FORGETTING FRIDAY

Tired. Sloppy. Lackadaisical.

Anybody else want to add in any more words to describe Ulster’s performance on Friday? No, I didn’t think so. In one of the worst performances certainly I have seen from Ulster in all of my years watching them, Ulster were deservedly beaten 15-8 by a Dragons side who weren’t much better than the away side, and definitely didn’t come anywhere near the Ulster line even once.

It’s a very very big blow. Last season Ulster walked away from Rodney Parade with all five points. This season they’re lucky to crawl away with one. Certainly if we have any intent on being one of the top four teams come the end of the season then either the mindset or the quality of the performances must change, and fast. I don’t know which, but Friday’s shambles was nothing short of a disaster.

The back moves were full of little errors, the forwards could not make their advantage in the scrum count and, as painful as it is for me to say it, Paddy Jackson’s goal kicking was awry yet again. It didn’t lose us the match, that would be a snap judgement (one I did make myself in the heat of the moment), but it certainly didn’t help us in the slightest. Had he landed all his kicks we would have won.

Not his fault though. We lost it as a team. On the night, the Dragons wanted it more and quite rightly they came away with the win. Jason Tovey was excellent with the boot (which made it all the more sickening for us) and whenever the Dragons’ forward pack took control in the second half they took full advantage. Maybe they weren’t as much in the ascendancy as referee Claudio Blessano though, but you play to the referee, no excuses there. A night to forget unfortunately.

Nevertheless, no point in dwelling on it, it’ll just make us feel miserable. Certainly right after the match I was feeling very depressed, but a few days on it’s all forgotten (well, almost!). One defeat does not our title ambitions destroy (or something like that), so let’s not hit the panic buttons just yet. Looking at the fixture list there is a small possibility that we could go to Christmas unbeaten again, but as I said, the performances have to increase tenfold.

So it’s probably very bad that it’s Glasgow who come to Ravenhill this Friday.

You have to admire Glasgow in a way. They came out of nowhere to finish third in the league last season and were inches away from reaching the final, only to just be beaten by Leinster. Had they managed to beat the Dubliners then I don’t think anybody would have begrudged them their place in the final – they were without a shadow of a doubt the form team of 2013 in the Pro12.

This will be a big test for Ulster. Had they snuck past the Dragons on Friday then it wouldn’t have been the best preparation for this match. A loss could be worse or better. A loss could just spark a revenge mission for Ulster – having been humiliated on Friday, the players know they will need to turn it round this week or they will be facing a massive uphill battle in just the second week of the season.

It’s a game that has a lot riding on it already. Should Ulster lose this then serious questions will be asked. The strong squad from last season will be under intense scrutiny early on, and the top four of the Pro12 will look like a distant target already – to finish top Ulster lost only four games last season, it would be two from two if they don’t finish on the right side of the scoreline this Friday.

Therefore it is imperative that the Warriors are defeated. Easier said than done. They have strengthened their squad even more than last season, and last weekend’s battling win over Cardiff will have them in the right frame of mind coming into the game. They will think we’re vulnerable and will fancy a scalp – and who can blame them?

Anscombe will have his work cut out for him. Pulling his side out of the mire of defeat will be tough enough, getting them ready for a big clash this weekend will be even tougher. Change will be made, you can guarantee that. He was not happy with what happened on Friday, don’t be surprised to see wholesale changes in the side. Maybe it’s needed.

Can we do it? I hope so, otherwise it may be a long season for us. A loss wouldn’t end our top four hopes but it would seriously dent them – could we recover from two losses at the start of the season? If anyone could it’s Ulster, but let’s hope it doesn’t even come to that. Let’s just say the season starts here, eh?

C’mon Ulster!