Ulster 2021/22

[Ruckedtobits]

Payne joining Jono Gibbs at Clermont. That could be a very tidy coaching ticket.

[sunshiner1]

by neill_m

They did make an approach, but apparently the move didn't happen as he was still under contract and they would have had to pay transfer fee/compensation etc to the Stormers.

I heard they went back with a second bid/try. No idea if true though. I wonder if they are looking for a LH because McGrath's injury is more serious then thought of? Again idle speculation.

[neill_m]

by neill_m

They did make an approach, but apparently the move didn't happen as he was still under contract and they would have had to pay transfer fee/compensation etc to the Stormers.

I heard they went back with a second bid/try. No idea if true though. I wonder if they are looking for a LH because McGrath's injury is more serious then thought of? Again idle speculation.

McGrath is fit again and started v Munster. Ulster yet to renew the contracts of McGrath or Eric O'Sullivan which are up in the summer.

[ronk]

by neill_m

They did make an approach, but apparently the move didn't happen as he was still under contract and they would have had to pay transfer fee/compensation etc to the Stormers.

I heard they went back with a second bid/try. No idea if true though. I wonder if they are looking for a LH because McGrath's injury is more serious then thought of? Again idle speculation.

McGrath is fit again and started v Munster. Ulster yet to renew the contracts of McGrath or Eric O'Sullivan which are up in the summer.

Not liking this. Pressure is off a bit at loosehead but it was at long term risk and it wouldn't take much (injury to Porter) to leave Ireland shallow (in the gap between Healy fading and Boyle etc. coming through.

If any province was stuck for a loosehead Dooley was in the Ireland squad in the summer and has been affected by the Porter move.

Now a destructive scrummaging loosehead would help Ulster in a few big games, but he'd also be away a lot and he'd be good for the other 2 internationals in the front row.

[neill_m]

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS vs ULSTER RUGBY
Heineken Champions Cup, Pool A, Round 3
Sunday 16 January 2022
cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens
Kick-off: 3.15pm

15 George Furbank, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Tom Litchfield, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Tom Collins, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Alex Mitchell, 1 Alex Waller, 2 Sam Matavesi, 3 Paul Hill, 4 David Ribbans, 5 Brandon Nansen, 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Lewis Ludlam (c), 8 Teimana Harrison

16 James Fish, 17 Emmanuel Iyogun, 18 Ehren Painter, 19 Api Ratuniyarawa, 20 Alex Coles, 21 Juarno Augustus, 22 Tom James, 23 Tommy Freeman

Ulster team to play Northampton Saints, Heineken Champions Cup Round 3, Sunday 16 January at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, kick-off 3.15pm, live on BT Sport:
(15-9) Mike Lowry, Robert Baloucoune, James Hume, Stewart Moore, Ethan McIlroy, Billy Burns, Nathan Doak;

(1-8) Andrew Warwick, Rob Herring, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor (Capt.), Kieran Treadwell, Marcus Rea, Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: John Andrew, Eric O’Sullivan, Tom O’Toole, Sam Carter, Greg Jones, David Shanahan, Ian Madigan, Ben Moxham.

RFU Disciplinary: Chris Boyd
Friday 14 January, 2022
Following an independent disciplinary panel on Thursday evening, Northampton Saints’ Director of Rugby Chris Boyd has been given a two-match suspension from all matchday coaching duties.

Boyd appeared in front of the independent disciplinary panel, which was chaired by Martin Picton with Tom Gilbart and Rob Vickerman. He was charged with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the union and the game contrary to RFU Rule 5.12, relating to his comments on the match official after Northampton’s game against Saracens on 2 January 2022.

The decision means that Boyd will miss Saints’ Heineken Champions Cup matches against Ulster Rugby (Sunday 16 January) and Racing 92 (Sunday 23 January). The 63-year-old is suspended from all matchday coaching duties, meaning he can only attend as a spectator.

[blockhead]

Good win for Ulster. Hume is a serious contender for the 6Ns team, electric player.

[jezzer]

Good win for Ulster. Hume is a serious contender for the 6Ns team, electric player.

Hume and Lowry are both almost impossible to get a hand on. As well as Ringer played and as good a 13 as Robbie is as well, Hume's claim is getting harder to ignore.

Moore is coming along well too. He's got that NFL runningback ability to make a guy miss without scrubbing speed and keeping himself going north south.

Burns played very tidily too as a facilitator. He just offers no threat himself, which is a big limiter.

[blockhead]

Burns is a walking calamity. Just like his brother.

[riocard911]

Burns is a walking calamity. Just like his brother.

Have to agree. He did play very well vs Northampton though.

[ronk]

Stockdale gone for the season. At this point makes sense to get him right, have a preseason and be up to speed in plenty of time for the RWC

https://www.the42.ie/jacob-stockade-ank ... 9-Jan2022/

[Ruckedtobits]

One of the 'unseen' coaching skills is the timing of substitutions. Dan McFarland played with fire last weekend but emerged the winner. Bringing Shanahan & Madser on together was a risk, given the control that Doak and Burns had on the game. It looked even worse when the "Mads" executed his latest brain fa#t tapping a quick penalty whilst his pack were discussing the next line-out call.

Equally, keeping Herring on the pitch for the full 80 mins is a big ask and by the end, the same could have been said of Timoney. He and Herring had put in huge defensive shifts as well as carrying plenty of ball into a big pack. When the impressive Saints centre, Hutchinson, cut between two tired tackles (Herring & Timoney) with just two minutes on the clock, memories of Connacht v Leicester jumped to mind.

We now know they survived to win, but it was a close-run affair. McFarland had a much easier call in putting Tom O'Toole in for Marty Moore and even Greg Jones for Rea. But the quality of the bench and the timing of it's use are huge elements in closing out many high-paced European games. Dan will need to make more key decisions this weekend as the Clermont bench carries several experienced winners from times past. Let's hope his options are stronger.

[Morf]

We now know they survived to win, but it was a close-run affair. McFarland had a much easier call in putting Tom O'Toole in for Marty Moore and even Greg Jones for Rea. But the quality of the bench and the timing of it's use are huge elements in closing out many high-paced European games. Dan will need to make more key decisions this weekend as the Clermont bench carries several experienced winners from times past. Let's hope his options are stronger.

To borrow Dave Cahill's drum briefly - winners with Clermont?
After ditching the Heimlich Manoeuvre for 'abdominal thrusts' they're happy to name it in honour of whatever coach can match their funding and talent to trophies.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Very disappointing that Clermont are sending over a weak team. No Bezy, Moala, or Matsushima. Lee, Lopez, and Penaud all on the bench.

Ulster should win this easily if they repeat last week’s form.

[riocard911]

Five minutes in Ulster look like they have the measure of Clermont....

[riocard911]

Herring try off the back of a lineout maul; Doak fails to convert - 5-0, 9 mins gone.

[riocard911]

Parra peno in front of the sticks - 5-3.

[riocard911]

Ulster scrum gets munched; Parra knocks it over - 5-6

[riocard911]

Try Lowry! Doak misses from the sideline again - 10-6

[riocard911]

Another Parra peno - 10-9, 26 mins gone

[riocard911]

Parra 4 from 4 - 10-12