Leinster v Ulster: HC Last 16; April 1st

[wwed]

Our kicking game won that match for us - Lowe’s long clearances to Lowry who was unsure how to respond, Ross either finding grass or allowing us contest for cross-field kicks, and some quality box kicks from JGP. In that weather territory is key and we could wear them down with our carriers. Line out was also outstanding.

Most disappointing was that we struggled to convert chances from closer range - we’re usually more efficient there but credit I suppose to Ulster defensive effort.

[wixfjord]

Solid performance in the conditions which were absolutely awful. Felt sorry for those in south stand who got drenched.

I thought Ryan, Baird and Conan were immense.

Our pack really took them apart and as expected Ulster’s 4-8 couldn’t live with us and their bench impact was non existent.

You could see us trying to open up a bit and then think ‘nah we’ll stick to the forward dominance for today’.

Lineout was absolutely immaculate on such a wet day. This and the Racing performance away were two of the best lineout showings I’ve ever seen from a team in blue.

It was a good tune up for what Tigers will bring on Friday, but hopefully we will see more expansive play.

By the way, what an absolute freak of an athlete Ryan Baird is. So many good moments where he just shows what he can do.

[Flash Gordon]

Solid performance in the conditions which were absolutely awful. Felt sorry for those in south stand who got drenched.

I thought Ryan, Baird and Conan were immense.

Our pack really took them apart and as expected Ulster’s 4-8 couldn’t live with us and their bench impact was non existent.

You could see us trying to open up a bit and then think ‘nah we’ll stick to the forward dominance for today’.

Lineout was absolutely immaculate on such a wet day. This and the Racing performance away were two of the best lineout showings I’ve ever seen from a team in blue.

It was a good tune up for what Tigers will bring on Friday, but hopefully we will see more expansive play.

By the way, what an absolute freak of an athlete Ryan Baird is. So many good moments where he just shows what he can do.

Yep, that would be my take on it too. Ryan was my man of the match, thought he was unreal. The lineout steal just when we needed it at a critical juncture was brilliant. Didn't really create anything in the backline, you need a Ringrose to do the impossible in those conditions but job done. We were looking down on the first few rows of the South stand and the rain was absolutely belting off the concrete, it was a real pity given we had a sell out crowd. Kudos to the Ulster faithful who travelled in numbers, had some good chats and pints with them afterwards as always though a couple of them should be a bit more selective in their fleg selection....

[wixfjord]

Our lineout variation for the Baird try was very interesting.

Had 9 in the lineout, including Henshaw lifting at the front, thrown to Conan who dropped it down to Baird to shift the maul. He then offloaded it backwards to Conan. Didn't work but certainly something I haven't seen before.

[wixfjord]

McCann's missed tackle for Baird's try was shocking by the way.

[enby]

It was good seeing Stockdale back playing at a high level but it was even more dispiriting to see the deterioration in his game. I suppose he has his halcyon 2018 to look back on. As someone whose rugby high water mark was a half season on the 3Bs I envy him that.

I know it was a messy wet day and that player safety is paramount but something (I don't know what) has to be done to quicken up the scrum. It suited us fine as the team in the lead but it took well over 2 mins from the award of a scrum to Ulster around 69 mins to the ball emerging and I think that contributed to the dreariest last 10 minutes for some time.

Special awards to our forwards for outstanding line-out work in dreadful conditions and to Ross for the shittest restart seen in years. He did redeem himself with some excellent goal kicking

[wixfjord]

Special awards to our forwards for outstanding line-out work in dreadful conditions and to Ross for the shittest restart seen in years. He did redeem himself with some excellent goal kicking

It was so bad. Could've really cost us too.

However the scrum directly after that which we turned them over felt like a massive moment. Furlong absolutely went through Sutherland, who was incredibly quiet all day.

[wixfjord]

This is like something out of a horror film where a monster is chasing down his prey.

https://twitter.com/Murray_Kinsella/sta ... 8747599872

[ronk]

This is like something out of a horror film where a monster is chasing down his prey.

https://twitter.com/Murray_Kinsella/sta ... 8747599872

Yeah, Lowry wasn't expecting either to be caught or for Baird to get such a solid grasp.

[wixfjord]

McFarland loves trotting out this excuse.

“It’s challenging,” he said. “It is what it is, isn’t it?

“I can’t change the demographics. They’ve just got way more rugby players, way more earning potential in terms of the money. Nothing changes that. It would be like taking any other job and saying, ‘Oh God, I’m always demoralised because so-and-so has got more money.’ You just get on with the job, don’t you?

Have to say he's a guy that I can't warm to.

Likewise James Hume is a guy that annoys me. Loves a bit of aggro and has a mouth on and off the pitch, but hasn't really backed any of it up yet.

Compare him to Ringer who never is involved in any on pitch nonsense and just keeps delivering game after game.

[riocard911]

McFarland loves trotting out this excuse.

“It’s challenging,” he said. “It is what it is, isn’t it?

“I can’t change the demographics. They’ve just got way more rugby players, way more earning potential in terms of the money. Nothing changes that. It would be like taking any other job and saying, ‘Oh God, I’m always demoralised because so-and-so has got more money.’ You just get on with the job, don’t you?

Have to say he's a guy that I can't warm to.

Likewise James Hume is a guy that annoys me. Loves a bit of aggro and has a mouth on and off the pitch, but hasn't really backed any of it up yet.

Compare him to Ringer who never is involved in any on pitch nonsense and just keeps delivering game after game.

The best bit was Stockdale trying to reenact JPR answering the "99" call on the High Veldt, being told off by Luke Pierce for acting the eejit and then apologising and returning to his position on the wing sheepishly.

[fourthirtythree]

The demographics are that Ulster have as many people to draw from, but don't.

They'd want to start focusing on that at some stage.

[FLIP]

The demographics are that Ulster have as many people to draw from, but don't.

They'd want to start focusing on that at some stage.

Plus at least for a large portion of the populace there isn't the social stigma of playing a "garrison sport". And they have a strong tradition of schools rugby too.

[Flash Gordon]

The demographics are that Ulster have as many people to draw from, but don't.

They'd want to start focusing on that at some stage.

Exactly, they've had a similar sized playing pool historically but their Academy went to pieces in the 2010's. I was at a Leinster A vs Ulster A game a number of years ago and was not too far from Willie Anderson. Leinster were down to 13 men due to cards and the things I heard from him coaching wise would shock you. I saw an underage Ireland team a week or 2 ago that had no Ulster representatives. In my view, the Ulster management should be brought before the IRFU and made explain how despite the IRFU investment in the province that the return is so unbelievably poor.

When money is invested there should be an accountability, the IRFU need to get better at calling that in my view. It's great that we are supplying pretty much all of the Ireland team but as a consequence it's not as representative and there's an awfully large burden placed on one club which inhibits our ability to compete in Europe. We won the game this weekend but without Sexton, Ringrose and Doris who would all be shoe ins for the Lions if there was a tour this year.

[The Doc]

McFarland loves trotting out this excuse.

“It’s challenging,” he said. “It is what it is, isn’t it?

“I can’t change the demographics. They’ve just got way more rugby players...

This one gets my goat every time (and you hear down south as well)... we have pretty much exactly the same number of players in the Leinster academy and squad. We take in pretty much the exact same number of academy players in all the provinces. If they mean there are more schools players, then feel free to come here and offer academy spots to the 99% of schools players who don't make the Leinster academy.

But what they are actually complaining about (without realising it) is that the throughput from their academy isn't good enough i.e. it is an internal issue

[Xanthippe]

McFarland loves trotting out this excuse.

“It’s challenging,” he said. “It is what it is, isn’t it?

“I can’t change the demographics. They’ve just got way more rugby players, way more earning potential in terms of the money. Nothing changes that. It would be like taking any other job and saying, ‘Oh God, I’m always demoralised because so-and-so has got more money.’ You just get on with the job, don’t you?

The demographics are that Ulster have as many people to draw from, but don't.

They'd want to start focusing on that at some stage.

And in terms of players:
Ulster have 49 senior and 12 academy players on their books and they have 61 players registered with EPCR and 59 with the URC
Leinster have 44 senior* and 19 academy players on their books and have 67 players registered with EPCR and 64 with the URC

[Oldschoolsocks]

McFarland loves trotting out this excuse.

“It’s challenging,” he said. “It is what it is, isn’t it?

“I can’t change the demographics. They’ve just got way more rugby players...

This one gets my goat every time (and you hear down south as well)... we have pretty much exactly the same number of players in the Leinster academy and squad. We take in pretty much the exact same number of academy players in all the provinces. If they mean there are more schools players, then feel free to come here and offer academy spots to the 99% of schools players who don't make the Leinster academy.

But what they are actually complaining about (without realising it) is that the throughput from their academy isn't good enough i.e. it is an internal issue

I think the complaint is twofold

1: due to a larger population base Leinster have a structural advantage when it comes to player selection - and that makes a certain amount of sense - but then if you consider that the historical powerhouse of World Rugby - New Zealand does not have a huge population then obviously culture and level of participation are obviously hugely important.

2: The schools system where Blackrock and Michael's (for example) have a full professional coaching setup including physiotherapy and nutritionists along with a large playing population and a strong rugby culture means that the entrants to the academy already have a head start wrt physical development and training years and rugby knowledge.

I don't know how whingeing about it is going to fix it for them though? they need to sit down and make a plan - the solution is not going to reveal itself in a fevre dream on a hot and sweaty night in the middle of summer...

[TMC]

McFarland loves trotting out this excuse.

“It’s challenging,” he said. “It is what it is, isn’t it?

“I can’t change the demographics. They’ve just got way more rugby players...

This one gets my goat every time (and you hear down south as well)... we have pretty much exactly the same number of players in the Leinster academy and squad. We take in pretty much the exact same number of academy players in all the provinces. If they mean there are more schools players, then feel free to come here and offer academy spots to the 99% of schools players who don't make the Leinster academy.

But what they are actually complaining about (without realising it) is that the throughput from their academy isn't good enough i.e. it is an internal issue

100%

Generally with the corollary that the IRFU should come along and reward them for consistent failure in terms of player development by providing them with additional funding to bring in NIQ players to paper over the cracks because their own academy development over a good number of years has not been good enough to replenish their squads. It’s a business after all and you can’t continually reward poor development performance by bailouts from central funds. The IRFU have gone down that road, the outcome has been the maintenance of the status quo, essentially rewarding poor performance and inhibiting proper change and improvement in the academy structures elsewhere.

Leinster have undoubted advantages in terms of the strength of the Leinster Schools competition and the players coming through there want to play for Leinster as their first choice. However the first years going into Michael's or Blackrock are no better or worse than the first years in any other province, they are not more physically or athletically gifted. Its how they are developed and managed over the subsequent years that is different. Every year there are a number of quality players who don’t make it into the Leinster academy from the sub academy who still want to be pro rugby players. Get Lucifora to route these guys to the other provincial academics if they want to go that route. You see bilge spouted online every so often that there should be a draft of the Leinster academy output annually to spread the talent. Complete BS. Cannibalising one province to support those not doing the right work developmentally is just distracting from the failures of the respective development systems and academies elsewhere.

If Connacht, Ulster or Munster really wanted to sort their development pipeline they should have been straight on the phone to Stephen Aboud to offer him a job back here when the Italians let him go. He’s been available since last July. That none of them appear to have offered him the right job shows the default mindset is to come to the IRFU with the begging bowl out rather than address the fundamentals of the issue and become self sustaining.

I'd be 100% in favour of the IRFU getting him back into the Irish system somehow, U20 DOR or even with one of the other provinces, the Irish team would undoubtedly benefit down the line.

[wixfjord]

I can understand the challenge that Leinster has in-built advantages in terms of schools set-up and possibly bigger population. That's a bit like Dublin in GAA.

However it's a bit rich to be pointing to that as the key issue when all of Ulster, Connacht and Munster have at times this season played well below what they should be getting from those players.

Can anyone really say Friend, McFarland or Rowntree is maximising the resources they currently have available to them?

McFarland in particular has had this same whinge a few times now. Maybe he should be looking inward at Ulster's mid season blow up that has cost them dearly and the significant drop in form suffered by some of his key players.

Maybe he should also remember that Ulster have been very well supported by the IRFU in terms of overseas signings.

[wixfjord]

As an aside, it did warm my heart at the weekend when Ulster fans started singing that stupid 'he knocked it on' chant after Hugo spilled the ball in the first half, then went very quiet when for the rest of the game the majority of errors were coming from the men in yellow.