Maybe the luck we got in Murrayfield was greater than what we got
against the Scarlets on Friday night, but nevertheless, it was another abject
performance from the Ulstermen. Had Craig Gilroy not run in his wonderful solo
try just after half-time then it’s questionable whether Ulster would have had
the conviction to go on and win. Yet it’s a remarkable contrast in fortunes
that we left Belfast wondering just how we’d spurned a try bonus point such was
our start to the second half.
It typifies Ulster’s season – a smattering of good periods during
games that just about amounts to victories here and there.
If you look at our season as a whole, you could argue that Ulster have
put in two 80 minute performances so far this season, both at home, to Glasgow
and Leicester. Based on that, you would think we’d be languishing in mid-table
and destined for a season outside the top four. Yet instead we sit in third
place, one point off first and with probably the easiest run in of our rivals
towards the business end of the season.
However, there are very few reasons to be cheerful heading to Rodney
Parade on Sunday. The form of human bulldozer Nick Williams is one of those
reasons, with the Kiwi number eight finally getting back to what he does best,
and alongside the ever-reliable Roger Wilson there is a real stability
returning to our 6/8 combo. Sadly, with Chris Henry and now Tim Boys both
sidelined, the same cannot be said for our openside.
Too many times have Ulster fallen asleep during games, or simply gone
slack for prolonged periods this season. You think back to the first half at
the Parc y Scarlets back in December when we were 12-0 down before we could
even blink. Or away to Munster a few weeks before that when we started superbly
and then were blown away for the rest of the game. It’s periods of games like
those that really hurt us.
Friday was no different. Having not done much wrong for the first half
(although not much right either in all honesty), we went in at the half losing
13-6 due to an act of carelessness from Ian Humphreys, throwing an offload that
was never on and putting us on the back foot – and as I said earlier, had Craig
Gilroy not sparked us into life just after the restart then who knows what the
result would have been.
This isn’t something I know how to solve, so I’m not offering any
advice. However, it is clear that until Ulster start putting in some 80 minute
performances then at some point they will be caught out, with our trip to
Rodney Parade this Sunday a real banana skin as far as away days are concerned.
The Dragons are typically a difficult opposition to defeat in Newport, and
based on our away form so far this season you wouldn’t put it past the
underdogs triumphing, even with their loss to Zebre last week.
Still, Ulster are due a decent outing, and if results go our way over
the weekend we could head into the second Six Nations break top of the tree
once more – although that’s unlikely due to Glasgow being at home to Zebre,
though you never know. Still, this is a great chance to continue our momentum
of good results (albeit with poor performances) and take away the win from
traditionally one of the trickiest venues in the Pro12.
Actually, looking ahead, things don’t seem too bad. With three more
home games still to come, two of which are against Leinster and Munster, there
is a chance not only to propel ourselves up the standings but push a few of our
play-off rivals down a bit too. And by the time the likes of Rory Best, Jared
Payne and Tommy Bowe are released back to us we should be in a good frame of
mind to travel west to Galway and get a result against Connacht as well.
So even though we’re still looking for that satisfying performance
that leaves us grinning from ear to ear after departing the Kingspan Stadium,
things are still looking up for Neil Doak and Ulster. Should we traverse
Sunday’s test then we will be perfectly placed to push on and gain one of the
top two spots in the league and bring a semi-final back to the Kingspan
Stadium.
And once it gets to knock-out matches, the performances no longer
matter. Just the results.
No comments:
Post a Comment