Ulster 2021/22

[hugonaut]

Phenomenal signing. A monster of a player, a huge personality, loads of experience and top quality leadership ability.

No idea where they are getting the money from – he must be on a massive salary.

[neill_m]

Phenomenal signing. A monster of a player, a huge personality, loads of experience and top quality leadership ability.

No idea where they are getting the money from – he must be on a massive salary.

Compensation from Bulls when they signed Coetzee. He was under contract until June 2022.

[munster#1]

What an a amazing addition to the Ulster squad.
Getting to see him live will be a bitter sweet moment.

Great to watch him live, but he will be playing against Munster.

[ronk]

Phenomenal signing. A monster of a player, a huge personality, loads of experience and top quality leadership ability.

No idea where they are getting the money from – he must be on a massive salary.

French clubs are probably more concerned about his international commitments than his age.

Good news for Ulster.

[Aird]

Money from Bulls compensation, Cotezee’s Salary & Faddes release frees his salary. Only other signing is Mick Kearney from Zebre so not so over extended as some seem to think. Also some other retirements being replaced by ex Academy players.
Ulsters treatment of S.African players over the years makes it attractive also.

[LeinsterLeader]

What are the over all thoughts on how Ulster faired outta this?

a) Would have been better if they could have kept Cotezee (all things being equal)
b) Vermeulen is a better option
c) bout the same

[riocard911]

What are the over all thoughts on how Ulster faired outta this?

a) Would have been better if they could have kept Cotezee (all things being equal)
b) Vermeulen is a better option
c) bout the same

B: Vermeulen is top box-office. Coetzee is not quite in that category.

[Ruckedtobits]

What are the over all thoughts on how Ulster faired outta this?

a) Would have been better if they could have kept Cotezee (all things being equal)
b) Vermeulen is a better option
c) bout the same

B: Vermeulen is top box-office. Coetzee is not quite in that category.

Even at 35, Vermeulen is a better addition for Ulster and the League.

[ronk]

Humes yellow was interesting. You see players try that a lot and never get penalised. Even took the ref a few replays before it occurred to him that Hume has to be on his feet.

Hume was unlucky to get called. Wonder if we'll see more a crackdown now that the law has been rediscovered

[FLIP]

Humes yellow was interesting. You see players try that a lot and never get penalised. Even took the ref a few replays before it occurred to him that Hume has to be on his feet.

Hume was unlucky to get called. Wonder if we'll see more a crackdown now that the law has been rediscovered

I didn't watch the game, what exactly did he do?

[ronk]

Player was tackled and about to score. Hume dived off his feet and got a hand under the ball and rolled him into touch and goal.

[FLIP]

Player was tackled and about to score. Hume dived off his feet and got a hand under the ball and rolled him into touch and goal.

Huh, didn't even know you had to be on your feet for that one, most held up try attempts due to a sneaky hand are from off feet players.

Learn something new everyday

[ronk]

Player was tackled and about to score. Hume dived off his feet and got a hand under the ball and rolled him into touch and goal.

Huh, didn't even know you had to be on your feet for that one, most held up try attempts due to a sneaky hand are from off feet players.

Learn something new everyday

Actually I'm pretty sure it used to say that. Doesn't say it now.

I'm not sure the ref was right.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Humes yellow was interesting. You see players try that a lot and never get penalised. Even took the ref a few replays before it occurred to him that Hume has to be on his feet.

Hume was unlucky to get called. Wonder if we'll see more a crackdown now that the law has been rediscovered

La Rochelle were done for the same thing recently so there must be a crackdown on it. I can’t believe that though, to me that’s a brilliant bit of defensive play. Leading with the knees would be fair enough but not that kind of play where the defender targets the ball so perfectly.

Doak looked like he’d been playing for Ulster for years, thought people ignored a few flaws for the 20’s but he’s a serious talent and already looks incredibly comfortable at this level. He has a real presence about him, don’t think it’ll be long before his capped and look forward to seeing how Casey responds tomorrow.

Stockdale made a few errors but thought he looked very lively and did a lot of good things, I can see him getting back to his best soon.

[riocard911]

Ballacoune got seriously bounced - lol - by the Glasgow 13 for George Horne's try in the first half. If that happened to Lowe, we'd never hear the end of it......

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Ballacoune got seriously bounced - lol - by the Glasgow 13 for George Horne's try in the first half. If that happened to Lowe, we'd never hear the end of it......

Said it before that his tackling is too handsy and he doesn’t drive his shoulder into it, but that’s actually the first time I’ve seen him be caught out by it. Great that he made up for it with a big hit from the restart.

[riocard911]

Ballacoune got seriously bounced - lol - by the Glasgow 13 for George Horne's try in the first half. If that happened to Lowe, we'd never hear the end of it......

Said it before that his tackling is too handsy and he doesn’t drive his shoulder into it, but that’s actually the first time I’ve seen him be caught out by it. Great that he made up for it with a big hit from the restart.

100%! "That which does not kill us makes us stronger." - Nietzsche

[fourthirtythree]

Yeah, he said that before he spent a decade in pain and mental illness and incommunicative.

That might have tempered his opinion of adversity had he been capable of expressing himself.

[ronk]

Article on the42 discussing possible breakout players and talks about Doak.

One thing that's not mentioned but that could be important is Doak can play 10. This allows a 6-2 split with one specialist on the bench. Helpful that Cooney can move there too and can kick. Even better that Burns could move to fullback and they could still cover 2 injuries in the backs.

[Fan with smartphone]

Doak’s emergence really means that Ulster should be looking at a play making or running threat 10 rather than a kicking one. They’ve now got 2 very similar 9s which maybe is a problem for a change up as substitutions, but is great to have 2 goal kicking 9s. It is especially relevant when you think of Lowry wanting to develop at 10 (whether that’s the right or wrong move for him). With the amount of box kicking these days, it’s a wonder there aren’t more place kicking specialist 9s.

Ps: really enjoying Mark Robson and Darren cave on commentary. There’s been some quite funny ribbing Of Andrew Trimble, Robson then misread a Zebre penalty - gave it the absolute works and was very self effacing in his climb down, he’s been funny too - many have tried as commentators to be funny, few succeed.