Ulster 2021/22

[cormac]

Jack McGrath on the bench for Ulster tomorrow. Great to see him back.

[Dexter]

Ulster lose in Swansea. They were very blunt in attack, just like last week, and it cost them this time.

[Oldschool]

Last score of the game came from a scrum peno to Ospreys.
The laws need to be changed.
The scrum arose from a restart of play following a stoppage for injury.
Scrum in that situation should be uncontested because otherwise it gives an unfair advantage to the team with the dominant scrum. In this case Ospreys.

[Ruckedtobits]

Ulster lose in Swansea. They were very blunt in attack, just like last week, and it cost them this time.

What a terrible match with little ambition from either team. Surprised that McFarland didn't try to up the pace and play with more width, given the damage both of those tactics, employed by Connacht, inflicted a fortnight ago. Repetitive one out pick and go played into the hands of this strong but limited Ospreys team. Definitely one that got away from Ulster.

[dropkick]

Ulster lose in Swansea. They were very blunt in attack, just like last week, and it cost them this time.

What a terrible match with little ambition from either team. Surprised that McFarland didn't try to up the pace and play with more width, given the damage both of those tactics, employed by Connacht, inflicted a fortnight ago. Repetitive one out pick and go played into the hands of this strong but limited Ospreys team. Definitely one that got away from Ulster.

That's what struck me. Ulster were just so slow and getting the ball standing still. Very poor attack especially compared to Connacht last week. Ospreys are a big side and handled Ulster comfortably. I read Ulster had 64% and 65% of possession and territory.


I like this Ospreys side though. They are not pretty but Toby Booth has built a tough team to beat and they're no pushovers this season. Good news for Irish sides. Munster and ulster played poor rugby and both lost. In previous seasons they both might have came away with a win.

[Dave Cahill]

McCloskey (again) annoyed me. Three times, in three successive possessions, early in the first half he took the ball into contact and offloaded to an Ulster player. On each of those three occasions if he'd drawn his man and given the pass outside him Ulster would have had a clear try scoring chance. He does this all the time. Offloading can be beneficial in a specific set of circumstances, but 9 times out of 10 drawing the man and making the pass is the better choice.

[Morf]

Who draws and passes and shouts "Sonny Bill" though?

[neill_m]

Relevant information for anyone coming up on January 1st.

Ulster confirm COVID proof needed for all ticket holders 18 or over from 13th December.

Digital Proof of COVID Status

Ticket holders from Northern Ireland are encouraged to download the CovidCert NI App domestic certificate for the quickest and easiest access. The App will allow stewards at Ulster Rugby to scan and verify the following before allowing access to the turnstiles:
Proof of full vaccination via the Domestic Certificate
Proof of natural Covid-19 antibodies; live on the CovidCert NI App (pending App Store approval) during the week 6-13 December.
Proof of exemption on the CovidCert NI App
Proof of having taken part in a vaccine trial, displayed on the CovidCert NI App
For ticket holders without a mobile device, a paper version of the QR code can be scanned for entry. To apply for a paper version, please call the NI Direct telephone service on 0300 200 7814. Application and identity checks can take up to 10 working days.

Non-Digital Proof of COVID Status

While non-digital proof will be accepted, it is foreseen that this will be a slower entry process and ticket holder entry may be delayed.
Proof of a negative NHS Lateral Flow Test - taken no more than 48 hours prior to the event.
Register your lateral flow results online with NHS.
The lateral flow itself will not be acceptable for admission.
Photographic ID must be presented alongside the NHS test results.
Please note, spot checks may be carried out and attendees may be asked to complete a further lateral flow before entering the stadium.

Ticket Holders from outside NI - GB or EU countries

EU Digital COVID Certificate or Travel QR codes can be scanned via the CovidCert NI App verifier and must be accompanied by photographic ID for admission to the stadium.

[riocard911]

Relevant information for anyone coming up on January 1st.

Ulster confirm COVID proof needed for all ticket holders 18 or over from 13th December.

Digital Proof of COVID Status

Ticket holders from Northern Ireland are encouraged to download the CovidCert NI App domestic certificate for the quickest and easiest access. The App will allow stewards at Ulster Rugby to scan and verify the following before allowing access to the turnstiles:
Proof of full vaccination via the Domestic Certificate
Proof of natural Covid-19 antibodies; live on the CovidCert NI App (pending App Store approval) during the week 6-13 December.
Proof of exemption on the CovidCert NI App
Proof of having taken part in a vaccine trial, displayed on the CovidCert NI App
For ticket holders without a mobile device, a paper version of the QR code can be scanned for entry. To apply for a paper version, please call the NI Direct telephone service on 0300 200 7814. Application and identity checks can take up to 10 working days.

Non-Digital Proof of COVID Status

While non-digital proof will be accepted, it is foreseen that this will be a slower entry process and ticket holder entry may be delayed.
Proof of a negative NHS Lateral Flow Test - taken no more than 48 hours prior to the event.
Register your lateral flow results online with NHS.
The lateral flow itself will not be acceptable for admission.
Photographic ID must be presented alongside the NHS test results.
Please note, spot checks may be carried out and attendees may be asked to complete a further lateral flow before entering the stadium.

Ticket Holders from outside NI - GB or EU countries

EU Digital COVID Certificate or Travel QR codes can be scanned via the CovidCert NI App verifier and must be accompanied by photographic ID for admission to the stadium.

Good to know, NM, as I'm hoping to take the whole clan to this game. GRMMA!!!

[Oldschool]

Away to Clerment.
Which Ulster will turn up.
Result really depends on the performance of the Ulster pack. Ospreys exposed their scrum last weekend.
More of the same this weekend perhaps.

[riocard911]

Away to Clerment.
Which Ulster will turn up.
Result really depends on the performance of the Ulster pack. Ospreys exposed their scrum last weekend.
More of the same this weekend perhaps.

A large part of the problem, certainly in the second half, was, that they'd lost both their hookers to HIAs and Tom O'Toole had to go in at 2. What followed was not something for Jack McGrath's - he'd come on shortly before off the bench - highlights reel....

[neill_m]

Small COVID outbreak in Clermont camp.

The match between Clermont and Ulster (Saturday at 6.30 p.m.) will take place. For the moment, no other case of Covid has been detected in the workforce of the ASM. But with one case declared positive (Cancoriet), the ASM will have to do without the unvaccinated, in particular Moala and Matsushima.

Google translate from La Montagne paper with latest update on Clermont COVID situation.

https://www.lamontagne.fr/clermont-ferr ... _14058855/

[neill_m]

ASM CLERMONT AUVERGNE

15. Cheik Tiberghien, 14. Damian Penaud, 13. Jean-Pascal Barraque, 12. Tani Vili, 11. Alivereti Raka, 10. JJ Hanrahan, 9. Kevin Viallard, 1. Peni Ravai, 2. Yohan Beheregaray, 3. Rabah Slimani, 4. Jacobus Van Tonder, 5. Sébastien Vahaamahina, 6. Arthur Iturria (c), 7. Peceli Yato, 8. Fritz Lee.

Replacements:
16. Benjamin Boudou, 17. Etienne Falgoux, 18. Cristian Ojovan, 19. Thibaud Lanen, 20. Lucas Dessaigne, 21. Sébastien Bézy, 22. Gabin Michet, 23. Marvin O'Connor

ULSTER RUGBY

15. Michael Lowry, 14. Rob Baloucoune, 13. James Hume, 12. Stuart McCloskey, 11. Ethan McIlroy, 10. Billy Burns, 9. John Cooney, 1. Andy Warwick, 2. Rob Herring, 3. Tom O'Toole, 4. Alan O'Connor (c), 5. Kieran Treadwell, 6. Marcus Rea, 7. Nick Timoney, 8. Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements:
16. John Andrew, 17. Jack McGrath, 18. Ross Kane, 19. Sam Carter, 20. Greg Jones, 21. Nathan Doak, 22. Stewart Moore, 23. Sean Reidy

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
AR1: Hamish Smales (England)
AR2: Jamie Leahy (England)
TMO: Tom Foley (England)
Broadcasters: beIN SPORTS / BT Sport / Sky Italia

[riocard911]

Big debut for Duane Vermeulen. SUFTUM!!!

[riocard911]

Hugh Cahill doing the commentary in Clermont.....

[riocard911]

Ulster looking more up for this than Clermont.

[ronk]

Penaud channeling his Andrew Trimble.

[riocard911]

Clermont leaking penos - 0-9 after a quarter of an hour.

[riocard911]

Ulster score the first try beside the posts - 0-16 after 27 mins. Wow!

[riocard911]

HT: 10-19. Baloucoune tip-tackled and is off with a shoulder injury. Not good.