Sunday 30 September 2012

CLASSY IN CARDIFF

Today I look back on one of the greatest ever away victories for Ulster, and an all-round great weekend for the Ulstermen…

Well, well, well. Sitting here writing this I never ever thought I’d be reporting on a bonus-point win for Ulster. In fact, after the first ten minutes in the Arms Park I was considering getting started on a losing blog entry to save me a bit of time.

But instead, I held out until the end and I’m glad I did. Because Ulster proved me wrong once again.

Ultimate Ulster
For me, that’s the first all-round great performance from Ulster since April in Thomond Park. Everything operated smoothly – the scrum was utterly sensational, the defence was solid and the attack was scintillating.

And this performance was with nearly no preparation at all. Last week was disrupted for obvious reasons, this week was disrupted by the Ireland training camp on Monday and Tuesday. In fact, the only training Ulster have had in the last two weeks has been on Wednesday and a short run through on Thursday morning. That is impressive.

Not to mention the unexpected loss of Johann Muller on Thursday, who was ruled out due to a training ground injury. Neil McComb stepped in to deputise, making his first competitive start of the season. And deputise he did, putting in a great effort in the captain’s absence and just emphasising what depth we have in our ranks.

Welcome home, Tommy Bowe! Two tries on your return debut is a good way to reintroduce yourself to your endearing fans back in Belfast. Ulster’s prodigal son has started the season with a bang and everybody will be hoping that will continue.

It was great to see Ireland internationals Chris Henry and Dan Tuohy return to first team action as well. Both were active at the breakdown, carried the ball well and Tuohy controlled the line-out brilliantly. It was a game where Wales captain Sam Warburton was shown up by his opposite number – something that doesn’t happen very often.

Other mentions go to Paddy Jackson, who is maturing into a fantastic fly half and Jared Payne who is showing his class every week.

But the star of the show was Nick Williams. The bruising Kiwi smashed and crashed his way through the Blues’ defence all night. His work rate was second to none and his fitness is remarkable compared to what it was a few years ago. In the backline he draws the defenders to him leaving gaps for other players. What an acquisition this boy is. Roger Wilson is by no means a guaranteed starter in my opinion.

Cardiff were the manufacturers of their own downfall though. Taking nothing away from Ulster, who played phenomenally, but Cardiff faltered and never looked in it after Ulster scored their first try. Their scrum buckled under the pressure, their defence had more holes in it than a golf course, and their attack never seemed to threaten the Ulster defence much at all. In short, Ulster’s opposition weren’t much to shout about.

Negatives? Apart from Michael Allen’s injury, I would honestly say there were none. It was a complete Ulster performance and we ruthlessly put away the Blues’ efforts. If we keep this up, it will take a lot to beat us.

One game less, one point ahead
The result in Cardiff wasn’t the only one that would have pleased Ulster this week. All of Ulster’s other nearest competitors fell to defeats this weekend – and heavy defeats at that.

Edinburgh were the first to lose, 32-12 at Rodney Parade against the Dragons. Leinster were soon to follow after being hammered by Connacht in Galway, 34-6. This evening, the Scarlets were downed by a last minute Alberto di Bernardo penalty, losing 22-20 at Treviso. And finally, Munster were beaten 30-15 by the Ospreys in Swansea.

All of this means Ulster lead the way in the PRO12 by a point from the Scarlets, despite having played a game less than their rivals. And as many predict, with Ulster’s game in hand being against ‘whipping boys’ Zebre, that lead may be six points when they play that game in the middle of November.

It’s all coming up roses for Ulster at the moment, and with the opening rounds of the Heineken Cup in just two weeks, they couldn’t be any better prepared. A victory over Connacht next week would be the perfect way to set up the Castres match, but Connacht may have something to say about that – especially after beating Leinster this week…
 
Current PRO12 table
1. Ulster, 17pts
2. Scarlets, 16pts
3. Munster, 14pts
4. Glasgow, 14pts
5. Cardiff, 14pts
6. Leinster, 13pts
7. Edinburgh, 11pts
8. Connacht, 10pts
9. Ospreys, 10pts
10. Treviso, 10pts
11. Dragons, 9pts
12. Zebre, 1pt

Thursday 27 September 2012

CAPITAL CRUNCH

Today I look at what will be Ulster’s biggest test so far, under the lights of the big city…

After the tragic events of last week, Ulster return to the pitch this weekend to face the Cardiff Blues in the PRO12. And it will be some game…

Who will be black and Blue?
Last season, Ulster were left rueing their missed chances when they slumped to another of their losses on the road. After taking an early lead through a Robbie Diack try, they conceded two soft tries to winger Tom James and veteran fly half Dan Parks, while the aforementioned Parks kicked eleven points to give the Blues the win.

This time round only one of those players will play (Tom James) with Diack injured and Parks off to Connacht. Indeed, only seven of the thirty players that started the match last February will play this week, and fourteen of those thirty have moved on to new teams.

This weekend it should be a completely different affair. Ulster haven’t been successful in the Arms Park since 2005, however that win was in September – maybe fate is on their side?

This is no time to get superstitious though! I don’t believe in fate and I’m not going to base my prediction on that. Instead, Ulster will have to be at their best to return from the Arms Park with a hard fought win. Cardiff proved their talent with a crushing bonus-point win over Treviso. Ulster must make sure that they don’t suffer the same fate…

But Ulster haven’t faced a harder test than this yet. Munster came to Ravenhill with a tenacity and ferocity that we hadn’t faced, but lacked that final something and were duly dispatched. This game, however, is away from home and against a side that are third and will want to mount a serious title charge after being written off by many before the start of the season.

Their team is not foolproof, no. Young teenager Harry Robinson has replaced Wales international Alex Cuthbert on the wing after the latter withdrew with a hamstring injury. He’ll have Andrew Trimble running at him all night – a match up he may not fancy.

Anybody remember Jason Tovey? The ex-Dragons fly half was brought in to replace the outgoing Dan Parks but instead he found himself warming the bench after illness. Instead, he had to watch Rhys Patchell steer Cardiff to victories over Treviso, Connacht and the Dragons, but crash at home against Edinburgh. He’ll want to prove he will be the Blues’ number one at number ten.

But for the areas they lack in, they make up for in experience. All Ireland fans will remember Bradley Davies after his tip-tackle in last season’s Six Nations – he’ll be running out for his 100th cap in a blue jersey. Not bad for a guy who’s only 25.

In the midfield, centre Jamie Roberts in no stranger to a rugby match either having played 76 times for Cardiff and 44 times for Wales. Anscombe has switched Darren Cave to the unfamiliar position of inside centre to counter-act Roberts’ presence on the field and allow young Mike Allen to flourish outside him. Roberts vs. Cave will be some clash.

In the back row, Sam Warburton needs no introduction. The Wales captain made his long awaited return to the club stage against Edinburgh and hasn’t looked back since. Watch out for his work at the breakdown which makes him such a formidable opponent.

And if you haven’t heard of Andy Kyriacou then you obviously haven’t followed Ulster long. The hooker admitted that this will be an emotional match for him, not only because of the circumstances, but considering this is the first time he’ll have met his former team-mates since Nevin Spence’s death.

Where will the game be won? Obviously this week I can’t use my usual cheesy answer of ‘The crowd will win it!’ This week it will be down to the players and how they play.

In our last two games the scrum has been so dominant with Court, Brady and Afoa controlling the set piece. Cardiff have a rather unproven prop in Nathan Trevett, who will be going up against the World Cup winner Afoa. On paper it looks like it will be a walkover in the scrum. Maybe it will be. But the front row have to get the job done, or they could look foolish.

Ulster’s returning internationals must make their mark as well. Tommy Bowe will be relishing a first start for his home province and will be looking forward to attacking Tom James. A try on his return debut must be his aim. Dan Tuohy must continue on Johann Muller’s work in the captain’s absence and Chris Henry has to lead from the front and by example. Players like Allen and Henderson will draw from this and the team can flourish from there.

They first must establish a firm base – gain good possession in good territory early on and build on it. Make sure the Blues don’t get any momentum, keep knocking over the penalties if we can’t get over the whitewash, and make sure we’re always either ahead or right behind them.

As I said, I don’t believe in fate, superstitions, luck or coincidence. But, for the Ospreys match I was negative and said we’d lose. Thankfully I was wrong. This week I’m very tempted to go the same way in the hope the same thing happens, even though I think Ulster will win. But no, I’ll stick by my guns and go for an Ulster win, but by a small margin. Prediction – Ulster by 5.

Selection headaches
Mark Anscombe will undoubtedly have ruffled some feathers with his team selection this weekend, leaving out the in-form duo of Luke Marshall and Lewis Stevenson. Instead, Mike Allen moves to the centre to accommodate Tommy Bowe’s return and Neil McComb starts at lock. Iain Henderson also starts at second row for the first time in an Ulster shirt.

I’m not going to argue with his choices after our start to the season. All we can do is put faith in the coach and hope his choices are the right ones for the club. After all – he hasn’t let us down so far, has he?

Around the grounds
A new addition to my Thursday blog, I’ll look at each of the PRO12 games in the coming weekend and give my verdict on how they’ll go…

Dragons vs. Edinburgh – The Dragons haven’t hit top form yet and will want to cause an upset, but Edinburgh should have enough talent to leave them empty handed. Dragons 13-23 Edinburgh

Glasgow vs. Zebre – Only one way this will go, and it won’t be a happy trip for the away fans. The Scots will run riot. Glasgow 32-9 Zebre

Connacht vs. Leinster – I can see Connacht pushing them all the way, but Leinster should have enough to grab the win. Connacht 16-24 Leinster

Ospreys vs. Munster – Undoubtedly the game of the weekend and it will be a second win for the defending champions. Well, just. Ospreys 17-16 Munster

Treviso vs. Scarlets – The Scarlets should extend their lead in the league, although Treviso have been doing not too badly and should get a losing bonus point. Treviso 25-30 Scarlets

Match details

Ulster
15. Jared Payne, 14. Tommy Bowe, 13. Mike Allen, 12. Darren Cave, 11. Andrew Trimble, 10. Paddy Jackson, 9. Paul Marshall; 1. Tom Court, 2. Rob Herring, 3. John Afoa, 4. Neil McComb, 5. Dan Tuohy, 6. Iain Henderson, 7. Chris Henry (c), 8. Nick Williams.

Subs: 16. Rob Herring, 17. Callum Black, 18. Adam Macklin, 19. Lewis Stevenson, 20. Mike McComish, 21. Michael Heaney, 22. Paddy Wallace, 23. Craig Gilroy.

Cardiff Blues
15. Dan Fish, 14. Harry Robinson, 13. Dafydd Hewitt, 12. Jamie Roberts, 11. Tom James, 10. Jason Tovey, 9. Lloyd Williams; 1. Nathan Trevett, 2. Andy Kyriacou, 3. Taufao’ao Filise, 4. Bradley Davies, 5. James Down, 6. Robin Copeland, 7. Sam Warburton, 8. Andries Pretorius (c).

Subs: 16. Rhys Williams, 17. Campese Ma’afu, 18. Scott Andrews, 19. Lou Reed, 20. Rory Watts-Jones, 21. Rob Lewis, 22. Gareth Davies, 23. Tom Williams.

Cardiff Arms Park, 7:05pm

Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy, 11th competition game)
Assistants: Nigel Owens, Ian Davies (both Wales)
Citing Commissioner: Richard Gwynn (Wales)
TMO: Neil Ballard (Wales)

Live on BBC Wales and BBC NI

Tuesday 25 September 2012

WHEN RUGBY NO LONGER MATTERS (2)

Over 5,000 people turned out at Ravenhill on Sunday afternoon to remember the life of Nevin Spence.

The number of people who came was overwhelming and included rugby faces both past and present. Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll and many of his Leinster team-mates were in attendance as well as Paul O’Connell and his Munster cohorts. Former Ulster winger Timoci Nagusa was also given leave from his duty with Montpellier to be in attendance.

The service itself was very poignant and emotional. Rory Best gave a very emotional speech in Nevin’s memory and included two of Nevin’s favourite jokes to tell around the training ground as well as his tips on love and health. It is clear that Spence’s death affected him as a friend, not just as a colleague.

Johann Muller and Paul Marshall both read passages from the Bible – Psalm 27: 1-6; 13-14 and John 14: 1-6; 25-27 respectively. Two passages which remind us that the LORD is always with us and death is not the end, but simply the beginning of a new life in Christ.

The service was led by Ulster chaplain, the Reverend Andrew Thomson, who referred to Philippians 3: 7-11 where Paul considers everything he has achieved on Earth as nothing compared to ‘…the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my LORD.’ Nevin’s life was a success, but it was his faith that he considered to be the biggest success of all and it is reassuring for his family and friends that he is now in a better place where they can see him again.

The Wallace High Capella choir led the crowd in singing Psalm 23 – The Lord’s My Shepherd and Abide With Me.

For the remainder of the season the Ulster team will wear NS above the badges on their shirts as a tribute.

It was the final send-off to a player who will remain in our memories forever – not just for his talents on the pitch, but for his talents and beliefs off it.

Nevin Spence – he will never be forgotten.

World in union
The tributes to Nevin haven’t just been limited to the UK. Words of sympathy have flooded in from all over the globe, even as far away as New Zealand.

A minute’s silence was observed at every RaboDirect PRO12 and Aviva Premiership match over the weekend, followed by a resounding chorus of ‘Stand Up For The Ulstermen’, as well as similar tributes being held at club rugby and GAA matches across the country.

It wasn’t just the fans who were paying their respects – countless numbers of well wishing rugby players sent their condolences to the Spence family as well. Players such as Dan Carter, Brian O’Driscoll and Shane Williams all sent their sympathies to the Spences and they weren’t the only ones.

The full list can be viewed here: http://www.ulsterrugby.com/news/10794.php

It just shows how close the rugby community is and how much one tragedy can affect so many people. After all, rugby’s just a game.

Tuesday 18 September 2012

WHEN RUGBY NO LONGER MATTERS

On Saturday night we learned of the tragic passing of Nevin Spence, his father Noel and his brother Graham after an incident at their farm in Hillsborough.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and their friends at such a terrible time for them.

We also think of the Ulster squad, who undoubtedly will be shaken by this terrible loss, and for some it will be the loss of a very close friend.

Who could forget his wonderful somersault try against Bath in the Heineken Cup two years ago? Or what about his double against the Dragons in the Magners’ League the same year? Three crucial tries in a successful season for the province and a successful season for Nevin.

In his short career, Nevin Spence lit up Ravenhill with his dazzling footwork and mazy runs. In just two years he had already established himself as a starter in the Ulster side and people were saying it was only a matter of time before he was an Ireland regular. It is sad to think that his light has been extinguished. He was a player who was dedicated to the Ulster cause and gave his all in a white shirt.

Ulster’s game this Friday in Parma against Zebre has been postponed and a minute’s silence will be held before every PRO12 game this weekend. A fitting tribute to such a talented young player.

Nevin Spence - he will never be forgotten.

Saturday 15 September 2012

RED ARMY REPELLED

Today I look back at a very nerve-wracking win over Munster, and why this Ulster side is better than any side we’ve seen before…

I was sick.

Not the way you thought I’d start my blog today, eh? But it’s true – by the end of the 80 minutes last night I was feeling very out of sorts, probably because of that finish.

When Munster got their final penalty and then began their assault on the Ulster 22, I think everybody in the stadium believed that an O’Gara drop goal was the only outcome, me included. I had to sit still for the next five minutes or so to steady myself.

So let’s reminisce about a true inter-pro at Ravenhill last night…

100% - but only just
Ignoring the last three or so minutes, what a game of rugby we witnessed. In fact, no, include those three minutes, because they were just as exciting as the other seventy-seven. It was certainly a vast improvement on the match from last weekend. Although the result was just as close.

What we got for our money was a very open game with lots of fast running play, which actually only yielded two tries – one per side. And it was very enjoyable to watch; it kept us on the edge of our seats for the most part and was a great spectacle for Irish rugby.

But I’m going to go immediately to the negatives. Mainly Ulster’s poor showing in attack – in the second half alone we could have had an extra two or three tries while Sean Dougall was in the sin bin. Too many sloppy passes and dropped passes were what allowed Munster to stay in touch.

Ulster’s competitiveness at the breakdown was close to terrible as well. They were turned over too many times for me to count and when Munster were on the ball they didn’t even compete for it, resulting in a very easy night for the forwards wearing red.

Even in defence Ulster were lacking to a certain degree. Munster were making very easy yards through their backs, while the forwards were making the ‘hard yards’ as well. There is a lot of work for Anscombe to do if the Ulstermen want to come away from the Stadio XXV Aprille next Friday night with what should be a bonus point win.

But there is a lot to be happy about no doubt. Paddy Jackson has matured no ends and his distribution of the ball along the backline is very good, not to mention his goal kicking which was near perfect (with the exception of one). Last season we were bemoaning our lack of a good 10 – we may just have found one that will last us a long time.

Also along the backline was Luke Marshall who has really come on well as a young player too. Before this season he had made limited appearances for the senior side, but is now a very prominent figure in the squad and will no doubt be pushing Paddy Wallace very hard for his place in the team during the rest of the season.

Another mention for Michael Allen too who showed he’s not far away from the players in the first team either. A very strong winger with good pace as well, and he will be looking to put his hand up for selection when it comes to big games.

The scrum, like last week, was completely dominant and again set up the platform for the win. Penalties received from them were duly slotted over by the aforementioned Jackson and it is good to see. As the saying goes, ‘Forwards win matches, backs decide by how much.’ If Ulster can keep a strong scrum throughout the season, all they need is the backs to function for them to be close to unstoppable.

Ulster’s territory in the second half was so dominant as well. Nearly the entire second half was played in the Munster half and Ulster barely gave their opponents a sniff, limiting them to just 3 points the entire half. Ulster played the territorial game well.

Johann Muller’s line-out was imperious again with the majority of them landing in Ulster hands, while Nick Williams made the yards with ball in hand in another full match for the Kiwi.

The defence at the end of the match was heroic and was reminiscent of the brilliant defence down in Thomond in April. Every time Munster tried to barrel their way through to get the space for O’Gara to manufacture a drop goal, Ulster slammed the door shut and drove them back. The Ulster resolve not to concede a penalty at that stage as well was incredible – teams from the past wouldn’t have been able to do that. That defensive effort probably won them the match.

But it was Jared Payne who was the stand out performer in the match. His try was the difference between the two sides and he was a constant thorn in Munster’s side all night with his runs through the gaps and his solid defence. A deserved Man of the Match and it is fantastic to see him back in a white shirt once more after his injury.

A mention for Stephen Ferris as well who managed to play the full 80 minutes on his 100th cap for the province. He did so much work on the ground and made the yards while running too. Now he will be sent back to the factory and wrapped in cotton wool until the Castres match I would think!!!

But Ulster can learn one thing from their opponents’ game. Munster’s clinical finishing meant they were still in the game right until the very end. In the second half, they were in our 22 once and they scored from it. We were camped in their 22 for most of the second half and scored 11 points. If Ulster could have had that clinical finishing in their game, then they would have had the match wrapped up well before the final whistle. This is something they must work on – a lot.

And just to show I’m not completely biased, I’ll admit (from an Irish perspective) that it was good to see Keith Earls put in a decent shift at wing for Munster. His try was a superb team effort that was finished off well and he was all over the pitch all night making a nuisance of himself. Conor Murray and Ronan O’Gara came on too late to make any real impacts, but at least they are back playing first team rugby.

There’s still a lot to work on, no doubt. But Ulster are still moving in the right direction, and while they are up there at the top, they are still one of the teams to beat…

An Ulster team like no other
I believe that this Ulster squad is the best we’ve seen in a long time, probably since the team of ’99. Why? For one simple reason – we win.

In past seasons, in games like last night, when we went behind we would have put our heads down and ended up being slaughtered. Now, thanks to the leadership of Muller and the newfound success of the team, Ulster know what it’s like to win on a regular basis and they don’t want that to end anytime soon.

With players coming through such as Allen, Luke Marshall, Birch, Farrell etc. there is strength in depth all over the field now and there is real competition for places – not even current internationals are guaranteed starters anymore.

We probably aren’t far away from what Leinster have to be honest. They have two top quality sides that they can switch players about every week, give them rests and still be competitive. Granted, our players maybe aren’t as talented as Leinster’s, but at least we have competition that means if a player is out of form, we can change.

Below is a team with first team players in bold and second team players in normal (in my opinion anyway). If you look at those two teams, you would be happy having either of those teams competing – both could win any game you play them in. And hopefully this is how it will continue.

15. Payne/D’Arcy, 14. Bowe/Gilroy, 13. Cave/Spence, 12. Wallace/L. Marshall, 11. Trimble/Gilroy, 10. Jackson/O’Connor, 9. Pienaar/P. Marshall; 1. Court/Black, 2. Best/Herring, 3. Afoa/Fitzpatrick, 4. Muller/Stevenson, 5. Tuohy, McComb, 6. Ferris/Diack, 7. Henry/Doyle, 8. Wilson/Williams.

Thursday 13 September 2012

WHAT'S THAT COMING OVER THE HILL, IS IT A MUNSTER?

Today I look at how Ulster will fare against their southern counterparts tomorrow, and touch on the subject of a certain Lions tour on the horizon…

Five months ago, Ulster squared off against Munster in a tense situation that won't be replicated tomorrow night. Sunday 8th April was the Heineken Cup Quarter-Final in Thomond Park, Limerick.

From my lofty seat, three rows from the top of the East Stand, I could see everything – Craig Gilroy’s mesmeric solo try, Ruan Pienaar’s majestic goal kicking, Tomas O’Leary’s fatal knock on and the tears of 18,000 Munster fans. It was a day to remember.

It was the first time Munster had lost a knock out match in the European Cup at Thomond Park. ‘Fortress Thomond’ had been breached by the noisy neighbours, whose fans were jubilant. Those fans didn’t leave the stadium for nearly half an hour after the match – the victory ‘parade’ went on that long. The iconic picture of Stevie Ferris with his hands behind his ears will last in our memories.

But while it’s still nice talking about a great win now, rewind back to before the match and be brutally honest – did you think we were going to win? In my case, driving down to Thomond I was weighing up all of the factors. The teams were fairly balanced, maybe even slightly in our favour. But it was the so-called ‘Thomond factor’ that scared me most, and that impenetrable record that Munster seemed to have. I went down in hope rather than expectation. But I knew we could win.

And we did.

Why am I telling you this? Three reasons: one, I didn’t have a blog in April and I wanted to give my basic views on the game; two, I just love watching Munster lose!

And three, it sets us up perfectly for tomorrow…

“Hell hath no fury like a Munster scorned.”
OK, so I know that’s not exactly Shakespeare but it rings true – a Munster side who desperately want revenge on you is a dangerous creature.

And Ulster must be careful. The 23 players who will travel up to Belfast tomorrow will all be looking to redeem the Red Army’s pride. Indeed, 11 of those 23 were part of that Heineken Cup side and will not want to lose again, especially when not just pride is at stake, but a domestic 100% record.

Yes, both sides are two of three teams that are undefeated in the PRO12 so far (the Scarlets being the other). And under new coaches, that is no mean feat (amazingly, the same goes for the Scarlets), especially when those two coaches are relatively unproven before their arrival in Ireland.

But which side will be happier with their first two performances? On reflection you must go with Ulster, who saw off two of last season’s semi-finalists, one of which was actually the champions whom they beat on their home turf. Although they weren’t fantastic performances, those two Ulster sides did what many Ulster teams before them haven’t done before – they gritted it out and got the win.

That said, Munster fans certainly won’t be unhappy either, they went to Murrayfield and defeated last season’s Heineken Cup semi-finalists Edinburgh in a tough encounter and also saw off a spirited Treviso side at home. However, their performance against Treviso was shabby and was a game that other play-off contenders would be targeting as a bonus point game. Results may be good, performances maybe not.

So to the game itself and Ulster welcome back Stephen Ferris and Andrew Trimble to the first team for the first time since the Heineken Cup final. Paddy Jackson returns after injury to partner Paul Marshall at half back, while Tom Court, Nigel Brady and John Afoa make up an all-change front row.

Munster also have internationals back in the shape of Ronan O’Gara, Conor Murray and Keith Earls, but only to the bench. Donncha O’Callaghan returns to the team once more, while David Kilcoyne starts in place of Wian du Preez at tighthead prop. Their back line is unchanged.

But where will the game be lost and won?

Two places come to mind. One is the scrum, where Ulster made the platform for their win against the Ospreys last week. Munster’s scrum is known for being rather dominant, but without powerhouse du Preez at tighthead, will young prop David Kilcoyne be able to stand up against World Cup winner John Afoa? The other place is in the crowd. I know, rather cheesy, but it’s true. If the Ulster fans get behind their boys from the very start it is very hard for away teams to win in Ravenhill. The Ravenhill Roar could prove decisive.

I’m feeling positive this week and our strong team out makes me feel even better. I believe our scrum should dominate and with Stephen Ferris running at their back line I can see us denying them a losing bonus point. Prediction – Ulster by 8.

Gatland roars to Lions job
I’m surprised I haven’t written about this yet. Congratulations to Warren Gatland for his deserved appointment as the 2013 British & Irish Lions coach for their tour to Australia. Although, with not many other people putting their hands, it made life very easy for the selectors.

But before he’s even begun to look at what he wants to do with the Lions, he’s faced with issues. Mainly in France. And yes, you’re probably thinking, ‘But France have nothing to do with the Lions.’ Yes and no. Yes, they don’t provide any players. No, they do have a league that has British & Irish players in it. And the Top14 sides are very strict on their release dates.

Why? Well, the Top14 season finishes on the 1st June with the grand final, the same day the Lions officially begin their tour with a friendly against the Barbarians in Hong Kong. And with Toulon, Clermont, Perpignan and others vying for a place in the final, many players may still be training for that final.

Players playing in the Top14 that would be in contention for a Lions cap would include Steffon Armitage (Toulon), Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon), Mike Phillips (Bayonne), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Lee Byrne (Clermont) and Gethin Jenkins (Toulon), among others.

Gatland has said that he will try and force the French sides to release their players if they are indeed called up. But the French sides have reacted angrily saying the players have signed contracts and should stick by them. It’s not a case that will be resolved quickly…

But moving on from the negatives, it seems likely that Gatland will appoint Leinster coach Joe Schmidt as his second-in-command. Schmidt obviously has experience in Australia, and after leading Leinster to their third Heineken Cup in four seasons, is one of the best coaches in the game at the moment. Gatland would be wise to move quickly before Leinster move to keep him in Ireland for the summer.

There's a long way to go, but a team is probably already forming in Gatland's head. But a lot can change in eight months...

Sunday 9 September 2012

IRISH FOUR SOAR TO WIN


Today I look back at a successful weekend for Irish club rugby – especially one in sunny Swansea…


8:00pm, Saturday 8th September. My heart is nearly literally bursting out of my chest and I’m screaming at the TV, “Go, go, go!”

Luckily for Ulster and my heart condition, Ulster did go, and eventually ended up on the right end of a 16-13 scoreline in the south of Wales. And their reward? Four more points in the domestic struggle, an elusive win in the Liberty Stadium and another week of being able to boast a 100% record in the league.

Not only that, but Mark Anscombe can sleep happy, knowing he has yet to experience the bitter taste of defeat as Ulster head coach. A taste he will not want to have left in his mouth come the end of this Friday night against Munster.

But for large periods of the game on Saturday night it seemed like Ulster would never win. What ended up going right for them?

Loving life at the Liberty

It is well worth pointing out that this is Ulster’s first victory in Wales in five pitiful attempts, and even then we made very hard work of it. For the first 60 minutes it looked like the Ospreys were going to get away with it, but some quick thinking by Paul Marshall after some battering by the Ulster forwards gave us our first win in the Liberty since 2009.

And I know, if you read my first blog you’ll remember I predicted the Ospreys would win by 4. And at times it looked like this was going to be the case, right up until the 74th minute. But for once, I am very glad I was wrong, and that Ulster prevailed over my brain.

I guess that sums up Ulster really. Unpredictable.

But the players did themselves justice. After a sloppy and, to be quite frank, boring first half, Ulster came out a changed side and after Anscombe threw on the Ireland contingent, the game was only going one way.

It was fantastic to see Stephen Ferris back in an Ulster jersey for the first time since the Heineken Cup Final and to make it through unharmed, and Nick Williams completed his first 80 minute stint, which was coupled with a deserved Man of the Match performance for his work at the breakdown and his wrecking ball running.

Darren Cave was brilliant in the midfield, organising the young players outside him, while his partner at centre Luke Marshall had another good game, proving that our young players know what they’re doing. Lewis Stevenson continued in his consistent form, putting in another brilliant shift at lock alongside leader Johann Muller as well and Mike Allen had some very good runs down the wing.

But the scrum, although initially weak, was completely dominant in the final quarter of the game and was the basis of the win. Subs John Afoa and Tom Court completely destroyed the Ospreys front row and it was Afoa who made the initial drive for Marshall to score his try. By the 70th minute, you knew every scrum was going to result in an Ulster penalty.

Anscombe must be praised. His subs were timed to perfection and his tactics were bang on the money. The introduction of Marshall at half-time sped up the back line and Ferris and Afoa were introduced at just the right time to make their maximum impact on a tired Ospreys defence. Certainly nobody will be complaining about him now.

Ulster left Swansea last night in high spirits. And so they should. For the Ospreys, there’s a lot of work to be done…

Elation for Ireland

Ulster’s win in Wales rounded off a spectacular weekend for Irish rugby as all four sides recorded wins in their games, amassing a cumulative total of seventeen points in the league.

Connacht started the weekend off with a dominating 30-17 win over newcomers Zebre in Italy, while Munster disposed of the other Italian outfit Treviso in Thomond Park, 19-6. Leinster managed to secure the only bonus point win of round two, beating the Dragons 45-25 at the RDS, and Ulster rounded it all off, sneaking the win in Wales.

Although the other three sides had what wouldn’t be considered extremely difficult games, Connacht had to deal with a Zebre side that are trying to prove themselves in this league. They wouldn’t have been pushovers. Treviso had just come off the back of a magnificent victory over defending champions the Ospreys and would be wanting to follow it up, and the same for the Dragons who would have wanted to back up their bonus point victory over Zebre the week before.

Ulster’s win was probably the pick of the lot, but a mention to Leinster who bounced back from their crushing defeat in Llanelli the week before in some style, and Connacht who proved they can crank it up a few gears when required.

Irish rugby is fairly dominant when it comes to club rugby at the moment, producing five of the last seven Heineken Cup winners (three Leinster, two Munster) and four of the last seven Celtic League winners (two Munster, one Leinster, one Ulster), and long may this continue. Connacht are also showing signs of vast improvement and playing in the Heineken Cup will help this.

If the club form could be transferred to the international stage then Ireland would be a formidable force. Declan Kidney must seek out ways to do this or he could be seeking out a new job instead. The Autumn Internationals are coming up soon, and there needs to be at least signs of improvement, or the pressure could be on…

But for now, we can sit back and watch our club sides succeed instead. Two are still unbeaten, one is finding form, and the fourth is slowly creeping up behind.

It’s good to be an Ireland fan at the moment.

Five days till Friday

So all attention turns to this Friday and the visit of Munster to Ravenhill. And what a game it will be. Munster will arrive also boasting a 100% record in the league under a new coach, and more importantly, will be looking for revenge for that Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat in April.

Yes, we’ve played them since then, but for the last game of the season we sent down our “sacrificial lambs” as they were accurately dubbed and in the end we were thrashed. Any fan who calls that sweet revenge is satisfied easily.

No, this is the game that both sides will dearly want to win. All Ireland players will be released back to their clubs to play, with no exceptions, and it will be a massive blow in the league for the team that loses. There is more at stake here than just bragging rights.

I’ll look at this game in more detail later in the week, but for now it’s just a nervous wait. Two full strength sides in an interprovincial derby between Ulster and Munster for the first time in a long time.

It promises to be an epic tussle.

Thursday 6 September 2012

CAN ULSTER LIGHT UP THE LIBERTY?

In my first blog post I look ahead to Ulster's game against the Ospreys and whether we can come away with the win...


Ulster head to the Liberty Stadium this weekend in search of what would be a massive morale-boosting victory in the RaboDirect PRO12. But victory in Swansea is easier said than done - just ask the side that returned home on the wrong side of a 32-14 drubbing last season. But as you can tell by the title, I'm not so sure that this is the case this time round...

Party poopers

The head honchos in the awkwardly named Osprey-lia have said this season will be a party season at the Liberty. Whether that be another trophy in the Welsh side's cabinet or an unbeaten home season, we don't know. What we do know is that Ulster have to crash the party before it's even begun. Even before the invitations have been sent out.

But the Ospreys are PRO12 champions for a reason. Winning in the RDS is no mean feat - they were only one of two teams to do it last season (Glasgow being the other). Not even that, but they did it twice. Not even a madman would bet on that. When you see those stats you know you're up against a team that means business.

But most importantly, they're inconsistent. Obviously not inconsistent enough to write themselves off when it comes to competing, but inconsistent enough to lose crucial matches at crucial times. No better example is last weekend when they travelled to Italy and were subsuquently beaten by Treviso 12-6. Everyone knows the key to success is momentum. The Ospreys haven't got that yet.

Couple that with their unbelievably bad discipline and you have a wounded side. They'll be smarting from that defeat against Treviso, their first in Italy ever, and will be looking to avenge that. But Ulster have to take the advantage. Strike first, put the doubt in the home side's minds and then strike again.

Ferris and Trimble will be influential off the bench and will be expected to make their mark on the game late on. Nick Williams will have to be at his bruising best once more to counter-act the Ospreys' back row. Mark Anscombe's subsitutes could prove decisive in how this game finishes up.

But obviously, never write off the Ospreys. Dan Biggar's boot is lethal and the endless number of Jones players on their team are all talented enough to cause big problems. Their back line is experienced and pacy enough to trouble Ulster's young backs which is probably why Darren Cave will start this week ahead of Chris Farrell.

The game is there for the win. No doubt about it. Ulster have to set out with a positive outlook and look to strike first. Use the win last week to push on into this game and snatch the win away from right under the champions' noses. A tough ask, but by no means impossible.

Want to predict it? No, neither do I! Unfortunately since I will (probably) not blog again before the game I think I must, despite not knowing the two teams. As much as I want Ulster to win, the Ospreys on home soil against a still up-and-coming Ulster side should just have enough to sneak it. A bonus point is there for the taking though. Prediction - Ospreys by 4.

Teams


The Ospreys will have lock Ian Evans available despite receiving a red card last Friday.

Ulster have named Stephen Ferris and Andrew Trimble in their extended squad although neither are expected to start, instead making their impact off the bench. Declan Fitzpatrick is expected to start instead of John Afoa in the front row, while Darren Cave will replace Chris Farrell in the back line. Due to a dead leg sustained in the match last week, Niall O'Connor will replace Paddy Jackson at fly half.

Anscombe off to a flier

If there was a better way to make yourself popular with the Ulster faithful, Mark Anscombe will have to search hard to find it. Two out of three friendly wins, a draw with the most successful English club side and a convincing win in your first competitive game in charge. Not bad, eh?

Before Anscombe arrived there were doubts, but they have been blown out of the water after three fantastic friendly performances, including Ulster's first win ever in France. Then Ulster saw off last season's PRO12 semi-finalsts 18-10 at Ravenhill. Anscombe will no doubt be happy and will want to continue in his good run of form.

No doubt he has endeared himself to the Ravenhill crowd. Now he has to keep it going. A win in Swansea will have Ulster fans singing his praises and that's his goal. Hopefully he can do just so...