Ulster, Away, March 6th, 7.35pm

[mildlyinterested]

Greg McGrath, Dan Sheehan, Hugh O'Sullivan & Tim Corkery were wider squad players who went to belfast on saturday.

[ronk]

Greg McGrath, Dan Sheehan, Hugh O'Sullivan & Tim Corkery were wider squad players who went to belfast on saturday.

Good to know. Dan got to play

[LeinsterLeader]

Michael Bents try was a thing of beauty. Two pods of 3 working in perfect harmony. First pod sheers of the side of the Ulster pack. Second pod instantly sheers off that and over the line before Ulster can get across to repair the damage done by the first pod. A forward coaches dream

[ronk]

Michael Bents try was a thing of beauty. Two pods of 3 working in perfect harmony. First pod sheers of the side of the Ulster pack. Second pod instantly sheers off that and over the line before Ulster can get across to repair the damage done by the first pod. A forward coaches dream

2 trys lined up mismatches with Madigan as the pillar defender against driven pods.

[leinsterforever]

I've seen far worse cases of obstruction not being called as such. I'd like to see it again from behind. Did Ruddock have enough of a clear run to Baloucoune if he chose to advance on him? That's the question, for me. They have it way better defined in league, what is and isn't obstruction.

[OTT]

It’s very disappointing when a brilliant move/play that ends in a try gets called back because of something you might think is unimportant or innocuous buts that’s the nature of these things. We probably lost a match against Connacht in January from something similar, Ireland against Italy had one of the best try’s of last year chalked off because of something that looked like it was milked. In their review they (Ulster) should ask McCloskey to stop unnecessarily making contact with players off the ball, he did it the whole match, there were a few times near the end of the game where they were attacking our line and he was being an absolute ball bag unnecessarily running and smashing into lads on our line, if they had scored he’d have probably cost his team those try’s as well. It’s not brave, it’s not aggressive it’s just stupid to keep doing the same thing you get pinged for over and over again but he looked like his head had gone after the early procession didn’t follow through.

What ulster could be angry about was the red card which seemed harsh when other contacts to heads were treated differently but they seem to want to throw their toys out about everything after listening to McFarland without acknowledging any of their own indiscretions. Frustration maybe but there were lots of other things that they got away with as did we.

[LeinsterLeader]

The still photos' do catch some great images.

Naughty, Naughty Mr. Baloucoune

[mildlyinterested]

Tom O'Toole high on ROL: https://imgur.com/a/uAM9aBb

[LeinsterLeader]

Tom O'Toole high on ROL: https://imgur.com/a/uAM9aBb

Ye know what, I seen that at the time and thought he must be out cold, but then play went on and nobody seemed to bat an eye.

Not a great angle but looks worse then a most of the instances that were carded imo

[blockhead]

Well, with the last 2 posts we can clearly say that its evens in terms of cards given/not given, what the ref missed etc. So all we have left is the scoreboard.
That scoreboard is emphatic.
Any more moaning from North Leinster will not be tolerated.

[mildlyinterested]

bonkers the highlight packages produced by Pro 14 and Leinster for this game.. not sign of O'Reilly's break and offload.. who puts these things together?

[blockhead]

bonkers the highlight packages produced by Pro 14 and Leinster for this game.. not sign of O'Reilly's break and offload.. who puts these things together?

Y'know the full game is available on ytube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nTDmp9h0Tc

[mildlyinterested]

bonkers the highlight packages produced by Pro 14 and Leinster for this game.. not sign of O'Reilly's break and offload.. who puts these things together?

Y'know the full game is available on ytube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nTDmp9h0Tc

yep, just saying that the pro 14 hardly do a good job of promoting the good rugby played.

[blockhead]

It's usually just tries,tries, tries with these packages.

[mildlyinterested]

It's usually just tries,tries, tries with these packages.

the o'reilly offload led to a try.

[Theleinsterlad]

It's usually just tries,tries, tries with these packages.

the o'reilly offload led to a try.

In fairness when DuPont does the pass that max did it’s worldclass. I thought it was the best bit of skill all night with his balance going as he did it

[Ruckedtobits]

...........
What ulster could be angry about was the red card which seemed harsh when other contacts to heads were treated differently but they seem to want to throw their toys out about everything after listening to McFarland without acknowledging any of their own indiscretions. Frustration maybe but there were lots of other things that they got away with as did we.

In particular, the "head contact" on RO'L and the head to head clash when JVdF in possession was tackled by their LHP, noted in commentary as the 'coming together of two red headguards'.

Broadly speaking the sanctions handed out were a function of the "new era" of refereeing and we're likely to see more of them until Coaches realise they can't afford to select players who can't or won't keep contact of any sort below chest height.

The only sanction I considered excessive was that on Warwick as I considered first impact was on chest not neck. Conversely, leading with your elbow is now likely to get a Red sanction more often than a Yellow. - ref. Papa'lia in successive games for Connacht earlier in the season.

[leinsterforever]

Neither of Papali'i's reds was for leading with the elbow while carrying the ball

[Ruckedtobits]

Neither of Papali'i's reds was for leading with the elbow while carrying the ball

Badly phrased by me. The reference should have been to repeated dangerous high contacts

[LeinsterLeader]

Ah Scott Fardy! ........ What are we ever gonna do without ye. If you were from Munster you'd definitely be a Liigind