Thursday 30 October 2014

TAUGHT A LESSON

There are times in life where you simply have to put your hands up and admit that someone else was better than you.

Saturday was one of those days, to a certain extent. We weren’t at our best, not by a long shot, but we came up against a side who imposed themselves on us with an immense physicality and then backed that up with pace and movement that cut our defence to pieces. Toulon aren’t the defending Top14 and European champions for no reason, and on Saturday they proved just why – they have talent all over the place.

Take for instance the brilliance of their back row. Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe withdrew through injury in the first minute, and to any other side that would’ve been catastrophic to their ability at the breakdown. Not to Toulon, who replaced him with a World Cup winner in Juanne Smith who combined with Steffon Armitage and Chris Masoe to blow away Ulster in the close encounters, thus highlighting the unrivalled strength of Toulon’s squad.

In the aftermath, some have gone for the nuclear option: declaring that Ulster simply aren’t good enough. That my friends, is rubbish.

I’m not denying that we have areas we must improve in, because we obviously do, but to suddenly write Ulster off as a side that aren’t good enough is a flawed argument. For instance, only two weeks ago we were singing Ulster’s praises after comfortably seeing off Glasgow at the Kingspan – yet two weeks later, according to some, we need a complete overhaul of our coaching staff, players and facilities after two losses to top quality opposition.

Neil Doak will stay, as he should, as it is extremely early to judge his progress as a coach. He’s started his reign as Ulster head coach with three incredibly difficult games and, following the Glasgow triumph, he came up against a Leicester side who have found their form again and the defending European champions who show no signs of giving up their title any time soon.

It’s been a turbulent few weeks for Doak. After the win over the Warriors he probably thought he was riding the crest of a wave. But now, with two losses to his name as well, he’s facing the harsh realities of being a head coach at the highest level – he will be scrutinised with every move he makes and if every game isn’t a W in the results column then there will be questions asked of him.

It’s a little early for him to write off Europe just yet. As uphill a task his side face to qualify for the latter stages of the Champions’ Cup, it is by no means impossible, and if Doak can provide some Houdini-esque magic and get Ulster into the quarter-finals then he will be lauded as a great coach by fans and experts alike. It wouldn’t be too bad a start to his tenure in charge either.

But he must move on from Saturday’s disappointment. What we saw from Toulon was a fantastic piece of close down rugby where they negated Ulster’s game plan from the off and restricted them to nothing more than two penalties and a late try – sometimes there is nothing you can do about that except hold up your hands and admit they had you sussed.

Instead, the focus must switch back to the Pro12. While Europe may be something of an unlikely goal, qualifying for the play-offs domestically is quite the opposite. Sitting in a lofty third place with two huge games against the Ospreys and Munster to come at the end of November, there is a real opportunity for Ulster to get some points on the board and also take a few off some play-off rivals too.

Saturday is the perfect opportunity for us to get another five points and close the gap on runaway leaders the Ospreys – the Dragons are missing so many players that if we don’t get at least four tries then there will have to be questions asked. Regardless of whether we are a team in transition or not, you would like to hope that our squad would have the ability to get a bonus point against one of the sides hoping not to finish last in the table.

And it is in these games that Doak will be judged, not the Toulon game. The league is the bread and butter for any team, so how competitive we are in the Pro12 will determine how successful Doak is perceived to be. And that starts with a convincing bonus point win on Saturday over the Dragons that will appease all those fans' fears.

And nothing else will do.

Wednesday 22 October 2014

LEAVING LEICESTER BEHIND

I’ve never left a game so bewildered as to how I should feel about Saturday’s defeat at Welford Road. To give you a sample of my bewilderment, here are my notes from the game:

Negatives: First half
Positives: Second half

I’m not quite sure what it was about us on Saturday but, the 22 phase drive in the first few minutes aside, we offered so little in the first half that it seemed like only one side had actually decided to compete. Leicester showed desire and hunger that we hadn’t seen from them before this season and in my opinion had they gone in with four tries wrapped up at half-time I’m not sure too many would have raised a hand to argue.

Yet in the second half it was all change. Owen Williams got us off to a status quo start, but after that it was all Ulster. I’m not sure what was said at half-time, nor do I know just what Neil Doak put in the oranges, but with half an hour left on the clock the Ulstermen sprung into life as only we know they can. Lightning quick backs moves and relentless breakdown work combined for a spirited Ulster comeback which was cut cruelly short by Michael Heaney’s last second knock-on.

The raucous cheers at full-time were of relief, not jubilation.

Whether Leicester will be happier with the result is questionable, and is also where I make my point. For the home side you could argue they’ve gained a valuable four points and a crucial home win that is a necessity in Europe. On the other hand, with three tries gained in the first 40 with relative ease, there has got to be a severe sense of disappointment for Richard Cockerill that his side could not push on and get just one more try, instead handing the initiative to the visitors.

Meanwhile, put the shoe on the other foot. At half-time I think every Ulster fan would have taken a defeat that didn’t leave them thoroughly embarrassed for the rest of the week, yet by the time hands were shaken at the end of the game there was definitely a degree of frustration that we left with just one point. Leicester were there to be beaten, and Neil Doak knows that.

Errors and a faltering set piece cost us dearly, and that will have to be addressed ahead of the visit of Toulon. As for the aftermath of Saturday, I left Welford Road and arrived back at my hotel still extremely conflicted by what I had watched – the extreme capitulation of the first half and the sheer brilliance of the second. It was like watching two different teams, which is probably credit to Doak for turning it around in the fifteen minutes he had at the break.

In the end, I guess it’s a case of a point gained more than anything else, and even more importantly: a rival denied a point. Had Leicester got that fourth try we were facing an uphill battle to qualify for the latter stages, so to finish with a 4-1 match point deficit is a brilliant return. If you recall after Leicester took a bonus point away from Ravenhill at this stage last season everyone claimed they had the upper hand in the pool – could you argue it’s the same for us now?

The performance left a lot to be desired, but there is a lot to draw confidence from in that second period and build upon. Toulon will of course be another step up from the Tigers with all their mega-bucks stars and their desire to become the first side to win Europe’s premier competition for three successive seasons, but if we can continue where we left off from at Welford Road then Toulon are beatable.

A point at Welford Road is not a shameful result and a win against Toulon puts us right back into the mix. In fact, it’s a measure of where we stand in Europe that we are coming away from Leicester, multiple time champions of this event, disappointed with a tight loss. With a mindset like that, and a slight improvement in our play, then there’s absolutely no reason why we can’t cause a major scalp and take down the reigning champions.

Pool Three is still wide open, and if we play our cards right then we’ll be in with a shout come January. Already the game against Leicester at the Kingspan could go a long way to deciding the future of two sides in this season’s competition…

Tuesday 14 October 2014

CONFIDENCE BOOSTER

For all the critics who were getting on Ulster’s back for the last few weeks, Saturday night was certainly an answer to those criticisms.

Glasgow, who have been scoring tries for fun so far this season, were reduced to nothing more than a side in Ulster’s way and Neil Doak’s men routinely delivered. For a side that scored 21 tries in the previous five games, the Scottish visitors did not even seriously threaten the Ulster line once and that was down to a well drilled and robust Ulster defensive line, coached fantastically well by Allen Clarke.

For the first time this season you could say that Ulster thoroughly deserved their victory. Zebre and Cardiff were put away with performances that could be improved upon, while the Edinburgh win was such a formality that it seemed ludicrous to even mention the word ‘contest’ in the match report, so it was a welcome relief that Ulster were comfortable and composed as they saw off the form side in the Pro12.

It wasn’t a case of Glasgow being poor either, which would be an easy way to sum up their shortcomings, rather Ulster didn’t allow them to play their free-flowing offloading game that has drawn their admirers. From the first minute the hosts adopted their high press defence and sucked the Warriors into a tight, physical affair, and from there the Scots had no Plan B to go to.

It was a stroke of tactical genius from the Ulster coaching staff and it showed on the field.

With nowhere to go without the ability to fling the ball around with abandon, Glasgow looked like they had nothing to offer. Sean Maitland at least provided an ever potent threat from full-back but beyond him the Warriors were about as sharp as a balloon. Even their dangerous ball carriers Leone Nakarawa and Josh Strauss were kept relatively quiet too – Strauss’ first half foray into the Ulster 22 about as penetrating as the visitors got all evening.

It goes without saying that the win will give Neil Doak an immense lift heading to Welford Road this Saturday. He extracted an intensity from his Ulstermen on Saturday that we hadn’t seen before this season and in the end, while a twenty point winning margin maybe flattered Ulster slightly, denying Glasgow the losing bonus point was the least they deserved for a ruthless rearguard effort and some clinical finishing in the second period.

Two players will stand out specifically for Doak though: Alan O’Connor and Stuart McCloskey, two young players whom the coach has put his trust in and they have rewarded him handsomely.

O’Connor, making only his second competitive start for his province, looks as if he’s been a first team regular for years and has adapted to professional rugby exceptionally well, taking full advantage of injuries to Dan Tuohy and Iain Henderson and seizing his chance with both hands. If he continues playing like this for the next few weeks then he certainly won’t look out of place against two European heavyweights in Leicester and Toulon.

The same goes for Stuart McCloskey, chosen at inside centre over namesake Stuart Olding, who brings an incredible amount of physicality to the back line with his ability to seemingly break the first tackle on nearly every occasion. Maybe not the first choice centre at the start of the season, his last three games have proven what a player he actually is and should he continue this form then the 12 shirt could be his for the foreseeable future.

And it will be his physical nature that will serve Ulster well against Leicester. There is the small matter of Manusamoa Tuilagi in the centre for the Tigers, and to see how the abrasive England centre gets on against an equally abrasive centre in McCloskey will pique more than a few pundits’ interest. Of course, this will be the 22-year old’s biggest test so far with the international centre a massive step up from his previous three opponents, but it will be a challenge he will undoubtedly relish.

The same goes for Mr. O’Connor who will line up opposite possibly the most seasoned lock in the game of rugby at present in Brad Thorn (should he survive his citing). The 40-year old has been there, done that and got the medals to prove it, and still possesses the ability to start for Leicester in the latter stages of his career – that is some achievement. So no less of a challenge for O’Connor than his team-mate in the centre.

Still, Saturday’s clash is one that I think every Ulster fan has been preparing for for a long time. Even with Ruan Pienaar sidelined, there is an air of optimism around the Kingspan following last Saturday’s result and a genuine belief that an early initiative in a very difficult Champions’ Cup pool could be grasped with a second win at Welford Road in nine months. We’ve done it once already, why not do it again?

Because it’s Leicester. And they do not lose at home very often. Any sort of win will be an incredible achievement and will put us on cloud nine ahead of Toulon’s visit to Belfast with an away win already registered. The Tigers are decimated by several key injuries and if the Ulstermen can seize an early initiative then there is no reason why we can’t leave England with four vital points in the quest to qualify.

You can’t help but think that this is the best chance we’ll get though, and it needs taken. Badly.

Tuesday 7 October 2014

FRONT UP, BACK DOWN

One could spend hours praising the forwards’ exceptional twenty minute stint from Friday night, led expertly by Rory Best once more, however that is not where the main focus should be this week.

True, there’s never much you can criticise from a bonus point performance, and many with more sense than I would simply leave it at five points gained: move on. However, to ignore the shortcomings of Ulster’s back line would be a severe case of ignorance is bliss, and coming into a crucial part of the season that would be criminal for all involved.

While the introduction of Nick Williams and the hard working mind-set of Rory Best spearheaded Ulster’s charge for their bonus point in the last twenty minutes, Les Kiss will be less than pleased at how numbers 9-15 performed against one of the more porous defences they’ll face all season, even when reduced to fourteen men.

Let’s not forget that this is an Edinburgh team that conceded a mind-boggling 63 points away to the Ospreys, and quite rightly inhabit a lowly tenth place in the Pro12 with just 7 points and one win from their first five contests. Yet somehow one of the so-called “best backlines in Europe” struggled to manage just one clean line break between them with Andrew Trimble’s try in the first half the only positive aspect for a limp back performance.

Stuart McCloskey and the aforementioned Trimble may well hold their heads high though. While their counterparts in the back line were struggling to make any sort of an impact on the game they linked superbly for the opening try of the evening, McCloskey’s break providing the space for Trimble, who had the presence of mind to switch the ball to his other hand in order to hand off Tim Visser to score.

McCloskey, only making his second start of the season after injury, was probably Ulster’s best player of the night. A constant thorn in the side of the Scottish visitors, his strong running and ability to seemingly always break the first tackle made him a handful to deal with, while on the wing Andrew Trimble was, well, Andrew Trimble. The Ireland winger was eager for the ball and took his two tries very well proving just why he should be keep his place as one of the starting wingers for Ireland in the November internationals.

Beyond that, there wasn’t much for anyone to get excited about.

Part of the blame probably does have to be attributed to an increasingly bizarre policy of rotation which has seen five different centre partnerships in the past five games, but even so, some players simply look off the pace. Even the in-form Louis Ludik who has been very impressive since arriving from Agen, was struggling to impose himself on the game, finding himself sucked into the mundane kicking contest that went on.

And yes, for those who watched the game at home, the endless kicking that went on was just as boring for us at the game than it was for you. Apparently there was no other tactic that could break down the Edinburgh defence and the Ulster back three resorted to dropping balls from orbit to the reliable Phil Burleigh – a tactic that not only failed, but put the crowd to sleep at the same time.

Compare that to the Ospreys game two weeks ago where they sliced through the hapless Gunners with ease. 63 points speaks for itself – and for those whose maths is just as good as mine, that’s double what we managed to put on them – and they all came from a flowing passing game where the Ospreys mercilessly attacked the line from all over the park, and reaping the rewards at the full-time whistle. “Them’s the margins”, or so they say, and we’ve got a lot of work to do to catch up with the men from Swansea, and Glasgow too, whose trip to Belfast this Friday looks irresistible now.

The Warriors will arrive at the Kingspan unbeaten and in fantastic form, having seen off Treviso 40-23 on Sunday, scoring six tries in the process. Gregor Townsend has moulded them into a superb coherent side that look like they have managed to improve even from last season and if Ulster are to head into the Champions’ Cup with some positive reinforcement then those backs will have to start firing on all cylinders.

Otherwise you can forget about beating Glasgow, Leicester or Toulon right now.

And as a final sign-off, a special mention has to go to Alan O’Connor.

The 22-year old former Leinsterman has had to bide his time over the last two years since his move north, however the injuries to Dan Tuohy and Iain Henderson gifted him the chance to impress on Friday night. And, while I won’t declare him to be the answer to our injury worries just yet, he certainly gave a good account of himself, regardless of how poor the opposition were. Another start against Glasgow this week may beckon…

Wednesday 1 October 2014

WITHOUT A WHIMPER

Complaints? Ulster can have none.

The team was not the issue, the side that Les Kiss sent to Parma had talent in abundance and was more than capable of returning to Belfast with all five points. Indeed, had a neutral compared the two team sheets before the game began then the sheer weight of international quality for the visitors would have been enough to hand them the bonus point before the game began.

Consider the names that lined out for Ulster. Tommy Bowe and Craig Gilroy were potent threats on the wing and from full-back. Paddy Jackson was starting at fly-half. Callum Black, Rob Herring and Declan Fitzpatrick formed a very strong front row that was boosted by Franco van der Merwe from the second row and Roger Wilson and Nick Williams in the rearguard. Not to mention the benefit of having Rory Best and Andrew Trimble to spring from the bench.

Yet it was a disjointed performance from the Ulstermen, and for the first time at the Stadio XXV Aprille they were punished for their negligence. Zebre, and Aironi before them, have been a side that Ulster have notoriously struggled against and on Saturday they finally triumphed for the first time over an Irish province, despite not possessing the big names that Ulster had.

Yes Andrea Cavinato was able to utilise several household names like Mauro Bergamasco and Luciano Orquera, but they had nowhere close to the quality that Les Kiss was able to choose from (and leave at home). Who could honestly say they’d ever heard of Giulio Bisegni at outside centre before Saturday? Or how about Oliviero Fabiani making his third appearance for Zebre off the bench? Or even Kiwi fly half Kelly Haimona who scored eight points to hand the hosts their victory?

However it happened, they were good enough to secure Zebre’s first win of the season and condemn Ulster to their first loss. True, there was a slight issue of a red card to Declan Fitzpatrick which may have aided their cause marginally, but the bottom line is these guys are not close to the standard of Ulster’s, and even then they weren’t even playing good rugby.

Think about it: with an extra player on the field they still could only find one try and muster a measly 13 points against us, saved by the grace that their opposition could only amount 8. And in truth, that sums up what a drab contest it was when only 21 points were scored and the TMO was called into action too many times by referee Peter Fitzgibbon – not the first time I have criticised him this season, and we’re only four games old.

Only a portion of blame can be placed on the officiating team, with TMO Carlo Damasco (from Italy no less) just as culpable as his hapless colleagues on the field, as for the fourth week in a row Ulster put in a sub-par performance and this time they were found out. Not to be a broken record, but yes the dismissal of Fitzpatrick did mean they were facing an uphill battle, but it’s not like they were exactly playing scintillating rugby before that either.

And indeed they got their just rewards for how they played. A losing bonus point against Zebre is never something to be proud of, and yet it is probably all that Ulster deserved, if not less. With misfiring backs, a scrum that was reeling from the loss of a player, and a set piece that looked shakier than it has for a long time, Ulster rightly slipped to a first defeat of the season, and one that the rugby world has laughed at over the weekend.

It’s not one of Les Kiss’s more memorable coaching moments, and it isn’t exactly one that he’ll want to remember very often. His fourteen men never showed any kind of belief that they could come back after Dario Chistolini’s try, and when Kelly Haimona landed that impressive drop goal, you just knew that the final nail had been hammered into the Ulster coffin.

And yet despite the set-back we still inherit third place in the table thanks to Glasgow’s mauling of Connacht and the Ospreys’ shock win at Thomond Park. There is a six point gap between us and the two pace-setters admittedly, however that is a gap that can be closed, especially since we take on Glasgow in front of the Sky cameras in a couple of weeks. And that has to be the platform to build on for the visit of Edinburgh this Friday night.

Mainly because there isn’t much else we’d want to take forward…