class act. I don't know why we are persisting with mediocrity as opposed to giving him a chance.

 

[munstermuffin]

Agreed. Ulster don't have the talent level Munster do though. Billy Burns is their best option at 10 but I think Ulster need to improve at that position more than any other. He's not playing badly, he just isn't igniting the backline apart from his kicking game.

Don't forget we had a weakened team out last noght and well in many peoples views down here JJ is 4th best 10. But I know you are basing it on more than last night.
Having rewatched game on tv I think alot is still decision making. Granted we don't have super passers either.
But again I think also Felix lack of experience is really showing up now a bot. When Rassie was here he had some experience and could help. But now everyone is a 1st timer in their role and Felix is alone really for the attack plays